Understanding the IB PYP Transdisciplinary Themes

International Baccalaureate (IB) PYP

2025-08-18 21:45:57

Understanding the IB PYP Transdisciplinary Themes: A Parent and Teacher’s Guide

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) is more than a curriculum – it’s a way of helping children see the world as an interconnected whole. Instead of teaching subjects in isolation, the PYP is built around six transdisciplinary themes. These themes act as bridges between subject areas and real life, allowing children to learn through inquiry, reflection, and meaningful connections.

As parents and teachers, understanding these themes helps us support our children’s curiosity, creativity, and global awareness. Let’s explore each theme and how it nurtures well-rounded learners.

1. Who We Are

Children explore identity, health, relationships, and belonging.

• They inquire into physical, emotional, and social well-being.
• They learn about how we grow, change, and connect with others.

? Example: A class might explore how friendships form, or how making healthy choices impacts daily life.

2. Where We Are in Place and Time

This theme connects students with history, geography, and human experiences.

• They study past events, heritage, and culture.
• They reflect on how people adapt, migrate, and transform societies.

? Example: Students may compare how different communities celebrate festivals or investigate how transportation has changed over time.

3. How We Express Ourselves

A celebration of creativity and communication.

• Children explore imagination, language, art, and culture.
• They discover how people express ideas, beliefs, and emotions.

? Example: Students might create poems, artworks, or digital media to express their feelings about an issue or story.

4. How the World Works

Here, curiosity meets science and discovery.

• Learners investigate patterns, systems, and natural phenomena.
• They use tools, design, and innovation to solve problems.

? Example: Exploring the water cycle, experimenting with simple machines, or studying how weather impacts communities.

5. How We Organize Ourselves

An inquiry into society, systems, and collaboration.

• Students explore decision-making, trade, and social structures.
• They examine how communities function and the roles people play.

? Example: Students may set up a class marketplace to understand trade or debate how governments make decisions.

6. Sharing the Planet

The theme closest to children’s sense of fairness and responsibility.

• Focuses on rights, responsibilities, and sustainability.
• Encourages respect for diversity and harmony with nature.

? Example: Learners might study endangered species, discuss equality, or plan ways to conserve water at home and school.

Why These Themes Matter

These six themes help children:
✅ Think critically and ask deep questions.
✅ See connections across subjects and cultures.
✅ Develop empathy, responsibility, and global awareness.
✅ Prepare not just for exams, but for life.

For Parents

You can support your child by:

• Talking about these themes in everyday life.
• Encouraging questions and curiosity at home.
• Connecting school learning to real-world experiences (e.g., linking “Sharing the Planet” to recycling at home).

For Teachers

These themes are not just curriculum frameworks – they’re pathways to lifelong learning. By designing engaging inquiries, teachers help students discover meaning and purpose in what they learn.

? In the PYP, every child becomes more than a student—they become an inquirer, a thinker, and a caring global citizen.

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