Discussion:
Summative assessment: check in to see if everyone is on track and has a good understanding of what to do: it will take place on Monday at 8:00am
Shoebox appeal: discussion about any remaining tasks to complete
Reminder to the G4 team that they need to use Managebac as their first location for saving resources, assesment rubrics etc. to ensure sustainability with the upcoming turnover of staff and as documentary evidence for the IB
Reading of reflections for the new unit-HTWW
After reading-suggestion to change the summative assessment and focus on different standards as teachers thought the task too difficult for their students last year
Action:
Research learning activities and a possible new summative task (all) Next meeting: Location John' room
Discussion:
Taking action: whole grade objective of having a shoe box appeal for migrant workers in the UAE.
Grade 3 have offered Grade 4 a stall at market day for the kids to donate for the shoe box items.
Ms Erica volunteered to make pictures of the items for the students to stick up on a 2D shoe box.
Ms Tracy will research the organization to distribute the boxes.
Ms Patricia will research the list of items to go into each box.
Students will advertise this initiative at assemblies next week.
Formative descriptions to be added onto unit planner and activities for the taking action stage
Action:
Research shoe box appeal details and create toiletry pictures (Erica/Tracy/Trish)
Update unit planner ion MB (Tracy)
Next meeting:
Location: Lorissa's room: Looking ahead at HTWW
Discussion:
-Formative assessment 1-migration throughout history: ideas and resources were discussed but G4 team could not reach a unanimous decision. Remains undecided with decision taken for all teachers to research and share ideas at Wednesday's meeting. When standards were reviewed
-Construct a timeline of events showing the relationship of events in national history with events in world history -Analyse various eras in local history and the relationship between these eras and eras in regional history, and the changes over time - Describe the impact of various technological developments. Topics to include but not limited to changes in technology; changes in transportation; early 20th century industrial changes; and mid- to late 20th century nuclear and computer technological changes
Possible student-initiated related to migration: help the labourers-shoeboxes, help the Syrians with winter clothes, write a letter of empathy to a migrant, help migrant birds by feeding them, giving them water Unit to be documented-invite PYPC into lesson to photograph/video or complete independently
Action: Update WWAPT unit planner by moving obsolete learning activities/resources to last year's unit folder on the q drive.Add in new activities (Tracy)
Complete taking action stage on the inquiry cycle (all)
Complete reflections for WWA (all)
Next meeting:
Location: John's room
Revision of standards alignment for next year based on WWA reflections
Discussion:
Formative assessments for lines 1 & 2:
Migration throughout history (Form)
Effects of migration on communities,cultures and individuals (Connection)
F1: Lorissa will research what information is available in terms of migratory numbers or regions etc. to plug in to a timeline
F2: Fergus will create a three column graphic organizer to address the effects on communities, cultures and individuals
Learning activities/resources: The Arrival by Shaun Tan-picture book of pencil sketches made about one man's migration experience moving to America-could be used as a prompt for discussion-already saved on MB planner.
'Take a Trip"-IB sample planner to be emailed to G4 team-activity such as packing a bag, role-play of boat trip, skills activity with non-verbal communication, reflection based on this.(Trish)
Video shared of 'Immigration Kids" crossing the Mexican border into the US-debate activity
Discussion:
Read through reflections for WWAPT
Need formative assessments for lines 1 & 2:
Migration throughout history (Form)
Effects of migration on communities,cultures and individuals (Connection)
Ideas ranged from creating a timeline for to show migration throughout history, the students inquiring into migration in a country that interests them and then reflecting and comparing
Provocation idea: a range of menus from different countries to provoke questions about how that came to be
Action:
Research ideas for formatives based on history of migration and the effects it has on communities etc.(all)
Reflections for STP (all)
Discussion:
The majority of the meeting time was spent collaboratively creating a rubric for the WWA summative assessment task.
The following standards are being assessed; - Use simple models to describe that plants and animals have major internal and external structures, including organs, that support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
- Design, test, and compare solutions that replace or enhance the function of an external animal structure necessary for survival.
- Construct models to describe that animals’ senses receive different types of information from their environment, process the information in the brain, and respond to the information in different ways.
-WWAPT is the next unit-last year's reflections need to be read over before planning
Action:
-Read reflections for WWAPT (all)
-Upload summative rubric in task folder on MB(Mandala)
Next meeting:
Location: Erica's room
Jan 12th, 2015 Present: Mandala, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish, Tracy, Lorissa Location: Mandala's room
WWA unit planner: learning activities needs a little more detail e.g "Magic School Bus" state the title, what will this be used for? Discussion? What questions etc.
ICT notes need to be updated-remove last year's and only save relevant activities that are being taught this year.
Many obsolete resources from last year's unit need to be archived
Begin research for next unit: WWAPT
Discussion:
Summative assessment: students will be presented with three scenarios relating to animal external structures and they have to design a solution to replace it
Formative assessments: 1:Internal and external structures: foldable sheet where the students draw the external structures of a plant/animal/human on the outside and label them and do the same on the inside for internal structures
2: Functions of structures: on the same foldable, students describe the functions of each of the labelled structures
Sheets will need to be folded in advance-
3.How structures help growth and survival: each student creates their own imaginary animal, giving it interrnal and external structures and stating how they help the animal to grow and survive.
Sheet Action:
Update unit planner on MB (Mandala)
Next meeting:
Location: Erica's room
Creating summative assessment rubric
Discussion:
-WWA unit to begin December 7th
-Central idea and lines of inquiry will need to be adjusted to more tightly align with the standards
-Pre-assessment: mixture of pictures of internal and external structures of plants and animals that support growth, survival and behavior. Students sort them into categories, name them and say how they think they supoort all three factors.
-Summative based on standard: "Design, test, and compare solutions that replace or enhance the function of an external animal structure necessary for survival."
-Specialist integration: art: observational drawings of organs and the human body in motion, PE: focus on the cardiovascular and skeletal system-fitness tests-observations on changes in the body, ICT: graph data from fitness tests using publisher
-Possible resources: virtual labs, microscopes (source?)
Action:
-Research possible central idea & lines of inquiry relating to standards (all)
-STP Unit reflections (all)
-See if it is possible to source microscopes (Trish)
-Think about ideas for formative assessments & related learning tasks(all)
Discussion:
-Summative assessment: three different descriptions on MB planner-"use any means possible to show understanding of the central idea", "newspaper report", "essay", "multi-media"-could we decide on one and keep it consistent throughout.
-Formative assessments
Location: Lorissa's room Discussion:
-Next week complete pre-assessment and unpack the central idea of STP
-Literacy integration expository writing-5 paragraphs-literacy planner on the q drive
-STP folder with activities in Grade team folder-3 formative assessments included
Action:
-Complete reflections for HWOO (all)
-Create newspaper template for summative assessment (Mandala)
Location: Erica's room Discussion:
-Description for summative assessment needed on the first page of the unit planner
-Possible student initiated action
-Formative assessments to be added
Action:
Reflections (all)
Oct 6th, 2014 Eid Holiday
Sept 29th, 2014 Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish Location: Amy's room -Organization of Haj timings-accomodation for lunch
-Readiness for summative assessment-one extra week added which means that STP unit will run for 5 weeks
-HWOO: explanatory writing to be as a newspaper article
-Need to teach how to research and paraphrase for creating ppt presentations
Next meeting: Location: Erica's room
STP-complete any unfinished areas in planning
Action:
Begin reflections (all)
Complete HWOO unit planner (Fergus)
Sept 29th, 2014 Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy Absent:Trish (Covering for Tracy-absent specialist) Location: Fergus' room
Mandala took minutes-need to be saved here
Sept 15th, 2014 Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish Location: Lorissa's room Discussion:
Summative assessment rubric in the process of being created by John-standards being plugged in
Formative assessment to focus on monarchy, democracy and anarchy
Learner profile assembly to begin this week-rota made
Lines of inquiry changed to The purpose of government, How governments are structured,
Action:
Venn diagram (Tracy)
Complete SA rubric (John)
Next meeting: Location: Amy's room
Sept 8th, 2014 Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish Location: Mandala's room Discussion:
-Unit records on MB rota completed
-Checklist for attitudes, attributes etc. to be completed
-Student council: elections will take place in grades 3 & 4 Amy & Steven to lead
-Summative assessment: student generated rubric for peer assessment, some ideas to feed into teacher's rubric
-Formative assessment: venn diagram to compare government types
Summative task: Role play of a chosen type of government, standards chosen to be built into rubric
Action:
-Create rubric based on standards
Next meeting:
Learner Profile assembly
May 26th, 2014 Meeting cancelled as most of team unable to make it.
Erica: 2hours, Babette: went home ill, John: absent, Mandala: no ICT cover because of MAP tests.
May 19th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Mandala, Babette, Trish Absent: Fergus: Testing Discussion: -Central idea changed to: The process of erosion transforms the physical earth
-Concept map of subjects connection through the conceptual lens
-Possible learning tasks: IT timeline of erosion, human changes over time (observations), Gobstoppers observation
-Erosion experiments over 3 weeks & design solution
-Summative assessment-students' understanding of the central idea-which standards will align and be assessed? TBD
-Science fair: problem, design, refine, energy type
Action:
-Update unit planner-add learning tasks into the inquiry cycle (Tracy)
-Align science standards with summative assessment (Mandala)
-Research inquiry activities for unit (all)
-Complete reflections on energy unit (all)
Next meeting:
Assessment tool for summative task
May 12th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Babette, Trish Absent: Mandala: Testing Discussion: -Overview of related standards to this unit and how well they fit with the central idea and lines of inquiry
-Summative assessment task-to design a solution to mitigate the effects of erosion
-Provocation: time-lapse videos on erosion-observe a small mound of sand disappearing over time
-Teacher questions created
-Pre-assessment-students choose preferred medium to express their understanding of the central idea
Action:
-Update unit planner (Tracy)
-Research learning tasks (all)
Next meeting:
Continue with unit planner until completed
May 5th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Mandala, Babette Absent: Trish Discussion:
Babette and Tracy – Entrance Exams
Fergus – Mystery Object – descriptive writing activity for next week
John – Formative Assessment, final tweaks
Erica – WWAPT Reflections
Mandala – Planning Document for HTWW Summative Assessment task
Apr 28th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala, Babette Discussion: -Field trip details, May 22nd Ferrari World, list adult helpers
-Summative task; designing a device, to solve a real world problem, need examples
-Formative assessment will be modified from the pre-assessment
-Reflection details for field trip
Action:
-Modify pre-assessment to create formative (John)
-Reflection on Masdar city fieldtrip (Fergus)
-Complete reflections on WWAPT (Tracy, Erica, Babette)
Next meeting;
TBD Apr 21st, 2014 Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala Apologies: Babette (entrance exam) Discussion: -Summative assessment rubric-possibility of opening it up to the students to add to it
-Student Led conference possible activities
-Activities for next week's based on standards
- Construct a model using abstract representations and examples to describe differences between renewable and non-renewable sources of energy.
