11-12 Years (MY1)

2020-24

Celebration
History
 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Contents
Contents 2
Entry Point 3
Learning Goals 8
Big Picture 9
History Task 1 10
History Task 2 12
History Task 3 14
History Task 4 17
History Task 5 19
Journaling Questions 22
Exit Point 23

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Entry Point

The IMYC Process to Facilitate Learning

Each unit begins with an Entry Point. This is an exciting event or activity that sets the context for the
learning that is to follow.
In the structure of the IMYC, the Entry Point is not specifically designed to achieve any of the Learning
Goals. It is an activity that sets the context for the unit and it is intended to be engaging enough so that
students will begin to think about the Big Idea before they begin their more structured and focused
studies. In responding to an Entry Point, students’ brains begin to create a framework around the Big Idea
on which the later learning can be placed.
The Entry Point takes place before any of the ‘formal’ work begins. Consider activities outside of the box,
outside of your classroom and possibly outside of your school.

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

The Entry Point was designed to support the following needs of the adolescent brain:
The need to link their learning. Taking part in the Entry Point activities should remind the students of
what they already know and give them a strong link to the Big Idea.
The need to be active and engage with their learning. The Entry Point is an opportunity for students
to engage with the new Big Idea, be active, and even take risks.
The need to learn with their peers. This is an opportunity to engage in a fun activity with other
students in the class.
Entry Points can typically last from one hour to a full day, depending on the activity and the school. Many
schools use assemblies or phase functions to stage the Entry Point for a unit. Sometimes Entry Points are
‘big occasions’ and sometimes they only take an hour.
Ideally, teachers will also plan for Entry Points together to develop the habit of collaborative planning and
create a creative environment for the upcoming weeks that will be spent on the unit.
Entry Points can be designed around a specific subject and shared by all students at the same time or be
more general in nature.

Shorter Entry Point Suggestions (one class or half a day)

Holiday Celebrations Around the World
Materials: Computers, projector
Introduction: Celebrations are important to every culture around the world. Whether it be for a wedding,
a baby being born or to celebrate a natural event, all cultures value observing special events through
ritual. In this activity, students will learn about and experience many unique holiday celebrations from
across the globe.
Tasks: For the first part of this activity, divide the students into groups of up to four. Assign each group a
unique holiday from around the world. The groups will be given a time limit to research the celebration
and create a short visual presentation to share with their classmates.
In their presentations they should explain where the celebration happens, its historical importance,
how/why people celebrate it and what the traditions or rituals are for celebrating. Encourage them to find
a short video to share about the holiday too. Once the students have completed the first task, they should
come back together as a whole group to share their presentations.
Conclusion: Have students compare and contrast celebrations from their own community with the
celebrations learned about in the presentations. Why do people feel joy when celebrating a special
event? Can they imagine what it would be like to attend a celebration in another culture? Have they
participated in a celebration that was unfamiliar to them?
Classroom Awards Ceremony
Materials: Thick card paper for awards, markers, pens
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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Introduction: Celebrating our successes is an important part of life. Students work hard throughout the
year doing schoolwork and also building their character. We should celebrate all areas of life to
encourage our students to be the best people they can be. Giving awards is one such way to celebrate
these great efforts.
Task: Have students brainstorm award ideas first as small groups, then as a whole group. Create a list of
possible awards that is ample enough so that no two students will receive the same award. These awards
can reflect the value system of your school, be based on school subjects or represent a character trait that
is exemplified by a particular student.
Since the students know each other, they should offer their opinions about the awards they like for their
classmates and choose two possible students for each award. Since they should be celebrating positive
success and positive attributes, there should be no negativity in these awards.
Students may creatively design the words with art materials (collage, drawing, painting) without writing
the winner’s name on the award. Once awards have been completed, change the atmosphere of the
classroom by taking a break. The teachers should choose the winner for each award from the nominee list
and fill in the blank awards.
After the break, treat the award ceremony with pomp and circumstance, as if it were the Golden Globes
or the Academy Awards. Consider decorating the classroom to build excitement. Have the principal,
director or other important figure from the school give the awards to the students.
Conclusion: Ask students to reflect on the importance of celebrating their successes through special
events. How does it make them feel to think about themselves or their work in a positive way? When
they feel acknowledged, does that change their perspective?
Creating Rituals
Materials: Video, paper
Introduction: Rituals are things that people do to help them mark the passing of time. These rituals could
be done on an annual basis or even daily. Some rituals help us to be more productive in our life while
other rituals help make our community stronger or keep us healthy. In this activity, students will look at
the idea of rituals, develop their own that they can use to improve their lives and celebrate their
successes in the process.
Task: Start by having the students give you a high five as they enter the classroom and instruct them to
take their seats. Next, have the whole group follow a series of commands in unison such as: clap your
hands three times, stomp your left foot three times, then stomp your right foot three times. Have them
repeat these commands three times but increase the number of times they clap or stomp.
Ask them why they think they did that activity. Do they feel more focused on what is happening in the
front of the room? Are they more curious about what the topic of the activity will be? Explain that what
they just did was participate in a ritual, and tell them that if this made them feel more focused, it could
be something done every day before class. Then, define ‘ritual’ for the students and have them discuss
what value can come from having rituals. Create a visual such as a mind map that illustrates the student’s
brainstorming of ideas.
Show them the video What is a Ritual? and have them talk about how rituals help us mark important
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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

