Planning the inquiry

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

Class/grade: 3rd grade School: Oak Forest Elementary

Age group: 7 - 9 School code: 006610

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 of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives. central idea Geography shapes human settlements

Teacher(s): , Lay, C. Williams, Szczodrowski, Murdock, Moore, Thorne, Johnson, and Rodgers PYP planner Date: September 6,2011 Proposed duration: weeks 5

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? 2. What do we want to learn? What are the key concepts (form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective, responsibility, reflection) to be emphasized within this inquiry? Key Concepts: connection, causation Related Concepts: borders, landscapes, geography , regions What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?

Students will design their own map. They will have a choice of representing different landforms, their city, their state, or their country. Students can do this by: creating a 3D model, computer generated, a poster/painting, an interactive/lift the flap map. . What will we look for?
Students maps should accurately depict the landform or location they have chosen to represent. Maps should include a title, map key, and compass rose if needed. Students should be able to share about their product using appropriate vocabulary. This can be done by: oral presentation, written piece, or leading a classroom discussion. Assessment- Teacher Created rubric will be used to assess the projects.

Where we are in the world The descriptions of geographical features Reasons for settlements

What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries? Students will take on outdoor field trip and observe the geographical features around the school Virtual field trip to observe geographical/features/ settlements/ landforms around the world. Why do people settle where they do? What types of landforms are in the world? Where in the world are you?

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 taught 10/29012- 12/10/12 revised 12/ 2012

3. the inquiry PlanningHow 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? Week 1- Teacher Provocation to assess prior knowledge- Where in the world do you live? What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for? 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? Students will: Week 1: Students will create a Me on the Map flipbook Week 2: Students will learn basic map skills by: Learning the continent song. Label a world map. Play a game that requires students to locate the continents and oceans. Week 3: Students will explore and practice identifying the parts of map. Create a compass rose. Label the cardinal directions in the classroom. Create a map of their bedroom that includes all of the following: compass rose, title, map key. Week 4- Students will view the BrainPopJr. Landforms video clip to become familiar with different types of landforms. Create a landform dictionary of common landforms that includes an illustration and definition of the landform. Week 5- Students will use their knowledge to complete the summative assessment.

Week 2 -Creating a cut and paste world map-placing and labeling the continents, oceans, equator, and hemispheres correctly.
Week 3- Students will work in groups to create a map of an imaginary park. They will create questions about their map (such as Where is the slide located, What is north of the swings? Etc.) . Then, maps will be traded among the groups, and students will answer the questions about the map that was given to them. Week 4- Landforms Matching Game/Coordinating Assessment Week 5- Create and Present summative assessments.

What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of the attributes of the learner profile? Thinking Skills Acquisition of knowledge gaining facts and using vocabulary Comprehension communicating and interpreting learning Application making use of acquired knowledge to design a map. Analysis see relationships between geography and settlements Communication Skills Listen for information Speaking/presenting projects and ideas to classroom Read a variety of sources related to concepts Writing flipbook, questions for map, reflection Viewing-interpret videos and multimedia Research Skills Formulating questions Class discussions, presentations, group map creation Observe use senses to observe geography Planning develop map design The following profiles/attitudes are covered in the above skills: Inquirers, communicators, cooperation, and creativity

5. What resources need to be gathered? What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available? Me on the Map by Jones Sweeney, salt dough, salt map molds, art supplies, , continent song, Planet Earth DVD on landforms , www.brainpopjr.com /science/land/landforms, www.mapsofworld.com How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry? Geography hunt around the school

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

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. *There was not enough time devoted to this unit for students to fully understand and complete the unit. *Students did not have the prerequisite skills needed in order to complete this unit to the given expectations. It took too long for students to grasp the basic map skills and to locate their location on the map.

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? * 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. *Students had hands on experiences with maps and globes to locate their place in the world.

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. * Have students use the reflection of the unit form to show their knowledge of the central idea. This will help teachers to better understand the students grasp of the content. * Change the assessment task altogether to meet the level of the students. The students need to have the basic prerequisite skills in order to complete the task given.

* Students connected where they are in the world to other places/landmarks. * Students used a map key to identify different parts of a map. * Students sang a song to demonstrate their understanding of the continents. * Students worked in cooperative groups to identify landforms, create products that represented their understanding of the content, and to create world maps/ * Students were able to use the proper geographical terms to vocalize where they are in the world and their surroundings. * Students participated in discussions related to the central idea.

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

* Students created flip books to demonstrate their knowledge of the different landforms and their place in the world. * Students differentiated between a city, state, country, and continent

* Students were able to use maps to make the connection to where they are in the world. * Students can recognize and identify basic landforms. * Students drew pictures, created flip books, and created dictionaries of the different landforms. They also created flip books to show where they are in the world.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

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. Whats bigger a continent or a country? Why is the weather different in different parts of the world? Whats the difference between a canyon and a valley? Why is the ocean salty? How long would it take us to get to China?

9. Teacher notes

* We need to simplify this unit because students do not have basic knowledge of their place in the world. They do not have the basic map skills prerequisites. * Remove settlements from the theme and focus on geography and basic needs because students do not have the background knowledge. * Incorporate culture into the unit. * We need more time because some lessons/activities took longer than expected due to lack of background knowledge.

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.

* Coach has a large US map and is going to incorporate exercise with cardinal and intermediate directions. He can send students on a scavenger hunt using the directions. Look into purchasing the Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego games for the classroom. This can be used as a whole class activity where students use atlases to help solve the mysteries.

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 types of landforms are in the world?

*Students initiated discussions of the similarities and differences between our culture and the Chinese culture. This was modeled on a Venn Diagram. * Students inquired about landforms outside of their local surroundings. This led to a virtual field trip of the Grand Canyon. * Students were able to relate the content to their own personal experiences (ie: a relative moving to/from a different country). Students located these countries on the map. * Students were eager to locate on the places they have lived or visited. Students brought in pictures of places they have visited on vacation to share with the class.

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007