Make observations and collect data to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents
- Develop a model to describe patterns produced by waves in terms of amplitude and wavelength.
Formulate questions and predict outcomes about the change in energy that can occur between colliding objects
Plan data collection methods and make observations to provide evidence that waves transfer energy to objects.
Conduct an investigation to determine the effects of light source color and properties of the surface illuminated have on the appearance of an object.
Erica
John
Fergus
Mandala
Tracy
Babette/Trish
Next meeting: -Completing planner; formative assessments etc.
-Sharing inquiry tasks matched to standards
Apr 15th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala Discussion:
Teacher questions added to unit planner
Pre-assessment; mind map four key words relating to energy
Summative assessment tool
Mar 24th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Trish, Mandala Absent:Fergus (entrance exams) Discussion: -Changing central idea to align more tightly to standards-energy exists in different forms that transfer from place to place -Tuning in activities
-Provocation: video of Philipino man who creates sustainable lighting project, field trip to Masdar city
-Activities for inquiry cycle
-Summative assessment;design, test and refine a device based on the criterion that it converts
-ICT integration through Minecraft, kidspiration-design tools
Action;
-Research activities and formative assessment ideas (all)
Next meeting;
-Summative assessment tool
Mar 17th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala Discussion: -Grade 5 exhibition on Mar 26th, G4 concert the next day, trip to Masdar City the following week
-Posters for summative made by Mary Chris, country flags to be removed in case of creating a bias before the task begins
-Gradebook quarter 3;international day activity, formative and summative assessments to be included
-Summative assessment rubric created to match task
Action;
-Summative assessment on Wednesday this week at 8:00am- Trish to photograph
-Reflections for WWA (all)
Next meeting:
-Next unit planning
Mar 10th, 2014
Tracy, Babette & Mandala: administering entrance exam
Fergus & Erica: finishing off WWA on MB
John & Trish: Checklist assessment tool for International Day
Mar 3rd, 2014 Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala Discussion: -Formative assessment of lines of inquiry: migration through history: possible alignment with international day
Feb 24th, 2014
Meeting cancelled (Trish teaching Grade 2)
Feb 10th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala Discussion:
Provocation: showing a video of a migration story, possibly The History of Ellis Island/ Risking it all Across Mexico
Pre-assessment: graphic organizer divided into three columns-challenges, risks, opportunities-give example of having to change schools
Inquiry cycle: populated with activities from last year's planner
Action:
Summative assessment tool (Trish)
Source literature related to migration (Babette)
Source video clips/movies (Fergus/John)
Write a letter inviting parents in for Ask the Expert (Erica)
Reflections (all) Tracy to check that they are all completed
Feb 3rd, 2014 Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala Discussion:
-WWAPT unit-summative assessment: students travelling to different classes
-Assessment rubric for summative
-Activities for inquiry cycle
-Possible pre-assessment and provocation
Jan 27th, 2014
Meeting cancelled (Trish teaching in Grade 1)
Jan 20th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala Discussion:
-Resources: a skeleton and pumping heart has been obtained
-Formative assessment: a selection of experiments have been compiled to focus on the lines of inquiry
-Fergus shared the unit vocabulary list
-Discussion about the format of the summative assessment-questions, fact cards, choice of template or create original...
Action:
-Complete unit planner (Erica & Trish)
-Source board games from other Grades (Mandala)
Jan 13th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala Discussion: -Inquiry cycle activities based around four body systems; digestive, respiratory, cardio vascular, nervous
-Formative assessment to be based mainly on the second line of inquiry-students show their understanding of how they can maintain healthy body systems -Pre-assessment results: students had some idea of the names of the body parts but knew very little about the systems' functions
Action:
-Create formative assessment sheet (Mandala)
-Compile a unit vocabulary list (Fergus)
-Inquiry cycle activities (all)
Jan 7th, 2014 Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Absent: Mandala Discussion:
-Updating unit planner on Managebac-added summative assessment task, possible student-initiated action, provocation, teacher questions, Learner Profile attributes, attitudes and skills
-Rubric created for the summative assessment task
-Discussion of the assessing of the central idea for HWEO-only mentioned in a formative assessment
-Board game format-discussion about having the choice to use templates or making it completely independently
Action:
-Exemplars of the summative assessments to be added to the resource section on units 1 & 2 planners (Mandala & Fergus)
-WWA summative assessment to be completed and uploaded onto MB (Trish)
-Reflections on HWEO (all)
Next meeting: -Discuss results of pre-assessment and add to planner
-Collaborate on activity ideas for the inquiry cycle
Dec 9th, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Discussion:
-Complete summative assessment this week
-Looking ahead, it would be better to do a science unit next-WWA
-Summative assessment: board games based on the central idea-present to Grade 1 kids
-Pre-assessment: cut out foldable body chart
Action:
-Research ideas for inquiry cycle learning tasks
-Create formative assessment tasks for the lines of inquiry
-Reflections on HEWO (all)
Next meeting:
-Create formative assessment tasks for the lines of inquiry
-Develop assessment tool
Dec 2nd, 2013 National Day Holiday
Nov 25th, 2013
Nov 18th, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, John, Fergus, Trish Absent: Erica (no music cover) Discussion: -Summative assessment-finer details, app icons to go on Weebly for kids to download
-Opinion writing-tie in to the summative assessment
Next meeting:
-Literacy Plan
-Looking ahead to the next unit Nov 11th, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Discussion: -Digital storytelling video inspired summative assessment-how to construct the process
-Digital resources apps and on the internet such as; Face Jack, Morfo, Toontastic, Extranormal
-Plan: present videos to students during assemblies and elicit reactions, then use a variety of sentence prompts "Mad Libs" to engage the children in expressing their reactions using a variety of adjectives Action:
Add relevant apps to G4 Weebly (Mandala)
Create a Grade 4 BYOD disclaimer (John) Nov 4th, 2013 Holiday: Hijra New Year Oct 28th, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Discussion: -Pre-assessment this week, John completed perspective box
-Going further: acting out a point of view/debate e.g school uniform
-Talking Heads App: team leader to use device Action:
-Create a Grade 4 disclaimer for the use of ipads in school (Tracy/Mandala)
-Obtain student email addresses from Nathaniel (Trish)
-Forward Speaking & Listening rubric to Babette (Trish) Oct 21st, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Discussion: -Suggested corridor supervisor in the mornings at assembly time
-Collaborative planning for the next unit HWEO: summative assessment & rubric, pre-assessment task, tuning in activities, suggested resources, possible field trips
Action: -Sketch out the summative assessment task and design rubric (Tracy)
-Tuning in activity and carousel for literacy activity (Babette)
-Pre-assessment activity (John)
-Visualisation/Prediction task-source resources (Erica)
-"Scream" E. Munsch activity (Fergus)
Oct 7th, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Discussion:
-Summative assessment task for the next unit
-Finishing up current unit, how to begin summative task for HWOO
-Feedback on how the positive and negative incentive based system is going
Sept 30th, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Discussion:
-Explanation of the summative assessment task and tools
-Discussion on reason to align English writing standards to units
-Verbal reflection on the current unit and its depth of understanding
Next meeting:
Align English standards to units
Sept 23rd, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Discussion: -Assessments, summative task format and tools
-What to include on gradebook
-Relevant skills needed to complete the task
Action:
Create rubric for skills and understanding of the central idea
Next meeting:
TBD Sept 16th, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Discussion: -Managebac updates allocated;WWA: Tracy, WAPT:John, HWEO: Fergus, HWW:Babette, HWOO: Mandala, STP: Erica
-Timetable restrictions for UOI caused by Reading Street and dealing with behavioral issues
-Suggested behavioral management strategies;time out in a neighboring class incentive/reward system
-Group consensus that postponing creating the class essential agreements was having an adverse effect on student behavior
Action: -Assembly rota to be filled in with the integrated attribute/attitude/skill (Babette)
-Meeting with Arabic teachers to ensure punctuality at prayer times(Mandala & Rana)
Next meeting:
Review assessments
Sept 9th, 2013 Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Discussion:
-Aligning the Learner Profile attributes, PYP attitudes and transdisciplinary skills with each unit in order to create an assembly plan for the year
-Delegation of assemblies to each team member
-Who will be responsible for updating units on Managebac?
Action:
-Trish will update planners on Managebac
-Tracy will show all how to access EDM online
Next meeting:
Review inquiry cycle
NEW ACADEMIC YEAR May 13, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy D, Gideon, Ita, William Glenn Discussion:
- Worked on formative tasks for HWOO
- Reflection section of HWOO
- Revised teacher questions (so that there are fewer, more open to inquiry)
Action:
- Complete HWOO planner (G4 team)
- Bring HTWW planner as up to date as possible (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- G4 team to work independently onvisit preparation
April 29, 2013 Present Discussion:
- Summative assessment: Developed summative tasks and cintinued to develop inquiry cycle
- Reviewed and worked on planner for HTWW
April 22, 2013
*Meeting with IB Consultant: Peggy Bumanis
April 15, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy D, Gideon, Ita, William Glenn (Apologies: Fares) Discussion:
- Completed reflection section of HWEO planner
- Reviewed HWOO planner and discussed tasks for the upcoming weeks, aslo briefly discussed summative task
Action:
- Continue to develop HWOO
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with HWOO and start to pre-plan for HTWW
March 18, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy D, Fares, Gideon, Ita, Glenn (Apologies: William - no Arabic) Discussion:
- Progress with HWEO: Still much to do, more time needed to complete the unit properly.
- Revision of unit sequence: extended HWEO due to busy time of year. HWOO will have to be designed to be a short unit.
