Dover Elementary Programme of Inquiry
Age An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
Sharing the planet
Who we are
Where we are in place How we express
and time
ourselves
How the world works
How we organize
ourselves
An inquiry into the
Nature of the self,
beliefs and values;
personal, physical,
mental, social and
spiritual health;
Nature of the self,
beliefs and values;
personal, physical,
mental, social and
spiritual health
Nature of the self,
beliefs and values;
personal, physical,
mental, social and
spiritual health;
human relationships
including families,
friend, communities,
and culture; rights
and responsibilities;
what is means to be
human
An inquiry into
orientation in place
and time, personal
histories; homes and
journeys; the
discoveries,
explorations and
migrations of
humankind, the
relationships
between and the
interconnectedness
of individuals and
civilizations, from
local and global
perspectives
An inquiry into the
natural world and it
laws,; natural world
and it 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 the environment
An inquiry into the
interconnectedness of
human-made systems
and communities; into
Dover Elementary 2015-2016
An inquiry into the
ways in which we
discover and express
ideas; the ways in
which we discover
and express ideas;,
the ways in which we
discover and express
idea, feelings,
nature, culture and
beliefs; the ways in
which we reflect,
extend and enjoy our
creativity; our
appreciation of the
aesthetic; the ways
in which we discover
and express idea,
feelings, nature,
culture and beliefs
An inquiry into rights
and responsibilities and
the struggle to share
finite resources with
the interconnectedness other people and other
of human-made systems living things;
and communities the
communities and the
structure and function relationships within and
of organizations; the
between them;
structure and function communities and the
of organizations; the
relationships within and
structure and function between them; access
of organizations;
to equal opportunities;
societal decisionpeace and conflict
making, economic
resolution
activities and their
impact on humankind
and the environment;
KEY:
Kindergarten: Purple
First Grade: Red
Second Grade: Green
Third Grade: Blue
Fourth Grade: Yellow
5–6 Central idea:
Relationships with
K
others contribute to
shaping our identity
Key concepts:
Connection, Change,
Form
Related concepts:
growth, relationships,
sequences
Lines of inquiry:
Change occurs over
time (Change)
Relationships with
others influence who
you become
(Connection)
Personal abilities and
interests (Form)
Central idea: Signs,
symbols and rules
facilitate
communication
Key concepts: Form,
Causation, Function
Related concepts:
Communication,
Symbols
Lines of inquiry:
Signs and symbols
(Form)
Responsibility in
different settings
(Responsibility)
Systems of
communication
(Function)
Central idea: Cultures
form traditions to
celebrate heritage and
share ways of life
Key concepts:
Perspective,
Connection, Form
Related concepts:
culture,
similarities/differences,
expressions,
Lines of inquiry:
How cultures influence
traditions (Connection)
How are traditions and
celebrations similar
and different
(Perspective)
individual heritages
and celebrations
(Form)
Dover Elementary 2015-2016
Central idea: Patterns
and cycles around us
can be identified,
described, extended and
created
Central idea:
Communities can be
organized to meet the
needs of their members
Central idea: Living
things have physical traits
and behaviors which can
influence survival
Key concepts: form,
Key concepts: Change, Key concepts: Function, change, connection
Form, Connection
responsibility, causation
Related concepts:
Related concepts:
Related concepts: role, growth. Transformation,
cycles, patterns
impact, values
Lines of inquiry:
Characteristics of living
Lines of inquiry:
Lines of inquiry:
Cycles and patterns
A community and how it things (form)
(Form)
is organized (Function)
How living things grow
Cycles of non-living
Our needs and the needs and survive (Change)
things (Change)
of others within a
Similarities and
community (Causation)
differences of living things
Impact of cycles and
patterns on our daily
Roles of people who are (Connection)
lives (Connection)
part of our communities
(Responsibility)
Age An inquiry into:
Who we are
6–7 Central idea: Rules
1st exist in different settings
to keep people safe and
accountable for choices
Key concepts:
Causation, Connection,
Reflection
Related concepts:
Laws and Rules,
Choices, Citizenship
Lines of inquiry
Purpose of rules across
different settings.
