Skip To Main Content

IB Overview

The I.B. Primary Years Program at Willard Elementary is designed for students grades PreK-5th. The curriculum framework provides for the development of the whole child. The PYP is a uniquely international program. It focuses on the total growth of the developing child, addressing students' social, physical, emotional, and cultural needs in addition to their academic needs.

 
A Program of Inquiry: Six Thematic Units
 
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; 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 understandings of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.

How we organize ourselves:
An inquiry into the interconnectedness 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.
 

Key Concepts and Questions
Form:  What is it like?
Function:  How does it work?
Causation:  Why is it like it is?
Change:  How is it changing?
Connection:  How is it connected to other things?
Perspective:  What are the other points of view?
Responsibility:  What is our responsibility?
Reflection:  How do we know?