Recent Changes

Feb 15th, 2015
Trish covering Ms Gill's class in G2, Tracey & Misi attended PTC, The rest of the team worked on reflections for the STP unit.
Feb 8th, 2015
Parent teacher Conferences
Feb 1st, 2015
Present: Blanka, Sue Ann, Barbara, Amy, Anju, Laura, Amy,Mona, Trish Absent: Anju ? Tracey (Meeting with Saher?)
Location: Tracey's room
Discussion:
HTWW formative ideas;
Line 1: attributes of materials: students match the material to the finished product
Line 2: how materials are used: students create a boat choosing the correct materials to enable it to stay afloat
Line 3: how materials change: food colouring and ice/melting crayons picture with anecdotal notes of how the material changed
Summative assessment task: to create a structure from materials to house the students' teddy bear. In connection with the WWA unit, students will be asked which country the bear will live in and choose the materials based on the weather in that country. Depending on the location the structure may have to withstand rain, wind, intense heat, snow etc.
Summative assesssment rubric: previous rubric still applicable to this task as the concepts are the same.
KG2 concert first week in May
Action:
Complete reflections on STP (all)
Research learning activities for HTWW (all)
Next meeting:
Finalize details of central idea and lines of inquiry for HWEO
Location: Laura's room?
Jan 25th, 2015
Present: Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Barbara, Amy,Tracey, Anju, Laura, Amy,Mona, Trish
Location: Misaal's room
Discussion:
Meeting time used to complete the following tasks;
Formative assessments to be added to WWA
Research summative assessment ideas for HTWW
Create report comments for STP based on standards
Next meeting:
Location: Sue Ann's room
Jan 18th, 2014
Present: Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Barbara, Amy,Tracey, Anju, Laura, Amy,Mona, Trish
Location: Kerry's room
Discussion:
Formative assessments need to be added to the task bar of the unit planner for WWA & STP
Summative assessment rubric adjusted to include headings; developing, progressing, meeting, exceeding
Whole group read through reflections for HTWW: possible re-working of summative assessment as the students creating a waterproof jacket for a teddy bear with a chosen material was quite difficult.
Pre-assessment activity deemed quite good for obtaining an accurate picture of the students' prior knowledge.
Students were quite confused with the amount of materials and properties so this year, the number will be limited to 6.
Selecting standards for reports-Ms Tracey has already completed this.
Action:
Update formative assessments in task bar (Kerry/Sue Ann/Tracey/Anju)
Research inquiry based activities for HTWW (all)
Upload summative rubric (Trish)
Next meeting: Location: Misaal's room
Jan 11th, 2014
Present: Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Barbara, Amy,Tracey, Anju, Laura, Amy,Mona Absent: Trish
Location: Barbara's room
Discussion:
Weather inspires us to express ourselves in different ways
Art can be used to communicate ideas and experiences creatively
Through art people use different forms of expression to communicate ideas
How weather affects people-the purpose of weather forecasting, problems caused by weather, the effect of sunlight on the earth's surface
Dec 18th-Jan 11th Winter Holiday
Dec 7th, 2014
Present: Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Barbara, Trish, Amy,Tracey, Anju, Laura, Amy,Mona Absent:
Location: Barbara's room
Discussion:
-Meeting time spent researching and discussing two new units-central ideas and lines of inquiry for Sharing the Planet (for next year) and How we express ourselves
-HWEO: Option 1-keep the same central idea: Imagination helps us to express ourselves in many different ways. Lines of inquiry; Different forms of art and how we can connect to them emotionally, How weather influences our artistic expression, The process of using our imagination to create.
-HWEO: Option 2: Weather inspires people to express themselves in different ways. Lines of inquiry;
Nov 30th, 2014
Meeting cancelled
Nov 23rd, 2014
Present: Anju, Sue Ann, Barbara, Trish, Amy,Misaal Absent: Kerry, Tracey, Laura (2 hours) Late duty: Mona, Blanka
Location: Amy's room
Discussion:
Next unit: Sharing the Planet-reading of reflections
Unit standards include animals and human beings as well as plants (i.e all living things)-to align standards correctly-we need to change the unit slightly
Summative assessment and formative assessments: need to assess standards accurately
Central Idea:
Plants are living things that need certain conditions to grow.
Lines of Inquiry:
- The characteristics of plants (form)
- Conditions needed to keep plants healthy (causation)
- Ways that the cycles of the earth are connected to plant growth (connection)
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: Animals, Plants, and Their Environment
Collect, analyze, and use data to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
Obtain information to describe the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and where they live on the land or in the water.
Construct an explanation for how plants and animals (including humans) can change their environment while meeting their basic needs.
Communicate and discuss solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment using models and/or drawings.
Ask questions and communicate information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for, and respond to, problems caused by weather and how life would be different without forecasts.
Carry out investigations using observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface.
Action:
-Check that all standards need to be fully taught and assessed (plants and animals) (Trish)
-Research possible central idea/lines of inquiry suggestions (all)
-Research ideas for formatives/summative assessments (all)
-Complete reflections for WWA unit (all)
Next meeting:
Location: Tracey's room
-Sharing of ideas for new STP unit
Nov 15th, 2014
Present: Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Barbara, Trish, Amy,Tracey, Anju, Laura, Amy Absent: Mona
Location: Misaal's room
Discussion:
-Summative assessment task to WWAPT unit. Central idea: People learn from the past to improve our lives today
-Long discussion ensued in which numerous ideas were put forward such as using a timeline/storyboard/writing a story to show life in the past and life today and how it was improved.
Topics to focus on in stories could be technology, transport, school, home, toys etc.
Decision not reached quite yet-team to research ideas and share at next week's meeting.
Action:
Research ideas for summative and formative tasks(all)
Next meeting; Location: Tracey's room
Sharing of ideas for assessment tasks
Nov 9th, 2014
Present: Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Barbara, Trish, Amy,Tracey, Anju, Mona Absent: Laura (meeting), Misaal (sick)
Location: Kerry's room
Discussion:
-Next unit of inquiry is Sharing the Planet
-WWA Learning experiences-need to add the extra from weekly planning onto Managebac
-Summative assessment rubric also needs to be added on MB
-WWAPT Central idea: People learn from the past to improve our lives today
-Lines of inquiry: Ways to find out about the past, Stories about the past, How the past impacts the present and the future
Action:
-Update WWA unit plan and upload SA ruubric on MB (Tracey & Anju)
-Research ideas for WWAPT unit (all)
Next meeting:Location: Misaal's room
-Fleshing out new WWAPT unit
Nov 2nd, 2014
Present: Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Laura, Barbara, Trish, Amy, Misaal, Tracey, Anju, Mona
Location: Sue Ann's room
-Student Led Conference: teachers will begin training the students and parents into this new process of reporting learning by adding one activity to each Portfolio Sharing day over the remaining units.
-In preparation for the SLC teachers will attend a mini PD beforehand and parents will be well informed of the procedure through the KG Weebly and emails explaining the structure of the conference
-Dec 16th is the next reporting to parents-plus one activity, Mar 24th plus two activities, SLC April 28th(?) 3+ activities
-All Reading Street and Everyday Math titles may be removed from displays on classroom walls. The literacy/language information may be retained as this is being referred to on a daily basis.
