MYP unit planner

Unit title
/
Five Pounds a Day
Teacher(s) / Mrs. Gaither
Subject and grade level / Computer Technology--Level II
Time frame and duration / 9 weeks
Stage 1: Integrate significant concept, area of interaction and unit question
Area of interaction focus
Which area of interaction will be our focus?
Why have we chosen this? / /
Significant concept(s)
What are the big ideas? What do we want our students to retain for years into the future?
Environments
We will look at how The Zaballeen people live and earn money in by recycling material that would otherwise sit in the street. Along with the complexity of garbage management and recycling options. / What works within our community might not be an appropriate solution to the same problem in another part of the world.
MYP unit question
As a Zaballeen, how could I recycle Cairo’s trash?
Assessment
What task(s) will allow students the opportunity to respond to the unit question?
What will constitute acceptable evidence of understanding? How will students show what they have understood?
Students will generate a Spreadsheet Data Table depicting the recycling options they apply to the Garbage Dreams game scenario which occurs in Cairo. Students will use this data to create Charts modelling a variety of outputs based upon their actions.
Criterion A – students work collaboratively to create test of end product & develop game playing strategies
Criterion B – students compare 2 design ideas for data table & chart
Criterion C – Students create flow chart of plan
Criterion D – Students modify flow chart based on changes made to plan – explaining why they made changes
Criterion E – Students rotate amongst their collaborative group entering values into the data table & watching the chart generate & formulas/functions calculate. Students provide feedback using the test to show what worked & what needs to be improved.
Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?
Investigation – Evaluate the importance of problem for life, society and the environment. (1) Design tests to evaluate the solution against the design specification. (8)
Design – Evaluate the design against the design specification. (10)
Plan – Construct a plan to create the solution that makes effective use of resources and time. (13)
Create – Create a solution of appropriate quality. (19)
Evaluate – Carry out tests to evaluate the solution against the design specification. (20)
Attitude in Technology – Provide evidence of personal engagement with the subject (motivation, independence, general positive attitude) when working in technology. (28)
Which MYP assessment criteria will be used?
Criterion A – F
Branch – Materials (recycling of materials)
What other local assessment(s) will be used?
Worksheets: When to Use Cell Identification
Matching Name the Parts
Critical Thinking Questions Spreadsheet Work Study Guide
Critical Thinking Test
Stage 2: Backward planning: from the assessment to the learning activities through inquiry
ContentWhat knowledge and/or skills (from the course overview) are going to be used to enable the student to respond to the unit question?
What (if any) state, provincial, district, or local standards/skills are to be addressed? How can they be unpacked to develop the significant concept(s) for stage 1?
Students will generate a Spreadsheet Data Table depicting the recycling options they apply to the Garbage Dreams game scenario which occurs in Cairo. Students will use this data to create Charts modelling a variety of outputs based upon their actions.
North Carolina Standard Course of Study for 7th grade – Level II
1.09 Demonstrate knowledge that spreadsheets are used to process information in a variety of settings (e.g., schools, government, business, industry, mathematics, science).
3.05 Modify/ create spreadsheets and graphs/ charts to analyze and interpret data for content assignments.
Approaches to learning
How will this unit contribute to the overall development of subject-specific and general approaches to learning skills?
Organization – Notes, Checklists
Time Management –Students must successfully manage time to reach deadlines.
Self-management – Students are responsible for organizing the content in a logical fashion. Students need to work on setting goals for themselves.
Communication - Thumbs up/Thumbs Down, Charting
Use Excel spreadsheet to express information gathered in Data Table and generate Charts analyzing choices they make.
