10 Easy Assessment Strategies for Conceptual Understanding in the IB PYP

10 Easy Strategies for Assessing Conceptual Understanding in the IB PYP.

 Helping students build conceptual understanding is at the core of how we approach knowledge in the IB PYP. But how do we ensure they’re truly grasping big ideas rather than just recalling facts? I've put together 10 simple, effective ways to check for conceptual understanding at different grade levels ( supporting differentiation and diverse learning styles)—whilst encouraging student agency. Plus, you’ll find links to several resources that I designed for my class to support their self-assessment and reflective thinking practice.

Look for the  IB PYP This or That Exit Slips and Reflection Task Cards for Concepts to support deeper thinking across all transdisciplinary themes. They were such a hit for students and teachers! 

For Your Lower Grades Learners 

1. Concept Sorting with Real Objects This is an example of internalisation & classification in action. 
    Provide a variety of real-world objects and have students sort them into categories based on concepts like change, form, or function. For example, sort objects by “natural” vs. “man-made” when exploring How the World Works theme. Ask them to explain their choices using guiding questions that connect with the concepts you are focusing on. For example: Form: What do the natural materials feel like? What do the man-made materials feel like? Connection: How might all of the materials connect?

2. Picture Walk Concept Connections
   Before reading a book, do a picture walk and ask, “What do you think this book is about?” After reading, revisit the images and connect them to one specified concept or, as the example below for our study with the Gingerbread Man shows, all of the concepts.  

   I like to create a community chart, sharing the children's thinking so that we have a record of our on-going thoughts and can refer back to is as the inquiry progresses, reinforcing the changes in their understanding as knowledge is transferred. For example, while exploring ‘relationships’ in Who We Are, ask, “How do the characters’ relationships change?” 

   Students' feedback brings value to planning.

    For Lower Grades

3. Create simple This or That Concept Exit Slips - these offer structure with an open-ended feel, supporting those lower grades students where necessary.
    This or That Exit Slips provide quick reflections on conceptual understanding. You can simply give two statements related to a concept and have students choose which aligns with their thinking, then justify their choice.  For example, “Rules help us OR Rules limit us” in How We Organize Ourselves. In words or pictures, the children can they show their perspective OR create a simple tally of community results and use that data as a community reflection. 

   

4. Concept Mapping with Partner Talk
   Concept maps are a great way for students to show their understanding through representation. Have students create a quick concept map with a partner, connecting their unit of inquiry’s concepts to personal experiences, books, or classroom activities. Then, discuss to share their understanding and how it has evolved over time. The concept map above comes from the very talented Dilek & Alona's PYP kindergarten in Ankara, @reggio.inspired.pyp The obvious concept is expertise, explored through the concepts within Who We Are. 

   5.Math Talk: Concepts Reflection Cards: Concepts-in use is applied when these task cards with specific guiding questions link to the maths concepts we learned about. This supports transfer of knowledge and understanding. The children worked collaboratively in small guided maths groups to share their thoughts to guiding questions that connect the maths with the specified concepts, giving a picture of their conceptual understanding & how it all connects. This strategy could also connect with the Concept Reflection Journals, as listed in strategy 6.

For Grades 3-5 Students

Reflection Task Cards for Conceptual Thinking

5. Use Reflection Task Cards for Concepts to encourage deeper thinking about the concepts within your unit of inquiry. These cards provide prompts for students to consider connections between their learning and real-world applications. For example, when studying causation in How the World Works, ask, “What would happen if gravity didn’t exist?”

   I created a set for each of the IB PYP transdisciplinary themes, covering many additional concepts within each theme. These were such a powerful tool to implement into our on-going practice of self-assessment and reflection. Take a closer look at each set for each theme here.

6. Concept Journals
   Have students keep a concept journal where they reflect on key ideas throughout a unit or even within a specific subject. They can use drawings, diagrams, and written reflections to explain their understanding and how it’s evolving. Sketch notes and doodles are a great way to make this strategy more diverse and engaging for your reluctant writers. You can use task cards with guiding questions to differentiate and support those learners who need more guidance with reflection. Take a look at the maths concept task cards that I created to do exactly that with my students. We connected the specified concepts with our maths concepts and then used these cards to reflect on our conceptual understanding, recording reflections in our journals or notebooks. 

   

7. Gallery Walk with Conceptual Thinking
   Post images, quotes, or artifacts around the room that relate to your inquiry. Have students walk around, jot down connections, and discuss in small groups how each item relates to your focus concepts - specified or additional. For example, in Where We Are in Place and Time, our focus throughout was on place & time. I wanted to check students' understanding with these concepts before progressing with our next line of inquiry. I created a set of concept discussion mats to spark collaborative discussions as a community reflection. This allowed both myself and the students to evaluate current understanding before planning our next steps. These were such a success! I have since created a set for every theme. You can take a look at those tools, right here. 

8. Mime Living Diagrams: Student-Created Scenarios
   Challenge students to create real-life scenarios that illustrate your concepts. If exploring responsibility, they could write or act out a short skit showing responsible vs. irresponsible environmental choices. The photo below demonstrates how my grade 3s shared their understanding of the concepts of earths structure; namely the rock cycle, using a "living diagram". The children had to plan together how best to mime their understanding. Mime removes the crutch of language, requiring students to express their understanding through movement, which deepens their grasp of concepts beyond words. By embodying ideas through gesture and expression, students demonstrate their conceptual understanding in a rigorous, creative, and thought-provoking way. 

9.  Concept Analogies
   Ask students to create analogies for concepts. For example, “Function is like a toolbox because...” or “Change is like a river because...” This encourages them to think beyond surface-level definitions. The photo below shares the key words that my grade 4 felt was the focus of our inquiry before they knew that the central idea  was: Arts influence our emotions and behaviour.😉 

    10. Peer Teaching with Conceptual Questions
   Have students design 3-5 questions that assess conceptual understanding and ask a classmate to answer them. This encourages meta-thinking and clarity in their understanding of a concept.

By using these simple strategies, you’ll encourage student-led inquiry while ensuring meaningful engagement with big ideas. Try incorporating my IB PYP This or That Exit Slips and Reflection Task Cards for Concepts into your practice for even more structured yet student-centered reflection.

And if you'd like the tools to apply these kind of ideas every month, in addition to instructional coaching with fresh ideas and strategies and, oh yeah, $10 back to spend on anything you choose, join our monthly Essentials for Inquiry members' hub! Unbelievable value! 

Enjoy!