-KG2 are going to begin pod assemblies again to promote elements of the PYP-Learner Profile attributes, Attitudes, skills and action. Day(s) and frequency to be decided.
-Field trip will be to The Heritage Village. Students will compare and contrast life in the UAE with life in other countries which they have found out about through International day.
Next meeting:
Location: Kerry's room
WWAPT unit structure
Oct 30th, 2014
Teachers taking two hours so meeting carried forward to Sunday 2nd Nov 2014
Oct 23rd, 2014
Oct Oct 16th, 2014
Present: Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Laura, Barbara, Trish, Amy Absent: Misaal (Hospital), Tracey (alternate meeting scheduled)
Location: Blanka's room
-Pre-assessment for WWA shared
-Beginning reflections on HWOO
-New WWAPT unit-standards based on identifying information from narrative stories to learn about the past.
Possible suggestions are: CI: Life in the past shapes the present day
People learn from the past to improve our lives today.
Learning about the past helps us to understand the present.
Lines of inquiry: life in the past, stories about the past, connections between the past and present, using stories to inquire about the past,
Field trips: Would the Heritage Village be more suited to WWAPT unit and somewhere like Six Continents be more applicable to WWA?
Action:
HWOO reflections (all)
Visit the Six Continents to see if it is a suitable field trip (?)
Next meeting:
Location: Kerry's room
Oct 9th, 2014
KG 2 too many teachers absent 5/10
Oct 2nd, 2014
EID holiday-teachers decided not to meet
Sept 25th, 2014
Present: Tracey, Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Misi, Laura, Barbara, Nona, Trish, Amy
Location: Barbara's room
Discussion:
-Finished off reading WWA reflections
-Summative assessment: students will look at photographs of children from around the world/ create a model/shoebox theater/diorama and present their understanding of the central idea to the class or the teacher or they could write about it
-Countries decided upon: kenya, India, China, Canada, Saudia Arabia
-Rubric to include the stages: developing, progressing, meeting, exceeding
-Rubrics will be added on to the weebly to inform parents-will need to be translated into arabic
Action:
Completion of rubric (all)
Save it on the Weebly (Tracey)
Sept 11th, 2014
Present: Tracey, Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Misi, Laura, Barbara, Nona, Trish, Amy
Location: Tracey's room
Discussion:
Unit recording on MB rota completed
Meeting day may change due to executive meeting scheduling-every second week on Thursdays
Read through reflections of HWOO from last year
Notes from reflections; students to observe rules in action outside of school-signs in malls/at the beach etc.
-Field trip: possibly go to the Police Station (G2 also going here)/hospital
-Fire drill to be included in unit
-Try to arrange a guest speaker from the community to visit our school
Review of central idea and lines of inquiry for WWA unit
Action:
Research alternative central ideas for WWA (all)
Next meeting: Location: Laura's room
Revisit WWA for final decisions
Discuss WWAPT unit
Sept 18th, 2014
Present: Tracey, Anju, Blanka, Sue Ann, Misi, Laura, Barbara, Nona, Trish, Amy
Location: Laura's room
Discussion:
Revised Central idea for WWA unit: People live in different ways around the world
Lines of inquiry: People's lives in different places, How basic needs change in different environments, ways to find where people live
Read reflections from WWA unit:
-Formative-completed quite late, need to reference the country names
-Summative assessment: suggestion to use world map for students to identify where the people live
-Provocation: bring in clothes, holiday photos, discuss holidays they have been on etc.
Action:
Update HWOO unit planner (Tracey & Anju)
Next meeting: Location: Amy's room
Finish off reading WWA reflections and discuss summative assessment
discussion
May 18th, 2014
Present: Adele, Missy, Barbara, Laura, Tracey, Amy, Caron,Sue Ann, Anju Absent: Rowena, Trish (IB workshop)

Feb 23rd, 2015
Present: Elmarie, Patrice, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish, Nicola
Location: Nicola's room
Discussion:
Maarium requested that the meeting time be used to discuss the arrangements for the Bake Sale as she is leading a PD on the Inquiry Cycle at this week's PD and wants to save the sharing of learning activities for that. Ms Nicola made a list of delegated tasks.
Ms Patricia invited the KG1 teachers to visit the G3 market day on Tuesday 10th March to expose them to the idea of money being used as a system of exchange in relation to the HWOO unit.
Teachers are to contact Mr Steven to arrange a time if interested.
Next meeting:
Location: Patrice's room
Feb 16th, 2015
Present: Elmarie, Patrice, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish, Nicola
Location: Lesley's room
Compiling all information onto the HWOO unit planner including formative and summative assessment descriptions.
Leanne & Denitra used the time to create the formative 1 graphic organizer.
Provocation changed to teachers presenting the children with a mystery bag of mixed currencies to provoke a reaction. Field trip will be during the 1st/2nd week of unit.
Learning activity idea: to create a class currency to be used to enter the different play areas/pay for snack etc.
Action:
Research and add learning activities to the unit planner (all)
Next meeting;
Location: Patrice's room
Feb 9th, 2015
Parent teacher Conferences
Feb 2nd, 2015
Present: Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish Absent: Nicola
Location: Maarium's room
Discussion:
Create assessments for new unit based on aligned standards
F1: Where money comes from: graphic organizer with four boxes to show-earning through work, gifts (Eid), the mint, ?
F2: Different forms of money: Pictures of money from the UAE, USA & other countries relating to individual classes-students match them and state their value
F3: How money is used: Student picture in the centre of the page, surrounded by empty circles to draw how they will use their money
Summative assessment task: flow chart to show the system of exchanging money in preparation for the cake sale and afterwards, possibly scaffolded by picture cards
Completed possible student-initiated actions, teacher questions, provocation-field trip to Mini Kidzania in Nation Towers mall
Pre-assessment: students draw what they think money is, wheer it comes from and how we use it
Action:
F1: Denitra & Leanne
F2: Aoife
F3: Lesley & Gina
SA task & rubric: Maarium & Patrice
Pre-A: Elmarie
Update planner: Rasha & Patrice
Next meeting:
Location:
Jan 26th , 2015
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish
Location: Gina's room
Discussion:
HWOO next unit
Decision reached on new central idea and lines of inquiry-see below
Ideas for summative based around flow chart to show how money is a system of exchange-this would be based on real life experience as the student would buy cake ingredients, make the cake, sell the cake and then buy something else from the money.
Central Idea:
Money is used as a system of exchange around the world.
Lines of Inquiry:
People work for money
Different forms of money
How money is used.
Formative Assessments
People work for money
Different forms of money
How money is used.
a.Explain that people work (produce) for an income
c.
a.Recognize coins and currency as money
b.Discuss that money is used to buy items that the student or family wants
c.Give examples to distinguish spending from saving
c.Discuss why we need money
b.Identify how money is used as a medium of exchange
Action:
Create assessments for new unit based on aligned standards
Research inquiry based learning activities for HWOO
Reflections on STP
Investigate holding a cake sale (Nicola)
Next meeting: Location: Maarium's room
Jan 19th, 2014
Teachers requested to cancel meeting due to flooding
Jan 12th, 2015
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish
Location: Elmarie 's room
Working meeting.
