Briargrove Elementary

Programme of Inquiry (2014-2015)

Who we are
An exploration of the nature of the
self, of our beliefs and values; of
personal, physical, mental, social
and spiritual health; of our
families, friends, communities and
cultures; of our rights and
responsibilities; of what it means
to be human.

Grade K

Where we are in place and

time
An exploration of our orientation in
place and time; of our personal
histories; of history and geography
from local and global perspectives;
of our homes and journeys; of the
discoveries, explorations and
migrations of humankind; of the
contributions of individuals and
civilizations.

An exploration of human systems

and communities; of the world of
work, its nature and its value; of
employment and unemployment and
their impact.

Central Idea:
The Earths physical geography affects
our daily lives.

Central Idea:
People use a variety of mediums to
communicate their thoughts, customs
and mind-set.

Central Idea:
Patterns in the environment influence
the world.

Central Idea:
Communities need people to fulfill
roles and provide resources.

Inquiry into:
Who we are, your beliefs,
your values
How communities work
together
Responsibility within your
roles and others

Inquiry

Inquiry into:
Patterns and cycles in the
world
Visible changes when cycles
occur
Effect patterns have on the
world we live in

Inquiry

Key Concepts: Reflection,

Responsibility, Perspective

Key Concepts: Form, Causation,

Connection

Inquiry into:
Forms of communication
Representing feelings and
ideas
Different ways that thoughts
are presented
Similarities and difference of
beliefs

into:
Composition of the Earth
Properties of soil and water
Use of Earths materials
Relationship between
geographic locations and
materials

Related Concepts: Geography,

Resources

Ages 6-7

How the world works

An exploration of the physical and
material world; of natural and
human-made phenomena; of the
world of science and technology.

Central Idea:
Others influence our understanding
of ourselves.

Ages 5-6

Grade 1

How we express ourselves

An exploration of the ways in which
we discover and express our nature,
ideas, feelings, beliefs and values
through language and the arts.

How we organize ourselves

Central Idea:
Group membership impacts who we
become.
Inquiry

into:
Groups we belong to
Characteristics of the groups
How groups influence who
we are

Key Concepts:Responsibility,
Causation, Connection

October-November 2014

Key Concepts: Form, Perspective,

Connection

Key Concepts: Form, Change,

Connection

Key Concepts: Connection,

Responsibility, Function
Related Concepts: Safety, Community,
Citizenship, Rules, Organization

Key Concepts: Function, connection,

form

Related Concepts: Similarities,

Differences, Relationships, Beliefs

Central Idea:
Citizens choices affect the
community.

Central Idea:
Changes in our environment are
interrelated and can be measured.

Central Idea
Individuals and organizations make
decisions based on wants and needs.

Inquiry into:
Citizens make choices and
decisions
Diversity of communities
Roles of community members

Inquiry into:
Reasons for change
Cause and Effect of
environmental change
Natural and physical changes
in our environment

Inquiry into:
Compare and analyze wants
and needs
Producers and consumers are
dependent on each other
Community leaders decisions
influence economic activities

Related Concepts: Choices, Decisions,

Roles

Key Concepts: Causation, Connection,

Change
Related Concepts: Cause/effect,
Physical Changes, Matter,
Interdependence, Climate

Central Idea:
Living and nonliving things share the
planets resources.
Inquiry into:
Recognize differences
between living organisms and
nonliving materials
Group plants according their
observable features such as
appearance and size, etc.
Methods for conserving
Earths resources

into:
Roles in communities
Responsible citizenship
What makes a community

Related Concepts: Adaptation, Plants,

Seasons, Systems (solar
cycle/weather), Interdependence,
Climate

Key Concepts: Responsibility,

Causation, Connection

Sharing the planet

An exploration of our rights and
responsibilities as we try to share
finite resources with other people,
with other living things; of
communities and of the
relationships within and between
them.

Related Concepts: Consequences,

structure, initiative

Key Concepts: Responsibility,

Perspective, Function
Related Concepts: Communication,
Governments, Interdependence

Briargrove Elementary School 6145 San Felipe Street Houston, Texas 2014-2015 Update:9/18/2014

Central Idea
All plants and animals have life cycles
and characteristics within their
environment.
Inquiry into:
Unique parts in animals and
plants
Life Cycles of animals and
plants
Dependence within animal
and plant lives
Key Concepts: Form, change,
connection
Related Concepts: Animals, plants,
habitats, interaction, cycles

Grade 2
Ages 7-8

October-November 2014

Central Idea:
Choices of citizens lead to change.
Inquiry into:
Roles and responsibilities of
citizens
Identify characteristics of
citizenship
Recognition and influence of
contributions made by
historical citizens
Key Concepts: Responsibility,
Causation, Change

Central Idea:
Culture is represented by symbols and
celebrations that express diversity
within our global community.

Central Idea:
Earths cycles affect and connect
with one another.

Inquiry into:
Significance of national, state
and local symbols and
landmarks.
Significance of national, state
and local holidays and
celebrations.
Connections between
celebrations across cultures

Inquiry into:
Changes in states of matter
Steps of the water cycle and
connection to weather
Patterns in the night sky

Key Concepts: Perspective,

Connection, and Reflection

October-November 2014

Grade 3
Ages 8-9

Key Concepts: Connection, Causation,

Function

Central Idea:
Leaders and citizens decisions
establish and maintain order in the
community.
Inquiry into:
Characteristics and roles of
leaders in our government
Structure of communities
Organization and structure of
government positions
Impact of government
decisions on
governed society
Key Concepts: Form, Function,
Causation

Central Idea:
All living things evolve and adapt with
a changing environment.
Inquiry

into:
Basic needs of living things
Adaptations of living things
Human impact on
environment
Food chains

Related Concepts: Culture, Diversity,

Symbols

Related Concepts: Matter, Weather,

Nature, Systems (solar, water cycle,
weather)

Central Idea:
Explorations lead to discoveries,
opportunities, communities, and
develop new understandings.

