1. Hørsholm International School Programme of Inquiry 2009-2010
Trans disciplinary Theme
Who we are
An inquiry into the nature of the 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.
Where we are in place and time
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.
How we express ourselves
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.
How the world
Works
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 impacts of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment
How we organize ourselves
An inquiry into the inter-connectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.
Sharing the Planet
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.

2. Where we are in place and time How we express ourselves
Class
Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
Sharing the planet K1
Unit Title: A Balanced Day
Subject Focus:
1.PSE
2.Science
Strands:
1.Self concept & health
2.Living things 
Concepts: Function, causation, reflection
Related concepts: Balance, well being
CI: Making balanced choices enables us to have a healthy lifestyle 
Inquiries into:
- Daily habits and routines
- Balanced choices
- Consequences of choices
Unit Title: My History
1.SS
1.Interaction with others
2.Social organisation
Concepts: Change & Connection
Related concepts: Social organisation and culture
CI: Our histories provide an insight into culture, family and ourselves as individuals.
-      -My personal history (from baby to K1)
-       -My family’s history
-       -How we document our histories
-       -What might we be doing in the future?
Unit Title: A tale to tell
1.Social studies
2.PSE
1. Self concept
2. Continuity and change through time
Concepts: Form, function, connection
Related concepts: Feelings, Imagination, Similarities, Communication, Freedom
CI: Stories are to be found in all forms and cultures, they give us pleasure and help our imagination grow.
- Different types of stories
- Cultural stories and different languages
- How stories make us feel
- Creating and conveying our own stories
Unit Title: Machines
1. Science
1. Materials & Matter
2. Forces and energy
Concepts: Form, Function, Causation
Related concepts: Mechanics, Technological advances, Properties and uses of materials.
CI: Simple machines make every day things easier.
- What is a simple machine?
- How do simple machines work?
The way we use simple machines (personal, at home, global)
- building our own machines.
Unit Title: Our school
 Subject Focus:
1. So
cial organization & culture
2. Human systems & economic activities
Concepts: Function, Form, Connection
Related concepts: Communities, Roles, Cooperation, Education, Employment, Behaviour, Consequences, Responsibilities
CI: Schools are organized to help us learn and live together.
- The school building & grounds
-  Who works in our school?
-  Routines and systems that help us learn
Unit Title: Plant relationships
1. Living Things
Concepts: Form, Change, Connection
Related concepts: Plants, Adaption, Growth, Classification
CI: Plants adapt in order to sustain life around other plants
- The structure of a plant
- Different forms of plant life - Relationships between plants

3. Where we are in place and time How we express ourselves
Class
Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
Sharing the planet K2
Unit title:
You and Me
Subject Focus:
1. Science
2. PSE
Strands:
1. Living things
2. Self concept/Interaction with others
Concepts: Form, Function, Reflection
Related concepts: Growth, similarities/differences, biology, animals
CI: Increasing awareness of our personal characteristics and abilities allows our self-identity to develop.
Inquiries into:
-The human form
-Function and abilities of the human body
-How I am unique in comparison to other people and animals.
Unit Title:
Homes
1. Social Studies
1. Continuity and change through time
2. Social organisation and culture
Concepts: Form, Change, Connection
Related concepts: Chronology, history, innovation, progress
CI: There are reasons why homes change over time
-Homes and artifacts in the past
-Homes and artifacts now.
Unit Title: Move your body
1. PSE
2. PE
1. Self concept/Interaction with others
2. Movement to music/Body control and spatial awareness
Related concepts: Feelings, communication, movement sequences, body form
CI: People use their bodies to express ideas and feelings
- The use of the body to convey emotions
- Using the body to convey ideas
- The body as a canvas
Unit Title: The Blue Planet
 Subject Focus:
 Strands:
1. Earth and space/Living things
Concepts: Form, Function, Causation
Related concepts: Geography, systems (water cycle), animals, habitat, ecosystems, plants.
CI: The Earth has bodies of water that sustain different forms of life.
Bodies of water on Earth.
Where water comes from.
Plant and animal life associated with these bodies of water
Unit Title: Help!
1. Human systems and economic activities/Social organization and culture
2. Health and safety
Concepts: Function, Form, Connection
Related concepts: Cooperation, employment, authority, risk-taking, well-being
CI: “Emergency Services” support the local community
- Identifying the “Emergency Services”
-   The structure and function of the organizations
-   The relationship between the community and the “Emergency Services”
Unit Title: Can’t see the wood...
2. Science
1. Resources and the environment
2. Living things
Concepts: Form, Function, Responsibility
Related concepts: Consumption, sustainability, growth, plants, habitat
CI: Trees are natural resources that can be used for many purposes.
How and where trees grow
 - The uses of trees
  - Our responsibility in maintaining this resource

