1st PYP Planner 

1. What is our purpose?  Class/grade: 2nd  Age group: 7-8 

To inquire into the following: ​The natural world and its laws. 
School: Briscoe School code: 
-​ ​Transdisciplinary theme: ​How the world works: an inquiry into the 
natural world and its laws.     Title: Planner 1 (2017) 

  
Teacher(s): Falcon, Esparza, Quintanilla 
-​ C
​ entral idea : ​Development of structures can create system. 
Date: 8/14/17 - 9/22/-17 
  
summative assessment task(s):  Proposed duration: 6 weeks 

What are the possible ways of assessing students’ understanding of the central idea?  2. What do we want to learn? 
What evidence, including student-initiated actions, will we look for? 
·​ F​ orm: The form of systems 
  
·​ F​ unction: The function of order 
  
·​ C
​ onnection: Communities are connected to a system 
GOAL: Students will create a flyer to inform and teach others about how to improve a 
system in their community. (Reading, writing, speaking)  What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea? 
     
ROLE: You are an engineer (Science)  The structure and purposes of governing systems ​S.S. 2.11A 
   There are different types of ​systems that provide services in our communities. ​S.S. 2.11B 
AUDIENCE: The target audience is citizens (is a 2​ grade class.) 
nd​
Communities are connected to a system. ​S.S. 2.12B 
     
SITUATION: You need to show and explain how you improved a system or service in your  What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries? 
community. 
● What are the reasons for having government? (Function) 
  
● What are some of the different roles of government leaders? (Form) 
PRODUCT/PERFORMANCE AND PURPOSE: You need to inform citizens by creating a  ● What types of services are provided by the government? (Connections) 
flyer that describes how you improve a system in your community. (S.S) 
 
  
STANDARDS: 
Your brochure should... 
-include accurate information about how to improve our system our community. (S.S) 
  
-describe (using complete sentences and/or illustrations) how you will improve a 
system in your community. 
  
-students can present their flyers to the whole class or to their partners. (public 
speaking) 

  
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 learning experiences suggested by the teacher and/or students to encourage the students to 
What are the possible ways of assessing students’ prior knowledge and skills? What evidence will we 
engage with the inquiries and address the driving questions? 
look for?    
   L1:​The structure and purposes of governing systems 
There are different forms of governments. There are different types of government  Reading: Describing Genre (what's it like?) ​FORM 
officials. 
Science: Describing a scientist (describe physical and character traits) ​FORM 
  
Social Studies: Describe different forms of the U.S. government (president, governor, mayor, etc.) ​FORM  
L1: Assess if student know the structure and roles within government using True/False 
assessments (​SS2.11A​/ ​S2.8D​)  Writing: Students write and reflect on how systems can help form structure.  

L2: Assess if students know which public officials are appointed and which are elected-  Math:Represent standard, word, and expanded forms to represent numbers up to 1,200(standard, written, 
walk opposite sides of the room for opposite choices (​SS2.12C​)  expanded) 

L3: Assess if students know how a citizen participates in governance using Walk the    
Line: walk up to line if you agree, stay away from line if disagree (​SS2.12D​)  L2: There are different types of ​systems that provide services in our communities. 
   Reading: Distinguish between fiction and nonfiction ​FUNCTION 
What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the lines of  Math:Distinguish use for different forms of measurement. ​FUNCTION  
inquiry? What evidence will we look for? 
Science: Analyze and demonstrate safe practices during indoor and outdoor investigations. ​FUNCTION 
  
Social Studies: Identify different functions of government. ​FUNCTION 
L1: Assess if students know the structure and roles within government by creating a 
group poster ​(SS2.11A)​ ​(S2.8D)  Writing: Write stories that include a beginning, middle, and end ​FUNCTION 

L2: Assess if students know which public officials are appointed and which are elected  Math: Compare and order whole numbers up to 1,200 using comparative language and symbols(<, >, =) 
–Group Response Cards Game - ​(SS2.12c)  FUNCTION 

L3: Assess if students know how a citizen participates in governance by having students    
perform skits of different activities ​(SS2.12D)  L3:Our c​ommunities are connected to a system. 
Reading: Make connections to own experiences, to ideas in other texts and to the larger community. 
CONNECTION  
Science: Measure and compare organisms and objects. ​CONNECTION 
Social Studies: Identify different governmental services and explain their value to the community. 
CONNECTION  
Writing: Write brief compositions about topics of interest to the student 
Math: Analyze mathematical relationships to connect to mathematical ideas (2.1F) ​CONNECTION 
  
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of the 
attributes of the learner profile? 
 