Collaboration – Think/Pair/Share, Jigsaw
Working in groups – demonstrate team work by taking on roles when working on Design Cycle review activity and Strategy planning activity for Garbage Dreams game
Accepting others – working in teams to develop strategies to successfully complete Garbage Dreams game, working in teams to create a poster 1. illustrating message of the movie or 2. illustrating how the characters from the movie demonstrated Attributes of the Learner Profile
Personal challenges – looking at the Zaballeen people and their way of life
Information Literacy –Glossary work
Referencing – citing information & using resources
Reflection – Gallery Walk Reflection, Ask 3 then Me
Self-awareness – students will seek to understand
Self-evaluation – students will reflect upon their work comparing it to the class developed test
Thinking – Q&A, Questioning, Guided Participation, Brainstorming
Generate ideas – brainstorm ideas for KWL activity, brainstorm ideas for Design Cycle test of expectations
Planning – develop plan for project
Inquiring – develop questions that need to be answered to complete project, develop questions for KWL activity
Apply knowledge & concepts – show what they have learned about spreadsheet and apply to creation of project model
Identify problems – evaluate product against the Design Cycle test
Transfer – Making Connections, KWL
Making connections – KWL looking at what they already know about the topic of garbage & recycling, connect to what they are learning in other courses – Language A Japanese short story, Science air pollution, Humanities Africa, Math Negative Numbers
Learning experiencesHow will students know what is expected of them? Will they see examples, rubrics, templates?
How will students acquire the knowledge and practise the skills required? How will they practise applying these?
Do the students have enough prior knowledge? How will we know?
How will the students demonstrate that their learning was enhanced by integrating internationalism or the perspectives of multiple cultures? / Teaching strategiesHow will we use formative assessment to give students feedback during the unit?
What different teaching methodologies will we employ?
How are we differentiating teaching and learning for all? How have we made provision for those learning in a language other than their mother tongue? How have we considered those with special educational needs?
How will the teacher know that international or intercultural components of this unit impacted student learning?
Daily agenda will be posted on the classroom board. Teacher will guide students through daily work, illustrating how to as necessary.
Students will read & take notes on new content. Teacher will provide or ask other students to demonstrate new tasks. Regular practice exercises that require students to apply skills they are learning will be built into the curriculum to reinforce learned skills and probe for a deeper level of understanding. This will be done from the student exercise book, worksheets, student creating their own assignments that include specific skills that other students will then have to solve, and critical thinking questions.
Prior knowledge will be assessed via an informal pretest. Knowledge will be based on ability to meet required Spreadsheet objectives.
International - Students will analyze and forecast possible outcomes with The Zaballeen people. As a reflection activity students will discuss how this is relevant in our local community.
Approaches to Learning will be addressed by coaching the students. For time management students will receive tasks and given set time to complete the work. Discussion will take place on blocks and strategies that occurred which prevented successful completion of tasks. Students will revisit time management with selecting strategies they will apply for the next timed work. Students will then be asked to reflect upon the results of working with these strategies. For self-management students will create a plan for their project in which they must identify steps they plan to take to complete the project. They will then have a small group discussion about their plan, provided an opportunity to make revisions to their plan. Then I will review the plan and help coach them through potential pitfalls. As they work through their plan they will be asked to identify changes they make to the plan. For communication students will have practice on creating charts and data tables. Students will analyze what data is necessary to capture in order to express their message. We will have small group and class discussion on how to make the content more visually appealing. Students will also look at how different charts best represent specific types of data. / Students will receive a summative assessment grade based on the charts and data table they created for the Five Pounds a Day project. Students will have to select the appropriate ranges, providing labels to the chart depicting the requested content.
Teaching Methodologies will include: Graphic Organizer for Notes, Inquiry via Think-Pair-Share, KWL & Brainstorm regarding: impact on society, Self-reflection of personal experiences, Students create “Buddy Study” Projects that they use to confirm knowledge of content, Written Quizzes & Tests, Resources, interactive websites, QUIA
Differentiation - Students will work on a variety of spreadsheet assignments based on their level of ability. This will be done numerous times during the unit including: Buddy Study activities, Critical Thinking Activites, Critical Thinking Questions, and Spreadsheet Activities. Level of ability will be determined based on the pretest and demonstrated class work. Software converting text from English to the student’s mother tongue language will be utilized to allow students to complete most of the tasks given during this unit. Those with special educational needs will receive modification based upon their individual education plan or 504.