4. Where we are in place and time How we express ourselves
Class
Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
Sharing the planet
Gr 1
Unit Title: Children around the world
Subject Focus:
1. PSE
2. Social Studies
Strands:
1. Social organization and culture
2.Interaction with others
Concepts: form, perspective
 Related concepts: artefacts, communication, diversity, family, religion and traditions.
 CI: We all come from different backgrounds.
Inquiries into:
- Our individual and group cultures.
- How we are the same/different in our culture, traditions and
celebrations.
- How we respect and care for others.
Unit Title: Past civilizations
1. Social Studies
1.Human systems and economic activities
2.Continuity and change through time
Concepts: change, connection 
Related concepts: cooperation, conflict, education, transportation, chronology, civilizations, discovery, exploration, history.
CI: An exploration of past civilizations and their contributions to humankind.
-How past cultures have expressed themselves
- Similarities and differences between cultures and their faith
- The where and why of group’s explorations
Unit Title: Act up!
1. Self-concept
2. Interaction with others
Concepts: form, causation 
Related concepts: communication, differences, diversity, feelings, opinion, and perspectives.
 CI: One of the ways we express ourselves is through the performing arts.
-The different forms of theatrical presentations
- What the performing arts are
 - The process of developing a play
Unit Title: Hot and Cold
1. Science
. Materials and matter
Concepts: causation, change
Related concepts: changes of state, solids, liquids, gases, properties and uses of materials.  
CI: Heat and cold change things.
 - Different substances, natural and man-made, and how heat and cold affects them.
- Positive and negative changes due to temperature.
-How we use heat and cold to adapt to our world.
Unit Title: From field to table
1.Social Studies
1. Human and natural environments
Concepts: form, function and causation
Related concepts: geography, landscape, locality, populations, regions.
CI: Many foods need to be transported and or processed
- The foods we eat
How food is produced
How fodd is transported
Where our food comes from.
Unit Title: Reduce, reuse, recycle
1. Social Studies,
2. Science
1 Resources and the environment
2. Materials and matter
Concepts: function and perspective
Related concepts:
. Conservation, consumption, distribution, ecology, energy, pollution.
. Uses of materials
CI: We have a responsibility the choices we make in relation to the environment.
 - how different materials decompose
- how different materials can be reused and recycled
- the steps we can take to reduce, reuse and recycle at school and at home.