Transdisciplinary Skills: 
Thinking: Application, metacognition 
Social: Interaction in a variety of group roles 
Self-Management: Informed choices, safety 
Research:Recording and organizing data 
Communication: Nonverbal and verbal communication 
 
Learner Profile: 
Risk-Taker, Balanced 
 
PYP Attitudes: 
Enthusiasm  

  
 
5. What resources need to be gathered? 
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available? 
  
Books, videos, graphic organizers, art materials, technology for recording, interactive journals 
Art project, skits. 
  
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community to used to facilitate the inquiry? 
 
Classroom: Interactive bulletin board, anchor charts, weather tools/station, graphs/bar graphs 
Local: Use City of San Antonio website and Library of Congress 
Community: Council member or SA Mayor  

  
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  What were the learning experiences that enabled students to: 
central idea. The reflections of all teachers involved in the planning and teaching of the inquiry 
●  develop an understanding of the concepts identified in “What do we want to 
should be included. 
learn?”  
Quintanilla: I had a strong start with building around my central idea and key concepts. I was 
Falcon: Since this is the first time we implemented as a school our first planner, I felt like I 
always sure to use the vocabulary and incorporate activities to lead back to the central idea. 
was doing trial and error tests to see how my students can begin making connections. By 
However once we began lesson planning I found that I started to focus more on my objectives 
looking at other teachers’ strategies, I began implementing it in my classroom so that my 
and lost sight of my central idea. The ideas still connected to my central idea and key concepts 
students could visualize the elements of the PYP. That seemed to work. I will make sure 
but in truth my use of the vocabulary towards my central idea greatly decreased.  
that in our 2nd planner I continue to do the strategies learned from my colleagues.   
  
Quintanilla: Some of the learning experiences that enables my students to understand 
Falcon: During my lessons, I connected the central idea and key concepts to what we were  those concepts were putting things into their own jargon. I was able to talk to them from 
learning. In addition, I created an anchor chart with one of the key concepts to tie all the  something as simple as the forming of a line(form), why is a line important to have in 
subjects together so my students could understand how they were ​connected ​to each other. I  school( function), and able to drive that simple idea all the way up into our own 
am not too sure if my students grasped the central idea of our first planner since this is our  government. (connection) 
first year of being an IB school.  
Esparza- After learning the learner profiles and attitudes, students were able to remind 
Esparza- For the next planner, I would like to have students look closer at our PYP board. I  themselves to use them daily thru communication and socially.   
know we use our central idea and key concepts, but I would need to further our understanding 
with more “outside of school” learning.   

   ●  demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills? 

    

How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a more accurate  Falcon: Throughout the day, I tried to emphasize the importance of using the 
picture of each student’s understanding of the central idea.  transdisciplinary skills as “scholars” in my classroom. I reminded my students to use the 
transdisciplinary skills and tied our PYP learner profiles and attitudes because they all 
Quintanilla: Monday PLCs have helped greatly in showing me to build backwards from test to 
interconnect.  
assignments and lessons. I had an idea on how to do it, but it became more clear when we sat 
down and Mrs. Emerson showed us how to create assessments through eduphoria.   Esparza- We had to refer to the central idea and the key concepts on a regular basis and tie 
the skill to it.  
  
Quintanilla: I feel that the students had a breakthrough experience when they watched me 
Falcon: There were times where students guided class instruction. As a result, I modified the  model one of learner profiles and began to make up their own signs for each profile. From 
assessment’s I had planned. However, I made sure there was a connection between the central  there students were able to better identify and connect to the profiles which helped them 
idea and the TEKS.  
Esparza- I think with our last grade level PLC, we were able to see the DOK level in our  relate to the transdisciplinary skills and and not only apply the skills, but also know which 
questions and have those eye opening moments. I’m looking forward to using Eduphoria so we  skill they were applying 
can see the data.  
 
