PYP NEWS

PYP Language ‘Unpacked’

Through each edition we will provide you with

further information relating to some of the

language within the PYP. If you have language

that you would like ‘unpacked’, please send an

email to feedback@stpeters.nsw.edu.au for

consideration in future newsletters.

School Vision vs IB Mission Statement

A requirement of authorization, is that our

School Vision aligns with the IB Mission

Statement - see page 2.

As a staff, we strongly believe that these align

and I encourage you to review the language

within each and identify the connections.

During our information session, Mr Gorman

shared that the ‘underpinned by Christian faith’

statement is a non-negotiable, and assured

parents that this will never be compromised. In

regards to the final paragraph of the IB

Statement, we agree that ‘other people, with

their differences, can also be right’ except for

when it comes to Jesus, and we will

unashamedly continue to educate our children

in this manner.

February 16, 2018

In this issue:

Parent Session

Prep

Kindergarten

Year One

Year Two

Year Three

Year Four

Year Five

Year Six

Unit of Inquiry 1 (Term 1: Week 2 - 7)

Our students have been readily engaging

in a variety of inquiry activities, designed

to spark their interest and provoke their

thinking!

From the PYP Coordinator

Our first Parent Information Session was a wonderful opportunity for

families to learn more about the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary

Years Programme (PYP) of which we are in our second year as a candidate

school.

Included in this newsletter, is a summary of what was shared, with a focus

on explicit teaching, inquiry and the language of the PYP. Also included is

our ’Programme of Inquiry’ completed through 2017, and our 2018

overview of when each of the units will take place. Please note, that due to

our rigorous review at the end of 2017 and our teachers planning for a

new cohort, the content on this document is fluid and changes will occur

for 2018.

WHAT IS THIS PYP THING?

Central Idea

Understanding the PYP will enable our parents to support and encourage their children as they build meaning and refine understanding through authentic inquiry.

St Peter’s Vision

St Peter’s Anglican Primary School

will strive to provide an inspiring,

nurturing and dynamic environment,

underpinned by Christian faith and

with a focus on strong academic

curriculum.

Key Concepts

Form: What is it like?

Function: How does it work?

Connection: How is it connected to

other things?

Parent Information Session

The following information is a summary of what was shared at our

Information Session held on Thursday 8 February (Week 2).

An interactive workshop will be held on Tuesday 27 February (Week 5)

from 7 - 8pm, as an extension of this session.

Lines of Inquiry

Why we’ve chose the PYP and the

success we have seen

The common language of the PYP

The role of explicit teaching

Inquiry and what it looks like

IBO Mission Statement The International Baccalaureate aims to

develop inquiring, knowledgeable and

caring young people who help to create

a better and more peaceful world

through intercultural understanding and

respect.

To this end the organization works with

schools, governments and international

organizations to develop challenging

programmes of international education

and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students

across the world to become active,

compassionate and lifelong learners who

understand that other people, with their

differences, can also be right.

WHAT IS THIS PYP THING?

Parent Engagement—How would you respond?

How do you want your child to be known by their class teacher?

Respectful, happy, confident

How do you respond when asked a question you don’t know the answer to?

Work together to find out, through different resources: Google, library, connections with other people

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)

We are still mandated to deliver the

curriculum set by NESA, aligned to the

Australian Curriculum. We intentionally

map and plan how these outcomes will

be authentically met, not only in the

programmes we teach, but also in order

to continually build upon the skills of

our students.

Planning for Inquiry The PYP identifies inquiry as student or

teacher initiated learning experiences

that move students from their current

knowledge, to a deeper knowledge.

This means inquiry cannot be a ‘free for

all’, but rather a well planned and

thoughtful experience.

True inquiry requires a teacher to know

the curriculum and their students well.

This occurs through rigorous, ongoing

assessment, initially happening weeks

before the students take part in a unit of

work. This enables our teachers to

carefully scaffold activities,

acknowledging the various prior

knowledge and / or misconceptions their

students may have.

Explicit Teaching Research clearly identifies that explicit

teaching is a necessary component of a

students education. The PYP framework

also acknowledges knowledge as an

essential element of the programme.

