Analyzing a Planner on "where are we in place and time"

I was traveling prior to finishing off this activity and was thus unable to attain a copy of a planner form my school in time for the end of this module. Instead I got ahold of a copy of a sample Unit of Inquiry from the OCC and have analyzed it.

I have attached two pages of the planner that are relevant to the analysis I need to make.

Here's my analysis based on the evaluation available on pg 41 of Making The PYP Happen.

Purpose

- Is the central idea clearly stated? Yes. 

- Have appropriate connections been made between the central idea and the transdisciplinary theme?

Yes. 

- Do the teacher questions and provocations reflect the purpose?

The questions do reflect the purpose of the central idea and transdisciplinary themes, however, I question how challenging they would be for 10/11 year olds. 

- Are the teacher questions clear, open-ended and precise? 

The questions are indeed open-ended, clear and precise. Students will be able to use their own backgrounds as well as those of their community to engage in exploring the many questions. 

- Are the lines of inquiry appropriate to the development level and interests of the students?

I believe that the lines of inquiry identified are of some interest to the students. I do feel that a majority of the lines of inquiry could be straying from the interest of the students. I feel students should have the opportunity to explore migration reasons and needs from a country of their choice as well as looking at their own personal migration patterns -whether locally, nationally or internationally. 

- Is there a direct link between the concept-based questions and the activities?

I believe the activity referred to (creating migration reasons for people of a particular land) does indeed link to the questions asked. However, there will be a need to develop a country profile for this fictional land prior to engaging in this activity. 

- Does the inquiry provide opportunities for:

• exploring significant knowledge 
• understanding key concepts and related concepts 
• acquiring and applying relevant skills 
• developing responsible attitudes
•  reflection and taking action?

Since a lot of PYP schools are International schools, there is a certain level of significance in exploring why families have moved to particular countries, and what encouraged them to do so. Students will have the understand the key concepts of Causation, Change and Perspective and inquire how these processes have been ongoing and impact at different levels of a country's growth. 

Students will look at a range of skills, in particular interviewing, researching and critical thinking. 

Students will learn to develop attitudes and tolerance towards migrants by understanding the need that drives them to leave their homelands. 

- Do the lines of inquiry and learning experiences promote international-mindedness?

Yes the lines of inquiry do promote international mindedness  by adhering to the following IB learner profiles 

- Caring

- Communicators

- Thinkers 

- Open Minded 

- Reflective. 

Learning experiences

- Do the learning experiences reflect a variety of appropriate teaching and learning strategies?

The learning experiences reflect a variety of teaching and learning strategies. Students will be required to research, however they will also be required to create questions for an interview process, write a report and look at migration as a global phenomenon. I do however feel that a lot of the learning experiences focused on are American in nature, and would thus not be applicable to students from other school. 

- Does the availability and range of resources support inquiry for all students? 

The resources looked at are appropriate for students. However I feel that the biggest resource that the students could use in this particular inquiry is each other. The teacher has not identified other students and their families as resources into migration inquiry. This would be something applicably globally. 

- Will the students be actively engaged, and challenged? 

I feel students will be engaged and challenged in creating their own lands and coming up with migration patterns and reasons for migration. I do however feel that the teacher whose plan this is, should have taken into account ways to extend students' learning because I feel the challenge is not immense. 

-  Is there room for student-initiated inquiry?

There is lots of room for student initiated inquiry. Mostly because students can come up with different methods -  other than those stated in the planner - to inquire and answer their questions. A lot of this unit should be focused around people and should be qualitative rather than quantitative in nature. 

I would change this unit by encouraging students to actively seek out members within their communities. I would also ask them to come up with a list of interview questions (in groups) which they would like to ask someone, and then try and bring in a guest speaker to talk to the class. In the American context, the teacher could bring in African or Mexican migrants to come and share their stories with the children, and explain to the children how they arrived in USA.