What is my place in the Universe and how can I protect it? by Vicki Jonker

Week 1

vickij — 2025-05-07 01:58:09 UTC

During Week 1 of our PBL (Project-Based Learning) challenge, parents and children explored the wonders of the night and day skies together. They observed stars, the moon, the sun, and clouds—sparking curiosity and conversation about what happens in the sky at different times of the day. Here is some of the wonderful work created by our K2 Joy students, capturing what they saw and learned during their sky-watching adventure.

Week 2

vickij — 2025-05-07 01:58:18 UTC

For Week 2’s home challenge, parents helped students choose their favorite planet and research one fun fact to share, encouraging learning and curiosity about space at home.

Week 3

vickij — 2025-05-07 01:58:23 UTC

This week, K2 Joy focused on what makes the Earth special, with a special emphasis on learning about living things. To support this learning, parents were invited to get involved by planting a tree or some plants with their child. This hands-on activity helped students understand the importance of fresh air, the role of plants in keeping our environment healthy, and the responsibility we all share in taking care of living things.

Week 4

vickij — 2025-05-07 01:58:29 UTC

In Week 4, the K2 Joy students took on a special challenge with their parents: to find and identify ways they already help protect the Earth at home, as well as think about what they could do better. Together, they explored eco-friendly habits like saving water, recycling, and turning off lights when not in use, while also discussing new ways they can improve and make a bigger difference for the planet.

Week 5

vickij — 2025-05-07 01:58:36 UTC

At home with their parents, K2 Joy students created special pledge videos to share how they plan to protect the Earth. In these videos, each child proudly spoke about their personal promise. This activity helped strengthen their understanding of environmental responsibility and gave them a fun way to express their commitment to caring for our planet.

Welcome

vickij — 2025-05-07 03:15:23 UTC

Over the first two weeks, K2 Joy embarked on an exciting journey of learning about the universe and the many wonders it holds. The children explored interesting topics such as the solar system, planets, and constellations, gaining a deeper understanding of how big the universe is. Through engaging activities and discussions, they discovered the beauty and mystery of the universe around us.

Understanding what the Universe is!

vickij — 2025-05-07 03:15:52 UTC

The universe is everything we can see in the sky and even things we can’t see!

Stars!

vickij — 2025-05-07 03:16:24 UTC

A constellation is a group of stars that make a picture in the sky. People long ago made up stories about these pictures, like animals or shapes. When you look at the stars, you might see constellations that look like a bear, a lion, or even a hunter!

Reduce!

vickij — 2025-05-07 04:29:25 UTC

"Reduce" means using less of something so we don’t waste it. For example, you can use less paper or turn off lights when you don’t need them. Reducing helps save resources and keeps the Earth healthy!

Reuse!

vickij — 2025-05-07 04:29:30 UTC

"Reuse" means using something again instead of throwing it away. For example, you can use a plastic bottle or a box for something new, instead of getting rid of it. Reusing helps keep the Earth clean!

Recycle!

vickij — 2025-05-07 04:29:38 UTC

"Recycle" means turning old things like paper, plastic, or cans into new things. Instead of throwing them away, we can give them a second life and help keep the Earth clean!

Our Universe shakers

vickij — 2025-05-07 06:41:24 UTC

K2 Joy had fun making Universe Shakers! They placed tiny planets, a moon, and stars inside to create their very own universe. Shaking the bottle lets them see how all the space things move around, just like in the real universe!

Planets!

vickij — 2025-05-07 08:07:53 UTC

K2 Joy students learned about the order of the planets in our solar system! They became familiar with what each planet looks like and practiced remembering the correct order from the sun. Starting with Mercury, the closest to the sun, all the way to Neptune, the farthest. Now they can name the planets and know where each one is!

Earth - Our home!

vickij — 2025-05-07 08:19:13 UTC

After learning about the universe, K2 Joy discovered that, out of the vastness of space, Earth is our special place. It's not just a planet among billions—it's our home. Surrounded by stars and galaxies, Earth is where life thrives, where we belong, and where our story unfolds.

Why is Earth special?

vickij — 2025-05-07 08:19:28 UTC

In K2 Joy, the students learned about what makes Earth special compared to other planets. They discovered that Earth is the only planet known to support life, with air to breathe, water to drink, and the right conditions for plants, animals, and people to live and grow. This helped them understand why Earth is such a unique and important place in our solar system.

Plant more trees!

vickij — 2025-05-07 08:30:51 UTC

K2 Joy learnt that planting more trees is important because trees help protect the Earth. They clean the air, provide homes for animals, and keep the environment healthy. By planting trees, K2 Joy understood how we can take care of nature and make the world a better place for everyone.

