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WAB Faculty & Staff

Program of Inquiry: Home

HOW THE WORLD WORKS

An inquiry into understandings of the world and phenomena through:

  • patterns, cycles, systems
  • diverse practices, methods and tools
  • discovery, design, innovation: possibilities and impacts.
Central Idea:
  • People use materials for different purposes.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • The properties of materials 
  • How materials can be used and/or combined for different purposes 
  • How materials can change 
Central Idea:
  • Weather changes and influences our daily lives.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Working scientifically
  • Night and day cycles (dark and light)
  • Seasonal changes
  • Health and safety as related to climate and seasonal changes
Central Idea:
  • Understanding how forces work helps people identify problems and create solutions.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • What are forces
  • How forces create different reactions
  • How we use forces in our lives
Central Idea:
  • Forces have an effect on people and objects.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • The forces around us
  • How a force can change the movement, direction or appearance of an object
  • How humans use their understanding of force
Central Idea:
  • Scientists use scientific processes to investigate the transformation of the natural world.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • What causes transformations in the natural world
  • How transformations happen on the Earth's surface
  • The changes we see on Earth
Central Idea:
  • Fair tests allow scientists to investigate how the world works.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Key elements of fair testing 
  • How scientists use the scientific method to test ideas 
  • How experiments help us link cause and effect 
Central Idea:
  • Understanding the properties of energy allows people to make informed choices.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Heat can be produced in many ways and transfer from one object to another
  • Scientific knowledge informs personal and community decisions
  • Scientific principles can be used to design, construct and test
  • Our responsibility to a better and more sustainable future

HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES

An inquiry into the diversity of voice, perspectives, and expression through:

  • inspiration, imagination, creativity
  • personal, social and cultural modes and practices of communication
  • intentions, perceptions, interpretations and responses.
Central Idea:
  • We communicate through our use of the 100 languages.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Different 'languages' we use for expression
  • The reasons people choose different ways to express themselves
  • What is important to say: our feelings, identity, stories, and ideas
Central Idea:
  • Imagination and exploration are powerful tools to think, create, and express our ideas and feelings.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Different ways to express ourselves
  • Using tools, materials and techniques to create and communicate
  • How our imagination helps us to consider other perspectives
Central Idea:
  • Storytellers can use the creative process to express their ideas.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • How the writing and illustrating process works 
  • Why authors and illustrators change their work 
  • What makes a good book 
Central Idea:
  • People use voice and communication to inspire action and create positive change in communities.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Why people express ideas and advocate for change
  • How messages build relationships and create a sense of community
  • Ways individuals and groups use their voice to make a difference
Central Idea:
  • We can communicate our learning in different ways.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • The ways in which people express their learning
  • Why people express their learning in different ways
Central Idea:
  • Media influences the way we think, feel, and act.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • The different forms of media
  • The techniques media can use to influence
  • The role of ethos, pathos, and logos in influence and persuasion
Central Idea:
  • Artists can inspire and challenge others to take action.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Interpreting messages through a variety of media  
  • How artists inspire and challenge others to take action 
  • Our responsibility to a better and more sustainable future

HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES

An inquiry into systems, structures and networks through:

  • interactions within and between social and ecological systems
  • approaches to livelihoods and trade practices: intended and unintended consequences
  • representation, collaboration and decision-making.
Central Idea:
  • People organize themselves in communities to communicate, create, and support each other.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Systems of organizations teach us about ourselves, others, and the world
  • Organization of objects and ideas for different reasons
  • Our responsibility to the community
Central Idea:
  • Systems are organized and connected to meet the needs of the community.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • The needs and systems in a community
  • How systems meet a community's needs
  • How systems are connected
Central Idea:
  • People organize learning communities to collaborate and grow.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • People in our community
  • How people make decisions
  • How we collaborate to learn
Central Idea:
  • Communities adapt to resolve real-life changes.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • How a community adapts to diverse needs of its members
  • How communities can be sustainable
  • Different ways to express ourselves as community members 
Central Idea:
  • City systems change to meet people's needs.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • How cities are structured and function
  • How supply and demand influence the growth and change of cities
  • How cities chage over time
Central Idea:
  • The structures and systems of community groups and organizations can impact change.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Systems that support the function of groups 
  • Individual and group decision-making processes  
  • Our responsibility to a better and more sustainable future

WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE & TIME

An inquiry into histories and orientation in place, space, and time through:

  • periods, events, and artifacts
  • communities, heritage, culture and environment
  • natural and human drivers of movement, adaptation, and transformation.