- Planning for HWOO: Reflected on unit objectives (in relation tot he key concepts/lines of inquiry); discussed different approaches to the unit: decided on enduring understandings that we want students to achieve; came up with ingenious idea of using the society from Monsters Inc as a vehicle for exploration of heirarchy, authiority and rules
- Refined some tuning in and finding out activities to accomodate the above
Action:
- Continue to develop ideas for HWOO (G4 team)
Next meeting:
- Review what needs to be done in order for the HWEO planner to be complete
- Continue to develop planner for HWOO
March 11, 2013 Present: Josh, Gideon, Ita, Fares, Glenn (Apologies: William and Tracy D) Discussion:
- Reviewed ideas for summative assessment task
- Developed formative assessment tasks
- Developed provocation (see planner)
- Started to populate inquiry cycle
- Revised HWEO unit end date (extended another week) due to super busy weeks
Action:
- Continue to develop ideas for inquiry cycle and assessment tasks for proposed outcomes
Next Meeting:
- Review progress: continue to develop assessment tasks and populate inquiry cycle
March 4, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, Ita, , Fares, Glenn (Apologies: William) Discussion:
- Worked on pre-planning for HWOO: ideas documented in section 9 of planner
- Preparations for G4 concert
Action:
- Continue to develop ideas, particulary with regards to possible modifications to CI and summative task
Next Meeting:
- Review HWEO
- Continue to develop HWOO
Feb 25, 2013 *Glenn absent
February 18, 2013 Present: Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Glenn (Apologies: Josh, Ita) Discussion:
- Reviewed Inventor report rubric
- Developed tool for summative task (in assessment tools folder)
Action:
- Develop step by step plan for Rube Goldberg Machine design (G4 team)
- Ensure that all assessment tools and unit resources are placed intot he relative unit folders (G4 team)
- Start to develop planner for unit #5 (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
February 11, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn Discussion:
- Reviewed assessment tasks and tools: tweaked some bits, explained others. Well done..
- Started developing criteria for summative rubric
- Removed 'light' task
- Moved report writing task to section 1
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
- Start to look at unit #5?
February 4, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn Discussion:
- Progress with development of assessment tasks/tools for HWEO: developed task related to outcomes
- Development of inquiry cycle: Added some tasks to the IC
Action:
- Develop tools for proposed tasks (G4 team)
Next Meeting;
- Review progress
January 28, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn Discussion:
- Progress with development of assessment tasks/tools for HWEO: nothing done since last meeting
- Development of inquiry cycle: as above
- Outcomes: new or old? Decided to stick with the neew as they will be the ones used next year.
- Some development of assessment tasks (writing task - section 3)
- Worked on a summative rubric: still not completely aligned with central idea and summative task (more work to be done here)
- Resources for this unit:elements of SCIS kits and Interactive science (books 8 and 9?)
Action:
- Develop aligned assessment tasks and tools for proposed outcomes (G4 team)
- Continue to populate inquiry cycle (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with regards to action items
January 21, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn Discussion:
- Completed reflection section for WWAPT
- Summative assessment task for HWEO
- Which types of energy/inventors would be focussed on..
- Tuning in activities
Action:
- Continue to develop planner: development of assessment tasks/tools for proposed outcomes (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with regards to development of assessment tasks/tools
January 14, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn Discussion:
- Reviewed progress with WWAPT
- Started to complete the reflection sections on the WWAPT planner
- Looked at where the HWEO planner is at and discussed what needs to be done in order to be prepapred for the transition
- Developed summative (HWEO) to incorporate the creation of a Rube Goldberg machine
- Discussed including forces as a type of energy
Action:
- Continue to develop outline for summative task (G4 team)
- Develop assessment tasks for proposed outcomes (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Complete reflection sections of WWAPT
- Review progress witht he development of assessment tasks/tools for HWEO
January 7, 2013 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn Discussion:
- Resources teams with Dr Lynn: any interest?
- Migration activity overview: discussed the proposal
- Inquiry cycle for WWAPT: added some activities
Action:
- Put developed assessment tools into the assessment tools folder (Ita and Josh)
- Review planning documentation and add anything that isn't there into the Inquiry Cycle (G4 team)
- Prepare PPTs and other resources needed to communicate information about countries (G4 team)
- Prepare HWEO planner (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress/start looking at next unit
December 10, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, Glenn (Apologies: William - no Arabic) Discussion:
- Briefly dicussed development of outcomes for science and social studies
- Tidied up assessment tasks for proposed outcomes for WWAPT: added an ELA outcome/task
- Discussed possible criteria for summative task: in line with central idea and select trans-disciplinary skills
- Developed rubric for summative assessment task
- Added a couple of strategies ot the inquiry cycle
Action:
- Communicate UAE/Islamic outcomes that are to be covered in those classes to Ms Anaam (Josh)
- Develop assessment tools for each of the tasks that have not yet had tools developed for them: Narrative writing, Pros and Cons, Migration mapping, staff survey (G4 team)
- Create activities that develop/promote chose LP attributes and attitudes (G4 team)
- Complete teacher questions section (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
November 25, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Gideon, Ita, Glenn Discussion:
- Continued to develop ideas for WWAPT unit
Action:
- Develop aligned assessment tasks for proposed outcomes
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
November 18, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Gideon, Ita, Maria, Glenn Discussion: *Meeting with IB Consultant regarding progress since last visit, challenges, and most urgent needs
November 5, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Gideon, Ita, Glenn Discussion:
- Review of planning progress
- Development of
- Discussion surrounding the difference between the stages going further and making conclusions: perhaps going further isn't really relevant to us at this stage?
- Development of sorting out strategies
- Technology tie-in possibilities
October 22, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Ita, Glenn, John (!) Discussion:
- Work session on developing aligned assessment tasks and populating inquiry cycle for STP unit
Action:
- Continue to populate inquiry cycle with strategies both from Classroom Connections and individual brain boxes (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress and continue to populate inquiry cycle
- Identify tools/resources that need to be generated and delegate responsibility
October 15, 2012 * Meeting cancelled due to PYPC meeting at MBZ
October 8, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Ita, Glenn Discussion:
- Challenges being faced by G4 teachers: low level of language ability vs. high expectations of standards; math spiral not working (for some); much focus needed on developing fundamental skills - so much so that it's making progress with inquiry/critical thiking/IB related areas of focus difficult, and to some - seemingly impossible.
- Students coming through lacking the skills needed to cope with the program. The system demands (and structure) doing students a disservice as they are continually being promoted through the grades despite the fact that they lack skill needed
- Due to the above: (some teachers) are focusing on basic skills - and the development and implementation of the PYP is not a priority
- * These challenges need to be communicated to Mr John, Mr Gustav, Dr Lynn and Ms Mary
- Pre-planning for WWAPT: basic elements of unit have been transferred onto the planner
Action:
- Complete reflection sections of WWA unit (G4 team)
- Choose ELA outcomes that will be covered in unit #2 (G4 team)
- Work on assessment tasks and Inquiry Cycle for unit #2, as supported by 091012 PD session (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with completion of WWA planner
- Review progress with development of unit #2 planner
October 1, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Ita, Glenn Discussion:
- Work session on WWA planner: developed assessment tasks, aligned with ELA standards
- Some weebly discussion
- Challenges/priorities
Action:
- Fill out inquiry cycle with activities/tasks as yet undocumented (G4 team)
- Review documented ELA standards (on planner) to make sure they are the only ones that are being covered within this unit - if there are more they need to be in the planner
(G4 team)
- Add math activity and related outcome (G4 team)
- Meet with Josh to start work on next unit (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with planner/summative assessments
- Pre-planning for unit #2
September 23, 2012 *No meeting due to AdvancEd (all day) session
September 17, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Ita, Glenn Discussion:
- Learner profile: decided to focus on one (common) attribute per week - this week: principled
- Chose ELA evidence outcomes that we will focus on during this unit and put them into planner (section 3). Started to align assessment tasks..
- Added a page for the Inquiry Cycle overview: took proposed tasks from section 4 and penciled them in
Action:
- Develop assessment tassk that align with proposed ELA evidence outcomes (G4 team)
- Continue to populate stages of inquiry cycle with tasks (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with assessment tasks and inquiry cycle
September 10, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, William, Ita, Glenn Discussion:
- Inquiry cycles: PD session to explore coming up in the next couple of weeks; looking at implementing for 2nd unit
- Embedding evidence outcomes within planner: need to align evidence outcomes with actual assessments on planner - [possbly in section 3?
- Single subject integration: all SS teachers should be able to integrate with this unit: need some kind of structure that enables behavior in SS classes to be reflected upon in classroom
- Consultation visit: Sometime in late September - date as yet unknown
- LP award: new format - Looks ok..
- G4 webpage: Looking at communicating it to parents from this Sunday? Some concern about teachers using their school email addreses to send out link each week
- Planner progress: information needs to be transferred across *Meeting finished early due to teachers assisting SS teachers with dismissal
Action:
- Development of planner for first unit (Josh/Tracy)
- Speak with Specialists about a constructive way that they can contribute to LP unit (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Planner and SS integration progress
June 19, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Ita, William, Gideon, Glenn Discussion:
- G2/G45 overlap in STP: changed G4 unit focus to adaptations
- HWEO focus: modified CI to remove 'creativity', and to have more of an explicit focus on inventors and their use of energy resources in meeting societal needs
Action:
- Continue to developassessment ideas (G4 team)
- Share new focus with G2 (Glenn)
June 6, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Glenn (Apologies: Gideon) Discussion:
- POI development next steps
- Thought about possible assessments for WWA unit
- Looked at ISOCS pages/planners for summ. assessment ideas
- Worked out LP and Attributes for all units
- Briefly discussed overview for G4 >G5 session
Action:
- Think about/pencil in summative and formative assessment ideas for each unit (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
-Review progress and continue development
May 30, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, Loretta, Fares, William, Glenn (Apologies: Ita) Discussion:
- Grade 4>5 session
- WWA unit: The Learner Profile: ISOCS unit pages
- Continued to develop G4 POI: created/rubber stamped central ideas for WWA, HTWW, STP
- Tweaked CI for HWEO
- Next steps: write/find/propose LOI for each unit
- 6 new units - skeleton planners will need to be developed in readiness for the next school year
Action:
- Continue to look at LOI for each unit (G4 team)
- Add Learner profile and Attitudes (G4 team)
- Add related concepts (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Finalize LOI
May 23, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Loretta, Fares, Glenn (Apologies: Ita) Discusion:
- Continued to develop POI
- Refined HWEO central idea, incorporating the concepts of creativity and needs
- Discussed possibility of looking at new (more exciting?) focus for WWA unit: found a unit on the Learner Profile - penciled it in for discussion
- Conceptual ideas - very broad to encompass inquiry
- Portfolio development/student led conferences
Action:
- Look at units that still don't have an obvious focus - create CI proposals (G4 team and Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
May 17, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Loretta, Ita, Glenn, Natasha(!) Discusion:
- Worked on problem solving the POI development document
- Put science outcomes into HWEO with a focus on Inventors and creativity - energy will be explored parallel to a famous inventor (eg. Tesla) and the way he used resources to creatively meet the needs of hiss ociety May 9, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Loretta, Ita, Glenn Discusion:
- HTWW unit progress
- POI reconstruction
- Standards and how we need them to fit
- Challenges with making so many fit (esp. with regard to Social Science)
- Social Science/UAE studies overlap
Action:
- Look at where standards were placed during stage 1 and decide as to whether changes need to be made/what changes need to be made (G5 team)
- Meet with Mary, Marium and Lynn to discuss SS challenges and report back to teams (Glenn
Next Meeting:
- Continue development and review
April 11, 2012 Present: Gideon, Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Glenn (Apologies: Loretta) Discussion: - G5 POI review (embedding science and social science standards)
Action:
- Take POI overview generated today and put into electronic format (Glenn)
Next week:
- Review electronic copy of G5 POI overview
March 21, 2012 Present: Josh, Fares, Gideon, Ita, Glenn (Apologies: William, Tracy D) Discussion: - G4 classroom visits - going really well! - Progress with documenting activities - Which social science standards fit
- How to document the above
- Task ideas for specific social science standards (eg Geography)
- Worked with standards and planner
Action: - Develop section4 activities to reflect standards hit (Josh)
- Timeline and explanatory writing piece on Abu Dhabi commerce (G4 team)
Next Meeting: - Review progress
March 14, 2012 * Meeting cancelled due to IB consultant visit
March 7, 2012 Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Ita, Loretta, Glenn Discussion:
- Market scheduled for April 17
- Students to conduct 2 surveys
- Concert item development Business Journal Sections: Pre-production
1. Tabulation of Data Collected (survey, data handling)
2. Description of Goods or Services (Literacy)
3. Materials needed including costs
4. Roles within the group (Literacy)
5. Stall design plan (Art)
Post
1. Business report (profit and loss statement: expenses/revenue/profit)
2. Reflection: what worked well and what could have been done better
Start-up costs: 50 dhs per group company member
Art integration: design of market stall
Action:
- Make Business journal and share it with teachers (Josh)
- Develop assessment tool for summative task (Josh)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress February 29, 2012 Present: Tracy D, Josh, Fares, Gideon, William, Ita, Glenn Discussion:
- Unit planning checklist
- Development of assessment tasks and tools
- Kids to form companies that will work together to develop, market and sell a good or service. Roles within the company will be: Sales manager; Production manager; head accountant; and Design manager.
