Planning the inquiry

1. What is our purpose? Class/grade: Grade 3 Age group: 8-9 year olds
To inquire into the following:
School: MIS School code:
• transdisciplinary theme
Title: Multiplication
Number, Pattern and Function
PYP planner
Teacher(s): Grade 3 Team
• Central idea
Date: January & February 2014
The operations of addition and multiplication are
Proposed duration: number of hours 12 over number of weeks 6
related to each other and are used to process
information to solve problems.

Summative assessment task(s): 2. What do we want to learn?

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

Connection & Function

1) Choose a multiplication fact and show all of the
different ways to represent it with multiplication.
2) Solve a number story that shows understanding of
the connection between repeated addition and
multiplication. How can the solution be shown?
3) Create a number story where multiplication is
needed to solve the problem. Show solution in at
least 2 different ways.
Related concepts: relationships, representation
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
• Relationships between multiplication and addition
• Representation of multiplication
• Real world uses of multiplication
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?

How are multiplication and addition connected?

How can we represent multiplication?
When and why do we use multiplication?
How can addition help solve multiplication problems?
What is doubling?
What words or phrases describe multiplication?
Where do we see multiplication in the real world?

© 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?
Task: skip counting, recall of known multiplication facts, complete
multiplication/division triangles. Match the repeated addition number
sentence with the multiplication fact. Which representation shows 4 x 3/9 x
4? Explain and describe.
What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the
lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for?
Task:
1) Which representation shows the multiplication fact? Choose and
describe. Represent another way.
2) Read number stories and select which operation is needed to solve the
problem: addition or multiplication? What steps need to be taken to
solve the problem? How can the problem be represented? How might
addition help with this problem?
3) Journal entry - Explain strategies, describe representations,
understandings, conclusions made throughout the unit.
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
Learner Profile: Thinkers, Inquirers, Communicators
Skills: Thinking skills, communication skills and research skills.
4. How best might we learn?
Tuning In: Dice games, fizz buzz, multiplication rhymes, tricks and
stories, mental warm ups. Finding multiples (roll die, multiply the
number rolled by the number in the game’s title and complete the
math talk sentence ‘The product of ____ x ____ is _____’.)
Represent multiplication facts using arrays, groups, shapes,
diagrams and pictures.
Finding out: Multiples pattern circle (drawing multiplication patterns).
Dot patterns, Use 100 grid to find patterns for 3/4/5/6 times tables?
Split the Factor (4 x 23 = 4 x 20 + 4 x 3). Doubling games.
Sorting Out: The Product is? (The product of a number is 30, the
sum of the two numbers is less than 20, show all possible solutions)
Odd and Even products – investigate when you multiply the following:
odd x odd, odd x even and even x even. Number story study: Is it a
multiplication or addition problem?
Going Further: Designing number stories, drawing pictures to show
understanding. Investigate multiples of 9. What do you notice about
the sum of the digits in each multiple?
Making connections: Gallery Walk. 1st Thoughts: 2nd Thoughts.
3,2,1 Bridge. Multiplication/addition poster.
Taking Action: Share knowledge and teach someone. Write a
multiplication story. Make a Voice Thread.

5. What resources need to be gathered?

What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?

Unifix cubes, 100s chart, dice, Cuisenaire rods, Math stories, sticks

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

Vocabulary/Wonder wall, Manipulatives around the room, Visual representations of multiplication

© 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.
How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a
more accurate picture of each student’s understanding of the central idea.
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?”
• demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills?
• develop particular attributes of the learner profile and/or attitudes?
In each case, explain your selection.

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

© 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.

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