MYP does not require teachers to create individual or weekly lesson plans. Rather, teachers work collaboratively to create unit plans that are used by all teachers within the same year/phase level. Unit plans include descriptions of both formative and summative assessments for that unit.

Each grade/phase level team must submit unit plans to the following locations:

• ATLAS
• Google Drive

Unit plans do not need to be posted on Managebac. It is recommended that unit plans are completed on Google Docs so that any changes made can be viewed by all teachers and the uploaded version stays current.

Subject Group Overviews (SGOs) outline the units taught for the whole year, similar to a syllabus. At KCIS, our SGO is our Grade/Phase-level ATLAS page so there is no need to create a separate SGO document.

Key concepts represent broad ideas that are both relevant within and and across disciplines and subjects. The four key concepts attributed to Language Acquisition are communication, connections, creativity, and culture.

Related concepts help guide exploration of key concepts in greater depth. Inquiry into related concepts helps students develop more complex and sophisticated conceptual understanding. Teachers are not limited to the related concepts listed in the chart below and may choose others when planning units, including from other subject groups.

The Global Context provides the big why for the inquiry. It helps students see the relevance of what they are learning by connecting the unit's inquiry to common humanity.

A note on Global Contexts: Many inquiries into Language Acquisition concepts naturally focus on personal and cultural expression, and identities and relationships. Over time, however, students should be offered multiple opportunities to explore all MYP global contexts.

The Statement of Inquiry (SOI) is a combination of three elements: the Key Concept, the Related Concept(s), and the Global Context.

SOIs must explain clearly what students should understand and why that understanding is meaningful . They are not written in the form of a question.

Everything in the unit aligns with the SOI. The SOI informs the inquiry questions, the content of the unit, the learning activities included, and the types of assessments used.

Example of an SOI for a unit on myths and legends:

Key Concept: Connections

Related concepts: theme, point of view, empathy

Global context: Identities and Relationships

Myths, legends and folktales connect people across the world, using universal themes which express traditions, beliefs and values.

CHECKLIST:

• includes a key concept, related concepts, and a specific, relevant, and engaging global context exploration
• develops specific disciplinary knowledge that supports transferable understanding
• establishes the unit’s relevancy and long-term value by articulating a clear, meaningful purpose for the 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.

CHECKLIST:

• demonstrates clear understanding of the relationship between facts, concepts and debates
• develops deep understanding of concepts and context combined in the statement of inquiry
• includes teacher- and student-generated inquiries
• helps to prepare students to undertake summative assessment.