1. Concepts: What’s the big idea?
Dr. Lucy Haddock

2. Form: What are concepts?
Central Ideas w/concepts
Related Concepts
Key Concepts
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

3. Form: What is it like? “Structure of Knowledge”
Knowledge has structure just like the plant and animal kingdom has structure.
Understanding this can assist us in developing “statements of generalizations”, or as we in the PYP call them…Central Ideas.
Form: What is it like? “Structure of Knowledge”
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

4. Connection: How are concepts connected to the units?
10/26/11
PYP is a concept-based curriculum framework
Our goal is to use the “critical content” (which are the facts and topics) to teach toward the concepts (conceptual understanding) in the central idea.
FACTS/TOPICS: Locked into time, place, situation. They are the FOUNDATION to teach toward transferable concepts
CONCEPTS: Timeless, abstract, universal, transferable (TAUT)
Central Ideas: Since they are comprised of concepts, they too are transferable across cultures and disciplines, and through time.
GROUPS: Let’s look at the sample POI on pg. 20 of Developing a Transdisciplinary POI doc. (WHO WE ARE)
What are the concepts in the central idea for 3-4 year olds? (TAUT)
GROUPS: Now go through all the central ideas of Who We Are and pick out the concepts
Share out
Connection: How are concepts connected to the units?
CONCEPTUALLY BASED SYSTEM allows for connections to be made across disciplines and develops higher level thinking
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

5. Intelligence. Discuss WHY
TOPICS VS CONCEPTS
Cinco de Mayo Celebrations
U.S. Westward Expansion Migration
War in Afghanistan
Conflict
Dinosaurs
Extinction
TOPIC or CONCEPT??
Intelligence. Discuss WHY
Remember…CONCEPTS are (TAUT):
Timeless
Abstract
Universal
Transferable
Usually 1 or 2 words
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

6. Two Types of Concepts Examples of “Related Concepts”
Macro-concepts are “really big”
Micro-concepts are “subject specific”
Science: Energy, Habitats, Matter, System, Change
Social Studies: Conflict, Civilization, Interdependence, Change
Lyn Erickson points out that there are two types of concepts: The first type arising from the subject material, the other drawn out of the subject’s craft. In literature the there are the concepts of family, love, conflict arising out of the themes of literature. Whereas other concepts are drawn from the writer’s craft, for example, when character, symbolism , allegory, foreshadowing are used to convey meaning or create effect. Macro concepts gives us breadth and micro concepts gives us depth
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

7. KEY CONCEPTS: Please look at pages 18-20 in MTPYPH document
KEY CONCEPTS: Please look at pages in MTPYPH document. Notice the “related concepts” listed for each key concept
FYI: There are also “related concepts” identified for the following subject areas in MPYPH document:
Science (pages 97-98)
Social Studies (pages )
Math (pages 85-86)
Personal/Social education (page 117)
Physical Education (pages )
The Arts (pages )
Related Concepts
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

8. 10/26/11
TOPICS AND CONCEPTS
Use pages MTPYPH to find “Related Concepts” for the following science topics:
SCIENCE TOPIC
3 RELATED CONCEPTS
Earth
Light Bulbs/Neon Lights
Building materials (wood, brick, ice)
Use pages MTPYPH to find “Related Concepts” for the following SS topics:
SS TOPIC
3 RELATED CONCEPTS
Elected Officials of Florida
History of the Florida or the West
Cities of Europe
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

9. What are the criteria of concepts again?
10/26/11
TOPICS AND CONCEPTS
What are the criteria of concepts again?
TOPIC
POSSIBLE CONCEPT(S)
Plants/animals of Chesapeake Bay
Native Tribes of Virginia
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
What makes a topic a topic again?
CONCEPT
POSSIBLE TOPICS
Exploration
Pattern
Conflict
Discuss with shoulder partner/group possible concepts, then topics
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

10. Central Ideas Do use a full sentence. Do use present tense.
Do use strong verbs such as express, explain, and reflect…
Do use global terms.
Do try to include in the statement one or two related concepts.
Do ask why and then so what after the statement.
Do think about what you want learners to know, understand, and do…
(Think in your head ‘The student will understand that…’) 
Do use qualifying term is not an absolute … such as often, may etc.
Do make sure central idea reflects the Transdisciplinary Theme and Component of the corresponding definition from MPYPH Figure 4, page 12, 2007.
Do review to ensure statement is timeless.
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

11. Function: How are concepts organized?
Remember…PYP has 8 KEY CONCEPTS…what are they again??
There are also subject-area or related concepts
Function: How are concepts organized?
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

12. Function: Using Key Concepts
Look at the unit you felt was weakest.
Generate key concept questions based on your central idea
Generate key concept questions based on your lines of inquiry
Function: Using Key Concepts
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.

13. Function: Using Key Concepts
Concept based questions :
Form: What is an archaeologists?
Function: How do they find artifacts?
Change: How was life in the past different?
Causation: What causes the end of a civilization?
Central Idea: Archaeologists examine artifacts and hypothesize what they might tell us about the past.
Lines of Inquiry:
-what do archaeologists do when they discover artifacts?
-how do they make a valid hypotheses?
-how do archaeological discoveries change our understanding of the past?
- key archaeological sites around the world
Connection: How do artifacts reveal the past?
Perspective: Why is it important to learn about the past?
Responsibility: Why should our hypotheses be supported with evidence?
Reflection: Why is understanding ancient civilizations important to us?
Function: Using Key Concepts
Lucy Haddock Ed.D.