Team divided into four groups;
Group 1: HWEO-Nicola & Rasha
Group 2: HWOO-Gina, Lesley & Denitra
Group 3: HTWW-Aoife, Maarium & Patrice
Group 4: STP Planner- Elmarie & Leanne
Groups 1-3 worked on refining/researching new central ideas and lines of inquiry for the above units. Conceptual basis to be loyal to the aligned standards.
Group 4 to add greater detail to the descriptions of the learning activities added into the inquiry cycle.
All work completed and saved in the following folder:
Q:\Curriculum\PYP\Programme of Inquiry\Standards Alignment\Assessments & standards alignment 2014-15
Dec 22nd -Jan 12th Winter Holiday
Dec 8th, 2014
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish
Location: Leanne 's room
Meeting time used by dividing into working groups to complete the following tasks;
-Adding formative assessments to Managebac for the previous unit
-Creating the resources and graphic organizers for the present unit's formative assessment tasks;1. Sorting living and non-living things-venn diagram, 2.Matching living things with their needs, 3.Flow chart with three stages of growth for lifecycles.
-Completing standards and assessment alignment document for an overall view of all 5 units and researching for HWOO central idea and lines of inquiry
Action:
As above
Next meeting;
Location: Denitra's room
Dec 1st, 2014 No meeting-National Day Holiday
Nov 24th, 2014
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish
Location: Aoife's room
Discussion:
Summative assessment task: students choose materials to create a habitat including its' basic needs . they explain how it grows and changes verbally.
Central idea could use a little wordsmithing to polish it
Scope and sequence, standards not uploaded yet?
Creation of rubric for summative assessment task addressing two standards;a. Identify the common needs such as food, air, and water of familiar living things
(c.) Make and record by drawing, acting out, or describing observations of living things and how they change over time.
SA rubric to be added to Managebac
Action:
Update unit planner on MB and upload SA rubric
Next meeting:
Location: Denitra's room
Nov 16th, 2014
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish
Location: Nicola's room
Discussion:
-New unit STP,
Formative asessments: line 1: Matching of living thing and need with section 4 open for the student to create their own, Line 2: Flow chart x 3, Line 3: Sorting living and non-living
Nov 10th, 2014
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish
Location: Rasha's room
Discussion:
-Unit planner: possible student-initiated action and resources to be completed.
Also finding out activities in the learning experiences tab: behavior wall, friendship dolls, feelings collage-details need to be given so that all teachers can easily follow.
Nov 3rd, 2014
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish
Location: Elmarie's room
Discussion:
Formative assessments:
Line 1: How to interact well: brick drawing activity
Line 2: Who do we have relationships with: mind map/spidergram
Line 3: Roles & behavior: interview children-list of questions
-Groups specified as family, neighborhood, school, team in standards-this is what will be assessed in the summative
Action:
-Update unit planner on MB (Aoife & Denitra)
Next meeting: Location:
Oct 27th, 2014
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina Absent: Trish
Discussion:
Nicola to forward minutes
Oct 20th, 2014
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina, Trish
Discussion:
-New unit: summative assessment-group activity to
-Pre-assessment: pictures of children interacting in different relationships,. Student circles a smiley face or a sad face to save if the behavior affects the relationship positively or negatively
-Provocation: Show the children photographs of who we (teachers) have relationships with (family, friends,co-workers). Discuss who they think these people are and the type of relationships we have with them.
Oct 13th, 2014
-Explanation of new standard alignments-possible new units;
Who we are
Central idea:
The way we behave affects our relationships with others
Central idea:
Central idea:
How the world works
Central idea:
Our senses help us to understand (the Earth’s) materials
Ho we organize ourselves
Central idea:
Sharing the planet
Central idea:
Living things need certain things to grow and (change)stay healthy
Lines of inquiry:
-Who we have relationships with
--How to interact well with others
-Roles and behaviors within relationships
Lines of inquiry:
Lines of inquiry:
Lines of inquiry:
-Our senses
-Use of our senses
-Exploring materials
Lines of inquiry:
Lines of inquiry:
-The needs of living things
- How living things grow and change
-Our responsibility towards living things
-Creation of rubric with new social studies standards embedded
Action:
Begin to research ideas for WWA unit.
Next meeting:
-Collaborative planning of Who we are unit
Oct 6th, 2014
Eid Holiday
Sept 29th, 2014
Sept 22nd, 2014
Sept 15th, 2014
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina
Discussion:
Group divided into subject groups to align new Colorado Pre-KG standards under the transdisciplinary themes.
Action:
Type up standard alignment document (Trish)
Next meeting:
Review this year's units under new standards
Sept 8th, 2014
Present: Nicola, Elmarie, Angela, Lesley, Denitra, Leanne, Rasha, Maarium, Aoife, Gina
Discussion:
-Provocation video-children just settling into school so there was no time to prepare for the beginning of the unit
-Summative assessment rubric-need to double check standards before creating rubric-High Scope and CC merge on MB
-Summative assessment task changed to playing Duck Duck Goose cooperatively as teachers feel at this stage their students would be unable to complete the original task.
-Pre-assessment: teachers to observe children playing the above game in PE and make anecdotal notes
Action:
-Add all teachers as authors to each unit on MB (Trish) Done
-Collaborate with PE teachers about the SA (Nicola/all)
-Check standard alignment (Trish)
Next meeting:
-Create SA rubric
-Review formative assessments
discussion
June 2nd, 2014
Present: Maarium, Elmarie, Nicola, Rasha, Denitra, Aoife, Gina, Lesley, Angela, Kerry, Angela

AprFeb 16th, 20142015
Present: Josh, William, Evan, Nashreen, Trish, Lauren, James, Nashreen, Helen, Fatima, Trish
Location: Josh's room
Discussion:
-HWOOMentors-Trish emailed Roula, who asked MS Valerie for permission-awaiting response
Writing moderation completed-ready to give to Literacy Coordinator
Math integration-some activities created but planner not finished
Meeting time changed as of next week to 2:00pm
Timeline for the Exhibition
Feb 9th, 2015
Present: Josh, Lauren, James, Nashreen, Helen, Fatima, Absent: Trish
Location: Josh's room
Who We Are
Summative – De Bono Hats
- Skills – accepting responsibility, adopting a variety of group roles, evaluation, writing.
- Collage – representations of human rights
- Talk show – which human right speaks to them – one student explain and what can be done, one student positive about it, one student negative about it – tie in with interview writing from literacy.
Feb 2nd, 2015
Present: Josh, Lauren, James, Nashreen, Helen, Fatima, Trish
Location: Josh's room
Discussion:
National day task to be deleted from this year's WWA unit planner
Formative assessment 3: identify regions on maps to be uploaded onto MB
Summative assessment description changed to:Learning centers: students will be exposed to six different human rights violations and they will analyze/critique them using the De Bono hats.
Exhibition: read through last year's reflections,
Shared list of mentors so far and brainstormed names of other possibilities: mentors will work with students on Wednesday afternoons from 2:00-3:00pm-possibly twice on the fifth week
Date: Wednesday 6th May-morning time-exact hour?
