Sharing the Planet...An inquiry into the rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living t h i n g s ; c o m m u n i t i e s a n d t h e relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution

PYP

Exhi

bitio

n 20

12 APARENTS

GUIDE

What is the PYP Exhibition?The Exh ib i t i on i s a student initiated and student driven unit of i n q u i r y . I t i s t h e culminating experience of the PYP that brings together the essential elements of the program ( k n o w l e d g e , s k i l l s , c o n c e p t s , a t t i t u d e s action) and challenges students to exhibit the attributes of the learner profile.

The PYP exhibition has a number of key purposes:

• for students to engage in an in-depth, collaborative inquiry

• to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning

• to provide students with an opportunity to explore multiple perspectives

• for students to synthesize and apply their learning of previous years and to reflect upon their journey through the PYP

• to provide an authentic process for assessing student understanding

• to demonstrate how students can take action as a result of their learning

• to unite the students, teachers, parents and other members of the school community in a collaborative experience that incorporates the essential elements of the PYP

• to celebrate the transition of learners from primary to middle/secondary education.

EXHIBITION OVERVIEW

Roles in the Exhibition 2The Exhibition process 4The Exhibition product 5Frequently Asked Questions 5

Central Idea:Understanding the

everyday challenges of sharing the planet

empowers us to find local solutions to global

problems.

What is a transdisciplinary theme? “Like all units of inquiry in the PYP, learning is framed under different transdisciplinary themes. This years’ Exhibition falls under the transdisciplinary theme of sharing the planet.”

The Role of parents

“The following are ways that you can help support your child through the exhibition process”

1. Familiarize yourself with the purpose and requirements of the exhibition

2. Become informed by reading newsletters, attending meetings, checking school websites, talking with students.

3. Help students to access resources—people, places, media and information

4. Provide expert subject knowledge where applicable and act as mentors as required or appropriate

5. Encourage independent inquiry and respect student ownership of the process

6. Help your child reflect on and give feedback on the exhibition

7. Celebrate with your child by attending the staging of the exhibition

Generating interest and “tuning in” to the exhibitionStudents used a “diamond ranking” activity to prioritize the issues they are most interested in pursuing further during the exhibition. This is one way to help students narrow down the focus of their inquiries. (December, 2012)

The Role of the student:

• have an understanding of the purpose and requirements of the exhibition from the outset of the process (guidelines and planning instructions provided by the teacher)

• participate in selecting a real-life issue or problem for the exhibition

• develop the inquiry by helping to decide on a central idea, lines of inquiry and student questions

• collaboratively plan learning and assessment experiences; these should involve independent and collaborative work and students are involved in all stages of the planning and staging of the exhibition

• carry out an open-ended inquiry into a real-life issue or problem

• demonstrate an understanding of the components of the PYP, in particular the IB learner profile; the students involved in the exhibition should be given an opportunity to demonstrate their learning and the development of the attributes of the IB learner profile

• demonstrate an understanding of the five essential elements—knowledge, concepts, skills, attitudes and action

• select and utilize a variety of strategies and resources to meet the outcomes of the inquiry; wherever possible, students use a variety of source materials, such as first-hand experiences, interviews, surveys, field visits, artifacts, science investigations, working models, not just book and/or Internet research

• be academically honest when referring to their sources of information

• communicate effectively with teachers, peers and parents

• reflect on the components of and processes involved in the exhibition; they should keep a journal or portfolio of their planning, draft pieces of work, sketches and photographs of work in progress as well as the final product

• carry out self-assessment and peer assessment

• celebrate their learning by presenting the exhibition to the school community

The boat trip along the river was a great way to get students thinking about some of the issues people in Bangladesh face in “sharing the planet.”

“The members of the school community all have important roles to play in the success of an exhibition, the following information provides an outline of what those roles are.”

The Role of teachers:• initiate, facilitate and guide the exhibition process; teachers facilitate the

process of the exhibition rather than teaching directly, with the exception of particular skills and/or knowledge that is required in order for the students to proceed with their chosen inquiry

• provide support for student inquiries, enabling students to overcome any problems encountered in the process

• communicate regularly with students, parents and other participants

• act as mentors as required or appropriate

• develop essential agreements with students regarding academic honesty to ensure that they are taking responsibility for their learning and being principled in the resources they are using.

• encourage students to use a balance of primary and secondary sources; help students to access information; and ensure they know how to cite sources used in research

• ensure the participation of all students by considering their interests, accommodating learning styles and needs, and by determining prior knowledge

• empower the students to feel able to take action as a result of the exhibition

• assess the exhibition process ensuring all the essential elements are included

• keep detailed records of the processes involved including ongoing reflection

• encourage and join in with students to celebrate their learning.

