PYP: Voice-Choice-Ownership
Grade 1
Topic: Creating a Vision Board
In our recent unit celebration, under the theme, ‘Who We Are’ Grade 1 students along with families engaged in creating Vision Boards to encapsulate the central idea: The choices people make, affect their health and well-being. Students exercised choice and voice by selecting images and words that reflected their personal goals for a balanced lifestyle, focusing on mind, body, and soul. This creative process allowed students to take ownership of their well-being, as they identified positive changes and actions to enhance their daily habits and set future goals.
This celebration of learning was a testament to the power of voice, choice, and ownership in education, reminding us all that the choices we make truly shape our health and happiness. As our students continue their journey, they are equipped with the tools and mindset to make informed and positive lifestyle choices, ensuring a bright and balanced future.This exercise allowed them to recognize the impact of their choices, reinforcing the belief that they have the power to shape their own well-being.
Grade 2
Topic: Tiny Creatures, Big Learning!
Students of Grade 2 demonstrated Voice, Choice and Ownership as they embarked on an inquiry about insects. They chose an insect of their interest and researched various aspects such as its scientific and common name, habitat, role in the food chain, and importance in the ecosystem.
Taking ownership of their learning, the students formed groups, decided which aspect to present, and collaboratively created visuals to support their findings. This activity encouraged student agency, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of how small organisms contribute to the balance of nature.
Grade 3
Topic: Teach Me Tuesday
Write-up (type below)
Our Grade 3 learners are taking charge of their learning through Teach Me Tuesday, a special weekly initiative where students become teachers! Every Tuesday, different students lead the class in an activity of their choice — from art and craft to science experiments and math games.
This experience encourages creativity, confidence, and collaboration as students plan, prepare, and guide their peers. It’s a wonderful way for them to share their interests, take ownership of learning, and discover the joy of teaching others.
Through Teach Me Tuesday, our young learners are proving that everyone has something unique to teach — and something new to learn every week!
Grade 4
Topic: “Re-Imagine a Tool”
Write Up:
Grade 4 students, through the Unit on Exploration, demonstrated voice, choice, and ownership by selecting real-life problems they wanted to solve. They explored everyday challenges, analyzed their causes, and used creativity and innovation to design practical solutions.
For example, one student created a LED-sensored walking stick that detects obstacles from a distance and alerts visually impaired users through vibrations and sound. This innovation helps promote independence, safety, and confidence, making daily life easier for those with visual impairments.Through this exploration, students strengthened their critical thinking, problem-solving, and design skills, showing how young innovators can create ideas that lead to a more inclusive and improved world.
Grade 5
Topic: BARK strategy
Write-up (type below)
Reimagining Our Classroom with Voice, Choice, and Creativity
Our Grade 5 students explored the unit on Materials in a hands-on way by reimagining our classroom! Each student chose a classroom product—like the teacher’s table, the bulletin board, or our class library—and used the BARK strategy (Bigger, Add, Replace, Keep) to think about how to make it stronger, more sustainable, and more functional.This task gave students voice, choice, and ownership, as they decided which product to work on and how to redesign it while keeping the properties of materials in mind. From adding new features to rethinking old ones, the students creatively planned a classroom that is both durable and inspiring.
Music
Topic: Instrument Pathway: Learn, Play, Progress
In PYP grades 3, 4, and 5, students were given the opportunity to choose an instrument to learn—guitar, piano, or drums. Once they made their choice, they continued developing their skills on that same instrument throughout these grades. This approach helped students build a strong connection with their instrument and allowed them to deepen their understanding and mastery over time. By giving students this voice and ownership in their musical learning, they became more confident and engaged, making their music journey both meaningful and enjoyable. By giving students this voice and ownership in their learning, we make music lessons more fun and meaningful. It encourages a lifelong love of music and helps each student grow in a way that feels personal and rewarding.
PSPE
Topic: Grade 1: Field Hockey
Title idea: “Tiny Sticks, Big Skills: Grade 1 Students Explore Hockey
Write-up (type below)
In PSPE, our Grade 1 Students got their first taste of Field Hockey, a fun and fast-paced team sport where players use a stick to control and pass a small ball. Equipped with their sticks and balls, students learned the basics while also practicing important safety rules—keeping the stick low, watching their surroundings, and respecting others’ space.
