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Teacher(s)
Unit title
Climate action
Subject group and discipline
Language acquisition: English
MYP year
Proficient level
(phase 5 and 6)
Unit duration (hrs)
24 hours
Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit
Key concept
Connection
Related concept(s)
Purpose, point of view, audience
Global context
Personal and cultural expression
Exploration: Analysis and argument
Statement of inquiry
Connecting to an audience through use of analysis and argument can help change their perspective on an issue.
Inquiry questions
Factual
• What language expresses point of view?
• How do creators express their point of view?
Conceptual
• How does purpose influence the language we use?
• How are language and texts shaped by their purpose and audience?
• How could the creator’s point of view be promoted and effectively connect with the audience?
Debatable
• To what extent can analysis and argument change a point of view?
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Objectives
Objective A: Listening
i. identifies explicit and implicit information
(facts, opinions, messages and supporting
details) in complex authentic texts
ii. analyses conventions in complex authentic
texts
iii. analyses connections in complex authentic
texts.
Objective B: Reading
i. identifies explicit and implicit information
(facts, opinions, messages and supporting
details) in complex authentic texts
ii. analyses conventions in complex authentic
texts
iii. analyses connections in complex authentic
texts.
Objective C: Speaking
i. uses a wide range of vocabulary and
grammatical structures
ii. uses a wide range of grammatical structures
generally accurately
iii. uses clear pronunciation and intonation
which makes the communication easy to
comprehend
iv. communicates almost all the required
information clearly and effectively.
Objective D: Writing
Summative assessment
Outline of summative assessment task(s)
including assessment criteria
Relationship between summative assessment
task(s) and statement of inquiry
Criterion A task: Listening
Two or three audio-visual texts, maximum total
length: 10 minutes.
For example, Before the flood: Leonardo Di Caprio’s
film
Statement of inquiry
Criterion A task: Listening
Based on Di Caprio film (see task examples).
Criterion B task: Reading
Two or three written texts that incorporate
visual/images, maximum total length: 900–1,000
words.
Based on United Nations environment text (see task
examples).
Purpose and point of view impact how we analyse
and express the connection between human and
natural landscapes and resources.
The writing task chosen by students
(blog/guide/speech) will allow the students to see
the how. Through purposeful use of language and
text, creators connect with the audience and
deepen their awareness of human impact on the
environment.
Criterion C task: Speaking
Students will become environmental
communicators taking part in an ”international
youth forum” where they will present their
environmental views on a researched issue (4–5
minutes). This will be opened to questions from the
audience.
Criterion D task: Writing
You are an environmental communicator taking
part in an international youth forum. Write a text
for your awareness campaign speech or a brief
environmental educational guide/manual (300/400
words) for beginners or an environmental blog
raising awareness on the researched issue regarding
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i. uses a wide range of vocabulary
ii. uses a wide range of grammatical structures
generally accurately
iii. organizes information effectively and
coherently in an appropriate format using a
wide range of complex cohesive devices
iv. communicates almost all the required
information with a clear sense of audience
and purpose to suit the context.
the interconnectedness of human and natural
landscapes and resources.
This will become the service as action project for
this subject because it will follow the required steps
if identifying a need, investigating how to address it,
implementing it and sharing the learning through a
manual for the school community.
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Approaches to learning (ATL)
In order for students to write using a range of vocabulary, grammatical structures and conventions, students must read a variety of sources for information and
make inferences and draw conclusions. (ATL category: Communication, ATL cluster: Communication)
In order for students to organize information and ideas into a structured text and use a wide range of cohesive devices, students must organize information
logically. (ATL category: Communication, ATL cluster: Communication)
In order for students to use language to suit the context, students must interpret meaning through cultural understanding and write for different purposes. (ATL
category: Communication, ATL cluster: Communication)
In order for students to analyse the content, students must identify parts and relationships and interpret information to reach conclusions. (ATL category:
Thinking, ATL cluster: Critical thinking)
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Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry
Content
How does purpose influence
the language we use?
Use of present and
subjunctive forms.
Vocabulary regarding
environmental issues, such
as sustainability, climate
change.
Learning process
Learning experiences and teaching strategies
Formative assessment
Introductory experience
Chief Seattle's Letter to the President of the United
States, 1852
Review of present and subjunctive
forms, ways of expressing opinions.
Differentiation
Teacher introduces the question of
how
the purpose influences the
Students watch a video and approach it in groups with
language
we use.
the visible thinking routine, I see/Think/I wonder.
A “vocabulary wall” on environmental issues begins to Students in groups use text examples
to justify their answers using the
be developed where expressions and words of the
tenses (present or subjunctive).
topic are added throughout the unit.
In order to review it, students develop
an infographic of the subjunctive and
use it throughout the unit.
Exit ticket
Students finish the activity with a
comparison between the statement of
inquiry and the question regarding
purpose:
Purpose and point of view influence
how we express the connection with
resources, natural and human
landscapes.
