Alvin Dunn Elementary Program of Inquiry-2013/2014 School Year
An inquiry into:
Who we are
An inquiry into:
Where we are in place and
time
An inquiry into:
How we express ourselves
An inquiry into:
How the world works
An inquiry into
How we organize ourselves
An inquiry into
Sharing the planet
An inquiry into the nature
of 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 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
interconnectedness of
individuals and civilizations,
from local and global
perspectives
An inquiry into the ways in
which we discover and
express ideas, feelings,
nature, culture, beliefs and
values; the ways in which we
reflect on, extend and enjoy
our creativity; our
appreciation of the aesthetic.
An inquiry into the natural
world and its 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 on the
environment.
An inquiry into the
interconnectedness of humanmade systems and
communities; the structure
and function of
organizations; societal
decision making; economic
activities and their impact on
humankind and the
environment.
An inquiry into rights and
responsibilities in the
struggle to share finite
resources with other people
and with other living things;
communities and the
relationships within and
between them; access to
equal opportunities; peace
and conflict resolution
Preschool
Transition
Kindergarten
4-5
Central Idea
When people take
responsibility for their
actions, it benefits
themselves and others.
Key Concepts:
Function, responsibility
Central Idea
Where people live influences
their daily lives.
Key Concepts:
Causation, reflection
∙
Central Idea
By asking questions, people
express their desire to learn
about the world around them
Key Concepts:
Form, perspective, change
Central Idea
Through observation people
can make scientific
predictions.
Key Concepts:
Change, connection
∙
Kindergarten
5-6
Central idea
Citizenship involves
acting in a certain ways.
Key concepts:
responsibility, reflection,
causation
Central idea
Life has changed over time.
Key concepts:
change, connection, reflection
Central idea
Through knowledge of the
five senses, individuals are
able to use sensory language
to express themselves and
observe properties of
materials
Key concepts: form,
perspective, change
Central idea
Many factors affect Earth’s
land, air, and water
Key concepts: change,
causation connection,
Central idea
People live and work together
within a community.
Key concepts: function,
connection, responsibility
Central idea
Living things have unique
features based on what they
need to survive.
Key concepts: form,
function, connection
First Grade
6-7
Central idea
The choices people make
may affect their health
and well-being.
Key concepts: causation,
reflection, responsibility
Central idea
Understanding our personal
histories helps people to
value other cultures.
Key concepts: connection,
change, perspective
Central idea
Through the arts, people can
express their feelings and
opinions.
Key concepts: form,
connection, perspective
Central idea
Objects can be seen and heard
because of properties of light
and sound,
Key concepts: form, function
causation
∙
Central idea
Societies make decisions that
reflect pride in their
community based on what
they value.
Key concepts: connection ,
perspective, reflection
Central idea
A willingness to appreciate
other perspectives helps
humans to better understand
and resolve conflicts.
Key concepts: change,
perspective, responsibility
Age
Alvin Dunn Elementary Program of Inquiry-2013/2014 School Year
An inquiry into:
Who we are
An inquiry into:
Where we are in place and
time
An inquiry into:
How we express ourselves
An inquiry into:
How the world works
An inquiry into
How we organize ourselves
An inquiry into
Sharing the planet
Second Grade
7-8
Central idea
Relationships within
families help people to
understand who we are.
Key concepts:
connection, reflection,
perspective
Central idea
Journeys create change and
can lead to new opportunities.
Key concepts: form,
function, connection
Central idea
People use stories to express
aspects of their world views.
Key concepts: perspective,
connection
∙
Central idea
The properties of different
materials influence how
people use them.
Key concepts: form,
function, change
Central idea
The process of consuming
and producing depends on
many systems working
together within the
community.
Key concepts: causation,
connection, responsibility
Central idea
The environment influences
the life cycle of living things.
Key concepts: form,
function, change
Third Grade
8-9
Central idea
Rules and laws help
define people's rights and
responsibilities as
citizens.
Key concepts: function,
causation, responsibility
Central idea
Throughout history, the
migration of people has
influenced civilizations.
Key concepts: form,
perspective, change
Central idea
People convey their unique
feelings through creative
expression.
Key concepts: perspective,
connection, reflection
Central idea
The universe is made up of
predictable patterns that help
us understand our
environment.
Key concepts: form,
function, reflection
∙
Central idea
Economic choices are made
based on the individual’s
evaluation of both the
benefits and costs.
Key concepts: connection,
reflection, responsibility
Central idea
Living things adapt in order
to survive
Key concepts: form, change,
connection
Fourth Grade
9-10
Central idea
Reflecting on our
experiences helps us
understand our values and
beliefs.
Key concepts: function,
causation, perspective
Central idea
Regions on Earth are
distinguished by geographic
features.
Key concepts: form,
function, change
∙
Central idea
Creative expression can shape
and define mindset within a
culture.
Key concepts: reflection,
connection, perspective
Central idea
Natural and unnatural
processes shape and reshape
the earth's surfaces
Key concepts:
form, change, causation
Central idea
Many factors influence the
structure of a government.
Key concepts: connection,
responsibility, reflection
Central idea
Conflicts often occur because
some resources on the planet
are renewable over time,
others are not.
Key concepts: form,
causation, responsibility
Fifth Grade
10-11
Central idea
Systems within the body
work together to develop
the human
self.
Key concepts: form,
function, connection
Central idea
Through exploration, new
discoveries are made.
Key concepts: causation,
change,
∙
Central idea
Ideas, feeling, beliefs, and
values are expressed when
people align themselves with
issues, movements, and
causes.
Key Concepts: causation,
responsibility, perspective,
Central idea
Knowing about gravitational
forces helps humans
understand the planet Earth
and the solar system.
Key concepts: function,
connection, change
Central idea
Economic incentives affect
the environment.
Key concepts: causation,
change, responsibility
Central idea
The behavior of water affects
life.
Key concepts: change,
connection, responsibility
Sixth Grade
11-12
Central idea
People experience change
as they grow and mature.
Key concepts: reflection,
change, responsibility
Central idea
The quest for new
opportunities influences
where we live.
Key concepts: change,
causation, reflection
Central idea
Acts of courage are expressed
and interpreted in many ways.
Key concepts: form,
connection, perspective
Central idea
Society’s ability to explain
the natural world around
them is influenced by their
perspectives.
Key concepts: form,
connection, perspective
Central idea
Social networking enables
people within various
societies and organizations to
become interconnected.
Key concepts: function,
connection, perspective
Central idea
The environment influences
the choices that people make.
Key concepts: causation,
responsibility, reflection
Age
Alvin Dunn Elementary Program of Inquiry-2013/2014 School Year