experiences. Using various research tools, including websites and books, students participate in the inquiry process. If you mention the corn experiment to any past Grade 3 student you will be met with looks of fond (or not so fond in some cases) recollection!


What is the purpose? Students choose a body system they would like to present and to research further. Exhibitions enable students to hone all-important transdisciplinary skills such as research, time management and effective communication. Throughout the Primary School and beyond, exhibitions not only give authentic purpose and audience to the sharing of new ideas, but they also allow students to demonstrate aspects of the learner profile and attitudes. Additionally, they cater for choice of topics and presentation methods, thus enabling interests and alternate methods of communication to be explored further. It is an exciting time for students, and it is always with pride that we see the knowledge, the learning, and the students as individuals demonstrate their thinking to a wider audience. Exhibitions allow the opportunity to assess for student understanding in varied ways. Overall, exhibitions clearly show the enthusiasm, the diversity and the depth of the students as learners, but also as presenters and communicators — key skills we all use on a daily basis in varying capacities.


The Grade 5 Exhibition is the culminating learning experience in the Primary Years Programme.


A GRADE 5 PERSPECTIVE What is it?


In Grade 5 at HKA, the year includes five units of inquiry and the exhibition. The exhibition unit can take place under any transdisciplinary theme, and for the last few years at HKA, has taken place under the Sharing the Planet theme. Students are required to engage in a collaborative, transdisciplinary inquiry that involves identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems. It is not a ‘free for all’; although the unit is student driven, this does not mean the students can do as little or as much work as they would like. The roles of teachers, parents and mentors are important to guide students through the inquiry process.


What is the purpose? The exhibition unit provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning, to synthesize and apply their learning from previous years and to take authentic and personal action as a result of their learning. The Grade 5 exhibition also provides a unique opportunity to unite the students, teachers, parents and other members of the school community in a collaborative experience that incorporates


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the essential elements of the PYP. And it is a unique opportunity for the entire HKA community to support our students by being part of their primary research; whether as an expert to be interviewed, taking part in a survey or by attending the exhibition itself and providing impact to students as they present their work.


SECONDARY SCHOOL What is it? In Grade 6, students are given the opportunity to apply the self- knowledge and skills learned in Approaches to Learning (ATL) class to an individual, student-driven project called 20 Time. As with the exhibition, this project allows students the opportunity to follow an inquiry of their own choice. However, as students are now in Secondary School, they are allowed greater freedom and their choice is much more personal and not limited to units studied in the classroom. The skills and self-knowledge applied in this project relate directly to the ATL class and are grouped according to five sub-categories: social, communication, self-management, thinking and research. Similar to exhibition, the 20 Time project functions as a culminating activity for the ATL class but its focus lies more with the skills needed to support the transition to Secondary School rather than skills and content related to a subject specific unit.


A GRADE 6 PERSPECTIVE: TRANSITIONING TO THE


As this project is not graded, people may feel that students will not see the value in it. However, during and aſter the project, students reflect on themselves as learners. This allows them the freedom to focus on the process, not an evaluation of the product. It is a real opportunity for students to see the value of intrinsic motivation over the extrinsic. The 20 Time project also allows students to have control over the mode and content of their learning, rather than having this prescribed for them.


What is the purpose? The purpose of 20 Time is to allow students the unique opportunity to apply their ATL skills, which have relevance across the curriculum, in an inquiry into a personal passion. Isn’t this something we would all love the time and opportunity to do? The 20 Time project allows students to reflect on themselves as learners to see what ‘tools for learning’ they have as strengths and the areas they need to work on to be ready for future academic success.


Regardless of age group or grade level, the opportunity to share learning with a wider audience allows students to develop as confident learners and to give purpose and authenticity to tasks embedded in the curriculum. The continued focus on the process and not the end product enables students to develop lifelong skills that will be required throughout their lives. With support from parents, teachers and community members, students develop the capacity to present their learning and explore ideas at a deeper level. The buzzwords of communication, action, lifelong learning, choice and presentation styles all apply here. At any given time at HKA it is clear to see examples of students passion, interests and thinking both during exhibitions and within the classrooms.


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