Inquiry in Kindergarten

Our Kindergartners learn through the lens of four thematic inquiry units throughout their school year.

Inquiry Unit Theme One: How we organize ourselves

Central Idea: Communities work together when members follow rules and routines.

Sample Guided Inquiry question asked by scholar: I wonder how doctors are an important part of our community?

Summative assessment: Students cut and paste images they identify as belonging to their community member of interest to a poster that they present to class while in costume.

Key Concepts: Responsibility, Connection, Reflection

Subject Focus: Reading, Writing, Social Studies

Learner Profile Traits: Caring, Principled

ATL Skills: Recording Data (Research Skill), Listening (Communication Skill), Presenting (Communication Skill)

Lines of Inquiry:

  • Community creates good citizens.
  • Classrooms and schools are a form of community.
  • There are elements that make a good citizen.
  • Community members have specific jobs and roles to contribute to a community.

Inquiry Unit Theme Two: Who we are

Central Idea: Learning about ourselves helps us appreciate diversity.

Sample Guided Inquiry question asked by scholar: I wonder how I am the same and different than others?

Summative assessment: Students create an All About Me book that is assessed with a rubric.

Key Concepts: Form, Connection, Perspective

Subject Focus: Writing, Social Studies, Visual Arts

Learner Profile Traits: Balanced, Inquirer, Open-Minded

ATL Skills: Listening (Communication Skill), Metacognition (Thinking Skill), Respecting Others (Social Skill).

Lines of Inquiry:

  • Our Physical characteristics make us unique.
  • We choose our hobbies and interests.
  • We can have power over our emotions and actions.
  • We all have cultural traditions

Inquiry Unit Theme Three: Sharing the planet

Central Idea: People can respect the earth to preserve habitats.

Sample Guided Inquiry question asked by scholar: How does recycling help protect the marine habitat?

Summative assessment: Scholars will cut out images and glue onto poster that explains the problem of pollution in their habitat, how it affects wildlife and the environment, and on reverse side the solution to this problem.

Key Concepts: Causation, Connection, Reflection

Subject Focus: Science, Reading, Writing, Mathematics

Learner Profile Traits: Thinker, Knowledgeable, Inquirer

ATL Skills: Informed Choices (Self-Management Skill), Safety (Self-Management Skill), Presenting (Communication Skill)

Lines of Inquiry:

  • The earth has natural habitats with specific living things.
  • Living things are affected by each other and their environment.
  • Humans can create solutions to pollution problems.

Inquiry Unit Theme Four: How we express ourselves

Central Idea: Poetry helps us connect with our own family values.

Sample Guided Inquiry question asked by scholar: How can I communicate my family values in poetry?

Summative assessment: Scholars will write a poem about their family values that will be graded with rubric.

Key Concepts: Connection, Perspective, Form

Subject Focus: Writing, Reading, Social Studies

Learner Profile Traits: Thinker, Knowledgeable, Inquirer

ATL Skills: Reading (Communication Skill), Writing (Communication Skill), Speaking (Communication Skill).

Lines of Inquiry:

  • Poetry is a popular form of personal expression.
  • There are elements of a poem. 

  • We can use language to express 
our creativity and family values.