Tag: Inquiry-Based Learning

a blue and red tiled house made from paper

02/12/20252025–2026 School YearArchitecture, Art, Building, Creativity, Design and Technology, How the World Works, Inquiry-Based Learning, Kindergarten, PYP, Unit of inquiryby ISL

Senior Kindergarten Explore Building Materials

As part of their Unit of Inquiry Let’s Build, under the Transdisciplinary Theme How the World Works, the Senior Kindergarten students have been inquiring into why different building materials are used in different parts of the world. We focused on tiled houses, particularly those in Portugal, where many are built with bricks and covered in colourful tiles. We discussed some …

students sitting in a theater facing the stage

28/11/20252025–2026 School YearArt, Grade 3, Grade 4, How We Express Ourselves, Inquiry-Based Learning, Music, Primary school, School trip, Unit of inquiryby ISL

Grade 3 & 4 Trip to Théâtre L’île Ô

To begin their new Unit of Inquiry ‘When Art Speaks’, under the transdisciplinary theme ‘How We Express Ourselves’, Grade 3 and 4 students took a trip to the Théâtre L’île Ô, situated on the Rhône River in Lyon. The show ‘Lumières’ introduced students to the Lumière brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumière, highlighting the transition between photography and film and the …

Students sitting on the carpet building Kapla towers

25/11/20252025–2026 School YearBuilding, Community, Construction, Creativity, Design and Technology, Inquiry-Based Learning, Kindergarten, Play, SKby ISL

Building with Kapla in SK

Recently, our Senior Kindergarten class enjoyed a fun and creative workshop with the Kapla team. The students spent time exploring the blocks and working together to create towers, castle walls, and even some cool cannons. It was a hands-on morning full of creativity, cooperation, and happy builders, with only a few collapsed constructions along the way!

23/10/20252025–2026 School YearArt, Creativity, English, Grade 2, Inquiry-Based Learning, Language Learning, Parents, Primary school, PTAby ISL

Felt Dolls for Grammar Fun

The PTA Craft Club, inspired by Mme Marie’s vision, created colourful Grammar felt dolls for donation to our classrooms. Grade 2 students enjoyed meeting the “Common Noun” and “Proper Noun” dolls, using them in a playful sorting activity that brought grammar learning to life. A heartfelt thank you to the PTA Craft Committee for their creativity and generosity in bringing …

13/10/20252025–2026 School YearGrade 10, Grade 11, High school, History, Inquiry-Based Learning, International Mindedness, School trip, Secondary schoolby ISL

Exploring History in Prague: Grade 10 & 11 Trip

History students from Grades 10 and 11 recently had the opportunity to visit a city at the crossroads of history: Prague. Prague has changed hands several times throughout history and links in many ways with our History programme, in particular with the Treaty of Versailles, the Holocaust, and the Cold War. Students visited Prague Castle, Terezin concentration camp (where Gavrilo …

Collage of students holding up various harvested vegetables

06/10/20252025–2026 School YearGardening, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Inquiry-Based Learning, Nature, Outdoor learning, Taking action, Unit of inquiry, Who We Areby ISL

Harvest Time in the Primary Garden

Last year, Grades 1 to 4 planted a variety of mysterious seeds in the Primary Garden. Earlier in the summer, we enjoyed tasting radishes and watching our sunflower grow. After the summer break, Grade 4 returned to the garden and were impressed to find a line of beetroots ready for the picking! We also planted a line of carrots, but …

Paper self portraits on a black background

29/09/20252025–2026 School YearArt, Creativity, Inquiry-Based Learning, JK, Kindergarten, Pre-K, Unit of inquiry, Who We Areby ISL

Toucan Class Explores Identity Through Self-Portraits

The Toucans (Pre- and Jr. Kindergarten) have been inquiring into who they are and what makes each person unique. To celebrate their identities and to learn more about themselves, they painted beautiful self-portraits. Each student carefully selected paint colors to best match their skin and hair tones and then chose additional colors to add the final details, such as eyes, …

ISL 20th anniversary quilt hanging on a wall

05/09/20252025–2026 School YearArts, Community, Creativity, Inquiry-Based Learning, International Mindedness, Primary, School, Student Agencyby ISL

Student Quilt Celebrates ISL’s 20th Anniversary

As part of our 20th anniversary celebrations, every Kindergarten and Primary student took part in a collaborative sewing project. Each student designed and created a fabric square to represent something special to them at ISL (whether a favourite lesson, a meaningful experience, or an aspect of their learning). The designs were wonderfully diverse. Music notes, calculators, footballs, gardening, pizza days, …

13/06/20252024–2025 School YearDesign and Technology, Earthquakes, Experiment, Grade 3, Grade 4, How the World Works, Inquiry-Based Learning, Natural Disasters, Primary school, Science, Unit of inquiryby ISL

Exploring Earthquake Science

As part of their unit on natural disasters (How the World Works), the Grade 3 and 4 students explored how earthquakes are measured. They investigated different types of tectonic plate movements and experimented with creating their own seismographs to observe how each type of movement produces unique waves. The classroom was buzzing with creativity and critical thinking as students designed …

11/12/20242024–2025 School YearHow We Organize Ourselves, Inquiry-Based Learning, JK, Kindergarten, Pre-K, Unit of inquiryby ISL

Exploring Toys in Kindergarten

Recently, Pre-Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten students participated in a sorting activity, categorising toys into moving, building, pretend, and soft toys. This activity was part of our new unit of inquiry (How we Organise Ourselves), during which students are exploring how toys move and their characteristics. It was a fun and engaging way to go further with our investigations in this …

Inquiry-Based Learning

Senior Kindergarten Explore Building Materials

Grade 3 & 4 Trip to Théâtre L’île Ô

Building with Kapla in SK

Felt Dolls for Grammar Fun

Exploring History in Prague: Grade 10 & 11 Trip

Harvest Time in the Primary Garden

Toucan Class Explores Identity Through Self-Portraits

Student Quilt Celebrates ISL’s 20th Anniversary

Exploring Earthquake Science

Exploring Toys in Kindergarten

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