The syllabus documents outline the skills

and content that students must acquire

across their K-6 learning journey.

Explicit teaching becomes the ‘toolkit’

that our students need for academic

success, and without it, they would be

unable to inquire effectively.

St Peter’s utilizes a variety of resources

to support explicit teaching, particularly

in the areas of literacy and numeracy,

and at this point in time, English and

Mathematics remain as stand alone

subject areas.

Whilst it may not sound like your child is

experiencing explicit teaching (ie. Rote

learning from when we were students),

please be assured it occurs daily in fun,

engaging and meaningful ways.

Keen to know more? Visit: www.ibo.org

WHAT IS THIS PYP THING?

The Essential Elements

‘In the PYP a balance is sought between

acquisition of essential knowledge and skills,

development of conceptual understanding,

demonstration of positive attitudes, and taking

of responsible action.’

(Making the PYP happen; pg10)

In planning for the written curriculum, the

following five elements are purposefully

considered and incorporated in the learning

process:

Knowledge: what do we want students to know

about? (Encompassing the six transdisciplinary

themes)

Concepts: what do we want students to

understand?

Skills: what do we want students to be able to do?

Attitudes: what do we want students to feel, value

and demonstrate?

Actions: how do we want students to act?

The Framework

By using the PYP framework, St Peter’s is able

to provide a consistent, well planned

approach across the school considering the

following:

What do we want our students to learn? (Written

curriculum)

How best will they learn? (Taught curriculum)

How will we know what they have learned?

(Assessed curriculum)

These three questions are integral to the

delivery of the curriculum and are equally

valuable in supporting our students, as

learners, construct meaning. If one were to

be removed, the model would be weakened.

Please refer to the 2017 Teaching & Learning

Newsletters (Terms 2—4) for further

information.

http://www.stpeters.nsw.edu.au/about-us/publications.htm

Frequently Used Terms

Central idea An enduring understanding that integrates conceptual understanding

and factual knowledge and promotes student inquiry into a

transdisciplinary theme

concepts Mental constructs or ‘frames of mind’ that are universal, timeless,

abstract and transferable

Essential agreements Agreed upon norms, guidelines and procedures within a school

Lines of inquiry These clarify the central idea and define the scope of a PYP unit of

inquiry

Programme of

Inquiry (POI)

A collaboratively developed framework for inquiry, with the purpose of

allowing students to explore six universal themes of knowledge

(‘Transdisciplinary Themes’)

transdisciplinary Broad knowledge, skills and understandings that transcend the

boundaries of traditional subject areas and yet can be applied to

learning within any of them

Units of Inquiry (UOI) Transdisciplinary units, structures around a conceptual ‘central idea’ that

empower students to develop a lasting understanding of the knowledge

contained under the PYP transdisciplinary themes, subject-area content

and NESA standards

PREP

Central Idea: Our differences make us who we are.

Lines of Inquiry

We are all different

Our families and backgrounds impact who

we are

Our bodies work in amazing ways

Key Concepts

Form: What is it like?

Function: How does it work?

Demonstration of Learning

Students will demonstrate their knowledge

and understanding through a range of

simple, hands on activities incorporating

painting, drawing, cut and paste and collage.

Early Years Framework:

Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of

identity

Outcome 2: Children are connected with

and contribute to their world

Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of

wellbeing

Outcome 5: Children are effective

communicators

Who we are

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal,

physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships

including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and

responsibilities; and what it means to be human.

KINDERGARTEN

Central Idea: Many different things make me who I am

Lines of Inquiry

God made everyone unique

People are part of different groups and

places

Identity affects relationships

Key Concepts

Form: What is it like?

Connection: How is it connected to other

things?

Function: How does it work?

Demonstration of Learning

Students will demonstrate their

knowledge and understanding through a

short presentation about themselves and

a classifying activity relating to health.

Learning Areas/NESA Outcomes

PDHPE (PHES1.12, IRES1.11, GDES1.9,

ALES1.6)

Geography (GEe-1)

English (ENe-1A)

Who we are

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal,

physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships

including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and

responsibilities; and what it means to be human.

