MYP unit planner

Unit title Our Changing Planet

Teacher(s) Felicity Bedford

Subject and grade level Humanities Grade 7

Time frame and duration 5 weeks of 6 days

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 students to retain for years into the Why have we chosen this? future?

Environments Earth is in a state of constant change caused by natural and human What are environments? forces, and this affects the way in which we live. What resources do we need? We need to minimise the negative effects of these changes by Who creates and maintains environments? preserving our environment and preparing for potential natural disasters. The focus is on this area because the planet is the largest environment we live in. Comprehension Be able to name the different layers of the earth and to describe some of the effects that these have on human settlements and vice versa. Reflection What are the major environmental problems that affect the different layers of our planet and how do they affect me? Action What can I do to make sure the school environment is a pleasant place in which to live and work?

MYP unit question

How do the changes that occur on the planet affect the way we live?

DE-PC-FT-32 Version 1 Edición Ago 2010 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?

They will analyse the level of development of different countries around the world which are affected by natural disasters and explain how the reaction and aftermath are affected by this. They will propose ways of reducing the risks of widespread damage and suffering in the event of a natural disaster occurring.

Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?

Knowledge Know and use the following terms correctly and in context: atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, tectonic plates, LEDC, MEDC, natural hazards and all the vocabulary related to particular hazards. Demonstrate knowledge of the different spheres and the effects that they have on our lives. Describe how our actions affect the spheres. Concepts Time – demonstrate an awareness of the chronology of the formation of the Earth. Place and Space – understand constraints and opportunities afforded by location with respect to natural hazards and prosperity of the country. Change – understand that as people interact with their environment both change. Systems – how the natural systems within the 4 spheres depend on each other. Global Awareness – explore issues facing the international community with reference to prevention and reaction to natural hazards. Skills Technical – observe, select and record relevant information from a wide range of sources, especially newspaper reports Analytical – identify key questions, problems and issues with respect to protection against natural disasters in LEDC and MEDC countries. Investigative – plan, carry out and present individual and group investigations about the spheres of the Earth. Organization and Presentation Present and express information and ideas in a clear and concise manner, using appropriate style and visual representation. Use referencing and a bibliography to clearly document sources of information using appropriate conventions.

DE-PC-FT-32 Version 1 Edición Ago 2010 Which MYP assessment criteria will be used?

A – test knowledge of the main characteristics of the spheres. B – show understanding that people are affected in different ways by the characteristics of the spheres in the area where they live. C- be able to pose questions and take information from a variety of sources in order to answer them. D - write a proper bibliography

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? (see list of proposed activities below)

 Represent the planet showing: atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.  Describe the physical characteristics which differentiate the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.  Describe the ways in which mountains, rivers and other landscape features are formed.  Establish the relationship between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere and their interdependence.  Give examples of what makes the Earth a living planet making reference to: atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.  Describe how the characteristics of the spheres affect the way people live.  Describe how people cope with natural disasters. Compare two similar disasters in a MEDC and LEDC country.  Identify factors, causes and consequences of an environmental problem that is happening at the moment.  Propose possible solutions for the environmental problem studied, including actions that can be taken on an individual level by the students.

Approaches to learning How will this unit contribute to the overall development of subject-specific and general approaches to learning skills? (Refer to Student learning Expectations Document)

Organisation - Choose some of their own learning activities. - Time management skills. Collaboration - Delegating, taking responsibility, and negotiating goals - Working effectively as a team - Accepting and respecting others and their opinions

DE-PC-FT-32 Version 1 Edición Ago 2010 Communication - Being informed – discuss current local and global issues to do with the environment and natural hazards. - Present information in a variety of ways. Information Literacy - Researching from a variety of sources and media types - Selection, evaluation and organisation of research material Reflection - Develop self-evaluation skills Thinking - Applying knowledge and concepts to particular cases of natural disasters in the world.

Learning experiences Teaching strategies

1. How will we use formative assessment to give students feedback during the unit? 1. How will students know what is expected of them? 2. What different teaching methodologies will we employ? 2. Will they see examples, rubrics, templates? 3. How are we differentiating teaching and learning for all? 3. How will students acquire the knowledge and practise the skills required? 4. How have we made provision for those learning in a language other than their mother tongue? 4. How will they practise applying these? 5. How have we considered those with special educational needs? 5. Do the students have enough prior knowledge? How will we know?

Students will be given a list of the activities that we are going to do, rubrics for any General Strategies: formally assessed work and lists of criteria for projects that they do. We will discuss The students will be expected to work both at an individual and a group level and their prior knowledge of the Earth and its structure. They will be able to put forward assessments will be used in both types of work. They will work in and out of the questions that they would like to investigate in the course of the Unit. They will classroom and in the virtual environment. Differentiation will be given by varying research information from a number of different sources. discussions with written work and practical activities. A list of necessary vocabulary will be given to the students of the terms that they might not be familiar with in English.

Specific strategies: (Use collaborative planning minutes) Área de Interacción: Environments Departament: Humanities Grade:7

Proposed Learning Activities

Week Date Activity Method of Method of Criteria How will feedback be Date Differentiation Evaluation given?

DE-PC-FT-32 Version 1 Edición Ago 2010 1 6-21 Colour map to show the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere. V, K oct Define the general characteristics of each sphere and also that of the biosphere.

1 6-21 Venn diagram to show which things come from or depend on which of K, O Oral feedback Class discussion oct the spheres, atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere.

