Suggested Steps for Initial Unit Planning in the PYP
Review the Reflection section
Start with the Transdisciplinary Theme
Read the Central Idea
Choose /review the Concepts
Provocation(s) come next
Notes
- What worked? Didn't?
- Consider any changes while proceeding with planning.
Start with the Transdisciplinary Theme
- Focus on which parts you will focus on.
Read the Central Idea
- Is it clear enough to be accessible (with support) to the age?
- Is it focused enough to be covered in the time yet broad enough to have a big understanding (timeless and universal)?
Choose /review the Concepts
- Do they work well with the Central Idea?
Provocation(s) come next
- What is your hook?
- Will you need more than one to cater to different learning styles/interests in your class?
Notes
- The planner should be constantly amended not just reviewed and followed but updated with ideas, details, student action and embedded documents so that the reflection occurs without any fuss or undue stress and causes little interruption of planning flow for planning the following unit.
- Specialists can not always collaborate meaningfully on more than one or two units with every class. By focusing on related concepts they can reinforce the bigger understandings.
Created by Sean Thompson