Group work—some groups can
explain small actions explicitly and
how they can make a change.
These students can use a more
sophisticated language while they
are describing “ideas” that change
lives. Other students can act as
audience.
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Content
Learning process
Learning experiences and teaching strategies
Formative assessment
What language expresses
point of view?
A video on the theme of minimal waste living could be Criterion A formative task (see task
used.
examples)
Language expression:
purpose opinion/point of
view
Pair share through the Think–Puzzle–Explore routine
to address the video. The teacher invites groups to
look into the two questions below by identifying
evidence in a table log chart.
How does purpose influence the language we use?
What language expresses point of view?
Conditionals type I, II and III
Use of modal verbs: can
be/may/might/must/should
Speech/blog/guide writing—
including register and
formatting.
Differentiation
Process
Students use expressions of opinion to share their
perspectives.
The teacher invites students to discuss what examples
of other green actions they know and then what
actions they would take that could benefit
them/community. Share it in an exit ticket.
Activator
Review of conditionals
The teacher invites students to see
how one simple idea can change lives.
The teacher shares some quotes with groups and
students develop their own quotes using the
appropriate conditionals.
Formative task Criterion A Example 1
(see examples of tasks)
For example: If you do not do … you will not …
Criterion D:
Steps for an investigation
In pairs, students identify the need
that Alfredo Moser identified and how
The proposal presented is “If the world were …”. From he connected with his resources to
address it.
that, the students make a hypothesis and are invited
Identifying the needs of a community
Process
Students that need extra practice
are given another task to develop
their understanding further.
Make a wish
Show pictures of people in
different situations. Ask students
to imagine what the people wish or
hope. You can also expand this by
having students make full
conditional sentences based on
those wishes or hopes.
Content
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Content
Learning process
Learning experiences and teaching strategies
Formative assessment
Differentiation
to identify the needs people would have regarding
their resources, natural and human environments.
In groups, students share the steps as
Moser must have done for the
research.
Task: “If the world were 100
people” is provided in different
formats, visual and auditory, to suit
different learning styles.
Videos are used as a motivator for students to identify
another need to investigate as if they were part of the Compare and contrast
environmental group that is going to do an awareness
campaign.
The proposed steps are compared
with those given for an investigation
The exit ticket is a personal reflection on the question: and then the students agree on their
next steps for their research with a
How do we connect with resources, natural and
template/outline.
human environments?
Activator
Exit tickets from the previous class are shared and put
on a wall. In small groups, students categorize the
tickets in three columns: advantages, disadvantages
and feasibility of the ideas, bearing in mind their
school community and neighbourhood needs. For
example, making a vertical organic garden in school to
use the vegetables for the cafeteria to impact human
environments.
Criterion B formative task Example 1 .
Students can be invited to see an example of a middle
school student research project with a focus on
identifying a need in a community. (Previous projects
conducted in the schools can be used.)
The teacher points out how analysing
a need helps us to narrow down focus
and develop an action plan.
Strategies are shared and a recipe type
of steps to develop an action plan
Identifying a need in a community
See resources section.
Process
Template for six steps for research,
for example:
• task definition
• information seeking strategies
• location and access
• use of information
• synthesis
• evaluation.
Process
Provide templates and examples of
action plan outlines to help
students narrow down topics.
Students discuss how the example of
the community can be analysed using
the guidelines learned in the in the
activator.
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Content
Learning process
Learning experiences and teaching strategies
Formative assessment
Groups provide feedback to the text using a traffic
light strategy, identifying the need in the community
that they have chosen as their research focus.
which becomes part of the research
wall.
Differentiation
The traffic light strategy in this case involves a series
of steps towards the research to make their manual:
• Choose topic
• Identify a need of a community within that
topic/issue
• Prepare interview for field work
• Choose varied sources
• make outline for manual
• Produce draft of manual
• Edit final manual
More examples of middle school projects are shared,
for example, a science fair project.
Research: Identifying a need in a community
In pairs, students identify possible issues to work on
and choose the community they will interview to
ensure the needs assessment.
The teacher shares interviews tips. See resource on
how to approach people for research.
In pairs, students develop the questions they will use
in their fieldwork.
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Content
Learning process
Learning experiences and teaching strategies
Formative assessment
Differentiation
Needs on the wall
Students share the outcome of their needs
assessment in a community and decide on their text
(speech/blog/guide) topic.
Criterion D: students make a visual
organizer to organize the research for
the environmental issue chosen
through Generate, Sort, Connect,
Elaborate routine.
Product
Different type of organizers, such
as infographics/mind maps.
Activator
Students watch children asking questions about
climate change, and use the visible thinking routine
“Compass” to work in groups. This should help
students start to develop their own questions on their
topic, anticipating the type of questions they may be
asked at the forum.
Criterion C: students plan a
presentation in pairs, including those
key questions that their topic should
deal with after analysing the need in
the community. Later they share their
work and answer questions from
classmates as if they were the forum.
