iPlanning the inquiry

BLUE-TEACHERS COMMENTS/NOTES​, ​RED-REFLECTIONS​, BLACK-BOLD/ITALIC IB TEMPLATE

1. What is our purpose?

To inquire into the following:-Transdisciplinary theme: ​ ​How We Express Ourselves-Central idea ​: ​We can show our thoughts and feelings​​
in differentways.

Class/grade:​Aurora
School: ​ISN ​Age group: 3 - 4 Year Olds​

School code:

Title:
Teacher(s): ​Serena, Fronelyn, Shizuka

Summative assessment task(s):What are the possible ways of assessing students’ understanding of thecentral idea? What evidence, including student-initiated actions, will we lookfor?’

Date:
Proposed duration: October, November, December 2019

Formative assessment:

2. What do we want to learn?

Through free play, and class activities like role play, students can show
their feelings and thoughts. When they verbalise their feelings, “I am
glad, happy, sad, upset, angry, worried.”

What are the key concepts (form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective,responsibility, reflection) to be emphasized within this inquiry?

By using kind words, students express politeness and good manners.
When students are observed initiating acts of kindness observed,
teachers can highlight that to the class.

What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?

Students can portray their thoughts and feelings in different ways throughwriting, art and craft work. The upcoming Christmas play will be a good
showcase of expressing themselves.

Form, Function

1. Words (Form) - ​We use​​
WORDS to express our thoughts and feelings
2. Body language/actions (Function) - ​Our gestures, body movements
and actions show our intentions and feelings.
3. Make Art, Create (Form) - ​We can show our feelings and thoughts indifferent ways - write, draw, sing, dance, dramatise
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?

Summative assessment:
1. Christmas Show Practices and Performance - Speaking, Presenting,Dramatising
2. Make a Christmas card for our family and friends.

Words (Form) - ​We use​​
WORDS to express our thoughts and feelings.
Provocation: Book “How Full is Your Bucket?”Body language/actions (Function) - ​Our gestures, body movements andactions show our intentions and feelings. Provocation: Pictures of people’s
faces, body movements
Make Art, Create (Form) - ​We can show our feelings and thoughts in different
ways - write, draw, sing, dance, dramatise. Provocation: ISN Christmas Show
video clip from previous years (Gingerbread Man Play)3. How might we know what we have learned?

4. How best might we learn?

This column should be used in conjunction with “How best might we learn?”

What are the learning experiences suggested by the teacher and/or students toencourage the students to engage with the inquiries and address the driving
questions?

What are the possible ways of assessing students’ prior knowledge and skills? Whatevidence will we look for?

Group discussion. We will see what students know about communicatingwith their peers. We will find our what words they know and thenintroduce more to widen their vocabulary.
Role play and discussion. Teachers will role play to see what behaviors
students know are good and what ones are not polite. We will see what
they know and build on that.
What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines ofinquiry? What evidence will we look for?

1. Words
Formative assessment​:​Observation.​We discussed what words theyknow when communicating positively with their friends. Free play. Show
pictures of different scenarios and have students explain what words
should be used. Show kindness with words. Examples: Thank you, May I
use this? Can I play with you? Excuse me. Are you ok? Can I help you?
2.Body language
Formative assessment: Sing a song with actions. Role play anddiscussion. Watching videos.
[method of recording: ]Observe students.
3.Making art/things
Formative assessment: Art work.​Drawing shapes, pictures, objects toexpress our thoughts and feelings.
Making props for Christmas show.
Summative assessment:
1. Christmas Show Practices and Performance - Speaking,Presenting, Dramatising
2. Make a Christmas card for our family and friends.

Lines of Inquiry (LOI)
1. Words (Form) Octobera) Words help us show our thoughts and feelings.Discuss
situations that make us feel happy, sad, afraid, worried,
frustrated, upset. Role play situations.
b) Kind words, magic words, showing good manners with words.
Book activity: “Have you filled a bucket today?” Make buckets
with origami paper. When the teacher spots a student being
kind, being a bucket filler, a sticker flake or glitter (sequin) isgiven.
c) Take snapshots of students showing acts of kindness. Display
photos on the wall with captions
2. Body language/actions (Function) Novembera) With body puzzles, playdough and soft toys, students
manipulate hands, arms, legs, feet, body movements, gestures
to portray our thoughts and feelingsb) Good body language to show affection and care (positive andnegative body movements)c) Dramatise feelings, thoughts through character role play innursery stories.
3. Make Art/Things (Form) Decembera) Drawing lines, shapes, objects - straight, zigzag, curved,square, triangle, circle, oval, rectangleb) Using different art media - watercolour, poster paint, crayons,colour pencils, paper,c) Use colours to show feelings thoughts.
d) Make a Christmas card - draw, design a card for friends andfamily
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for thedevelopment of the attributes of the learner profile?

