1. 5th Grade Exhibition
2013 A Tribute to Heroes

2. What is the Exhibition? A culminating project for the PYP
A collaborative inquiry that begins with personal interest and passions, and extends to community action
An inquiry that requires the students to apply their learning from previous years
An opportunity to unite the school community in the essence of the PYP: transdisciplinary inquiry in the spirit of personal and shared responsibility
A celebration of who our students are as learners

3. What is the Exhibition? It is: Intense Tiring Exciting Self-directed
Process driven
Rewarding
Action provoking
Collaborative
It is not:
A science fair
A poster contest
A competition
Product driven
Adult directed
A burden

5. Students will use the PYP Transdisciplinary Skills
Communication Skills: working on teams, explaining, describing and listening to mentors
Social skills: team work, coming to consensus
Research Skills: note taking, documentation, writing
Self-management Skills: goal setting
Thinking Skills: analyzing, creating, reflecting

6. Students will understand and apply the attitudes of a successful learner.
Positive Attitudes:
Appreciation
Commitment
Confidence
Co-operation
Creativity
Curiosity
Empathy
Enthusiasm
Independence
Integrity
Respect
Tolerance
Learner Profiles:
Thinker
Open-minded
Caring
Principled
Reflective
Inquirer
Knowledgeable
Risk–taker
Communication
Balanced

7. Transdisciplinary Theme: How We Express Ourselves
Central Idea:
We celebrate the best of humanity through art, words, film and action, inspiring all to act heroically; creating positive change in our world.

8. Lines of Inquiry (form, function) What are heroic qualities?
(connection, perspective) Why are some people identified as heroes?
(connection) How are we connected to our heroes? What do our heroes have in common?
(responsibility) How do we pay tribute to our heroes?
(reflection) How does this tribute inspire us and others to act heroically?

9. Hero Celebration Days, May 2- 3rd
Our Culminating Celebration will include hallway art displays for individual heroes, collaborative projects including short films, music, artwork, poetry and web pages (on global site myhero.com) to view in the lower school tech lab. All XIS, parents, families and community are invited to attend our celebration, and invited to comment on student webpages.

10. How will this happen?
The subject of our inquiry is heroism. After individual students choose a hero, then student groups will be created, based on connections students find. It may be a shared interest, category of hero, or heroic traits that are shared.
Student groups will create lines of inquiry and begin research. They will plan their investigation, do the research, write and choose a way to express their learning.

11. How Much Time will Students Spend Working on the Exhibition?
The students start brainstorming ideas and thinking about concepts the week beginning the 4th of March
They work with their small groups and their mentor to research, plan, and reflect on their action. This will take about 6 weeks from March 12th to May 3rd.
The last week of April will be finalizing their presentation; Hero Celebration Days are May 2-3rd
Students will still have Math and Language Arts lessons during this time, but the majority of each day will be used to work on inquiries.

12. The Mentor’s Role You are an advisor, a coach, a cheerleader.
Student groups will contact you, establish a meeting time weekly that fits YOUR schedule.
Groups will share their lines of inquiry, their goals, and their plan the first meeting.
At each meeting, groups will write notes on their group wiki site, reflect on progress, and ask for you to do the same. These sites will be accessed by homeroom teachers to problem solve, and assess student progress.
Rather than tell them what action to take, your role is to ask probing questions, and encourage their communication and problem solving.
Ultimately, students need to ensure their research is done, their writing complete, their chosen expression finished on time, and oral presentation practiced.

13. Possible ways to EXPRESS learning:
Student groups will show their research with group wiki sites, personal and group reflection, and website creation on myhero.com, an international web organization to promote heroes in our world, and inspire students to learn about and celebrate local, national, and global heroes.
Students will document their progress and reflection through on-line wikis (interactive webpages), video clips, and interviews. They will meet with mentors weekly (or more if needed) to discuss progress, share questions, and be coached to solve problems.
Students will choose a way to express their learning with music, art, poetry, or film-making.

15. What About Exhibition Homework?
The children should use their time at home to research and prepare for work in class
Much of the work should be done in class, so the teacher can keep track of progress
Student groups will keep notes on their wiki sites, organize research, document resources and reflect on progress.
Student webpages will be available for families to view and comment.

16. Parents may have taken mentor responsibility and therefore have duel roles.

17. How Can Parents Help? Ask your child about the Exhibition
Support and encourage your child
Provide background knowledge
Help to locate resources – people, places, media and information
Celebrate with the students by attending the final presentations, volunteering, and commenting on online portfolios.

18. Developing Student Critical Thinking Skills
Ask open-ended questions about their project
Allow them to solve their own problems
Let them be responsible for their own learning
Encourage independent inquiry and respect student ownership of the process
Monitor, challenge, question and clarify

19. How Do We Assess Students’ Work?
“Exhibitions are the best way to measure learning because they put the kids right in the midst' of their learning.” Dennis Litky
We assess the learning process
We assess the student presentation
Student’s self-assess their individual efforts and collaboration using rubrics

20. Something for Us All to Remember…
The process is more important than the product!
The Exhibition is a celebration of who our students are as learners!