Inquiring Minds
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IB Unit Overview
Transdisciplinary Theme: Sharing the Planet
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.
Central Idea Forests are necessary for life on earth.
Grade: First
Date: October / November 2016 Unit of Inquiry: Forests Around the World
Key Concepts
Form: How are trees and forests alike?
Causation: Why do you find different trees in different places? Responsibility: Why is it important to
protect forests and trees?
Lines of Inquiry
Sharing and preserving trees and forests
Similarities and differences between forests around the world
Types of trees and their contribution to our world
Colorado State Standards
Social Studies: Standard 2: Geography 1. People belong to different groups and live
in different settings around the world that can be found on a map or globe.
Science: Standard 1: Physical Science 2. Objects can be sorted by physical
properties, which can be observed and measured.
Science: Standard 2: Life Science 1. Organisms can be described and sorted by
their physical characteristics. Science: Standard 3: Earth Systems Science
1. The sun provides heat and light to Earth.
Related Concepts
Climate: How does climate affect forests?
Plants: Where do we get the food we eat?
At Home Support: When out and about with your child, have discussions about things that they are observing and learning about forests.
Why are forests important to humans and our world?
How can you make a difference in the health of our forests?
Vocabulary: forests, trees, observe, photosynthesis, evergreen trees, produce, product, cone
Please inform your child’s teacher if your child takes action
that is centered on forests.
Grade: Kindergarten
Inquiring Minds
PYP Home
IB Unit Overview
Transdisciplinary Theme: How We Organize Ourselves
An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the
structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their
impact on humankind and the environment.
Central Idea
People create systems to ensure fairness.
Grade: First
Date: January / February 2017 Unit of Inquiry: Fairness
Key Concepts Perspective: How are fair and kind different? Do unfair things happen to adults? How might my perspective on fairness change if I lived in another part of the world? Responsibility: How do we change things that are unfair? What rights should all children have throughout the world? Causation: Why have people in the past treated others unfairly? Why do people still treat others unfairly?
Lines of Inquiry
Rights of People
Laws and rules that help ensure fairness
Unfair Situations
Creating Change
Colorado State Standards Social Studies: Standard 1: History
1. Ask questions, share information and discuss ideas about the past
Social Studies: Standard 4: Civics 1. Participate in making decisions using democratic
traditions 2. Civic participation takes place in multiple groups
Reading, Writing, and Communicating: Standard 1: Oral Expression and Listening
1. Oral communication skills are built with a language-rich environment
2. Communication relies on effective verbal and nonverbal skills
Related Concepts Leadership: What role do leaders play in
making situations fairer?
Justice: How do cultures and societies decide what is just?
At Home Support: When discussing fairness with your child here are some questions you may ask:
Has there ever been a time when you felt like you were not treated fairly? What happened?
When you see someone being unfair to a friend what do you do?
Vocabulary: fairness, justice, laws, rules, equal, freedom Please inform your child’s teacher if your child takes action
that is centered on fairness.
Grade: Kindergarten
Inquiring Minds
PYP Home
IB Unit Overview
Transdisciplinary Theme: Who We Are An inquiry into the nature of self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, societal and
spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures;
rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
Central Idea Problems can be solved peacefully.
Grade: First
Date: September 2016 Unit of Inquiry: Problem Solving
Key Concepts Perspective – What is easy/hard about
working together?
Reflection – How can a conflict be
identified?
Responsibility – How is conflict
resolved?
Lines of Inquiry Conflict Vs. Cooperation Personal Responsibility Identifying a different
perspective
Colorado State Standards Social Studies: Standard 4: Civics
1. Participate in making decisions using democratic traditions
2. Civic participation takes place in multiple groups
Reading, Writing, and Communicating: Standard 1: Oral Expression and Listening
1. Oral communication skills are built within a language rich environment
2. Communication relies on effective verbal and nonverbal skills
Reading, Writing, and Communicating: Standard 4: Research and Reasoning
1. A variety of locations must be explored to find information that answers questions of interest
Related Concepts Initiative: How can I use my creativity to solve a problem? Cooperation: What does working together look like? Character: How does getting along with others help me understand who I am?
At Home Support: When discussing this unit at home with your child here are some things you could discuss:
How do we cooperate at home? What does respecting others look like in different
settings? Vocabulary: Respect, Cooperation, Responsibility, Conflict,
Perspective, Problem Solving Please inform your child’s teacher if your child takes action that is centered on this unit. Examples could be; using the vocabulary, teaching or talking about the unit at home, making connections to their life when they use conflict resolution at home.
Grade: Kindergarten
Inquiring Minds
PYP Home
IB Unit Overview
Transdisciplinary Theme: How We Express Ourselves
An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture,
beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on , extend, and enjoy our creativity; our
appreciation of the aesthetic.
