Lancaster Independent School District Website - School: Pleasant Run Elementary School

Pleasant Run Elementary School > IBOPYP

Pleasant Run Elementary is a Candidate School for the International Baccalaureate Organization Primary Years Program. We are in stage 2 of the 3 stage authorization to become an authorized IB World School.

The Primary Years Program (PYP) offers a comprehensive, inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning. It is designed for all children in Pre-K through Grade 5. The program focuses on the students’ social, physical, emotional, and cultural development in addition to academic growth.

Distinctive characteristics of the Primary Years Program include a rigorous, inquiry based curriculum provided through 6 transdisciplinary themes and the development of an internationally-minded character through the Learner’s Profile and PYP Attitudes.

The 6 Organizing Themes of the Primary Years Program:

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program identifies six themes which provide the organizing structure for the content or program of inquiry. Each grade (K-5) explores the six themes during the school year. Pre-K students explore 4 of the 6 themes. Texas state standards are addressed within the themes.

Transdisciplinary Themes:

have significance for all students, all cultures;

offer students the opportunity to explore knowledge which is of genuine importance in understanding the human condition;

address the fields of knowledge which form the traditional disciplines but present these in a way which transcends these disciplines, thus facilitating transdisciplinary planning and teaching;

will be revisited throughout the students' years of schooling, the end result being an articulated curriculum content, from Pre-K to secondary school.

"Who we are"	"Where we are in place and time"
An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.	An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
"How we express ourselves"	"How the world works"
An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.	An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances in society and on the environment.
"How we organize ourselves"	"Sharing the planet"
An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.	An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

Links to more information on the IBO PYP Program

Attitudes (Spanish)
Attitudes (English)
Learners Profile (spanish)
Learners Profile English

For more information about the PYP at Pleasant Run Elementary, you may contact the PYP coordinator, Pamla Jones, by phone at 972-218-1545 or by e-mail at pamlajones@lancasterisd.org. For more information on the International Baccalaureate Organization, please visit their website at www.ibo.org