November 5, 2012 Present: Nashreen, Colette, Evan, Glenn (Aplogies: Patrick and Riaan - cover for BS) Discussion:
- WWA (unit #1) planner incomplete! It's vital that this is completed so that I can include it with other planners for IB application. *Even thought he team thinks that they didn't use the inquiry cycle: they did -there were activities at the beginning of the unit where students were 'tuning in', as there was much 'finding and sorting out'. This was not documented on the planner throughout the delivery of the unit, but rather it was documented in weekly planning documentation. Glenn will transfer the activities and strategies that were actually utilized intot he appropriate stages on the planner so that the planner will be included in the submission of documentation to the IB.
- WWAPT unit: realized that the (pre-planned) focus of the summative assessment task was on migration and exploration - whereas it should have been reflective of the CI and LOI. Modified the task so as to ensure alignment
- Added an assessment task - timeline. This could open up for a unit-related (i.e. ouotside EDM) math outcome to be covered
- Dveloped strategies for finding out and sorting out (WWAPT)
Action:
- Send science and literacy planning to Glenn (Colette and Patrick)
- Transfer unit-related strategies and tasks across into inquiry cycle on planner (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Glenn will be absent. Team will continue to work on populating inquiry cycle, developing section 5 of the planner (resources), and the development of any resources/assessment tools that will be needed for the unit.
October 22, 2012 Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Evan, Patrick, Glenn Discussion:
- Work session on developing aligned assessment tasks for WWAPT
Action:
- Reflection sections of WWA (G5 team)
- Development of tuning in and finding out for WWAPT (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review and continue to develop WWAPT
October 15, 2012 Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Evan, Patrick (Apologies: Glenn - at PYPC meeting at MBZ) Discussion: - Worked on the reflection section for unit #1: nearly there..
Action: - Complete Reflection and work on our Tuning In activities for Unit 2 - Grade 5 weebly
Next Meeting: -Review progress
October 8, 2012 Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Evan, Glenn (Apologies: Patrick) Discussion:
- Exibition workshop debrief: Exhibition unit should be transdisciplinary - please see documentation and online resources regarding this (in follow up email). I fear that this aspect of the exhibition process was not communicated effectively. WS leader also recommended that only 'capable' students should be included and that others be given the time to develop literacy skills that are desperately lacking - not sure how this would fly: it would definitely have to be okayed by the higher ups. I'm also not sure how logistically possible it is.
- Challenges being faced by G5 teachers: low level of language ability vs. high expectations of standards; not being given enough support to deliver the program effectively; class sizes and lack of human (people) resources making differentiation virtually impossible
- Pre-planning for WWAPT
Action:
- Complete reflection sections of WWA unit (G5 team)
- Work on assessment tasks and Inquiry Cycle for unit #2, as supported by 091012 PD session (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Revieew progress with completion of WWA planner
- Review progress with development of unit #2 planner
October 1, 2012 Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Patrick, Evan, Glenn Discussion:
- Logins for Brainpop and Tumblebooks
- Ways to use brainpop for research
- Weebly pages: PYP page development
- Work session on WWA planner: focused on aligning science and ELS outcomes with tasks in section 3; teacher questions; summative asssessment revision and proposed transdisciplinary skills
Action:
- Help Nashreen with the setup of the G5 weebly (Glenn - tbd)
- Input what has been done throughout the unit into Inquiry Cycle (page 5) of Unit Planner 1 (whole Team)
- Work on Reflection – pages 6 – 9 of WWA planner. Only 2 weeks to go until unit #2 (whole Team)
Next Meeting:
- Check links between Standards and Assessment Tasks in UOI 2
- Devise ‘Teacher Questions’ for UOI 2
- Devise strategy for teaching UOI 2
September 24, 2012 *Meeting cancelled due to all day AdvancEd meeting
September 17, 2012 Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Glenn (Apologies: Patrick and Evan - scheduling conflict) Discussion:
- Scheduling challenges - need to explore further to find a fix: Met with Chris and it's looking like we can get at least one session by getting a swap for Patrick's ICT class - this will get the 6 of us together but only after the Art/Drama teacher arrives
- Worked on developing the planner for WWA
- Discussed ways to accomodate student inquiry: the end goal shouold always be to promote inquiry and the development of skills needed - student questions should be a springboard for the facilitation of this. Ensure that unit-related student questions are celebrated and pursued (creatively) in class, non-unit related should be tactfully steered into library or homework time.
