December 2014

Unit of Inquiry: Where We Are in

Place and Time
Dear Parents,
As you know, our curriculum at AISM is based on Units of Inquiry, in which the
students explore and inquire into various topics. Students do this in many ways: through
reading, the internet, guest speakers, to name a few. Ordinarily, the majority of this research is
done here at school. However, in our next Unit of Inquiry, most of this research wont be
conducted here at school. Instead, the information, ideas, and stories will come from you, at
home!! We need your help to get the information for our unit.
Our upcoming unit is called Where We Are in Time and Place, exploring family heritage. The
central idea of this unit is that our heritage shapes us. Here are some examples of what your
child will be exploring:

What is my familys cultural history?

From which country/countries did our family originate?

What makes my family unique?

How do the generations within our family differ?

What traditions have been passed down throughout the generations?

What consequences have historical events had on my family?

Here are some things you can do now with your child:
Discuss any family traditions you have. Draw them, gather pictures, etc.
Talk about family vacations, songs and instruments, religious observances, recipes,
sports, etc. specific to your family
Discuss any special/unique stories that happened in your family
Discuss any important figures in your family
Discuss historical events (political, economic, social, religious) and how they have
affected your family
Usually students do a lot of learning at school and showing at home. In this unit, students will
be learning at HOME and showing at SCHOOL! Thanks for helping us make this a successful
learning experience for them!

The Third Grade Team