Current Transdisiplinary Theme
Key Concepts:
Change, Connection, Reflection
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
Global events that sparked the Age of Enlightenment.
The innovations in math, science, art that changed world culture.
Investigate and analyze the European explorer’s motives: economic, political, and social.
Modern society and the influence of Renaissance innovations & inventions
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Prior Transdisiplinary Themes YR20
Transdisciplinary theme: Who We Are.
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
Social and environmental influences play a part of our humanity. These factors shape our beliefs, values, self-worth
Outcomes to scientific advances and our responsibility
How we define humanity
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Unit Provocation: Is the study of science & the need to discover the unknown always good? Can it go too far?
Central idea : How the World Works
We use processes to investigate questions and solve problems.
Key concepts: Form, Function, Causation
Related concepts:
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
How scientific advances impact society and the environment
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
What is The PYP Program?
Transdisciplinary theme: Who We Are.An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
Social and environmental influences play a part of our humanity. These factors shape our beliefs, values, self-worth
Outcomes to scientific advances and our responsibility
How we define humanity
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Unit Provocation: Is the study of science & the need to discover the unknown always good? Can it go too far?
IB Primary Years Program at Franklin Academy Boynton Beach:
The Primary Years Program (PYP) focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. It is a curriculum framework defined by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, explored using knowledge and skills from the subject areas, with a powerful emphasis on inquiry-based learning.
The PYP:
The PYP Curriculum Model
When most people think of the meaning for the word “curriculum” the first thing that comes to mind is a written body of knowledge that students will be exposed to in school. In addition to this, many would include a set of academic skills students should acquire and maybe even a set of positive character traits that students will be encouraged to model as parts of a school’s curriculum. There are endless debates about the merits of the endless variety of written curriculums that exist for elementary students – which is the most rigorous, most developmentally appropriate, most culturally appropriate and so on. Students (and schools) are assessed on students’ ability to master curriculum standards attached to national and state tests. Parents often choose schools for their children based primarily on their preference for one type of written curriculum over another.
The IB Primary Years Program takes a different and much broader view of curriculum than the one expressed above. According to the PYP, “curriculum” revolves around the concept of learners constructing meaning, and everyone at a PYP school, including the teachers, is a learner. The PYP model of curriculum is student-centered. It is founded on the belief that learning occurs when students (and teachers) build on their prior knowledge and engage in activities that help them construct new understandings. This process involves continuous self-reflection, the freedom to ask questions, the motivation to take risks and the desire to take action based on what one has learned.
So what does the PYP curriculum model look like? It is composed of three interrelated and equally important components. Each component is expressed as a question, in keeping with the spirit of inquiry found throughout the Primary Years Program.
The first question, “What do we want to learn?” represents the written curriculum. A PYP school’s written curriculum utilizes existing district/state/national learning standards, or as in the case of many private international schools, on a set of learning benchmarks provided by the PYP for each subject area. Teachers at a PYP school work collaboratively to develop a transdisciplinary Program of Inquiry (PoI) that is unique to their school. The PoI contains six units per grade level. These units engage learners in exploring universal concepts that transcend the boundaries of traditional subject areas. Students contribute to the content of these learning units by posing and pursuing their own inquiries related to the unit concepts.
The second question, “How best will we learn?” represents the taught curriculum in a PYP school. The taught curriculum involves the methods teachers use to engage students with the written curriculum. It is not only “what” students will learn but also “how” they will learn it that matters in a PYP school. PYP teachers are expected to constantly examine and improve the practices they use to actively involve students in learning. Inquiry-based learning and differentiation of instruction to meet individual student needs are featured within the wide array of best practices employed by teachers at PYP schools.
The third question, “How will we know what we have learned?” represents the learned curriculum. PYP teachers employ a variety of authentic assessmentstrategies (examples include student presentations, portfolios, projects, written tests, student self-reflections, peer reflections, student-led conferences, interviews, demonstrations and many others) to find out not only if students learned what they were expected to learn from the written curriculum but also what actual learning took place instead of or in addition to what was expected. Teachers and students use the results of assessments to set goals for further learning and to think about ways to improve their teaching and learning strategies. Assessment in a PYP school has a positive connotation since it focuses on what a learner can do at the current moment instead of on what they can’t do.
All three components of the curriculum of a Primary Years Program school - Written, Taught and Learned – function together to help produce life-long learners who can be successful in tomorrow’s world
- Central idea : How We Express Ourselves
Key Concepts:
Change, Connection, Reflection
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
Global events that sparked the Age of Enlightenment.
The innovations in math, science, art that changed world culture.
Investigate and analyze the European explorer’s motives: economic, political, and social.
Modern society and the influence of Renaissance innovations & inventions
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
- What changes occurred that contributed to the beginning of the Renaissance?