Action:
- Develop teacher questions: document on planner (G5 team)
- Develop assessment tasks for all proposed science evidence outcomes (G5 team)
- Decide which ELA evidence outcomes should be documented on the planner for this unit (G5 team)
- Continue to tidy up planner (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review planner and unit development
- Look at what assessment tools tasks need to be developed
September 10, 2012 Present: Riaan, Evan, Nashreen, Colette, Glenn (Apologies: Patrick) Discussion:
- Timetables: principals to re-review and decide on how to create a common planning time
- Agenda: Glenn to send out (as per usual)
- Exhibition workshop: Nashreen and Riaan to participate.
- Consultation visit: as yet unconfirmed - waiting on word back from Mr gustav
- Verification (Authorization) visit: scheduled for early May 2013
- G5 Exhibition: How we express ourselves. Artistc expression/cultural attachment - need to word Jen and BS Art teacher up (*need Chris to ensure that Art specialist is working with G5 boys in the leadup to this)
- PYP related displays: Central idea (with embedded concepts highlighted in some way), Lines of inquiry, Key Concepts, Transdisciplinary theme and INTERACTIVE Learner Profile and Attitudes. Please go here to find a bunch of resources that you can tailor to suit your needs
- Assessments:
- All evidence outcomes to be covered (by classroom teacher) are now embedded within units
- Nothing (Science or social Science-wise) should be taught/assessed outside of the unit
- Need to work on an intuitive way to document assessments within the planner - they were going into section 2, but might be better if they are in section 3?
- Planner: need to get on this
Action:
- Develop unit planner for WWA, using information from standards alignment/POI docs: G5 team
- Send relevant documentation to Evan (Glenn)
- Visit classrooms and co-teach/unpack unit (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with planner/unit
June 14, 2012 Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Glenn Discussion:
- Continued to develop POI standards alignment: specifically with regards to LOIs, assessment tasks and tools
Action:
- Continue to develop/pencil in assessment tasks (G5 teachers adn Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress and finalize
May 24, 2012 Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Glenn Discussion:
- G4 transition session involving G5 teachers: to be held on June 7 in the theatre
- Science standards: new vs. old
- Portfolio development: progress
- Standards alignment - POI development continued
Action:
- Continue to look at possibilities for replacement units that align with standards (G5 team and Glenn)
- Discuss possibility of G4 girls taking a trip to the GS with Gustav/Principals (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress and continue to build planner for new unit
May 17, 2012 Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Glenn Discussion:
- Standards alignment - POI development continued
May 11, 2012 Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Glenn Discussion:
- Standards alignment - POI development continued
Action:
- Continue to look at possibilities for replacement units that align with standards (G5 team and Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress and continue to build planner for new unit
May 4, 2012 Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Glenn Discussion:
- Standards alignment - moved a couple of science outcomes across so that there are now 3 units with science coverage
- STP unit: went through TIS planner and discussed various core elements and how we can move forward using tideas from this planner
- Social studies and Literacy tasks should be unit related - regardless of the ADEC visitor's presence
- Various: skills needed; reflection focus; other grades; resources; communication
- ADEC: what to expect
- Next PYP focuses: development of planner and central ideas for revised POI
Action: - Start unit with provocation and deconstruction of central idea and lines of inquiry (G5 team) - Keep track of progress throughoutt he week and be ready to share progress at next week's meeting - Start building planner (Glenn)
Next Meeting: - Review progress and continue to build planner for new unit April 10, 2012 Present: Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Colette, Glenn Discussion:
- G5 POI review (embedding science and social science standards)
- Relevance/cultural appropriateness of certain social science standards
- Next unit: STP It's not fair
- Citizens or children focus? (Children decided)
- Covering standards for HTWW (the next few weeks)
Action:
- Take POI overview generated today and put into electronic format (Glenn)
- Contact friend at TIS regarding 'It's not fair!' (STP unit) (Glenn)
Next week:
- Review electronic copy of G5 POI overview
- Review central idea and lines of inquiry for STP unit
March 22, 2012 Present: Riaan, Patrick, Glenn (Apologies: Colette, Nashreen) Discussion:
- reflection on Boys exhibition
- Revision for POI review
March 1, 2012 Present: Riaan, Patrick, Colette, Nashreen, Glenn Discussion:
- Girls exhibition moved tot he 15th
- Letter been translated into Arabic and will be sent out
- Developing student questions using Key Concepts: difficlt to generate questions for function and causation that are explicitely different. Overlap is okay - veiw them in relation to the line of inquiry they came from - ie. function: how NDs work; causation: the effects
- Exhibition groups taking off with it
- Reviewed timeline focus: creative writing and data handling next week
February 21, 2012 Present: Riaan, Patrick, Colette, Nashreen, Glenn Discussion:
- Booklets from Qatar academy exhibition - went through and decided upon which pages we could modify/emulate for our own students
- Action component: BS have brainstormed and are working on posters and presentations; GS are looking at starting and continuing on after the end of the exhibition
- Letter to parents reviewed
- Required components: Art: poster and flyers Literacy: 3 focuses - report, narrative and creative (cinquain or haiku poems) Math: Bar/line graphs and pie charts - focusing on statistics found in research. Nathan to help with the development of this - need to have explicit examples of these also (for inclusion with info booth) Science: model od disaster Oral Presentation: group to decide how they will present their findings - can be a creative take (ie. dramatization of event, newscast, classroom scenario etc.)