Action:
Email suggested people for mentorship (Trish)
Update WWA unit planner with all formatives and summative resources (Lauren)
Update WWAPT unit planner (James)
Complete WWAPT reflections (all)
Jan 26th, 2015
Present: Josh, Lauren, James, Nashreen, Helen, Fatima Absent: Trish (Coordinators' Meeting)
Location: Josh's room
Denial of snack to be done early next week,
PowerPoint to be made to get them thinking about human right violations
Students will then create their own rights
Diamond Ranking.
Mon Jan 20th, 2015
Present: Josh, Lauren, James, Nashreen, Helen, Fatima, Trish
Location: Josh's room
Discussion:
-WWA unit: provocation ideas-to deny students a playtime/snack time to motivate them to ask questions about fairness etc.
-Create/revise essential agreements for the classroom
-Students research the Charter of human rights-foussing on the rights of the child
-Summative assessment:
Presenting to others about new found Human Rights and how they apply not only to them but to people in different parts of the world.
Students follow human rights violations around the world and recognize that these violations are wrong
-Proposed date for the Exhibition May 6th
Action:
-Source mentors for the Exhibition(Trish)
-Complete unit planner (James)
Next meeting:
Reading WWA reflections
Discussing formative assessments for WWA
Oct 14th, 2014
Present: Josh, Lauren, James, Nashreen, Helen, Peter
Location: PS PD room
Discussion:
-HTWW unit, reviseorder of experiments;1) Mixtures 2)Solutions 3)Producing Gas 4)Soap Bubbles
-Language: procedural writing
-Simplified version of a scientific method; observation, hypthesis, experiment, knowledge
-Provocation: Coke and Mentos
-Pre-assessment: prediction of what will happen when two substances are mixed
Central idea changed to: Properties of matter change through experimentation
-Integrated math: volume, capacity, measurement: weight
Oct 1st, 2014
Present: Josh, Lauren, James, Nashreen, Helen, Peter
Location: PS PD room
Discussion:
-Summative assessment for HWEO
-Rubric to be created based on; ability to connect with the key concepts, analysis of an artifact, developing a question, ability to answer the question correctly
x------Standards to be assessed: Analyze cartoons, artifacts, artwork, charts, and graphs related to historical events-Standards to be assessed: Analyze cartoons, artifacts, artwork, charts, and graphs related to historical events
-HTWW: order of experiments;
Week 1: Mixtures: solids and liquids
Week 2: Solutions: salt & water-dissolving, evaporation
Week 3: Solid, liquid, gas: baking soda & vinegar
Week 4: Soap bubbles
Week 5: Glass
Week 6: Summative assessment experiment
Apr 16th, 2014
Present: Josh, William, Evan, Nashreen, Trish, Lauren,
Discussion:
-Reflections on exhibition: what worked well & what needs improvement-saved on q drive
Mar 26th, 2014
Mar 19th, 2014
Boys School field trip to Dubai-meeting cancelled
Mar 12th, 2014
Present: Josh, William, Evan, Nashreen, Trish, Lauren,
Discussion:
Mar 5th, 2014
February 26th, 2014
February 19th, 2014
Feb 12th, 2014
Present: Josh, William, Evan, Nashreen, Trish, Lauren,

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
x-----PowerPoints onto Weebly – FergusPowerPoints onto Weebly – Fergus
x-----Finish Formative Assessment – JohnFinish Formative Assessment – John
x-----Word bank for Formative Assessment - JohnWord bank for Formative Assessment - John
x-----Add to assessment records – MandalaAdd to assessment records – Mandala
x-----3 rubrics for Formative Assessments:3 rubrics for Formative Assessments:
x-----Timeline – AmyTimeline – Amy
x-----Diamond Ranking – MandalaDiamond Ranking – Mandala
x-----Effects - Next weekEffects - 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:
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
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 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)
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
discussion
May 26th, 2014
Meeting cancelled as most of team unable to make it.

Feb 18th, 2015
Present: Steven, Elaine, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed, Sana, Holly
Location: Shivania's room
Sharing of formative assessment 2-how consumers and producers are interdependent.
Business loan letter-each class will create their own with the students
All learning activities to be documented in the inquiry cycle including literacy and math integrations
Minimum price for market products will be 5 aed
Possible group action could be for the G3 students to lend some financial support to the G4 shoebox campaign e.g buy toothpaste etc.
Field trip criteria: only withing Abu Dhabi, suitable for boys and girls
Action:
Complete reflections for HTWW
Add all learning activities to the HWOO unit planner (all via Gideon)
Next meeting:
Location: Sana's room
Feb 11th, 2015
School finished at 11:00am due to Qasr Al Hosn Festival
Feb 4th, 2015
Present: Steven, Elaine, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed, Sana, Holly
Location: Gideon's room
Discussion:
Pre-assessment: students write/draw what they think a market is, at the end of the unit they revisit the same questions and complete a list of goods, services, producers and consumers
Formative assessments:
F1: students draw/label a number of producers and consumers and then match them up to show their interdependence
F2: trading as a system of exchange-trading/bartering activity assessed through observational notes
F3: short term financial goal: business plan for market day products
Possible field trip to a local market to observe real life trading, selling techniques etc or to a supermarket to buy the raw materials/ingredients to create their products
All students will take home a letter asking for 50 dirhams as a business loan which will be re-paid after market day
Market day will be on the 10th March, Sports day is on the 10th February.
Action:
Complete reflections for HTWW (all)
Create the formative assessment sheet for line 2 (Holly)
Update HWOO unit planner (Gideon/Trish)
Create a business loan letter (TBD)
Next meeting:
Location: Sana's room
Jan 28th, 2015
Grade 3 requested to cancel the meeting as one teacher was absent, two had no specialist cover due to Sports day so the remaining three worked on formative assessments for HWOO.
§ We need something that relates to:
§ How producers and consumers are interdependent (Connection)
§ Trading as a system of exchange (Form)
§ How we can meet short-term financial goals (Function)
Used the meeting time to research-Sana & Gideon could take the first line, Shivania & Mo take the second line.
I think the third one was covered by the business plan last year?
Jan 21st, 2015
Present: Steven, Elaine, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed, Sana, Absent: Holly (UAE class time changed)
Location: Muhammed's room
Discussion:
-Thank you to everyone for completing reflections on HWEO
-Pre-assessment suggestion: students draw and label a picture of a marketplace, giving all prior knowledge
-Business plan shared with team-ongoing document to be completed in stages throughout the unit
-Integrated specialists; Art-creating crafts to sell, Music- possibly creating jingles/musical instruments
-Formative assessments-to be located/created to address the following;
* How producers and consumers are interdependent (Connection)
Trading as a system of exchange (Form)
How we can meet short-term financial goals (Function)
Actions
-Formative assessments (all)
Next meeting;
Location: Shivania's room
Jan 14th, 2015
Present: Steven, Elaine, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed, Sana, Absent: Holly (UAE class time changed)
Location: Steven's room
Discussion:
HWEO: Reflections from 4 people pending
HTWW unit planner:Teacher questions: could all teachers (including specialists) collaborate in creating a bank of questions as there are some repeated?