International - Students will make a connection on what they can do here at our school and possibly in the local community to cut back on landfill. I hope students will be able to make connections during our reflection on possible “undesirable” jobs that exist in today’s world that provide a way of living for others.
Resources
What resources are available to us?
How will our classroom environment, local environment and/or the community be used to facilitate students’ experiences during the unit?
Worksheets:
When to Use, Cell Identification, SS Matching, Matching, Hours in the Day, Movietrack
Garbage Dreams Video – KWL chart
Learning Computer Applications Exercise Book – Lessons 15 - 19
Quia
Excel
Critical Thinking questions
Powerpoints:
Spreadsheet, Internet Search Methods, Internet Search Tools
Buddy Study activities created by other class
Ongoing reflections and evaluation
In keeping an ongoing record, consider the following questions. There are further stimulus questions at the end of the “Planning for teaching and learning” section of MYP: From principles into practice.
Students and teachersWhat did we find compelling? Were our disciplinary knowledge/skills challenged in any way?
What inquiries arose during the learning? What, if any, extension activities arose?
How did we reflect—both on the unit and on our own learning?
Which attributes of the learner profile were encouraged through this unit? What opportunities were there for student-initiated action?
Possible connections How successful was the collaboration with other teachers within my subject group and from other subject groups?
What interdisciplinary understandings were or could be forged through collaboration with other subjects?
Assessment
Were students able to demonstrate their learning?
How did the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate the learning objectives identified for this unit? How did I make sure students were invited to achieve at all levels of the criteria descriptors?
Are we prepared for the next stage?
Data collection
How did we decide on the data to collect? Was it useful?
Students and teachers –
We realized after the summer break students didn’t really remember the Design Cycle. Ended up adding a two day review & activity to the start of the unit. The review & activity had connections out to AtLs. Students looked at Collaboration: importance of everyone playing there role, selecting the right role based on the team you are working with & encouraging others; Organization: of notes, ideas, & materials; Communication: expressing ideas verbally & visually, listening to others; Thinking: being creative in solving the challenge for activity used; Transfer: discussing how they use the Design Cycle in other areas of their lives; Reflection: it’s okay to not get it right as long as you learn from the experience, look for ways to improve for future & what was done well.
The projected unit plan, daily lessons, had been altered to fit in the grade level assembly. This provided students with a disjointed view of material. Next time the unit is taught the plan will be to present all Spreadsheet content and then role out the Project connection.
Possible connections –
For project making links with Math for Negative Numbers and Language A for Japanese Sci-Fy short story. Creating a grade level assembly with viewing of documentary and small group discussion on Community & Service & Internationalism focus. Also, started year off with assignment reviewing content from Level I technology class and Science homework assignment. Students had to use AtLs of Thinking and Organization to conduct Internet Research on City/Country that starts with the first letter of their first name and find image of air pollution. Also, Science is looking at air pollution.
Mathematics is looking at negative numbers and Humanities is beginning to touch on Africa.
We created an Assembly for the entire grade level that had the students watching the video, taking part in small group discussion & completing a poster where they express the message of the movie or what attributes of the learner profile one of the main character is displaying.
We are looking at doing another assembly activity where students will do a paper making activity & have small group discussion about how can we address the issue of recycling in our local community. Which as the date grew closer teachers decided would not work best this year, but want to consider for next year.
Unit question did not truly fit the scope of the project. It has been revamped to put the students in the shoes of Zaballeen and think of how they can recycle the trash of Cairo.
Assessment –
Students participated in Collaborative work to try different strategies for the game of Garbage Dreams. Students shared experiences and results from choices. Students went home and played the game independently, coming back to class and sharing results. Classmates reflected on the fact that students tried a variety of strategies and even though they did not do the same thing many ended up successfully completing the task.
Data collection –
Doing end of lesson checks on key elements students have learned. One method used is a share out process. Realized about day 8, while analyzing data, that we are using Approaches to Learning that are not referenced in the Unit Planner. Have added the new AtLs to the Unit.

Figure 12