Parent Handbook 2012-13.pdf - Beacon Hill School

Parent Information Booklet 2012 - 13From Year One onwards each year group will explore six dynamic and engaging Units ofInquiry, one under each of the following transdisciplinary themes:Who we areWhere we are in place and timeHow we express ourselvesHow the world worksHow we organise ourselvesSharing the planetAn 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 humanAn inquiry into orientation in place and time; personalhistories; homes and journeys; the discoveries,explorations and migrations of humankind; therelationships between and the interconnectedness ofindividuals and civilizations from local and globalperspectives.An inquiry into the ways in which we discover andexpress ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs andvalues; the ways in which we reflect on extend andenjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; theinteraction between the natural world (physical andbiological) and human societies; how humans use theirunderstanding of scientific principles; the impact ofscientific and technological advances on society and onthe environment.An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human madesystemsand communities; the structure and function oforganizations; societal decision-making; economicactivities and their impact on human kind and theenvironment.An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggleto share finite resources with other people and withother living things; communities and the relationshipswithin and between them; access to equalopportunities; peace and conflict resolution.Teachers and students use key questions that are concept based to structure the units ofinquiry. They acquire and apply transdisciplinary skills while developing an understanding ofthese important concepts. Student learning is reinforced and extended through off-site fieldtrips, in-house speakers and experts and sharing amongst peers.Assessment is an important part of learning in the PYP as it allows students to reflect onwhat they know, understand and can do and therefore enhances learning. The teachers12