 
 
What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea and the 
 
transdisciplinary theme? 
●  develop particular attributes of the learner profile and/or attitudes? 
Esparza- When I introduced a new TEK,, I reference the central idea and tie in the skill. We have 
whole group discussions to make connections. I honestly got away from the Transdisciplinary  In each case, explain your selection. 
theme. 
F​ alcon: So that my students could become familiar with the learner profiles and attitudes, 
  I created medals and incorporated it in our class dojo. Every time a student exhibited a 
learner profile and/or attitude, I gave my students points. Throughout the day, I tried to 
Falcon: Before a lesson, I reminded my students of how everything in life is connected and why 
emphasize the importance of using the transdisciplinary skills as “scholars” in my 
society functions in a certain way. I tried to ask my students purposeful questions so they 
classroom. I reminded my students to use the transdisciplinary skills and tied our PYP 
could explained our first transdisciplinary theme.  
learner profiles and attitudes because they all interconnect  
 
Esparza- After learning the learner profiles and attitudes, students were able to remind 
Quintanilla: Throughout our lessons I reminded the students of central idea (Development of  themselves to use that vocabulary. We read books to learn the attitudes and learner 
structures can create system.) and connected back to our theme (how the world works). Some  profiles. Students enjoyed figuring out the learner profile the characters portrayed.   
of the best evidence I received was through discussion in the classroom. Students were able to 
compare the roles of school administrators to our own government. They then continued to  Quintanilla: Going back on the last question, that once the students were able to create 
discuss what they thought would happen if there was no teacher compared to no mayor.  their own symbols for the learner profiles they could then connect on a much deeper level.  
Students could see that without structure there would be no systems with a lot of chaos.  
 
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. 
​Falcon:  
  
● Because we are this is our first-year of implementing the PYP program, 
Falcon: “If we did not have a system of government our world would be chaotic.”  we are still required to write lesson plans. I understand why. It will 
take time for us to write a strong planner and develop as IB teachers.  
“If I were to run for president I would run to ensure that everyone had a safe space 
● However, I felt that we still relied heavily on our daily plans and as a 
to live in.” 
result our planner lost some value. I am interested to learn how to have 
Esparza- If we do not have structure in reading, how would stories sound?  a balance and reference my planner and daily plans.  
● During our planning we used our POI. That served as an essential living 
If we do not have structure in our cities, how would they look? 
document in our daily planning for our lesson plans but there were 
Why do we need structure of numbers?  some areas that were not used as much in our plans. 
  ● The district is also implementing literacy square for bilingual teachers. 
That in itself is difficult because I understand that sometimes I will not 
Quintanilla: If we did not have a system of government our world would be chaotic.  be on the same page with my team; and that is a concern I have. . There 
If we didn’t have structure in our class, students would do whatever they wanted.   are other requirements and expectations I need to implement in my 
classroom as a bilingual teacher. 
If there was no structure in our stories they wouldn't make sense.  
Esparza-  
 
*We spent days on our planner. We used it to guide our lesson plans. I don’t 
   think we used all aspects of the POI/planner into the lesson plans and certain 
   areas were left out, for me. I am concerned about Literacy Squares and 
Balanced LIteracy. They look different. What will the outcome look like for 
At this point teachers should go back to box 2 “What do we want to learn” and highlight  reading levels and writing skills? 
the teacher questions/provocations that were most effective in driving the inquiries. 
 
Falcon: ​What are the reasons for having government? (Function) What types of 
services are provided by the government? (Connections)   
 
Quintanilla: What are the reasons for having government? (Function) 
 
What are some of the different roles of government leaders? (Form) 
 
What types of services are provided by the government? (Connections) 
 
Esparza 
 ● What are some of the different roles of government leaders? (Form)   
● What types of services are provided by the government? (Connections)   
    
 
  
  
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. 
Falcon:  
-Campaign poster activity and wanting to run for office. 
-Helping the community, identify and issue, and provide a solution.  
-I see, think, wonder activity 
-Students becoming aware of other cultures.  
 
Esparza- 
● I see, think, wonder activity 
● 4 corners 
● Donating to school donation drives 
 
Quintanilla: Students choosing to donate because of natural disasters. 
Students being principled when making the wrong choice.  
Students questioning their own thinking, and thinking beyond the texts read.   
   
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2011