The Big Idea: Connection to Place

This week we kicked off our second unit for the 2023-2024 school year at GAP School; 'Connection to Place' An exploration of local, regional, and global geography and natural resources. The first day we introduce a new Big Idea is a "Launch Day" at GAP.

During Knowledge Seekers, Learners were asked to puzzle through a series of maps,

photographs of natural landmarks, and objects to piece together commonalities. We defined terms including geography and natural resources and then asked Learners to generate as many questions as possible around the Big Idea. Some of our most delightful questions include: "When was the first map?", "How have maps changed?", "How does water shape rock?", "Are humans a natural resource?", "Can we make maps?". Educators then use the questions generated during a launch day to develop curriculum that connects to the Learner's interests.

Following our "launch" we explored our local geography to search for oak trees and to forage acorns. In shocking turn of events, we have REALLY struggled to find a lot of acorns. We reflected on the abundance of acorns last year and came up with some reasons why there are so few this year. Families, if you are interested, do some research together about mast years and the amazing process of tree communication. Rest assured, GAP families, we want to include you in the launch day fun. Link to this series of photos your Learners looked through. Can you find the common connection? There is one particular connection I was focusing on when setting up this investigation. Any ideas? Let us know what you think in the comments.