Interdisciplinary unit planner

Teacher(s)

Marieke & Kell

Subject groups

Individuals & Socieities, Language & Literature

Unit title

Global Issues

MYP year

Unit duration

8 weeks

Inquiry: establishing the purpose of an interdisciplinary unit

Purpose of integration
Students will understand several crises facing the world and take action to propose change or build understanding for one of these issues.
Key concept(s)/(related concepts)

Global context

Global Interactions / Connections

Fairness & Development

Statement of inquiry
The students will understand that global interaction is important to initiate change in the development of our world.
Inquiry questions
Factual What are our basic human rights? What global issues are discussed in your novel? How does setting affect a story?
Conceptual - How does geographical region determine the long-term effects of your global issue? Why are global issues mostly manifested in
developed countries as opposed to developing countries? How do we respond to inequality and injustice?
Debatable - Can individuals make a difference in the world? Do individuals have a responsibility to help others?
Summative assessmentinterdisciplinary performance(s) of understanding
Interdisciplinary unit planner

Interdisciplinary Task

Final Summative Task(s)

Criterion C evidence of research strategies and group

communication - must be an artefact from the past 8 weeks of
group work

Multi-Genre Project A collection of work that shows how the students

interacted with and understood the main global issue in their literature circle
novel.

Criterion D video reflection no longer than 5 minutes,

highlighting the students understanding and the benefits and
limitations of an interdisciplinary unit
Interdisciplinary criteria:
Criterion C - communicating:

Use appropriate strategies to communicate

interdisciplinary understanding effectively

Document sources using recognized conventions

I & S Criterion:
Criterion A Knowing and Understanding

Use a range of terminology in context

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of subject-specific content

and concepts, through descriptions, explanations and examples

Criterion B Investigating

Criterion D reflecting:

Formulate/choose a clear and focused research questions, explaining

its relevance

Reflect on the development of their interdisciplinary

understanding

Formulate and follow an action plane to investigate a research

questions

Evaluate the benefits and limitations of disciplinary and

interdisciplinary knowledge and ways of knowing in
specific situations

Evaluate the process and results of the investigation

L & L Criterion:
Criterion C Producing Text

Interdisciplinary unit planner

Produce text that demonstrate thought, imagination and sensitivity,

while exploring and considering new perspectives and ideas

Make stylistic choices in terms of linguistic, literary and visual devices,

demonstrating awareness of impact on audience

Select relevant details and examples to develop ideas

Criterion D - Language

Use appropriate and varied vocabulary, sentences structures

Write in an appropriate register and style

Use correct grammar, syntax and punctuation

Spell and write with accuracy

Approaches to learning (ATL)

Social

Collaboration & Social Skills

o Exercise leadership and take on a variety of roles within groups
o Negotiate effectively

Communication

Exchanging thoughts, messages and information effectively through interaction

o Give and receive meaningful feedback

Reading, writing and using language to gather and communicate information

o Read critically and for comprehension
o

Organize and depict information logically

Interdisciplinary unit planner

Action: Teaching and learning through interdisciplinary inquiry

Disciplinary grounding
Subject Individuals & Societies

Subject Language & Literature

Related concepts choice, growth, sustainability

Related concepts setting, character, theme

Content

Content:

Definition of Global Issues

Definition of Human Rights

Identifying underlying causes of global issues

UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Identifying solutions to the underlying causes

Identifying connections between different Global Issues

Identifying our own human rights and recognizing examples of

communities or people who do not have their rights met

The KIVA model - what is it and why? Benefits and criticism

Persuasive Writing (reinforce taught earlier in the year)

Business economics vocabulary

What is a small business?

The right to an education critical inquiry into a short documentary

film

What is microfinance/ micro- loans

Millennium Development Goals

Elements of personal finance

Miniature literature circle as a class Half The Sky

Poverty cycle

Ethical decision making - what is it and why?

Investment & empathy

Quality of life & community development

NGOs - value and role in society. Why cant governments

meet everyones needs?

Interdisciplinary unit planner

o Big thinking questions

o Connections
o Story analysis
o Visualisation
o Annotations
o Group discussions

Literature Circles discussion format, roles, novel selection

Research project centered around L & Ls global issues

o Each novel will be centered around a global issue

Disciplinary learning engagements and teaching strategies

Disciplinary learning engagements and teaching strategies

Consider actually participating in KIVA

Complete an investigation (reading groups from L & L)
o Use facts, examples, knowledge gained in I & S to add
support to the multi-genre project

Multi-genre summative project in connection with I & S research

project

Consider actually participating in KIVA

Use the information from the investigation in I & S to guide and
support the multi-genre project and the literature circle discussions

Interdisciplinary learning process

Resources
Individuals & Societies

Holt McDougal World History

Exploring Global Issues text (Chapter 19 Economics)
Making Connections: Engaging Students in Language, Literacy
and Global Issues - this is an student and teacher companion
combo with lots of great activities to help the students with
breaking down complex ideas and new vocabulary.
https://www.kiva.org/
Living on One Dollar - worth watching to generate debate - is this
a helpful service, or is it voyeurism?
Multi-genre task specific criteria

Language & Literature

Literature Circle Novels

Half the Sky overcoming gender inequaity

Speak Rape
Luna transgender teens
Bamboo People civil war
A Long Way Gone child soldiers
Sold sexual slavery
A Long Walk to Water water scarcity
Thunder over Kandahar equal education
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind resource scarcity
PBS Half The Sky documentaries
Vietnam in Context information sheet
Living on 2,000 won a day budgeting sheet

Interdisciplinary unit planner

 Literature Circle Roles and Descriptions

Persuasive Writing Graphic Organizer
Group discussion task specific criteria
Multi-genre task specific criteria

Interdisciplinary unit planner

Reflection: considering the planning, process and impact of interdisciplinary inquiry

Prior to teaching the unit

Individuals & Societies

Interdisciplinary unit planner

During teaching

After teaching the unit

Language & Literature