Celebrations Summative Project - Kindergarten

Planning the inquiry
1. What is our purpose? To inquire into the following: • 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:
People practice traditions and celebrations based on their cultural beliefs.
Summative assessment task: students create their own unique holiday to demonstrate understanding of where holidays and traditions come from
Class/grade: TK/Kindergarten
School: Goethe International Charter School
What are the key concepts (form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective, responsibility, reflection) to be emphasized within this inquiry?
• Perspective • Reflection
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
1. Diverse traditions 2. Different family roles in celebrations 3. Cultural similarities and differences in traditions and celebrations
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
Provocations:
• guest speakers (pilgrim, Rosh Hashanah, etc.) • trying new kinds of food (latkes, gingerbread, pan de muertos) • participating in a Lantern Festival • learning songs • art projects (lanterns, sugar skulls, pumpkin counting/expressions) • comparing/contrasting holidays
What are the possible ways of assessing students’ understanding of the central idea? What evidence, including student-initiated actions, will we look for?
• students will make observations comparing and contrasting different holidays • students will understand the holiday timeline, as we continue to add new holidays throughout the unit • students will participate in multi-sensory inquiry-based activities (tasting, smelling, seeing, participating in celebrations, creating projects)
Planning the inquiry
3. How might we know what we have learned?
What are the possible ways of assessing students’ prior knowledge and skills? 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?
(Please see End Notes section).
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of the attributes of the learner profile?
Selected Learner Profile Items
• Open-minded: They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.
(Please see End Notes section).
Attitudes
Empathy, Respect, Tolerance.
Transdisciplinary Skills • Research Skills: Observing.
(Please see End Notes section).
• • •
KWL chart about holidays discussions about celebrations sharing about celebrations from one's own family (birthdays, etc.)
What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for?
• Diverse traditions
Essay
S Venn Diagram Compare and contrast different holidays, e.g. Dia de los Muertos and
Halloween
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?
(Please see End Notes section).
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007
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Reflecting on the inquiry
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.
• students were able to identify and discuss different celebrations • students presented their ideas and understanding about different celebrations through a project/poster • greater ability to connect celebrations to months of the year and seasons on the class timeline • students compared and contrasted holidays
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.
• many students said their favorite holiday was Christmas, due to presents and timing next year we would rather that students chose two different holidays from two seasons to discuss, compare/contrast
What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme?
Students participated in • Lantern festival (song, parade, lantern) • Day of the Dead celebration (food, sugar skulls) • St. Nicolas (made a apple craft) • tried traditional foods for celebrations • Japanese envelope for money • received Schuletute • Apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah • Thanksgiving: craft and discussed what we are thankful for
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?”
Perspective: guest speakers came in and discussed their experiences with celebrations Reflection: discussed holiday meanings at length, compared and contrasted holidays
What were the learning experiences that enabled students to demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills?
Students had to listen to and observe guest speakers and experts on holidays. They also had to create their own holiday project and present this.
What were the learning experiences that enabled students to develop particular attributes of the learner profile and/or attitudes?
All of the exposure to new celebrations and traditions helped the students build empathy respect, and tolerance
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007
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Reflecting on the inquiry
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.
• Students made connections between the learner profile and attitudes to holidays: • Caring and ST. Martin • Reflective/appreciative and Thanksgiving/Day of the Dead • open-minded and trying new foods
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.
All were very effective, as they were a combination of hands-on experiences, discussions, guest speakers, and songs.
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.
• One student became very interested in Hanukkah and bought a menorah to learn more about the holiday • Students told their parent the story of ST. Martin • students did a project with their parents on celebrations
9. Teacher Notes
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007
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End Notes 3. How might we know what we have learned? What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for?
• Different family roles in celebrations • Cultural similarities and differences in traditions and celebrations
Essay S Venn Diagram Compare and contrast different holidays, e.g. Dia de los Muertos and Halloween
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?
• Classroom Timeline with pictures of different celebrations • Read alouds and guest speakers for: Thanksgiving, St. Martin's Lantern Festival, Hannukah, Christmas in different countries, St. Nicholas, Kwaanza, New Year's • Advent calendars-number sense, counting • • guest speakers (pilgrim, Rosh Hashanah, etc.) • trying new kinds of food (latkes, gingerbread, pan de muertos) • participating in a Lantern Festival • learning songs • art projects (lanterns, sugar skulls, pumpkin counting/expressions) • comparing/contrasting holidays
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of the attributes of the learner profile?
Selected Learner Profile Items • Reflective: They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.
Transdisciplinary Skills • Self-Management Skills: Codes of Behaviour. • Thinking Skills: Analysis. • Social Skills: Respecting Others. • Communication Skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, Viewing, Presenting. • Integrated Subjects: Performing Arts, Visual Arts.
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?
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007
Journal:
Photo of the Day • National Geographic.com • connected to the world map • Students say "I wonder" or "I notice"
Journal:
New books in School Library about German holidays
Journal:
use of Key Concept, Learner Profile, and Attitudes sticks • color-coded by category • written on sticks • used during class discussion, lessons, and read alouds • example: reflective/appreciation during Thanksgiving
Journal:
Use of Calendar Timeline in English and German Classroom • color coded for seasons by month • photos of celebrations, artifacts of celebrations • interactive, at student-level