Planning the inquiry
1. What is our purpose?
Class/grade: 4th Grade
1a) To inquire into the following:
School: Arthur Kramer Elem
● transdisciplinary theme
Teacher(s): Fuenmayor, Thrasher, Maffucci, Oliva
How the World Works
Date: February 27, 2017
An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical
and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles;
and the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
Age group: 9-10 yrs
School code: 051613
Proposed duration: 7 weeks; Feb 27-Apr 13
● central idea
Energy is needed for living things to survive.
1b) Summative assessment task(s):
2. What do we want to learn?
What are the possible ways of assessing students’ understanding of the central
idea? What evidence, including student-initiated actions, will we look for?
What are the key concepts (form, function, causation, change, connection,
perspective, responsibility, and reflection) to be emphasized within this inquiry?
Model of Transfer of Energy:
Create an energy flow cycle and explain how all different parts of the cycle
consume and/or produce energy. Make a model and identify all of the aspects of
the cycle. Label each part. What would happen to the cycle if one of the part were
removed? Who/what would it affect? Would the various living organisms have an
alternative way of meeting their needs?
Change-How does energy transfers? Function-What is the role of each form of
energy? Causation-Why would animals need specific traits to consume or get
energy?
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?
● Inherited traits and learned behavior
● Energy flow in living systems
● Soil and plant cycle
● Food Webs and Chains
● Producers, Consumers, Decomposers
● Natural gas and oil boom in Texas
What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?
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What sources of energy do humans and animals need to survive?
How do plants make their own energy?
Why do some plants grow taller than other? Why do some plants have
leaves vs. thorns vs. fruit? How does it help it survive?
How are decomposers a part of an energy cycle? How do they assist
producers and consumers?
How does water affect the energy cycle of living things? How does it affect
the soil?
© International Baccalaureate Organization 201
3. How might we know what we have learned?
4. How best might we learn?
This column should be used in conjunction with “How best might we learn?”
What are the possible ways of assessing students’ prior knowledge and skills?
What evidence will we look for?
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?
Reading/LA-Informational and Expository text & writing
Writing prompt-What is energy? How do you use it? Write a journal topic using three
details in an expository text.
Math-Problem solving with food labels and caloric intake. Students will also use
measurement in science with the water and soil experiments.
Soil Scavenger Hunt-Where would we find soil on the campus? What is it used for?
Identify the parts of a water cycle. Do the same with plant cycles and/or food webs.
What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines
of inquiry? What evidence will we look for?
Science-Soil Scavenger Hunt; Dissecting seeds for the plant cycle (connected to inherited
traits); Transformation of the plant (use of carbon dioxide and produce oxygen); Analyze
picture of themselves and a picture of a family member to see inherited traits; Discuss
how animals would have to change to survive if moved to a different land form.
Social Studies-How oil was discovered, Oil boom, how it affected the economy and the
impact on urbanization, mass production with the use of new energy sources
Students need to identify how humans get energy from food. Calculate caloric intake
and how much exercise it takes to burn it off.
Compare and contrast how producers, consumer, and decomposers get their needs
met in order to survive (graphic organizer)
Create a food web or food chain (graphic organizer) as a team and identify each part
and what energy is produced.
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
Transdisciplinary Skill-Research, Self-Management, Thinking
Learner Profile: Balanced, Thinker, Inquirers
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
Southwick-Properties of soil, Energy sources in the garden, Role of the water cycle in the garden, The Sun’s role in the garden, Producers/Consumers/Decomposers
Closner-Energy consumptions/Physical fitness (Caloric intake)
Shores-Create a model of a cycle (Water, Plant, Animal)
Rivera-Sound as a form of energy
Sancedio-books on energy sources, food chains/webs
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
Garden, Library
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2011
Reflecting on the inquiry
6. To what extent did we achieve our purpose?
7. To what extent did we include the elements of the PYP?
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.
What were the learning experiences that enabled students to:
● develop an understanding of the concepts identified in “What do we want to
learn?”
● demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills?
● develop particular attributes of the learner profile and/or attitudes?
In each case, explain your selection.
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?
What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and
the transdisciplinary theme?
Lines of Inquiry:
● Dissecting seeds was effective. Maybe add as a specific line of inquiry.
● All lines of inquiry were relevant. Keep them as they are written.
● TEKS were strongly connected to theme and lines of inquiry.
Transdisciplinary Skills:
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Understand the Central Idea:
● Understood very well.
● See it in application in plants and animals.
● Hands on, exploration, inquiry based lessons.
● The understanding may be more applicable with animals than plants.
● May need more support of photosynthesis.
Improving the Assessment:
● Water cycle, sun as a source of energy
● Work on timing and keep for next year
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Learner Profile:
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Connecting the Central Idea to the Theme:
● Plant cycle was a good connection
● Water cycle, sun as a source of energy
● Food webs were also tied to the central idea and theme
● Lots of scientific application (connection between the natural world and
human societies)
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2011
Research-Leading questions were used to help gather information, helped
with the organization and collection of data, presentations were made from
the research (student's choice), working collaboratively in groups. Lead with
a question in mind, including testable questions in the experiment.
Self-Management-Need to be more balanced in their resources, manage
their time, use the time wisely.
Thinking-Text analysis, post writing, focusing on specific topics and how to
analyze them (comprehension, application, analysis).
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Balanced-Use different resources including technological and print. Think of
ways to make their sources more diverse.
Thinker-Analysis about their plants and animals
Inquirers-Asking and answering questions throughout the unit
Reflecting on the inquiry
8. What student-initiated inquiries arose from the learning?
9. Teacher notes
Record a range of student-initiated inquiries and student questions and highlight any
that were incorporated into the teaching and learning.
More scaffolding with photosynthesis
Work on pacing between dual language and general ed
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What is photosynthesis? Leaf is the kitchen of the plant :)
How is soil made? Made connections to rocks last year.
Why can’t we have wild animals (rabbits) as domestic pets?
How is oil made? How are fossil fuels formed? How are dinosaurs
connected to fossil fuels?
What do the layers of the earth look like?
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.
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Planting leaves and seeing the growth
Create a graph of the layers of soil
Student choice for presentation-PowerPoint, webs, box diorama, speeches,
etc.
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2011
Add resources part of the rubric
Book study-Ivan-during this unit?
Social studies connection with Dust Bowl to soil and resources