Central Idea:
Symbols and actions communicate
cultural identity.

Central Idea:
Systems in our universe mold the
environment.

Central Idea:
Organizations help citizens meet their
needs and wants.

Central Idea:
Living things are connected within
their place on Earth.

Lines of Inquiry:
Navigation resulted in the
development of maps.
Consequences of explorations
leads to new development
Communities establish systems

Inquiry

Inquiry into:
Orderly changes to the
Earths surface
Differentiate the operations
of a system
Orderly changes impact
society

Lines of Inquiry
Our responsibilities as
citizens.
Economic trends affect the
quality of life.
Levels of government work
together

Lines of Inquiry
Animal communication.
Interdependence of energy
flows.
How organisms adapt to
change

Key Concepts: Form, Causation,

Connection

Key Concepts: Causation, Reflection,

Connection

Key Concepts: Change, Function,

Connection

Key Concepts: Responsibility,

Connection, Function

Related Concepts: Geography,

Settlements, Ecosystems, Dependence

Related Concepts: Needs and Wants,

Supply and Demand, Infrastructure

into:
Importance of expression
Culture as a community
Relationship between
personal and cultural identity

Related Concepts: Geography,

Landforms, Population

Related Concepts: Government,

Legislation, Production

Key Concepts: Responsibility, change,

perspective
Related Concepts: Living things,
adaptations, natural resources

Key Concepts: Function, Connection,

Change
Related Concepts: Research,
Adaptation

Central Idea:

Grade 4
Ages 9-10

Identity is cultivated by changes,

choices, and values.
Inquiry into:

Identity can be interpreted

by multiple points of view
Voluntary change vs. forced
change
Values define order or chaos
of a system.

Key Concepts: Perspective, Change,

Function

Central Idea:
Progress is determined by decisions,
resources, and roles.

Central Idea:
Expression of identity can be
represented through culture, action,
and citizenship.

Inquiry into:

The diversity of economy

depends on supply, demand,
and available resources
Challenges have impacted the
growth of Texas
A community is defined by the
strength of its people

Key Concepts: Causation, Change,

Connection
Related Concepts: Challenges,
Decisions, Independence, Diversity

Inquiry into:
Traditions of a place define
its culture
Passion leads to
self-expression
Effective leadership should
consider public opinion
Key Concepts: Connection,
Perspective, Reflection
Related Concepts: Loyalty, Courage,
Citizenship, Patriotism, Research

Central Idea:
Cyclical relationships are continued
by force, circumstances, and change.
Inquiry into:
Environment in the natural
world
Causes of patterned change
on our planet
Impact on human life
Key Concepts: Function, Change,
Causation
Related Concepts: Cycles, Rotation
and Revolution

Central Idea:
Changes, improvements, and
processes can impact the
interdependence in a system.
Lines of Inquiry
Being responsible produces
reliable results.
Efficiency is the product of
improvement.
Government is accountable
for the welfare of its people.
Key Concepts
Responsibility, Function, Reflection,
Related Concepts
Transition, Changes,
Interdependence, Connectivity,
Processes, Responsibilities, Reliability

Briargrove Elementary School 6145 San Felipe Street Houston, Texas 2014-2015 Update:9/18/2014

October-November 2014

Central Idea:

Grade 5
Ages 10-11

Peoples beliefs and values impact

societies.
Inquiry into:

Aspects of belief systems

Individual rights and
responsibilities within a
society
How to govern values and
beliefs

Key Concepts: Causation, Function,

Perspective

Central Idea:
Human migration produces economic,
social, political, and cultural change in
the country of origin and the receiving
country.
Inquiry into:

How migration can be

represented geographically
The motivation behind why
people explored and migrated
The point of view of the
immigrants and established
communities

Key Concepts: Perspective, Causation,

Form

Central Idea:
Rituals, traditions, and artifacts
provide a window into the beliefs and
values of cultures.
Inquiry into:
Forming a colonization
Significance of songs and
stories in culture
The physical design of a
colony reflects its cultural
beliefs

Central Idea:
Individuals impact the natural world
through explorations.

October-November 2014

Inquiry into:
Locations and pattern of
settlement
Reasons people choose to
explore new worlds
Impact of exploration on
development of societies
Key Concepts: Form, Causation,
Connection

Key Concepts: Function, Perspective,

Reflection

Related Concepts: Migration,

Exploration, Settlements

Related Concepts: Diversity, Beliefs

Related Concepts: Migration,

Exploration, Geographical impact,
Borders

Briargrove Elementary School 6145 San Felipe Street Houston, Texas 2014-2015 Update:9/18/2014

Central Idea:
Living and nonliving things in an
ecosystem are interconnected
through systems and cycles within the
environment.
Inquiry into:

Components of an ecosystem
Interactions within the
ecosystem
Human effects on an
ecosystem

Key Concepts: Function, connection,

form
Related Concepts: Exploration,
prediction, process, context, culture,
metamorphosis