Exploring Significant and Relevant Knowledge Through the Six Transdisciplinary Themes

Students in the 21st century are faced with the challenge of learning about an interconnected world where knowledge is constantly developing. One way we help students connect to the world around them is to view it through six transdisciplinary themes. Each grade level explores one unit under each theme, connecting to and building off of, their prior knowledge and experiences.


The PYP offers a balance between learning about or through the subject areas, and learning beyond them. The six themes have global significance and create a transdisciplinary framework that allows students to learn while investigating issues that have meaning for, and are important to, all of us.


These themes are:
•Who we are
•Where we are in place and time
•How we express ourselves
•How the world works
•How we organize ourselves
•Sharing the planet

The PYP Learner Profile at Spicewood

IB programs promote the education of the whole person, emphasizing intellectual, personal,

emotional and social growth through all domains of knowledge. By focusing on the dynamic combination of knowledge, skills, independent critical and creative thought and international-mindedness, the IB espouses the principle of educating the whole person for a life of active, responsible citizenship. Underlying the three programs is the concept of education of the whole person as a lifelong process. The learner profile is a profile of the whole person as a lifelong learner.(© The Learner Profile Booklet, IBO 2006)

The attributes are: balanced, caring, communicator, inquirer, knowledgeable, open-minded, principled, reflective, risk-taker and thinker.

At Spicewood the Learner Profile is at the heart of who we are, and what we do. We infuse these attributes into all aspects of the curriculum and into our  instruction.

This summer the Texas IB Schools association (TIBS) held the Annual Regional Conference for the IB Americas in San Antonio. Spicewood joined with other TIBS schools to perform on the last day. This IB Choir demonstrated the qualities of the Learner Profile by taking risks, demonstrating balance in what they love, and by communicating in a very universal way: singing.  We congratulate those students, and their caring teachers, Mr. Steinburg and Ms. Bray, for organizing this experience and modeling the Learner Profile.



The IB Choir on stage in San Antonio.



Taking Action in the PYP!

The PYP contains five essential elements: attitudes, knowledge, concepts, skills and ACTION!
At Spicewood we believe that education must extend beyond the intellectual to include not only socially responsible attitudes, but also thoughtful and appropriate action.
Our Units of Inquiry are designed to be relevant and significant to our students so that they will want to take action on what they are learning. This action can be small: sharing a book from home to further a class's understanding, making a poster to increase awareness, changing a habit to reflect new knowledge; or big: raising awareness by creating a public service announcement, writing a letter to a congressman, joining an organization in their cause, or starting a campaign or drive to support something we believe in.
Spicewood students are ALWAYS taking action, big and small. You can check out our Student's Taking Action board by the atrium to see some of the great things we do as individuals and groups.
This year as a result of their unit on needs and wants, 1st grade became involved with the S.A.F.E project. Stuffed Animals for Emergencies provides gently used stuffed animals to those who need a special, cuddly friend. Students brought beloved stuffed animals from home to give to the boys and girls who lost everything in the Central Texas fires.

We are proud to be developing empathetic students who look at the world and know they can make s difference, one action at a time.