Horace Mann, an International Baccalaureate World School2011-2012
Revised 10/11/10 Reflected 06/3/11 Updated 06/12/11
Themes / Who we areAn 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. / Where we are in place and time
An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between and interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives. / How we express ourselves
An inquiry 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. / How the world works
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; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment. / How we organize ourselves
An inquiry 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. / 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.
K / All About Me
Increasing awareness of our personal characteristics and abilities, and those of others allows our self-identity to develop
Related Concepts: identity, similarities, differences, feelings
Key Concept: form, perspective, function
Lines of inquiry:
- Recognizing similarities between myself and others
- Recognizing differences between myself and others
- How we use our five senses to explore the world
We learn to get along each and every day.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: connection, responsibility, reflection
Lines of inquiry:
- Follow rules and know the consequences of breaking them
- Learn examples of being safe, kind and productive (honesty, courage, determination, and individual responsibility)
- Understand consequences of characters’ actions
People in our community and around the world celebrate to reflect their culture, beliefs and values.
Related Concepts: culture, values, beliefs
Key Concept:
Lines of inquiry:
- The purpose for celebrations
- Differences and similarities of celebrations
- Components of a celebration
Humans classify animals to understand their similarities and differences.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: form, function, perspective
Lines of inquiry:
- Students observe and describe similarities and differences in the appearance of animals
- Students identify major structures of animals in order to classify and sort into groups
- Students know stories give animals attributes that they don’t have 4/16/12-5/25/12
We depend on community workers to provide services.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: form, causation, responsibility
Lines of inquiry:
- People do different kinds of work
- We need community leaders
- Community leaders have responsibilities in our society
People recycle and reuse to keep the world clean.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: form, function, causation
Lines of inquiry:
- Characteristics of mountains, rivers, oceans, valleys, deserts, and local landforms
- Identify resources from Earth that are used in everyday life
- Understand that many resources can be conserved
1 / The Golden Rule
Individuals have rights and responsibilities of within all communities
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: Responsibility, Causation, Perspective
Lines of inquiry:
- Rules, rights and responsibilities at home, school and the community
- Rule making process within the classroom.
- Developing social skills among peers to get along
8/15/11-9/16/11 / It’s a Small World After All
The characteristics of an environment influence how people live.
Related Concepts: geography, impact
Key Concept: form, connection
Lines of inquiry:
- Elements of geography
- Location, Climate and physical environment
- How the environment influences the home structure
People around the world are unified by the use of common symbol systems.
Related Concepts: signs, symbols, communication
Key Concept: connection, form perspective
Lines of inquiry:
- Signs and symbols people use to communicate (form/function)
- What signs and symbols are used to convey (perspective)
- Universal sign and symbol systems
- Sign and symbols unique to a group or culture
Weather has an effect on daily lives of people.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: form, change, connection
Lines of inquiry:
- How to observe weather and use it’s tools
- How weather affects a community
- There are seasonal cycles around the world
People do different jobs for different payment.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept:
Lines of inquiry:
- The concept of money
- Specialized work
- Contributions of those who work at home
Plants and animals are interdependent
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: form, connection, change
Lines of inquiry:
- The features of plants
- The relationship between plants and animals
- The food chain
9/19/11-10/28/11
2 / Climbing Your Family Tree
Knowledge of our ancestry and how people lived in the past will help us understand who we are.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: responsibility, connection, change
Lines of inquiry:
- Myself, my values, my behavior and my characteristics
- Knowledge of my ancestors and family history
- Similarities and differences between students daily lives and those of their parents, grandparents, and/or guardians
People record their life experiences through different means to teach others and preserve memories and feelings.
Related Concepts: chronology, feelings, conservation, communication
Key Concept: perspective, form, connection, responsibility
Lines of inquiry:
- Important events in our lives and others’ lives
- Different ways of documenting personal histories
- How people learn from others’ life experiences
- What we can learn form others’ life experiences
People use patterns to make sense of the world.
Related Concepts: patterns, rhythm, symmetry, structure
Key Concept: form, function, causation
Lines of inquiry:
- Patterns around us
- How people use patterns
- Why there are patterns
All living things go through a process of change.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept:
Lines of inquiry: form, change, connection
- The life cycle of a butterflies, frogs, salmon, mammals and birds
- The concept of metamorphosis
- How people affect animals and how animals affect people.
4/16/12-5/31/12 / From Farm to Home
Our food supply is dependent on economic, cultural and environmental factors.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept:
Lines of inquiry:
- The role and interdependence of buyers and sellers of goods and services
- Food scarcity in some communities but not in others
9/26/11-11/04/11 / Keeping the Peace
Groups and nations interact with one another to try to resolve problems.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: connection, causation
Lines of inquiry:
- People have different ways of resolving conflict within a community
- Communities and nations interact with one another to maintain order
Revised 10/11/10 Reflected 06/3/11 Updated 06/12/11
3 / They Were Here FirstThe natural environment influences the lives of indigenous people.
