Planning the inquiry

1.

What is our purpose?

Class/grade: 4th grade School: Oak Forest Elementary

Age group: 9 - 10 School code: 006610

To inquire into the following:

transdisciplinary theme (Unit 3): Where we are in place and time Teacher(s): Harwell, Forman, Dhillan, Thorne, Ward, Pettit Date: Nov. 4 Dec. 14, 2012 Proposed duration: 30 hours over 6 weeks PYP planner

An inquiry into beliefs and values; An inquiry into the discoveries and exploration; An inquiry into the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; An inquiry into the impact of scientific and technological advances on society; An inquiry into the societal decision-making; An inquiry into the communities and the relationships between them.

2. What do we want to learn?

central idea

Explorations invite discoveries and influence change.

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

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?
(A rubric, KWL chart, and a post-test will be developed to assess the students at the beginning and end of the unit.)

Related Concepts Explorations, innovations, discoveries

Summative Assessment Students will choose an invention. Through formative assessments, they will explore the invention and its evolution. For their summative assessment, students will create a futuristic, innovative model of the invention they researched. The students will be able to: 1. 2. 3. 4. Identify the need for the invention Explain the history of the invention Describe the evolution of the invention Create a futuristic model of the invention
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea? Purpose of discoveries Effects of discoveries How discoveries bring about change What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries? Provocation Place a Newtons Cradle in the room where all students can observe its motion. Do not tell them what it is or how it works. Have students write questions about the Newtons Cradle. Teacher Questions
Taught: September 9-October 21, 2011 Revised: September 20, 2012

A rubric addressing the evidence will be used to measure the assessment.

Why do we explore? What are the outcomes of exploration? How do discoveries impact change?

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? Students will create a bubble map to explore their prior knowledge about explorations and discoveries. They will then formulate questions they still have about explorations and discoveries.

4. 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? (activities continued on next two pages) 1. Teacher will place a Newtons Cradle in the room where all students can observe its motion. Do not tell them what it is or how it works. Have students write questions about the Newtons Cradle. Have a group discussion about the Newtons Cradle and see how many of the student questions can be answered without further exploration. Then allow the students to research the Newtons Cradle and answer their remaining questions. (L1) What happens when one magnet is near another magnet? How do different parts of magnets interact? Students will record in their IB notebooks their predictions for what may happen when they bring each end of the magnets together. Bring the north pole of one magnet close to the north pole of another magnet. Record what happens. Then try it with north and south coming together. Record what happens. Then try it with the two south poles. Record what happens. Reflect in IB notebook on what happens when like poles of two magnets come together and what happens when unlike poles come together. Have a whole group discussion about how the exploration of magnets led to the discovery of the compass. How did the invention of the compass impact exploration? (L1) How do two balloons interact if you rub one with wool and another with plastic? Students will first record predictions for what they think will happen in their IB notebooks. Then students will tie a piece of string to the end of each of 2 inflated balloons. Rub one balloon 20 times with a wool cloth. Rub the other balloon 20 times with plastic wrap. Holding the strings, bring the balloons near each other. Observe what happens. Students will record their observations in their IB notebooks. Then have students predict what would happen if you rubbed both balloons with wool? Record the predictions in their IB notebooks. Then rub the balloons and bring the balloons near each other. Record observations in the interactive notebook. Have students compare their predictions to their observations. Reflect on experiment in IB notebook. Did the results match the predictions? Why or why not? How do rubbed balloons interact? Where do we find static electricity in our current lives? How does electricity effect us positively and negatively? (L1) Assign each student a North American explorer. Then have them brainstorm questions they would ask if interviewing someone they would like to get to know. Have students research their explorer and write responses to their questions. One student will be chosen to be a talk show host. The students will bring their questions and answers to the interview desk and be interviewed by the talk show host. Students at their seats will be given a grid with five major categories that they will take notes on for each interviewee. The categories are: Where and when were you born? Where did you explore? What were you looking for? Interesting Facts. Where and when did you die? Students will fill in as much information as they could ascertain from the interview. (L1) How can you connect a battery, a wire, and a light bulb to make the bulb light up? Students will work in groups to try to light a bulb using a battery, wire, and light bulb. Draw each setup in IB notebook. Record results in IB notebook. When all students have found a successful setup, have them present their findings to the whole group. Compare and contrast the different setups the students found. Reflect in IB notebook on what made it necessary for the bulb to light up. How would life be different if electricity had never been invented? What have been the effects of electricity on society? (L2) In this lesson, students will explore the process of inventing. The lesson will begin with a fun hands-on activity where students will match current day inventions with similar inventions from the past. Students will discuss the process involved in creating an invention and view segments from the public television documentary Through My Eyes: The Charlie Kelman Story to explore the process that Charles Kelman went through to create procedures and tools related to cataract surgery. As a culminating activity, students will create their own inventions using common objects. (L2)

2.