moments of our day or life. Explain how in some cultures, rituals have been done for thousands of
years and modern people might not understand the logic behind those actions.
Share some examples of rituals that are done now and the true meaning behind them. Are there rituals at
home or in the community that students are not sure why people celebrate or follow them? Connect
these ideas to the fact that our routines are also rituals, and these rituals, if they are healthy, can make us
more productive and happy.
Show students the video 8 Things Successful People Do Before Breakfast and have them compare
their own morning routine to the one they saw in the video. Have students discuss the values of
having morning or evening routines and how they are beneficial to their lives.
Finally, ask students to design and plan their ideal morning and evening routines and give them the task
of following these rituals for one week. Students can also think about how celebration can play a role in
forming healthy rituals and routines and how an accountability partner may help to encourage and
celebrate success.
Conclusion: After one week, check in with the students and talk about if they were able to maintain their
rituals or if they were too challenging. Ask if following the routine helped them feel more energetic,
productive or happy. Remind them that the repetition of ritual is what makes a habit, and healthy habits
keep us mentally and physically fit. How can celebrating success, however big or small, be beneficial for
developing good habits?

Longer Entry Point Suggestions (All day)

Celebrate Women’s History
Materials: Videos, art materials (paper, markers, paint, etc.)
Introduction: Women’s History Month is celebrated in March of every year in the United States, United
Kingdom and Australia. This is a very important topic to celebrate because even though women make up
50% of the world's population, approximately 1% of history has been written about women. This activity
will allow students to better understand the contributions women have made to our society.
Task: Introduce the main idea of the day by watching two videos: one about why we celebrate Women’s
History Month and another about famous women scientists around the world. Discuss the importance of
celebrating women. Are there any celebrations that honour women in their culture or community?
Next, ask students to research a famous or important female figure who influenced or changed this
history of the world and create a small biographical fact file about her. They should include an image of
the woman, which can be a photo or a portrait drawing. Once the fact files are finished, students can hang
them in a hallway gallery and share their work. Next, have the students talk about the important women
in their lives. Discuss ways they can celebrate their female relatives and show them that they appreciate
them.
Finally, have students make a card with a poem for a female in their life. Hold a short poetry workshop
that reminds everyone of different kinds of poetry (haiku, narrative, acrostic, etc.) and begin to brainstorm
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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