Related Concepts:
Key Concepts:
Lines of Inquiry:
- Native peoples use natural resources to provide for their needs
- Physical geography influences the way people adapt to an area
- Native Americans have varied identities, religious beliefs, customs and folklore (local native American group case study)
9/26/11-10/28/11 / Communities Change Over Time
The structure, landscape, economy and customs of a community change as more people migrate to the area.
Related Concepts:
Key Concepts
Lines of Inquiry:
- How communities are established to meet the needs of people
- How the economy of a community reflects the needs of the people who live there
- How and why communities change
10/31/11-12/16/11 / Appreciating Art Around Us
People create and share art in order to communicate ideas, feelings, and culture.
Related Concepts: self expression, communication, appreciation, inspiration
Key Concepts: form, perspective, change
Lines of Inquiry:
- Art expression varies according to culture
- Different mediums we can use to share our feelings, ideas, and culture through art
- Appreciation of others art work
Objects in the sky move in predictable patterns.
Related Concepts:
Key Concepts:
Lines of Inquiry:
- How the Earth’s revolution causes the stars to appear in different patterns f(constellations)
- How the moon’s appearance changes in a cycle
- Hoe the relationship between the sun and Earth causes changing seasons on Earth
- Our Solar System has many objects in it
01/03/12-02/10/12 / Risk Takers in Action
Heroes and heroines are individuals who take risks to make change.
Related Concepts:
Key Concepts: responsibility, reflection, perspective
Lines of Inquiry:
- Traits of heroes and heroines
- People are recognized for their positive impact
- Stories of heroes and heroines are shared through different mediums
Living things adapt to their changing environment in order to survive.
Related Concepts: adaptation, ecosystems, survival, sustainability
Key Concepts: form, connection, responsibility
Lines of Inquiry:
- The unique features of biomes
- How living things adapt to their environment
- What characteristics help living things survive
4 / Character Traits
Through their actions, organized groups of people attempt to persuade other groups in order to spread their own beliefs, traditions and cultures.
Related Concepts:
Key Concepts: perspective, causation, reflection
Lines of Inquiry:
- How our actions are influenced by our beliefs and how they have an impact on others traditions and society
- The organization and structure of a belief system that spreads
- How the development of a new society causes change in economy, architecture, social structure, and societal norms of an existing society.
Maps are designed by humans to define, explain and navigate.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: form, function, change,
Lines of Inquiry:
- Maps show various types of geographical features
- Systems of navigation
- How maps have changed
People around the world use different forms of storytelling to express their cultural beliefs and values.
Related Concepts: expression, beliefs, values, culture, presentation
Key Concept: connection, function, perspective, causation
Lines of inquiry:
- Different forms of storytelling
- How beliefs and values mold/influence storytelling
- How culture affects the expression of cultures and beliefs
Electricity and magnetism have related effects that have many useful applications in everyday life both responsibly and irresponsibly.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: function, form, responsibility
Lines of inquiry:
- Electricity has many different uses within our daily lives
- Ways of creating electrical current, static electricity, magnetism, and stored energy
- The responsibility to conserve electricity
Economies transform as they adapt to the needs and technological advances of a growing and changing society.
Related Concepts:adaptation, transformation, progress, conflict
Key Concept: connection, causation, perspective, change
Lines of inquiry:
- How inventions improve transportation and communication
- The impact of increased migration and immigration to a changing society
- Transformation of an agricultural society to an industrial society
Conserving resources is essential to the survival of living things.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: responsibility, causation, reflection
Lines of inquiry:
- Governments have a responsibility to conserve
- Cultures conserve resources differently
- How we can help conserve resources
5 / The Inside Story
Daily choices impact our overall health.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept:
Lines of inquiry:
- Respiratory, Digestive, Excretory, Reproductive, and Circulatory Systems
- Environmental Factors
- Medical Inventions and Advancements
Human conflict between groups arises from the need for self-determination and freedom.
Related Concepts: conflict, self determination (freedom), revolution
Key Concepts: causation, perspective, responsibility
Lines of Inquiry:
- The causes and effects of revolutions
- The perspectives of people involved in a conflict
- Alternative solutions to conflicts
Ignorance and lack of empathy create stereotypes, which make change difficult.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: causation, perspective,
Lines of inquiry:
- The way that history is written can influence how individuals are perceived
- All groups have different customs, traditions, economies and systems of government
- Cultural differences keep people from embracing diversity
The Scientific Method
Related Concepts:
Key Concepts: Form, Responsibility, Causation
Lines of Inquiry:
12/05/11-12/16/11 on-going / Governments
Societies create institutions to help manage people.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept: form, causation, function
Lines of inquiry:
- Governments have specific structures
- People build government to support societies
- All parts work together to support the whole society
Changes in the natural environment and choices people make affect the quality and quantity of water.
Related Concepts:
Key Concept:
Lines of inquiry:
- Global warming affects weather and the quality of water
- Our choices affect the availability of water
- Human actions impact the quality of water
Revised 10/11/10 Reflected 06/3/11 Updated 06/12/11