- Logistics for BS presentations: presentations centralized to the BS library, information booths to be situated on the 28th st side of 2F and in the library corridor
Action:
- Meeting notes (Glenn)
- Compilation and modifications in booklet (Glenn)
- Email Mentors re. meeting groups and required components (G5 team)
- Develop timeline and send to G5 teachers (Glenn)
Next Meeting (Tuesday again?):
- Review and plan for next steps
Feb 16, 2012 Present: Patrick, Riaan, Glenn, Nashreen and Colette Discussion:
- Components of exhibition: Language, Math, Science, Social Studies
- Coverage of the five essential elements
- Mentor recruitment
- Mentor info meeting
- Resources that need to be found/generated
- Grouping of students
Action
- G5 boys lines of inquiry development (Glenn, Riaan, Patrick)
- Recruit mentors (Colette)
- Mentor info session (Glenn)
- Find/develop tools for weekly monitoring (Glenn and G5 teachers)
- Assign groups to mentors and send out info email (G5 teachers)
- Follow up Mentor info session (Glenn)
- Speak with principals about exhibition planning time being taken on Tuesday afetrnoons (Glenn)
- Parent information letter (G5 teachers)
Next Meeting:
- Finalize core requirements
- Finalize weekly timeline
- Decide upon which docs will be used to monitor the process: journals; weekly reflection sheets; summative rubric; formative rubrics; mentor feedback form etc..
Feb 9, 2012 Present: Patrick, Riaan, Glenn, Nashreen and Colette Discussion:
- Mentor group recruitment
- Parent ed session: on Tuesday at both buildings
- Parent info letter
- Possibility of visiting Raha or AISA exhibition
- Essential components
- Development of lines of inquiry
- Timeline
- Ways to group - to stream or not to stream?
- Nathan to handle research skills and data handling (math/ICT) component
- Student questions to be developed by groups with the help of mentors
- Presentation and info. booth sessions to be done together - in 2F multi-purpose spaces (using blue bulletin boards)
Action:
- Letter to parents draft (Colette)
- Develop presentation session for parents (Glenn)
- Mentor info session - Monday (Glenn)
- Recruit more mentors (G5 team and Glenn)
- Further develop essential components - with reference to standards (G5 team)
- Second group See Think Wonder session with G5 classes (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Finalize essential components
- Finalize mentor lists and meeting times
- Further develop timeline
Feb 2, 2012 Present: Patrick, Riaan, Glenn, Natasha (Nashreen and Colette - no cover) Discussion:
- Exhibition: progress with front loading week
- Groupings: 4 better than 5
- Mentors: who to ask - list generated
- Pre-assessment
- Letter to parents - use info from exhibition presentation
- Deconstructing central idea
- Strategies for generating lines of inquiry: See, think, wonder - guide them towards: causes, effects, and how people respond
- ideas for covering each transdisciplinary skill
- 3 components: oral, written, and ..?
