Immersion complete

For this unit, I have tried to focus on the skills needed to set up inquiry - immersion has been much more successful this time.
Focussing on the tools that the children use to clarify their understanding has been more beneficial than I realised it could be.
The Define Map - created excellent discussion in whole class and small groups, children are challenging their own thinking as well as developing the confidence to challenge others. This tool meant that understanding of concepts could be confirmed, working in goups of three demanded that everone in the group was required to showsome level of understanding and the support the students gave eachother was fantastic. The biggest benefit from this tool in Immersion is the justification of thoughts, all thinking is accepted, but now there is the expectation that students need to justify their thinking - this was not so evident in this stage before. Immersion, in previous units, has been exposure to information, it lacked the directed teaching of skills and tools. The changes made in this stage are going to have such a positive impact on the remainder of the inquiry - well thats the hope.
Questioning skills taught at this stage in context has also been very powerful. Creating meaningful and authentic thinking and learning through questioning. This being completed at this stage is providing the expectations and scaffolding for the inquiry. Children not knowing the task also means they are more open to ideas, the tools learnt at this stage will now be extended throughout the inquiry. much more powerful than previous inquiry units.
IMMERSION is one of the most important stages - it is really exciting to think about where we are going to be heading with this inquiry!!!!