Evaluating MYP unit plans

Evaluating MYP unit plans

 Middle Years Programme
Evaluating MYP unit plans

Published December 2016

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Contents

Introduction1
How to use this document 3
Inquiry4
Action7
Reflection11
Summary12
Teaching context 13

Evaluating MYP unit plans

Introduction

For use in conjunction with MYP: From principles into practice (May 2014).

The unit-planning process is an essential requirement of the MYP. To develop an MYP unit plan, teachers work
collaboratively to establish the purpose of the unit; define the process of teaching and learning through
inquiry; and reflect on the planning, process and impact of the inquiry. The MYP unit-planning process is an
important expression of the inquiry cycle that frames teaching and learning in IB World Schools.

Inquiry Action

Reflection
Figure 1
The inquiry cycle

This document supports teachers and schools in implementing the MYP unit-planning process. Its purpose
is to prompt critical reflection that can lead to more effective teaching and learning. Before evaluating the
unit, make sure all required elements are complete.

Does the unit include the following? 

Name of the teacher(s)

MYP subject group and the specific discipline

(If the unit is part of an integrated course, note which subjects or disciplines are integrated.
For modular courses, indicate which discipline the module addresses.)

Unit title (a topic, question, content requirement or big idea)

Approximate number of guided learning hours (total)

Key concept

Related concept(s)

Global context and specific exploration

Subject-group objectives and specific relevant strands

Task-specific clarification (description of how teachers helped students understand the

criteria and level descriptors)

Evaluating MYP unit plans 1

Introduction

Does the unit include the following? 

Content that specifies topics and/or local or national standards

Learning experiences/teaching strategies, differentiation, formative assessment

Resources

Reflections developed before, during and after teaching

2 Evaluating MYP unit plans

How to use this document

Evaluating MYP unit plans can be used for self-assessment, collaborative peer review and standardizing
feedback from the IB’s “Building Quality Curriculum” service.

Feedback in this process is structured according to the “inquiry–action–reflection” cycle that informs
teaching and learning in all IB programmes and organizes the required elements of the MYP unit-planning
process. Characteristics of effective implementation are arranged according to a developmental scale
that moves from emergent to capable to exemplary. Moving from lower to higher levels of successful
implementation, this continuum generally parallels terminology that all MYP learners can use to describe
increasing levels of competence.

In educational terms, feedback based on this document is designed to be formative—it should be given
and received with the intention of prompting reflection that can lead to further personal and organizational
growth.

Beginning/developing: emergent implementation that may require substantial revision in

order to create an effectively planned and documented unit of inquiry. These units may benefit
from extended collaboration that improves clarity, provides greater detail and develops greater
coherence.

Using: capable implementation that demonstrates confidence in planning and documenting inquiry
using the MYP collaborative unit-planning process.

Sharing: exemplary implementation that provides a model of good practice that can inform and
inspire the unit-planning process of other MYP teachers and schools.

In planning the curriculum, teachers often move between inquiry, action and reflection; these inquiry-based
aspects of curriculum planning are iterative and interrelated rather than strictly linear. The relationship
between these aspects of teaching and learning is dynamic, and any aspect might provide the point from
which teachers begin their planning and self-evaluation. The following elements of unit planning are
numbered for reference and convenience only.

Evaluating MYP unit plans 3

Inquiry

The “Inquiry” section of the MYP unit planner identifies the purpose of the unit to ensure its alignment with
MYP philosophy and requirements.

Statements of inquiry set conceptual understanding in a global context to frame classroom inquiry and
direct purposeful learning. Statements of inquiry summarize “what we will be learning and why” in language
that is meaningful to students.