- Specialist area components to be used as per group's wishes
- Writing, math (graphs, charts, stats, tables) and science to be requirements (ICT could be used as a tool for one or more of these)
Action:
- Write email to prospective mentors (Glenn)
- Write info letter to parents (G5 Team)
- See, Think, Wonder activity to generate lines of inquiry (G5 team)
- LP awards and See, think, wonder activity (Glenn and G5 boys)
- Continue to front load (G5 team)
- Generate groups (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Progress and plans for next steps January 26, 2012 Present: Colette, Nashreen, Riaan, Patrick, Glenn Discussion:
- Standards alignment (for Q2 reports)
- Exhibition
- Exam week for girls school - no non contact time: unable to meet
- Front loading week for exhibition: lots of visual media, discussion; groupings of students; introduction of central idea and thinking about how to generate lines of inquiry
Action:
- Find exhibition pages/info/links and upload to netvibes page (Glenn) January 19, 2012 Present: Patrick, Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Glenn Discussion:
- Unit progress
- OCC access problems
- Assessment progress
- Overview of the IB OCC
- Brief demonstration of how to use prezi
Exhibition Plans:
Proposed dates: March 12&13
The Exhibition will be held over 2 days: day one will be for classes, day 2 for parents Students must generate work samples from:
- Language (writing)
- Math
- Science
- ICT
*They can also include work from other curric areas, but the above are non-negotiables.
- The days will comprise of 2 components: the group presentation; and the information booth
Next Meeting:
- Continue to look at Exhibtion planning: mentor recruitment and role; information letter to parents; presentation to teachers; central idea and lines of inquiry development; student journals; forming groups; expectations of what the presentations/information booths will look like
December 15, 2011 Discussion:
- Unit progress
- Various
December 8, 2011 Discussion:
- Science meeting/aligning science and social studies standards with units: challenges, philosophical disconnects
- Challenges that G5 are facing regarding scheduling and possible solutions
- Differences between BS+GS teacher/time allocation
- G2 standards mapping tool - if/when/how it could be done (for SS and Sc)
- Technology unit and how we can ensure that there isn't an overlap with G3 inventions: maintain focus on lines of inquiry (reasons that brought aboutt he development of technology and impact)
Action:
- Schedules sent to Glenn (G5 team)
- Planner reviewed and CI unpacked (G5 team)
- Unit (standards tracking) overview worked on to find out which units may need to be changed out (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Progress with the above..
PYP Planning meeting 24 November 2011 Present
Colette
Nashreen
Patrick
Riaan
Glenn
Issues discussed
The K drive is once again not working. This is proving to be a problem in both schools. Mr Sabeer says it is a problem caused by Etisalat.
We need to make sure that the classrooms are prepared for the IB visit. Glenn has given Patrick and Riaan a checklist and Colette showed Glenn the photographs of the Girl’s school classrooms.
It was agreed that we should extend the Unit, How to we Express ourselves for another week due to time lost with National Day events and practices. We will continue with it until the 8 December.
We need to see what still needs to be covered as far as activities and assessments are concerned.
It was agreed that the next unit should be technology and followed by Natural Disasters (our exhibition).
We need to spend some time reflecting on the last unit and on this one while events are still fresh in our minds.
Glenn informed Colette of a meeting with IB reps on Sunday at 12.30 – 1.00pm.
The scheduled IB visit if on Sunday in the Boys school and Monday in the Girls school.
Meeting closed
November 3, 2011 Discussion:
- Unit review
- Overview and discussion of the five essential elements of the PYP
Action:
- Develop assessment tools for current unit
Next Meeting:
- Review and work on final stages of current unit
- Look at what needs to be prepared for the next yunit
November 2 As documentation for our upcoming IB visit is due this Wednesday it was decided that we would meet to complete the reflection section of Unit 1
Action:
- Find and send rubric for graphing activity (Colette)
- Put knitting pictures in to exemplars folder (Colette)
Next Meeting:
- Review and work on final stages of How Great Thou Art
October 31 Colette met with me and we worked on the reflection section of the 'What a Disaster' unit planner
October 29 Discussion: Ms Mary requested that we use this time to explore the new science materials and look at how they match up with ENS standards(with new head of curriculum Dr Lynn Smith)
- We looked at one of the G5 energy kits - it didn't match up well with the G5 standards
- Dr Lynn spoke with the team about how she will align the kits with the standards over the Eid break, and organize an information letter (for parents) and training for teachers
Action:
- Develop and information letter about how teachers will be using standards and kits (not textbooks) in science (Dr Lynn)
Next Meeting:
- Complete reflection section of 'What a Disaster' unit for submission to IB Docs
October 22 Discussion:
- Changes and Choices planning: tidying up the summative, pre-assessment tasks and section 4 activities; added transdisciplinary skills
- Timing of Unit
- Important aspects to 'get going' with in the classroom (key terminology/aspects of the program)\
- Classroom display - start getting them up (guidelines doc handed out)
- Extra support for teachers
Action:
- Continue to tidy up planner (Glenn)
- Send planner to G5 teachers (Glenn)
- Look at schedules and propose good times for teachers to meet/work with Glenn on Unit-related stuff (Pat and Riaan)
Next Week:
- Continue to work on tidying up of planner (section 4 and...)
