Early Years | Curriculum
Units of Inquiry
In the Primary Years Program (PYP), units of inquiry are the central focus of the curriculum.
Units of inquiry are designed to be transdisciplinary, meaning they draw upon multiple subject areas and encourage students to make connections between different disciplines. Each unit of inquiry has a central idea, which is the broad idea that students will explore during the unit.
Each year, students engage with the 6 units of inquiry (4 in Early Years and Kindergarten) that cover a wide range of concepts under the broad themes of:
- Where we are in place and time
- How the world works
- Who we are
- How we express ourselves
- Sharing the Planet
- How we organize ourselves
The central idea is supported by a set of key concepts and related lines of inquiry, which help students delve deeper into the central idea and explore it from different lenses.
The 7 Key Concepts of PYP are:
- Form: what is it like?
- Function: how does it work?
- Change: how is it changing?
- Perspective: what are the points of view?
- Responsibility: what is our responsibility?
- Connections: how are things related?
- Causation: who is it like it is
During a unit of inquiry, students might engage in activities such as reading and discussing texts, conducting experiments and investigations, creating projects and presentations, and participating in class discussions and debates. Through these activities, students develop skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and communication.
Overall, the goal of units of inquiry in a PYP school is to provide students with a rich and engaging learning experience that helps them develop a deep understanding of the world around them and the skills they need to navigate it.