1. Statement of inquiry

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

The statement of inquiry: The statement of inquiry: The statement of inquiry:

• may not include a clearly • includes a key concept, • includes a key concept,
identifiable key concept, related concept(s) and a related concept(s), and
related concept(s) and specific global context a specific, relevant and
global context exploration engaging global context
• may mechanically connect • clearly states a significant exploration
concepts and global understanding that • meaningfully connects key
context in the statement combines key and related (broad) and related (deep
of inquiry concepts in a meaningful disciplinary) concepts in
• offers limited potential statement of inquiry ways that students can
for transferring • has the potential to understand
understanding beyond the develop transferable • develops specific
content of this unit understanding disciplinary knowledge
• uses language that might • communicates in student- that supports transferable
overwhelm students, limit friendly language that understanding
their ability to engage with invites inquiry and • establishes the unit’s
the inquiry or to articulate engagement. relevancy and long-term
for themselves its purpose value by articulating a
and value. clear, meaningful purpose
for the inquiry
• represents creativity and
appropriate complexity in
its synthesis of concepts
and global context.

4 Evaluating MYP unit plans

 Inquiry

Inquiry questions are drawn from, and inspired by, the statement of inquiry. Factual, conceptual and
debatable questions give shape and scope to the inquiry and promote critical and creative thinking.

2. Inquiry questions

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

Inquiry questions: Inquiry questions: Inquiry questions:

• show limited • include examples of • demonstrate clear
understanding of the factual, conceptual and understanding of the
distinction between debatable questions relationship between facts,
factual, conceptual and • are connected to the concepts and debates
debatable questions concepts and global • develop deep
• may have minimal context included in the understanding of concepts
connection with each statement of inquiry and context combined in
other and the purpose of • describe multiple the statement of inquiry
the unit as described in its pathways into the unit’s • offer pathways for diverse
statement of inquiry subject matter/topic learners into the unit’s
• may represent a single • are appropriately rigorous. subject matter/topic
pathway into the unit’s • represent appropriate
subject matter/topic complexity that can help
• develop too many or too to develop critical and
few questions that may be creative thinking
too simple or too complex • include teacher- and
for the intended learners. student-generated
inquiries
• help to prepare students
to undertake summative
assessment.

Summative assessment task(s) provide evidence for assessing student achievement using required
MYP subject-group criteria.

3. Summative assessment

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

The summative assessment The summative assessment The summative assessment

task(s): task(s): task(s):
• has a limited connection • relates clearly to the • thoughtfully connects
with the statement of statement of inquiry with the statement of
inquiry • addresses subject-group inquiry
• does not clearly address objectives • addresses relevant
subject-group objectives • offers students a subject-group objectives
• may represent an meaningful opportunity by strand
assignment that is not to demonstrate what they • offers authentic,
challenging enough or know, understand and challenging, open-ended
is too complex for most can do and varied ways for
learners students to demonstrate
what they know,
understand and can do

Evaluating MYP unit plans 5

Inquiry

3. Summative assessment

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

• may not clearly describe • clearly describes what • thoroughly explains

what students will do students will do to what students will
to demonstrate their demonstrate their do to demonstrate
understanding understanding understanding
• may offer limited scope • can be differentiated to • provides access to
for differentiation to meet meet diverse learning reasonable adjustments
diverse learning needs. needs. and inclusive assessment
arrangements.

MYP units aim to develop a range of approaches to learning (ATL) skills for thinking, self-management,
social interaction, communication and research. Teachers identify the specific skills that students will
develop through their engagement with the unit.

4. Approaches to learning (ATL)

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

ATL skills in this unit: ATL skills in this unit: ATL skills in this unit:
• provide students limited • are specifically identified • are specifically
support for achieving the • provide a focus for student identified and integrate
unit’s objectives self-evaluation and meaningfully with learning
• offer students limited reflection on personal engagements and
opportunities to develop growth and development assessment tasks
skills that support • include some indication of • offer students
independent learning how the skills are taught opportunities to develop
• include brief identification and practised in the unit responsibility for their
of how the skills are own learning through
• support progression of
supported in the unit independent practice
learning across MYP years.
• have some connection • include clear descriptions
with a larger plan for of how skills are explicitly
developing students’ ATL taught and specific
skills. strategies are practised
• support a clearly identified
progression of learning
across the MYP through
their articulation with
other subject groups,
year levels or school-wide
plans (documented in the
school’s ATL chart)
• help students reach higher
levels of achievement
for the unit’s objectives
through related
summative assessment
task(s).