- Review where we are at and what needs to happen next
Present: Nashreen, Colette, Evan, Glenn (Aplogies: Patrick and Riaan - cover for BS)
Discussion:
- WWA (unit #1) planner incomplete! It's vital that this is completed so that I can include it with other planners for IB application. *Even thought he team thinks that they didn't use the inquiry cycle: they did -there were activities at the beginning of the unit where students were 'tuning in', as there was much 'finding and sorting out'. This was not documented on the planner throughout the delivery of the unit, but rather it was documented in weekly planning documentation. Glenn will transfer the activities and strategies that were actually utilized intot he appropriate stages on the planner so that the planner will be included in the submission of documentation to the IB.
- WWAPT unit: realized that the (pre-planned) focus of the summative assessment task was on migration and exploration - whereas it should have been reflective of the CI and LOI. Modified the task so as to ensure alignment
- Added an assessment task - timeline. This could open up for a unit-related (i.e. ouotside EDM) math outcome to be covered
- Dveloped strategies for finding out and sorting out (WWAPT)
Action:
- Send science and literacy planning to Glenn (Colette and Patrick)
- Transfer unit-related strategies and tasks across into inquiry cycle on planner (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Glenn will be absent. Team will continue to work on populating inquiry cycle, developing section 5 of the planner (resources), and the development of any resources/assessment tools that will be needed for the unit.
October 22, 2012
Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Evan, Patrick, Glenn
Discussion:
- Work session on developing aligned assessment tasks for WWAPT
Action:
- Reflection sections of WWA (G5 team)
- Development of tuning in and finding out for WWAPT (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Review and continue to develop WWAPT
October 15, 2012
Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Evan, Patrick (Apologies: Glenn - at PYPC meeting at MBZ)
Discussion:
- Worked on the reflection section for unit #1: nearly there..
Action:
- Complete Reflection and work on our Tuning In activities for Unit 2
- Grade 5 weebly
Next Meeting:
-Review progress
October 8, 2012
Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Evan, Glenn (Apologies: Patrick)
Discussion:
- Exibition workshop debrief: Exhibition unit should be transdisciplinary - please see documentation and online resources regarding this (in follow up email). I fear that this aspect of the exhibition process was not communicated effectively. WS leader also recommended that only 'capable' students should be included and that others be given the time to develop literacy skills that are desperately lacking - not sure how this would fly: it would definitely have to be okayed by the higher ups. I'm also not sure how logistically possible it is.
- Challenges being faced by G5 teachers: low level of language ability vs. high expectations of standards; not being given enough support to deliver the program effectively; class sizes and lack of human (people) resources making differentiation virtually impossible
- Pre-planning for WWAPT
Action:
- Complete reflection sections of WWA unit (G5 team)
- Work on assessment tasks and Inquiry Cycle for unit #2, as supported by 091012 PD session (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Revieew progress with completion of WWA planner
- Review progress with development of unit #2 planner
October 1, 2012
Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Patrick, Evan, Glenn
Discussion:
- Logins for Brainpop and Tumblebooks
- Ways to use brainpop for research
- Weebly pages: PYP page development
- Work session on WWA planner: focused on aligning science and ELS outcomes with tasks in section 3; teacher questions; summative asssessment revision and proposed transdisciplinary skills
Action:
- Help Nashreen with the setup of the G5 weebly (Glenn - tbd)
- Input what has been done throughout the unit into Inquiry Cycle (page 5) of Unit Planner 1 (whole Team)
- Work on Reflection – pages 6 – 9 of WWA planner. Only 2 weeks to go until unit #2 (whole Team)
Next Meeting:
- Check links between Standards and Assessment Tasks in UOI 2
- Devise ‘Teacher Questions’ for UOI 2
- Devise strategy for teaching UOI 2
September 24, 2012
*Meeting cancelled due to all day AdvancEd meeting
September 17, 2012
Present: Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Glenn (Apologies: Patrick and Evan - scheduling conflict)
Discussion:
- Scheduling challenges - need to explore further to find a fix: Met with Chris and it's looking like we can get at least one session by getting a swap for Patrick's ICT class - this will get the 6 of us together but only after the Art/Drama teacher arrives
- Worked on developing the planner for WWA
- Discussed ways to accomodate student inquiry: the end goal shouold always be to promote inquiry and the development of skills needed - student questions should be a springboard for the facilitation of this. Ensure that unit-related student questions are celebrated and pursued (creatively) in class, non-unit related should be tactfully steered into library or homework time.
