How We Express Ourselves

Program of Inquiry: How We Express Ourselves

Overview: 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. 

Ages 18 months-3 years
Central Idea: We play to express feelings and ideas in order to come to new understandings.
Key Concepts: Function, connection, perspective
Lines of Inquiry:

  1. Communicating through play including centers or station areas
  2. Imaginative use of everyday materials
  3. Games and toys

Ages 4-5 years
Central Idea: Promoting good character traits through positive communication and responsible citizenship.
Key Concepts: Responsibility, reflection
Lines of Inquiry:

  1. Exhibit School attitudes in the classroom, school, and other classroom environments
  2. Participate in democratic decision making
  3. Analyze classroom problems and suggest fair solutions
  4. Positive communication

Ages 6-8 years
Central Idea: An exploration of various cultures, customs, and traditions will increase our appreciation of diversity within the world.
Key Concepts: Perspective, reflection
Lines of Inquiry:

  1. Analyze cultures, customs, and traditions
  2. Explore the benefits of diversity
  3. Explore celebrated holidays and special days of diverse cultures

Central Idea: Through an understanding of the concepts of sound we discover ways to enjoy our creativity.
Key Concepts: Function
Lines of Inquiry:

  1. How sound is produced by vibrations.
  2. Ways to make different sounds (frequency, size, shape)
  3. Discovering ways to organize sound to express creativity

Central Idea: Real and fictional heroes affect the beliefs and values of a community.
Key Concepts: Reflection, perspective
Lines of Inquiry:

  1. Fictional heroes have commendable characteristics with can influence others to become real heroes.
  2. Real and fictional heroes possess similar traits.
  3. Heroes influence people in the community through their beliefs and values.

Ages 9-11 years
Central Idea: Beliefs, feelings, discoveries, and ideas are shared through different written expressions.
Key Concepts: Perspective, reflection
Lines of Inquiry:

  1. Different types of writing allow people to express themselves in a variety of ways
  2. The nature of poetry is an authentic and individual mode of expression
  3. Writing is a visual of our mental processes

Central Idea: Rituals, traditions, and artifacts, provide a window into the beliefs and values of cultures.
Key Concepts: Perspective, connection, reflection
Lines of Inquiry:

  1. Recognize that differences and similarities among people produce diverse cultures
  2. Identify and describe traditions and beliefs of various cultures
  3. Identify and analyze misconceptions concerning other cultures