Perspectives from the PYP Coordinator

29 January

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) exhibition represents a significant event in the life of a PYP school and student, synthesizing the essential elements of the PYP and sharing them with the whole school community. As a culminating experience it is an opportunity for students to exhibit the attributes of the International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile that have been developing throughout their engagement with the PYP. In the students’ final year of the PYP, there are five units of inquiry and the exhibition*. The exhibition unit takes place under any transdisciplinary theme (Sharing the planet for Chatsworth this year) at the discretion of the school. Students are required to engage in a collaborative, transdisciplinary inquiry process that involves them in identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems. The central idea (Rights to resources causes conflict) selected must be of sufficient scope and significance to warrant a detailed investigation by all students. *Only IB World Schools offering the PYP are required to participate in the exhibition although candidate schools may choose to do so. (IBO Exhibition Guidelines 2008)

The Year 6 team met with parents this week to discuss the exciting times ahead for our Year 6 students in exhibition.  The opening night will be on 19 April at 6pm and our entire Chatsworth Community is invited.  Hope to see everyone there.

In other curriculum developments, the K and Year 5 classes will be hosting an end of unit celebrations.  The Year 5 students will be in the main hall on 22 February from 10:30 - 12:30 discussing how the central idea: Biodiversity relies on maintaining the interdependent balance of organisms within systems.  Students are working in cross class teams of three. They are synthesizing the information on the seven main forms of environmental degradation to produce an exhibit. They will present their thinking by selecting three case studies that illustrate their chosen issue.

During the Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences on 15 and 16 March, the Kindergarten classes will be highlighting their unit study of the central idea: Creating art works involves exploring materials and tools.  Stop by the Kindergarten Hallway to view their artwork and see their reflections.

Kim Riemer
PYP Coordinator
Assistant Head of Primary