Grade 4 found out about the risks and challenges children face worldwide

As part of their unit on Sharing the Planet, the students of Grade 4 moved through the Finding Out stage of the Inquiry Cycle. The students had a very interesting time discussing the difference between ‘needs’ and ‘wants.’ They also saw some videos on ‘The Rights of the Child.’ From their discussions, the class concluded that children in different parts of the world face different risks and challenges, their needs should be protected as "rights’. They also discovered that for a variety of different reasons, not all children in the world have rights.

The students then worked at different centres that involved watching video clips, reading texts and looking at pictures about the different risks and challenges that children face all over the world due to child labour, conflict, natural disasters, malnutrition, health and disabilities. They responded to what they saw and read, by writing their thoughts under two columns – ‘What I see’ and ‘What I want to know.’ This activity will form the basis on which the childrens’ future inquiry will rest.

The children will continue with this investigation on the risks and challenges that children face as well as look more closely at the Rights of the Child. They will then ‘Go Further’ in the Inquiry Cycle and decide which risks and challenges they would like to find out more about and do further research on.