Central Idea:
  • We connect to the past and future through reflection.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • The connection between our past and future
  • Our past experiences shape our future
Central Idea:
  • Curiosity, personal interest, and passion inspire people to explore.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Explorations of past and present  
  • Motivations of past and present
  • The impact of exploration  
Central Idea:
  • Our lives can be affected by the contributions of significant people.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • The effect of significant people on our lives
  • How stories of significant people connect with our own lives
  • How expressing ourselves contribute to other's lives
Central Idea:
  • Inventions and innovations are developed in response to opportunities and challenges. 
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Difference between inventions and innovations
  • What drives invention and innovation
  • Significant inventions over time 
Central Idea:
  • Learning from the past can help us understand present day society and shape goals for the future.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • How the world has changed over time
  • Actions and events that cause change in societies
  • Our responsibility to a better and more sustainable future

WHO WE ARE

An inquiry into identity as individuals and as part of a collective through:

  • physical, emotional, social and spiritual health and well-being
  • relationships and belonging
  • learning and growing.
Central Idea:
  • Making connections can develop our sense of well-being.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • How my interests lead me to make friends through play 
  • How to be a friend
  • How friendships make us feel
Central Idea:
  • Being aware of yourself helps build positive relationships with others.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Uniqueness, similarities and differences with self and others 
  • Responsibilities and relationships with others in my environment 
  • Communicating feelings, thoughts, and ideas
Central Idea:
  • People's community and cultural experiences shape their identity.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Our cultural experiences and identities
  • How our identities are connected
Central Idea:
  • People are responsible for their choices.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • The importance of being balanced
  • How daily choices impact our health and safety
  • How we can best take care of our relationships with our self and others
Central Idea:
  • Understanding what people believe can enable us to become internationally minded.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Experiences can shape our beliefs and values
  • How open-minded listening helps people connect
  • How our values and beliefs influence our lives as global citizens
  • The different ways we express our identity
Central Idea:
  • Our bodies rely on interdependent systems.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Body systems and their functions
  • How body systems are interconnected
  • The impact of lifestyle choices on health and well-being
Central Idea:
  • The changes people experience at different stages of their lives affect their evolving sense of identity.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Emotional and physical changes during puberty
  • How relationships impact our well-being
  • How identity is constructed, expressed, and perceived
  • Our responsibility to a better and more sustainable future

SHARING THE PLANET

An inquiry into the interdependence of human and natural worlds through:

  • rights, responsibilities and dignity of all
  •  pathways to just, peaceful and reimagined futures
  • nature, complexity, coexistence and wisdom.
Central Idea:
  • Our actions can impact living things.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Living and non-living things 
  • The life cycles of living things 
  • How our actions make a difference 
Central Idea:
  • Humans, plants, and animals need each other to survive.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Plants, animals, and humans depend on each other
  • Characteristics and needs of plants and animals
  • Our responsibility to plants and animals
Central Idea:
  • Human actions impact the Earth.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Basic needs of living things
  • Our responsibility of sharing the environment with living things
  • The impact of human actions on living things
Central Idea:
  • Human choices about materials impact the natural world and shape future environments.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Properties and uses of everyday materials
  • How materials affect our environment
  • Actions people can take to create sustainable futures
Central Idea:
  • Life cycles reflect how living and non-living things are interdependent.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • Characteristics of living and non-living things
  • Stages of life cycles
  • Our role in protecting life cycles and supporting ecosystems
Central Idea:
  • The connection between environmental issues and consumption gives us many opportunities and challenges.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • How consumption connects to environmental issues
  • What solutions are being developed to lessen our impact
Central Idea:
  • Change can be achieved by taking action on local and global issues.
Lines of Inquiry:
  • The causes and effects of personal, local, and global issues 
  • How local and global issues connect to the Sustainable Development Goals
  • Our responsibility to a better and more sustainable future