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Planning in the IB PYP How the World Works: What Concepts Live Here?

concept based inquiry concept based learning how the world works ib pyp planning pyp classroom specified concepts unit of inquiry planning

Every Unit of Inquiry starts somewhere. For most of us, it starts with content — forces, motion, machines, energy, structures, technology. We picture the activities first, then go hunting for resources, then try to squeeze it all into the planner.

Somewhere in that process, the inquiry itself can get lost.

I want to suggest a different starting point: start with the concepts. If inquiry is the journey, concepts are what propel it forward and that brings us to the single most useful question you can ask when planning a Unit of Inquiry:

What concepts live here?

Not just the specified concepts already sitting in the planner. What concepts actually live in this theme? That one question can change the way you plan every unit you teach  and it's the starting point for a simple, repeatable 7-step pathway I use for concept-based planning, which I'll walk through below using a How the World Works unit on forces, motion and innovation as the example.

Planning the Inquiry, Not Perfecting the...

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Planning Your First Unit of Inquiry: Where to Start in the IB PYP

concept based inquiry first unit of inquiry ib pyp planning inquiry pyp classroom specified concepts unit of inquiry planning

Back to school in your IB PYP class is well and truly over. The settling-in weeks are behind you. Routines are running, names are sticking, the classroom finally feels like yours. And now the real planning pressure lands: your first proper unit of inquiry of the year.

It's a strange kind of hard. You've done this before, plenty of times. But not with this group, not yet knowing what makes them curious, what derails them, what they'll push back on. There's no "last year's version" of this unit to lean on, because last year's version was built for different children and the reflections came from those children. 

That's why the first unit of the year is so often the one that eats the most planning time, for the least confidence in the result.

Why the First Unit Is the Hardest One to Plan

A few reasons this one is different from every unit that follows it:

  • You're choosing concepts for a class you're still getting to know; there's no muscle memory with this group yet.
  • There's real p
    • ...
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Using Exit Slips for Assessment with Conceptual Understanding in the IB PYP

approaches to learning skills assessment formative assessment ib pyp ibpyp

In the IB PYP classroom, we don’t assess learning at the end; we assess as learning happens. That means we need simple, consistent tools that show what students understand, how they are thinking, and where misconceptions are starting to form.

Exit slips are one of the most simple & effective formative assessment tools for this.😉

Used well, they give you immediate insight into:

  • conceptual understanding
  • student thinking and reasoning
  • learning gaps and misconceptions
  • next steps for teaching

But not all exit slips are equal.

In this blog, I’m sharing how I use “This or That” Exit Slips to move beyond basic reflection and into meaningful conceptual assessment in IB PYP classrooms.

👉 If you want the practical classroom strategies, skip ahead to the sections below on Maths, Literacy, and Units of Inquiry.

You can also access the full ready-to-use resource here:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/IB-PYP-Assessment-Concepts-This-or-That-Exit-Slips-12076610

Why Exit Sl...

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IB PYP Student-Led Conferences: A Practical Guide for Teachers

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😊If you know, you know! Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) remain one of the most powerful celebrations of learning. When done well, they put students at the centre of their learning story, build reflection, communication and self-assessment skills, and strengthen the partnership between classroom and home. This updated guide for PYP teachers emphasises agency, co-planning, hands-on experiences and practical ideas you can use in your classroom... and even extend into family learning experiences.

What Makes a Powerful PYP SLC?

An IB PYP student-led conference shifts the traditional teacher-centred format into a learner-centred dialogue. The student:

  • Guides the conversation about their learning journey and goals.

  • Uses evidence from their portfolio to show concepts, progress, and questions.

  • Reflects on how they learn as much as what they learn.

The teacher’s role is to facilitate preparation, support reflection, and create the conditions for student voice and choice. Fam...

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Build Reading Skills and Provoke Inquiry in the IB PYP with Daily Quotes

approaches to learning skills atl skills concept based inquiry ib pyp inquiry based learning reading

In our IB PYP classroom, literacy should do more than teach children to read words, it should help them read the world. One of the most powerful shifts I made in my classroom was introducing daily quote provocations that connected directly to our Programme of Inquiry. Daily quote provocations transformed our literacy from a subject into a thinking practice. These short but powerful texts became a bridge between reading skills, thinking skills, and concept-based learning across all six IB PYP transdisciplinary themes.

Using carefully selected quotes from artists, scientists, leaders, writers, historical figures, and even fictional characters, students engaged in a daily routine of Read – Reflect – Respond. What began as a warm-up quickly became one of the most meaningful literacy practices in our classroom.

Why Quotes Are Powerful for Reading Development

Short texts like quotes are deceptively rich. Because they are brief, students can focus their cognitive energy on deep thinking rathe...

