As teachers, we strive to provide our students with engaging and meaningful learning
experiences that prepare them for success in the future. The PYP exhibition is one such
experience, where students are challenged to explore complex topics and present their
findings to the school community, their family, friends, and IB community.
But how can we make this experience even more enriching and impactful for our PYP 5
students? What if we shifted the focus of the exhibition process from simply presenting
information to empowering our students as independent researchers and critical
thinkers through a driving conceptual lens approach?
It’s great to mention that our exhibition process at Sreenidhi International school
included a focus on driving conceptual lenses and independent research before group
synthesis. This approach allowed students to develop a deeper understanding of their
topics and encouraged them to think critically about how their individual research fits
within a broader conceptual framework.
It’s not uncommon for students to question why they are working together in a group, so
we synthesized their topics under one umbrella theme – How we organize ourselves,
which encouraged them to see the connections and relationships between their
individual research projects. This led to a more cohesive and unified presentation that
showcased the intellectual depth of their thinking and understanding.
I am excited to announce that as the homeroom teacher for PYP5, I had the pleasure of
witnessing my students make meaningful connections between their experiential
learning trip to Yercaud and real-life issues such as the lack of good public toilets and
the impact of construction on air pollution in Hyderabad. One of my students even drew
a connection to her grandmother’s story of not being able to attend medical college.
These connections to real-world problems provided a valuable opportunity for my
students to develop their research, communication, and social skills as they
collaborated to inquire about these issues.
The exhibition was inaugurated with the lightning of a lamp by Executive director and
Managing trustee Ms Sarithha Katkenneni and the Leadership team followed by the SIS
talk. It was the great opportunity for students to showcase their creativity and share
their thoughts on important issues. It’s always inspiring to see young people taking an
active interest in the world around them and using their voices to advocate for positive
change. All grade 5 students sang a song on ‘togetherness’ and performed a skit which

was an excellent way to showcase the different issues explored by the teams and to
validate the theme of “EKAM” – Together to create a peaceful world, which means unity
in Hindi. It’s a powerful word that speaks to the idea of working together to create a
more peaceful world. It’s great to see that the students not only learned about important
issues, but also took action and created a platform to share their ideas with others.
Throughout the PYP exhibition journey, students delved into several pressing issues,
starting with natural disasters. They researched the various types of natural disasters
and their impact on communities and the environment, as well as the role of human
activities in exacerbating them. To mitigate their impact, students developed models for
constructing high-rise buildings and a bed with airbags. In addition to this, students
explored gender equality and launched a book called Equality of Genders, advocating for
the same. They also examined the impact of tourism on the environment and ways to
promote sustainable tourism practices, using De Bono’s six thinking hats to propose
innovative solutions. Lastly, the students investigated the issue of air pollution, studying
its sources and effects on human health and the environment. To raise awareness, they
created posters, videos, and models of an ideal city, and proposed solutions such as
using renewable energy sources and promoting public transportation.
Throughout the exhibition, students developed different IB learner profiles attributes,
such as principled, communicator, and reflective. They learned how to apply these
profiles in their research and inquiry, as well as in their interactions with others. For
example, students demonstrated the principled profile by showing integrity and honesty
in their research and by respecting the opinions and perspectives of others. They also
showed the communicator profile by effectively conveying their ideas and findings to
others and by actively listening to feedback. Additionally, students demonstrated the
reflective profile by reflecting on their learning and growth throughout the exhibition and
by using this reflection to improve their future work.
The exhibition presentations were varied, interesting, and engaging, demonstrating the
intellectual depth of their understanding. It was a joy to witness my students taking
ownership of their learning and making a positive impact in the world around them.

As I conclude this PYP exhibition blog, I can’t help but feel proud of our students’
accomplishments and the growth they have demonstrated throughout the process. We
have seen how allowing students to make sense of their topics through a driving
conceptual lens, and empowering them as independent researchers and critical
thinkers, has resulted in deeper understanding and intellectual growth.

I hope that this approach has not only prepared our students for success in their
academic journey but has also equipped them with valuable life skills that they can
apply in their future endeavors.
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the success of
this event, including the HOS, PYPC, APYPC, mentors, parents, support staff, and
administrative team. I look forward to seeing the impact that our students will continue
to make in their communities, and I am excited to see what the future holds for them.