Kindergarten Grade  Project 4 weeks

"Choices & Cheer: Wellbeing Quest!"

Andrea L
D2.Eco.2.K-2
D2.Eco.1.K-2
ESS.3.C
Self Directed Learning
Academic Mindset
+ 1 more
1-pager

Purpose

This project aims to help kindergarten students understand the impact of their daily choices on their personal wellbeing and the environment. Through hands-on activities and collaboration with community partners, students will explore healthy habits, develop critical thinking skills, and engage in self-directed learning. By creating storybooks and journals, students will reflect on their choices, fostering a sense of identity and belonging while learning how to make informed decisions.

Learning goals

Students will develop an understanding of healthy habits vocabulary and practice reading and writing skills by creating a 'Healthy Choices Storybook.' They will use math skills to sort and categorize healthy and unhealthy choices during the project launch. Through peer evaluation and feedback from community partners, students will refine their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, considering the impact of their choices on personal wellbeing and the environment. By engaging in self-directed learning, students will reflect on their daily decisions and how these contribute to their sense of identity and belonging within their community.
Standards
  • [National Council for the Social Studies] D2.Eco.2.K-2 - Identify the benefits and costs of making various personal decisions.
  • [National Council for the Social Studies] D2.Eco.1.K-2 - Explain how scarcity necessitates decision making.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] ESS.3.C - Human Impacts on Earth Systems
Competencies
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.

Products

Throughout the project, students will create a 'Healthy Choices Storybook,' illustrating and writing stories about making healthy decisions. They will also develop a 'Healthy Habits Journal,' where they document their daily activities and meals through drawings or pasted pictures. These products will be shared during a reading session with community partners and displayed in a 'Wellbeing Gallery Walk,' allowing students to explain their choices to visiting parents and community partners.

Launch

Begin the project with an interactive sorting game where students categorize various images or objects into 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' choices. Use playful and relatable items such as toy fruits, vegetables, candy, and fast food replicas to make the activity engaging. Encourage students to discuss their choices with peers, fostering collaboration and critical thinking from the outset.

Exhibition

Students will host a 'Wellbeing Gallery Walk' where they display their 'Healthy Habits Journals' and explain their daily choices to visiting parents and community partners. During the event, students will share insights from their 'Healthy Choices Storybooks' and engage in discussions about the impact of their decisions on personal wellbeing and the environment. Community partners, such as doctors and coaches, will provide feedback and encouragement, fostering a sense of achievement and reinforcing the importance of healthy living.