ideas. If there is extra time, students can make an origami heart or flower to go along with the card.
Conclusion: Have students reflect on the reasons why it is important to celebrate and honour women.
How can celebrating women or any other specialized group of people bring joy to the world?
Celebrate the Outdoors
Materials: Picnic lunch, planned activities, videos
Introduction: Being outside is a very important part of life and is worth celebrating. On the 20th of May,
there is an international holiday called International Outdoor Classroom Day. Now you do not need to
wait until May to do this activity because celebrating the great outdoors is something you can do any day
of the year!
Task: Start the event without telling students the theme of ‘celebration’.
First, show the video What if You Stopped Going Outside? which explains some scientific reasons
why we should go outdoors.
Next, show them the video Bringing Core Content to Life With Outdoor Education which explains the
benefits of having lessons outside.
Next, have the students guess what the Big Idea is. Tell them that today they will be celebrating the
outdoors! Have teachers plan activities in each subject that will be enhanced by being outdoors. Maybe
the Mathematics teachers can plan a geometry activity using the school building to create a real-world
problem to solve, the Science teachers can make a botany scavenger hunt, or the Language Art teachers
can hide clues around campus to solve a riddle. Allow the teachers to be creative and incorporate the
outdoors in a fun and unique way. Plan a picnic lunch to build the excitement of the day. You may want to
finish the event with a sports or PE challenge.
Conclusion: At the end of the day, have students reflect on the activities and recall some of the things
they learned. Why is going outside important? Why do we celebrate the things that are important to us?
Did this celebration bring them joy and happiness?

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Learning Goals
Students will:
4.01 Be able to formulate questions to investigate various sources including to uncover bias
4.02 Understand why historical sources may contradict each other
4.03 Be able to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of representations of the past
4.08 Be able to evaluate the significance of people and events, and the changes they influenced
4.09 Be able to explain the causes of, and results of different historical events, situations and
changes
4.10 Know how changes in ideas, beliefs and attitudes in the past have influenced the present

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Big Picture
In this unit, students investigate key moments in the history of several countries and why these are
chosen to be celebrated. Through the research of the country in which they live, students learn about the
significance of special events including the rituals involved. They then make the case for additional
celebrations based on their knowledge of the characteristics of such events. Finally, in groups, students
research a number of global events and consider the significance of these through investigation of the
internationalism of historical celebrations.
Note on Subject Tasks: Certain topics addressed in our units may be sensitive or not applicable to certain
countries. Tasks are suggested, not prescriptive, and they provide ways in which teachers can cover
Learning Goals through the Big Idea. If certain themes, scenarios, or examples may not be appropriate,
relevant or applicable to your local context, we encourage you to find suitable alternatives that can
address Learning Goals and their final outcomes within the unit.

Disclaimer
The IMYC is not responsible for the content of websites or videos listed in this unit. We cannot guarantee
nor accept any liability for the content or links of any websites or videos featured in this unit. For
safeguarding purposes, all websites and videos must be checked before being used in the classroom.
Many of the links will feature advertising, some of which may not be age-appropriate, and steps should be
taken when planning tasks to reduce the risk of exposure to unsuitable images or text. Due to the
increase in advertising in online sources, you may wish to explore a viewing platform to reduce the risk of
inappropriate content. Two such platforms are Videolink and Pure.
The websites and videos listed in this unit are not under the control of the IMYC. We have no control over
the nature, content and availability of those websites and videos. The inclusion of links to any websites or
videos does not imply a recommendation of, or endorse the views expressed within, those websites and
videos.
The IMYC takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, any website or video becoming
unavailable anywhere in the world.
If you find a link that does not function or no longer meets the intended resource need, please
email members@fieldworkeducation.com stating the unit title, subject, task and link.