- Summative assessment task: Business journal - develop a 'structured report' with which they will record their understanding of: different roles within their company; how well people worked together; their financial statement and...
Action:
- Develop checklist that identifies their understanding of roles within a marketplace (William)
- Develop criteria for summative assessment (that will then make up the components of the Business Journal) (G4 Team)
- Develop activities that will develop understanding of the above (G4 team)
Next Meeting: - Review progress
- Review Unit timeline
- Share and discuss checklist, business journal and ...?
February 22, 2012 Present: Peter, Tracy, Fares, Ita, Gideon, William, Glenn Discussion:
- Market proposal:real money or not?
- Pre-assessment: brainstorm 'everything you know about markets'. make sure there is something generated that can be referred back to throughout the process
- Tuning in: deconstruct central idea
- Consolidation of section 4 activity ideas
- Referred to social studies standards: discussed scarcity and possible ways it could be covered. need for clarity of activity and assessment tool to be developed.
Action:
- Develop idea and assessment tool for scarcity activity (Ita)
- Transfer section 4 ideas onto planner (Glenn)
- Speak with John about Market proposal (Josh)
- Speak with specialist teachers re. integration (Josh)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
- Summative assessment tool and LOI assessments
- Plan for completion of reflection sections
February 15, 2012 * Meeting cancelled due to Prinicipal's ADEC inspection meeting
February 8, 2012 Present: Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Josh, Tracy D, Peter, Glenn Discussion:
- Areas of the Marketplace to be focused on: Supermarket; Mall; Souks (spice, gold, vegetable, fish, carpet etc).
- Don't focus on too many..
- Pre-assessment should be a cold read of what the kids know: brainstorm everything they know about a market - individually or in groups.
- Writing component: reports and narratives are in standards - generate activities towards them?
- Summative assessment: goods and services market
- Meaning of third line of inquiry: our needs and the ways they connect with marketplaces
- Developed teacher questions
Action:
- Transfer meeting notes to planner (Glenn)
- Generate activity ideas that line up with social science, Math and ELA standards (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Lines of inquiry assessment ideas
- Section 4 activities development
February 1, 2012 *Weekly meeting changed to Wedneday to accomodate MYP coordinator's ability to attend Exec Meeting Meeting cancelled due to G4 field trip
January 23, 2012 Present: Fares, Gideon, Ita, Josh, Tracy D, Peter, Glenn Discussion:
- Summative assessment task: 2 components - instructional writing and board game
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with rubrics and other assessment tools
- Look at central idea and lines of inquiry for Marketplace unit
January 16, 2012 Present: Fares, Gideon, Peter, Ita, Josh, Tracy D, William, Glenn Discussion:
- Challenge with integrating the sound component without Music specialists assistance - need for more effective integration, communication and follow up with this
- Very challenged with resourcing of unit - many of the activities as planned were not supported by the resources available at school (where are all the science resources from the PS last year?)
- Too many activities planned for - teachers struggling to keep up
Action:
- Develop rubrics for instructional writing (Tracy D) and the board game
- Look at assessment activities (except sound) and decide upon what assessment tools need to be generated for each (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review (developed ?) assessment tools/resources
- Other?
January 9, 2012 Present: Peter, Ita, Tracy D, Josh, Gideon, William, Fares Discussion:
- Energy unit progress
- Weekly planning document and ways that this can be completed collaboratively
- Reflection section of Media Magic
Action:
- Finish sections 8 and 9 of Media Magic planner (G4 Team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with Energy unit
December 12, 2012 Present: Tracy, Josh, Gideon, Fares Discussion:
- Findings of yesterday's science meeting: two units accomodate science standards very well but the remaining eveidence outcomes don't really lend themselves to the organizing theme descriptors at all
- Conclusion: look at social science alignment and then decide what will inevitably have to remain as stand alone
Action:
- Plug Social Science evidence outcomes into unit overview doc (cut and paste). Use document to decide which units (if any) need to be changed out in order to more closely align standards (G4 team)
- Look at section 4 of planner to ensure that there are activities that develop an understanding of the third line of inquiry (How we use energy in our daily lives)
Next Meeting:
- Review weekly planning document
December 5, 2011 Discussion:
- Pushed unit back a week
- Central idea doesn't fit as well with the transdisciplinaryt heme any more
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.
Central idea: Energy is found in various forms and is used in our everyday life.
- Working our way through the Energy unit planner
Action:
- Contact Aaron regarding how the sound component of the unit will work: exploring different sounds and how are produced (Fares)
- Look at activities in section 4 and identify which lines of inquiry they are focused on (Tracy D)
Next Meeting:
- Media Magic reflection section review
- Unit progress and assessments
November 21, 2011 Discussion:
- Media Magic assessments - Tracy D handed out a document.
- As homework wasn't completed, group had to use the time to brainstorming activities for the next unit.
- Aligned the activities to the key concepts.
Action:
- Media Magic Assessments: Josh - Poster advert rubric; William: TV advert rubric (speaking)
- Next time work with planned activities - resources (are they practical), do they meet the standards? Which activities are good for what (Tuning in, summative assessment etc)?.
November 14, 2011 Discussion:
- Review of Media Magic progress: where we are at and which standards we can use to develop assessments. Quite difficult for this usnit as the only ones that seem to fit are ELA. Stand alone science happening in this unit.
- How specialist integration has gone: Difficult to know what specialist teacher is doing as there is little communication going back and forth. Feeling that specialist needs to be the one that communicates progress and ideas after initial planning session.
- Looking forward to the next unit: Energy. Many standards are applicable for this unit but last year's planner must be closely reviewed in order for the focus to be in the right direction.
Action:
- Write up ideas for assessment tasks using Speaking and Listening ELA standards (Tracy D)
Next Week:
- Review ideas for assessment tasks
- Look at what needs to be collected/prepared for Energy unit
October 31 Discussion:
As documentation for our upcoming IB visit is due this Wednesday it was decided that we would focus on completing the reflection section of Unit 1 during this week's meeting
- Briefly discussed unit progress and what needs to be done during 'team time' to stay on track
- Reflection section for 'How we learn best': group walk through of the different reflection sections of the planner, all teachers contributed their thoughts and ideas which were noted in the relevant sections
October 24, 2011 Discussion:
- Ways that we can make meetings as effective as possible: bring hard copies of planners to meetings (if needed), PYPC to send out meeting agenda with invites, note taker appointed to keep track of any action that is to be taken, teachers bring sonmething to write on so they can keep track of responsibilities)
- Assessment tasks: ways to ensure that they reflect our standards
- Report card grading: ways that assessment tasks can/will be broken up for the grade book
Action:
- Review assessment tasks sections (section 1 and 3), bring ideas to next meeting (G4 team)
- Review weekly planning document that was developed by Gideon and Glenn - adopt and adapt if necessary (G4 team)
- Print off a copy of standards for planning meetings (Peter?)
- Update planner with suggested activity ideas (Glenn)
Next Week:**
- Review ideas for assessment tasks
- Delegate members to develop assessment tools for the above
Mar 9th, 2015
Present: John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Tracy, Lorissa, Mandala, Trish
Location: John's room
Discussion:
Mar 2nd, 2015
Present: John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Tracy, Lorissa, Mandala, Trish
Location: Amy's room
Discussion:
Summative assessment: check in to see if everyone is on track and has a good understanding of what to do: it will take place on Monday at 8:00am
Shoebox appeal: discussion about any remaining tasks to complete
Reminder to the G4 team that they need to use Managebac as their first location for saving resources, assesment rubrics etc. to ensure sustainability with the upcoming turnover of staff and as documentary evidence for the IB
Reading of reflections for the new unit-HTWW
After reading-suggestion to change the summative assessment and focus on different standards as teachers thought the task too difficult for their students last year
Action:
Research learning activities and a possible new summative task (all)
Next meeting: Location John' room
Feb 23rd, 2015
Present: John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Tracy, Lorissa, Mandala, Trish
Location: Mandala's room
Discussion:
Taking action: whole grade objective of having a shoe box appeal for migrant workers in the UAE.
Grade 3 have offered Grade 4 a stall at market day for the kids to donate for the shoe box items.
Ms Erica volunteered to make pictures of the items for the students to stick up on a 2D shoe box.
Ms Tracy will research the organization to distribute the boxes.
Ms Patricia will research the list of items to go into each box.
Students will advertise this initiative at assemblies next week.