Formative and summative assessments to be added to the task bar with descriptions
Summative rubric to be uploaded
HWOO: Reflections read through: will carry over market research activity and creating spreadsheets and formulae in ICT
Central idea modified to read: A marketplace is a system used by producers and consumers to trade goods and services
Formatives from last year to be located and modified
Pre-assessment: to show the students' understanding of what a marketplace is and their knowledge of the words; services, system, producers, consumers
Action:
Locating formative and business plan (Elaine & Muhammed)
Pre-assessment, summative & rubric (Steven)
Update HWOO planner (Gideon)
Complete HTWW planner (Elaine)
Complete reflections HWEO (all who haven't done so yet)
Next meeting:
Location: Muhammed's room
Sharing assessments and inquiry based activities ideas for the next unit
Dec 10th, 2014
Present: Steven, Elaine, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed, Holly Absent: Sana & Gideon (absent specialists)
Location: Holly's room
Discussion:
-Updating of unit planner-adding teacher questions; How does weather change around the world? • Are there tools people use to understand the weather? • How do people write about the weather? • Do people need to think about the weather and why?
-Student initiated action: creating ppt/booklets/posters with weather information, collecting old coats to donate to the poor
-Adding description of the summative assessment task
-Recording provocation; morning weather announcements and creating posters based on seasonal weather
-The third formative based on the analysis weather information affecting people's choices-each teacher will decide which data they will use
-Global connection: investigate weather data from around the world-base it on the countries the G3 teachers come from
Action;
-Completing reflections for HWEO (all)
-Updating unit planner by uploading all assessments including pre-assessment (Elaine)
Next meeting:
Location: Shivania's class
Nov 25th, 2014
Meeting cancelled due to national Day Concert rehearsal
Nov 18th, 2014
Present: Steven, Elaine, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed, Holly Absent: Sana
Location: Holly's room
Discussion:
-HWEO unit planner needs to be updated: obsolete learning activities/formative assessments etc can be saved in the unit resources folder on the q drive
-Reflection meeting with all teachers to happen next Monday from 3:00-4:00pm in Steven's classroom. Integrated specialists were Rashid for art, Hala for arabic? and Haleimah/Haifa for Islamic?
-New unit, HTWW central idea revision: Measuring and sharing weather data affects how people live.
-Lines of inquiry: Types of weather that characterize different regions
Ways that people collect and document weather information
How analysing weather information informs choices
-Formatives assessment; 1) Students will show different types of weather for each region 2) Students will create weather tools and demonstrate their understanding of how information on weather is collected and documented 3)Students show their understanding of how analysing weather information affects their life
-Inspiring whole class action relating to the advertising unit-using other forms of media such a public announcement on tannoy, photographs, video, creating a jingle etc to help improve our school/the world in some way
Other business;
Wireless microphone: greatly needed for assemblies
Action:
-Update HWEO planner (Muhammed)
-Send out invitation email to integrated specialists regarding reflection meeting next Monday (Trish/Steven)
-Ask John/Dieu-Anh about buying wireless microphones (Trish)
-Edit HTWW unit planner with new information, assessment andactivities (Elaine)
-Create/source formative assessments Line 1-Muhammed, Line 2-Holly & Sana, Line 3-Shivania & Gideon
-Create summative assessment rubric (Steven)
Next meeting:
-Location: Muhammed's room
-Sharing of formative assessments and summative rubric
Nov 12th, 2014
Present: Steven, Elaine, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Absent: Muhammed & Holly (absent specialist teachers)
Location: Elaine's room
Discussion:
-Formative descriptions to be uploaded into the task bar on MB
-Summative assessment rubric also needs to be added
-Action: students have a good understanding of how they can produce unit related work, is it now time to move them on to more responsible/service orientated action? Could we get them thinking of how they could use advertising to help make the world/our school a better place?
-HTWW next unit-whole grade action connected to weather could be that the students organize a collection of water bottles, sunhats, sunglasses, sweaters, hats etc for labour camps
-Reflections meeting: suggestion was made to have all teachers including single subject to reflect together with prepared individual notes. Some thought that it would be more productive to read the next unit's reflections together-it was suggested that we do both but a decision needs to be confirmed.
Action:
Re-send password invite to MB for Muhammed (Trish)
-Update MB planner adding formatives and summative rubric
Next meeting: Location: Holly's Room
Nov 5th, 2014
Grade 3 on field trip to the mall to support advertising unit.
Oct 29th, 2014
Oct 22nd, 2014
Oct 15th, 2014
Grade 3 used the meeting time to complete unit reflections
Oct 8th, 2014
Present: Steven, Elaine, Holly, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed
Location: Elaine's room
Discussion:
-Students are beginning to make connections as they are identifying logos all around them
-They are finding the word "influenced" difficult to understand
-Formative assessment: labelling activity, checklist
-Formative for wants and needs to show how the amount of available money influences buying
Action:
Organize formative assessment (Muhammed)
Check out Hilal Bank materials to see if it would be useful for teaching wants and needs (Holly)
Oct 1st, 2014
Present: Steven, Elaine, Holly, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed
Location: Elaine's room
Discussion:
HWEO: Selecting standards to fit with summative assessment: economic rights, sources of income, oral speaking (presentation skills), persuasive writing
Grade 1 also have a unit based on needs and wants: People choose jobs to meet their needs and wants
Central idea changed to : advertising and money influence thinking and choice
Lines of inquiry changed to: Money influences needs and wants, How advertising affects wants and choice, How advertisement affect consumer choice
Summative assessment to be changed to include the price of the product, rubric to be adjusted accordingly
Action:
Begin reflections on WWA unit (all)
Summative assessment revamp (Holly)
SA rubric adjustment (Steven)
Next meeting: Location: Sana's room
Sept 17th, 2014
Present: Steven, Elaine, Holly, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed
Location: Gideon's room
Discussion:
Unit needs to be updated to include effective formative assessments
Sorting out next week to focus on government, graphic organizer with empty boxes for the structure
UAE studies also covering citizenship, identity,
Field trip-National Archives and Documentation center/law Courts
Learner Profile assembly next week Steven's class
Action:
Update unit planner (Steven/Trish)
Create assembly rota (Steven)
Organize field trip (Aaron/Steven)
Next meeting: Location: Sana's Room
Sept 10th, 2014
Present: Steven, Elaine, Holly, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed
Location: Muhammed's room
Discussion:
-Responsibility rotation for adding unit information onto Managebac chart completed
-Pre-assessment: sharing of how the children responded, their level of questioning etc.
-Formative assessments: one based on rights and responsibilities, the other on government structure
-Student council elections to take place nearer the end of the unit
-Possible field trips or guest speakers-some classes are finding out what the parents' job titles are
-Explanation of weekly assemblies procedures, superstar reward system
-Digression: field trip to Kidzania-too far, consensus to stay in Abu Dhabi
Action;
-Follow up on field trip to court/cabinet (Steven-Aaron)
-Create formative assessments (volunteers neededl)
-Organize student council elections etc. (Steven)
-Update unit planner (Steven)
Next meeting:
Student inquiries-what are they really eager to find out about?
Update on guest speakers/field trip
Next location: Gideon's room
Sept 3rd, 2014
Present: Steven, Elaine, Holly, Gideon, Shivania, Sana, Trish, Muhammed
Location: Steven's room
Discussion:
-Summative assessment task of new Who We Are unit-base around rights, responsibilities, local government structure
-Central idea altered to: People and government have rights and responsibilities
-Lines of inquiry: Types of rights and responsibilities, The relationship between rights and responsibilities, The structure and function of government
-Team will focus on the UN rights of the child-standards mention economic and personal rights?