Action:
- Develop teacher questions: document on planner (G5 team)
- Develop assessment tasks for all proposed science evidence outcomes (G5 team)
- Decide which ELA evidence outcomes should be documented on the planner for this unit (G5 team)
- Continue to tidy up planner (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review planner and unit development
- Look at what assessment tools tasks need to be developed
September 10, 2012
Present: Riaan, Evan, Nashreen, Colette, Glenn (Apologies: Patrick)
Discussion:
- Timetables: principals to re-review and decide on how to create a common planning time
- Agenda: Glenn to send out (as per usual)
- Exhibition workshop: Nashreen and Riaan to participate.
- Consultation visit: as yet unconfirmed - waiting on word back from Mr gustav
- Verification (Authorization) visit: scheduled for early May 2013
- G5 Exhibition: How we express ourselves. Artistc expression/cultural attachment - need to word Jen and BS Art teacher up (*need Chris to ensure that Art specialist is working with G5 boys in the leadup to this)
- PYP related displays: Central idea (with embedded concepts highlighted in some way), Lines of inquiry, Key Concepts, Transdisciplinary theme and INTERACTIVE Learner Profile and Attitudes. Please go here to find a bunch of resources that you can tailor to suit your needs
- Assessments:
- All evidence outcomes to be covered (by classroom teacher) are now embedded within units
- Nothing (Science or social Science-wise) should be taught/assessed outside of the unit
- Need to work on an intuitive way to document assessments within the planner - they were going into section 2, but might be better if they are in section 3?
- Planner: need to get on this
Action:
- Develop unit planner for WWA, using information from standards alignment/POI docs: G5 team
- Send relevant documentation to Evan (Glenn)
- Visit classrooms and co-teach/unpack unit (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress with planner/unit
June 14, 2012
Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Glenn
Discussion:
- Continued to develop POI standards alignment: specifically with regards to LOIs, assessment tasks and tools
Action:
- Continue to develop/pencil in assessment tasks (G5 teachers adn Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress and finalize
May 24, 2012
Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Glenn
Discussion:
- G4 transition session involving G5 teachers: to be held on June 7 in the theatre
- Science standards: new vs. old
- Portfolio development: progress
- Standards alignment - POI development continued
Action:
- Continue to look at possibilities for replacement units that align with standards (G5 team and Glenn)
- Discuss possibility of G4 girls taking a trip to the GS with Gustav/Principals (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress and continue to build planner for new unit
May 17, 2012
Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Glenn
Discussion:
- Standards alignment - POI development continued
May 11, 2012
Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Glenn
Discussion:
- Standards alignment - POI development continued
Action:
- Continue to look at possibilities for replacement units that align with standards (G5 team and Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress and continue to build planner for new unit
May 4, 2012
Present: Colette, Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Glenn
Discussion:
- Standards alignment - moved a couple of science outcomes across so that there are now 3 units with science coverage
- STP unit: went through TIS planner and discussed various core elements and how we can move forward using tideas from this planner
- Social studies and Literacy tasks should be unit related - regardless of the ADEC visitor's presence
- Various: skills needed; reflection focus; other grades; resources; communication
- ADEC: what to expect
- Next PYP focuses: development of planner and central ideas for revised POI
Action:
- Start unit with provocation and deconstruction of central idea and lines of inquiry (G5 team)
- Keep track of progress throughoutt he week and be ready to share progress at next week's meeting
- Start building planner (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Review progress and continue to build planner for new unit
April 10, 2012
Present: Riaan, Patrick, Nashreen, Colette, Glenn
Discussion:
- G5 POI review (embedding science and social science standards)
- Relevance/cultural appropriateness of certain social science standards
- Next unit: STP It's not fair
- Citizens or children focus? (Children decided)
- Covering standards for HTWW (the next few weeks)
Action:
- Take POI overview generated today and put into electronic format (Glenn)
- Contact friend at TIS regarding 'It's not fair!' (STP unit) (Glenn)
Next week:
- Review electronic copy of G5 POI overview
- Review central idea and lines of inquiry for STP unit
March 22, 2012
Present: Riaan, Patrick, Glenn (Apologies: Colette, Nashreen)
Discussion:
- reflection on Boys exhibition
- Revision for POI review
March 1, 2012
Present: Riaan, Patrick, Colette, Nashreen, Glenn
Discussion:
- Girls exhibition moved tot he 15th
- Letter been translated into Arabic and will be sent out
- Developing student questions using Key Concepts: difficlt to generate questions for function and causation that are explicitely different. Overlap is okay - veiw them in relation to the line of inquiry they came from - ie. function: how NDs work; causation: the effects
- Exhibition groups taking off with it
- Reviewed timeline focus: creative writing and data handling next week
Action:
- Continue..