Formative descriptions to be added onto unit planner and activities for the taking action stage
Action:
Research shoe box appeal details and create toiletry pictures (Erica/Tracy/Trish)
Update unit planner ion MB (Tracy)
Next meeting:
Location: Lorissa's room: Looking ahead at HTWW
Feb 16th, 2015
Present: John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Tracy, Lorissa, Mandala Absent: Trish (covering Ita's class)
Location: John's room
PowerPoints onto Weebly – Fergus
Finish Formative Assessment – John
Word bank for Formative Assessment - John
Add to assessment records – Mandala
3 rubrics for Formative Assessments:
Timeline – Amy
Diamond Ranking – Mandala
Effects - Next week
Feb 9th, 2015
Present: John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish, Tracy, Lorissa, Mandala
Location: Fergus's room
Discussion:
-Formative assessment 1-migration throughout history: ideas and resources were discussed but G4 team could not reach a unanimous decision. Remains undecided with decision taken for all teachers to research and share ideas at Wednesday's meeting. When standards were reviewed
-Construct a timeline of events showing the relationship of events in national history with events in world history
-Analyse various eras in local history and the relationship between these eras and eras in regional history, and the changes over time
- Describe the impact of various technological developments. Topics to include but not limited to changes in technology; changes in transportation; early 20th century industrial changes; and mid- to late 20th century nuclear and computer technological changes
Possible student-initiated related to migration: help the labourers-shoeboxes, help the Syrians with winter clothes, write a letter of empathy to a migrant, help migrant birds by feeding them, giving them water
Unit to be documented-invite PYPC into lesson to photograph/video or complete independently
Action:
Update WWAPT unit planner by moving obsolete learning activities/resources to last year's unit folder on the q drive.Add in new activities (Tracy)
Complete taking action stage on the inquiry cycle (all)
Complete reflections for WWA (all)
Next meeting:
Location: John's room
Revision of standards alignment for next year based on WWA reflections
Feb 2nd, 2015
Present: John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish, Tracy, Lorissa Absent: Mandala (Parent meeting)
Location: Tracy's room
Discussion:
Formative assessments for lines 1 & 2:
F1: Lorissa will research what information is available in terms of migratory numbers or regions etc. to plug in to a timeline
F2: Fergus will create a three column graphic organizer to address the effects on communities, cultures and individuals
Learning activities/resources: The Arrival by Shaun Tan-picture book of pencil sketches made about one man's migration experience moving to America-could be used as a prompt for discussion-already saved on MB planner.
'Take a Trip"-IB sample planner to be emailed to G4 team-activity such as packing a bag, role-play of boat trip, skills activity with non-verbal communication, reflection based on this.(Trish)
Video shared of 'Immigration Kids" crossing the Mexican border into the US-debate activity
Action:
See above
Next meeting:
Location: Fergus's room
Jan 26th, 2014
Present: Mandala, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish, Tracy, Lorissa
Location: Amy's room
Discussion:
Read through reflections for WWAPT
Need formative assessments for lines 1 & 2:
- Migration throughout history (Form)
- Effects of migration on communities,cultures and individuals (Connection)
Ideas ranged from creating a timeline for to show migration throughout history, the students inquiring into migration in a country that interests them and then reflecting and comparingProvocation idea: a range of menus from different countries to provoke questions about how that came to be
Action:
Research ideas for formatives based on history of migration and the effects it has on communities etc.(all)
Reflections for STP (all)
Next meeting:
Location: Tracy's room
Jan 19th, 2014
Present: Mandala, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish, Tracy, Lorissa
Location: Lorissa's room
Discussion:
The majority of the meeting time was spent collaboratively creating a rubric for the WWA summative assessment task.
The following standards are being assessed;
- Use simple models to describe that plants and animals have major internal and external structures, including organs, that support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
- Design, test, and compare solutions that replace or enhance the function of an external animal structure necessary for survival.
- Construct models to describe that animals’ senses receive different types of information from their environment, process the information in the brain, and respond to the information in different ways.
-WWAPT is the next unit-last year's reflections need to be read over before planning
Action:
-Read reflections for WWAPT (all)
-Upload summative rubric in task folder on MB(Mandala)
Next meeting:
Location: Erica's room
Jan 12th, 2015
Present: Mandala, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish, Tracy, Lorissa
Location: Mandala's room
WWA unit planner: learning activities needs a little more detail e.g "Magic School Bus" state the title, what will this be used for? Discussion? What questions etc.
ICT notes need to be updated-remove last year's and only save relevant activities that are being taught this year.
Many obsolete resources from last year's unit need to be archived
Begin research for next unit: WWAPT
Action:
Update WWA planner & remove unnecessary resources (Mandala)
Create folder to archive resources (Trish)
Next meeting:
Location: Lorissa's room
Dec 22nd-Jan 12th Winter Holidays
Dec 15th, 2014
Dec 8th, 2014
Present: Mandala, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish Absent: Tracy & Lorissa (Absent specialists)
Location: Fergus's room
Discussion:
Summative assessment: students will be presented with three scenarios relating to animal external structures and they have to design a solution to replace it
Formative assessments: 1:Internal and external structures: foldable sheet where the students draw the external structures of a plant/animal/human on the outside and label them and do the same on the inside for internal structures
2: Functions of structures: on the same foldable, students describe the functions of each of the labelled structures
Sheets will need to be folded in advance-
3.How structures help growth and survival: each student creates their own imaginary animal, giving it interrnal and external structures and stating how they help the animal to grow and survive.
Sheet
Action:
Update unit planner on MB (Mandala)
Next meeting:
Location: Erica's room
Creating summative assessment rubric
Dec 1st, 2014 National Day Holiday
Nov 24th, 2014
Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish
Location: Fergus's room
Discussion:
-WWA unit to begin December 7th
-Central idea and lines of inquiry will need to be adjusted to more tightly align with the standards
-Pre-assessment: mixture of pictures of internal and external structures of plants and animals that support growth, survival and behavior. Students sort them into categories, name them and say how they think they supoort all three factors.
-Summative based on standard: "Design, test, and compare solutions that replace or enhance the function of an external animal structure necessary for survival."
-Specialist integration: art: observational drawings of organs and the human body in motion, PE: focus on the cardiovascular and skeletal system-fitness tests-observations on changes in the body, ICT: graph data from fitness tests using publisher
-Possible resources: virtual labs, microscopes (source?)
Action:
-Research possible central idea & lines of inquiry relating to standards (all)
-STP Unit reflections (all)
-See if it is possible to source microscopes (Trish)
-Think about ideas for formative assessments & related learning tasks(all)
Next meeting:
Location: John's Room
Nov 10th, 2014
Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish
Location: Tracy's room
Discussion:
-Summative assessment: three different descriptions on MB planner-"use any means possible to show understanding of the central idea", "newspaper report", "essay", "multi-media"-could we decide on one and keep it consistent throughout.
-Formative assessments
Nov 3rd, 2014
Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish
Location: Lorissa's room
Discussion:
-Three Way Conference schedule-explanation of how it will work
-Next week: erosion experiments, clay and ice experiment
Action:
Oct 20th, 2014
Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish
Location: Lorissa's room
Discussion:
-Next week complete pre-assessment and unpack the central idea of STP
-Literacy integration expository writing-5 paragraphs-literacy planner on the q drive
-STP folder with activities in Grade team folder-3 formative assessments included
Action:
-Complete reflections for HWOO (all)
-Create newspaper template for summative assessment (Mandala)
Next meeting:
Location: Mandala's room
Oct 13th, 2014
Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish
Location: Erica's room
Discussion:
-Description for summative assessment needed on the first page of the unit planner
-Possible student initiated action
-Formative assessments to be added
Action:
Reflections (all)
Oct 6th, 2014 Eid Holiday
Sept 29th, 2014
Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish
Location: Amy's room
-Organization of Haj timings-accomodation for lunch
-Readiness for summative assessment-one extra week added which means that STP unit will run for 5 weeks
-HWOO: explanatory writing to be as a newspaper article
-Need to teach how to research and paraphrase for creating ppt presentations
Next meeting: Location: Erica's room
STP-complete any unfinished areas in planning
Action:
Begin reflections (all)
Complete HWOO unit planner (Fergus)
Sept 29th, 2014
Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy Absent:Trish (Covering for Tracy-absent specialist)
Location: Fergus' room
Mandala took minutes-need to be saved here
Sept 15th, 2014
Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish
Location: Lorissa's room
Discussion:
Summative assessment rubric in the process of being created by John-standards being plugged in
Formative assessment to focus on monarchy, democracy and anarchy
Learner profile assembly to begin this week-rota made
Lines of inquiry changed to The purpose of government, How governments are structured,
Action:
Venn diagram (Tracy)
Complete SA rubric (John)
Next meeting: Location: Amy's room
Sept 8th, 2014
Present: Mandala, Tracy, John, Fergus, Erica, Amy, Trish
Location: Mandala's room
Discussion:
-Unit records on MB rota completed
-Checklist for attitudes, attributes etc. to be completed
-Student council: elections will take place in grades 3 & 4 Amy & Steven to lead
-Summative assessment: student generated rubric for peer assessment, some ideas to feed into teacher's rubric
-Formative assessment: venn diagram to compare government types
Summative task: Role play of a chosen type of government, standards chosen to be built into rubric
Action:
-Create rubric based on standards
Next meeting:
Learner Profile assembly
May 26th, 2014
Meeting cancelled as most of team unable to make it.
Erica: 2hours, Babette: went home ill, John: absent, Mandala: no ICT cover because of MAP tests.