-Responsibilities will be based around cultural, familial, religious areas
-Connection will be made from Grade 2's community unit-policemen, soldiers etc. which ministry governs them?
Action:
-Create T chart and flow chart for pre/summative assessment (Steven)
-Create ppt of Abu Dhabi government structure (Steven & Sana)
-Research ideas for the inquiry cycle (all)
Next meeting:
Share results of pre-assessment
Populate inquiry cycle
Design formative assessments
Discuss guest speakers/field trips
Next location: Muhammed's room
May 21st, 2014
Present: Paul, Helen, Christine, Muhammed, Elaine, Gideon, Lindsay

Mar 8th, 2015
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Veronica, Trish, Ita, Emily, Gill Absent: Eibhlin
Location: Sarah's room
Discussion:
Recap of the summative assessment for HWEO
Looking ahead at the next unit-STP
Summative assessment will be strengthened by adding a graphic organizer for students to explain their understanding of the concepts from the central idea and lines of inquiry
Formative assessments review in next meeting
Provocation: students will walk around the outside of the school and identify living and non living things-they may collect them in jars or photograph with ipads
Action:
Create graphic organizer for summative assessment (Sarah & Emily)
Locate all assessments and rubrics from last year (Trish)
Next meeting:
Location: Veronica's room
Mar 1st, 2015
(Specialists absent)
Feb 22nd, 2015
(Specialists absent)
Feb 15th, 2015
(Specialists absent)
Feb 8th, 2015
Sarah-no specialist cover and requested time for teachers to work on reflections for previous unit
Feb 1st, 2015
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Veronica, Trish, Ita Absent: Emily, Eibhlin, Gill (Asma & Rashid absent)
Location: Gill's room
Discussion:
Formative assessment tasks:
Line 1: ways of telling stories: graphic organizer on MB
Line 2: Elements of a story: story plan on MB
Line 3: Responses that stories evoke: ideas could be for students to listen to a story and draw/write their responses (how it makes them feel, images that they have in their minds etc.)at different stages of the story
Summative assessment rubric will need to be adjusted slightly to align with new assessment policy
Learning experience ideas: to create stations such as a role-play are with dress up clothes, a creative area with puppets, plasticene to model characters, construction are to build houses from large cardboard boxes, story centre with fairy tale books, listening centre-cd player-students listen to stories/songs-identify elements of story, record their responses, write the purpose of the story etc.
Parents could also be invited in to read a story aloud to the class, different language stories could also be shared and translated in parts.
Action:
Add tasks for formative assessments on WWA (Eibhlin & Emily)
Revise summative assessment rubric (Sarah)
Create graphic organiser for formative 3 & pre-assessment (G2 team)
HTWW reflections- (all)
Next meeting:
Location: Gill's room
Jan 25th, 2015
Meeting cancelled: We’re needing to cancel today’s meeting due to Asma being out. For some of us this is our only planning lesson and as she is also out tomorrow.
Jan 18th, 2015
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish, Ita
Location: Emily's room
Complete tasks for formative and summative assessments on HTWW
Procedural writing rubric to be shared.
HWEO concert 12th Mar
Integrating specialists for HWEO: Islamic, Arabic, Music
Whole team read through reflections-great ICT activities using Kidspiration & Kidpix-students create their own books
Formative tasks & summative assessment rubric to be sourced from archives
Action:
Formative tasks & summative assessment rubric sourced (Ita/Trish)
Complete tasks for HTWW planner (Emily/Eibhlin)
Research inquiry based activities for planning on Tuesday (all)
Next meeting: Location: Gill's room
Jan 11th, 2015
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Ita Absent: Trish
Location: Sarah's room
Dec 18th-Jan 11th Winter Holiday
Dec 7th, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish, Ita
Location: Sarah's room
Discussion:
Provocation details need to be added to unit planner
Reflections for WWAPT
CI: People create solutions to changing landforms-need to source summative assessment rubric from last and align standards
This week pre-assessment and provocation-flow chart and panagea
Action:
Reflections WWAPT (all)
Source SA rubric (Ita)
Next meeting:
Location: Emily's room
Nov 23rd, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish, Ita
Location: Veronica's room
Discussion:
-HTWW: Formative assessments: line 1: graphic organizer to explain what are the factors that change landforms, line 2: flipbook to show the features of a solution, line 3: map with a grid-children to identify the landforms within the coordinates
Provocation: jigsaw of the world map to be placed together and inspire a discussion about change
ICT: project to create a poster to relate information about landforms
-Inspire the students to create service based action-teacher can guide/model until the students understand the concept
Action:
-Update unit planner with formative assessments (Emily & Eibhlin)
-Reflections on WWAPT (all)
Next meeting:
Location: Sarah's room
Nov 16th, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish, Ita
Location: Jessica's room
Discussion:
Nov 9th, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish, Ita
Location: Veronica's room
Discussion:
-Weebly unit page, template to inform parents of unit information,the assessment and how they can support their child's learning (PM)
-Information page on action also created and can be added to the Weebly (SG)
-Summative assessment rubric-need to find out if score will be converted to percentage, then scale or if rubric must form the scale to begin with
Meeting adjourned early as G2 are up to date on all other unit related matters. They spent the remaining time planing.
Action:
Add SA rubric to Managebac (Sarah)
Begin research on HWEO unit
Next meeting: Location: Jessica's room
Nov 2nd, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish Absent: Ita
Location: Emily's room
Discussion:
-Field trips will be on the 19th & 20th November-25 dirhams, forms to be returned by Nov 12th
-Managebac support have added a test task so the task bar should be working now
-UOI tab on Weebly to provide unit information to parents: central idea, lines of inquiry, a description of activities, summative assessment, rubric and ways that parents can support at home
-Action: it would be an idea to email parents/post onto weebly explaining the concept of Action in the PYP so then they could inform you if their child takes unit related action when not in school
-Displays: unit board should display all unit related information; LP attributes, attitudes, skills, concepts etc. Suggestion to dis[play evidence of student work from each inquiry stage aropund the board/around the classroom-include photographs and samples of student work
-Grading: remains the same for quarter 1 with an explanation to parents of how the percentage translates to a point on the 1-4 scale
-Quarter 2: all formatives except spelling and EDM A will be scored from 1-4 in the gradebook
Next meeting:
Location: Sarah's Room
Oct 26th, 2014
Meeting time used to complete reflections on WWA unit.
Oct 19th, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish, Ita
Location: Gill's room
Discussion:
Formative assessments for WWAPT unit-lines of inquiry;
1.How people lived in the past-skill: formulating questions, field trip to the Heritage Village, making of flip book based on the following elements; transport, food, school, homes, toys and games-peer assessed
2.Beliefs and traditions that are valued today-Ms Nabeilah to assess in UAE class
3.Historical events that have impacted on society-Group timeline project-skills: adapting group roles, cooperating,peer assessed
-Integrated math based on the concept of time: ordering four digit numbers-dates of historical events, analogue clocks-increments of 5 and 1 minutes
Field trip: ideally organized for week 2-finding out stage when the children can create a list of questions and find out information
Skills aligned to the summative assessment task: analyzing, organizing data,
Action:
Complete reflections on WWA (all)
Find out about math standards for time increments (Trish)
Organize field trip (Ita)
Next meeting:
Location: Emily's room
Oct 12th, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish Absent: Ita
Location: Roseanne's room
Discussion:
New weekly planning template with reflections to begin next week
Tuesday math is to be either math through inquiry, inquiry through math or EDM games practice
WWAPT unit-conceptual understanding of history-teddy bear analogy
Focus on research skills: formulating questions and communication skills: listening and speaking-oral stories about the past
Third formative assessment to be based on life in the past-line of inquiry
Possible guest speaker-fisherman from the heritage village
Key concepts: try to use to explore artifacts from the past-what is it like? How does it work? etc.
