A large piece of the PYP is world learning, but inquiry is the focus. Our first BIG dose of inquiry took place through our Blubber Glove experiment. Of course, before we could inquire about something new we needed background knowledge. As I mentioned in my part 1 post, my teaching focus was nonfiction text elements through penguins.
Students inquired together on the 4 main adaptations of penguins. We used the National Geographic Kids series to read and discuss. Students used the captions to document their learning of the adaptations.
We then went deeper with the topic of blubber. Students participated in a whole group
Close Read. You can grab a copy of the
Close Read I wrote here. This broke down the importance of blubber.
With our background knowledge flowing, we dove into our Blubber Gloves (How to make a Blubber Glove below).
Students placed Vaseline on one hand and placed it in the icy water. This simulated the temperature and the oils on a penguin's feathers. Students then placed the other hand in the Blubber Glove, thus experiencing how blubber keeps the animal warm in such drastic weather.
Students answered questions about the learning and incorporated the vocabulary they learned throughout our unit. to say it was a BLAST is an understatement! My students are still talking about this activity.
How to make a Blubber Glove:
You need 2 large ziplock bags, duct tape, crisco, and a spoon.
Begin by, scooping large amounts of crisco into one of the ziplock bags.
Next, place the second ziplock bag into the bag filled with crisco. Then, fold over the top and secure with duct tape.
Finally, move the crisco around the glove balancing it out among the sides and bottom.
What is your favorite inquiry project you have done with your students?
