Planning the inquiry

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

Class/grade:

Fourth

Age group: 9-10 School code: 006610

School: Oak Forest

transdisciplinary theme (Unit 5)

How we organize ourselves An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decisionmaking; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.

Teacher(s): Dhillon, Forman, Harwell, Pettit, Thorne, Ward Date: Feb. 11- March 28, 2013 Proposed duration: 30 hours; 6 Weeks PYP planner

central idea: Systems provide structure to maintain function. 2. What do we want to learn?
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? What are the key concepts (form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective, responsibility, reflection) to be emphasized within this inquiry?

Key Concepts

Summative In groups, students will identify a system that needs improvement in the school or community and come up with ways to maintain its function.

Responsibility Function Reflection

Related Concepts: systems, government, organisms, cells

Evidence The students will be able to: Identify a system. Analyze the structure of the system. Examine the needs to be improved. Justify how the system will be maintained.
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?

Structure and function of systems Maintaining systems Impact of systems on living things

What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?

Assessment A student created rubric that addresses the evidence.

1) 2) 3)

How are systems organized? How are systems maintained? In what ways do systems impact living things?

Provocation The teacher will provide an unstructured environment, or an environment opposite from the one they are used to, in which students then have to figure out how to make decisions in order to function within the unstructured environment.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Taught: February 20-March 30, 2012 Revised: September 7, 2012

4.
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? What are the possible ways of assessing students prior knowledge and skills? What evidence will we look for? KWL charts - Looking to see if students know what systems and structures are. What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for? Interactive Student Notebooks- The notebook will be composed of a Table of Contents, vocabulary list, questions, reflections, and notes along with handouts and projects done throughout the unit. Students will show an understanding of the central idea in their notebooks through the progression of the unit. Student gathered research (L-1) (L-2) Student generated rubrics will assess the foldables students will create (L-1) (L-3) -Evidence: Students will show the difference between structures within a system and organize the knowledge they obtain. Venn Diagram (L-2) -Evidence: Students will compare 2 different systems and explain how structures within those systems maintain function. Student reflections (L-1) (L-2) (L-3) -Evidence: Students will show an understanding of the central idea through reflecting daily on classroom activities. Teacher observations (L-1) (L-2) (L-3) Summative assessment (L-1) (L-2) (L-3) Jigsaw group project (L-3) Presentations (L-1) (L-2) -Evidence: Students will present their assigned role within a call, explain their job, and the importance of their role within the cell.

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? Students will research the website www.pbskids.org/decomocracy and seek information on how government affects their daily lives. In the activity students will look at many different systems and see what the effects are of each along with figuring out how each organization functions. A class discussion will be held to analyze findings. (L-1) Students will create a foldable showing the separation of powers between the 3 branches of government. They will discuss the role of each branch and what functions they have within the government. Students will go further into this by looking into check and balances. (L-1) (L-2) Students will create a Venn diagram comparing two different types of government systems. They will research what structures each government has in place in order to maintain function. For example in a Democracy laws are created and voted on by the people to maintain function whereas in a Dictatorship laws are imposed without the consent of the people. (L-2) Students will write classroom laws and create a constitution. They will come up with ways to maintain its function and come up with a consequence for those who dont follow. All laws will be passed with majority rule. The student created constitution will be in affect throughout the unit. (L-2) Students will read about the Bill of Rights in a jigsaw activity. They will organize their findings into a foldable book. They will then think about and discuss within their groups what rights are more important to them then others and which rights directly effect them and why. (L-3)

Students will create a plant and animal cell within groups. They will each pick one compartment from the cell to determine its function. They will look into how the cell is organized and see how each compartment within the cell is important in order for it to function. For example, the cell wall protects the cell from outside influences; the nucleus (the brain) regulates all the cell functions, etc. Students can also do this activity through live demonstration where each student represents a compartment and the classroom represents the cell. (L-1) (L-2) (Continued onto next page)

5. What resources need to be gathered? What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available? Computer Lab- students will use a block of time strictly for research Library- students will use the school and public library for books that are related to their topic of research Art- students will use their artistic ability to show what they have learned Music Teachers- the teachers will incorporate music from the different countries for the students to compare and contrast the types of instruments used in different countries Reading stories from Pearson Reading Street textbook: So you Want to be President?, Encyclopedia Brown, My King in the Kitchen, What Jo Did, Coyote School News, Marven of the North Woods (ISBN: 0-328-22121-x) McMillan/McGraw-Hill Science-A Closer Look-Grade 4 Chapters 1, 2, & 3 (ISBN:978-0-02-287753-8) Houghton Mifflin Social Studies Grade 4 Chapter 10 (ISBN: 978-0-618-93906-0) Schoolhouse Rock How a bill becomes a law
Taught: February 20-March 30, 2012

