From the moment they stepped into the museum, the students were immersed in a world of learning and discovery. Guided by enthusiastic educators, they delved into the intricate concepts of sustainability and environmental stewardship. Through interactive exhibits and engaging discussions, the young minds grasped the significance of preserving our planet for future generations.

One highlight of the trip was the artistic workshop, where students unleashed their creativity using a unique technique. Armed with tin foil and markers, they let their imaginations run wild, transforming simple materials into stunning artworks. This hands-on activity not only fostered their artistic skills but also instilled a sense of resourcefulness and innovation.

But the learning didn’t stop there. The students were in for a real treat as they embarked on a fossil-digging adventure with their friends. With shovels in hand and excitement in their hearts, they unearthed ancient treasures, uncovering the mysteries of prehistoric life. This immersive experience sparked curiosity and ignited a passion for science and exploration among the young adventurers.

As the day drew to a close, the Grade 1 students returned to school with hearts full of newfound knowledge and memories to cherish. The field trip to the Children’s Museum had left an indelible mark on their young minds, inspiring them to become stewards of the environment and champions of creativity.

In a world where sustainability and creativity are paramount, experiences like these play a pivotal role in shaping the leaders of tomorrow. Through hands-on learning and immersive adventures, ¿Û¿Û´«Ã½ Thonglor continues to empower students to make a positive impact on the world around them.

Mr. Paul & Ms. Veronika – Grade 1 Teachers

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Grade 1 is always busy learning new things. Often, we don’t have a chance to take a breath and think about our own learning.  This year, in Grade 1 Wells Bangna, we have been focusing on reflection. We make  time to reflect on projects and lessons, or even immediately after learning a new skill.  However, before we can start to reflect, we need to understand what it means to reflect.  Piper explained, “It is like looking in a mirror”. While Prim described reflection as “when you think about something you did”.  In Grade 1, we describe reflecting as a way to think about and check what we understand and what we have learned.  

How We Reflect

With this knowledge, we consider how we reflect. In Grade 1, we reflect in 3 ways, namely the whole class, small groups and individual reflection.  Our teacher often asks, “Who is in the learning pit?” to find out who needs some more time to work through a challenge.  The whole class reflects together with the help of questions such as “What did you do well?”  or “What do you need to practice more?”  or even “What are your goals for next time?”.  These questions help us look at the skills we are learning, while having class friends use each other as examples. 

Small Group Work

Another way we reflect is in small groups where we focus on what we do during activities. After our small group activities, we talk about what we did well and what we want to change for next time. For example, some groups work very well together, while some groups struggle to take turns.  We talk about what happened in the activity and how we can change some things. This helps us become self aware and mindful of what we do. On the other hand, when friends do well, we cheer them on.

Conferring with Out Teacher

Even so, our favorite way of reflecting is when we talk to our teacher individually.  Adriana said that she can talk about what she has learned. Nandu likes individual reflection, because he said he can find out what his weaknesses are.  We use the SOLO taxonomy to help us use hand gestures, colors and clear words to describe what we can do.  We discuss our understanding with our teacher and explain why we think we are on a specific level.  It helps build confidence when we talk about our learning. It helps us set goals for ourselves.  It also helps our teacher find areas that need extra attention, for instance, our teacher found out that some students were unsure what celebrations meant during the individual reflections and planned a way to reteach the meaning of the word the next day.   

Ownership of Our Learning

In conclusion, reflection helps us become responsible for our own learning.  It helps us be aware of what we need to focus on and teaches us to set achievable goals for ourselves.  It can be hard work and we still need support from each other, but we enjoy it.  And lastly, don’t forget how proud we are when we succeed and we know it. 

Written by Ms. Sunee Steyn (Grade 1 teacher)

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• Step 1: Start with a Question
• Step 2: Form a hypothesis
• Step 3: Conduct an experiment, make observations and record results
• Step 4: Come to a conclusion

We learned about the three states of matter – solid, liquid and gas. We also learned that objects can change from one form to another. Students predicted how long it would take for ice to completely melt  at room temperature. Misaki and Uta started the discussion by predicting that it would take 3 hours to melt. We then thought about how long 3 hours is and that it is from period 1 to lunch time. Arvin then predicted that it would take 1 hour and 30 minutes and Kaira predicted that it would take 1 hour. 

We then observed ice melting and recorded a  and the results. We came to a conclusion that it took 1 hour for the ice to completely melt in the classroom. The children also discussed that it would be less than 1 hour if it was out in the sun.

Using iPads, the children went on a solid, liquid and gas hunt around the school. They took different pictures of objects and identified the state of matter. They identified water in the pool and in the toilet as liquid and that the steam coming out of the kettle is gas. 

To add some fun, the children put orange juice (liquid) in an ice tray and put it in the freezer. We all enjoyed the solid treat later! 

Written By: Ms. Salina Sakjiraphong (Grade 1 Teacher)

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Students then created two different models to demonstrate how the earth and moon orbit the sun.  One model used while the other model was made with .  In their paper models many students chose to detail the sun with sunspots and the moon with craters.

Moving out further into our solar system students began to read text according to their Lexile reading level.  As they studied this text they answered questions, completed graphic organizers and posted interesting facts for each planet.

In addition to reading teacher-prepared text students researched topics of their choosing.  While some students researched constellations others decided to learn more about black holes and satellites.  Student lead charts were posted on the walls allowing them to share their research with other students.

Using these notes students began to create a class bulletin board to share their learning with the entire school.  Students colored the planets as they are seen in space.  They then drafted and published descriptive text to be posted on the board.

After completing the bulletin board students will then begin writing about objects in our solar system.

Written By: Mr. David Gammill (Grade 2 Teacher)

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For our first field trip of the year, the Grade 1 class was able to go to the fire station in Phra Khanong. We started off the day by learning about the equipment used by firefighters to keep them safe, like the outfits they wear and the types of hoses they use for different fires. Did you know that the outfit that firefighters wear together with the oxygen tank weighs over 30 kilograms? That’s even heavier than the children! All the children even had a go at using the fire extinguisher to put out the fire.

After learning all about the equipment, we were able to actually go on the fire truck. The firefighters showed us how to turn on and use the sirens and the microphone. We then had a chance to observe some very cool but very scary snakes. First we saw a small one – the firefighter was able to tame the snake and made it sleep. They then showed us 5 huge boas. Don’t worry, the snakes were not poisonous and they were in a strong cage so it was safe. The children were brave and also respectful in trying not to be so loud as to not disturb the snakes. The children were all very eager and asked the firefighter lots of interesting questions.

Finally, we now know to call the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department on 199 if we see a fire or a snake. All in all, it was an eventful day where we learned a lot and had ever more fun!

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There were so many places to explore, and we were able to learn a lot about the creatures with whom we share this earth! Even though the creepy-crawlies were a little scary, the reptile room was probably our favorite spot (and the air-con was a big plus on such a hot day.)

We saw a huge variety of colorful snakes and lizards up close, and had fun trying to spot the hidden or sleeping ones.  The large animals spent most of their time eating; we even got to see a bear taking a nice, cool bath in the river around his habitat.

The Seal Show was another popular event with everyone at the zoo, not just our class. We were able to watch two very well-trained seals do some amazing tricks in and out of the water! Even though it was a very hot day, we loved the Dusit Zoo!

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