Juhani Katajamäki
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The Primary Years Programme (PYP) unit planner is a valuable tool that helps educators design inquiry-driven learning experiences. This guide integrates PYP teaching best practices, focusing on the steps of IB unit planning, and aligns with the transdisciplinary approach of the IB framework.
One of the most important aspects of working in a PYP school is the expectation that teachers work together to plan and reflect. The PYP collaborative planning process will look different in every setting, but certain aspects need to be in place—and working together to design these new routines is a great way to get started!
See “The PYP planning process and planners” in From Principles into Practice.
1. Transdisciplinary Themes:
Units connect learning across subjects through real-world themes, fostering holistic education and student action.
2. Central Idea:
A single, concept-driven statement guides the unit and challenges students to think critically and expand their knowledge.
3. Inquiry-Based Learning:
Activities like brainstorming, research, and reflection promote deep understanding and student ownership of learning.
4. Assessment:
Formative assessments track progress, while summative tasks demonstrate understanding and encourage reflection.
5. Student Agency:
Students have a voice in their learning, with opportunities to reflect and take ownership throughout the process.
6. Free PYP Unit Planning Template
To simplify your PYP planning process, we’ve created a free, easy-to-use unit planning template. Click here to download the planner!
Each unit of inquiry should reflect one of the six transdisciplinary themes, offering students a broad, real-world perspective. The selected theme should address a relevant issue that encourages students to reflect and take meaningful action.
Example Theme: “Sharing the Planet”
Focus Areas:
• Human impact on ecosystems
• Ethical responsibilities in resource usage
• Conservation and sustainability
The central idea is a concise statement encapsulating the enduring understanding students will develop. It should be conceptually rich and extend students’ prior knowledge.
Checklist:
• Is it concept-driven?
• Will it challenge students to think critically?
Example: “Human activities affect the balance of ecosystems, leading to consequences for sustainability.”
Essential questions connect the unit to the broader programme of inquiry and provoke deep thinking. Teachers can use these questions as provocations and adapt them based on student input.
Examples:
1. What is an ecosystem, and how does it function?
2. How do human actions impact ecosystems?
3. What is our responsibility in maintaining ecological balance?
Color-coding or numbering these questions ensures they align with the lines of inquiry.
Lines of inquiry define the scope of the unit and guide research and exploration. Aim for three or four lines that clarify the central idea and encourage deep connections.
Examples:
• The structure and balance of ecosystems
• Causes and consequences of ecosystem disruptions
• Human responsibility and sustainable actions
Learning engagements are inquiry-based activities designed to uncover prior knowledge, provoke curiosity, and guide exploration.
• Tuning In: Brainstorming sessions, visual stimuli, or gallery walks
• Finding Out: Research projects, experiments, or guest speakers
• Sorting Out: Graphic organizers, discussions, or reflection journals
• Going Further: Independent research or student-led projects
• Taking Action: Applying learning through advocacy or community initiatives
Play Opportunities: Encourage creative play to explore concepts, especially in early years.
Assessment should be ongoing and multifaceted to capture student understanding.
• Formative Assessments: Observations, anecdotal notes, or student reflections
• Summative Assessment: A final project or presentation demonstrating the central idea
Consider:
• How are we gathering evidence of learning?
• How will we use feedback to guide and adjust instruction?
Tailor learning experiences to meet diverse student needs, considering readiness levels, interests, and language profiles.
Differentiation Methods:
• Flexible grouping
• Scaffolding tasks
• Providing multiple ways to demonstrate understanding
Effective use of well-considered multi-cultural resources enhances learning. Consider a mix of digital tools, physical materials, community resources, and guest experts.
Examples:
• Online databases for research
• Local environmental organizations
• Technology tools for collaboration and creation
The physical and digital learning spaces should support inquiry and collaboration. Consider using outdoor spaces, shared areas, or virtual platforms to extend learning.
Encourage student voice, choice, and ownership by co-constructing learning goals and success criteria. Support opportunities for student-initiated action, fostering advocacy, and real-world impact.
Teacher Reflections:
• What strategies were most effective?
• How did collaboration enhance the unit?
• What adjustments can inform future units?
Student Reflections:
• How did the unit impact their understanding?
• What actions did they take based on their learning?
• How did they demonstrate attributes of the IB learner profile?
By following these steps and using a detailed PYP unit planner, educators can create engaging and meaningful units of inquiry. Thoughtful PYP planning ensures that students develop critical thinking skills, conceptual understanding, and a commitment to action, preparing them for lifelong learning and global citizenship.
To simplify your PYP planning process, we’ve created a free, easy-to-use downloadable unit planning template with supporting information. The template follows the steps outlined in this article, helping you design meaningful and inquiry-driven units of inquiry. Whether you’re refining a central idea, crafting essential questions, or aligning assessment strategies, this tool ensures that each element of the PYP framework is incorporated, keeping your planning organized and efficient.
For a digital-first approach to PYP planning, explore Qridi Core, which elevates unit planning by:
• Auto-Populating Planning Sections: Save time with curriculum elemnts pre-aligned to the IB framework.
• Curriculum Integration: Seamlessly incorporate curriculum content into your plans.
• Progress Monitoring and Portfolios: Track student development and automatically maintain learning portfolios, supporting reflection and growth.
With tools like Qridi Core, educators can streamline their workflow, enhance collaboration, and ensure comprehensive planning that fosters student agency and deeper inquiry. To expore Qridi Core more closely book a meeting with us here!
To see how Qridi Core can support planning and learning at your school, get in touch! Book a meeting to learn more.
This flow chart shows clear connections among the written, taught and assessed curriculum. There are many ways to plan a PYP unit! You can use this flowchart designed by Christine Orkisz Lang, an original PYP ‘Bubble Planner’ author, to help you get started. Download the PYP Planning Template provided by Qridi Core to record your ideas.
Start by completing the Yellow (1) fields on the planner template. These will provide a place for the overall focus of the unit and allow for the use of available resources and experiences.
After consulting your Program of Inquiry, move on to the Pink (2) outlined fields on the planner template. Here, you are bringing in bigger ideas, subject-specific knowledge, and enduring explicit conceptual development.
As you think about your students' abilities, needs, and aims, you can move on to the Green (3) outlined fields.
As you get ready to complete your planner, you can review and refine your initial ideas and complete the Blue (4) outlined fields that provide formative and summative assessment opportunities.
Remember that the goal of the planner is to support a process that guides effective teaching and learning. While initial ideas about the unit may occur during collaborative planning, these will likely change as we involve the students in taking roles in their learning. The planning process encourages the entire learning community to collaborate and reflect continuously throughout the unit. At the end of the unit it is important to record both teacher and student reflections to improve the PYP planning process for next time!
In conclusion, the PYP unit planning process serves as a comprehensive framework for creating engaging, inquiry-based learning experiences that foster student agency and holistic education. By focusing on transdisciplinary themes, central ideas, essential questions, and collaborative planning, educators can ensure meaningful connections across disciplines and promote critical thinking. Digital tools like Qridi Core and downloadable planning templates simplify this process, allowing teachers to focus on student growth, reflection, and global citizenship. Thoughtful planning and continuous reflection are key to empowering students and preparing them for lifelong learning in a rapidly changing world.
This resource has been produced independently and is not endorsed by the IB. Qridi Core’s resources support the understanding and implementation of the IB programmes as described in the official IB guides and publications.