1 6-21 Check prior knowledge: in rotating groups the children write what they V, K, O, A Oral feedback Class discussion oct know on papers about each of the 4 spheres.

1 6-21 Video about the formation of the Earth ‘the Living Planet’ chapter 1. V, A oct

2 24 – Characteristics of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. V 2 nov

2 24– 2 The movement of tectonic plates and its effects, work from Geography V, A Written Mark the notebook nov book.

2 24-2 The formation of rivers and valleys and the effects of erosion, work from K, O, A, V nov geography book and practical work making a mountain in the sandpit and watching what happens as it ‘rains’. Formation of mountains, sorting pictures into different types of mountains.

3 4-11 The movement of the Earth, time, seasons, solstices and equinoxes. V, A nov

3 12-22 Characteristics of a river from source to mouth. V, A, Written Mark the notebook nov

3 12-22 Video about the journey of the River Amazon ‘the Living Planet’ video 2 V, A nov sweet water.

3 12-22 Investigation into a river of Colombia in pairs. V, K Written, formally Assessment rubric nov assessed

4 Natural hazards on the Earth – video with questions to answer. V, A, K Written Mark the paper

4 Living in an area of natural hazards. List some hazards that are present O,A,V in the three different layers.

DE-PC-FT-32 Version 1 Edición Ago 2010 4 Comparison of earthquakes in Chile and Haiti.

5 Investigation into one type of natural hazard, comparing case study of V, A, K four different countries, two LEDC and two MEDC – floods/earthquakes/hurricane etc

5 Study of the state of the rivers that pass through Cali and comparing it with the way in which the students throw rubbish in the school. Campaign to raise social awareness of this issue.

5 December exam V, K Written, formally assessed

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?

Geography textbooks - set Videos – The Living Planet and Natural Hazards Various websites – find links in the Humanities wiki http://humanities78ccb.wikispaces.com Pre-primary sandpits Library Key Themes in Geography – Environmental geography Nuevas Ciencias Sociales 6 santanilla Geography, People and Environments Series Own Books BBC Bitesize Geography KS3 Geography Educational visit : Biblioteca Departamental has information about the formation of the Earth and landscapes of Colombia.

Library and Computer: How will we use the library or computers to aid the investigation during this unit?

DE-PC-FT-32 Version 1 Edición Ago 2010 Computers will be used to search for information on chosen river. Wiki will provide links for the children to read about the topics we have covered in more depth. The library does not have any useful books in English for this Unit, there are some books on Colombia which might help the students with their river projects.

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?

This was an interesting Unit which has the possibility of covering a large range of topics, perhaps too large for the amount of time given for it. The title doesn’t really reflect much of what we did so I will have to change that next year, although we did cover the main concepts. What was not done was the Action – the idea was to look at how they actually affect the environment but it is a bit difficult to do with reference to volcanoes etc, so I was going to look at the rubbish in the school environment and do some sort of campaign, but we didn’t have time. The children have just come from Primary where they did the Exhibition covering many environmental problems such as earthquakes, contamination and flooding so I didn’t want to go over this work again, but I do see that they are very untidy and they don`t look after the classrooms and environment in Bach so I would like to work on that. In fourth grade they do work on the Earth’s surface so they did say that they had already done that, although most don’t remember much and anyway, it is not done in much detail.

There are some links with science and at the time of the unit the children were looking at the planet in terms of cycles, so I left some of that information out in

DE-PC-FT-32 Version 1 Edición Ago 2010 Humanities. They did the rock cycle, for example. The English department was doing heroes and looking at the film 2010 which is all about giant tidal waves and problems on Earth, but I didn’t make any particular connection with it as I don’t think it has much to offer in the way of geography content.

There was a range of activities which helped them to understand the concepts, but what I really need is a computer linked to a television in the classroom because there are many short videos that help explain different points and I can also present information to them, for example as Powerpoints. I have sent them to look at the wiki for some information, but I am going to do it in a more formal way next term so that they have to use it as many hadn’t actually bothered to look at it until I made them look at it in class. One problem is that there is only one computer suite that we can use and it only has 12 computers so it is no good for individual work.

The barometers were not very successful as there were many of them, but we didn’t really finish them or measure carefully what the pressure was. Next year I will do it with just 1 barometer per class and a table to actually measure the barometer and the weather at the time. There is no equipment at all for measuring weather or any type of geography equipment at all, so I need to look into catalogues and where I can find these things, eg a real barometer.

What was really missing in this unit was a field trip. I discovered rather late on that Juan Guillermo can take the children to a place outside Cali to search for fossils. However, I am not really sure how to organize visits in Bach and although I sent the information on to the Science Department, there wasn’t enough time to sort things out before the end of term. I also did not have time to go to the Biblioteca Departamental, but I will definitely try to fit in at least one of those visits next year.

I wanted to finish this unit before Christmas as I do not like to break up units over the holidays, but for various reasons I didn’t have time to look at how people cope with natural disasters in LEDC and MEDC countries. There has been a lot of flooding in Colombia and Pakistan this year and last year it happened in Britain, so we could compare the situation in all places. I would also like to look at what is happening in the world and get the children to investigate by finding information in the news. As I have to look at Africa next term I will look for ways to compare natural disasters in continents to see types of disasters and the ways the countries cope with them, including international aid.

One thing I have still not been doing is writing the objective of each lesson on the board. I will try to do it in the following term.

Figure 12 MYP unit planner

DE-PC-FT-32 Version 1 Edición Ago 2010