UNIT PLANNING IN THE MYP THROUGH INQUIRY

Unit Title / Title that gets kids interested in the unit.
Teacher(s) / Names of all teachers who teach the common unit.
Subject and Grade level / Use MYP subject names followed by the specific class designation (e.g., Humanities – World History/Geography Level 1).
Use MYP Year Level (1 to 5) followed by local grade if needed
Time frame and duration / The time frame needed to implement the unit (number of weeks/number and/or length of periods)
Brainstorming significant content and/or skills / Refer to your subject area course outline or to your yearly horizontal planning document; list the things you will cover or would like to cover. Your significant content should jump out of this.
Finding the Big Idea/Significant Concept / Refine content to identify the most significant Big Idea e.g., La francophonie dans le monde. This idea transcends your content and is where other subjects could see possible interdisciplinary connections. It is NOT content specific. For example. “Know your audience before you communicate” (referring to a Language A unit where they are doing speeches/writings etc)
Identify unit ATL skills / Look at the criteria on your rubric. Within the criteria, which skills will be assessed? You must teach those skills. List them here.
Use the ATL skills / How will you teach the skills listed above?
AoI Focus / Determine which Area of Interaction (only one) is to be used for this unit. In the oval, note the Area of Interaction and possibly bullet what aspect of it connects.
Significant Concept / Write the one, short, big idea in declarative sentence form.
Unit Question / Considering the Area of Interaction and the Significant Content, in the fat arrow that connects the Area of Interaction and the Significant Concept turn the Big Idea into a simple question. Do not change the words, just invert the declarative into an interrogative beginning with How or Why.
#2 Now looking at that “adult question” in the fat arrow, create a question that is student centered and creates interest and write it in the unit question box.

FROM ASSESSMENT TO TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES THROUGH INQUIRY

MYP Objectives / Refer to MYP subject guide. Select those objectives that relate to your selected MYP task. These objectives must be explicitly taught, not just referred to.

Task

/ Choose an MYP task from the prescribed minimum in the subject guide. There may be other assessments that you will do in this unit, but they do not get listed here.
Criteria / Select criterion or criteria to be assessed. A maximum of 2 criteria may be used with the exception of a Science Lab where 3 is acceptable because student engagement is not moderated/monitored and Technology, where all criteria are used at one time. These criteria should match the MYP objectives from the subject guide.
Standards/skills / Take into account state, provincial, district or local syllabus requirements. These will reflect the entire unit, not just the MYP task. Again, the list of standards will reflect significant new teaching that is happening within the unit. Therefore, if teachers touch on, hit on or refer to prior learning (standards) that is just good teaching.
Learning Experiences & Teaching Strategies / Use the bulleted questions on the planner focusing on international mindedness, teaching methodologies, formative assessments, differentiation Think about listing specific teaching strategies (e.g., think-pair-share, KWL, Socratic seminar).
Resources / List resources required

ONGOING REFLECTIONS AND EVALUATION

Students and Teachers / Thought should be given to this before planning the unit. Using the bulleted questions on the planner, focus on learner initiated inquiries, evidence of understandings, extension activities, and opportunities for reflection
Collaboration / Mention possible disciplinary and interdisciplinary connections. How well did your team of teachers work together? Remember that interdisciplinary units of work are between two subject areas, not more. However, it benefits students when teachers can reference knowledgably about other teacher’s units in their own teaching.
Assessment / Reflection on what the assessment accomplished and how it enabled the students to reach the highest level of each criterion
Data collection / Collect work that provides insight into the unit’s success. (To be used later on if needed.) Many schools need to collect internal data that reflects student performance beyond state testing. The assessment task is a perfect way to create internal benchmarks that may then be used for longitudinal data gathering.