Planning the inquiry

1. What is our purpose? Class/grade: KG1 Age group: 3-4

To inquire into the following:
School: Lwis hazmieh School code:060141
 transdisciplinary theme
Title:
Who we are
PYP planner
Teacher(s): Yasmine Rachid
 Central idea:
Date:
Awareness of personal abilities helps human learn and develop.
Proposed duration: number of hours over number of weeks

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?
2. What do we want to learn?
What are the key concepts (form, function, causation, change, connection,
- Most assessment will be done through observation of children’s play perspective, responsibility, reflection) to be emphasized within this inquiry?
and discussions.
- Form
- Group time discussions.
- Function
- Display of children’s work.
- Reflection
- Listen to children’s conversations.
- observe children play.
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?

- Exploring our senses.

- Identifying our needs and abilities
- Exploring the world around us

What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?

- Why do we have 5 senses?
- What can we do with these senses?
- What happens if we don’t have any of these senese?
-

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

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?
Discussion about the five senses and humans’ personal abilities.
Assessing students’ prior knowledge comes through different forms like exposing
students to an activity with a bit of guidance while hearing their shared ideas,
questions and discussions. Moreover, it will be through questions.
What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the
lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for?
Assessing students’ learning in the context of the lines of inquiry will come
through:
- Their drawings
- The discussions
- Pretend play
- Observations during the activities
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?
Tuning in:
Discussion about the five senses and personal abilities. Write down what do we
already know about the subject and what we would like to know.
Finding Out: Listen to the song “ The five senses” and read the story “ My five
senses” then lead the discussion between students.
Sorting Out:
Expose the learners to a problem. Provide them with sugar and salt and ask
them how can we differentiate which one is the sugar and which one is the salt?
Using what senses?
Make a table with learners and write down the differences and similarities of
sugar and salt using the five senses.
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?

- Ongoing anecdotal records and pictures

- Set up different centers in the classroom throughout the whole unit.
Central idea Formative Assessment Assessment tool
- Expose the learners to a problem in order for them to come up with the
Awareness of personal Draw your five senses •Exemplars solution.
abilities and how Draw what can you do
humans learn and on your own
5. What resources need to be gathered?
develop
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?

How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Reflecting on the inquiry

6. To what extent did we achieve our purpose? 7. To what extent did we include the elements of the PYP?
Assess the outcome of the inquiry by providing evidence of students’ What were the learning experiences that enabled students to:
understanding of the central idea. The reflections of all teachers involved in the
 develop an understanding of the concepts identified in “What do we want to
planning and teaching of the inquiry should be included.
learn?”
Learners drew the face with eyes, nose, ears and mouth.
 demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills?
Learners also engaged in one focused play experience followed by a discussion
 develop particular attributes of the learner profile and/or attitudes?
to check learners’ understanding of how senses and abilities help them interact
with the surrounding. In each case, explain your selection.

How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a Transdisciplinary Skills: In all the activities done , learners demonstrated
more accurate picture of each student’s understanding of the central idea. communication, social skills and thinking skills .
By creating a checklist to show the understanding of the unit.

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

Learners identified their personal abilities.

Learners identified their five senses
Learners identified the function of each of the senses.

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Reflecting on the inquiry

8. What student-initiated inquiries arose from the learning? 9. Teacher notes

Record a range of student-initiated inquiries and student questions and highlight any
that were incorporated into the teaching and learning.
Why is popcorn tasty?
Do we see better if we have bigger eyes?
Can I have pink eyes?
How can we still see if we close one of our eyes?

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.

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.

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007