MYP unit planner

Unit title How Fast is Too Fast?

Teacher(s)

Subject and grade level MYP Year 5, Science

Time frame and duration November 2009, 8 weeks

Stage 1: Integrate significant concept, area of interaction and unit

question

Area of interaction focus Significant concept(s)

Which area of interaction will be our focus? What are the big ideas? What do we want our
Why have we chosen this? students to retain for years into the future?

Health and Social Education

Unequal forces lead to action/motion
In this unit students will
In this unit students will appreciate the
 consider ethical and safe use of safety implications of unbalanced forces
transport and in vehicles
 reflect on their own behaviour in
order to make informed choices.

MYP unit question

How fast is too fast?

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?
Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?
Which MYP assessment criteria will be used?

Criterion Assessment MYP Objectives assessed How will students

Task respond to the
unit question?

D, E, F Practical Task • define the problem or research question to be Through the practical
(Deceleration) tested by a scientific investigation task and the One
• formulate a hypothesis and explain it using logical world task, the
scientific reasoning students will develop
• design scientific investigations that include knowledge and
variables and controls, material/equipment understanding about
needed, a method to be followed, data to be the significant concept
collected and suggestions for its analysis in order to reflect on
• evaluate the method, commenting on its reliability car safety in their One
and/or validity world task.
• suggest improvements to the method.
• collect and record data using appropriate units of
measurement
• organize and transform data into numerical and
diagrammatic forms, including mathematical
calculations and visual representation (tables,
 graphs and charts)
• present data in a variety of ways using appropriate
communication modes and conventions (units of
measurement)
• analyse and interpret data by identifying trends,
patterns and relationships
• draw conclusions supported by scientific
explanations and a reasoned interpretation of the
analysis of the data.
• carry out scientific investigations using materials
and techniques safely and skillfully
• work effectively as members of a team,
collaborating, acknowledging and supporting
others as well as ensuring a safe working
environment
• show respect for themselves and others, and deal
responsibly with the living and non-living
environment.

A, B One World • describe and discuss ways in which science is

Research applied and used to solve local and global
(SUVs) problems
• describe and evaluate the benefits and limitations
of science and scientific applications as well as
their effect on life and society
• discuss how science and technology are
interdependent and assist each other in the
development of knowledge and technological
applications
• discuss how science and its applications interact
with social, economic, political, environmental,
cultural and ethical factors.
• communicate scientific information using a range of
scientific language
• communicate scientific information using
appropriate modes of communication
• present scientific information in a variety of
formats, acknowledging sources as appropriate
• demonstrate honesty when handling data and
information, acknowledging sources as
appropriate
• use where appropriate a range of information and
communication technology applications to access,
process and communicate scientific information.

C Unit Test • recognize and recall scientific information

• explain and apply scientific information to solve
problems in familiar and unfamiliar situations
• analyse scientific information by identifying
components, relationships and patterns, both in
experimental data and ideas
• discuss and evaluate scientific information from
different sources (Internet, newspaper articles,
television, scientific texts and publications) and
assess its credibility.

Stage 2: Backward planning: from the assessment to the learning

activities through inquiry

Content
What 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?
Approaches to learning
How will this unit contribute to the overall development of subject-specific and general approaches to
learning skills?

Knowledge and Skills: ATL skills (subject-specific and general)

Understanding:

By the end of this By the end of this unit Through the use of inquiry and experiments students
unit students students should be able to: will:
should be able to: 1. Quantify and interpret By the end of Grade 10, students will demonstrate these
1. Demonstrate speed, velocity, skills independently or with some degree of support
an acceleration, forces from the teacher:
understanding 2. Analyse and make Students will show the ability to
of how inferences from scientific  Acquire, apply and recall subject-specific and
unbalanced literature transdisciplinary facts, ideas and vocabulary within
forces give 3. Investigate a factor that the school context and through the world of work
rise to change effects acceleration program
in motion  Grasp meaning form a wide range of material learned,
2. Discuss the and interpret and communicate this learning to a
personal school audience
implications of  Apply their learning at school and in their personal
safety lives and through the world of work program
3. Discuss some  Consolidate the skills to take apart knowledge and
social, political ideas by identifying the key elements, the
and/or ethical relationships between these elements, and the unique
issues related characteristics of the idea
to speed and  Develop and consolidate the skills to synthesize ideas
velocity of in such a way as to communicate their own point of
motion that view and to further apply innovation and creativity in
affects our their development and design of ideas
lives.  Develop and consolidate the skill of objectivity when
making judgments and decisions based on clearly
articulated criteria and standards
 Develop and consolidate the skill to think about two or
more different points of view at the same time;
understand those points of view; and be able to
construct an argument for each that is based on
knowledge of the other(s)
 Develop and consolidate the understanding that other
people may hold the same point of view and that
different points of view may also be right
 Develop and consolidate the ability to analyze their
own and others’ thought processes and be able to
articulate how they think and learn in the school
context
 Use knowledge, understanding and skills across
subjects to create products or solutions
 Apply skills and knowledge in unfamiliar situations
 Inquire in different contexts, including changing the
context of inquiry to gain various perspectives

Learning experiences Teaching strategies

How 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 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?

