Frequently Asked Questions about PYP Exhibition
· What is the PYP Exhibition?
Students aged 10 to 12 who are in their final year of the programme are expected to carry out an extended, collaborative inquiry project, known as the exhibition, under the guidance of their teachers. The exhibition represents a significant event in the life of both the school and student, synthesizing the essential elements of the programme and sharing them with the whole school community. It is an opportunity for students to exhibit the attributes of the student profile that have been developing throughout their engagement with the programme. It is a culminating experience marking the transition from the PYP to the Middle Years Programme (MYP).
Schools are given considerable flexibility in their choice of the real-life issues or problems to be explored and investigated in the exhibition. (http://www.ibo.org/)
· How long do the students work on Exhibition?
The Exhibition is NOT only a one day event; it's a months-long process of learning, teaching, and taking action. Once the projects are complete, students invite the entire school community to share and celebrate their learning and accomplishments.
· What are the components of the PYP Exhibition?
Students brainstorm and discuss possible Exhibition topics. These topics are whittled down, and then students finally choose a topic and group according to interest. That's when the fun really begins.
Each group follows a Line of Inquiry delineating the direction their research will take. Once they have gathered a bit of knowledge, they decide on an action or actions they will take to improve and/or raise awareness of the issues. Preparation for the action should begin as more research continues.
In the weeks before the Exhibition celebration, students document their action(s), write a research paper about their topic, and decide how to best share their accomplishments and new knowledge. They have considerable leeway in designing and presenting their projects.
· What should the Exhibition include?
The Exhibition should include:
Ø examples of written work
Ø oral presentations
Ø examples of technology
Ø performances in any medium – dance, drama, film, video, mixed media.
· What is the role of parents and teachers in the PYP Exhibition?
The Exhibition is the ultimate elementary-age inquiry learning project. Like in all inquiry-based learning projects, the role of adults in the Exhibition is to be the "guide on the side", not the "sage on the stage". And with so much to do, we must also never give in to the temptation to do the work for the student.
Students pick their own topics, help pick their groups, decide on the direction their research will take, decide how to divvy up the research and record keeping, come up with and complete their action(s), come up with and create a presentation, and share everything with the school community.
Teachers' and parents' job is to provide advice in the planning process and assistance in the execution of those plans. This is especially true of the action, which may require transportation. Depending on what they plan to do, groups may also need to meet outside of school to finish some components of the project.
As we tell them all the time, our 5th graders are about to transition to middle school and need to grow in confidence, responsibility, and independence. The Exhibition is a perfect, safe environment for them to do this. They will struggle and get frustrated at times, but that's part of the process. Students get the most out of their Exhibition when they succeed using their own ideas and their own work. We should help just enough to help them along.
· What is "Action" and why is it required?
The goal of the IB PYP curriculum is to educate the whole child, helping them to become skilled and responsible members of their community. Taking action is vital to the PYP and the PYP curriculum. Without it, the Exhibition is just another research project.
Action can take many forms. The goal is that students process their new knowledge on their Exhibition topic and decide how to best make a difference. The key is that students come up with an action themselves. The more ownership they feel for their project, the more they will realize that they are capable of making their community a better place, both now and in the future.
· Is the PYP Exhibition compatible with NYS Standards?
Yes. As they use the PYP's transdisciplinary skills, the Exhibition stretches students even further than current state standards. In researching and sharing information, students will use virtually every language arts skill they have learned throughout their elementary careers. And since their chosen topics could involve science, social studies, math, or the arts or (usually) a combination of subjects, content area learning is deepened as well.
The IB PYP and the PYP Exhibition's emphasis on various modes of communication align very well with the new Common Core standards.