5. Where we are in place and time How we express ourselves
Class
Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
Sharing the planet
Gr 2
Unit Title: Give and Take
Subject Focus:
1.SS
2.PSE
Strands:
1. SS- Social Organisation and culture
2. PSE- Interaction with others
Concepts:
Perspective, reflection
Related concepts: communication, empathy, open-mindedness
CI: Relationships are enhanced by learning about other people’s perspectives and communicating our own
Inquiries into:
- Social interactions
- Acknowledging other’s perspectives
- Managing and resolving conflict
Unit Title: A sense of Place  
2. Science
SS- Human and Natural Environments
Science – Earth and Space
Form, causation
Related concepts: landscape, settlement 
CI: All places on Earth have special features that influence why people choose to settle there
-Why do I live in the place I do
-The characteristics of our town, Hørsholm
-Why the global population is not evenly distributed over the planet
Unit Title: Signs and Symbols
Related concepts: communication 
CI: A variety of signs and symbols facilitate local and global communication
- Signs and symbols
- Reasons for the development of communication systems
- Specialised systems of communication
Unit Title: Where is air?
1.Science
2. Social studies
Science – Materials and matter, forces and energy
Social studies – Resources and the environment
Function, causation
Related concepts: force, energy
CI: Understanding the properties of air allows people to make practical applications
- The evidence of air
What air can do and what we can make it do
-How humans need aid to live
- The relationship between air, light and sound
Unit Title: Personal Organization
1. Social studies
2. PSE
1.SS – human systems and economic activities
2.PSE – organisation for learning
Connection,
responsibility
Related concepts: interdependence, organisation, systems
CI: Personal organisation systems maintain order in communities
- Personal organisation systems
- Different systems of organisation in our school
- Organisation systems within workplaces in our local community
Unit Title: I will survive
2. Social Studies
1.Science – Living things
2.Social studies – Resources and the environment
Change, connection
Related concepts: adaption, evolution
CI: Over time, living things respond to the environment in order to survive
-Concept of adapt ion
-Circumstances that lead to adaption
-How plants and animals adapt or respond to environmental conditions

6. Where we are in place and time How we express ourselves
Class
Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
Sharing the planet
Gr 3
Unit Title: Health and Well Being
Subject Focus:
1. PSE
2. Science
Strands:
1. Health and safety
2. Living things
Concepts: Causation, function
Related concepts: Nutrition, well being, growth
CI: Personal well being depends on a balance of different factors
Inquiries into:
- concept of well being
- factors that contribute to our well being
- personal decisions that affect our well being
Unit Title: Exploration
1. SS
1. Continuity and Change through time
Concepts: change, connection
Related concepts: exploration, discovery, progress
CI: Past and present exploration impacts the way people live.
- Past explorations and famous explorers
- Present explorations
- How exploration affects people and cultures
Unit Title: Looking in the Mirror
1. Arts
2. PSE
1. Self concept
Concepts: perspective, reflection
Related concepts: self expression, perception
CI: People use many different forms of expression to convey their uniqueness.
- what are the arts
-how people express themselves through art
- the role of art in culture and society
Unit Title: Electricity
1. Science
 Strands:
1. Forces and energy
Concepts: Function, connection
Related concepts: electricity, form of energy
CI: Electricity shapes our world.
Characteristics and properties of electricity
How humans use electricity
Electricity as a source of energy
Unit Title: Communities
1. Human systems and economic activity 
Concepts: responsibility, function
Related concepts: gov, networks, authority
CI: Societies are governed by a variety of systems which impact our lives.
-Rules and laws
-Types of governments
- How systems impact citizens
Unit Title:Water
1. Science
2. SS
1. Resources and the environment
2. Earth and space
 Concepts: responsibility, reflection
 Related concepts: resources, consumption, sustainability
 CI: Water is a limited resource which is unevenly distributed.
 Inquiries into:
Where water comes from
Why water is important
Inequity of water availability

