Paul

Since I work within the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) which requires inquiry-based learning templates for all planning, I have chosen to use an IBO MYP (Middle Years Program) Planner. As the department head for technology I work closely with our technology staff. This year we have a teacher in our department new to ISB as well as IBO teaching in general. He came up with the original concept and design for the following unit. The modifications I have made (not finished yet) will assist in informing his development as an MYP (Middle Years Program) teacher.

to separate and discrete pre-planned lessons. Inquiry, opportunities, just-in-time needs, teachable moments, and student-facilitated instruction lead the learning activities from the beginning to the culmination of this process. Facilitating an environment in which students **learn to learn** is a hallmark of the IBO Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and is a quite natural process from the PYP through to the MYP and DP programs. The IB does not lend itself favorably to content-led instruction which tends to go hand-in-hand with textbook-led curricula and a culture of inauthentic and mainly summative test-taking. The IB approach of: student-led inquiry; developing enduring abilities such as, being resourceful in varying contexts; sharing ideas and solutions for the benefit of others; and the comprehensive focus on the learner profile and areas of interaction seek to develop a globally minded and environmentally responsible citizenry fit to creatively solve existing and future problems.
 * Please note**: IBO MYP Units of Inquiry are truly open PBL activities and therefore student-led. Learning opportunities are not confined

The requirements of the assignment have been integrated into the unit plan:
 * 1) the unit is PBL from beginning to end
 * 2) the IBVC social network will be used for local and global collaboration - Google Shared Docs will be used for research collaboration - online learning portfolios will be used for collaboration and communication between students, parents, and educators
 * 3) the digital story-telling component will be either in the form of 5-minute documentary/infomercials or Prezi presentations (see accommodations in Teaching Strategies).

The link below has been updated and complete (?) - depending on feedback 12/12/10

MYP Unit Planner for Inquiry-based PBL