How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
Revised: September 7, 2012 Visit from local political figure, possible Town Hall Meeting, Smart Boards, Graphic Organizers, interactive journals, Specialty Teachers

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Box 4 continued What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of the attributes of the learner profile? Transdisciplinary skills Thinking Skills1) Acquisition of knowledge- obtain facts and vocabulary 2) Evaluation-make judgments about governments Social Skills1) Accepting Responsibility-complete an individual task to benefit entire group 2) Resolving Conflict-compromise within the group Communication Skills 1) Reading- using a variety of sources to obtain information 2) Presenting- share knowledge with entire class Self-Management Skills 1) Organization and Time Management- complete individual assignments to benefit the entire group 2) Research Skills 1) Formulating Questions-formulate questions as to what they want to learn 2) Collecting Data-gather information for projects

Taught: February 20-March 30, 2012 Revised: September 7, 2012

Reflecting on the inquiry

6. To what extent did we achieve our purpose?

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.

7. To what extent did we include the elements of the PYP?

What were the learning experiences that enabled students to: develop an understanding of the concepts identified in What do we want to learn?

All of the fourth grade teachers came to a unanimous decision that the outcome of the inquiry provided by the evidence of students understanding of the central idea was moderate to mostly full understanding. We discussed that the students are new to the idea of researching and asking questions that will further deepen their understanding of the content area. For the most part, we had to guide the direction of their learning and make sure that the students were staying focused on the concepts and personal goals that we had identified for this unit. However, we feel that when we teach this unit again, that we will have a greater understanding of how to secretly guide them to the truth and to the knowledge that they need to know in order to be successful in this unit.
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.

o o

KWL charts were used to begin the unit to see their prior knowledge of the subject area Classroom Elections- Students were given the opportunity to have an election in the classroom to better understand how our government works

demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills?

Essential Agreements- Teachers and students talked about how laws are established. This time was used to create essential agreements for each class.

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

We know that we could improve the assessment task of the pre/post test. This test will line up with our central idea. The projects went well as a whole.
What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme?

Elections- The mock election was used to discuss the actual election process and to discuss the most appropriate attitude and how to cooperate with others to make something work.

The evidence that the connections were made between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme was the final project that consisted of researching, reading, and mechanics. We were able to assess the students learning by the content and their mode of presentation used. The students were given at least three choices; PowerPoint, Artistic skit, Venn Diagram poster etc Choice played a big role in this unit.

In each case, explain your selection.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Taught: February 20-March 30, 2012 Revised: September 7, 2012

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 Students were fully engaged in reacting a timeline of how the American Revolution came about and the events of the American Revolution. Some of the students were assigned an event. They were to present and give important information about their event. Students were allowed to discuss how our world would be different if certain events had not taken place. Also, students reflected on how our country would be different if our constitution was different. I had student to create their own Bill of Rights. The concept of the constitution was hard for the students to grasp, but they did a great job working through the process. The students were very engaged with the establishment of government. Using the social studies textbook and the website BrainPop, I was able to introduce U.S. history with specific topics such as the 13 colonies, causes of the American Revolution, and the Declaration of Independence. On the other hand, I was not able to teach this unit in its entirety due to the preparation of TCAP; however, the students were able to complete the summative assessment with great success. The students started this unit by reviewing the 3 Branches of Government. My students understood the concept and they discussed things that they knew about Washington and the President. I reviewed with them in the social studies book. We discussed what the constitution was and who contributed to it. Each student was require to write notes in their personal journal about what they had learned regarding the constitution. In addition, I decided to make a classroom constitution. I place the students into groups. Each group was responsible for writing their own rules for the class. Also, they gave out job assignments such as presidents, vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, and sergeant-at-arms. I feel that my students were very engaged in the activities. They were required to write their own constitution on a scroll. They also had to stand in front of the class and read them. Finally, I think that because of TCAP preparations we did not have enough preparation time to fully prepare the Unit. ESL Teacher- Most of my students is not from America; therefore, they were not familiar with the structure of the U.S. government. I think this unit is very important for them. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to compare/contrast the government of their native country to ours.

I want to know if the President is the only one who carries out laws. o Classroom Mock elections helped to answer this question.

I want to know what the White House looks like. o This encouraged a read a loud describing the different rooms in the White House.

Which branch of government is the hardest to do? o The students used a thinking map to organize the duties of each branch of government.

Are the laws hard for the President to choose? o The students used a thinking map to organize the duties of each branch of government, which in turn taught them that the President does not choose whatever laws that he/she wants.

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 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.

Classroom Mock Elections- The students were able to campaign, give speeches, register to vote, and complete a voting ballot to cast for the classroom president and secretary. The students were able to use their rights as a classroom citizen to make an educated decision to elect an effective leader for the class.

Summative Project- The students were given many choices to show how and what they learned while completing this unit.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Taught: February 20-March 30, 2012 Revised: September 7, 2012