May 19th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Mandala, Babette, Trish Absent: Fergus: Testing
Discussion:
-Central idea changed to: The process of erosion transforms the physical earth
-Concept map of subjects connection through the conceptual lens
-Possible learning tasks: IT timeline of erosion, human changes over time (observations), Gobstoppers observation
-Erosion experiments over 3 weeks & design solution
-Summative assessment-students' understanding of the central idea-which standards will align and be assessed? TBD
-Science fair: problem, design, refine, energy type
Action:
-Update unit planner-add learning tasks into the inquiry cycle (Tracy)
-Align science standards with summative assessment (Mandala)
-Research inquiry activities for unit (all)
-Complete reflections on energy unit (all)
Next meeting:
Assessment tool for summative task
May 12th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Babette, Trish Absent: Mandala: Testing
Discussion:
-Overview of related standards to this unit and how well they fit with the central idea and lines of inquiry
-Summative assessment task-to design a solution to mitigate the effects of erosion
-Provocation: time-lapse videos on erosion-observe a small mound of sand disappearing over time
-Teacher questions created
-Pre-assessment-students choose preferred medium to express their understanding of the central idea
Action:
-Update unit planner (Tracy)
-Research learning tasks (all)
Next meeting:
Continue with unit planner until completed
May 5th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Mandala, Babette Absent: Trish
Discussion:
Babette and Tracy – Entrance Exams
Fergus – Mystery Object – descriptive writing activity for next week
John – Formative Assessment, final tweaks
Erica – WWAPT Reflections
Mandala – Planning Document for HTWW Summative Assessment task
Apr 28th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala, Babette
Discussion:
-Field trip details, May 22nd Ferrari World, list adult helpers
-Summative task; designing a device, to solve a real world problem, need examples
-Formative assessment will be modified from the pre-assessment
-Reflection details for field trip
Action:
-Modify pre-assessment to create formative (John)
-Reflection on Masdar city fieldtrip (Fergus)
-Complete reflections on WWAPT (Tracy, Erica, Babette)
Next meeting;
TBD
Apr 21st, 2014
Present: Tracy, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala Apologies: Babette (entrance exam)
Discussion:
-Summative assessment rubric-possibility of opening it up to the students to add to it
-Student Led conference possible activities
-Activities for next week's based on standards
Next meeting:
-Completing planner; formative assessments etc.
-Sharing inquiry tasks matched to standards
Apr 15th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala
Discussion:
Teacher questions added to unit planner
Pre-assessment; mind map four key words relating to energy
Summative assessment tool
Action:
Summative assessment tool (Trish)
Pre-assessment graphic organizer (Mandala)
Next meeting;
Formative assessments
Mar 24th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Trish, Mandala Absent:Fergus (entrance exams)
Discussion:
-Changing central idea to align more tightly to standards-energy exists in different forms that transfer from place to place
-Tuning in activities
-Provocation: video of Philipino man who creates sustainable lighting project, field trip to Masdar city
-Activities for inquiry cycle
-Summative assessment;design, test and refine a device based on the criterion that it converts
-ICT integration through Minecraft, kidspiration-design tools
Action;
-Research activities and formative assessment ideas (all)
Next meeting;
-Summative assessment tool
Mar 17th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala
Discussion:
-Grade 5 exhibition on Mar 26th, G4 concert the next day, trip to Masdar City the following week
-Posters for summative made by Mary Chris, country flags to be removed in case of creating a bias before the task begins
-Gradebook quarter 3;international day activity, formative and summative assessments to be included
-Summative assessment rubric created to match task
Action;
-Summative assessment on Wednesday this week at 8:00am- Trish to photograph
-Reflections for WWA (all)
Next meeting:
-Next unit planning
Mar 10th, 2014
Tracy, Babette & Mandala: administering entrance exam
Fergus & Erica: finishing off WWA on MB
John & Trish: Checklist assessment tool for International Day
Mar 3rd, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala
Discussion:
-Formative assessment of lines of inquiry: migration through history: possible alignment with international day
Feb 24th, 2014
Meeting cancelled (Trish teaching Grade 2)
Feb 17th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala
Discussion:
Feb 10th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala
Discussion:
Provocation: showing a video of a migration story, possibly The History of Ellis Island/ Risking it all Across Mexico
Pre-assessment: graphic organizer divided into three columns-challenges, risks, opportunities-give example of having to change schools
Inquiry cycle: populated with activities from last year's planner
Action:
Summative assessment tool (Trish)
Source literature related to migration (Babette)
Source video clips/movies (Fergus/John)
Write a letter inviting parents in for Ask the Expert (Erica)
Reflections (all) Tracy to check that they are all completed
Feb 3rd, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala
Discussion:
-WWAPT unit-summative assessment: students travelling to different classes
-Assessment rubric for summative
-Activities for inquiry cycle
-Possible pre-assessment and provocation
Jan 27th, 2014
Meeting cancelled (Trish teaching in Grade 1)
Jan 20th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala
Discussion:
-Resources: a skeleton and pumping heart has been obtained
-Formative assessment: a selection of experiments have been compiled to focus on the lines of inquiry
-Fergus shared the unit vocabulary list
-Discussion about the format of the summative assessment-questions, fact cards, choice of template or create original...
Action:
-Complete unit planner (Erica & Trish)
-Source board games from other Grades (Mandala)
Jan 13th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish, Mandala
Discussion:
-Inquiry cycle activities based around four body systems; digestive, respiratory, cardio vascular, nervous
-Formative assessment to be based mainly on the second line of inquiry-students show their understanding of how they can maintain healthy body systems
-Pre-assessment results: students had some idea of the names of the body parts but knew very little about the systems' functions
Action:
-Create formative assessment sheet (Mandala)
-Compile a unit vocabulary list (Fergus)
-Inquiry cycle activities (all)
Jan 7th, 2014
Present: Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish Absent: Mandala
Discussion:
-Updating unit planner on Managebac-added summative assessment task, possible student-initiated action, provocation, teacher questions, Learner Profile attributes, attitudes and skills
-Rubric created for the summative assessment task
-Discussion of the assessing of the central idea for HWEO-only mentioned in a formative assessment
-Board game format-discussion about having the choice to use templates or making it completely independently
Action:
-Exemplars of the summative assessments to be added to the resource section on units 1 & 2 planners (Mandala & Fergus)
-WWA summative assessment to be completed and uploaded onto MB (Trish)
-Reflections on HWEO (all)
Next meeting:
-Discuss results of pre-assessment and add to planner
-Collaborate on activity ideas for the inquiry cycle
Dec 9th, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish
Discussion:
-Complete summative assessment this week
-Looking ahead, it would be better to do a science unit next-WWA
-Summative assessment: board games based on the central idea-present to Grade 1 kids
-Pre-assessment: cut out foldable body chart
Action:
-Research ideas for inquiry cycle learning tasks
-Create formative assessment tasks for the lines of inquiry
-Reflections on HEWO (all)
Next meeting:
-Create formative assessment tasks for the lines of inquiry
-Develop assessment tool
Dec 2nd, 2013
National Day Holiday
Nov 25th, 2013
Nov 18th, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, John, Fergus, Trish Absent: Erica (no music cover)
Discussion:
-Summative assessment-finer details, app icons to go on Weebly for kids to download
-Opinion writing-tie in to the summative assessment
Next meeting:
-Literacy Plan
-Looking ahead to the next unit
Nov 11th, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish
Discussion:
-Digital storytelling video inspired summative assessment-how to construct the process
-Digital resources apps and on the internet such as; Face Jack, Morfo, Toontastic, Extranormal
-Plan: present videos to students during assemblies and elicit reactions, then use a variety of sentence prompts "Mad Libs" to engage the children in expressing their reactions using a variety of adjectives
Action:
Add relevant apps to G4 Weebly (Mandala)
Create a Grade 4 BYOD disclaimer (John)
Nov 4th, 2013
Holiday: Hijra New Year
Oct 28th, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish
Discussion:
-Pre-assessment this week, John completed perspective box
-Going further: acting out a point of view/debate e.g school uniform
-Talking Heads App: team leader to use device
Action:
-Create a Grade 4 disclaimer for the use of ipads in school (Tracy/Mandala)
-Obtain student email addresses from Nathaniel (Trish)
-Forward Speaking & Listening rubric to Babette (Trish)
Oct 21st, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish
Discussion:
-Suggested corridor supervisor in the mornings at assembly time
-Collaborative planning for the next unit HWEO: summative assessment & rubric, pre-assessment task, tuning in activities, suggested resources, possible field trips
Action:
-Sketch out the summative assessment task and design rubric (Tracy)
-Tuning in activity and carousel for literacy activity (Babette)
-Pre-assessment activity (John)
-Visualisation/Prediction task-source resources (Erica)
-"Scream" E. Munsch activity (Fergus)
Oct 7th, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish
Discussion:
-Summative assessment task for the next unit
-Finishing up current unit, how to begin summative task for HWOO
-Feedback on how the positive and negative incentive based system is going
Sept 30th, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish
Discussion:
-Explanation of the summative assessment task and tools
-Discussion on reason to align English writing standards to units
-Verbal reflection on the current unit and its depth of understanding
Next meeting:
Align English standards to units
Sept 23rd, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish
Discussion:
-Assessments, summative task format and tools
-What to include on gradebook
-Relevant skills needed to complete the task
Action:
Create rubric for skills and understanding of the central idea
Next meeting:
TBD
Sept 16th, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish
Discussion:
-Managebac updates allocated;WWA: Tracy, WAPT:John, HWEO: Fergus, HWW:Babette, HWOO: Mandala, STP: Erica
-Timetable restrictions for UOI caused by Reading Street and dealing with behavioral issues
-Suggested behavioral management strategies;time out in a neighboring class incentive/reward system
-Group consensus that postponing creating the class essential agreements was having an adverse effect on student behavior
Action:
-Assembly rota to be filled in with the integrated attribute/attitude/skill (Babette)
-Meeting with Arabic teachers to ensure punctuality at prayer times(Mandala & Rana)
Next meeting:
Review assessments
Sept 9th, 2013
Present: Mandala, Tracy, Babette, Erica, John, Fergus, Trish
Discussion:
-Aligning the Learner Profile attributes, PYP attitudes and transdisciplinary skills with each unit in order to create an assembly plan for the year
-Delegation of assemblies to each team member
-Who will be responsible for updating units on Managebac?
Action:
-Trish will update planners on Managebac
-Tracy will show all how to access EDM online
Next meeting:
Review inquiry cycle
NEW ACADEMIC YEAR
May 13, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy D, Gideon, Ita, William Glenn
Discussion:
- Worked on formative tasks for HWOO
- Reflection section of HWOO
- Revised teacher questions (so that there are fewer, more open to inquiry)
Action:
- Complete HWOO planner (G4 team)
- Bring HTWW planner as up to date as possible (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- G4 team to work independently onvisit preparation
April 29, 2013
Present
Discussion:
- Summative assessment: Developed summative tasks and cintinued to develop inquiry cycle
- Reviewed and worked on planner for HTWW
April 22, 2013
*Meeting with IB Consultant: Peggy Bumanis
April 15, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy D, Gideon, Ita, William Glenn (Apologies: Fares)
Discussion:
- Completed reflection section of HWEO planner
- Reviewed HWOO planner and discussed tasks for the upcoming weeks, aslo briefly discussed summative task
Action:
- Continue to develop HWOO
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with HWOO and start to pre-plan for HTWW
March 18, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy D, Fares, Gideon, Ita, Glenn (Apologies: William - no Arabic)
Discussion:
- Progress with HWEO: Still much to do, more time needed to complete the unit properly.
