IB PYP Newsletter

Coming Next Year: IB Evaluation!

Next school year, Running Springs will begin the exciting process of IB evaluation, an important opportunity to reflect on our practices and celebrate the many ways we bring the International Baccalaureate (IB) philosophy to life each day. This evaluation is part of the IB’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that schools provide high-quality, meaningful learning experiences that align with IB standards and practices.

Throughout the year, teachers and staff will engage in thoughtful reflection on our curriculum, teaching practices, and school culture. We will examine how we support students in developing the IB Learner Profile, fostering inquiry, and building the skills they need to become lifelong learners. The evaluation process also helps us identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth as we continue striving to provide the best possible education for our students.

Families are an important part of this journey. As we move through the evaluation process, we may ask for your feedback and participation as we reflect on how well our school community embodies IB values. If you're interested in providing feedback for our IB evaluation, keep an eye out in next year's emails and newsletters for information about how you can do that!

We are proud of the learning that happens at our school and look forward to using this process to strengthen our program even further.

"IB" Growing This Summer!

Looking for some creative ways to keep your child entertained and help them further develop their learning skills this summer? Use the IB's Approaches to Learning skills as inspiration for activities!

Here are some suggestions that will help your child practice these important skills while also having fun!

Complete a puzzle!

Puzzles-- whether they are jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, etc.-- all help your child practice multiple learning skills such as thinking skills (finding patterns, solving problems, testing ideas) and self-management skills (perseverance, resilience).

Create a website!

Tools like Google Sites allow kids to make websites for free. If your child has an interest or passion, encourage them to make a free website where they teach others about that topic. For example, if they love soccer, they could create a website all about their favorite soccer players. If they enjoy drawing, they could create a website where they teach others how to draw. Creating a website gives students an authentic platform to share their knowledge and learning. It also helps them practice skills such as communication skills (writing, media representation), self-management skills (organization, planning), and research skills (gathering and recording information, creating media).

Connect with a penpal!

Organizations like "Kids for Peace" and "Global Penfriends" allow families to match with penpals around the world in a safe way. Having a penpal allows your child to practice their communication skills as well as learn about life in another part of the U.S. or the world!

*Note: Neither Running Springs Academy nor OUSD endorse either website/organization. These are offered as options, so it is up to families to look into penpal websites and make an informed choice.

Explore a new hobby!

From creating rainbow loom bracelets to baking to playing a sport, exploring a new hobby helps kids practice their self-management skills by setting goals, persevering through challenges and demonstrating self-motivation.

IB Approach to Learning for May:

Self-Management Skills

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we will continue to focus on self-management skills, which include learning how to manage emotions, cope with challenges, build resilience, and make healthy choices. These skills support students in developing confidence, independence, and positive relationships so that they have the tools and strategies to navigate a variety of situations and feelings. Ms. Amanda's counseling lesson this month will focus on this as well.

Families can support this learning at home by:

encouraging open conversations about feelings
practicing calming strategies together
modeling/talking about how to work through setbacks and challenges

By working together, we can help students build the self-awareness and self-management skills they need to flourish.

Learner Profile of the Month:

Knowledgeable

In terms of the IB learner profile, being knowledgeable goes beyond acquiring new facts and memorizing information. Students who are knowledgeable develop broad understandings about how the world works. They make connections between their learning and the world around them, and they apply their learning and understandings to new situations and contexts. Being knowledgeable goes hand-in-hand with being an inquirer, because knowledge isn't just about knowing, it's about being curious and wanting to find out more.

Families can support the attribute of being knowledgeable by:

Encouraging their child's curiosity
Discussing current events when age- and developmentally-appropriate
Reading together
Helping their child make connections between their learning at school and their everyday life

If your child does something at home to demonstrate being knowledgeable, be sure to stop by the front office and have them write how they were knowledgeable on the interactive bulletin board near the front door.

Students Taking Action!

Encouraging students to take action to make a positive impact in their own lives, in the lives of others and in the world around them is one of the key components of the IB programme! Action doesn't have to be big and grandiose-- it can be as simple as extending their learning at home or bringing in something to share with the class that relates to their learning.

Here are some examples of students who TOOK ACTION this past month!

Several students in 2nd grade completed an extension activity at home for their IB unit for How We Organize Ourselves. After learning about erosion and land changes, the 2nd graders had the opportunity to create a stream model to show how water can cause changes in the land. Jaxton, Carter and Thaison all made stream models at home based on their learning in class.

Daniel in 3rd grade built a log cabin out of Lincoln Logs after reading about how the Ingalls family built a cabin in the novel Little House on the Prairie.

After learning about money in their IB unit for How We Organize Ourselves, 2nd grader Brooklyn interviewed her grandmother about her coin collection.

After learning about sea stars in TK, Paxton took the initiative to make a sea star craft by gluing strips of construction paper together to make the sea star's arms and adding dots to the "arms" to represent the sea star's suction cups.

In TK, the students have been learning all about how to sort items and animals in their IB unit for How the World Works. Isla and June decided to independently sort the manipulatives in their morning tubs by color.

After learning that acorn mush was a commonly eaten food of California Native American tribes, 3rd grader Chloe made acorn mush at home and served it with seaweed, similar to how tribes in the northern coastal region of California would have eaten it.

Ryan in 2nd grade brought in American coins and foreign coins while learning about money in their unit for How We Organize Ourselves.

Taking the Learning Outside the Classroom

5th Grade: Walk Through the American Revolution

Our 5th grade students participated in an interactive assembly where they immersed themselves in the people, events and causes of the American Revolution. Students dressed as the historic figures from the American Revolution and competed in teams to earn points by memorizing their parts, answering questions about the American Revolution, and acting out skits about key events.

A special thank-you to our Running Springs PTA who funds this assembly each year for our 5th grade students!

Connect to your Child's Seesaw Account!

Part of the PYP is documenting student learning over time, so here at Running Springs, we are using Seesaw as our platform for student portfolios!

Once you connect with your child's account on Seesaw, you'll be able to see photos, videos, and examples of work that they or their teacher post. It's a great way to get a peek into your child's school world!

If you don't know how to connect to your child's Seesaw account, please email me at bgower@orangeusd.org and I can give you the information you need.