Grade 2 –

Unit 1

Dear Parents and Grandparents,

Now that the first semester started well and everything is on its track, it is time we informed
you about the activity of your children. This is the first letter in a series of six – one for each unit of
inquiry that is included in the Program of Inquiry of the second grades this school year.

We are now familiar with the Central Idea and the Inquiry Lines of the unit LOOKING UP: Time
measurement is related to the motion of planets around the Sun. We started inquiring into:

- how celestial bodies influence the day/night and season formation

- time measurement

- the connection between Earth’s motion and time

The Learner Profile attributes that we focus on are Knowledgeable and Inquirer. Other PYP
elements that will enable us to develop the above-mentioned attributes are:

- attitudes: curiosity, independence, enthusiasm

- concepts: function, causation, connection

The students will be involved in the following activities:

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM

- watching documentaries on the Solar System and time

- completion of an Inquiry Log (My First Steps in the Outer Space)

- modeling of the Solar System using clay

- making a timeline of timekeeping history

- building old time measurement devices (sundial, water clock, hourglass etc)

ROMANIAN LANGUAGE PROGRAM

- viewing PPTs on the Solar System

- designing of a project entitled Day, Night and Season Formation

- completion of Astronaut Journal

- study of scientific texts from encyclopedias

The final evaluation project will consist of a poster, informational report, 3 D-model or
PowerPoint presentation. Regardless of their choice, students need to express their own
understanding of the Central Idea through this project.

The Primary Years Program encourages parental involvement in the students’ inquiry as well
as the teacher-parent co-operation. That is why, attached to this letter, you will find the Program of
Inquiry for the 2010-2011 school year. The unit time frames are also mentioned in the chart so you
can support the inquiry.

October 2010
Grade 2 Teachers