7. Where we are in place and time How we express ourselves
Class
Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
Sharing the planet
Gr 4
Unit Title: Human Rights and Responsibility
Subject Focus:
1. Social Studies
2. PSE
Strands:
1. Self-Concept
2. Interaction with others
3. Organisation for learning
Concepts: Perspectives, Refection, and Responsibility
Related concepts:
Beliefs, differences, diversity, opinion, prejudice, similarities, values
Attitudes, behaviours, rights
CI: In an attempt to meet human needs, societies have determined human rights
Inquiries into:
-Making our classroom work as a community
-Rules are connected to rights and responsibility
-Ways that nations and international organizations aim to protect human rights
Unit Title: On the Move
1.Social Studies
2.PSE
1.Continuity and change through time
2. Social organization and culture
Concepts:
Change
Connection
Chronology, civilization, conflict, discovery, exploration, history, migration, progress.
Artifacts, diversity, family, identity, religion, rights
CI:
Human migration is a response to challenges, risks and opportunities.
-Reasons why people migrate
-Migration throughout history
-Effects of migration on communities, cultures and individuals
Unit Title: Persuasion 
1. Social studies
1.Human systems and economic activity
2. Social organisation and culture
Function
Perspective
Communications, education, freedom, justice, legislation, production, truth
Communication, prejudice, roles, traditions
Print, other visual media and sound can create, alter or manipulate images and perceptions
-Different kinds of communication, such as speech, the media, computers, performing arts and advertising
-The purpose of advertisements
-Devices that are used to manipulate perception
Unit Title: Building and Structures
1. Science
1. Forces and energy
2. Materials and matter
Connection, responsibility
Structure, sustainability, transformation
The design of buildings and structures is dependent upon the environment and available materials.
-Considerations to take into account when building a structure
-How buildings impact the environment
-Indigenous architecture
Unit Title: Off the Drawing Board
1. Continuity and change through time
Change, Connection, Responsibility 
Communication, Systems, Ethics
CI: Technology impacts on the world of work and leisure.
-Technology and inventions of the home, workplace and leisure activities.
-Circumstances that lead to the development of important inventions and their impact
-How technology supports/impacts sustainability
Unit Title: Ecosystems
1. Living Things
Concepts: connection, responsibility
Balance, Biodiversity, Interdependence
CI: Biodiversity relies on maintaining the interdependent balance of organisms within a system.
-Interdependence within ecosystems, biomes, and environments
-Ways in which organisms are interconnected in nature
-How human interaction with the environment can affect the balance of a system.

8. Where we are in place and time How we express ourselves
Class
Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
Sharing the planet
Gr 5
Unit Title: It’s your choice!
Subject Focus:
1. PSE
2. Science
Strands:
1. Self-concept, health and safety
2. Living things
Concepts: Causation, Perspective, Responsibility
Related concepts: consequences, impact, systems, interdependence, feelings, prejudice, balance, choice
CI: The decision-making process has consequences for ourselves and others
Inquiries into:
-  Our day-to-day decisions
-  Decision-making processes for groups and individuals
- Risks and consequences involved in decisions
Unit Title: A Place for Everyone
1. Science
2. SS
1. Earth and Space
2. Human and natural environments, Resources and the environment
Concepts: Function, Causation, Responsibility
Related concepts: geography, landscape, locality, population, regions, settlements, ecology, consumption, interdependence, pollution, climate, seasons, systems
CI: Humans have explored different areas in our planet, adapting to a variety of climate and geographic conditions
- The range of geographic and climatic conditions that exist on Earth
- The exploration of areas with extreme climatic and geographic conditions
Unit Title: I Believe
1. SS
2. PSE
1. Continuity and change through time, social organization and culture
2. Self-concept, interaction with others
Concepts: Connection, Perspective, Reflection
Related concepts: conflict, history, communication, diversity, beliefs, family, prejudice, religion, rights, roles, traditions, similarities, values, culture, identity
CI: Rituals, traditions and artefacts provide a window into the beliefs and values of cultures.
- What constitutes a culture
-  The role of rituals and celebrations
-  How artefacts symbolize beliefs and values
Unit title:
The Circle of Life
Subject focus:
Science
PSE
Living things
Health and safety, organization for learning
Concepts:
Form, reflection
Related concepts:
Balance, choice, growth, risk-taking, well-being; attitudes, behaviour, consequences, independence, responsibilities, adaptation, animals, systems
Central idea:
All animals have life cycles characterized by physical change and changing roles
-The major phases in the life cycles of animals
-The similarities and differences between life cycles in different animal species
Unit Title: Business and Trade
1. Human systems and economic activities
Concepts: form, causation, change
Related concepts: structure, consequences, impact, transformation, communication, transportation
CI: Human beings make economic systems that meet the needs of individuals and communities.
Economic concepts
Basic economic principles
How people choose to suit their apptitudes.
Unit Title: Mineral Resources
1.Science
2.Social Studies
2. Resources and environment
Related concepts: erosion, geology, resources, rock cycle, consumption, wealth
CI: Mineral resources provide economic oppurtunities for communities around the world.
Mining as a source of economic development in the world
-The rock cycle and earth cycle
Sharing limited or nonrenewable resources.