6 Evaluating MYP unit plans

Action

The “Action” section of the MYP unit planner identifies the taught curriculum. Teachers use this section to
focus on how students will learn as well as to identify the content (the disciplinary knowledge and skills) to
be taught and learned throughout the unit.

5. Content

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

The unit’s identified subject The unit’s identified subject The unit’s identified subject
matter/content: matter/content: matter/content:
• may not be clearly aligned • lists disciplinary • includes disciplinary
with the unit’s key and knowledge that illustrates knowledge and skills to be
related concepts or is informed by the unit’s taught and learned that
• does not clearly connect chosen key and related are closely connected with
with MYP subject-group concepts the chosen key and related
aims and objectives • aligns with MYP subject- concepts
• suggests inappropriate group aims and objectives • clearly and
expectations for the MYP • represents an appropriate comprehensively aligns
level (too low or too high) level of challenge (is with MYP subject-group
reasonable in its breadth aims and objectives (and,
• is not linked with students’
and depth) if applicable, required local
prior understanding.
standards and content)
• connects new information
and experience with prior • represents an appropriate
understanding. developmental challenge
that prepares students for
future study
• connects new information
and experience with what
students already know,
building the additional
background knowledge
necessary to develop deep
understanding
• if relevant, establishes
links with MYP topics for
eAssessment.

Evaluating MYP unit plans 7

Action

The learning experiences and teaching strategies section of the MYP unit planner focuses on how
teachers will create a learning environment that promotes active, inquiry-based learning and develops
disciplinary understanding. These learning experiences and teaching strategies allow students with a range
of learning needs to meet subject-group aims and objectives.

6. Learning process

a. Learning experiences and teaching strategies

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

Learning experiences and Learning experiences and Learning experiences and

teaching strategies: teaching strategies: teaching strategies:
• may require further • describe in sufficient detail • describe with clarity and
development and what students will do and specific detail what students
additional details about in what order will do and in what order
what students will do and • indicate how students • indicate how students
in what order will explore concepts and will explore concepts and
• may need to clarify how context context through a variety
students will explore • are developmentally of learning experiences
concepts and contexts appropriate • are developmentally
• may not be • include inquiry-based appropriate, thought-
developmentally teaching strategies. provoking and engaging
appropriate • use a variety of inquiry-
• focus on teacher-centred based approaches for
classroom activities. teaching and learning that
help students connect
factual, conceptual and
procedural knowledge
• build on prior learning.

Formative assessment (assessment for learning) provides teachers and students with insights into the
ongoing development of knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes.

b. Formative assessment

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

Formative assessment: Formative assessment: Formative assessment:

• may not be clearly • aligns with the knowledge, • comprehensively
connected with the understanding and skills aligns with knowledge,
knowledge, understanding required for success in understanding and skills
and skills required for summative assessment required for success in
success in summative • provides opportunities summative assessment
assessment for explicit feedback for • provides varied
• provides limited learning opportunities for practice
opportunities to monitor and detailed feedback for
and support student learning
learning

8 Evaluating MYP unit plans

 Action

b. Formative assessment

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

• may not create evidence • creates some evidence • creates meaningful

that teachers can use to that teachers can use evidence that teachers can
adjust planned learning to adjust teaching use to make adjustments
experiences and teaching and learning in ways to planned experiences
strategies. that promote student and teaching strategies
achievement. • includes opportunities for
peer assessment and self-
assessment.

Differentiation involves modifying teaching strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners and building
opportunities for each student to develop, pursue and achieve appropriate personal learning goals.

c. Differentiation

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

Differentiation: Differentiation: Differentiation:

• documents few or generic • documents specific • documents specific
strategies that meet the strategies that meet the strategies for
needs of diverse learners needs of diverse learners accommodating learning
• addresses in a very in terms of content, diversity in terms of
limited way students’ process or product content, process and
diverse language profiles • addresses students’ product
and learning support diverse language profiles • addresses students’
requirements and learning support diverse language profiles
• offers limited opportunity requirements and learning support
for students to pursue and • offers opportunities for requirements in ways that
achieve learning goals. students to pursue and use diversity as a resource
achieve learning goals. for all students’ learning
• allows each student to
develop, pursue and
achieve appropriate
learning goals.

