MYP Unit Planner: Stage 1: Integrate Significant Concept, Area of Interaction and Unit Question

MYP unit planner
Unit title Good versus Evil (Focus genre: Novel)
Teacher(s) Srimathy Kannan
Subject and grade level English A – Gr. 10
Time frame and duration 4-5 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: The The conflict between good and evil both
internal and external has been in existence
instinct to “live by rules, act peacefully, follow since time immemorial.
moral commands, and value the good of the
group against the instinct to gratify one's
immediate desires, act violently to obtain The concept of good versus evil is brought
supremacy over others, and enforce one's will” out through the allegorical novel The Lord
of the Flies.
What is the value of society and its rules?
MYP unit question
To what extent can the novel The Lord of the Flies be

considered a true allegory of the human condition in the
contemporary world?
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?
Expressing an opinion:
To what extent do you agree with Golding’s belief that man is born evil and is destined to remain evil?
Essay (choose one):

 May be the boys each represent one part of human nature…. Discuss this idea with reference to three
characters in Lord of the Flies. You may consider their symbolic significance, motivation and the
progression of character.
 Discuss Golding’s use of symbolism in the novel. With reference to three symbols found in the novel
discuss their purpose and effect.
Formative assessment tasks:

 Group projects on the themes and symbols.
 Group presentations on chapter analysis
Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?
 understand and analyze the language, content, structure, meaning and significance of the novel
 understand and apply language A terminology in context
 analyze the effects of the author’s choices on an audience
 compose pieces that serve the context and intention
 express an informed and independent response to the novel.
 organize ideas and arguments in a sustained, coherent and logical manner
 employ appropriate critical apparatus.
 use language to narrate, describe, analyse, explain, argue, persuade, inform, entertain and
express feelings
 use language accurately
 use appropriate and varied register, vocabulary and idiom
 use correct grammar and syntax
 use appropriate and varied sentence structure
 use correct spelling
Which
MYP assessment criteria will be used?
A Content
B Organization
C Style and language mechanics
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?
 What is an allegory and how are the various elements of a novel and literary devices (plot, setting,
characters, theme, symbols, figurative language, diction, irony) employed to convey allegorical
meaning?
 Analysis of character and symbols
 Passage analysis to appreciate authorial techniques and devices
 Writing and oral presentation skills
 Research skills
 Group work skills
 Critical thinking skills
Aero standards:
1b
2 a, b, c, c, d, e, f, g
4a, b
5 b, d, f
Approaches to learning
How will this unit contribute to the overall development of subject-specific and general approaches to learning skills?
Organize work- manage assignments, analyze assignments and projects into tasks
Collaborate- work in groups and face challenges
Communicate- learn with others, use media
Information literacy- select and organize information
Reflection- improve ideas and work
Connect ideas- make connections
Learning experiences Teaching strategies

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

analysis), guiding students while they acquire
Discussion of main ideas
them.
Teaching of specific concepts
Sample work, rubrics
Modelling analysis
Plenty of practice
Analysis of the same chapters independently, then
Assessment of existing knowledge –
putting ideas together with a partner before presenting
worksheets, discussions
to group
Collaborative tasks and group presentations on
Guided writing for students in early stages of analysis
chapters- chapter experts, jigsaw readings.
Independent support and providing scaffolding for
students with language difficulties
Court case: Is Ralph guilty for Simon’s murder?
Watching the movie on the novel
Group projects- putting it all together
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?
The novel- The Lord of the Flies a copy for each student
The film
Writer’s Inc- for language and literary support
There are lots of internet resources for teaching ideas. This one links to many:
http://www.aresearchguide.com/lord.html#analysis
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?
The students found the plot depressing. Once they were analyzing the author’s techniques, interpreting his
intentions, analyzing characters, and viewing the work as an allegory, they got into it. I had done the
themes as ‘big ideas’ and had had the class discussing the concepts of good and evil, and these
discussions were always very lively, well thought out, and students who hate writing, really shone.
They enjoyed the collaborative activities, as usual, and made effective presentations- once again, the weak
writers were able to shine.
Next year we will be reading The Purple Hibiscus as well, so the short story unit will be cut short.
Figure 12
MYP unit planner

MYP Unit Planner: Stage 1: Integrate Significant Concept, Area of Interaction and Unit Question

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MYP Unit Planner: Stage 1: Integrate Significant Concept, Area of Interaction and Unit Question

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

MYP Unit Planner: Stage 1: Integrate Significant Concept, Area of Interaction and Unit Question

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What is the unit question addressed in the unit plan?

What is the unit question addressed in the unit plan?

What are the significant concepts explored in the unit?

What are the significant concepts explored in the unit?

MYP unit planner

Unit title Good versus Evil (Focus genre: Novel)

Teacher(s) Srimathy Kannan

Subject and grade level English A – Gr. 10

Time frame and duration 4-5 weeks

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

Area of interaction focus Significant concept(s)

MYP unit question

To what extent can the novel The Lord of the Flies be

Essay (choose one):

Formative assessment tasks:

Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?

MYP assessment criteria will be used?

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

Learning experiences Teaching strategies

Teaching of skills (such as for passage Ongoing class discussions

Ongoing reflections and evaluation

You might also like