As  PYP  is  a  transdisciplinary  program  most  subjects  are  taught  in  our  units  of  inquiry.  A  school  year  at  Vasa  International  always  consists  of  six  units  of  inquiry. These units are based upon a central idea, which the teacher and the students explore for  a  number  of  weeks,  usually  4-6.  Both  students  and  parents  need  to  be  actively  working  with  the  central  idea  during  the  current  unit.  Doing  so  helps  the  students deepen their understanding and inquire deeper into the unit at hand. 

Sample Unit of Inquiry (UOI)  
Transdisciplinary theme:​ How we express ourselves  
Title of unit of inquiry:​ The impact of advertising  
Central idea:​ Advertising influences how we think and the  choices we make  
Lines of inquiry:
- The purpose of advertising
- The types, styles and locations of advertisements
- The devices used to make advertising effective and to influence our choices

The PYP transdisciplinary themes: 
●    Who we are
●    Where we are in place and time
●    How we express ourselves
●    How we organize ourselves
●    How the world works
●    Sharing the planet

All science and social studies education will be taught inside the framework of the  units and often many other subjects will be part of them as well. If some of the subject specific  goals  and  skills  do  not  fit  under  the  unit  work,  they  will  be  taught  as  stand  alone topics. 

The  teacher  and  students  will  look  at  the  inquiry  at  hand  through  different  conceptual lenses, to give the students chances to make connections over the subject boundaries.  

The PYP Key concepts: 
Form 
Function 
Responsibility  
Causation 
Connection 
Change 
Perspective 

It  is  important  for  the  student  to  not  only  learn  certain  skills,  but  also  to  understand  them  and  to  be  able  to  connect  skills  in  different  subject  areas  to  each other. When  studying a certain unit of inquiry, the teacher identifies which skills will  be necessary for the students to develop and understand. The students will also have time  to  reflect  over  the  skills  and to what extent they think the skills were applied in  that certain unit of inquiry.

The PYP Transdisciplinary Skills: 
Thinking Skills 
Social Skills 
Communication Skills  
Self-management Skills  
Research Skills  

The PYP believes that successful inquiry will lead to responsible student action. As an IB school, it is Vasa International’s obligation to make sure that there is opportunity for  action  within  the  unit  of  inquiry.  The  teacher will guide the students in choosing  action, and acting and reflecting over their action in order to make a difference in the world.  

The PYP Exhibition 
The ‘Exhibition’ is important part of the PYP. In the final year of the programme, students undertake  a  collaborative,  interdisciplinary  inquiry  process  that  requires  them  to identify,  investigate  and  propose  solutions  to  real-life  issues  or  problems.They  then present their findings to the community.   As  the  culminating  experience  of  the  PYP, the  Exhibition  offers  students  an  exciting  opportunity  to  demonstrate  independence and  responsibility  for  their  own  learning and it is also a way to celebrate their transition from the PYP to the MYP.