Evaluating MYP unit plans 9

Action

Teachers inventory available resources and consider what people, learning environments and teaching
materials are necessary to fulfill the unit’s purpose. This section also considers the language and life
experiences that students and the larger school community can bring to the inquiry.

7. Resources

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

Resources: Resources: Resources:

• provide some of the • provide information and • represent a range of
information and learning learning environments entry points and learning
environments necessary necessary for achieving environments that
for achieving the unit’s the unit’s purpose creatively achieve the
purpose • support differentiated unit’s purpose
• may not support effective learning through learning • promote student inquiry
differentiation support or extension through learning support
• may not support the • represent some culturally and extension
development of multiple appropriate and diverse • represent diverse and
points of view points of view culturally responsive
• may not consider • integrate appropriate points of view
appropriate technology technology • integrate technology
integration. • acknowledge students’ effectively
life experience and multi- • use students’ life
literacies. experience and multi-
literacies to inspire
learning
• create opportunities for
action and real-world
learning
• include meaningful
opportunities for
interaction with people,
organizations and facilities
in the community.

10 Evaluating MYP unit plans

Reflection

The “Reflection” section of the MYP unit planner provides teachers with an invitation to record their
reflection at three important periods in the unit’s development and implementation: planning, teaching
and reviewing success.

Critical reflection on the unit plan can provide a starting point for collaborative planning, an ongoing
reminder for reflective practice throughout the teaching process, and a format in which to evaluate teaching
strategies and learning outcomes. Teachers can use their own reflection as a model for helping students
learn reflective practice.

8. Before, during and after the unit

Beginning/developing Using Sharing

Reflection before, during and Reflection before, during and Reflection before, during and
after teaching the unit: after teaching the unit: after teaching the unit:
• documents partial • documents reflection on • documents thorough and
reflection on the planning, the planning, process and meaningful reflection on
process or impact of the impact of the inquiry the planning, process and
inquiry • notes possible links impact of the inquiry
• notes limited with other programme • documents the unit’s
connections with other components connection with the IB’s
programme components (international-mindedness, philosophy of education
(international-mindedness, IB learner profile, ATL (including international-
IB learner profile, ATL skills, interdisciplinary mindedness, IB learner
skills, interdisciplinary understanding, student- profile, other ATL skill
understanding, student- led action and service categories, interdisciplinary
led action or service learning) understanding, student-led
learning) • specifically notes action and service learning)
• captures general what went well and • details potential future
observations about what proposes ideas for future development based on
went well and what might improvement student achievement data
be improved • reports on student • documents the unit’s
• considers general motivation and impact on students’ intrinsic
student motivation and engagement with motivation and ownership
engagement with the unit. respect to specific of their own learning
learning engagements or • includes information
assessment tasks. about standardization of
assessment and student
achievement
• considers horizontal and
vertical articulation of the
subject group
• is mindful of teachers’
personal response, social-
emotional learning and
professional growth.

Evaluating MYP unit plans 11

Summary

Beginning/ Using Sharing

developing Capable Exemplary
Emergent

Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit

1 Statement of inquiry

2 Inquiry questions

3 Summative assessment task

4 Approaches to learning

Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry

5 Content

6 Learning process

a. Learning experiences and teaching

strategies

b. Formative assessment

c. Differentiation

7 Resources

Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry

8 Before, during and after teaching

12 Evaluating MYP unit plans

Teaching context

Collaborative planning How was the unit planned?

Students and teaching What unique local circumstances and student characteristics informed the
environment unit’s development?

Task-specific How did teachers clarify expected levels of achievement for the unit’s
clarification summative assessment?

Subject-group/course
How does the unit fit in the broader plans for teaching and learning?
curriculum

Evaluating MYP unit plans 13