Next Meeting:
- Review..
February 28,2011
Present: Riaan, Patrick, Colette, Nashreen, Glenn
Discussion:
- Exhibition various..
February 21, 2012
Present: Riaan, Patrick, Colette, Nashreen, Glenn
Discussion:
- Booklets from Qatar academy exhibition - went through and decided upon which pages we could modify/emulate for our own students
- Action component: BS have brainstormed and are working on posters and presentations; GS are looking at starting and continuing on after the end of the exhibition
- Letter to parents reviewed
- Required components:
Art: poster and flyers
Literacy: 3 focuses - report, narrative and creative (cinquain or haiku poems)
Math: Bar/line graphs and pie charts - focusing on statistics found in research. Nathan to help with the development of this - need to have explicit examples of these also (for inclusion with info booth)
Science: model od disaster
Oral Presentation: group to decide how they will present their findings - can be a creative take (ie. dramatization of event, newscast, classroom scenario etc.)
- Logistics for BS presentations: presentations centralized to the BS library, information booths to be situated on the 28th st side of 2F and in the library corridor
Action:
- Meeting notes (Glenn)
- Compilation and modifications in booklet (Glenn)
- Email Mentors re. meeting groups and required components (G5 team)
- Develop timeline and send to G5 teachers (Glenn)
Next Meeting (Tuesday again?):
- Review and plan for next steps
Feb 16, 2012
Present: Patrick, Riaan, Glenn, Nashreen and Colette
Discussion:
- Components of exhibition: Language, Math, Science, Social Studies
- Coverage of the five essential elements
- Mentor recruitment
- Mentor info meeting
- Resources that need to be found/generated
- Grouping of students
Action
- G5 boys lines of inquiry development (Glenn, Riaan, Patrick)
- Recruit mentors (Colette)
- Mentor info session (Glenn)
- Find/develop tools for weekly monitoring (Glenn and G5 teachers)
- Assign groups to mentors and send out info email (G5 teachers)
- Follow up Mentor info session (Glenn)
- Speak with principals about exhibition planning time being taken on Tuesday afetrnoons (Glenn)
- Parent information letter (G5 teachers)
Next Meeting:
- Finalize core requirements
- Finalize weekly timeline
- Decide upon which docs will be used to monitor the process: journals; weekly reflection sheets; summative rubric; formative rubrics; mentor feedback form etc..
Feb 9, 2012
Present: Patrick, Riaan, Glenn, Nashreen and Colette
Discussion:
- Mentor group recruitment
- Parent ed session: on Tuesday at both buildings
- Parent info letter
- Possibility of visiting Raha or AISA exhibition
- Essential components
- Development of lines of inquiry
- Timeline
- Ways to group - to stream or not to stream?
- Nathan to handle research skills and data handling (math/ICT) component
- Student questions to be developed by groups with the help of mentors
- Presentation and info. booth sessions to be done together - in 2F multi-purpose spaces (using blue bulletin boards)
Action:
- Letter to parents draft (Colette)
- Develop presentation session for parents (Glenn)
- Mentor info session - Monday (Glenn)
- Recruit more mentors (G5 team and Glenn)
- Further develop essential components - with reference to standards (G5 team)
- Second group See Think Wonder session with G5 classes (Glenn)
Next Meeting:
- Finalize essential components
- Finalize mentor lists and meeting times
- Further develop timeline
Feb 2, 2012
Present: Patrick, Riaan, Glenn, Natasha (Nashreen and Colette - no cover)
Discussion:
- Exhibition: progress with front loading week
- Groupings: 4 better than 5
- Mentors: who to ask - list generated
- Pre-assessment
- Letter to parents - use info from exhibition presentation
- Deconstructing central idea
- Strategies for generating lines of inquiry: See, think, wonder - guide them towards: causes, effects, and how people respond
- ideas for covering each transdisciplinary skill
- 3 components: oral, written, and ..?