What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for? 1. We will assess the Newtons Cradle activity by having students present their research findings to the class. The teacher will assess the students knowledge of the purpose of exploration by accurately having students identify an invention and explain the need for that invention. The teacher will assess the students knowledge of the effects of exploration by reviewing students IB notebooks and determining students understanding through the experiments conducted and reflections written. The teacher will assess the students knowledge on the effects of exploration by having students explain the history of the invention they chose and describe its evolution. Rubrics will be used for each project to assess students abilities

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(Activities continued on next page)

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Taught: September 9-October 21, 2011 Revised: September 20, 2012

8. At the beginning of the day, divide students into groups and tell them their group will have to go the entire day (or the time prior to the lesson) without the use of one object. Then write the names of the following objects (or other objects that your students would miss) on index cards and have each group select a card: chair, desk, pencil, backpack, calculator, etc. Have student groups try to go at least one full school day without the use of the object. A. Divide students back into their groups from the pre-class activity. Ask them to discuss and then present answers to the following questions: a. What did you miss most about not having use of the object on your card? b. Could you spend more than one day without the object? c. How would your life be different if the object had never been invented? d. What do you think people used before the object was invented? e. Would you agree or disagree that the object is important in your life? What about your friends lives? f. Which of the objects on the cards would be most difficult for you to not have in your life? B. Put the word, innovation on the board and ask students to write a sentence, series of words, or pictorial representation of what the word means to them. Have students share their answers. If possible, come up with a class definition of the word. Innovation means the process of making improvements by introducing something new. C. Given the definition, would students consider the object on their card an innovation? D. Place 3-5 objects in the front of the room that students use on a regular basis. Examples are provided in the materials list above. E. Present each object and ask students: a. Why do you think this object was invented? b. Does this object have an impact on your life? If so, how? c. In what way does it solve a problem or make your life better? d. Do you think it has more, less or the same impact on your parents lives? e. Would you be willing to go one day without this object? One week? One month? One year? f. How would your life be different if this had never been invented? F. After each object has been presented, have students talk in their groups about which object they think has the greatest impact on their lives personally and on their generation. G. Then give student groups two minutes to come up with as many innovations as they can that improve the lives of those in their generation. Encourage them to think about categories like transportation, entertainment, sports, healthcare, education, communication, food, design, clothing, culture, technology, media, safety and art. Place each category on chart paper and record separate lists for each category to spark thinking. H. After two minutes, have each group share their innovations. Which innovations were listed more than once? Do students have additional ideas now that theyve seen this list? I. Remind students that for every innovation on their list, a person or group of people started with an idea! They may have said, What if or Why does it work like this or Id like to try Innovators take different paths to reach the final product but many of them take similar steps. Ask students what steps they think an innovator would take to reach the final product of a new invention. Challenge students to list their ideas. J. Share the Innovation Process student activity sheet with students and review each step. Ask students which steps they think theyd have the most trouble with? Which might they enjoy most? Which would take the longest? K. Have students look back at the list of innovations that they generated in Part 1. Challenge them to think about 5-10 innovations from this list that have the greatest impact on their generation. (You may need to come up with a common definition for their generation, e.g., middle school kids, teenagers, etc.) Have them write their list of 5-10 in their personal order of importance. L. Tell students to imagine that one object from the list theyve generated will be named Innovation of our Generation; the innovation that has the greatest impact on kids their age. Students in their class (or the school if you can organize it) will vote based on speeches. Their job is to nominate one innovation from the list and write a two- to three-minute speech explaining why their innovation is deserving of the title! M. In order to write their nominating speech, they must first research their innovation. Distribute the Innovation of Our Generation student activity sheet and read the directions with students. The activity sheet gives guidance on what should be included in the nominating sheet and research points students can follow. N. Give students ample time and resources to conduct their research. O. Once students have completed the assignment, set up a time and venue for them to perform their speeches. P. Finally, have students answer the following question, How will continued innovation make your life better?