Pick up trash!

vickij — 2025-05-07 08:31:05 UTC

K2 Joy had a thoughtful discussion about how to protect the Earth and came up with several ideas. One important suggestion they focused on was picking up trash to help keep the environment clean and safe for everyone.

Use less plastic!

vickij — 2025-05-07 08:31:27 UTC

K2 Joy had a thoughtful discussion about how to protect the Earth and came up with several ideas. One important suggestion they focused on was using less plastic to help reduce pollution and protect the environment.

Fun facts about Earth!

vickij — 2025-05-07 08:32:46 UTC

While learning about Earth, K2 Joy discovered some fun facts and really enjoyed learning more about their home.

Use less energy!

vickij — 2025-05-07 08:34:58 UTC

K2 Joy had a thoughtful discussion about how to protect the Earth and came up with several ideas. One important suggestion they focused on was using less energy to help conserve natural resources and reduce pollution.

Exploring the Universe!

vickij — 2025-05-07 08:39:59 UTC

In our Universe Sensory Bin, K2 Joy explored different things found in the universe! They touched and played with items like small planets, stars, a moon, and even glitter to represent the shining stars in the sky. The sensory bin helped them feel what it might be like to explore space and learn about all the exciting things in the universe, like planets, moons, and the sparkling stars!

Drawing the planets!

vickij — 2025-05-08 03:51:28 UTC

K2 Joy promises to protect the Earth!

vickij — 2025-05-13 04:43:00 UTC

After learning about different ways to protect the Earth, K2 Joy made a special pledge to help the planet. They promised to always throw trash in the right bins and recycle whenever possible, doing their part to keep the Earth clean and healthy for everyone.

Exploring life through the sensory bin!

vickij — 2025-05-15 06:09:50 UTC

K2 Joy learned about the many living things that make Earth unique. From tiny insects to big animals, life is everywhere on our planet.This amazing variety of life is what makes Earth so special!

Creating our own Earth!

vickij — 2025-05-15 06:11:29 UTC

K2 Joy created their own Earth using crinkle paper for a fun, hands-on activity. They used blue paper to show water and green paper to represent land. This helped them understand what Earth looks like from space!

Creating our Earth!

vickij — 2025-05-15 06:12:00 UTC

K2 Joy created their own Earth using crinkle paper for a fun, hands-on activity. They used blue paper to show water and green paper to represent land.This helped them understand what Earth looks like from space!

Planting seeds!

vickij — 2025-05-15 06:14:28 UTC

After learning that Earth supports life, K2 Joy planted their own vegetable seeds to see how living things grow. They gave the seeds water and food - just like what plants get from Earth. This helped them understand how our planet takes care of living things!

Being responsible for our plants!

vickij — 2025-05-15 06:16:07 UTC

DiDi has been taking good care of his plant by giving it water to help it grow.
Water is one of the important things we get from Earth that supports life.
Just like DiDi’s plant, all living things need water to stay healthy and grow!

Showing we care for the living!

vickij — 2025-05-15 06:21:52 UTC

Pang Pang is taking care of his plant by giving it water to help it grow. He learned that living things, like plants, need care to stay healthy. By being responsible and looking after living things, we can help protect our Earth.

Our recycled boats!

vickij — 2025-05-19 04:58:35 UTC

After learning about the 3 R's—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle—we gathered recyclables to create our own boats. This activity helped us reuse materials in a fun way, showing how recycling can be both entertaining and beneficial for protecting the Earth. By reusing items that would otherwise be waste, we contributed to keeping the planet cleaner and more sustainable!

After building our boats, we tested them in the water to see how well they floated. We had a lot of fun playing with them and watching our creations in action. It was a great way to enjoy our projects while also learning about the importance of recycling and protecting the environment!

Protecting our Earth!

vickij — 2025-05-19 07:47:14 UTC

This year, we learned many ways to help protect our Earth! We found out that we can turn off the lights when we leave a room, use both sides of the paper, and put our trash in the right bins. We also learned how to recycle things like bottles and cans. Planting trees and taking care of plants are good for the Earth too. Every little thing we do helps our planet stay clean and happy!

Making Earth bread!

vickij — 2025-05-20 07:23:58 UTC

K2 Joy painted a picture of the Earth on a slice of bread using colored condensed milk. After showing an example, T. Vicki placed her painted bread into the toaster to demonstrate how heat affects the Earth. As the bread toasted and changed, the children learned how global warming—caused by pollution—can have a negative impact on our planet, just like heat changed the Earth on the bread.

Our reusable bags!

vickij — 2025-05-27 07:22:12 UTC

K2 Joy personalized their own reusable bag by decorating it creatively. After adding their unique touch, they proudly took the bag with them on a shopping trip, ready to use it again and again!