The Communicator
PYP and MYP Update
December 2015
The Current State of IB at Peirce
Primary Years Programme (PYP) - Candidate School - Authorization Visit Spring 2017
Middle Years Programme (MYP) - IB World School - Evaluation Fall 2017
The Learner Profile
We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.
Spotlight on IB
2nd Grade - Keith Haring
PK - Family Glyphs
Representing Numbers
6th Grade: Writers Theater
8th Grade Writers Theater
PAW PARTY: Northwestern Girls' Basketball Game
Parent and Family Approaches to Learning
Through the Approaches to Learning Skills
This month we will focus on:
Thinking Skills
Within PYP and MYP students develop ways to become better thinkers.
Here are the attributes of thinking skills in the PYP:
Acquisition of Knowledge; Comprehension; Application; Analysis; Synthesis; Evaluation; Dialectical Thought; Metacognition
Which then transfers to the attributes of thinking skills in MYP:
Creative Thinking; Critical Thinking; Transfer
What does this mean for you....
Ask your child how they would solve a given real-life problem.
Ask why they think something is significant.
Ask your child to continue a story or predict what would happen in a given
situation.
Here are 2 links to help your child develop their thinking skills at home:
The PYP at Peirce
Preschool
How We Express Ourselves
Strand: extend and enjoy our creativity
Central Idea: Through play our beliefs influence our behavior and the relationships we form with others.
Key Concepts: connection, function , perspective
Related Concepts: Relationships, beliefs, behavior, responsibility
Lines of Inquiry:
1. How we connect with members of our family.
2. Families function in different ways.
3. Our perspective is formed by our families beliefs.
Kindergarten
Strand: ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture beliefs and values
Central Idea: Celebrations and traditions are expressions of shared beliefs and values
Key Concepts: perspective, form, responsibility
Related Concepts: beliefs, similarities and differences, values, religion
Lines of Inquiry:
1. Why People Celebrate
2. Features of traditions and celebrations
3. Symbolic representations of celebrations and traditions
First Grade
Where We Are In Place and Time
Strand: personal historiesCentral Idea: Learning about previous generations helps us understand the relationship between the past and the present.
Key Concepts: function, connection, perspective
Related Concepts: organization, navigation
Lines of Inquiry:
1. Ways to find out about the past
2. How aspects of the past still influence us today
3. how we have changed from birth until now
Second Grade
How The World Works
Strand: natural world and its lawsCentral Idea: Earth changes over time.
Key Concepts: form, function, change, responsibility
Related Concepts: transformation, properties, pattern, systems, cycles, initiative
Lines of Inquiry:
1. Ways cycles affect the earth
2. How Earth constantly transforms
3. Ways humans affect the earth
Third Grade
Where We Are In Place and Time
Strand: explorations and migrations of human kindCentral Idea: Exploration leads to discoveries, opportunities, and new understandings.
Key Concepts: Causation, Function
Related Concepts: Pattern, Sequences, Impact
Lines of Inquiry:
1. Reasons for exploration (historical and personal)
2. The consequences of exploration
3. How explorations have taken place overtime
Fourth Grade
How We Organize Ourselves
Strand: structure and function of organizationsCentral Idea: Governments are organized to provide structure for groups of people. Key Concepts: form, function, responsibility
Related Concepts: government, representation, control
Lines of Inquiry:
1. Why governments are formed
2. The role of government in societies
3. The Rights of people according to their governments
Fifth Grade
Where We Are In Place and Time
Strand: Explorations and migrations of human kindCentral Idea: Migration can be a response to challenges, risks, and/or opportunities.
Key Concepts: change; perspective; causation
Related Concepts: patterns, motivation, consequences
Lines of Inquiry:
1. Effects of migration/immigration on communities, cultures, and individuals
2. Reasons for Migrations/Immigrations
3. Patterns affect boundaries
The MYP at Peirce
6th Grade
Subject: Science
Unit Title: Wash It Away
Key Concept: Development
Related Concepts: Movement, Transformation
Statement of Inquiry: Development occurs through transformation and movement
Approaches to Learning: Critical Thinking
Debatable Question: Where should we build our new housing development?
Subject: Individuals and Society
Unit Title: The Birth of Empires
Key Concept: Communities
Related Concepts: Networks
Statement of Inquiry: People create networks with other people in order to share ideas and resources.
Approaches to Learning: Collaboration
Debatable Question: Should artificial boundaries be constructed between people?
Subject: Mathematics
Unit Title: Wrap it up, I'll take it
Key Concept: Logic
Related Concepts: Equivalence, Model
Statement of Inquiry: Equivalence and relationships develops logical models
Approaches to Learning: Critical Thinking
Debatable Question: Do we need decimals?
Subject: Physical and Health Education
Unit Title: Volleyball
Key Concept: Systems
Related Concepts: Function, Interaction
Statement of Inquiry: To work collaboratively, all team members must function systematically.
Approaches to Learning: Communication
Debatable Question: Will functioning as a team always lead to success?