- What contributions did writers,philosophers, & scientists make to the Renaissance?
- How did the Greek and Romans influence the architecture and art of the Renaissance?
- Who were the Europeans that explored the Americas? What economic, political, and social factors influenced their exploration?
- Why is the legacy of Columbus so controversial?
Prior Transdisiplinary Themes YR20
Transdisciplinary theme: Who We Are.
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human
- Central idea : Experience, beliefs, and environment shape an organisms actions or reactions.
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
Social and environmental influences play a part of our humanity. These factors shape our beliefs, values, self-worth
Outcomes to scientific advances and our responsibility
How we define humanity
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Unit Provocation: Is the study of science & the need to discover the unknown always good? Can it go too far?
- What do you think makes people explore the unknown?
- How do you define personal responsibility?
- What are reasons why a person may be rejected by society?
- What is the importance to love & be loved?
Central idea : How the World Works
We use processes to investigate questions and solve problems.
Key concepts: Form, Function, Causation
Related concepts:
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
- Scientists need a set of skills in order to answer questions about the natural world.
How scientific advances impact society and the environment
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
- What does it mean to be a scientist?
- How do scientists learn about the natural world?
- How can we compare different types of investigations?
- What is a testable question?
- How do we perform a controlled experiment? What scientific tools are needed?
- What are our responsibilities to society and our environment?
What is The PYP Program?
Transdisciplinary theme: Who We Are.An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human
- Central idea : Experience, beliefs, and environment shape an organisms actions or reactions.
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
Social and environmental influences play a part of our humanity. These factors shape our beliefs, values, self-worth
Outcomes to scientific advances and our responsibility
How we define humanity
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Unit Provocation: Is the study of science & the need to discover the unknown always good? Can it go too far?
- What do you think makes people explore the unknown?
- How do you define personal responsibility?
- What are reasons why a person may be rejected by society?
- What is the importance to love & be loved?
IB Primary Years Program at Franklin Academy Boynton Beach:
The Primary Years Program (PYP) focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. It is a curriculum framework defined by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, explored using knowledge and skills from the subject areas, with a powerful emphasis on inquiry-based learning.
The PYP:
- fosters international-mindedness through the IB learner profile
- prepares students to become life-long learners
- reflects real life through meaningful, in-depth inquiries into local and global issues
- emphasizes the development of the whole student - physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and ethically
The PYP Curriculum Model
When most people think of the meaning for the word “curriculum” the first thing that comes to mind is a written body of knowledge that students will be exposed to in school. In addition to this, many would include a set of academic skills students should acquire and maybe even a set of positive character traits that students will be encouraged to model as parts of a school’s curriculum. There are endless debates about the merits of the endless variety of written curriculums that exist for elementary students – which is the most rigorous, most developmentally appropriate, most culturally appropriate and so on. Students (and schools) are assessed on students’ ability to master curriculum standards attached to national and state tests. Parents often choose schools for their children based primarily on their preference for one type of written curriculum over another.
The IB Primary Years Program takes a different and much broader view of curriculum than the one expressed above. According to the PYP, “curriculum” revolves around the concept of learners constructing meaning, and everyone at a PYP school, including the teachers, is a learner. The PYP model of curriculum is student-centered. It is founded on the belief that learning occurs when students (and teachers) build on their prior knowledge and engage in activities that help them construct new understandings. This process involves continuous self-reflection, the freedom to ask questions, the motivation to take risks and the desire to take action based on what one has learned.
So what does the PYP curriculum model look like? It is composed of three interrelated and equally important components. Each component is expressed as a question, in keeping with the spirit of inquiry found throughout the Primary Years Program.
The first question, “What do we want to learn?” represents the written curriculum. A PYP school’s written curriculum utilizes existing district/state/national learning standards, or as in the case of many private international schools, on a set of learning benchmarks provided by the PYP for each subject area. Teachers at a PYP school work collaboratively to develop a transdisciplinary Program of Inquiry (PoI) that is unique to their school. The PoI contains six units per grade level. These units engage learners in exploring universal concepts that transcend the boundaries of traditional subject areas. Students contribute to the content of these learning units by posing and pursuing their own inquiries related to the unit concepts.
The second question, “How best will we learn?” represents the taught curriculum in a PYP school. The taught curriculum involves the methods teachers use to engage students with the written curriculum. It is not only “what” students will learn but also “how” they will learn it that matters in a PYP school. PYP teachers are expected to constantly examine and improve the practices they use to actively involve students in learning. Inquiry-based learning and differentiation of instruction to meet individual student needs are featured within the wide array of best practices employed by teachers at PYP schools.