- Specialist area components to be used as per group's wishes
- Writing, math (graphs, charts, stats, tables) and science to be requirements (ICT could be used as a tool for one or more of these)
Action:
- Write email to prospective mentors (Glenn)
- Write info letter to parents (G5 Team)
- See, Think, Wonder activity to generate lines of inquiry (G5 team)
- LP awards and See, think, wonder activity (Glenn and G5 boys)
- Continue to front load (G5 team)
- Generate groups (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Progress and plans for next steps
January 26, 2012
Present: Colette, Nashreen, Riaan, Patrick, Glenn
Discussion:
- Standards alignment (for Q2 reports)
- Exhibition
- Exam week for girls school - no non contact time: unable to meet
- Front loading week for exhibition: lots of visual media, discussion; groupings of students; introduction of central idea and thinking about how to generate lines of inquiry
Action:
- Find exhibition pages/info/links and upload to netvibes page (Glenn)
January 19, 2012
Present: Patrick, Riaan, Nashreen, Colette, Glenn
Discussion:
- Unit progress
- OCC access problems
- Assessment progress
- Overview of the IB OCC
- Brief demonstration of how to use prezi
Action:
- Review exhibition-related documents (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Unit progress and exhibition
January 12, 2012
Discussion:
- Unit progress
Exhibition Plans:
Proposed dates: March 12&13
The Exhibition will be held over 2 days: day one will be for classes, day 2 for parents
Students must generate work samples from:
- Language (writing)
- Math
- Science
- ICT
*They can also include work from other curric areas, but the above are non-negotiables.
- The days will comprise of 2 components: the group presentation; and the information booth
Action:
- Review exhibition-related documents (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Continue to look at Exhibtion planning: mentor recruitment and role; information letter to parents; presentation to teachers; central idea and lines of inquiry development; student journals; forming groups; expectations of what the presentations/information booths will look like
December 15, 2011
Discussion:
- Unit progress
- Various
December 8, 2011
Discussion:
- Science meeting/aligning science and social studies standards with units: challenges, philosophical disconnects
- Challenges that G5 are facing regarding scheduling and possible solutions
- Differences between BS+GS teacher/time allocation
- G2 standards mapping tool - if/when/how it could be done (for SS and Sc)
- Technology unit and how we can ensure that there isn't an overlap with G3 inventions: maintain focus on lines of inquiry (reasons that brought aboutt he development of technology and impact)
Action:
- Schedules sent to Glenn (G5 team)
- Planner reviewed and CI unpacked (G5 team)
- Unit (standards tracking) overview worked on to find out which units may need to be changed out (G5 team)
Next Meeting:
- Progress with the above..
PYP Planning meeting 24 November 2011
Present
Colette
Nashreen
Patrick
Riaan
Glenn
Issues discussed
November 3, 2011
Discussion:
- Unit review
- Overview and discussion of the five essential elements of the PYP
Action:
- Develop assessment tools for current unit
Next Meeting:
- Review and work on final stages of current unit
- Look at what needs to be prepared for the next yunit
November 2
As documentation for our upcoming IB visit is due this Wednesday it was decided that we would meet to complete the reflection section of Unit 1
Action:
- Find and send rubric for graphing activity (Colette)
- Put knitting pictures in to exemplars folder (Colette)
Next Meeting:
- Review and work on final stages of How Great Thou Art
October 31
Colette met with me and we worked on the reflection section of the 'What a Disaster' unit planner
October 29
Discussion:
Ms Mary requested that we use this time to explore the new science materials and look at how they match up with ENS standards(with new head of curriculum Dr Lynn Smith)
- We looked at one of the G5 energy kits - it didn't match up well with the G5 standards
- Dr Lynn spoke with the team about how she will align the kits with the standards over the Eid break, and organize an information letter (for parents) and training for teachers
Action:
- Develop and information letter about how teachers will be using standards and kits (not textbooks) in science (Dr Lynn)
Next Meeting:
- Complete reflection section of 'What a Disaster' unit for submission to IB Docs
October 22
Discussion:
- Changes and Choices planning: tidying up the summative, pre-assessment tasks and section 4 activities; added transdisciplinary skills
- Timing of Unit
- Important aspects to 'get going' with in the classroom (key terminology/aspects of the program)\
- Classroom display - start getting them up (guidelines doc handed out)
- Extra support for teachers
Action:
- Continue to tidy up planner (Glenn)
- Send planner to G5 teachers (Glenn)
- Look at schedules and propose good times for teachers to meet/work with Glenn on Unit-related stuff (Pat and Riaan)
Next Week:
- Continue to work on tidying up of planner (section 4 and...)
- Review where we are at and what needs to happen next