In this week's WAB episode, we're joined by Grade 5 students Michelle and Justin, along with Elementary School teacher Kelly Crysell. They shared their experiences completing the PYP exhibition, shedding light on their motivation for selecting their topics, the knowledge they acquired, and their preparation process.

Kelly provided an overview of the PYP exhibition program, also known as PYPx, stating, "The PYP exhibition is a culminating project that students do that brings in all the different parts of their PYP experience." Throughout the year, they engaged in discussions around various United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), both local and global, to foster their interest. Students are divided into groups, collaborating to explore their chosen area of interest and its associated local or global issues, while considering actionable steps. During the final phase, they then thought about how to create art that inspired people to take action, setting the stage for PYPx.

Kelly also emphasizes the challenges of the PYPx, while students may be passionate and enthusiastic about their chosen topics they also need to invest a lot of effort into the research process.

Michelle, a Grade 5 student, shares her passion for consumer choices, which led her to select SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production. Michelle explained, "The central idea that I had was consumer choices influence the well-being of all living things." Her group aimed to examine how individuals adapt and utilize resources and explore opportunities for improvement, recognizing that both positive and negative choices can yield varying outcomes.

Justin, another Grade 5 student, expresses his team's choice of SDG 14, Life Underwater, with a specific focus on overfishing and plastic pollution. Justin emphasizes the significance of their decision, stating "It is our responsibility to protect it" with the ocean covering 71 percent of our planet. Their exploration centered around the alarming consequences of plastic pollution.

If you're interested in the exciting student learning behind the PYPx, be sure to tune in to this episode!