#SWESInnovates: A Closer Look @ Inquiry in the PYP Classroom

“The important thing is to not stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing” 

-Albert Einstein

As a PYP school, we pride ourselves on an approach to learning that keeps in mind what is best for students, always providing learning experiences and opportunities that coincide with a child’s natural curiosity. We believe in student agency to empower students to take control over their own learning, in turn making learning here at Spicewood more meaningful for them.

With spring underway, this provides the perfect platform for students to further investigate the world around them. At the time of year many of our grade levels are in their Sharing the Planet unit of Inquiry. Within the unit, students inquire more about resources, living things, and communities. “Step inside” a few of the classrooms below to see just some ways our students use the inquiry process on our campus.

First grade students working on inventing something to help save one of Earth’s precious resources. Using the engineering process, students are encouraged to ask questions, make mistakes, and celebrate successes!

 

Students in Kindergarten are currently investigating habitats. Here they found a caterpillar on the playground and discuss what it needs in order to survive. Students will take their observations back to their classroom to extend and make connections to their learning.

 

Fourth grade students utilize our new Teaching Garden to some first hand exploration about structures and functions of living things. The Teaching Garden provides a unique space for students to investigate cycles and communities.


Students and teachers use the natural world around us to support their learning. Here, students use their prior knowledge and new observations to construct definitions and define their learning.

 

Ways you can continue to support an inquiry based approach at home:

  • Ask and model questioning! Try using sentences that start such as, “I wonder how….” , “What makes you say that?, or “What would happen if…”. Or simply, ask “why”.
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