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

History Task 1
Research activity
Note to teachers: Explain to your students that they are going to investigate how and why
certain key moments in history are chosen to be celebrated by countries. The starting point
is going to be their investigations into current celebrations in many countries.
As a class activity, ask your students to list all of the celebrations that are held in countries
they are familiar with. They are to focus only on those celebrations that mark key moments
in that country’s history.
Research beforehand and give your students a couple of examples from the country where
your school is located or from where most of your students originate. Record the list
generated appropriately. Don’t worry too much about different categories of key moments
in history at this stage.
Ask your students:
What different kinds of historical key moments are marked by the listed celebrations?
Are there any useful clues in the name of the celebration to help you determine what is
being celebrated (e.g. Independence Day)?
What other kinds of key moments in history might be celebrated by countries?
Discuss a few examples and then ask your students to record the following items of
knowledge for each celebration:
The name of the celebration
The country that celebrates it
When it is celebrated
The key moment in history it celebrates
Some examples of how it is celebrated plus any other relevant information.
With your examples, show how the knowledge could be recorded using columns, a mind
map, lists, drawings, and so on.
Ask your students to work in twos or threes to research approximately six celebrations from
the list and decide how they will record their information. The information needs to be
recorded on large pieces of paper (flip chart size) that can be displayed for a later activity.
Research for this introductory activity is based on mainly secondary sources, such as the
Internet and reference books.
The class list is probably going to include categories similar to the following (one or more
examples are given of each):
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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Political independence (Independence Day/4 July, USA; 17 August, Indonesia; 3

September, Qatar)
Founding of a new country (26 January, Australia Day, Australia)
Founder’s Day (18 December, Qatar)
Unification or reunification of a country (17 March, Unification of Italy; 30 April,
Liberation Day, Vietnam)
Significant battles, wars, victories (12 July, Battle of the Boyne, Northern Ireland, UK; 21
October, Battle of Trafalgar, UK)
End of a war (8 May, VE Day and 15 August, V-J Day, several countries)
Civil war (20 May, Sri Lanka)
Revolution (July 14, Bastille Day, France)
Peace declarations (11 November, Armistice or Remembrance Day, several countries)
Birthdays, weddings, deaths, achievements and longevity of significant people and
rulers (19 October, Mother Teresa Day, Albania; third Monday in January, Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day, USA; 5 December, King of Thailand’s birthday, Thailand)
A connection to the history of the indigenous population of the country (12 October,
Columbus Day, which is also known as the Day of the Discovery of Two Worlds in
Mexico and Chile)
Political event (29 May, Democracy Day, Nigeria; 3 May, Constitution Memorial Day,
Japan; 5 November, Guy Fawkes/Bonfire Night, England, UK)
Change in power or politics in a country (1 October, National Day of the People’s
Republic of China)
Struggle of one kind or another (27 April, Freedom Day, South Africa).

Recording activity
Ask your students to record their findings in their chosen way (mind map, columns, lists,
drawings, and so on) on their large, flip chart size paper and to display these around the
classroom.

Reflection activity
Ask students to conduct a quick gallery walk of all of the findings and compare how
countries celebrate. What is similar and different about celebrations around the world?
In the next task, students will spend longer conducting a more in-depth gallery walk.
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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

History Task 2
Learning Goals
History
4.08 Be able to evaluate the significance of people and events, and the changes they influenced
4.09 Be able to explain the causes of, and results of different historical events, situations and
changes

International
4.14 Understand how past injustices affect contemporary local and global politics

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Research activity
All of your students need to take part in a gallery walk around the displayed findings from
History Task 1 with the following question or thought in mind:
Using your lists and ideas, can you begin to identify any themes of key historical
moments that are celebrated?
Take feedback and ideas from your students as they engage in the gallery walk. Begin to
frame their ideas into something similar to the following key moments, some of which are
also identified in the learning goals for this subject section:
Key moments of conflict
Key moments of social change
Key moments of political change
Key moments linked to significant people
Any other key moments.

