Planning the inquiry

LEGEND *learning experience=activity or LES *understanding=ability to apply and explain

Class/grade: School: Title: Teacher(s): Date: Proposed duration: number of hours over number of weeks PYP planner Age group: School code:

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

transdisciplinary theme -Title and complete descriptor (Making the PYP happen page 12)
(you may also highlight key words specific to this unit central idea)

central idea
-is a statement -connects to the transdisciplinary theme (above) -determines overall theme of the unit -is written in present tense -is clear, broad, yet concise -is true valid -is relevant, challenging, and engaging -is phrased in language that children can understand -is globally transportable -has a degree of ambiguity, promoting uncoverage discovery -promotes critical thinking -extends prior knowledge No nos no proper nouns no past or future tenses no local terms no value laden statements no more than one sentence Suggestions use words like: may can often affect influence express reflect impact many

2. What do we want to learn? What are the key concepts (form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective, responsibility, reflection) to be emphasized within this inquiry? 3 key concepts, not more (try to touch on all 8 throughout the year) 3 to 5 related concepts (Making the PYP happen pages 18-20) What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea? -to help develop the lines of inquiry, finish the following phrase: An inquiry into -3 or 4 lines of inquiry is recommended -the first line of inquiry should be definition-based -the last line of inquiry oftentimes, reflects a personal connection -the lines show a logical breakdown of the central idea -the lines reflect the QEP What teacher questions / provocations will drive these inquiries? -a stimulus or strategy used to hook students, such as: reorganization of the classroom, setup of exploration tables, visitors, movie, etc. -teacher question used to pique student curiosity -3 or 4 well-formed questions framing the inquiry (also called leading or guiding questions)
Note: Teachers have the responsibility to ask the initial questions that will drive the inquiry. Students questions will follow (authentically), and will be added in section 8. created by Grace Palmieri 2008 - Courtland Park International

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? 1-TASK or ES - describe the task in detail 2-EVIDENCE -explain or list what you will be looking for as evidence of
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? In
developing *learning experiences, it is important to identify the skills base that the students will need to have in order to go further with the inquiry. Hence, the arrows indicating a back-and-forth effect scaffolding the inquiry process.

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?List, in sequential order, and briefly describe the *learning experiences and instruction that are planned. Remember to plan your instruction conducive to the inquiry process. You may want to organize your learning experiences by week under the suggested headings:
Week One (Pre-Assessment) (Engage) Week 2 and 3 (Explore and Explain) Week 4 (Extend) Week 5 and 6 (Evaluate)
INQUIRY LOOKS LIKEexploring,

What are the possible ways of assessing students prior knowledge and skills? What evidence will we look for? List strategies / tools that will be used to measure prior knowledge (examples: KWL, journal writing, class discussion, big question, etc.). Include, specifically, what you will be looking for in order to assess their starting point (examples: using appropriate vocabulary, their knowledge of accurate and inaccurate facts on the subject matter, their ability for deeper level thinking, etc.). What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for? Here you will include
ASSESSMENT tools/strategies that you will be using for each of the *learning experiences in section 4 (examples: diagnostic, formative, summative, selfassessment, peer assessment, etc.), as well as writing what EVIDENCE you will be looking for. You may even color code your Assessment Tools/Strategies and Evidence to match each of the *learning experiences in section 4:
ASSESSMENT TOOL/STRATEGY: EVIDENCE: ASSESSMENT TOOL/STRATEGY: EVIDENCE: ASSESSMENT TOOL/STRATEGY: EVIDENCE:

wondering, questioning, experimenting, playing with possibilities, making predictions, collecting data and reporting findings, clarifying existing ideas, using concepts, making and testing theories, defending ones opinion, solving

What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of the attributes of the learner profile? Here
you will list 2 or 3 transdisciplinary skills, along with 2 or 3 attributes of the learner profile and/or attitudes that will be focused on throughout this unit. Also, explain how you will be creating opportunities for these skills to be developed.
Transdisciplinary Skills: Learner Profile: Attitudes:

Evidence can be a piece of work, an oral response, an observed action, an application, quiz, prompt - anything that allows you to make a judgment about learning. Not all evidence is an item of work that we can see or collect, therefore, it is important to develop ways to collate this evidence of learner understanding, for example, through use of anecdotal records, digital photos, etc.