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Taught: September 9-October 21, 2011 Revised: September 20, 2012

What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of the attributes of the learner profile? Thinking Skills Acquistion of knowledge obtain facts and knowledge Social Skills Cooperating working with others productively and positively Group decision-making listening and working with others to complete to complete a task. Accepting responsibility Complete an individual task to benefit entire group Resolving Conflict Compromise within the group Communication Skills Presenting Share knowledge with entire class Listening listening and following directions, sharing ideas Reading a variety of sources to obtain information Self-Management Skills Time Management complete individual assignments in a timely manner Organization and Time Management complete individual assignments to benefit the entire group Research Skills Formulating Questions formulate questions as to what they want to learn Collecting Data Gather information for projects

Taught: September 9-October 21, 2011 Revised: September 20, 2012

5. What resources need to be gathered? What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
Resources will be used to broaden and develop the understanding of the unit activities.

support classes, library, computer lab

Reading stories from Pearson Reading Street textbook: Lewis and Clark and Me, Seeker of Knowledge, Lost City, Antarctic Journal, Moonwalk, Grace and Time Machine (ISBN: 0-328-22121-x) McMillan/McGraw-Hill Science-A Closer Look-Grade 8 Chapter 4 & 5 (ISBN:978-0-02-287753-8) Houghton Mifflin Social Studies Grade 4 Chapter 11, 12, & 13 (ISBN: 978-0-618-93906-0) Materials: bar magnets, balloons, wool, string, plastic wrap, D-cell batteries, 20-cm long insulated wire, light bulbs, compass, computer, index cards Public Television Documentary film Through My Eyes: The Charlie Kelman Story

How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry? field trip, class discussion, cooperative grouping, different centers in the classroom, utilization of the SMARTboard,

Taught: September 9-October 21, 2011 Revised: September 20, 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. We believe we did not meet all of our goals. This is due to the lack of planning time, conflict with curriculum maps, fully understanding the IB process, and understanding what can be taught when and how. Through the summative assessment almost all students fully understood the central idea. 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. Improvement can be made by implementing a pre and post test.

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? Students used bubble maps to explain economics and related it to how economics impact lives. KWL charts to develop prior knowledge Graphic organizers to research and obtain information about first American and European explorers.

Demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills? Students were able to cooperate effectively by assigning a variety of tasks and jobs. They were able to make decisions as a whole to produce a final project.

What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme? Timelines gave students better understanding of the purposes and goals of explorations. Students also used graphic organizers, visual and written assessments to prove connections between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme.

Develop particular attributes of the learner profile and/or attitudes? Students were able to communicate and cooperate effectively. In addition, through presentations, students were able to gain more confidence. Also, students were able to demonstrate empathy toward one another.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Taught: September 9-October 21, 2011 Revised: September 20, 2012

Reflecting on the inquiry

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

9. Teacher notes Teachers were able to connect this theme to other subject areas, such as reading, science, writing, social studies, math, grammar, and art. Teachers can incorporate science into this planner through discussion of how ships sail and how the wind affects sailing. Students can be taken on a field trip to Shelby Farms to sail ship replicas that they make, out of organic materials. Students and teachers are going on a field trip to see life-size replicas of the Pinta and the Nina. This unit was very helpful in establishing cooperative groups, which allowed the incorporation of the learner profiles and attitudes. This unit also allowed the integration of global awareness and how we impact one another.

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. 1. Where is Europe? a. 2. Students were able to utilize an atlas and demonstrate the geographical locations of continents and bodies of water.

What is economics? a. Students completed a bubble map to brainstorm what economics is.

3.

What were the names of the ships that Christopher Columbus sailed on? a. Students researched on the Internet to get visual images of the ships and the people who sailed on it.

4.

Was Christopher Columbus a girl? a. b. Students researched the fashion trends, purpose of the fashions, and the culture of that time in Europe. Students compared and contrasted the styles of the Europeans and the American Indians.

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. Driven by student inquiry, the students took the initiative to research and deliver the information back to their group and classroom. Students were able to choose from a variety of summative assessments to demonstrate what they had learned. Students reflected upon the information that they had learned by discussing the information they had gathered with both teachers and classmates.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Taught: September 9-October 21, 2011 Revised: September 20, 2012