An Introduction to the PYP curriculum model Chris Snow

DAY 1
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
topic understanding Facilitator notes
Sessio Overview Individual teachers Post-it's Welcome participants.
beliefs and
n1 The Learner experiences related Learner Profile Provide an overview of workshop.
Profile to teaching affect the Attributes
way they perform. with Begin PowerPoint with introductions of the IB
Introductions definitions for Programmes. What is IB? What is the PYP? How many
The IB learner profile each table. PYP schools are in the world and where are they? Show
Essential is the expression of statistics graphic as part of the PowerPoint presentation.
agreements the PYP philosophy Oversized
and contributes to paper one Icebreaker introductions activity: What is the learner
International the development of per table. profile?
mindedness international Participants use an attribute of the learner profile to
awareness. KnowWonder introduce themselves to the other workshop
chart on wall. participants. (Provide an example and enough time for
participants to think about what they are doing. Allow
Sentence time for introductions. If group is too big, this can be
strips: about done at tables or more likely, the presenter can make
10 per table the example more brief.)
for use
throughout Teaching the attributes of the learner profile through
the workshop. literature:
1. Teachers were asked to bring a children's book they
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
topic understanding Facilitator notes
use at their school. (Or bring a copy of the cover if
book is heavy)
2. Teachers discuss learner profile attributes they
could teach using this book.
3. Share at their table.
4. Ask a few to share to the whole group.

International mindedness: What is an internationally

minded person and how does that relate to the learner
profile?
1. Table groups discuss the ways that the learner
profile does (or does not) support the idea of
becoming an internationally minded person.
2. Each table group creates an image combining
elements of the learner profile and an
internationally minded person.
3. Each group explains their image and how the
learner profile and international mindedness are
inter-related to the group and posts their image.

What are essential agreements How are they different

from rules? Why do we use them?
1. Table groups write essential agreements using the
attributes of the learner profile.
2. Then with the whole group, use the essential
agreements from each table to create 3-5
essential agreements for the whole
group/workshop.
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
topic understanding Facilitator notes
More and Less: This will be an ongoing activity.
Throughout the workshop, we will build an understanding
of the PYP by adding a sentence strip under each of these
two headings:
In a PYP school you might expect to see more
emphasis on:
In a PYP school you might expect to see less
emphasis on:
At the end of the workshop, we can compare our answers
to those in MTPYPH, pp. 60-61.

Exit Ticket - KnowWonder Chart:

I think I know
Confirmed
I don't think this anymore.
New information
I wonder
Participants write ideas on post-it's and post them
on the KnowWonder chart in columns 1, 4, and 5.
This will be used throughout the workshop for
reflection and to gauge new understanding.
Throughout the workshop, they will add to this and
can move post-it's as new understandings are
developed.

Break
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
topic understanding Facilitator notes
Sessio Curriculum The PYP defines Slide of PYP Introduce the PYP curriculum model
model curriculum as all curriculum What do we notice? What is at the center?
n 2 aspects of student model on
IB Mission life that the school is PowerPoint The IB Mission Statement:
statement responsible for. The 1. Review
curriculum is written, Paper bags 2. Share your school mission statement if you have
Taught taught, and learned. containing one. How do they compare?
curriculum supplies for 3. What does a mission statement say about a school?
Inquiry, collaboration creating
Inquiry and reflection are tower: straws, What does the IB mission statement say about an IB
fundamental to the cups One school? About a PYP classroom? What does it tell us
Constructivis teaching/learning bag per table about what it means to be a PYP school? How do you
m process group feel your mission does or does not support your
possible development as a PYP school.
Differentiation Table groups work together to create a mission
statement for this workshop that includes what we
want for this workshop but is still in line with the IB
mission statement. If time permits, create a single
mission statement for the whole group. If not, share
and post the group mission statements. Point out to
group how often the attributes of the learner profile
show up in the mission statements and how much
they are already using the language of IB. Encourage
them to understand that this takes time to develop as
a PYP school and that the learner profile is a great
place to start.

Inquiry activity:
Table groups work together to build the tallest structure
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
topic understanding Facilitator notes
with the materials in their paper lunch bags.

Debrief: What does inquiry look like? Sound like? Feel

like?

How does it help me as a learner to construct my

own meaning? What does a constructivist
classroom look like?

Differentiation Why is a PYP education good for

most school children?