(Causation)
Respecting ourselves
and others. (Reflection)
Consequences of our
actions. (Connection)
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
Where we are in
place and time
How we express
ourselves
How the world works
How we organize
ourselves
Sharing the planet
Central idea: Earth is a
system with limited
resources which impact
decision making
Central idea: Living
things interact with the
environment and each
other in order to survive
Central idea:
Exploring our
families’ pasts can
influence our lives
Central idea: Writers
Central idea: Matter
utilize tools and
exists in many forms
techniques to tell stories and can be changed
and share information
Key concepts:
Key concepts: Form, Key concepts:
Function, Change, Form
Change, Perspective Perspective, Reflection,
Related concepts:
Chronology,
contributions,
continuity
Lines of inquiry:
Artifacts of the past
(form)
Individuals and their
impact on the past
and future (change)
Related concepts:
beliefs, behaviour,
interpretation
Lines of inquiry
The structural The
structural elements of
stories and fairy tales
(Form)
Writers Purpose
(Function)
Related concepts:
Properties, impact,
transformation
Lines of inquiry:
Characteristics and
properties of matter
(form)
The physical and
human process that
work together to shape
places and regions
(Function)
Significant events of Ways to discover and
the past (perspective) express ideas, feelings, Properties of earth
beliefs and values
materials and how they
(Perspective
form (form)
Impact of changes in
matter (change)
Dover Elementary 2015-2016
Key concepts:
Responsibility,
connection reflection
Related concepts:
Interdependence,
Resources, Choice
Lines of inquiry:
The function of supply
and demand (Function)
The distribution of
goods and services
(Connection)
Responsibility as
consumers
(Responsibility)
Key concepts:
Connection, Change
Related concepts:
Adaptation, Resources,
Environment
Lines of inquiry:
Human responsibility to
other living things
(Responsibility)
Ways living things
acquire resources for
survival (Change)
Living things have basic
needs for survival (Form)
7–8 Central idea:
Making balanced
2nd
choices about daily
routines enables us to
have a healthy lifestyle
Key concepts:
Reflection,
Responsibility, Form
Related concepts:
Behavior, Choices,
Consequences
Lines of inquiry:
Nutrition affects the
body(Form)
Choices affect our
lifestyle (Responsibility)
People have feelings
(Reflection)
Dover Elementary 2015-2016
Central idea: Human
cultures and
interactions can lead
to sharing ways of life
Central idea: Many
forms of communication
can be used to express
ideas for a variety of
reasons
Key concepts:
perspective,
Key concepts:
connection, causation
form, perspective,
Causation
Related concepts:
Related concepts:
interdependence,
communication,
landforms, location
expression,
interpretation
Lines of inquiry
Various cultures
Lines of inquiry
around the world
Different forms of
(Perspective)
communication (form)
Cultures lead to
sharing ways of life.
(Connection)
How culture is
impacted by location
and human
interaction
(Causation)
Central idea:
Central idea:
Technological advances Systems exist to
impact human ways of organize our world
life
Key concepts:
Causation,
Key concepts:
Responsibility, Function
function, change,
causation
Related concepts:,
Technology, design,
forces
Lines of inquiry
Force and motion
(Change)
Understanding
technology and uses
Ways of communicating
(Function)
and expressing ideas
through writing and
Engineers and the use
reading (Perspective)
of a process to design
(Causation)
Ways of verbally
communicating and
expressing ides
(Causation)
Related concepts:
dependence, currency
Lines of inquiry:
How and why we
organize ourselves
(Function)
Responsibility of
individuals in
organizations
(Responsibility)
Central idea: Changes
on the Earth are caused
my living and non-living
things
Key concepts:
connection, change,
causation
Related concepts:
weather, air,
environmental changes
Lines of inquiry:
Water is present in the
air of the atmosphere
(Function)
Long and short term
changes caused by
weather (Causation)
Information is displayed
in an organized way
Changes on earth
(Causation)
caused by living things
(Change)
8–9 Central idea: Individuals
can take action to make
3rd
a difference within
communities
Key concepts:
Responsibility,
Causation, Function
Central idea:
Knowledge of local
history develops
historical awareness
of how change in
communities impacts
the present
Central idea:
Appreciation of the
natural environment can
inspire creativity