- Revision of unit sequence: extended HWEO due to busy time of year. HWOO will have to be designed to be a short unit.
- Planning for HWOO: Reflected on unit objectives (in relation tot he key concepts/lines of inquiry); discussed different approaches to the unit: decided on enduring understandings that we want students to achieve; came up with ingenious idea of using the society from Monsters Inc as a vehicle for exploration of heirarchy, authiority and rules
- Refined some tuning in and finding out activities to accomodate the above
Action:
- Continue to develop ideas for HWOO (G4 team)
Next meeting:
- Review what needs to be done in order for the HWEO planner to be complete
- Continue to develop planner for HWOO
March 11, 2013
Present: Josh, Gideon, Ita, Fares, Glenn (Apologies: William and Tracy D)
Discussion:
- Reviewed ideas for summative assessment task
- Developed formative assessment tasks
- Developed provocation (see planner)
- Started to populate inquiry cycle
- Revised HWEO unit end date (extended another week) due to super busy weeks
Action:
- Continue to develop ideas for inquiry cycle and assessment tasks for proposed outcomes
Next Meeting:
- Review progress: continue to develop assessment tasks and populate inquiry cycle
March 4, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, Ita, , Fares, Glenn (Apologies: William)
Discussion:
- Worked on pre-planning for HWOO: ideas documented in section 9 of planner
- Preparations for G4 concert
Action:
- Continue to develop ideas, particulary with regards to possible modifications to CI and summative task
Next Meeting:
- Review HWEO
- Continue to develop HWOO
Feb 25, 2013
*Glenn absent
February 18, 2013
Present: Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Glenn (Apologies: Josh, Ita)
Discussion:
- Reviewed Inventor report rubric
- Developed tool for summative task (in assessment tools folder)
Action:
- Develop step by step plan for Rube Goldberg Machine design (G4 team)
- Ensure that all assessment tools and unit resources are placed intot he relative unit folders (G4 team)
- Start to develop planner for unit #5 (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
February 11, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn
Discussion:
- Reviewed assessment tasks and tools: tweaked some bits, explained others. Well done..
- Started developing criteria for summative rubric
- Removed 'light' task
- Moved report writing task to section 1
Action:
- Develop inventor criteria (Josh)
- Develop tool for summative assessment (tbd)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
- Start to look at unit #5?
February 4, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn
Discussion:
- Progress with development of assessment tasks/tools for HWEO: developed task related to outcomes
- Development of inquiry cycle: Added some tasks to the IC
Action:
- Develop tools for proposed tasks (G4 team)
Next Meeting;
- Review progress
January 28, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn
Discussion:
- Progress with development of assessment tasks/tools for HWEO: nothing done since last meeting
- Development of inquiry cycle: as above
- Outcomes: new or old? Decided to stick with the neew as they will be the ones used next year.
- Some development of assessment tasks (writing task - section 3)
- Worked on a summative rubric: still not completely aligned with central idea and summative task (more work to be done here)
- Resources for this unit:elements of SCIS kits and Interactive science (books 8 and 9?)
Action:
- Develop aligned assessment tasks and tools for proposed outcomes (G4 team)
- Continue to populate inquiry cycle (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with regards to action items
January 21, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn
Discussion:
- Completed reflection section for WWAPT
- Summative assessment task for HWEO
- Which types of energy/inventors would be focussed on..
- Tuning in activities
Action:
- Continue to develop planner: development of assessment tasks/tools for proposed outcomes (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with regards to development of assessment tasks/tools
January 14, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn
Discussion:
- Reviewed progress with WWAPT
- Started to complete the reflection sections on the WWAPT planner
- Looked at where the HWEO planner is at and discussed what needs to be done in order to be prepapred for the transition
- Developed summative (HWEO) to incorporate the creation of a Rube Goldberg machine
- Discussed including forces as a type of energy
Action:
- Continue to develop outline for summative task (G4 team)
- Develop assessment tasks for proposed outcomes (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Complete reflection sections of WWAPT
- Review progress witht he development of assessment tasks/tools for HWEO
January 7, 2013
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Glenn
Discussion:
- Resources teams with Dr Lynn: any interest?
- Migration activity overview: discussed the proposal
- Inquiry cycle for WWAPT: added some activities
Action:
- Put developed assessment tools into the assessment tools folder (Ita and Josh)
- Review planning documentation and add anything that isn't there into the Inquiry Cycle (G4 team)
- Prepare PPTs and other resources needed to communicate information about countries (G4 team)
- Prepare HWEO planner (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress/start looking at next unit
December 10, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, Ita, Glenn (Apologies: William - no Arabic)
Discussion:
- Briefly dicussed development of outcomes for science and social studies
- Tidied up assessment tasks for proposed outcomes for WWAPT: added an ELA outcome/task
- Discussed possible criteria for summative task: in line with central idea and select trans-disciplinary skills
- Developed rubric for summative assessment task
- Added a couple of strategies ot the inquiry cycle
Action:
- Communicate UAE/Islamic outcomes that are to be covered in those classes to Ms Anaam (Josh)
- Develop assessment tools for each of the tasks that have not yet had tools developed for them: Narrative writing, Pros and Cons, Migration mapping, staff survey (G4 team)
- Create activities that develop/promote chose LP attributes and attitudes (G4 team)
- Complete teacher questions section (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
November 25, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Gideon, Ita, Glenn
Discussion:
- Continued to develop ideas for WWAPT unit
Action:
- Develop aligned assessment tasks for proposed outcomes
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
November 18, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Gideon, Ita, Maria, Glenn
Discussion:
*Meeting with IB Consultant regarding progress since last visit, challenges, and most urgent needs
November 5, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Gideon, Ita, Glenn
Discussion:
- Review of planning progress
- Development of
- Discussion surrounding the difference between the stages going further and making conclusions: perhaps going further isn't really relevant to us at this stage?
- Development of sorting out strategies
- Technology tie-in possibilities
Action:
- Skills focus (G4 team)
- Section 5 - Resources (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
-
October 22, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Ita, Glenn, John (!)
Discussion:
- Work session on developing aligned assessment tasks and populating inquiry cycle for STP unit
Action:
- Continue to populate inquiry cycle with strategies both from Classroom Connections and individual brain boxes (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress and continue to populate inquiry cycle
- Identify tools/resources that need to be generated and delegate responsibility
October 15, 2012
* Meeting cancelled due to PYPC meeting at MBZ
October 8, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Ita, Glenn
Discussion:
- Challenges being faced by G4 teachers: low level of language ability vs. high expectations of standards; math spiral not working (for some); much focus needed on developing fundamental skills - so much so that it's making progress with inquiry/critical thiking/IB related areas of focus difficult, and to some - seemingly impossible.
- Students coming through lacking the skills needed to cope with the program. The system demands (and structure) doing students a disservice as they are continually being promoted through the grades despite the fact that they lack skill needed
- Due to the above: (some teachers) are focusing on basic skills - and the development and implementation of the PYP is not a priority
- * These challenges need to be communicated to Mr John, Mr Gustav, Dr Lynn and Ms Mary
- Pre-planning for WWAPT: basic elements of unit have been transferred onto the planner
Action:
- Complete reflection sections of WWA unit (G4 team)
- Choose ELA outcomes that will be covered in unit #2 (G4 team)
- Work on assessment tasks and Inquiry Cycle for unit #2, as supported by 091012 PD session (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with completion of WWA planner
- Review progress with development of unit #2 planner
October 1, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Ita, Glenn
Discussion:
- Work session on WWA planner: developed assessment tasks, aligned with ELA standards
- Some weebly discussion
- Challenges/priorities
Action:
- Fill out inquiry cycle with activities/tasks as yet undocumented (G4 team)
- Review documented ELA standards (on planner) to make sure they are the only ones that are being covered within this unit - if there are more they need to be in the planner
(G4 team)
- Add math activity and related outcome (G4 team)
- Meet with Josh to start work on next unit (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with planner/summative assessments
- Pre-planning for unit #2
September 23, 2012
*No meeting due to AdvancEd (all day) session
September 17, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Fares, Ita, Glenn
Discussion:
- Learner profile: decided to focus on one (common) attribute per week - this week: principled
- Chose ELA evidence outcomes that we will focus on during this unit and put them into planner (section 3). Started to align assessment tasks..
- Added a page for the Inquiry Cycle overview: took proposed tasks from section 4 and penciled them in
Action:
- Develop assessment tassk that align with proposed ELA evidence outcomes (G4 team)
- Continue to populate stages of inquiry cycle with tasks (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with assessment tasks and inquiry cycle
September 10, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, Gideon, William, Ita, Glenn
Discussion:
- Inquiry cycles: PD session to explore coming up in the next couple of weeks; looking at implementing for 2nd unit
- Embedding evidence outcomes within planner: need to align evidence outcomes with actual assessments on planner - [possbly in section 3?
- Single subject integration: all SS teachers should be able to integrate with this unit: need some kind of structure that enables behavior in SS classes to be reflected upon in classroom
- Consultation visit: Sometime in late September - date as yet unknown
- LP award: new format - Looks ok..
- G4 webpage: Looking at communicating it to parents from this Sunday? Some concern about teachers using their school email addreses to send out link each week
- Planner progress: information needs to be transferred across
*Meeting finished early due to teachers assisting SS teachers with dismissal
Action:
- Development of planner for first unit (Josh/Tracy)
- Speak with Specialists about a constructive way that they can contribute to LP unit (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Planner and SS integration progress
June 19, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Ita, William, Gideon, Glenn
Discussion:
- G2/G45 overlap in STP: changed G4 unit focus to adaptations
- HWEO focus: modified CI to remove 'creativity', and to have more of an explicit focus on inventors and their use of energy resources in meeting societal needs
Action:
- Continue to developassessment ideas (G4 team)
- Share new focus with G2 (Glenn)
June 6, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Glenn (Apologies: Gideon)
Discussion:
- POI development next steps
- Thought about possible assessments for WWA unit
- Looked at ISOCS pages/planners for summ. assessment ideas
- Worked out LP and Attributes for all units
- Briefly discussed overview for G4 >G5 session
Action:
- Think about/pencil in summative and formative assessment ideas for each unit (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
-Review progress and continue development
May 30, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, Loretta, Fares, William, Glenn (Apologies: Ita)
Discussion:
- Grade 4>5 session
- WWA unit: The Learner Profile: ISOCS unit pages
- Continued to develop G4 POI: created/rubber stamped central ideas for WWA, HTWW, STP
- Tweaked CI for HWEO
- Next steps: write/find/propose LOI for each unit
- 6 new units - skeleton planners will need to be developed in readiness for the next school year
Action:
- Continue to look at LOI for each unit (G4 team)
- Add Learner profile and Attitudes (G4 team)
- Add related concepts (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Finalize LOI
May 23, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Loretta, Fares, Glenn (Apologies: Ita)
Discusion:
- Continued to develop POI
- Refined HWEO central idea, incorporating the concepts of creativity and needs
- Discussed possibility of looking at new (more exciting?) focus for WWA unit: found a unit on the Learner Profile - penciled it in for discussion
- Conceptual ideas - very broad to encompass inquiry
- Portfolio development/student led conferences
Action:
- Look at units that still don't have an obvious focus - create CI proposals (G4 team and Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
May 17, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Loretta, Ita, Glenn, Natasha(!)