Central Idea
Stories can be brought to life through drama.
Grade: First
Date: December 2016 Unit of Inquiry: Drama
Key Concepts Change: How is watching a play or performance different from reading a story? What does a writer change when they write/create a play? Connection: How do we learn about stories through drama? Form: How do physical movements convey a character’s traits? How does an actor’s voice develop their character?
Lines of Inquiry
Identifying drama
Common components in stories (plot, characters, setting/scene, etc.)
Dramatic techniques (voice changes, gestures)
Colorado State Standards Reading, Writing, and Communicating: Standard 1: Oral Expression and Listening
1. Oral communication skills are built within a language-rich environment
2. Communication relies on effective verbal and nonverbal skills
Reading, Writing, and Communicating: Standard 2: Reading for All Purposes
1. A concept of print to read and a solid comprehension of literary texts are the building blocks for reading
2. A concept of print to read and a solid comprehension of informational text are building blocks for reading
3. Decoding words in print requires alphabet recognition and knowledge of letter sounds
Related Concepts Reading: How does reading help people
perform?
Listening: How does an audience show they are listening?
At Home Support: When discussing drama and storytelling with your child here are some questions you may ask:
Tell me about a favorite performance that you have seen? What did you like about it?
Why is telling stories through drama important? Vocabulary: drama, etiquette, audience, technique, story
elements, Please inform your child’s teacher if your child takes action
that is centered on storytelling or drama.
Grade: Kindergarten
Inquiring Minds
PYP Home
IB Unit Overview
Transdisciplinary Theme: How the World Works An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world
(physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the
environment.
Central Idea Living organisms play important roles in the cycle of life.
Grade: First
Date: April/May 2017 Unit of Inquiry: Living Things
Key Concepts Connection: How are consumers, producers and decomposers connected to each other? Form: What is a living thing? What are types of life cycles? What is a non-living thing? Change: How do organisms change during a life cycle? How do changes in the environment affect living things?
Lines of Inquiry Food chains and consequences of
food chain interruption Needs of living things The roles of consumers, producers,
and decomposers Common characteristics of living
things
Colorado State Standards Science: Standard 1: Physical Science
1. Objects can be sorted by physical properties, which can be observed and measured
Science: Standard 2: Life Science 1. Organisms can be described and sorted by their
physical characteristics
Reading, Writing, and Communicating: Standard 2: Reading for all Purposes
2. A concept of print to read and a solid comprehension of informational text are the building blocks for reading
Reading, Writing, and Communicating: Standard 4: Research and Reasoning
3. Quality of thinking depends on the quality of questions
Related Concepts Growth: As living things grow and change, how do they interact with each other?
Classification: How can we identify living and non-living things?
At Home Support: When discussing food chains and living vs non-living things with your child here are some questions you may ask:
What are the needs of the living things in our home? Are we a consumer, producer, or decomposer?
Vocabulary: consumer, producer, decomposer, characteristics of living things, food chains
Please inform your child’s teacher if your child takes action that is centered on this unit. Examples could be; using the vocabulary, teaching or talking about the unit at home, making connections to their life about food chains.
Grade: Kindergarten
Inquiring Minds
PYP Home
IB Unit Overview
Transdisciplinary Theme: Where We are in Place and Time
An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between and the interconnectedness if individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
Central Idea Lifestyles are determined by location and available resources.
Grade: First
Date: February/March 2017 Unit of Inquiry: Where in the World
Key Concepts Causation: Why is the climate different in different parts of the world? How does climate and placement on the globe influence resources that are available? Connection: How do available resources contribute to lifestyle? What resources would be difficult to obtain in different parts of the world? Perspective: How would my life be different if I lived in another part of the world?
Lines of Inquiry
Resources Connection between
climate and location Resources vary throughout the
world
Colorado State Standards Social Studies: Standard 2: Geography
1. People belong to different groups and live in different settings around the world that can be found on a map or globe
Science: Standard 3: Earth Systems Science 1. The sun provides heat and light to Earth
Reading, Writing, and Communicating: Standard 2: Reading for all Purposes
2. A concept of print to read and a solid comprehension of informational text are the building blocks for reading
Reading, Writing, and Communicating: Standard 4: Research and Reasoning
3. Quality of thinking depends on the quality of questions
Related Concepts Resources: What are key resources?
Geography: How can we learn more about the geography of the world? What tools could we use?
At Home Support: When discussing lifestyles based on location and resources with your child here are some questions you may ask:
How does living in Evergreen influence our lifestyle?
What are we able to do for activities because of where we live?
Vocabulary: geography, location, lifestyle, resources, globe, maps, climate
Please inform your child’s teacher if your child takes action that is centered on this unit. Examples could be; using the vocabulary, teaching or talking about the unit at home, making connections to their lifestyle based on where they live.
Grade: Kindergarten