Learning experiences/Teaching Differentiation

Week Resources (inc IDLS)
Strategies (EAP, LSC, G&T)

1. Introduction to guiding question All assessment tasks are 5W’s worksheet

Show “BIG HITS”, DVD reviewed by ESOL/LSC http://www.youtube.com/
 discuss ideas of what question teachers for student watch?v=2_oISnoSQ-A
 means
 5W’s worksheet
 What science is related to this
guiding question? Have the
students answer this question.
 Brainstorm associated with topic –
terminology, what do you already
know about motion/forces,
equations, what experiments have
you done
 Have students write a justified
answer to guiding question (for
comparison at the end of unit)
2. Speed
 Discuss difference between speed
and velocity
 Students to measure their average
walking speed
 Solve word problems using v = d/t
 Why do we need to know this for
this topic?
Distance-time graphs
 Collect displacement (in 1
dimension) and time data to draw
own graph (walking/running)
Determine velocity from d/t graphs
3. Acceleration – their assessment task will
be based on this Drill practice
interpreting data
Velocity-time graphs
 Collect data using motion detectors
 Use data to construct v/t graph
 Determine displacement and
acceleration from v/t graph
What is acceleration/deceleration
 Solve word equations using a=(v-
u)/t
 Use average velocity to help
construct velocity-time graphs
 Show how to calculate
acceleration/deceleration without
ticker timer using a=(v-(2*d/t))/t
 Analyse data taken from both
experiments – discuss what will be
required in assessment tasks
(Rubric discussions)
4.  Demo - Use ticker timers and Show
how to calculate
acceleration/deceleration without
ticker timer using a=(v-(2*d/t))/t
 Analyse data taken from both
experiments – discuss what will be
required in assessment tasks
(Rubric discussions)
5. Play Lesson – Guiding questions
that students can use the different
types of experiments to start to get
an understanding of variables in
there prac
6. Prac – students to obtain length of
ticker tape (running trolley down
ramp or pulling through)
a. Use lengths of tape to
construct d/t graph
friendliness (Changes PHYSICS of Car crashes
made before giving to video segments A & B.?
students) from Discover Video
Vocabulary list of topic
words
Make sure students ** Bob has support
work in mixed linguistic material in Chinese &
groups to brainstorm Korean on Forces and
before students write Motion
justification – provide
examples of justifying an
opinion
Ask students to explain Sheets on interpreting
what associated graphs
terminology means to
check for understanding
Give out an example for
LSC student to follow
Students do not have to
finish all questions – self
paced
More practice
Work in groups to solve
word equations , draw
graphs– have a race to
complete quickest
Make sure LSC teacher is Ticker timers
present Demonstrate use with
Provide the opportunity to students
check for understanding of
using ticker timers
If students are placed in Kelly-Ann producing a sheet
groups have them check to follow
(jigsaw) other groups
guiding questions.
Pair student with a more
able student to help set up
experiment and construct
appropriate graphs
 b. Construct d/t graph by
plotting points
c. Construct v/t graph
Determine acceleration

7. Assessment task – Criteria D, E & F (3 More time to be given for Assessment task sheets
lessons) ESOL during lunch –
Design an experiment to investigate a supervised by ESOL staff
factor that may affect Individual support from
acceleration/deceleration. LSC
st
1 Lesson Design (Aim, hypothesis, Allow use of Writing a
variables, procedure/method, Diagram) Science Lab document
Students may use notes from classwork More time for LSC
(not texts) Students
nd
8. 2 lesson – perform the experiment / More time to be given for
collect data ESOL students during
lunch – supervised by
ESOL staff
Individual support from
LSC
Allow use of Writing a
Science Lab document
More time for LSC
Students
rd
9. 3 lesson – process the data and submit More time to be given for
the data ESOL students during
For conclusion allow students to use lunch – supervised by
there notes and text books to make a ESOL staff
comparison of their findings Individual support from
LSC
Allow use of Writing a
Science Lab document
More time for LSC
Students

10. Go back to guiding question and answer Force notes

again, using knowledge gained so far Handouts
Forces
 What is a force?
 Determine force of collision
using F=ma (problems)
 Do calculation of a force on
head when at walking pace

11. Discuss factors that affect force of
collision?
 How do you reduce force in a
collision?
 Show examples of different
forces on a body in collisions
with different speeds/velocities
and stopping times
 Collisions cause death due to
forces applied to the body
 Why do more motorbike riders
die in collisions compared with
cars? Which is safer being
thrown from a car or staying in
it?
 Why are cars built to crumple?
Why are airbags supposed to
be safer?
Place students in mixed Collisions video segments -
ability groups (during whole make sure ESOL / LSC
unit make sure group make staff have viewed it
up is changed each time an beforehand
activity is undertaken –
don’t forget to consider a
like language grouping
Give groups time to report
back and compare answers
– teacher provides a written
summary on white board or
notes to be placed on
Moodle.