Discusion:
- Worked on problem solving the POI development document
- Put science outcomes into HWEO with a focus on Inventors and creativity - energy will be explored parallel to a famous inventor (eg. Tesla) and the way he used resources to creatively meet the needs of hiss ociety
May 9, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Loretta, Ita, Glenn
Discusion:
- HTWW unit progress
- POI reconstruction
- Standards and how we need them to fit
- Challenges with making so many fit (esp. with regard to Social Science)
- Social Science/UAE studies overlap
Action:
- Look at where standards were placed during stage 1 and decide as to whether changes need to be made/what changes need to be made (G5 team)
- Meet with Mary, Marium and Lynn to discuss SS challenges and report back to teams (Glenn
Next Meeting:
- Continue development and review
April 11, 2012
Present: Gideon, Josh, Tracy, Fares, William, Glenn (Apologies: Loretta)
Discussion:
- G5 POI review (embedding science and social science standards)
Action:
- Take POI overview generated today and put into electronic format (Glenn)
Next week:
- Review electronic copy of G5 POI overview
March 21, 2012
Present: Josh, Fares, Gideon, Ita, Glenn (Apologies: William, Tracy D)
Discussion:
- G4 classroom visits - going really well!
- Progress with documenting activities
- Which social science standards fit
- How to document the above
- Task ideas for specific social science standards (eg Geography)
- Worked with standards and planner
Action:
- Develop section4 activities to reflect standards hit (Josh)
- Timeline and explanatory writing piece on Abu Dhabi commerce (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
March 14, 2012
* Meeting cancelled due to IB consultant visit
March 7, 2012
Present: Josh, Tracy, Gideon, William, Ita, Loretta, Glenn
Discussion:
- Market scheduled for April 17
- Students to conduct 2 surveys
- Concert item development
Business Journal Sections:
Pre-production
1. Tabulation of Data Collected (survey, data handling)
2. Description of Goods or Services (Literacy)
3. Materials needed including costs
4. Roles within the group (Literacy)
5. Stall design plan (Art)
Post
1. Business report (profit and loss statement: expenses/revenue/profit)
2. Reflection: what worked well and what could have been done better
- Start-up costs: 50 dhs per group company member
- Art integration: design of market stall
Action:- Make Business journal and share it with teachers (Josh)
- Develop assessment tool for summative task (Josh)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
February 29, 2012
Present: Tracy D, Josh, Fares, Gideon, William, Ita, Glenn
Discussion:
- Unit planning checklist
- Development of assessment tasks and tools
- Kids to form companies that will work together to develop, market and sell a good or service. Roles within the company will be: Sales manager; Production manager; head accountant; and Design manager.
- Summative assessment task: Business journal - develop a 'structured report' with which they will record their understanding of: different roles within their company; how well people worked together; their financial statement and...
Action:
- Develop checklist that identifies their understanding of roles within a marketplace (William)
- Develop criteria for summative assessment (that will then make up the components of the Business Journal) (G4 Team)
- Develop activities that will develop understanding of the above (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
- Review Unit timeline
- Share and discuss checklist, business journal and ...?
February 22, 2012
Present: Peter, Tracy, Fares, Ita, Gideon, William, Glenn
Discussion:
- Market proposal:real money or not?
- Pre-assessment: brainstorm 'everything you know about markets'. make sure there is something generated that can be referred back to throughout the process
- Tuning in: deconstruct central idea
- Consolidation of section 4 activity ideas
- Referred to social studies standards: discussed scarcity and possible ways it could be covered. need for clarity of activity and assessment tool to be developed.
Action:
- Develop idea and assessment tool for scarcity activity (Ita)
- Transfer section 4 ideas onto planner (Glenn)
- Speak with John about Market proposal (Josh)
- Speak with specialist teachers re. integration (Josh)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress
- Summative assessment tool and LOI assessments
- Plan for completion of reflection sections
February 15, 2012
* Meeting cancelled due to Prinicipal's ADEC inspection meeting
February 8, 2012
Present: Fares, Gideon, Ita, William, Josh, Tracy D, Peter, Glenn
Discussion:
- Areas of the Marketplace to be focused on: Supermarket; Mall; Souks (spice, gold, vegetable, fish, carpet etc).
- Don't focus on too many..
- Pre-assessment should be a cold read of what the kids know: brainstorm everything they know about a market - individually or in groups.
- Writing component: reports and narratives are in standards - generate activities towards them?
- Summative assessment: goods and services market
- Meaning of third line of inquiry: our needs and the ways they connect with marketplaces
- Developed teacher questions
Action:
- Transfer meeting notes to planner (Glenn)
- Generate activity ideas that line up with social science, Math and ELA standards (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Lines of inquiry assessment ideas
- Section 4 activities development
February 1, 2012
*Weekly meeting changed to Wedneday to accomodate MYP coordinator's ability to attend Exec Meeting
Meeting cancelled due to G4 field trip
January 23, 2012
Present: Fares, Gideon, Ita, Josh, Tracy D, Peter, Glenn
Discussion:
- Summative assessment task: 2 components - instructional writing and board game
Action:
- Modify instructional writing rubric (Tracy)
- Generate rubric for summative assessment - criteria ideas in section 9 on planner(G4 team)
- Find Light self- assessment (G4 team)
- Generate Heat rubric (Josh)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with rubrics and other assessment tools
- Look at central idea and lines of inquiry for Marketplace unit
January 16, 2012
Present: Fares, Gideon, Peter, Ita, Josh, Tracy D, William, Glenn
Discussion:
- Challenge with integrating the sound component without Music specialists assistance - need for more effective integration, communication and follow up with this
- Very challenged with resourcing of unit - many of the activities as planned were not supported by the resources available at school (where are all the science resources from the PS last year?)
- Too many activities planned for - teachers struggling to keep up
Action:
- Develop rubrics for instructional writing (Tracy D) and the board game
- Look at assessment activities (except sound) and decide upon what assessment tools need to be generated for each (G4 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review (developed ?) assessment tools/resources
- Other?
January 9, 2012
Present: Peter, Ita, Tracy D, Josh, Gideon, William, Fares
Discussion:
- Energy unit progress
- Weekly planning document and ways that this can be completed collaboratively
- Reflection section of Media Magic
Action:
- Finish sections 8 and 9 of Media Magic planner (G4 Team)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with Energy unit
December 12, 2012
Present: Tracy, Josh, Gideon, Fares
Discussion:
- Findings of yesterday's science meeting: two units accomodate science standards very well but the remaining eveidence outcomes don't really lend themselves to the organizing theme descriptors at all
- Conclusion: look at social science alignment and then decide what will inevitably have to remain as stand alone
Action:
- Plug Social Science evidence outcomes into unit overview doc (cut and paste). Use document to decide which units (if any) need to be changed out in order to more closely align standards (G4 team)
- Look at section 4 of planner to ensure that there are activities that develop an understanding of the third line of inquiry (How we use energy in our daily lives)
Next Meeting:
- Review weekly planning document
December 5, 2011
Discussion:
- Pushed unit back a week
- Central idea doesn't fit as well with the transdisciplinaryt heme any more
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.
Central idea: Energy is found in various forms and is used in our everyday life.
- Working our way through the Energy unit planner
Action:
- Contact Aaron regarding how the sound component of the unit will work: exploring different sounds and how are produced (Fares)
- Look at activities in section 4 and identify which lines of inquiry they are focused on (Tracy D)
Next Meeting:
- Media Magic reflection section review
- Unit progress and assessments
November 21, 2011
Discussion:
- Media Magic assessments - Tracy D handed out a document.
- As homework wasn't completed, group had to use the time to brainstorming activities for the next unit.
- Aligned the activities to the key concepts.
Action:
- Media Magic Assessments: Josh - Poster advert rubric; William: TV advert rubric (speaking)
- Next time work with planned activities - resources (are they practical), do they meet the standards? Which activities are good for what (Tuning in, summative assessment etc)?.
November 14, 2011
Discussion:
- Review of Media Magic progress: where we are at and which standards we can use to develop assessments. Quite difficult for this usnit as the only ones that seem to fit are ELA. Stand alone science happening in this unit.
- How specialist integration has gone: Difficult to know what specialist teacher is doing as there is little communication going back and forth. Feeling that specialist needs to be the one that communicates progress and ideas after initial planning session.
- Looking forward to the next unit: Energy. Many standards are applicable for this unit but last year's planner must be closely reviewed in order for the focus to be in the right direction.
Action:
- Write up ideas for assessment tasks using Speaking and Listening ELA standards (Tracy D)
Next Week:
- Review ideas for assessment tasks
- Look at what needs to be collected/prepared for Energy unit
October 31
Discussion:
As documentation for our upcoming IB visit is due this Wednesday it was decided that we would focus on completing the reflection section of Unit 1 during this week's meeting
- Briefly discussed unit progress and what needs to be done during 'team time' to stay on track
- Reflection section for 'How we learn best': group walk through of the different reflection sections of the planner, all teachers contributed their thoughts and ideas which were noted in the relevant sections
October 24, 2011
Discussion:
- Ways that we can make meetings as effective as possible: bring hard copies of planners to meetings (if needed), PYPC to send out meeting agenda with invites, note taker appointed to keep track of any action that is to be taken, teachers bring sonmething to write on so they can keep track of responsibilities)
- Assessment tasks: ways to ensure that they reflect our standards
- Report card grading: ways that assessment tasks can/will be broken up for the grade book
Action:
- Review assessment tasks sections (section 1 and 3), bring ideas to next meeting (G4 team)
- Review weekly planning document that was developed by Gideon and Glenn - adopt and adapt if necessary (G4 team)
- Print off a copy of standards for planning meetings (Peter?)
- Update planner with suggested activity ideas (Glenn)
Next Week:**
- Review ideas for assessment tasks
- Delegate members to develop assessment tools for the above