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