Recording activity
Ask your students to return to their own group’s record and begin to group their
celebrations accordingly. Your students decide how to record and what kind of key to use.
The groups share with the class their findings. Are there any patterns emerging?
Ask your students to consider the following:
From your own research, which key moments in history are chosen to be celebrated
more than others?
Why do you think this is so?

Reflection activity
Ask students to select and answer some of the journaling questions.

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

History Task 3
Learning Goals
History
4.01 Be able to formulate questions to investigate various sources including to uncover bias
4.09 Be able to explain the causes of, and results of different historical events, situations and
changes

Personal Goals
Communicator - 4.09 use verbal & non-verbal communication that is appropriate to the situation,
purpose and audience

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Research activity
Ask your students to work together in twos or threes. They should be using a variety of
sources of information to:
1. Find out about existing celebrations in the country where their school is located
2. Suggest a new celebration of a key historical moment.
The sources should include asking people – both citizens and other residents in the country
– along with using the Internet and books for research. Each group should frame several
investigative questions that they should attempt to answer.
The following questions should help them in finding out about the existing celebrations of
key moments in history in the country where their school is located. Examples of questions
may include:
Why have these key moments in history been chosen?
Why has it been decided that it is important to remember them in this way?
Who chose the key moments to be celebrated?
How long have they been celebrated?
How are they celebrated?
Where are they celebrated?
Are they celebrated by everyone?
Is there general agreement that these celebrations are appropriate?
Once each group has researched the above and has begun to build up a picture of the
celebrations in the country where their school is located, ask them to consider:
What other key moments in the history of the country might be celebrated?
Again, each group should use a variety of resources to inform their suggestions.

Recording activity
Each group presents its suggestion of a new celebration linked to a key moment in history
as an email addressed to a national newspaper. Discuss with them what the email should
contain. (For guidance, look at other letters or emails sent to national newspapers to
consider the tone and use of language). The purpose of their email is to inform and to
suggest what should be celebrated, why and how. It should be a persuasive email.

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Reflection activity
Ask each group to share or send its email to the rest of the class for all to read. Other groups
respond to it by email. A class round-up of the advantages and disadvantages of all the
suggestions, which considers the suitability and appropriateness of their choice of a key
moment to be celebrated, should follow.
Depending on the relevance and appropriateness, some of these emails could actually be
sent to a national or local newspaper in the country where your school is located, along with
an explanation of the purpose of the learning.

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

History Task 4
Learning Goals
History
4.01 Be able to formulate questions to investigate various sources including to uncover bias
4.03 Be able to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of representations of the past
4.08 Be able to evaluate the significance of people and events, and the changes they influenced

International
4.14 Understand how past injustices affect contemporary local and global politics

Personal Goals
Communicator - 4.15 critically engage with what is being communicated considering tone,
facial/body language, situation and the authority of the source
Thinker - 4.34 analyze complex issues and evaluate solutions in local and global contexts.

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Research activity
Each student (or in groups, if more than one student originates from the same country) is
going to research the celebrations of key historical moments held in their own country. For
this task, your students should be encouraged to research by contacting members of their
family and other people resident in their own country. If this country is the same country
where your school is located, assign each student a new country. They should then back up
this research by using secondary sources such as reference books and the Internet.
Ask your students to consider the questions they should be trying to answer. These should
include ones such as those used in History Task 3 in addition to others that your students
may consider relevant.

Recording activity
Your students set up and create the home page of a website, whose target audience
comprises other students of a similar age to themselves, for tourists or visitors to their
country. This home page should provide information about the celebrations held in their
country and the key historical moments that they commemorate. The following resources
may prove helpful:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com – The Lonely Planet website recommends the top events
in each continent that might be of interest to travellers.
www.visualgeography.com – Visualgeography.com allows users to explore the world
through images, flags, currencies, languages, maps and other key information.
www.earthcalendar.net – Earth Calendar is a daybook/online diary of holidays and
celebrations around the world. Holidays are listed by date, country and religion.

