Who We Are — Identity, Culture and Belonging
PYP Transdisciplinary Theme: WHO WE ARE
Central Idea: Our IDENTITY is shaped by our experiences, our culture, our relationships, and the choices we make — and understanding who we are helps us connect with and respect OTHERS.
Lines of Inquiry
- What makes me UNIQUE — and what do I SHARE with others?
- How do our FAMILIES, cultures, and traditions shape who we become?
- How do STORIES help us understand ourselves and each other?
1. The Name Jar (Yangsook Choi) — What's in a Name?
Unhei has just moved from KOREA to America. On the bus, children CANNOT PRONOUNCE her name. They TEASE her. She decides: 'I will choose an AMERICAN name.' Her classmates put name suggestions in a JAR. But one classmate DISCOVERS her real name — and what it MEANS: 'Unhei' means GRACE.
Key Questions: 'What does YOUR name mean? Why did your family choose it? If someone couldn't — or wouldn't — say your name correctly, how would that feel? What would you want them to DO?'
Activity: Research the meaning and story of YOUR name. Share with the class. 'Every name is a STORY. Every name DESERVES to be spoken correctly.'
2. Poetry — 'Where I'm From' (George Ella Lyon)
"I am from clothespins, from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride..."
The poet lists the ORDINARY things that made her childhood — clothespins. A specific tree. The food her family ate. The phrases her parents said. 'She never says "I am American" or "I am white." She SHOWS us where she's from. And in the SPECIFIC details, we recognise the UNIVERSAL — because EVERYONE comes from SOMEWHERE.'
Activity: Write your own 'Where I'm From' poem. Use SPECIFIC details. Include: objects. Places. Foods. Family sayings. Smells. Sounds. 'Your poem should be so specific that ONLY YOU could have written it — and so universal that ANYONE can feel it.'
3. The Proudest Blue (Ibtihaj Muhammad) — Identity and Pride
It is the first day of school — and it is also FAITH's older sister ASIYA'S first day of wearing the HIJAB. 'Asiya's hijab is the colour of the ocean and the sky.' But other children POINT and LAUGH. Asiya walks with her head HELD HIGH. Faith watches — and LEARNS: 'THIS is pride. THIS is strength.'
Key Questions: 'What part of YOUR identity are you PROUD of? What part have you felt you had to HIDE? Have you ever seen someone being treated unfairly because of WHO THEY ARE? What did you do?'
4. Your Summative Assessment — 'My Identity Portrait'
Create a multi-piece IDENTITY PORTRAIT. It must include:
- A Personal Narrative (300-400 words) about a MOMENT that shaped who you are.
- A 'Where I'm From' Poem with specific, sensory details.
- A Visual Element (drawing, collage, photograph) that represents you.
Present to the class. 'Your identity is not ONE thing. It is a MOSAIC. This is your chance to show ALL the pieces — and how they fit together.'
Key Concepts: FORM (What is identity like?). PERSPECTIVE (How do others see me? How do I see myself?).
ATL Skills
Communication: Expressing personal experience through writing and speaking. Social: Listening to others' stories with empathy and respect. Thinking: Reflecting on what shapes identity.