Subject: Physical and Health Education
Unit Title: Floor Hockey
Key Concept: Systems
Related Concepts: Balance interaction
Statement of Inquiry: Interacting through balanced systems creates success.
Approaches to Learning: Critical Thinking
Subject: Language Acquisition
Unit Title: Mis amigos y yo
Key Concept: Communication : Classes and location
Related Concepts: Structure, patterns, and Messages:
Statement of Inquiry: Talk about ourselves and others helps us communicate and show culture.
Approaches to Learning: Communication
Debatable Question: Should people use pronouns when talking about themselves?
7th Grade:
Subject: Individuals and Society
Unit Title: New Worlds & Perspectives
Key Concept: Change
Related Concepts: Historical Causality
Statement of Inquiry: New modes of communication, and groups of people changed the way people think and live.
Approaches to Learning: Reflection
Debatable Question: Should you judge another person by their perspective?
Subject: Science
Unit Title: Evolution and Natural Selection
Key Concept: Change
Related Concepts: Transformation, Patterns
Statement of Inquiry: Human modification of the environment transforms the pattern of change in living things.
Approaches to Learning: Communication
Debatable Question: Should humans have a unique responsibility to the environment in which they live?
Subject: Physical and Health Education
Unit Title: Floor Hockey
Key Concept: Systems
Related Concepts: Balance, Interaction
Statement of Inquiry: Interacting through balanced systems creates success.
Approaches to Learning: Critical Thinking
Subject: Language Acquisition- Heritage Speakers
Unit Title: Que hacemos esta noche?
Key Concept: Communication : Classes and location
Related Concepts: Structure, patterns, and Messages: Evening activities and locales in the community; additional food
Statement of Inquiry: Communication about activities, locations, and food related to the one’s community and those found in Spain express personal and cultural perspectives.
Approaches to Learning: Communication
Debatable Question: What are the most important activities teens do today?
Subject: Language Acquisition- Novice Speakers
Unit Title: You and the ways you communicate
Key Concept: Communication
Related Concepts: choice, convention, and idiom
Statement of Inquiry: Our word choice with reference to the past affects our viewpoint and how we relate to each other.
Approaches to Learning: Communication
Debatable Question: How do the nuances of the varied past tenses affect meaning of the language?
8th Grade:
Subject: Individuals and Society
Unit Title: The American Civil War
Key Concept: Systems
Related Concepts: Identity
Statement of Inquiry: Fair systems allow people to develop their own sense of identity.
Approaches to Learning: Information Literacy
Debatable Question: Should divisions exist between people?
Subject: Physical and Health Education
Unit Title: Floor Hockey
Key Concept: Systems
Related Concepts: Balance Interaction
Statement of Inquiry: Interacting through balanced systems creates success.
Approaches to Learning: Critical Thinking
Subject: Language Acquisition- Heritage Speakers
Unit Title: Un dia en el parque de diversiones
Key Concept: connections, creativity
Related Concepts: choice, conventions and idiom.
Statement of Inquiry: Communication about places of leisure express cultural perspectives
Approaches to Learning: Communication
Debatable Question: Should teens have choices in where they go to have fun?
Subject: Language Acquisition- Novice Speakers
Unit Title: You and your second language
Key Concept: communication
Related Concepts: choice, convention, and idiom
Statement of Inquiry: The English language influences our use of Spanish in the way we think and speak in Spanish.
Approaches to Learning: Communication
Debatable Question: Should the English language affect the way one speaks Spanish in the United States?
Name of Unit: Going in Circles: The House on Mango Street
Key Concepts: Culture
Related Concepts: Relationships
Statement of Inquiry: Culture influences the types of relationships we develop and ultimately how fairly we are treated.
Debatable Question: Do cultural norms make it virtually impossible for some to succeed while ensuring that others are likely to succeed?
Name of Unit: Moving Still: The Circuit
Key Concept: Change
Related Concept: Context
Statement of Inquiry: People change and societies become more fair in the context of historical and political movements.
Debatable Question: Can "powerless" people change society and their own fate?
Name of Unit: Lasting Legacies: To Kill a Mockingbird
Key Concept: Relationships
Related Concept: Culture
Statement of Inquiry: People of all ages, from all walks of life, influence us through all types of relationships.
Debatable Question: Is having empathy for others the solution to racism?
Name of Unit-Growing, Growing, Growing
Key Concepts-Exponential Equations and operations
Related Concepts-Model Representation
Statement of Inquiry-Observations regarding relationships and logic are powerful tools that help us make predictions.
Debatable question- Can we use observations to make predictions about the future of mankind.
Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies
773-534-2841
Jillian Estanich - MYP Coordinator
773-534-2564
Website: peirce.cps.k12.il.us
Location: 1423 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago, IL, United States
Phone: 773-534-2440
PYP Disclaimer for Being A Candidate School in the International Baccalaureate
Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies is a candidate school* for the Primary Years Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that Peirce Elementary School believes is important for our students.
*Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.
For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit http://www.ibo.org