Note: It is important to ensure assessment for each of the lines of inquiry. 5. What resources need to be gathered?

Note: It is important to note that this planner is designed to be used in an ongoing way. Therefore, planning the *learning experiences may occur as an inquiry develops, which also encourages student input into the process.

What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available? Remember to be specific enough so as to facilitate the gathering of these resources for the following year. Library/teacher resource books (title and ISBN), magazines, DVD titles, CD titles, website address (with a blurb), game titles, field trips (include contact person and phone # and/or email), etc. How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry? Here you will include specific ways that you will provide inquiry opportunities in your classroom, throughout the unit (examples: setting up an area for informational books on the topic, inviting guest speakers, organizing field trips, planning walk-a-bouts, involving specialists, reorganizing the classroom setup, scheduling extra library visits, scheduling extra lab time, etc.).
International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 created by Grace Palmieri 2008 - Courtland Park International

Reflecting on the inquiry

6. To what extent did we achieve our purpose?

Sections 6-9 are considered the reflective part of the planner and are to be completed AFTER the unit is done.

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

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. Here you will include student work and/or reactions to the various *learning experiences that demonstrate their *understanding (application and explanation) of the central idea. (examples: the L part of the KWL, student reflections, summative task, anecdotal records, portfolios, etc.) You can also provide some quotes or comments from children, or attach 1 or 2 examples of student work, or describe a situation that demonstrated that the children were getting it. 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. Ask yourself, What *learning experiences (LES) would I add or modify to lead to a better *understanding of the central idea?(sometimes, this may require modifying the central idea). (examples: modifying *learning experiences, modifying the sequence, narrowing the scope of the unit (which would mean changing the lines of inquiry),improving assessment tasks, etc.) What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme? What observations were made, if any, that connections were made between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme. (examples: comments made through class discussions, other questions that were asked by the students that demonstrated that they were making a link between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme, etc.) Also, refer to the key words you highlighted in the transdisciplinary theme (top of section 1), and record any further connections that were made to those words specifically (if any).

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

Here you will include the *learning experiences (top of section 4) that brought out the key concepts focused on in this unit (in section 2). Give examples of *learning experiences that were particularly engaging, challenging and relevant. Explain.

demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills?

Give examples of opportunities which enabled students to demonstrate the application of transdisciplinary skills focused on throughout the unit (bottom of section 4). Explain.

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

Give examples of opportunities which enabled students to demonstrate the learners profile and the attitudes focused on throughout the unit (bottom of section 4). Explain.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

created by Grace Palmieri 2008 - Courtland Park International

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.

9. Teacher notes

Here you may include general comments such as:

Here you may list 5 to 10 student questions and wonderings, highlighting those that were key in driving the inquiry. Note: Students questions will develop authentically and be more informed over time and throughout the unit. For this reason, it is not always effective to elicit student questions as an introductory activity.
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 single subject areas were integrated (subject focus) -what worked well -what did not work so well -specialist involvement -difficulties encountered -how was the timing -what to remember for next time -what you would change for next year -list resources you want to pre-order for next year -was there enough evidence of learning -

Here you will list teacher questions/provocations that were most effective. (bottom of section 2). You may also include spontaneous (unplanned) questions that were effective in driving the inquiry.

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.

Here you will include student ideas that you may have heard about, through parents, or other students or teachers, or may have witnessed yourselfideas where they have demonstrated taking the unit a step furthertaking SELF-INITIATED ACTION! Note: Not every unit of inquiry will necessarily have a student-initiated action component.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

created by Grace Palmieri 2008 - Courtland Park International