Key concepts:
Causation, Change,
Perspective
Key concepts:
Change, Perspective
Related concepts:
Related concepts:
Connection
Cycles, Creativity,
Rules, Beliefs, Values
adaptation
Related concepts:
Lines of inquiry:
Time, History and
Lines of inquiry:
Geography
Groups and
Unique inherited traits
organizations within a
of individual organisms
Lines of inquiry:
community (Function)
(Causation)
A community’s history
Ways groups and
(Connection)
Animals and plants
individuals contribute to
survive in their
societies (Responsibility) A community today
environment
(Change)
(Causation)
Ways groups and
Ways to gather
individuals can make a
Life cycles of organisms
information about a
difference in a
(Change)
community (Causation) community’s past and
present (Perspective) How people express
themselves through
Westlake’s
nature (Perspective)
community compared
to communities
around the world
(Perspective)
Dover Elementary 2015-2016
Central idea: Matter
may have certain
properties that can
determine their function
or use
Key concepts:
Causation, Form,
Change
Central idea: Systems
provide structure to
society
Key concepts:
Function, Connection,
Form)
Related concepts:
structure, space, system
Related concepts:
Matter, Transformation, Lines of inquiry:
Exploration
How systems provide
structure and
organization (Function)
Lines of inquiry:
Properties and states of
The system of
Matter (Form)
economics
Changes of Matter
The purpose of systems
(Change)
within a society
(Connection)
The relationship
between matter and
energy (Causation)
Central idea:
Renewable and nonrenewable resources can
be used in many ways
Key concepts:
Responsibility. Form,
Causation
Related concepts: :
Rocks, Soil, Recycling,
Composting
Lines of inquiry:
renewable and
nonrenewable resource
(form)
Effects of human action
and conservation
(responsibility)
Scarcity and personal
responsibilities
(responsibility)
Alternate ways of
dealing with
environmental issues
(causation)
Age An inquiry into:
Who we are
An inquiry into:
Where we are in place How we express
and time
ourselves
9–10 Central idea: Effectively
4th
An inquiry into:
Central idea: Migration
solving problems requires occurs as a response to
communication and an
challenges, risks and
open-mind
opportunities.
Key concepts: Form,
Key concepts: Change
Reflection, Responsibility Causation, Connection
Central idea: A variety of
creative processes
provide an opportunity to
appreciate and express
our ideas, beliefs and
values
Key concepts:
Perspectives, Form
Reflection
Related concepts:
Citizenship, Choice,
Systems
Related concepts:
Settlement, Conflict,
Colonialism
Lines of inquiry:
Role of the
citizen/citizenship (Form)
Related concepts:
expression,
Lines of inquiry:
communication,
Reasons for exploration
interpretation,
and migration. (Causation) metacognition
Relationship between
rules, laws, rights and
responsibilities
(Responsibilities)
Effects of migration on
communities, cultures and
individuals (Change)
Impact of people choices
Decision-making
on the environment
processes for groups and (Connection)
individuals (Reflection)
Lines of inquiry:
Different types of writing
allow people to express
themselves in a variety of
ways (Reflection)
How writers, performers,
etc. express themselves
(Perspective)
Other forms of
expression (Form)
Dover Elementary 2015-2016
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
An inquiry into:
How the world works How we organize
ourselves
Sharing the planet
Central idea: Energy
exists in different forms
and is generated, stored
and used in different
ways all over the world
Central idea: Choice
impacts other living things
Key concepts: Form,
Responsibility, Causation
Related concepts:
Balance, Biodiversity,
Interdependence
Lines of inquiry:
The nature of different
forms of energy (form)
Conservation of energy
(Responsibility)
Transferring of energy
from one location to
another (Function)
Central idea:
Frameworks can be in
place to establish
common good
Key concepts: Causation,
Responsibility, Change
Key concepts: Function, Related concepts: Diversity,
Form, Causation
Interdependence
Related concepts:
Lines of inquiry:
Citizenship. Governance,
Balance between rights and
Politics
responsibilities when
interacting with natural
Lines of inquiry:
habitats (Responsibility)
Function of systems and
structures (Function)
The impact of people’s
Organization within
systems (Form)
Impact of systems on
citizens (Causation)
choices on the environment
(Causation)
Human Conflict and
Resolution (Change)
Dover Elementary 2015-2016