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Conceptual Learning in the PYP: Exploring the Shift from Skills to Understanding

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The Big Shift: From Scope & Sequence to Subject Continuum

The International Baccalaureate has announced a major update in the 2025 PYP Subject Documents, marking a philosophical and practical evolution in how we view learning.

The familiar Scope and Sequence documents,  once our go-to reference for what students should know and be able to do,  are now being replaced with Subject Continuums.

But this isn’t just a terminology update. It represents a fundamental shift from skills-based planning to concept-based understanding.

Where the Scope and Sequence outlined a linear progression of skills, the Subject Continuum invites teachers to view learning as an ongoing, interconnected journey of conceptual growth across disciplines.

Why the Shift Matters

The move to Subject Continuums recognises that skills do not exist in isolation but that they are vehicles for understanding bigger ideas. By embedding conceptual understanding within skills, we move from “What can they do?” to “What do t...

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3 Powerful Ways to Teach the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the IB PYP

ib pyp student action student agency student led inquiry unit of inquiry united nations sustainability development goals unsdgs

If you're struggling to bring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) authentically into your IB PYP classroom, know that you’re not alone. Many teachers wonder how to make these 17 global goals relevant and age-appropriate for younger learners.

In this post, my guest blogger is Amber Reynolds from @scribble_satisfaction_ is  an experienced IB PYP teacher, currently working in Albania. She creatively walks us through how to unpack what the Sustainable Development Goals are, how they connect naturally to the IB Primary Years Programme and shares three practical, classroom-ready strategies for bringing them to life through inquiry and authentic action. By the end, you’ll see that teaching the SDGs isn’t “extra” work but rather it’s a meaningful, integrated part of developing international-minded, caring global citizens.

Why It’s Important to Teach the SDGs from a Young Age

PYP Concepts: Connection, Responsibility
ATL Skills: Social, Thinking, and Self-Management Skills...

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Developing Inquiry and Research Skills in the IB PYP: Project Based Learning for Grades 1 -3

concept based inquiry elementary science ib pyp inquiry based learning project based learning

With hands on and meaningful investigations through project based inquiry, we can engage our young inquirers and IB PYP learners in research focusing on concepts through implicit research skills. Take a look at the examples below, including the chart that demonstrates the flow through the inquiry and see how project based learning ties in beautifully with concept-based inquiry. The examples I'm sharing were designed as age-appropriate tools to support our youngest learners whilst diving into transdisciplinary projects that help to build thinking skills, research skills and all leading to deeper conceptual understanding. 

 A Fantastic Entry Point to Inquiry for Young Learners

Project based learning instantly grabs children’s attention because there is an exciting purpose. But behind the fascination lies a rich opportunity to deeply explore disciplinary concepts and develop all important thinking & research skills. The example Im sharing for the purpose of illustrating

...
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Learning Walls That Breathe Inquiry: Making ATL Skills Visible in the PYP

atl skills ibpyp inquiry cycle learning walls student led inquiry unit of inquiry

Learning Walls That Breathe Inquiry: Making ATL Skills Visible in the IB PYP Classroom

Learning walls are living, breathing spaces for inquiry. They go far beyond decoration. They act as a third teacher, shaping thinking, talk, and reflection. Over my years as a PYP teacher, I’ve learned that when the classroom environment becomes a partner in learning, it transforms how children see themselves as thinkers, questioners, and collaborators. Please enjoy the examples of my inquiry boards/learning walls from my classroom over the years. Ive linked the units of inquiry below, if you'd like a closer look. 

What Makes a Learning Wall Come Alive?

A true learning wall is organic and flexible, evolving as learners’ questions, discoveries, and understandings grow. It’s not a teacher-owned disp...

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Assessment & Reflection: Using SOLO Taxonomy in the IB PYP

5th grade teacher approaches to learning skills assessment concept based learning ibpyp solo taxonomy

Developing Reflective Thinkers: Using SOLO Taxonomy in the IB PYP

Why SOLO matters in a concept-based classroom

In an inquiry-driven IB PYP classroom, assessment is not just about what students know. It is about how they think, how they connect concepts, and how they grow as reflective learners. SOLO Taxonomy (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes), created by John Biggs and Kevin Collis, provides a simple yet powerful framework to track and support this growth. Let me share how I use it in my classroom to develop and support our culture of on-going reflection. 

SOLO describes levels of understanding:

  • Prestructural – The student is missing the point

  • Unistructural – One relevant idea is identified

  • Multi-structural – Several relevant ideas are collected but remain unconnected

  • Relational – Ideas are linked into a meaningful whole

  • Extended Abstract – The learner transfers and applies understanding in new ways

In many ways, SOLO mirrors the learner’s journ...

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