A.L. Burruss School Programme of Inquiry–Updated 3/17/2017

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
Kindergarten / Central Idea:Relationships develop and define the world.
An inquiry into:
*roles and responsibilities of good citizenship – “An inquiry into citizenship roles and responsibilities”
*family relationships – “An inquiry into how to build relationships”
*habits of a good scientist / Central Idea:
Cultures and traditions around the world connect diverse communities
An inquiry into:
* maps & globes
* where we live
* how scientist explored and defined our world / Central Idea:
People use symbols to communicate and express themselves.
An inquiry into:
*how we use symbols to communicate in our world
*how we communicate with others
*how symbols help us communicate in math / Central Idea:Observation helps us understand our world.
An inquiry into:
*movement & Time
*attributes of physical properties
*past observations guide the prediction of future occurrences / Central Idea:
To be a part of a community, people need to live and work together.
An inquiry into:
* contributions of community helpers
*earning and spending are connected
*making choices between goods and services / Central Idea:
Living things can be classified by characteristic and interactions with their surroundings.
An inquiry into:
*living things
*non-living things
First / Central Idea:
We can better respect each other when we understand our connections.
An inquiry into:
*actions have consequences & impact others
* all living things have basic needs that should be respected
*historical figures like Ruby Bridges & Harriet Tubman create positive changes in society / Central Idea:
Learning about problem solvers in the past can help us be present day problem solvers in our community.
An inquiry into:
*historical figures contribution to society
*similarities anddifferences betweenpeople of the past and us
*understanding where you live impacts your life / Central Idea:
Good citizens express themselves through different attitudes.
An inquiry into:
*key responsibilities at home, at school, and as citizens
*positive character traits contribute to being a global citizen
*patriotic lyrics express our nation’s values
*beginning to express the science habits of mind / Central Idea:
We can investigate how inventors use resources to impact our lives.
An inquiry into:
*Benjamin Franklin used connections in the natural world to help others
*investigating light and sound
*effects of magnets / Central Idea:
Community resources are used to help people make decisions.
An inquiry into:
*goods and services provide a function for survival
*making choices is dependent on the availability of goods and services
*spending and saving are based on personal choices / Central Idea:
All living things share connections and depend on one another to survive.
An inquiry into:
*living things have needs
*human impact on plantand animal survival
*parts of a plant
Second / Central Idea:
Good citizens make responsible choices for themselves and the world in which they live.
An inquiry into:
*contributions of historical figures
*citizenship traits
*structure of government
*scientific Inquiry / Central Idea:
Where we live makes a difference in our lives.
An inquiry into:
*physical features and properties of land
*patterns of the sun, moon, and stars
*how things change over time / Central Idea:
Learning about other cultures from the past and present helps to better understand our world.
An inquiry into:
*comparing cultures of the past and present
*cultures of the past have impacted society
*people of the past have impacted society / Central Idea:
We can use our understanding of forces and motion to impact our lives.
An inquiry into:
*properties of and changes in matter
*force and motion
*types of energy / Central Idea: Producers and consumers must make choices based on resources.
An inquiry into:
*goods and services
*scarcity
*personal spending and saving choices / Central Idea: Living things are connected through a life cycle relationship.
An inquiry into:
*animal life cycles
*seasonal changes in trees
*plant and fungi life cycles
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
Third / Central Idea:
Citizens have power through the choices they make to influence their communities.
An inquiry into:
* morals and lessons in folktales
*making choices in classrooms (learning/behavior)
*personal narratives & folktales from around the world / Central Idea:
The shifting of resources causes the parts of a system to change.
An inquiry into:
* different communities depend on each other
*the parts of an economic system
*changes within a system / Central Idea:
Expressing yourself empowers you to make change.
An inquiry into:
* historical figures affected change as a result of the environment
* historical figures were affected by their environment
* the different traits and beliefs of historical figures
* the lasting effects of changes historical figures made / Central Idea:
The changes happening to our Earth impact our daily lives
An inquiry into:
* the constantly changing surface of the Earth
* how fossils inform us about our past
* rocks and minerals used in everyday life / Central Idea: Communities need structure to thrive.
An inquiry into:
* the separation of power ensures balance in our government
* structure and leadership are important parts of any thriving community
* principled citizens have the right and the responsibility to participate in their government
*roots of democracy / Central Idea: Organisms must adapt and share resources in order to survive.
An inquiry into:
* organisms adapt to survive
* understanding the diversity of habitats
*the effect human choices/actions have on our habitats
Fourth / Central Idea:
Cultures and society are changed based on the needs and wants of their environment.
An inquiry into:
* past eras inspire modern times
* development of sounds in cultures
*the impact of economics on past and modern day cultures / Central Idea:
People are impacted by the homes they live in and the journeys they take.
An inquiry into:
*expansion over time
*the impact of technology
*force and motion / Central Idea:
Cultures and communities are impacted by their access to equal opportunities.
An inquiry into:
*the importance of being a good citizen
* the importance of being a fiscally responsible citizen
*the roles of abolitionists and their connection to equality / Central Idea:
Systems function as cycles to influence exploration.
An inquiry into:
* exploration
* how systems function
* functions of a cycle / Central Idea:
An organized government motivates and strengthens productive societies.
An inquiry into:
*the process and results of a revolution
*the Constitution and its influence on the formation of a government
*the function of government and the affect it has on people / Central Idea: Environmental features influence living organisms.
An inquiry into:
*how inhabitants use physical and environmental features to live
* how the water cycle influences living organisms
* how environmental features impact living organisms
Fifth / Central Idea: Communities change through our relationship with our environment.
An inquiry into:
*changes in the environment
*consequences and action on the environment
*responsibilities on the environment / Central Idea:
The differences of people’s history, traditions, and beliefs can lead to the reconstruction of the interconnectedness of civilizations.
An inquiry into:
*civil War
*reconstruction
*changes in the Earth’s surface
*physical and chemical changes / Central Idea:
How people express themselves creatively is influenced by their experiences, environment, culture, and interactions.
An inquiry into:
*turn of the century
*spatial patterns for economics
*cells
*micro-organisms / Central Idea:
Laws advance our responsibility and understanding of the world.
An inquiry into:
*the laws that rule a governing body
*the rights of citizens
*mass
*scientific habits / Central Idea:
Personal beliefs and political organization leads us to effectively respond to challenges from human kind and our environment.
An inquiry into:
*political challenges
*personal challenges
*environmental challenges / Central Idea:
Our efforts to negotiate conflict resolution are influenced by many different factors.
An inquiry into:
*causes of conflict
* conflict causes change
*the outcomes of resolutions

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