Field trip to the Heritage Village
Action:
Contact guest speaker (Trish)
Reflections on WWA unit (all)
Next meeting; Location Gill's room
Standards alignment document
Oct 5th: Eid Holiday
Sept 28th, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish, Ita
Location: Veronica's room
Discussion:
Summative assessment readiness-rubric to be tweaked slightly to omit section 4 about the role play
Taking action stage-encourage whole group action-teacher facilitates the discussion but the children come up with the idea
Formative assessments: role play of conflict resolution and responsibilities of students and other community members
math performance task: tally chart on community places, activity: post it bar graph on community activities
Action:
Update planner with formative assessments, math performance task (Veronica/Jessica)
Begin unit reflections (all)
Begin research for WWAPT unit (all)
Next meeting: Location: Roseanne's room
Looking ahead-WWAPT
Sept 21st, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill, Trish, Ita
Location: Ita's room
Discussion:
Math integration: money, bar graphs of occupations, 2d skyline of city communities-grade team to decide what they are including and edit planner
Language integrations to be included in inquiry cycle
ICT integrations to be discussed, obsolete lessons to be deleted from planner-teacher volunteer who will be responsible for ICT in the grade-Veronica
Reading of portfolio essential agreement and discussion
Begin collection of boxes for 3d community project
Action:
-Update unit planner with summative assessment description, updated learning activities including math, language and ICT integrations, teacher questions (Veronica/Jessica)
-Field trip-discuss this with Aaron (Ita)
-Locate last year's summative rubric (Ita)
-Review "Going Further" activities (all)
Next meeting: Location: Veronica's room
Winding up unit-everything ready for summative
Looking ahead-reflections of WWAPT
Sept 14th, 2014
Present: Sarah, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill,Trish Absent: Ita
Location: Jessica's room
Discussion:
-Unit recording chart (MB) completed
-Definition and purpose of a provocation explained
-Necessity and benefit of student reflections
-Parent occupations' survey on the G2 weebly-results will go to Sarah who will then distribute them
School community project to begin in the third week
ICT-Gill planning for this subject so far, Mandala will discuss ideas at carousel
Field trip: to police and fire station only-Post Office couldn't accommodate all ten classes
Extra activities added to tuning in and finding out stages
Action:
Research ideas for formative assessments (all)
Next meeting: Ita's room
Sept 7th, 2014
Present: Sarah, Ita, Roseanne, Jessica, Emily, Veronica, Eibhlinn, Gill,Trish
Location: Eibhlinn's room
Discussion:
-Unit records chart; distribution of units to be recorded on MB
-Essential agreements for meetings;
Time efficiency-meetings to begin and end on time,
Stay on topic
One voice, no side conversations, show respect by listening to others without interrupting or speaking over them
Contribute and be involved
-Reading over last year's unit reflections-the following notes were made; guest speakers to be invited in, ICT safety standards could be covered-they fit well with this unit, student jobs could be given to the class so that they feel a part of their class community.
-On reflection a provocation could be to pretend that the canteen staff have to go home-so no lunch/overflowing bin etc. -realize how dependent we are on everyone in our school community for it to function
Action:
-Complete unit recording on MB rota (all)
Next meeting:
-Review formative assessments
discussion
May 25th, 2014
No school today: Isra' Wal Miraj Holiday

Feb 11th, 2015
School finished at 11:00am Qasr Al Hosn festival
Feb 4th, 2015
Present: Martina, Iman, Alexis, Maura, Hope, Brenda, Shannin, Denise, Trish Absent: Adri (sick)
Discussion:
Formative assessments;
F1: Light and sound production: venn diagram
F2: Properties of light and sound: students brainstorm in groups using a mind map
F3: Light and sound as a form of expression: illustrated story projected from laminated sheets
Resources: musical instrument sets-one per pod. Science light kits and electrical circuit kits available in the science store room.
Ms Brenda shared various experiment ideas relating to light and sound.
Integration with Arabic, Islamic, music and art.
IB sample unit planner filled with lots of ideas for investigating light
Action:
Reflections for WWAPT unit (all)
Update unit planner with formative resources and activity ideas for the inquiry cycle (Shannin & Brenda)
Check with store for batteries for torches (Caron/Trish)
Source equipment from science store (individual teachers)
Next meeting:
Location: Josephine's room
Jan 28th, 2015
Grade 1 requested to cancel the meeting as they are up to date with everything and wanted to work on report writing
Jan 21st, 2014
Present: Martina, Alexis, Maura, Brenda, Trish, Adri Absent: Hope (Late duty), Shannin (Two hours), Caron (Parent meeting) Josephine (1 hour Parent time)
Location: Brenda's room
Discussion:
-Read reflections for upcoming unit HWEO
-More resources by way of musical instruments needed-it was suggested that all teachers pool what they have into one box and pass it around between classes.
-Inquiry cycle-latter stages-going further, making conclusions, taking action for both WWAPT & HWEO need to have activities added to them
-Obsolete resources from WWAPT can be placed in the resources folder for last year's WWAPT unit on the q drive-activities can be deleted from the inquiry cycle that relate to the World Cup tournament as this is no longer being taught
-Formative assessments for HWEO need to be sourced from last year's team
-Summative assessment for HWEO will be created through movie maker
Action:
Create resources folder on the q drive (Trish)
Source formatives (Martina/Trish)
Update WWAPT planner by removing activities and resources relating to last year (Adri & Hope)
Source musical instruments (all)
Next meeting:
Location: Alexis's room
Dec 10th, 2014
Present: Martina, Iman, Alexis, Maura, Hope, Brenda, Shannin, Andrea, Adri, Trish Absent: Adri (Social Co. meeting)
Location: Martina's room
Discussion:
x----Formative assessment-line of inquiry changed to -"Important past and present leaders" to align better with standard:Formative assessment-line of inquiry changed to -"Important past and present leaders" to align better with standard:
x-----Identify famous people from the past who have shown courageous leadership (H).-Identify famous people from the past who have shown courageous leadership (H).
x-----Give examples of notable leaders of different communities. Leaders to include but not limited to the presidents, ministers and prime ministers (C).-Give examples of notable leaders of different communities. Leaders to include but not limited to the presidents, ministers and prime ministers (C).
