Primary Years Programme (PYP) 2015 Exhibition

In our last exciting newsletter article we looked at key concepts and how they are used in order to drive questioning and research as part of an inquiry cycle. Below I have given an example of how the Year 1s are working together in using the key concepts to help guide the lines of inquiry (big ideas that help to pull apart the central idea).

In the middle and older year levels the students will begin to develop their own questions using the key concepts as lenses to help direct their questioning. I have given a few questions that staff might ask the boys in Year 1 when making the connections between the key concepts and the lines of inquiry (feel free to have a go at some of your own questions if you are feeling brave).

Sharing the planet (Year 1 Transdisciplinary Theme)

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

5 - 6 years

Central idea:

Living things often compete for resources in order to survive.

Key concepts:

Function, Causation and Connection

Lines of inquiry:

1. What living things provide for us and why: Connection driven LOI

2. Life cycle and needs of living things: Function driven LOI

3. Actions that benefit or harm the survival of living things: Causationdriven LOI

Example of Teacher questions/provocations:

Q1. Can you make a link between a cow and foods or objects you find in your home?

Q2. Who would like to share the story of the very hungry caterpillar? Feel free to draw it on the white board then talk to us about your drawing.

Q3. What would happen if all of the gum trees in Australia were to disappear? Turn and face your partner and share your ideas, we will then ask some of you to tell us what your partner came up with - listen carefully.

Mr Warwick Norman

Junior School Dean of Teaching & Learning