Specified and Additional Concepts in PYP help teachers design deeper, more meaningful inquiry that connects transdisciplinary understanding with subject-specific learning. With the refreshed 2025 PYP framework, there is now a clearer distinction between seven key Specified Concepts that act as the foundation of our understanding, and a wider set of Additional Concepts that are tailored to specific subjects, enriching the depth of learning in each discipline.
1. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗬𝗣
Inquiry-based learning flourishes when students wrestle with big ideas that go beyond individual topics or subjects. Concepts serve as powerful lenses through which learners make sense of the world, linking abstract ideas to everyday experiences. When teachers intentionally weave these concepts into central ideas, inquiry questions, and classroom activities, they open doors for their students to think more deeply, transfer knowledge to new situations, and take greater ownership of their learning journey.
2. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝘀. 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘄?
The 2025 update clarifies and re-structures conceptual planning:
- Specified Concepts: Seven universal concepts guide transdisciplinary units: Form, Function, Causation, Change, Connection, Perspective, Responsibility.
- Additional Concepts: Discipline-specific concepts add depth within subjects, such as Energy, Structure, or Symbolism, promoting tailored conceptual learning across Language, Maths, Science, Social Studies, Arts, and PSPE.
The table below unpacks the seven Specified Concepts, their definitions, and essential questions, alongside examples of how each engages learners.
Discipline-focused Additional Concepts stretch beyond these anchors, enriching curriculum planning. Examples include:
3. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀
Below is a structured table of practical examples showing how both specified and additional concepts are integrated across Early Years to Grade 5.
4. 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
5. 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀
5.1 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻
- Theme: How the World Works
- Central Idea: Energy can change the way things move and interact.
- Concepts: Change, Function (Specified); Energy, Force (Additional)
- Annotation: Lines of inquiry emphasize how specified concepts frame the overarching ideas, while additional concepts narrow the disciplinary focus to investigate physical phenomena and forces in real-world contexts.
5.2 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻
- Theme: How We Organize Ourselves
- Central Idea: Patterns help us understand and predict the world around us.
- Concepts: Form, Connection (Specified); Pattern, Scale (Additional)
- Annotation: The specified concepts provide the big ideas of structure and relationships, while additional concepts connect these ideas to mathematical reasoning about patterns and measurement in everyday life.
5.3 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻
- Theme: How We Express Ourselves
- Central Idea: Art reflects culture and personal identity.
- Concepts: Perspective, Responsibility (Specified); Creativity, Media (Additional)
- Annotation: Specified concepts encourage exploration of viewpoints and ethical considerations, while additional concepts bring attention to the creative processes and artistic media used in cultural expression.
5.4 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗬𝗣 𝗘𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻
- Theme: How We Organize Ourselves
- Central Idea: Citizenship is shaped by perspective and responsibility.
- Concepts: Perspective, Responsibility (Specified); Citizenship, Justice (Additional)
- Annotation: Lines of inquiry clarify the role of specified concepts (big ideas) and connect additional concepts to targeted disciplinary learning.
5.5 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲/𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻
- Theme: How We Express Ourselves
- Central Idea: Stories communicate ideas and shape culture.
- Concepts: Form, Connection (Specified); Genre, Audience, Symbolism (Additional)
- Annotation: Student inquiries connect abstract principles with genre studies, inviting analysis of narrative impact and cultural themes.
6. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻: 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝘃𝘀. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
Infographic below highlights the evolution:
- Pre-2025: Sole focus on Key/Specified Concepts; classroom displays emphasize big ideas only.
- 2025 Updates: Specified and Additional Concepts; visual displays showcase both transdisciplinary and discipline-based concepts, with increased student voice in unit design.
7. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Below is a diagram comparing Grade 1 and Grade 5 display boards, visually demonstrating specified and additional concept integration:
8. 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲
9. 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 & 𝗔𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀
10. 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Conclusion
The conceptual planning approach in the 2025 PYP Framework gives both teachers and students the tools to create rich, inquiry-driven units. By combining Specified Concepts with Additional Concepts, educators can design learning experiences that connect transdisciplinary understanding with disciplinary depth. From Early Years through the PYP Exhibition, this approach strengthens conceptual understanding, supports student agency, and promotes meaningful inquiry across the curriculum.
