BELVEDERE ELEMENTARY

Transdisciplinary, Conceptual Planning at Belvedere

Mission Statement

At Belvedere, our mission is to create a

community of globally-minded, life-long

learners who are prepared to face the

challenges of a 21st century world.

Our staff works collaboratively to

engage students in challenging, real-

world learning opportunities. Through

these opportunities, students will become

innovative thinkers and problem solvers

who value diversity. They will use their

knowledge to take responsible action

and in doing so, help to create a better,

more peaceful world.

The IB continuum of education

IB mission statement

MYP DP

Introduced in 1997

For ages 3-12

Schools must offer the

PYP as an inclusive

program for all students

Introduced in 1994

for ages 11-16

Glasgow implements the

MYP as an inclusive

program for all students

Introduced in 1969 for

ages 16-19

Stuart implements the

DP as an optional

program

PYP MYP DP

Inquiry, concept-based

learning

IB learner profile

*From IB Continuum PowerPoint

The 5 Essential Elements of PYP

Knowledge Concepts Skills Attitudes Action

What do we want students to understand?

Key Concepts:• Form • Function• Causation• Connection• Perspective• Responsibility• Reflection

What do we want students to know about?

TransdisciplinaryThemes:• Who we are• Where we are in

place and time• How we express

ourselves• How the world

works• How we organize

ourselves• Sharing the

planet

What do we want students to be able to do?

TransdisciplinarySkills:• Thinking skills• Social skills• Communication

skills• Self-

management skills

• Research skills

What do we want students to feel, value, demonstrate?

Attitudes:• Appreciation• Commitment• Confidence• Cooperration• Creativity• Curiosity• Empathy• Enthusiasm• Independence• Integrity• Respect• Tolerance

How do we want students to act?

Effective Action:• Voluntary• Modeled by

adults in school

• Based on the needs of the school and local community

IB Learner ProfileInquirers – Knowledgeable – Thinkers – Communicators – Principled – Open-minded – Caring – Risk-takers – Balanced - Reflective

FCPS Portrait of a Graduate & PYP

TransdisciplinarySkills: Communication

Learner Profile: Communicators

TransdisciplinarySkills: Collaboration

Learner Profile: Communicators, Principled, Caring

TransdisciplinarySkills: Collaboration, Communication

Learner Profile: Open-minded, Caring, Communicators

Goal of IB

TransdisciplinarySkills: Thinking, Research

Learner Profile: Inquirers, Thinkers, Knowledgeable

Inquiry-basedLearning

Concept-based Learning

TransdisciplinarySkills: Self-management

Learner Profile:Thinkers, Reflective, Balanced, Principled

Inquiry-basedLearning

Exhibition Project

Standards

• Use transdisciplinary themes to organize standards

Concepts

• Review standards in transdisciplinary unit to identify concepts

Central Idea

• Use standards and concepts to create central idea (enduring understanding).

Lines of Inquiry

• Use standards to identify sections/subject-specific generalizations

Teacher Questions

• Identify conceptual questions to invite inquiry

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessments

Learning Experiences

• Create big learning experiences to support student inquiry

Skills, Attributes, Attitudes

PYP Transdisciplinary ThemesWho we are 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; what it means to be human.

How the world worksInquiry 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; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.

Where we are in place and timeInquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationship between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.

How we organize ourselvesInquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.

How we express ourselvesInquiry 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.

Sharing the planetInquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationship within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

Group Standards Using Themes

Group Standards Using Themes

Types of Standards

Science Social Studies Mathematics

The student understands

that adaptations may

increase the survival of

members of a species.

The student knows the

social, economic, and

political challenges that

were confronted by the

North and the South during

the American Civil War.

The student uses place

value to represent whole

numbers and decimals.

How are these standards different?

Conceptual Factual Skill-Based

Analyze Standards

Know

(topical, factual

knowledge)

Understand

(Conceptual knowledge)

Be able to do

(specific processes and

skills)

The life cycle stages of a

butterfly

Life cycles ensure the

continuation of a species

Create models and

diagrams that represent

natural objects or events

The characteristics of

persuasive text

Authors use strategies that

support their purpose

Identify persuasive text

*Table categories from H. Lynn Erickson

Science Social Studies Mathematics

The student understands

that adaptations may

increase the survival of

members of a species.

The student knows the

social, economic, and

political challenges that

were confronted by the

North and the South during

the American Civil War.

The student uses place

value to represent whole

numbers and decimals.

Types of Standards

Science Social Studies Mathematics

The student understands that

adaptations may increase

the survival of members of

a species.

The student understands that

nations engaged in civil war

face social, economic, and

political challenges that can

reshape a culture over time.