View and discuss the video: Build It 7-8 year olds in

Germany The Taught Curriculum
View the PYP in Practice: http://www.ibo.org/digital-
toolkit/videos/

Add or revise post its on the KnowWonder chart before

leaving for lunch.
Lunch
Sessio Concepts The essential Over-sized More and Less:
elements of paper for T- Each table writes a more and less statement on a
n3 Key concepts curriculum charts (One sentence strip, reads them aloud and posts them on
concepts, knowledge, per table) the wall as described in session 1..
Concept- skills, attitudes and
based action are Cards for Change tables Tables split into new groups according to
teaching and interdependent dividing into cards.
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
topic understanding Facilitator notes
learning components of a groups. 1. Hand each person a card with a name, idea, or item
balanced curriculum. written on the card.
Key concept 2. Participants find the people in the room that
cards with belong with their card. Ex. Sports, foods,
definitions movies
one set for
each table. Key concepts: Using key concepts to focus introductions
to new table group.
1. Introduce the key concepts.
2. Participants chose one or two concepts to use to
describe themselves to their new group.
3. Discuss: How does the key concept focus and
determine what we learn about a person?

Concepts vs. Topics

1. Each table brainstorms a list of topics commonly
taught in schools.
2. Participants work together to create a T-chart
with topics on the left and their corresponding
concepts on the right.
3. Groups share and post their charts.

Break
Sessio Knowledge: The essential For each table Making the PYP happen Examining the publication
Transdisciplina elements of a set of the six How is it arranged? What are the parts in boxes?
n4 ry themes curriculum themes with How should the document be used? Why should we
concepts, knowledge, each semi- be familiar with it?
colon section of
skills, attitudes and
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
topic understanding Facilitator notes
action are a theme in a Transdisciplnary teaching and learning:
interdependent different color. 1. What does Transdisciplnary mean? Participants
components of a draw a picture or diagram describing what they
balanced curriculum. Oversized think it might mean.
paper one per
2. Read What is it? Use a picture, diagram, words to
table.
define.
Participants 3. Read The primary year program as a model of
will need their Transdisciplinary learning (2010) p. 5
paper or 4. With table create: Definition / Example / Non-
digital copies example / Drawing
of Making the
PYP happen. The six themes In table groups::
1. Identify the six themes and the aspects of the
themes as separated by semi-colons.
2. Find a concept and topic from the previous session.
3. Under which theme might it fit best?
4. Discuss: Is there another theme it might fit under
as well?
5. What other concepts and topics might fit with this
theme?
6. What elements from music, art, Physical education,
language acquisition might also fit together in this
unit?
7. Share my diagram of Transdisciplinary teaching and
learning and explain that it a whole different, real-
world way of considering learning in the classroom.

View and discuss the video: Build It 7-8 year olds in

Germany The Written Curriculum
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
topic understanding Facilitator notes

http://www.ibo.org/digital-toolkit/professional-
development/pd-videos/

Exit ticket: Add to/revise the KnowWonder chart

DAY 2
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
process understanding Facilitator notes
area
Sessio Approaches The essential Mini post-its Welcome participants
to Learning elements of Divide into new groups:
n5 (skills) curriculum 1. Line up in a line according to how comfortable you
concepts, knowledge, think you would be to go home and begin use
skills, attitudes and concepts to drive a transdisciplinary curriculum in
action are your classroom.
interdependent 2. Ask what some stumbling blocks might be.
components of a 3. Have everyone count off according to how many
balanced curriculum. new table groups we need.
4. Move to new tables.

Approaches to learning:
1. Table groups brainstorm and list (on mini post-
it's)
Those skills students need to become
successful? (In life? In school?)
2. Next, in table groups, participants group their
 Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
process understanding Facilitator notes
area
skills into the following: Social skills, research
skills, communication skills, thinking skills, self-
management skills.
3. These are the PYP approaches to learning. Show
slide with approaches. How and why should we
teach these skills? Why are these approaches to
learning part of the essential elements of the
written curriculum?

Exit Ticket:
1. Go to https://todaysmeet.com/
2. Complete these sentences online: I used to think
Now I think
3. Read and respond to some of the other
participants comments.
Break
Sessio Attitudes and The essential Participants Attitudes Activity: How do we want students to think?
Action elements of will need their Act? Feel? Which attitude best describes you today?
n 6 curriculum paper or Introduce yourself to your new table group using 2-3
concepts, knowledge, digital copies attitudes.
skills, attitudes and of Making the
action are PYP happen. Action Activity: Action is the So-what of learning. Table
interdependent groups:
components of a Create online 1. Read and discuss pp. 25-27 of MTPYPH (Action)
balanced curriculum. Kahoot game 2. Play online game on Kahoot with your table group
and against the other table group.
Where there is classroom.
 Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
process understanding Facilitator notes
area
learning, there is Exit Ticket:
action arising from Participants add to and revise the KnowWonder Chart.
learning. Reflection
is essential for
planning for action.