x----Formative task will be to create a timeline of three leaders in the UAE and identify why they are/were courageous/importantFormative task will be to create a timeline of three leaders in the UAE and identify why they are/were courageous/important
-Teaching activities could spread out to international leaders
Reflection on cooperative games so far: generally students are finding cooperating with each other quite challenging, games could be more active to sustain their interest
Action:
Research field trip to Zayed Sports City (Martina/Adri)
Update unit planner (Adri & Hope)
Next meeting:
Location: Andrea's room
Dec 1st, 2014
Present: Martina, Iman, Alexis, Maura, Hope, Brenda, Shannin, Andrea, Adri,Trish
Location: Martina's room
Discussion:
-Standards aligning with formative and summative assessments
-Formative standards can be added to the PS Gradebook description box, summative standards will be scored on MB
-At least 3 standards need to be aligned with the summative to report on
-SA rubrics will need to be standards based with 4 levelled descriptors
Action:
-Photocopy notes and update file on q drive (Trish)
Nov 25th, 2014
Teachers used the meeting time to work on STP reflections
Nov 18th, 2014
Present: Martina, Iman, Alexis, Maura, Hope, Brenda, Shannin, Andrea, Adri, Trish
Location: Maura's room
Discussion:
-ICT will be used as a tool to teach the standards relating to landmarks
-Sports day-request made by Grade 1 team to have an alternative to medals as some of the children don't yet understand the concept of competition and get upset on the day also group days could be fictional countries so that students could create the symbol representing their identity in art
-Formative assessments: Line 1-leaders and teams this will be aligned with a group task during PE
-Line 3-flags of teachers' home countries-what do the symbols represent
-Provocation: video of Mr John talking about how he is the leader of the school
-Pre-assessment: mind map of the attributes of good leaders and leaders they know
-Field trip-Zayed Sports City
Action:
Update Managebac unit planner (Adri & Hope)
Add all teachers as authors to planner (Trish)
Create formative checklists/graphic organizers etc. (Adri/Alexis/Martina)
Next meeting:
Location: Andrea's room
Sharing out of assessments and how they will be marked
Nov 13th, 2014
Present: Martina, Iman, Alexis, Maura, Hope, Brenda, Shannin, Andrea, Adri, Absent: Trish- Late duty, Shannin-2 hours
Location: Martina's room
1
Summative and writing assessment for Sharing the planet
We discussed our formative assessments for sharing the planet. All teachers have their 3 formatives completed.
We will complete our writing assessment next week and our Summative on the week of the 23rd-28th. Our unit will end on the 27th of November
2
Summative and formatives for where we are in place and time
1. How leaders and teams work together – the children can reflect on the world cup activity or sports day and talk about how they worked together as a team and who their leaders were.
2. People from around the world engage in sporting events together- the children will learn about the different world sporting events that happen around the world and in particular the UAE- tennis, golf, formula 1, rugby sevens etc
The will complete a mind map about the advantages/disadvantages of engaging in sporting events together.
3. Meanings of international symbols: the children will learn about different flags from around the world and the meaning of flags and meaning of different symbols e.g falcon, crest on flags etc
Summative: we didn’t come to a decision about our summative as we want to discuss it with the P.E team
3
Writing assessment:
We discussed our writing assessment for our next unit on procedural writing.
The children will be asked to make a game/ pitch/basketball court etc using a shoe box, playdough, matchstick men etc
They will then write about how to play their game.
4
Field trip
We discussed our field trip next week.
Sept 10th, 2014
Present: Martina, Josephine, Alexis, Maura, Hope, Brenda, Shannin, Andrea, Adri,Trish Absent:Caron; Late duty
Location: PD room
Discussion:
Unit recording on MB-rota created pairing up new with returning teachers
Pre-assessment: the students were worried about having "the right" answer, they found it difficult to discuss their opinions with each other
Review of summative assessment: students loved the activity but it didn't show an accurate understanding of the central idea-this could be tweaked to focus more on "people"
Guest speakers: possibility of inviting in parents to speak about their role in the community
Field trip-to another school to observe the differences and similarities of people-possible schools: AISA/Al Bateen
Formative assessments: Venn diagram, community
Read through last year's reflections-focus on people in SA
Skype activity-students brainstorm questions to ask children in another school in a different country
Action:
Make contact with curriculum coordinators in AISA/Al Bateen to discuss field trip (Trish)
Research inquiry learning tasks to refresh planner
Create meeting location rotation schedule (Trish) Done
Next meeting:
Learner Profile assembly procedures
Math & Language integrations
ICT integration
Next Location: Caron's room
Sept 17th, 2014
Present: Martina, Josephine, Alexis, Maura, Hope, Brenda, Shannin, Andrea, Adri, Trish Absent: Andrea Late duty
Location: Caron's room
Discussion:
Learner profile assembly procedures and rota
Math integration-activities for this unit, can be taught on Tuesdays or during UOI time
Literacy integration-build in literacy standards into summative assessment rubric if it involves recount writing, speaking/listening etc.
Behavior stick and superstars-how effective are they?
Formative assessment: Skype interview-another contact made in Uganda
Attempt to contact AISA by Trish & Adri-will try again , if unsuccessful will contact MBZ for summative trip
ICT integration: learning activities to be planned and shared among the team, standards will be given in the next week.
Subject leaders:
Math
UOI
ICT
Literacy
Display
Weebly
Martina
Shannin
Hope
Adri
Alexis
Josephine
Andrea
Caron
Shannin
Maura
Brenda
Alexis
Martina
Adri
Action:
Final attempt to contact AISA (Trish/Adri)
Contact MBZ if need be (Trish)
Follow up on behavior stick/superstar conversation in Coordinators' meeting (Trish)
Update UOI planner with Math/Literacy/ICT integrations (Martina)
Next meeting: Location: Maura's room
ICT standards-discuss learning activities
Finalize field trip
SA rubric-standards embedded
discussion
May 14th, 2014
Present: Josephine, Christine, Lorissa, Trish, Veronica, Shannin, Sarah, Andrea, Martina

June 2nd, 2014
Present: Maarium, Elmarie, Nicola, Rasha, Denitra, Aoife, Gina, Lesley, Angela, Kerry, Angela
Discussion;
May 26th, 2014
Present: Maarium, Elmarie, Nicola, Rasha, Denitra, Aoife, Gina, Lesley, Angela, Kerry, Angela

-Formative assessment: games that require teamwork e.g assembling a train track
-Pre-assessment: photo and anecdotal notes of the children playing in a group
-Activities added to the tuning in and sorting out sections of the inquiry cycle
Action:
-Create the provocation video (Angela)
-Research inquiry based activities (all)
May 19th, 2014
Present: Maarium, Elmarie, Nicola, Rasha, Denitra, Aoife, Gina, Lesley, Angela, Kerry, Angela

May 26th, 2014
Present: Maarium, Elmarie, Nicola, Rasha, Denitra, Aoife, Gina, Lesley, Angela, Kerry, Angela
Discussion;
-Revision of central idea for WWA
-Provocation: make a video of children playing uncooperatively
-Teacher questions created
-Summative assessment: PE fully integrated-they will set a group challenge to the children to use equipment to cross the blue playground without their feet touching the floor
-Formative assessment: games that require teamwork e.g assembling a train track
-Pre-assessment: photo and anecdotal notes of the children playing in a group
Action:
-Create the provocation video (Angela)
May 19th, 2014
Present: Maarium, Elmarie, Nicola, Rasha, Denitra, Aoife, Gina, Lesley, Angela, Kerry, Angela