The third question, “How will we know what we have learned?” represents the learned curriculum. PYP teachers employ a variety of authentic assessmentstrategies (examples include student presentations, portfolios, projects, written tests, student self-reflections, peer reflections, student-led conferences, interviews, demonstrations and many others) to find out not only if students learned what they were expected to learn from the written curriculum but also what actual learning took place instead of or in addition to what was expected. Teachers and students use the results of assessments to set goals for further learning and to think about ways to improve their teaching and learning strategies. Assessment in a PYP school has a positive connotation since it focuses on what a learner can do at the current moment instead of on what they can’t do.
All three components of the curriculum of a Primary Years Program school - Written, Taught and Learned – function together to help produce life-long learners who can be successful in tomorrow’s world
Franklin's IB weebly page
www.fa-ib.weebly.com
www.fa-ib.weebly.com
Transdisciplinary ThemesSix transdisciplinary themes guide the curriculum:
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Transdisciplinary SkillsFive sets of transdisciplinary skills are taught throughout the curriculum. *Social Skills, *Communication Skills, *Research Skills, *Self-management Skills, *Thinking Skills. Thinking skills Acquisition of knowledge Gaining specific facts, ideas, vocabulary; remembering in a similar form. Comprehension Grasping meaning from material learned; communicating and interpreting learning. Application Making use of previously acquired knowledge in practical or new ways. Analysis Taking knowledge or ideas apart; separating into component parts; seeing relationships; finding unique characteristics. Synthesis Combining parts to create wholes; creating, designing, developing and innovating. Evaluation Making judgments or decisions based on chosen criteria; standards and conditions. Dialectical thought Thinking about two or more different points of view at the same time; understanding those points of view; being able to construct an argument for each point of view based on knowledge of the other(s); realizing that other people can also take one’s own point of view. Metacognition Analysing one’s own and others’ thought processes; thinking about how one thinks and how one learns. Social skills Accepting responsibility Taking on and completing tasks in an appropriate manner; being willing to assume a share of the responsibility. Respecting others Listening sensitively to others; making decisions based on fairness and equality; recognizing that others’ beliefs, viewpoints, religions and ideas may differ from one’s own; stating one’s opinion without hurting others. Cooperating Working cooperatively in a group; being courteous to others; sharing materials; taking turns. Resolving conflict Listening carefully to others; compromising; reacting reasonably to the situation; accepting responsibility appropriately; being fair. Group decision-making Listening to others; discussing ideas; asking questions; working towards and obtaining consensus. Adopting a variety of group roles Understanding what behaviour is appropriate in a given situation and acting accordingly; being a leader in some circumstances, a follower in others. Communication skills Listening Listening to directions; listening to others; listening to information. Speaking Speaking clearly; giving oral reports to small and large groups; expressing ideas clearly and logically; stating opinions. Reading Reading a variety of sources for information and pleasure; comprehending what has been read; making inferences and drawing conclusions. Writing Recording information and observations; taking notes and paraphrasing; writing summaries; writing reports; keeping a journal or record. Viewing Interpreting and analysing visuals and multimedia; understanding the ways in which images and language interact to convey ideas, values and beliefs; making informed choices about personal viewing experiences. Presenting Constructing visuals and multimedia for a range of purposes and audiences; communicating information and ideas through a variety of visual media; using appropriate technology for effective presentation and representation. Non-verbal communication Recognizing the meaning of visual and kinesthetic communication; recognizing and creating signs; interpreting and utilizing symbols. Self-management skills Gross motor skills Exhibiting skills in which groups of large muscles are used and the factor of strength is primary. Fine motor skills Exhibiting skills in which precision in delicate muscle systems is required. Spatial awareness Displaying a sensitivity to the position of objects in relation to oneself or each other. Organization Planning and carrying out activities effectively. Time management Using time effectively and appropriately. Safety Engaging in personal behaviour that avoids placing oneself or others in danger or at risk. Healthy lifestyle Making informed choices to achieve a balance in nutrition, rest, relaxation and exercise; practising appropriate hygiene and self-care. Codes of behaviour Knowing and applying appropriate rules or operating procedures of groups of people. Informed choices Selecting an appropriate course of action or behaviour based on fact or opinion. Research skills Formulating questions Identifying something one wants or needs to know and asking compelling and relevant questions that can be researched. Observing Using all the senses to notice relevant details. Planning Developing a course of action; writing an outline; devising ways of finding out necessary information. Collecting data Gathering information from a variety of first- and second-hand sources such as maps, surveys, direct observation, books, films, people, museums and ICT. Recording data Describing and recording observations by drawing, note taking, making charts, tallying, writing statements. Organizing data Sorting and categorizing information; arranging into understandable forms such as narrative descriptions, tables, timelines, graphs and diagrams. Interpreting data Drawing conclusions from relationships and patterns that emerge from organized data. Presenting research findings Effectively communicating what has been learned; choosing appropriate media. |
Learner Profile
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