12. Compare dropping eggs onto a Prior viewing by ESOL / Websites on safety (see
cushioned and non-cushioned surface. EAP teachers. document)
Students to work in different language Students to work in non- Model experiment written by
groups and groups to design own first language groups Mr. Burke
experiments. Pair LSC students with
Full report Aim, hypothesis etc to be more able students
finished. Groups will peer assess and
 compare good and bad reports.
Research safety mechanisms in
transport – chose one and work in group
to present how it works to the class

13. Revision for exam on unit Possible modification for Revision sheet
specific LSC students –
speak to LS Teacher
Provide ESOL Staff with
exam in order for them to
make up a easier revision
sheet

14. Assessment Task - Criterion C Possible modification for

Unit Exam specific LSC students –
speak to LS Teacher

15. SUV stimulus article Summary of article

Web analysis of issues raised  provided
complete by hand and put into Inspiration
for homework

16. Assessment task Criteria A & B Task reviewed by ESOL/LS Task sheets
SUV case study written task with article teachers for student
as a stimulus. friendliness (Changes
Students should read article and made before giving to
information sheets/rubrics in an students)
introductory lesson so they know what Maybe ESOL staff could
will be required of them. take students from ALL
Research the questions in the task (H/W classes to do this as a
also) group
Filling in inquiry process booklet – used Individual support from
later to write the essay in class time LSC
Modify inquiry process with
specific websites that are
reader friendly

17. Research the questions in the task (H/W
also)
 Filling in inquiry process booklet
– used later to write the essay
in class time
Individual support from
LSC
Modify inquiry process with
specific websites that are
reader friendly

18. Sort information in inquiry process Support students with

booklet – outline essay ideas ready to categorizing information
begin next lesson (table, plan)
ESOL staff moves between
classes checking for
understanding of ESOL
students

19. Write essay / extended written piece Provide LSC students with
using guiding questions as prompts a planner
ESOL staff moves between
classes checking for
understanding of ESOL
students

20. Write essay / extended written piece Provide LSC students with
using guiding questions as prompts a planner
ESOL staff moves between
classes checking for
understanding of ESOL
students

21. Review of the unit Answer guiding question

Draw flow charts / concept maps of what again
was covered
Write an evaluation – what did they like,
dislike, most interesting, what did they
learn the most about
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 teachers
What 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
 What did we find compelling? Were our
disciplinary knowledge/skills challenged in any
way?
 What inquiries arose during the learning? What, if
any, extension activities were used?
 How did we reflect both on the unit and our own
learning?
 Were there any attributes of the learner profile that
were encouraged through this unit? Were there
any opportunities for action?
 Focus more on action – survey safety habits for
students travelling around in China before and
after unit. See if they know the reason why?
 Graphing skills from data still an issue – look at
the use of data loggers and graphing to show
how graphed data can be misleading
 Are we scaffolding the essay task too much –
students fill in the words without thinking about
the reason why or looking for understanding
 Some classes trialed the use of students doing
mock interviews posing as scientists and
reporters to review their learning of the unit.
Video seemed to interest the students more than
simply writing their answers


Possible connections  Regular meetings were helpful – able to discuss

 How successful was the collaboration with other
teachers within my subject group, support
teachers and teachers from other subject groups?
 What interdisciplinary understandings were (or
could) be forged through collaboration with other
subjects?
 How successfully did you utilize the Personal and
Social Education programme in this unit? How
could you better utilize it in future?
techniques that worked or could be adapted.
 Have ESOL to look at difficult concepts and
develop new ways of presenting the info
 Students do a stopping distance unit in Math
looking at parabolas – could work in to extend top
students
 Need to refer the safety aspect to the students e.g.
to and from school – work this data into PSE for
travel (many students can purchase and ride
motorized transport in China and no safety
equipment is mandated

Assessment  Learning activities remain good and assessment

 Were students able to demonstrate their
learning?
 Did the assessment tasks allow students to
demonstrate the learning objectives identified for
this unit? Did we make sure students were invited
to achieve at all levels of the criteria descriptors?
 Are we prepared for the next stage?
does look at the skills and knowledge we want
them to have
 We would like to expand more on the reflection of
experiment tasks – after marking students work
let them go back and try and make the
improvements (informally) that they suggested.
This is more hands on and what students always
want to do in science but we do realize time may
be an issue.

Data collection  A pre-test that we do for other units may be

 How did we decide on the data to collect? Was it helpful – also allowing students to put down
useful? questions that they would like answered a
various stages as the unit progresses to make it
more relevant to them.
 Otherwise personalized reflection statements that
students wrote at different times and assessment
tasks were good

 Next year look at pictures to illustrate the vocab

(like KA’s workshop for Environments AOI)