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This week marked the Grade 5 PYP Exhibition, a significant milestones in the lives of all IB students. The Exhibition is a meaningful opportunity for Grade 5 students to share and reflect on the intensive learning they engaged in over the course of two PYP units of inquiry.
The Grade 5 PYP Exhibition is an example of real-life problem solving in the local community. It brings together all the elements of the Learner Profile, and demonstrates how students can take action in the community as a result of their learning. It provides opportunities for students to work independently and in groups, and develops their problem solving skills.
Beginning in January of 2008, Grade 5 students visited a variety of organizations and people in the local Shunyi community, and identified ways in which to support and build relationships with our local community. The students responded by forming groups according to the community organizations that they had chosen to support, which included the Niu Niu Kindergarten, Taoyuan Migrant School, a second-hand market down the street from WAB and a Senior Citizens’ Home.
During school hours on Wednesday, Grade 5 students entertained visitors from their classmates in other grade levels, as well as several members of the communities in which they've been working these past few months. WAB students expressed delight and appreciation for visits from youngsters from the Niu Niu Kindergarten and Tao Yuan Migrant School.
On Wednesday evening, Grade 5 students presented a formal exhibition for their parents, beginning with home language speeches in the Chinese Garden. Afterwards, WAB families enjoyed a fascinating journey through the inquiry process, which described each element - from purpose, planning, research, evaluation and reflection - and concluded with an interactive display of group processes and products hosted by the students themselves in the Founders’ Theater. Students presented their projects using a wide variety of mediums, ranging from cartoonish doodles and stylized drawings to Excel spreadsheets and Powerpoint presentations that incorporated music, sound, video and images.
Congratulations to all Grade 5 students for an outstanding Exhibition this week, and for demonstrating a high level of maturity, independence, responsibility and social consciousness. Thanks to all staff who provided assistance and support to the Exhibition in so many different ways, and a special thanks to Sarah Harris, Olivia Burke, Nicole Davidson, Dean Harris, Annabel Howard, Rob Korfage, Mark Stride and the Grade 5 support teachers for all their hard work and vision. A special thanks, as well, to the China Studies Department, without whose assistance the exhibition could not reach its level of success.