Reflection activity
Ask students to use the Key Skill Rubric for 4.03 to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of
what they read on the different web pages.

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

History Task 5
Learning Goals
History
4.02 Understand why historical sources may contradict each other
4.08 Be able to evaluate the significance of people and events, and the changes they influenced
4.09 Be able to explain the causes of, and results of different historical events, situations and
changes
4.10 Know how changes in ideas, beliefs and attitudes in the past have influenced the present

International
4.12 Know that there are a range of international organisations involved in global affairs
4.13 Understand the impact of different forms of governance on society

Personal Goals
Communicator - 4.09 use verbal & non-verbal communication that is appropriate to the situation,
purpose and audience

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Research activity
Note to teachers: In this task, your students investigate why some organisations such as the
United Nations (UN) have designated celebrations for workers, children and women. They
investigate why some countries follow these celebrations and others do not. They also
investigate the historical significance of such days.
Your students, in groups, should research:
Which global organisations have designated certain days to be celebrated
The reasons for the choice of celebration
How long this has been happening.
They are then to consider where in the world these days are celebrated, why and how.
You should also pose the question:
Why do some countries in the world give these days more prominence than others?
The list below includes some days that students might choose to investigate:
United Nations Day – 24 October – The anniversary of the entry into force of the UN
Charter on 24 October 1945 has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1947. It
has traditionally been marked throughout the world by meetings, discussions and
exhibits on the achievements and goals of the organisation. In 1971, the General
Assembly recommended that Member States observe it as a public holiday.
Universal Children’s Day – 20 November – On 14 December 1954, the General
Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children’s Day, to be
observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children. It
recommended that the day was to be observed also as a day of activity devoted to
promoting the ideals and objectives of the Charter and the welfare of the children of
the world. The Assembly suggested to governments that the day be observed on the
date and in the way which each considers appropriate. The date of 20 November marks
the day on which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959
(https://www.humanium.org/en/declaration-rights-child-2/) and the Convention on the
Rights of the Child in 1989 (www.unicef.org/crc).
International Women’s Day – 8 March – In 1975, during International Women’s Year, the
UN began celebrating 8 March as International Women’s Day. Two years later, in
December 1977, the General Assembly of the UN invited Member States to proclaim the
8 March a UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed by
Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. For the UN,
International Women’s Day has been observed on 8 March since 1975.
World Environment Day – 5 June – World Environment Day (WED) is a day that
stimulates awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and public
action. It was the day that the UN Conference on the Human Environment began. The UN
Conference on the Human Environment was held from 5 to 16 June 1972. It was
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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

established by the UN General Assembly in 1972. The first WED was held in 1973. WED
is hosted every year by a different city with a different theme and is commemorated
with an international exhibition in the week of 5 June. WED is held in the summer in the
Northern Hemisphere and in the winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
World AIDS Day – 1 December – World AIDS Day was first conceived in August 1987 by
two public information officers for the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health
Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December each
year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of
the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is common to hold memorials to honour
persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. Government and health officials also
observe the event, often with speeches or forums on AIDS and related topics. Since
1995, the President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World
AIDS Day. Governments of other nations have followed suit and issued similar
announcements.

Recording activity
Ask students to plan and write a letter to either the school principal or local government
about why the event they have been learning about should be celebrated. Encourage your
students to at least include the following points:
What persuasive reasons will you include in your letter?
What other aspects of history will help you support your case?
What have you learned about the celebration of key moments in history in other
countries and cultures that might help your argument?

Reflection activity
Ask students to select and answer journaling questions to link their learning to the Big Idea.

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Journaling Questions
How does the celebration of key moments in history contribute to the collective
memory of a country?
Are there some key moments in history that you consider inappropriate to celebrate?
Why?
What do you think are the differences between celebrating and commemorating a key
moment in history? When is one term more appropriate than the other?
Should we just forget about celebrating the historical past and focus more on
celebrating the present and the future?

