QAIS Lower Elementary students have been engaged in a rich and hands-on inquiry into rights and responsibilities in sharing finite resources, and how communities of people, plants, and animals depend on one another for balance. Through their UOI Sharing the Planet, students explored what makes an ecosystem, why biodiversity matters, and how living and non-living elements work together to keep environments healthy. 

Students participated in meaningful learning engagements such as nature walks, gardening observations, seed experiments, campus ecosystem hunts, food-chain explorations, and ecosystem mapping. These experiences helped students identify the parts of an ecosystem and understand the essential roles they each play. 

Through this inquiry, students strengthened their understanding of ecosystems and developed empathy and responsibility as global citizens. They learned that all living things, big or small, depend on one another, and that humans play an important role in protecting Earth’s resources!