The Role of mentors

“In addition to the home room teachers, key members of the school community are invited to act as mentors for groups of students, their role is to:”

1. Act as a guide and resource in the accomplishment of specific tasks during the exhibition process

2. Guide the students and help them monitor their progress, assisting them in setting new goals.

3. Suggest resources, help to interpret difficult information and facilitate interviews or telephone calls

4. Promote student ownership of the learning by encouraging independence and responsibility

What was most rewarding about being a mentor?“As a mentor, the most rewarding thing for me was witnessing the learning journey the students went on. Their transformation from our first meeting to the night of the Exhibition was incredible. They truly took ownership of their learning and dedicated their time and energy to an issue that was meaningful to them. Particularly rewarding was watching them piece together and apply their understanding of the components of the PYP to a topic of their choice. I loved seeing each of the Learner Profiles genuinely present in each student as they progressed through their  learning journey.”(Donna Jakins - Exhibition mentor, 2011)

Generating interest in the Exhibition

(Boat trip, September 2012)

What was one issue you saw that you think made an impact on you?

“One of the biggest issues I saw was the villages. They do not have half of what we have in their education and classroom space. Their playground was just bricks and dry canvas. I think they should have just as much education as we do. “(Sarra El Hamzaoui, Grade 5 student)

How does the Exhibition Process work?

Throughout the exhibition journey learners are actively involved in developing their knowledge and understanding by constructing meaning together. This process of learning is highly signif icant in the PYP and throughout the exhibition students are challenged to demonstrate autonomy in directing their learning.

The above model is indicative of the process students go through whilst working on the exhibition. Importantly, students are likely to go through the cycle of learning several times during the exhibition process as they develop expertise and in-depth knowledge in their chosen inquiries.

What does student action look like?

Action can be seen in many different forms throughout the exhibition. Although it is rewarding to see students taking social action on a grand scale, not all students will. Action in the PYP should be voluntary and involve students in exercising their own initiative, it is best grounded in the students own concrete experiences. Action is often seen on a

more personal level, it usually begins in small ways and arises from genuine concern and commitment. Examples include taking an active role in decision making and accepting responsibility when working in groups.

Why is reflection at the heart of constructing meaning?

The PYP views learning as a largely social process, that is best served when students collaborate and share what they are learning. 1930‘s philosopher and educator John Dewey once stated “we do not learn by experience, we learn by reflecting on experience,” this sentiment expresses a fundamental belief of how children learn and is very evident throughout the exhibition. Students acquire a lot of knowledge during the exhibition, however this knowledge remains at a factual / recall level if students are not given an opportunity to process what they are learning. Reflection therefore becomes the tool that supports students to reach deeper understandings. Throughout the exhibition teachers support students by creating many diverse opportunities that allow them to reflect on their learning both individually and in groups.

The Exhibition Process

LEARNERS

CONSTRUCTING MEANING

&

TAKING ACTION

Frequently asked

questions:

How are the students assessed?Students are assessed continuously by teachers, peers and themselves using a range of diverse strategies and tools. Because of the nature of the exhibition, students will not be awarded a final grade. However their efforts and achievements are likely to be reflected in the end of year report cards.

How much time will students spend working on exhibition?Students begin generating an interest in the exhibition theme very early in the school year. As the year progresses, they work on constructing the central idea and developing interest groups. A few weeks before the exhibition starts students begin finding information. So that when the actual unit of the exhibition starts the students are in a good position to go further with their research, reflect on their learning, take action and begin to create products that represent their understanding.

How stressful will exhibition be for my child?

The exhibition can be very challenging and at time a little stressful for students. It is therefore vital that not too much pressure is placed on students from home and school. The exhibition is not a competition or a high stakes examination. Therefore assessment criteria throughout the exhibition is very transparent and allows students to succeed at their own developmental level. Many students will push themselves to achieve with an overwhelming number of students surpassing their own expectations. Please be empathic with your children, consider the need to be well balanced and praise their efforts.

What will homework look like during the exhibition? Homework will take on a different tone. It will look different for each student and reflect the pressing needs of the exhibition and the ability of students to manage their time well.

Changes to teaching and learning you may

notice during the exhibitionMany of the practices in the following table are relevant to all areas of teaching and learning in the PYP. However, during the exhibition there will be a slight shift, with many opportunities for student leadership and ownership

The Exhibition Product (staging the exhibition)There are many formats for staging and sharing the exhibition. For example, an interactive display, a performance, a debate, or a combination of formats.However, the exhibition should include examples of written work in a variety of formats and styles: poetry, reports, persuasive texts

• Oral presentations, individually or in groups, to the school community

• Uses of technology including ICT, working models, designs, science experiments

• Performances or compositions in any medium: dance, music, drama, visual arts, film, video, mixed media

IMPORTANT CONTACTS:

Grade 5C

Mr. Lloyd Curley

lcurley@aisdhaka.org

Grade 5E

Mrs. Allsion Elliott

aelliott@aisdhaka.org

Grade 5K

Mrs. Kitto-Switzer

nkitto@aisdhaka.org

PYP Coordinator

Mr. Gareth Jacobson

gjacobson@aisdhaka.org

Grade 5K

Miss. Edy DePoy

edepoy@aisdhaka.org

Grade 5 (learning support)

Ms. Karen Cole

kcole@aisdhaka.org