The classroom was filled with excitement as students tried out dribbling, passing, and moving around the play area. Some cheered for their friends after a perfect pass, while others concentrated on controlling the ball through small cones. These activities helped students develop coordination, spatial awareness, and early teamwork skills.
One of the highlights of the lesson was seeing their enthusiasm shine through: “Students were excited to dribble the ball and pass to their friends, showing teamwork and encouragement throughout the session.”
By the end it was clear that our Grade 1 students weren’t just learning hockey—they were building focus, improving hand-eye coordination, and most importantly, discovering the joy of being active and playing together.
Art
Topic: Creative Creatures
Grade 2 learners, as part of their ongoing homeroom inquiry on Tiny Creatures, had the opportunity to extend their learning through an engaging art integration activity. They designed their own imaginative tiny creature, using creativity and personal choice to decide how it would look and what materials would best bring it to life. The art room became a treasure trove of possibilities — with items like broken scissors, glue stick caps, cardboard boxes, and other reusable materials — allowing students to explore, experiment, and make independent decisions about their creations.
Students demonstrated strong voice, choice, and ownership throughout the process. They not only decided what kind of tiny creature to make but also had the option to design a unique habitat for it, using recycled resources in imaginative ways. The freedom to select materials and plan their designs empowered them to think critically and sustainably. It was heartening to see their excitement as they explored the reused materials, shared ideas, collaborated, and took pride in their creative decisions — truly making the learning experience their own.
Hindi
Topic: मैं और मेरा परिवार पसंद पटल
Write-up (type below)
Grade 4 learners enthusiastically explored the topic “मैं और मेरा परिवार” through the पसंद पटल (Choice Board) Activity. This engaging task encouraged voice, choice, and ownership, allowing students to express their thoughts creatively. They shared about their family members, likes, and values through drawings, written work, and oral presentations, showcasing confidence, individuality, and a deep understanding of the theme in Hindi.
Marathi
Grade : 3
Topic: Action Verb
Write-up (type below)
Students learned action verbs in Marathi through an interactive game. Each student selected a verb card and acted it out while group members guessed and said the correct word in Marathi. Roles rotated so everyone had a chance to act, guess, and record the verbs. The activity reflected voice, choice, and ownership in learning. Students had the opportunity to express themselves by acting out verbs and sharing their thinking with peers. They were empowered to choose which verbs to act on, how to demonstrate them, and their role in the activity. By preparing verb sets, students took ownership of their learning and actively engaged in the process.
Spanish
Topic: Grade 5-Migration
After an insightful class discussion on migration, a PYP 5 student demonstrated exceptional voice, choice, and ownership by independently creating a visual presentation on the migration story of her favourite personality, Yusra Mardini. She exercised choice by selecting a real-life figure who inspired her, expressed her voice through thoughtful reflections written in Spanish, and displayed ownership by designing and presenting her work creatively. Her initiative beautifully illustrates how student agency empowers learners to connect classroom concepts with global contexts, using language as a tool to express understanding, empathy, and personal connection to real-world experiences.
Topic: Grade 2: Book Talk Back
Link for images: Book Talk Back: Grade 2
Write-up (type below)
PYP October Blog: Voice, Choice & Ownership in the Library
Our Grade 2 students participated in a “Book Talk Back” activity as part of our focus on Voice, Choice, and Ownership. Students were encouraged to share their thoughts about a library book they read—what they loved, what didn’t work for them, and why it made (or didn’t make) their favorites list.
Some even posed thoughtful questions to the authors, especially when they were curious or unsatisfied with the story’s ending. It was a wonderful display of confident expression and meaningful engagement with literature!
Dance and Drama
Topic: Formations in Lyrical Dance
Link for images: Formations in Lyrical Dance – Gr 3
Write-up (type below)
The Dance unit in Grade 3 has been filled with energy and creativity as students explore Lyrical Dance, a style that combines movement with emotions and storytelling. They are learning different techniques and choreographic devices to make their dance more expressive and engaging, and how to use the elements of dance – Body, Energy, Action, Time and Space to give meaning to their movements.
One of the choreographic devices they are learning is Formations, and how dancers can create using different shapes, levels, directions, sizes and canon effects. Working in groups, students demonstrated Voice-Choice-Ownership to design their own formations which could later be incorporated in their lyrical dance. They used teamwork, imagination and cooperation to bring their dance ideas to life.
