Uncategorized

…begins with a single step! The Primary Years Programme Exhibition has started in Grades 4/5/6. In some ways, this unit of inquiry is like others in the PYP: It falls within a transdisciplinary theme; students work toward enduring understanding of a central idea. But while every other unit of inquiry is developed by their teachers, […]

In the Primary Years Programme unit on How the World Works, Grade 3 tackled the central idea was that “People apply their understanding of forces and energy to invent and create.” During one classroom activity, the students set out to experience the thrill of invention for themselves! Equipped with string, straws, and knowledge of Newton’s […]

The Learner Profile is one of the first things you see when you read about the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. It follows quickly after the IB Mission Statement, and for good reason: this is the embodiment of the qualities which must be actively promoted in students in every IB school. They equate these qualities […]

  Our modern world works only because of machines. In our latest MYP unit, students are exploring the six types of simple machine to understand how they change the direction and magnitude of forces, and how simple machines are then built up into more come, compound machines. Using simple machines to generate inquiry and explore their […]

“The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the […]

The MYP Language Acquisition Phase 2 students are studying a unit on “Technology” with a focus on innovation and creativity. These contexts and concepts provide the basis for students to develop research and creative thinking approaches to learning. Their aim is to inquire about the benefits and problems of different technologies. Students address the inquiry […]

Margaret Fuller was the author of this quote; an American journalist, critic and active participant in the women’s right movement in her day. Whether or not we have a class full of future leaders, the value and enjoyment of accessing literature is key to so much of what we do in Grade 4,5 & 6. […]

While inquiry is often guided and “success criteria” are shared in advance of pursuing given tasks, it is also important to provide time and space for individual inquiry. This might happen at various junctures and is integral to a curriculum that wishes to avoid imposing artificial and abstract concepts on students, to which they have […]

Our senses are vital for our survival. They are our “windows on the world”. As part of our MYP unit of work on the senses, grades 7 and 8 have been exploring our senses. We started with the idea of 5 classical senses and slowly expanded our understanding to see how we actually have over 20 […]