Scream+Your+Theme

After a wonderful visit with Terri Walker, the IB Consultant for Salisbury and Webster Elementary Schools, we learned the importance of "screaming your theme." It is important that every room has a bulletin board space dedicated to the current theme being taught. Here are the notes I took while working with Terri:

v It is important that the students know what theme the current planner falls under, so teachers should be calling the planner by the theme name. Authorization folks will ask this of the students. They should know “How the World Works” not The Solar System. v Each classroom might want to have all the themes posted throughout the year – just the names of themes for K-1, with descriptors 2-5, as well as the Learner Profile and Attitudes, and all 8 Key Concepts. Now create your planner board by pulling down the theme sheet for the board, choose the Learner Profile attributes and the attitudes you are highlighting in the planner, as well as the key concepts, lines of inquiry and teacher questions. Leave room for the student to add their questions, work etc. The board should grow as the planner is taught. For example, when you get student questions, identify them as to the key concept. Have the students write the question on a sticky note and put it on the board on the key concept, or the other key concept posters. Your teacher questions should definitely be hooked to the Key Concepts. v You should know exactly what planner a class is working on the second you walk into the room v You should also know that the school is an IB PYP school the second you walk into the building. Make sure the POI is near the entryway, clocks or flags, mission statements. Anything so people know they are in a PYP school right away!

I'm out and about looking for good theme boards with __**all the components mentioned above**__. Get your Lab Rat to take a picture of your board and upload it here. We need ideas from each other!

Here are some photographs of 'Theme Boards' at BES. These are to get you started. (Webster)