1. PYP PD
Presentation

2. Horseshoe Activity
 In this activity I would like you to create a horseshoe.
There will be 4 areas that you will be asked to stand in
but you will get to choose.
1) New to PYP
2) Knows enough to be dangerous
3) Has a very good understanding and is ready to
implement.
4) I can be considered an expert.

3. 3 Kinds of Inquiry
1. Personal Inquiry – Children completely in control. Their
interests alone are the focus.
2. Collaborative Inquiry – Teacher and student
collaboration. Teacher engages students but the focus
of the subject is then agreed upon
3. Guided Inquiry – Teacher poses problem and students
find answers.

4. Expert Groups
Knowledge Concepts Skills Attitudes Action
What is the big idea or key question?
How does your element impact on
planning, teaching, learning and
assessment?
Where did you get your evidence?

5. The PYP Planner (Bubble Planner)
Every grade level and every specialty is expected by IB
to have a Bubble Planner created for each unit of study.
The PYP planner consists of 9 stages that need to
completed by all teachers who are involved with the
planning.
Stages 1-4 are completed before we begin the unit.
Stages 5-9 are competed after we finish the unit (no
later than 2 weeks)

6. 1. What is our purpose?
To inquire into the following:
transdisciplinary theme
central idea
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?
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?



What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Class/grade:Age group:
School: School code:
Title:
Teacher(s):
Date:
Proposed duration: number of hours over number of weeks
Central Idea
The central idea connects to the theme
and description. The central idea is the
thing we want students to understand.
It should be relevant enough to spend 6
weeks of teacher time; and should link
to a real world issue/situation.

7. 1. What is our purpose?
To inquire into the following:
transdisciplinary theme
central idea
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?
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?



What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Class/grade:Age group:
School: School code:
Title:
Teacher(s):
Date:
Proposed duration: number of hours over number of weeks
Choose 3 concepts to
guide the unit.
The concepts will help us
explore the central idea.

8. 1. What is our purpose?
To inquire into the following:
transdisciplinary theme
central idea
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?
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?



What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Class/grade:Age group:
School: School code:
Title:
Teacher(s):
Date:
Proposed duration: number of hours over number of weeks
To guide the inquiry, we
also use 3-4 lines of
inquiry to guide and
focus students through
the 6 weeks.

9. 1. What is our purpose?
To inquire into the following:
transdisciplinary theme
central idea
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?
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?



What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Class/grade:Age group:
School: School code:
Title:
Teacher(s):
Date:
Proposed duration: number of hours over number of weeks
Teachers questions are
‘concept’ questions of
the lines of inquiry

10. 1. What is our purpose?
To inquire into the following:
transdisciplinary theme
central idea
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?
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?



What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Class/grade:Age group:
School: School code:
Title:
Teacher(s):
Date:
Proposed duration: number of hours over number of weeks
Teachers should model
asking ‘concept’ open-
ended questions
throughout the unit.

11. 3. How 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?
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?
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
How do we know what
students already know?
What activities will we do to
find out our students’ prior
knowledge?

12. 3. How 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?
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?
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
Formative (continuous)
assessment. How will we
know if students are
learning as we move through
the unit?

13. 3. How 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?
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?
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
Formative (continuous)
assessment. How will we
know if students are
learning as we move through
the unit?

14. 3. How 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?
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?
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
Learning activities that we
will do throughout the unit
to explore the central idea

15. 3. How 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?
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?
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
Activities and assessments
are planned by all teachers,
taught by all teachers and
assessed by all teachers.

16. 3. How 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?
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?
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
Focus on the specific
skills that can be
practiced during the 6
weeks.

17. 3. How 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?
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?
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
Attitudes and Learner
Profile: which
characteristics will
students experience
and how?

18. 3. How 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?
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?
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
List specific resources:
print, multi-media,
internet, people and
places in the school.

19. 3. How 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?
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?
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
Provoking interest: how
will we decorate the
classroom? Where will
we take students outside
the school to further
their understanding?

20. 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.
How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a more accurate
picture of each student’s understanding of the central idea.
What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the
transdisciplinary theme?
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.
Was the unit a success? Did
students show
understanding of the
central idea?

21. 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.
How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a more accurate
picture of each student’s understanding of the central idea.
What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the
transdisciplinary theme?
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.
How could the teaching
team improve the unit if it
is taught again?

22. 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.
How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a more accurate
picture of each student’s understanding of the central idea.
What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the
transdisciplinary theme?
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.
Record the most successful
parts of the unit – the best
activities and learning
experiences.

23. 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.
How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a more accurate
picture of each student’s understanding of the central idea.
What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the
transdisciplinary theme?
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.
How did the students show
understanding and
development of skills,
attitudes and profile?

24. 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.
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 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.
9. Teacher notes
Record any interesting
students questions or
student initiated
research.

25. 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.
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 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.
9. Teacher notes
All teachers discuss and
record a combined
summary of the unit: any
successes, challenges,
problems and how we
overcame the problems;
any changes needed for
next time?

26. Kath Murdoch’s Inquiry Model
1. Tuning In
2. Finding out
3. Sorting out
4. Going further
5. Making connections (Drawing Conclusions)
6. Taking action

27. Video – Where we are in place and time
Central Idea – Knowing about our family histories
enables us to discover our cultural origins and develop
historical awareness.
We will be talking about:
Evidence that you see or hear about inquiry, reflection,
collaboration & transdisciplinary learning.

29. Inquiry, Curriculum, and Standards: A
Conversation with Kathy Short
Please take 10 minutes to read this article. Complete
the Chart Below.
Insights Lingering Questions

30. Created By: Maria Tran, PYP Coordinator
Canadian International School of Beijing