The student understands that

place value can be used to

represent whole numbers

and decimals.

Use the phrase “the student understands that…”

to rewrite the social studies and math standards

so they are conceptual.

*Table from H. Lynn Erickson

Identifying Different Types of Standards

Topics (specific, nontransferable)

Concepts (transferable, one or two words)

Skills (transferable abilities)

Know

(topical, factual knowledge)

Understand

(Conceptual knowledge)

Be able to do

(specific processes and skills)

Form

Function

Causation

Change

Connection

Perspective

Responsibility

Reflection

PYP Key

Concepts (Macro Concepts)

The Structure of Knowledge

Concepts Concepts

Fact

s

Fact

s

Fact

s

Fact

s

Fact

s

Fact

s

Topics Topics

Principle

Generalizations

*H. Lynn Erickson

• Environments and natural events change living things

Generalization (central idea)

• Change (adaptations, cycles)

• Form (patterns)

• Connections (interdependence)Concepts

• Standard 4: Animal adaptations

• Standard 5: Animal food chains

• Standards 8b/c: Animal life cycles/plant life cycles

• Standard 10: Natural events and human influences that affect survival

Topics

• Behavioral/physical adaptations

• Producer, consumer, decomposer; herbivore, carnivore, omnivore; predator, prey

• Animal life cycle, plant life cycle

• Interdependency of plants and animals

• Effects of human activity on air, water and habitat

• Effects of fire, flood, disease and erosion

• Conservation and resource renewal

Facts

G - Students demonstrate an understanding that environment and natural events change living

things.

R - Students are scientists who have discovered a new plant or animal.

A - Other scientists

S - Students must present their findings at a conference

P - Students are given a type of environment. They create an animal or plant that might live in that

environment. They will create an informational board for a conference that includes non-fiction text features. Students then consider what type of natural disaster might happen in their environment and describe how their animal or plant would change. Students will then go look at other class projects and evaluate the environment, decide what natural event would most likely happen and how that group’s plant or animal would change.

S – Teacher rubric - The living thing’s form and natural event must match environment, changes must

connect to the natural event.

Science strands: Earth Resources, Life Processes--Standard 4-adaptations; Standard 5-food chains; Standard 8 b, c animal and plant life cycle; Standard 10 natural and human influences--Language arts: 3.6c /3.7b preview (features introduced before unit, application during the unit), 3.6 d ask/answer’ 3.6 fgh - main idea

Students work with groups to create the life cycles of their own plant/animal.

Science strand: Earth Patterns, Cycle, and

Change

Science: Standard 8 b and c

Students create and describe the adaptations of their own plant/animal.

Science strand: Life Processes

Science: Standard 4

Students write about their own plant/animal’s

changes due to a natural disaster.

Science strand: Earth Resources

Language Arts: Standards 3.6c/3.7b

Web – Students will stand in a circle, each will represent an animal or a plant. Students will roll a ball

of yarn to another student they depend on OR who depends on

them and explain how the relationship is interdependent.

Science strand: Living Systems

Science: Standard 5

FORMATIVE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT TASKS

Meeting Standards & Teaching Conceptually

How can we make this a three-dimensional

performance?

Example:

Research primary and secondary source documents

related to the causes of the American Revolution. Write

a three-page summary of the causes. Include

information on the significant historical figures, dates,

and events.

Performance Planning ChartKNOW

the…

UNDERSTAND

that…

Able to DO Student

performance

Differentiation

Causes of

the

American

Revolution

Perspectives

based on

strongly held

beliefs and

values can lead

to conflict

and/or

revolution

• Research

and use

primary and

secondary

source

documents to

support a

position.

• Debate a

position

using

effective

debate skills.

Select your role as a

Tory of Patriot in the

American Revolution.

Prepare to debate

your opponent on

the issues by

researching primary

and secondary

source documents

related to the causes

of the American

Revolution.

Support your chosen

perspective with

reasoned argument

based on your

character’s beliefs

and values.

• Provide source

documents at the

appropriate reading

level; students use

highlighters to mark

the causes of the

Revolution.

Options for debate:

• Give an oral

presentation to your

Tory or Patriot

friends telling why

you believe in your

position on the issue.

• Draw a picture or

cartoon illustrating a

Tory of Patriot

position on one of

the issues.

*H. Lynn Erickson

Unit Example

Unit: Pattern and Function

Central Idea: Identifying, using and describing patterns

helps us to make sense of the world we live in.

Age Group: 8-9 year olds

Questions to Consider:

What stood out to you?

Is there a strategy or idea used in this video that

sparked an idea for your own class?