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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

Exit Point
Each of the IMYC units is written to be completed in about six weeks. During the sixth week, teachers and
students come together in a final formal opportunity for students to demonstrate the understanding they
have developed through a project.
Over each year and for each IMYC unit within that year, students will conceive, design and produce an
Exit Point project. Students can work independently or in groups. Groups can be either prescribed by
teachers or spontaneous.
The hard work is in the thinking and planning which is at the heart of the Exit Point. Students choose,
plan, design and execute the project. They could be involved in:
Reviewing and reflecting on their personal learning in subjects, the personal meaning they have
made during the six weeks or about links in their learning to or around the Big Idea.
​Deciding how they can represent the meaning within the context of the particular project that is
being attempted. The Exit Point does not necessarily have to include the use of modern media such
as videos, podcasts, web documents or presentations; it could also be debates, dramas, extensive
writing projects, magazine articles or even cartoons. As long as it is an engaging hands-on opportunity
for students to demonstrate their learning and deeper understanding in any of the following:
In subject concepts
Through connecting subject learning through the Big Idea
To make personal meaning of their learning
To develop the ideas they have experienced in a particular subject or multiple subjects
Through any action that they have taken as a result of their learning.
We recommend that you plan for the time students need to design and create the projects but also
carefully consider the different opportunities that can be created for the students to present their work
to an audience. This is an opportunity to invite parents into school to share in their child’s learning.
Although the goal of the Exit Point is for students to demonstrate the understanding they developed over
the six weeks, we do not recommend assessing it. Instead, we strongly recommend that you thoroughly
plan for proper feedback to students from teachers, parents and very importantly, from their peers.

Exit Point Suggestions

Choose three assignments you are particularly proud of from this last unit. These could be
assignments that you learned a lot from, you designed in a very unique way or you felt were
completed successfully. Along with your classmates, create a “Celebration Gallery” to acknowledge all
of your hard work. Display the assignments as if they were in a museum or art gallery. Invite other
students to walk through the display and check out your achievements.
Create a podcast or video about a local holiday, celebration, or ritual. Explain the history of the
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 Celebration: There is value in recognising and observing
special events through ritual and with joy and happiness.

celebration and why it is important to the people of your community. Interview people you know who
participate in the event, and have them explain how they celebrate with their family. Imagine that
people who are not from your country will see or hear your project. What would you like them to
know about your traditions? Why is it important to respect and honour different celebrations around
the world?
Create a presentation that compares and contrasts a celebration from the past that is still done today
or a holiday that is celebrated around the world. For example, New Year’s Eve is celebrated
differently around the world, so you could explain the different rituals people have and the reasons
for them. Another idea might be to look at the history of a celebration like Halloween. Research the
origin of the holiday and how it is celebrated today in order to compare and contrast.

Exit Point Suggestions with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – Create a plan of action for your classroom/
school to use resources more responsibly in order to avoid waste. Is it a good idea to make a reusable
paper station or a recyclable art material zone? Brainstorm several areas where overconsumption or
waste happens in your school, such as running water in the bathroom or leaving windows open whilst
the heating is on. Create a campaign to raise awareness about the issues. This can be done by making
posters, flyers or giving a speech. Observe how students and teachers respond to your campaign.
When most people are following your plan of action, think of a way you can celebrate this group
success. Will you make a cake to share or create a video about the process to show others? How will
this celebration help them to reflect on their success?
Goal 4: Quality Education – Your educational system is unique and interesting. It focuses on learning
in a much different way than most schools around the world. In some countries, children only go to
school until they are 12 years old, and in others, girls are not allowed to go to school. One way you
can celebrate the education you receive is by sharing it with others. You can design a fun Entry Point
style activity to do with students from another school or your neighbourhood to introduce them to a
topic, or you might volunteer to help tutor younger students in Mathematics or Science. Whatever
you decide to do, know that by sharing something that you are proud of will bring joy to others.

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