Yesterday the students discussed with their class the concepts and knowledge that were found within the exhibition topic of children's rights. After their discussions, the students were encouraged to complete the application form in their journals to be part of the central idea writing team. Today the teachers chose 2-3 students from those who submitted applications to represent their class and sent them to the PYP coordinator to work on writing the central idea for the exhibition this year.
The students started writing the central idea by discussing the "big concepts" that were included under the topic of children's rights. This included ideas such as basic needs, education, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, happiness as a child, safety, etc. After gathering everyone's ideas, the students worked together to combine all of the important concepts into one broad statement that would be the central idea. They also discussed and debated the transdisciplinary theme that best fit the topic and central idea and agreed that Who We Are is the theme that was most appropriate this year. They felt very strongly that this was the best theme because the whole exhibition is going to be about them as children, which is what they are.
After writing the central idea the students worked together to rate it using a checklist for central ideas. When the central idea was checked and approved by everyone they copied it into their Exhibition Journals as the "official" central idea for the 2009 exhibition!
Central Idea
All children have the right to happiness, basic needs, and opportunities which need to be respected responsibly by families, communities, and governments.
All children have the right to happiness, basic needs, and opportunities which need to be respected responsibly by families, communities, and governments.
The students did a great job and I was so impressed with their ideas and discussions. I can tell that this is going to be a GREAT exhibition with lots of really deep questioning and thinking this year!
What are your thoughts on the new central idea? Does it bring any questions to mind? How do you see yourself investigating this central idea?
Have a great winter break and I can't wait to investigate this further in two weeks!
Miss Jessica
What are your thoughts on the new central idea? Does it bring any questions to mind? How do you see yourself investigating this central idea?
Have a great winter break and I can't wait to investigate this further in two weeks!
Miss Jessica
What a great blog! Here in Geneva we are just at the stage of our students writing their central ideas for the PYP Exhibition. We are creating a list of criteria for the students to check their CIs against. Would there be any chance of seeing what you came up with in your checklist? Would be of great help :)
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