YEAR ONE

Central Idea: Everyone’s contribution makes our community unique

Lines of Inquiry

We are unique but created in God’s image

Our school community is unique

We each have a role to play in that

community

Key Concepts

Form: What is it like?

Connection: How is it connected to other

things?

Responsibility: What is our responsibility?

Demonstration of Learning

Students will demonstrate their

understanding and knowledge through a

hands on task identifying different people

who help in the school community, and a

verbal elaboration.

Learning Areas/NESA Outcomes

History (HT1-2, HT1-3, HT1-4)

Science (ST1-4WS)

Health (COS1.1, GDS1.9, IRS1.11)

English (EN1-1A)

Who we are

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal,

physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships

including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and

responsibilities; and what it means to be human.

YEAR TWO

Central Idea: The people around us define and shape who we are

Lines of Inquiry

The different people we interact with

How these people define us

The influence of the individual on others

Key Concepts

Connection: How is it connected to other

things?

Reflection: How do we know?

Change: How is it changing?

Demonstration of Learning

Students will demonstrate their knowledge

and understanding through a presentation

identifying and explaining a person of

personal influence.

Learning Areas/NESA Outcomes

History (HT1-1)

PDHPE (IRS1.11, COS1.1)

Who we are

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal,

physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships

including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and

responsibilities; and what it means to be human.

YEAR THREE

Central Idea: Understanding our similarities and differences develops respect

Lines of Inquiry

Our identity is influenced by many factors

Everyone is equally valuable

Understanding our differences helps us to

Key Concepts

Reflection: How do we know?

Perspective: What are the points of view?

Responsibility: What is our responsibility?

Demonstration of Learning

Students will demonstrate their knowledge and

understanding through a problem-solving task.

Students will choose from a variety of

presentation methods, and will verbally

elaborate to share their solution.

Learning Areas/NESA Outcomes

PDHPE (COS2.1, DMS2.2, INS2.3, PS2.5,

GDS2.9, IRS2.11)

Creative Arts (DRAS2.1, DRAS2.2)

Who we are

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal,

physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships

including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and

responsibilities; and what it means to be human.

YEAR FOUR

Central Idea: Knowing how our body works affects our wellbeing choices

Lines of Inquiry

The body is a complex system

The human body needs to be kept healthy

We are responsible for making positive

health choices for our wellbeing

Key Concepts

Function: How does it work?

Connection: How is it connected to other

things?

Responsibility: What is our responsibility?

Demonstration of Learning

Students will demonstrate their knowledge and

understanding through a variety of tasks

requiring them to present their knowledge on

body systems, wellbeing choices and their

interactions with others.

Learning Areas/NESA Outcomes

History (HT2-2)

Science (ST2-4WS, ST2-13MW, ST2-15I, ST2

-16P)

Who we are

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal,

physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships

including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and

responsibilities; and what it means to be human.

YEAR FIVE

Central Idea: Experience shapes our perceptions

Lines of Inquiry

Stereotypes can limit our perceptions

Australia is built on the cultures of many

Knowledge transforms our thinking

Key Concepts

Connection: How is it connected to other

things?

Perspective: What are the points of view?

Demonstration of Learning

Students will demonstrate their knowledge and

understanding through the development of a

recommended cultural based event, linking

their knowledge of a country within the Asia

Pacific Region and our local community.

Learning Areas/NESA Outcomes

Geography (GE3-1, GE3-2, GE3-4)

History (HT3-1, HT3-2)

Health (IRS3-11)

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.

YEAR SIX

Central Idea: Our choices define who we are as an individual and as a community

Lines of Inquiry

Conflict dealt with wisely can bring

harmony

Choices define the future

School Leadership

Key Concepts

Responsibility: What is our

responsibility?

Connection: How is it connected to

other things?

Perspective: What are the points of

view?

Demonstration of Learning

Students will demonstrate their

knowledge and understanding through

a comparison task, based on their

development of a survey related to

leadership.

Learning Areas/NESA Outcomes

PDHPE (COS3.1, DMS3.2, INS3.3,

PSS3.5, IRS3.11)

Science (ST3-4WS, ST3-5WT, ST3-15I)

Who we are

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal,

physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships

including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and

responsibilities; and what it means to be human.