A Learning Story: SAVING OUR TOMORROW (Theme: PLAY)

Chatsworth International School
International Mindedness Festival
“Life is more fun if you play games.”  ― Roald Dahl


Day 1
As a class we had chosen PLAY as our theme for the IMF festival. This we did by voting using tally marks (mathematics integration). We started the day by discussing what ‘international minded’ meant and soon concluded that it meant living in harmony (this word came from a student in our class) and being open-minded.
Next part of the day was spent thinking about, what is play? Then we discussed, why is play important?
Children’s responses:
-  It helps you to exercise and keep fit.
- Play helps bits of your body.
- Play is having fun.
-  Play helps you to get stronger.
- You don't get bored!
- Play is fun.
- You get to go outside.
- Play is catching and catching is fun!
Day 2
The children were divided into five groups to make their own unique games to play. The specific instructions given were:
1) Give a name to your game (creativity)
2) Think about the rules (organisation skills)
3) What will you need? (language integration - instructional writing)
The children first observed the secondary students playing outside. Then they thought of their unit of inquiry on How the world works with the related concepts of force and movement. Finally they used reusable items from their ‘I Time’ box and created games (applying prior knowledge).
Day 3
On the third day we looked at play with a compass viewpoint.
N – Nature
The children picked up twigs from the outside and made different games with them. Some used their prior knowledge of tic tac toe and improvised on it while others came up with alphabet (language integration) and number games. We also made creative designs with twigs, stones, kidney beans and dry flowers using our knowledge of shapes and patterns (mathematics integration).
S – Society (people)
We invited other classes to come and play our games. Our host class had to explain the rules of the games, etc (oral skills). That was fun!
E – Economy
We made a shopping game and also understood that we need money to play or buy games sometimes (making connections).
W - Well being
Play keeps us fit and happy. We played outdoor games to learn about different forces and in the process exercised and stayed fit. J
 
Day 4
The last day of the week was spent on reflection. So how can play save our tomorrow?
The children’s responses:
- Playing helps the world to be clean. First they play, then they clean up.
- Play helps us to be caring, make friends and if you're nice to each other, it makes the world nicer.
- Play is getting exercise and be healthy.
- People respect each other.
- People respect their friends, we share languages when we play with people of different countries and you know more about others
- You become open-minded. Play gives us energy.
- We make friends
- We build new friendships
- Play gives us new friends
- We can have so much fun
- Play helps us to include more people
- The world becomes one big family


This is an example of transdisciplinary learning through the power of play!
By: Srinanda Gupta
Early Years Coordinator/Year 1 Homeroom

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