Planning the inquiry

1. What is our purpose?

To inquire into the following:

Class/grade: K-5

Age group: 5-11

School: Domuschola Intl School School code: 7800

transdisciplinary theme
Title: Listening and Appreciation

central idea

Musicians use music to express oneself, issues and to influence

Summative assessment task(s):

Teacher(s): Carmina Gutierrez

PYP planner

Date: November 2014 February 2015

Proposed duration: 24 x 50-minute sessions over 12 weeks

What are the possible ways of assessing students understanding of the central
idea? What evidence, including student-initiated actions, will we look for?

Goal

To show how musicians use music to express oneself,

issues and to influence

Role

Creative musicians

What are the key concepts (form, function, causation, change, connection,
perspective, responsibility, reflection) to be emphasized within this inquiry?

Audience

Various audiences

Key Concepts: function, form, connection

Scenario

You are tasked to make a campaign to address a certain

issue (depends on class UOI). Make a chant (Grades 1-2),
song (Grade 3) and music (instrumental/song for Grades
4-5).

Product

A written output of their compositions

2. What do we want to learn?

Related Concepts: notation, representation, expression

What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea?

How music can be used to express self, ideas about an issue and
influence
Refining composition involves audiences response
Music signs and symbols that represent music

What teacher questions/provocations will drive these inquiries?

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

How can music be used to express self, ideas, and to influence?

Why is it important to listen to others response to your music?
What is notation? What is it for?
Why is music perceived by people differently?

Planning the inquiry

3. How might we know what we have learned?

4. How best might we learn?

This column should be used in conjunction with How best might we learn?

What are the learning experiences suggested by the teacher and/or students to
encourage the students to engage with the inquiries and address the driving
questions?

What are the possible ways of assessing students prior knowledge and skills?
What evidence will we look for?

Before and after reflection: students write and draw the answers to the
before reflection questions
What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the
lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for?

How music can be

used to express self,
ideas about an issue
and influence
Song/music about
a certain issue

Refining composition
involves audiences
response

Peer evaluation
Self-evaluation

Music signs and

symbols that
represent music

Students will write

their compositions
in graphic or
standard notation

Tuning in: Express yourself: Students will play any simple tunes/rhythm patterns using
instruments. They will describe the tune/pattern they made, justify as to why they played the
tune/pattern and relate it to how they feel/who they are. Be inspired: Students will watch an
interview of Robert Lopez and his wife, composers of the songs from Frozen. They will give
their reactions.
Finding out: (1) Listen and analyse music/songs (2) Presenting/performing in front of a small
audience, evaluate (3) Unlock rhythm and/or pitch of songs (4) Explore different kinds of
notations by playing (5) Playing song games
Sorting out: While continuing to experience these things, students will reflect about the
importance of being able to notate and write down music, how music can influence, express self
and issues.
Going further: Students create their own music paying careful attention to its function and
elements of music.

What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the
development of the attributes of the learner profile?
Thinking Skills: Comprehension - students will grasp the meaning of songs discussed.
Analysis - students will find unique characteristics in music styles and how it helped people
express messages, ideas and impact to issues
Research Skills: Formulating questions - students will identify something they want or need to
know and ask relevant questions that can be researched. Organizing data - students will sort
and categorize information they gathered into understandable forms
Open-minded: students understand their own culture and are open to different perspectives
Reflective: students will give thoughtful consideration, assess and understand how people
express themselves through music

5. What resources need to be gathered?

What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?

Teacher improvised music, recorded music, Dalcroze and Kodaly songs/activities, A3 and A4 papers, genre research booklet
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?

Variety of musical instruments and objects will be available for exploration of sound. Works and terms will be posted on the wall to constantly remind them about
the things we will be learning. Ample space will be used for movements activities.
International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Reflecting on the inquiry

6. To what extent did we achieve our purpose?

7. To what extent did we include the elements of the PYP?

Assess the outcome of the inquiry by providing evidence of students

understanding of the central idea. The reflections of all teachers involved in the
planning and teaching of the inquiry should be included.

What were the learning experiences that enabled students to:

The students were pretty much ready by the end of the unit to compose their
own music in terms of rhythmic and/or graphic notation. Most of the students
were able to express issues and self through their compositions.

How you could improve on the assessment task(s) so that you would have a
more accurate picture of each students understanding of the central idea.
Rather than have the students simply compose about a teacher given topic, it
would be helpful if the initiative would come from theme.

develop an understanding of the concepts identified in What do we want to

learn?

Connection - Listening tasks where they identified the

message of songs, describe basic music elements

Form- Unlocking notation of songs learned

Function - Exploring different musical instruments

demonstrate the learning and application of particular transdisciplinary skills?

What was the evidence that connections were made between the central idea
and the transdisciplinary theme?

Thinking skills students thought of words/phrases that

would go well with rhythm

Through their inquiry, students were able to share and express their own ideas
through their compositions.

Research skills students developed questions and

organized data

develop particular attributes of the learner profile and/or attitudes?

o Open minded while playing song games and using instruments, students
patiently waited for their turn

o Reflective students carefully assessed themselves for each tasks reflecting

on how well they did, the challenges they encountered and how they were
able to solve them

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Reflecting on the inquiry

8. What student-initiated inquiries arose from the learning?

9. Teacher notes

Record a range of student-initiated inquiries and student questions and highlight any
that were incorporated into the teaching and learning.

It was challenging to teach several levels with different level of skills,

understanding and concepts.

Students asked questions about how sound is produced (the classs current unit
about energy)

It was helpful to jot down notes of what happened every time a class ends.

At this point teachers should go back to box 2 What do we want to learn? and
highlight the teacher questions/provocations that were most effective in driving the
inquiries.
What student-initiated actions arose from the learning?
Record student-initiated actions taken by individuals or groups showing their ability to
reflect, to choose and to act.

Students continued to compose and practice even at home

International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

The unit was somewhat successful because the students were able to compose
their own music.
It could be better if the teacher had more time to assess students thoroughly so
that lessons could be more differentiated.