Lunch
Sessio Assessment Assessment is Participants Assessment in the PYP: Jigsaw reading MTPYPH
integral to all will need their 1. Participants will break into different groups to
n7 teaching and paper or gather information about assessment and then
learning. digital copies report back to their tables. (Count off as necessary
of Making the to have one person in each group reading a
PYP happen. different section.) Groups will read assessment
pages in MTPYPH and then discuss with people who
read the same section. Sections are:
a. What is the PTP perspective on assessment?
Pp. 44-45
b. Assessing: how do we discover what students
have learned? Pp. 45-47
c. Recording: how do we collect and analyze the
data? Pp. 47-51
d. Reporting: how do we choose to
communicate information about assessment?
Pp. 51-53
e. Exhibition and Assessment policy pp. 53-55 is
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
process understanding Facilitator notes
area
optional depending on the number of
participants. (These may have to be altered
depending on the number of participants in
total and at each table.)
2. Participants return to their table to share what they
learned and discuss assessment in the PYP.

What is the difference between formative assessment,

summative assessment, and assessment of prior
knowledge?
1. On post-it's, individual write as many examples of
assessment strategies as they can.
2. As a group they categorize the assessment
examples. There may be considerable overlap.
3. Note the differences. How do we currently use
formative assessment? Is it common in schools?
Why or why not? What are the benefits and
drawbacks?

View and discuss the video: Build It 7-8 year olds in

Germany The Assessed Curriculum
http://www.ibo.org/digital-toolkit/professional-
development/pd-videos/

More and Less:

Each table writes a more and less statement on a
sentence strip, reads them aloud and posts them on
the wall as described in session 1.
 Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
process understanding Facilitator notes
area
Break
Planning and Planning in the PYP is Participants The unit planner Point out where to find examples for
the POI a collaborative will need their schools that have OCC accounts.
process that allows paper or
Collaboration for the synthesis of digital copies The program of inquiry Point out where to find and
the essential of Making the example in MTPYPH.
elements and the PYP happen.
subjects of the Collaboration: What are stumbling blocks to effective
curriculum. collaboration?
1. Participants work together to create a Y chart
Sessio The Programme of with the three sections being:
n8 Inquiry is but one 2. Benefits of effective collaboration
component of the 3. Road blocks
PYP within a school. 4. Solutions
It is a framework, 5. Discuss then share
organized into
transdisciplinary
themes, which Exit Ticket:
provides a balanced Add to and revise the Know Wonder chart
integrated school-
wide experience.
 DAY 3
Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
process understanding Facilitator notes
area
Sessio Standards The IB standards and Participants Welcome the participants back for the final day.
and Practices practices provide will need their
n9 guidance for paper or Standards and Practices:
implementation of digital copies Review the document. Explain that this document
the PYP. of Making the is for all four programmes, but the parts defined in
PYP happen the boxes are specific to each Programme.
and IB
Standards and Activity:
Practices. 1. Each table reviews 1 standard.
2. Decide as a table which practices if any are what
your school is already doing and which would be
most difficult to put in place.
3. Each table shares.
4. What else needs to happen or what road block are
in place as you become or consider becoming a PYP
school?

More and Less:

Each table writes a more and less statement on a
sentence strip, reads them aloud and posts them on
the wall as described in session 1. Point out the
similar document on pp. 60-61 in MTPYPH. Did we
miss anything?

Be open to any areas that still have misunderstandings or

 Time Content or Conceptual Resources Learning engagements:
process understanding Facilitator notes
area
wonderings. Do schools need time to brainstorm
together? What action will you take now? What is your
action plan as you return to your school?

Break
Wrap-up There is a range of IB IB Professional Overview of IB professional development opportunities
professional development Http://www.ibo.org/programmes/PD/
Opportunities development catalogue
for further available to support Explain categories and varied opportunities including
professional the implementation having a presenter come to your school.
development of the PYP
Sessio Show participants where to access IB resources for
n 10 Individual teachers schools new to or considering becoming IB schools.
beliefs and
experiences related Go over any other questions/ wonderings that have not
to teaching affect the yet been addressed.
way they perform.