MYP unit planner
Unit title
/Short Stories: Vehicles to Explore Societal Issues
Teacher(s) / R. PriceSubject and grade level / MYP Language A YR 4
Time frame and duration / 6-8 weeks
Stage 1: Integrate significant concept, area of interaction and unit question
Area of interaction focus
Which area of interaction will be our focus?Why have we chosen this? / /
Significant concept(s)
What are the big ideas? What do we want our students to retain for years into the future?Health and Social Education
Short stories in this unit spotlight societal issues such as consumerism, societal expectations v individual needs, and the differing definitions of justice / Stories revolve around universal themes.
Short stories are a reflection of social and historical events or share an author’s personal experience.
Writing is a tool for communicating one’s thoughts and concerns for society and individuals.
Short stories have a didactic purpose- learning and enjoyment.
Short stories can help readers learn about other cultures past and present.
Short stories can help readers understand another person’s perspective.
Writing can be used to suggest solutions to problems within society.
MYP unit question
How do humans share their human experiences through short stories?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?
· A creative short story will be written following the short story format. Rubric.
· A personal memoir will be written. Rubric.
· Individual short story assessments.
· Rubrics for writing tasks will be used to assess understanding.
Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?
* Reading-
· identify the various elements of a story
· make predictions, using and verifying various clues
· summarize and explain the main ideas and cite details that support them
· identify a writer’s perspective or character’s motivation
· compare themselves and their own experiences with literary characters to enrich understanding
· begin to make inferences
· reflect on a discuss issues and topics that emerge when reading
· begin to recognize and describe the elements of different genres
· select appropriate strategies for different reading purposes
· identify the main ideas in information materials and explain how the details support the main ideas
· identify some stylistic devices used in literary works (simile, personification, etc.) and explain each
· consult a dictionary for unknown words
· use punctuation to understand what is read
· use a variety of conventions of formal texts to locate information (index, table of contents, etc.)
* Writing-
· plan, draft, revise, and proofread writing on paper and on screen
· compose a variety of clear and concise sentences
· write narratives that include setting, plot, and characterization
· write in a variety of modes of writing
· use some literacy terms effectively
· experiment with and use new vocabulary
· understand and use the parts of speech correctly
· use correct punctuation and capitalization
· write clear, concise paragraphs
· creative writing
· be neat and legible, and use appropriate presentational devices
· use dictionaries and thesauruses efficiently
*Speaking, Listening and Viewing-
· speak correctly, and observe common grammatical rules such as subject-verb agreement, noun-pronoun agreement,
· use constructive strategies in small-group discussions (invite other group members to contribute, ask questions to clarify a point, negotiate to find a basis for agreement)
· speak using a variety of sentence types effectively
· use tone of voice and gestures to enhance communication and to convince or persuade listeners in conversations, discussions, or presentations
Which MYP assessment criteria will be used?
Literary analysis writing- Criteria A, B, and C
Creative writing – Criteria A, B, and C
Stage 2: Backward planning: from the assessment to the learning activities through inquiry
ContentWhat knowledge and/or skills (from the course overview) are going to be used to enable the student to respond to the unit question?· Modes of writing
· Short story format
· Short story vocabulary
· Elements of literature
· Students will read and understand a variety of materials.
· Students will write and speak for a variety of purposes & audience.
· Students write and speak using conventional grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
· Students apply thinking skills to their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.
· Students read to locate, select, and make use of relevant information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sources.
· Students read and recognize literature as a record of human experience.
Knowledge and/or skills-
· writing using clear, concise sentences and paragraphs
· write personal memoir
· expository paragraphs focusing on literary analysis
· development of a thesis statement and supporting paragraphs in an essay
· identify the literary elements of the short story
· elements of literature
· modes of writing
· grammar
· parts of speech
· nonfiction and fiction reading comprehension skills
· creative writing story from art prompt
· vocabulary for the study of the short story
· study of games that pit man against man
Approaches to learning
How will this unit contribute to the overall development of subject-specific and general approaches to learning skills?· develop good study habits through the use of a planner
· present work neatly and effectively
· become active listeners
· read and interpret a variety of texts critically
· analyze and talk and/or write about texts that have been viewed
· ask and answer pertinent questions
· write in a variety of forms
· develop interpersonal skills and intrapersonal skills
· reflect critically on their own work and on the work of their peers
· write using clear, concise sentences and paragraphs
· plan, develop a rough draft, edit the rough draft, and prepare a final copy of written material
Learning experiencesHow will students know what is expected of them? Will they see examples, rubrics, templates?
· Students will receive a class syllabus that shares the class objectives and goals.
· A white board will be dedicated to due dates.
· Students will see teacher model the skills.
· Students will receive rubrics.
How will students acquire the knowledge and practise the skills required? How will they practise applying these?
· Students will see examples of student work (anchor papers).
· Direct instruction of skills and procedures.
· Guided practice on new skills.
· Independent work for mastery and review.
· Do the students have enough prior knowledge? How will we know?
· KWL graphic organizers
· Class discussions
· Frequent summaries will be created to help students see the sequence of events.
· Graphic organizers will be used to show students the ‘big picture’ of the concepts. / Teaching strategiesHow will we use formative assessment to give students feedback during the unit?
· Discussion of rubrics and requirements.
· Students will see examples of student work (anchor papers).
· Rubrics will be given with feedback.
· Peer edits prior to turning work in for grading.
What different teaching methodologies will we employ?
· Modeling
· Pre-, during-, and post-reading strategies when reading
· students will have guided study time as well as independent study time to learn the course objectives.
· Cooperative groups
· Use of graphic organizers
· Supported instruction for those struggling with reading and writing
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?
· Modeling of tasks and procedures
· Graphic organizers
· Scaffolding for struggling readers and writers- use of CDs for literature, use of computers for word processing, cooperative learning tasks, team projects
Resources
What resources are available to us?How will our classroom environment, local environment and/or the community be used to facilitate students’ experiences during the unit?
Selected short stories and poems by international authors
PowerPoint lectures on story elements: character, setting, conflict, plot, and theme
Modes of writing examples.
Rubrics for writing tasks.
Examples of personal memoirs.
Examples of excellent expository writing.
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 teachersWhat 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?
The author would like to thank the author of “The Short Story & Elements of Literature,” from which material for this unit planner was incorporated.
Figure 12
MYP unit planner