The International School at Dundee’s fifth grade class will be hosting the IB Exhibition – an exciting series of presentations, culminating and showcasing their six-year journey through the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.
These unique exhibitions celebrate IB skills and character traits such as – inquirer, knowledgeable, thinker, communicator, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-taker, balanced and reflective – throughout the Exhibition process.
These student-led projects are a required component of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program and pay special attention to the student’s individual areas of interest, their own student profile, and any special talents that the student wishes to explore and showcase. The topics and formats are created entirely by the students in small-groups — in essence, one separate Exhibition per small group of students.
“It is a wonder to observe our 5th graders’ engagement, articulate their depth of knowledge, and expertly answer questions about the topics they are passionate about! I am always amazed at the creativity they display that showcases all their learning skills taught to them throughout their elementary years,” said Rosanna Sangermano, ISD IB Coordinator.
The first part of the Exhibition process is devoted to peer team-building and exploration of self to help identify personal passions. Students then work with an Exhibition Mentor for 4-6 weeks to research and devise an informative and creative presentation. The overall formats for these presentations can change from year-to-year.
Over the past years, some formats have included TEDx-style talks, talk shows, movies, TV commercials, construction projects, art pieces, skits, opera, and more. Students can express and convey their knowledge and message within that particular year’s format, but creativity and imagination are highly encouraged.
Students also engage in an “action plan” and carry out community service projects tied to their project, such as holding a bake sale to raise funds to donate to a mental health charity, hosting a drive to collect art supplies for underserved children, or leading a beach cleanup.
According to Dana Firmender, Principal at ISD, “The Fifth Grade Exhibition at ISD is unique to the IB Primary Years Program coursework and study. It is an incredible opportunity for students to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning, and to utilize their many IB skills to intensely research a topic, present a key idea, and motivate others to take action to improve their communities. I am so proud of our fifth graders, and commend their hard work and diligence to this important project. I can’t wait to be inspired by this year’s presentations.”
This year’s theme is “The Choices We Make Create Our Future” with topics ranging from the impact of sports on mental health to the impact of climate change on natural disasters. The exhibition presentations will be held on June 3rd and 4th in the ISD Media Center for parents, the Greenwich Public Schools community, and the rest of the student body to view and is a wonderful example of how the IB Primary Years Program prepares students for middle and high school by providing them with the skills and characteristics that make for a global lifelong learner.
The International School at Dundee was authorized in July of 2003 as an official International Baccalaureate school. ISD is one of 630 authorized IB Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) schools in the U.S., and one of only 10 elementary schools in Connecticut to receive the IBPYP accreditation. ISD offers programs for students from kindergarten through fifth grade. For more information, visit https://isd.greenwichschools.org, or call 203-637-3800.