I.B. Units Through the Year
August/September I.B. Theme:
Who We Are
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
Central Idea:
Beliefs and values within a community influence the decisions made by its government.
Lines of Inquiry:
- Origin, structure, and function of government
- Interdependence of government and citizens
- Elements of civil discourse
- Ways to have a voice and take action
This unit is all about local government! We will begin by learning about rules, rights, and responsibilities. We'll discuss personal rights in the classroom and in the world, which will lead us into exploring how we organize ourselves to protect those rights. We are hoping to meet the mayor and visit the Boulder County Courthouse, and you may even see us picketing down the Pearl Street Mall as we make our voices heard!
How Will We Learn?
- Make posters of Whittier student rights
- Watch a video and read a book about the International Rights of the Child
- Complete a Venn diagram of rights and responsibilities
- Make a "waterfall" book about the organization of our classroom, school, and community/city
- Explore a website about government
- Make our voices heard as we picket in Boulder
September/October I.B. Theme:
Where We Are In Place and Time
An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humandkind; the relationships between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
Central Idea:
Past events influence the development of a community.
Lines of Inquiry:
-Cultural and human characteristics
-How communities remain the same or change over time
-Lessons from the past
-Historical fact vs. fiction
-Tools of history and geography
During this unit we will be studying Boulder's past and present. We will learn about the past by using the tools of historians: old photos and artifacts. We will explore questions such as... How did our community get here? Why did people come to Boulder in the past? Why do people come here now? How have people in the past affected the way Boulder is today? How do YOU affect the way Boulder is today and in the future?
How Will We Learn?
- Study a timeline of Boulder History
- Watch a video about Boulder (Sesquicentennial Celebration)
- Take field trips around Boulder, including walking the Pearl Street Mall and visiting the Boulder County Agricultural Heritage Center
- Draw pictures and write about Boulder's past
- Discuss how events influence the development of a community
November/December I.B. Theme:
How We Express Ourselves
An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend, and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.
Central Idea:
Authors make thoughtful choices when writing in order to effectively convey a message to an audience.
Lines of Inquiry:
- 6 Traits of writing (see image on the right)
- The writing process
- Ways to interact with and interpret text
- Author's purpose, message, and themes in literature
During this unit we will be exploring the art of writing. Through author interviews, guest speakers, mentor texts, and lots and lots of writing, students will strengthen their ability to convey a message to a specific audience through the craft of writing. Students will also have the opportunity to learn more about their favorite authors while at the same time discovering new ones to love!
How Will We Learn?
- Read, read, read! We will be reading as much excellent children's literature as we can get our hands on!
- Keep an Ideas Notebook and fill it with words, pictures, story ideas, titles, and whatever might inspire us.
- Write, write, write! Students will write, revise, and publish several pieces during this unit.
- Peer coaching: With a partner, students will discuss their ideas, share feedback, and edit and assess their writing.
- Author visits and interviews
January/February I.B. Theme:
How We Organize Ourselves
An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.
Central Idea:
The geographic features of a region influence the lifestyle and livelihood of the people there.
Lines of Inquiry:
- Unique physical and human features of regions
- Regional resources and economy
- Short term financial goals
We will be taking a virtual road trip through the regions of the United States! During our travels, we will learn about the landforms, lifestyle and livelihood of people living in each region. We will earn Scholar Dollars as we travel! We will get to visit various local tourist attractions and buy souvenirs from our experiences, creating a scrap book of our fantastic road trip through the regions of the United States!
How Will We Learn?
- Look at a lot of maps!
- Take a virtual road trip through the regions of the United States
- Watch videos on US regions, as well as clips from the Human Planet series
- Draw/Label/Color maps of the United States
- Write letters to our W.I.S.E. partners about each of the regions we "visit" on our virtual road trip
February/March I.B. Theme:
Sharing the Planet
An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.
Central Idea:
Human choices and actions impact the earth.
Lines of Inquiry:
- Changing states of matter
- How Earth's resources change
- Uses of Earth's materials
- Human interactions in sharing Earth's finite resources
During this unit we will be studying the states of matter and how heating and cooling changes matter. This will lead into a study of the rock cycle and the earth materials that humans use. Finally, we will investigate the pros and cons of using Earth's finite resources, such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, and water. During this final investigation, students will explore the struggles and responsibilities of sharing Earth's resources with other humans and animals.
How Will We Learn?
- Classroom experiments with "mock rocks" - breaking it apart to discover it's ingredients
- Science journaling
- Research a finite earth material that humans use and share
At home you can explore these rock and mineral websites:
April/May I.B. Theme:
How the World Works
An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
Central Idea:
Living organisms change throughout a life cycle.
Lines of Inquiry:
- Duration and timing of developmental stages of life.
- Similarities and differences between life cycles of various organisms
- The scientific process
During this unit we will investigate the life cycles of several plants and animals. In the classroom we will observe the life cycle of a pea plant while keeping a science journal to record our observations, questions, and "new learnings." We will also observe the life cycle of a frog, from tadpole to adult. After learning about the stages and needs of various animals in their life cycle, each student will do a project and presentation about life cycles.
How Will We Learn?
- Plant and observe pea seeds as they grow
- Record observations of mealworms as they grow into frogs
- Read non-fiction books about plant and animal life cycles
- Create "waterfall" books about plant and animal life cycles
- Create a non-fiction book about an animal life cycle