Year 5 PYP Exhibition The Exhibition is the title given to an extended unit of inquiry, occurring in the final year of the Primary Years Programme. At the culmination of a nine week unit, the Year 5 students present their learning to the AIS community through a two day exhibition, beginning with an opening ceremony. Wednesday, 5 November: Opening Ceremony, 9.00am -­‐ 10.00am. For Year 5 Parents followed by viewing the Exhibition Wednesday, 5 November and Thursday, 6 November: Sessions for visiting schools and school community Exhibition Purpose Through a collaborative, transdisciplinary inquiry process, the students are involved in identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real life issues. By the end of the unit, the students will have: • demonstrated attributes of the Learner Profile • incorporated the key concepts into their learning • researched and developed relevant and significant knowledge • displayed many of the PYP Attitudes • identified or engaged in a form of action Transdisciplinary Theme The theme for this unit is, Sharing the Planet (an inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution). Central Idea People worldwide encounter a range of challenges, risks and opportunities. Lines of Inquiry The students will spend the first three weeks tuning in and finding out about the Central Idea. They will then begin working in groups of 3 or 4, to investigate a shared area of interest, derived from the Central Idea. At this point, the students will design their own lines of inquiry to guide their investigation. The group inquiries must involve the students in: Identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real life issues. All members of the school community have an important part to play in the Exhibition. Here are some guidelines for the role of the student and the parent. Role of the student Students will: • have an understanding of the purpose and requirements of the exhibition from the outset of the process • participate in selecting a real-­‐life issue or problem for the exhibition • develop the inquiry by helping to decide on lines of inquiry and student questions • carry out an open-­‐ended inquiry into a real-­‐life issue or problem • demonstrate an understanding of the components of the PYP, in particular the IB learner profile • demonstrate an understanding of the five essential elements—approaches to teaching, concepts, approaches to learning, attitudes and action • select and utilize a variety of strategies and resources to meet the outcomes of the inquiry; wherever possible, students should use a variety of source materials, such as first-­‐hand experiences, interviews, surveys, field visits, artifacts, science investigations, working models, not just book and/or Internet research, and be academically honest when referring to their sources of information • communicate effectively with teachers, peers and parents • reflect on the components of and processes involved in the exhibition; keep a journal of their planning, draft pieces of work, sketches and photographs of work in progress as well as the final product • carry out self-­‐assessment and peer assessment • celebrate their learning by presenting the exhibition to the school community. Role of the parent/guardian Parents/guardians will: • have an understanding of the purpose and requirements of the exhibition • support and encourage students and teachers throughout the process of inquiry • be informed by reading newsletters, attending meetings, checking school websites, talking with students • help students to access resources—people, places, media and information • provide expert subject knowledge where applicable • act as mentors as required or appropriate • encourage independent inquiry and respect student ownership of the process • have an opportunity to reflect on and give feedback on the exhibition • celebrate with the students by attending the staging of the exhibition The students will all be appointed a mentor from the AIS staff to provide guidance throughout the unit. As well as this support, classroom teachers scaffold the learning to build throughout the unit, conference students to guide their progress, and foster the importance of documenting both the process and the product. All Specialist and Single Subject teachers integrate with this unit, and students are able to make connections across the disciplines. They also continue to have their individual needs catered for through EAL and Learning Enrichment. We look forward to your involvement in this special event. Danica Holloway Assistant Head of Upper Elementary (Curriculum) and the Year 5 teaching team