Communication:​Reading, Speaking, Interpreting (body language, facialexpressions)Social:​Self control, Emotional Intelligence, Respecting others, Resolving
conflict
Self management​: Emotional management, self motivation, Mindfulness
Learner Profile:​Communicator/ Reflective
Through units of inquiry (Words, Body Language, Art) students practisecommunication skills​interpreting feelings and using words to describe thefeelings, expressions. They hone their ​social skills​by using kind words andgood manners (magic words) and being “bucket fillers”.
For Christmas Show, the students will perform a play and that will help
develop speaking and reading skills. As students rehearse and practise for theplay, ​self management skills​will be needed. By expressing themselves withwords and through body language, art, students learn to be goodcommunicators. As students become more mindful of their words and actions,they learn to be ​reflective​.

5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
Books: How Full is Your Bucket? May I Have a Cookie, Please? Words Are Not for Hurting
Songs: If You’re Happy and You know it Clap Your Hands. Emotions Songs for kids (Debbie Doo) ​https://youtu.be/7AkKk8XIcgU​, Fill Your Bucket ​https://youtu.be/WaddbqEQ1NE​,
Have you Filled Someone’s Bucket Today ​https://youtu.be/rhJqejr5q5Y​, https://bucketfillers101.com/
Flash cards, books, songs about feelings, homemade playdough (http://pagingfunmums.com/2013/09/06/no-cook-playdough-recipe-made-in-5-minutes/)
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community to used to facilitate the inquiry?
During free play students will be encouraged to use magic words and positive body language

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’ understanding of
the central idea. The reflections of all teachers involved in the planning and teaching of
the inquiry should be included.

What were the learning experiences that enabled students to:Students positive communication has improved since the beginning of theunit. More magic words have been used.
Students showed body language during the school performance by acting
surprised and excited. Also, during our lesson times and song time, thestudents were all able to accurately show each feeling that was covered forbody language. During the practices we encouraged the students to smileand not to cry during the performance so their moms and dads would be
happy watching them. Some students afterwards told us their moms werevery happy that they did a great job.
Students

How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a moreaccurate picture of each student’s understanding of the central idea.

It was difficult to assess body language. They improved their spoken
communication skills and the evidence was easy to see, but body language
was difficult to see the evidence of positive improvement.
Maybe using the words body language more during activities/free play toreinforce concept.
Connecting all lines of inquiry with the central idea throughout the unit
instead of just at the end.

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

●●●

develop an understanding of the concepts identified in “What do we wantto 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.

Role-playing, picture cards, magic words, singing the feelings song,
Christmas show performance, the book How Full Is Your Bucket, Christmas
card for parents.
Writing magic words on the poster (like a word wall) to help students
remember positive words they can use to communicate to their peers andteachers. The Christmas performance reinforced body language when they
performed for the play showing a few different emotions.
Making different crafts to encourage creativity and appreciation especiallywith the Christmas card they made for their parents. They showed respect
towards their peers and teachers when using magic words during different
activities throughout the day and during free play. Students showed that they
were caring when others would cry, they asked “are you ok?”.

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

Record a range of student-initiated inquiries and student questions and highlight any thatwere incorporated into the teaching and learning.
After reading the book, “How Full Is Your Bucket?”, one student began applying the book into
our lesson saying that when someone is sad, water goes out of their bucket. After hearing
this, we decided to add a poster based on the book that we can put magic words on that thestudents say throughout the day.
There was also a lesson where the teacher showed a picture of a girl crying and a boy was
helping her. One student said “are you ok?” And the teacher decided to add that to our magic
word board.
Christmas song - some students asked for the song to be played so that they can sing again(One more time!)

At this point teachers should go back to box 2 “What do we want to learn” and highlightthe 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 toreflect, to choose and to act.

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2011

9. Teacher notes