Planning the inquiry

1. What is our purpose? To inquire into the following:

Class/grade: First School: Oak Forest

Age group: 6-7 School code: 006610

transdisciplinary theme PYP planner Teacher(s): Stephenson, Redden, Tanner, Jessee, Spanier, Barnes, Neely, Mason, Leach, Hall, Graham, Winton, Taylor Date: March 19th- April 9th Proposed duration: number of hours: 20 over number of weeks 4

Sharing the Planet

An inquiry into the rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other living things;an inquiry into the communities and the relationships within them; an inquiry into the access to equal opportunities;an inquiry into the rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people; an inquiry into the communities and the relationships between them; an inquiry into the peace and conflict resolution.

central idea 2. What do we want to learn?

Living things adapt to their habitat around the world.

Summative assessment task(s): What are the possible ways of assessing students understanding of the central idea? What evidence, including student-initiated actions, will we look for? What are the key concepts (form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective, responsibility, reflection) to be emphasized within this inquiry? Change, Connection,Responsibility

Students will create a living thing and choose the most appropriate habitat for that particular living thing. Student creates paper plate habitat with various materials to demonstrate their knowledge of habitats. Paper plate habitat is created using various materials such as crayons, markers, magazines, pictures, etc. Evidence- The student will write how their chosen living thing adapts to its environment. Assessment- Oral presentation of their living thing and habitat

What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?

Different habitats How living things adapt to their environment How living things share habitats

What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?

How living things adapt? How do living things adapt to their environment? What types of living things share habitats? Provocation Students will watch a variety of movie clips to observe habitats

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Taught: March 19th- April 9th Revised 2012

Planning the inquiry

3. How might we know what we have learned? This column should be used in conjunction with How best might we learn? What are the possible ways of assessing students prior knowledge and skills? What evidence will we look for?

4. How best might we learn?

What are the learning experiences suggested by the teacher and/or students to encourage the students to engage with the inquiries and address the driving questions? Week 1- (pre-assessment) Provocation: Viewing habitat videos Class discussion about videos and what observed. Students will write in their I Wonder journals observations from video and KWL chart

Brainstorm ideas after viewing habitat videos, complete KWL chart, discussion
What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for? Assesssment for first line of inquiry- characteristics of different habitats=Bubble Map Assessment for second line of inquiry- how living things adapt to their environment=living things sort into appropriate habitats Assessment for third line of inquiry-how living things share habitats=draw two living things that share a particular habitat

Assessment for first line of inquiry- characteristics of different habitats=Bubble Map Week 2Assessment for second line of inquiry- how living things adapt to their environment=living things sort into appropriate habitats Week 3- Assessment for third line of inquiry-how living things share habitats=draw two living things that share a particular habitat Students will create a living thing and choose the most appropriate habitat for that particular living thing. Student creates paper plate habitat with various materials to demonstrate their knowledge of habitats. Paper plate habitat is created using various materials such as crayons, markers, magazines, pictures, etc.

What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of the attributes of the learner profile?
Transdisciplinary Skills: research skills through reading and organizing data on living things Thinking skill through acquisition of knowledge Learner Profile: balanced, knowledgeable Attitudes: curiousity, empathy

5. What resources need to be gathered? What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available? Library, Guidance Counselor, Music, Art, P.E., Discovery Education, Chinese, Poster Exploring a Forest Habitat Frank Scheffer Publications, Books: Creatures of the Woods by Toni Eugene, Reading Street reading series by Scott Foresman, Scott Foresman Level Readers: The Forest.

How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry? Teacher and students will walk around and observe the nature trail around Oak Forest Elementary, Students will walk around their local community to compare and contrast their findings from home and school.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Reflecting on the inquiry

6. To what extent did we achieve our purpose? Assess the outcome of the inquiry by providing evidence of students understanding of the central idea. The reflections of all teachers involved in the planning and teaching of the inquiry should be included. The students were enthusiastic while working on their project. The students were able to connect to the central idea by writing in their journals, poems and writing stories about what they learned.

7. To what extent did we include the elements of the PYP? What were the learning experiences that enabled students to:

develop an understanding of the concepts identified in What do we want to learn?

Students discovered that animals share similarities and differences regardless of the continent. (Student presentations/Dioramas/posters)

demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills?

How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a more accurate picture of each students understanding of the central idea. The task was enjoyed by all students.The students were able to identify specifically what they learned by recalling details from whole and small groups sessions.

Students learned about animals and how the use of animals have changed over time. Models of animals, stories about animals, and graphic organizers. Social Skills:The students worked together creating models of animals

develop particular attributes of the learner profile and/or attitudes?

What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme?

Students began using the learning profile and attitude terminology during whole and small group discussions. Students were able to relate this terminology to everyday life. The students worked in groups while making models of animals which fostered cooperation enthusiasm and tolerance. Caring: The students took pride and cared about their animal models. Reflective: Students were able to reflect what they learned. In each case, explain your selection.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Reflecting on the inquiry

8. What student-initiated inquiries arose from the learning? Record a range of student-initiated inquiries and student questions and highlight any that were incorporated into the teaching and learning. How do we take care of animals. Why do we have animals on a farm? What is the life cycle of different animals?

9. Teacher notes The students were not able to remained focused for the hour that was allotted for each day. Students were assessed by teacher observation, models of animals and informational stories written about animals. Students struggled to ask inquiry-based questions. There should be a process of teaching children to be learners of inquiry. Students did not understand the global aspects of the central idea. The students really enjoyed the overall unit. The students loved the handson activities and working together as groups. The social aspect of working together cooperatively was enhanced through brainstorming and the use of graphic organizers and journal writing. Students developed openmindedness, caring, respect for others, independence and high-order thinking.

At this point teachers should go back to box 2 What do we want to learn? and highlight the teacher questions/provocations that were most effective in driving the inquiries. We showed various clips from UnitedStreaming (Discovery Education Website). Teacher read aloud books to prompt an inquiry discussion. What student-initiated actions arose from the learning? Record student-initiated actions taken by individuals or groups showing their ability to reflect, to choose and to act. Parking Lot of Questions. Students build on prior knowledge by sharing on personal experiences.

Art Specialist: the students enjoyed the unit, but I need more time to plan before presenting it to them. I need funds to purchase extra materials required to complete the IB projects. Please include me when distributing hard copies of the IB Units. I believe integrating science with art allows students ti use higher order of thinking. The students really enjoyed making farm animals and it gave us a chance to discuss the animals in detail.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007