Fifth-graders showcase IB primary-years projects at Lakeview Elementary; school invites community to Global Communicators night

Lakeview Elementary students and staff presented highlights of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme to the Robbinsdale Area Schools board Monday, showcasing fifth-grade exhibition projects and inviting the community to a May 29 Global Communicators night.

Principal Wilbur Winkleman introduced the team and said the exhibition is the culminating project for fifth graders in the IB Primary Years Programme. Students described their central ideas and lines of inquiry, which ranged from space pollution to the history and influence of ancient Greece and the evolution of technology.

Nut graf: The IB Primary Years exhibition is a student-directed culminating project in which fifth graders write central ideas and inquiry questions, conduct research with teacher and mentor support, create action plans, and share findings with families and the school community. Lakeview invited the board and community to a Global Communicators night on Thursday, May 29, 2025, to see the finished work.

Students who spoke from the stage included Emmanuel, Afton and Lavelle, each briefly describing their exhibition topics: Emmanuel’s project focused on space pollution and lines of inquiry about types and impacts of pollution, Afton presented a project on important people and culture in ancient Greece, and Lavelle spoke about the development and future of cars and technology.

“Scholars, with the assistance of mentors and teachers, write their own planners. They write the central idea, the lines of inquiry, the questions that they're gonna be answering,” Principal Winkleman told the board. The board thanked the students and recognized their emphasis on student agency.

Ending: Lakeview will display students’ finished projects at Global Communicators night, scheduled for May 29. Board members praised the students’ presentation and thanked families for attending.