Feedback provided on skills and topic.
Process
Students can be helped by having
presenter notes/graphics to deliver
presentation.
On my way towards the blog/manual/speech
Students present the outline of their
manuals/speech/blog and share them
with peers to receive feedback.
Product
Students will be able to choose the
final product: blog, script for
speech, basic manual.
Spend time at the library investigating secondary
sources for the topic. Students use the OPVL
(origin/purpose/value/limitation) chart to help them
choose the most reliable and relevant sources and
adhere to the school reference convention when
using quotes or citations—living the learner profile
attribute, principled.
Students compare and contrast different examples of
manuals, for example:
•
•
•
•
Compost making
How to make a solar oven/cooker
Speech writing
Blog writing
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Content
Learning process
Learning experiences and teaching strategies
Formative assessment
Differentiation
In groups, students identify the features that a
procedure manual/blog/speech should have, and
share it.
Rubric for speech script/blog/process basic manual is
developed together with students incorporating the
strands of criterion D and clarifying them to develop a
task-specific clarification (TSC) for the unit summative
task.
Students do a peer assessment of the
draft of the blog/manual/script for
speech using criterion D TSC.
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Resources
Listening comprehension supporting materials
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United Nations. 2018. SDG Media Zone - ECOSOC Youth Forum 2018 (Day 1). (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dlzIrO3lMw&t=51s
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TomoNews US. 2013. Alfredo Moser’s lamp is lighting up one million homes.(Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaSDb361nKs
•
United Nations. Leonardo DiCaprio (UN Messenger of Peace) at the opening of Climate Summit 2014. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTyLSr_VCcg
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United Nations Environment Programme. 2017. Two years after Paris, the One Planet Summit aims to galvanize new action on climate change. (Accessed 12
April 2019.) Available from: https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/two-years-after-paris-one-planet-summit-aims-galvanize-new-actionclimate
•
World Fair Trade Organization. Our Path To Fair Trade. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://wfto.com/Fair-Trade
•
Rinkesh. What is Being Environmentally Friendly? Conserve Energy Future. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://www.conserve-energyfuture.com/15-easy-ways-to-become-environmentally-friendly.php
•
The Aspen Institute. 2011. Aspen Environment Forum 2011 : Sustainability 2050: Youth leaders speak. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCLMLia1xR4
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Climate talks. 2016. Children interview Prime Minister Trudeau. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: http://www.climatetalks.ca/#video-gallery
Research
Examples of middle school projects
Narrowing down a research topic
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University of Southern California. 2019. Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Narrowing a Topic Idea. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/narrowtopic
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Bagley, M. 2013 How to Choose a Science Fair Project Topic. Live Science, Future US. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.livescience.com/38122-science-fair-project-topics.html
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Brigham Young University. Step-by-Step Guide & Research Rescue: Finding and Narrowing Your Topic. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
http://guides.lib.byu.edu/c.php?g=216340&p=1428396
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Examples of products
Role: Environmental communicators
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University of Wisconsin System. Environmental Communication. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: http://www.uwosh.edu/es/internshipsjobs/jobs/career-fields/environmental-communication
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GOOD Magazine. 2016. If The World Were 100 People. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFrqTFRy-LU
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KVS Studio. 2012. If the World Were 100 People. Knowledge Visualization Systems. Visually. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://visual.ly/community/infographic/geography/if-world-were-100-people
Speech writing
• Dugdale, S. 2006, updated 2019. How to Write a Speech. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://www.write-out-loud.com/howtowritespeech.html
• University of Wisconsin System. Environmental Communication. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: http://www.uwosh.edu/es/internshipsjobs/jobs/career-fields/environmental-communication
Blog writing
• Content Pathway.2017. How To Write An Environmental Blog Post! (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://cpath.co.uk/how-to-environmental-blogguide/
• O'Connor, M.C. 2011.The Top 10 Environmental Blogs. Outside. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://www.outsideonline.com/1891436/top-10environmental-blogs
• The Environmental Blog.org. 2016. Current Environment Problems That Our World Is Facing. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.theenvironmentalblog.org
How to write a procedure manual
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Mind Tools. Writing a Procedure: Making Sure Things are Done Without Mistakes and Omissions. Emerald Group. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_78.htm
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Ellen, K. 2017. The traffic light strategy in this case involves a series of steps towards the research to make their manual:
o Choose topic
o Identify a need of a community within that topic/issue
o Prepare interview for field work
o Choose varied sources
o make outline for manual
o Produce draft of manual
o Edit final manual
•
BizFluent, Leaf Group. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://bizfluent.com/how-5245583-write-procedure-manual.html
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Eugene Ashley High School. Research Process: The Big 6. Original by Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
http://ashley.nhcs.libguides.com/researchprocess/Big6
Examples of manuals
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Compost-Info-Guide.com. Composting Guide for Beginners: 6 Steps to Making Great Compost! (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: http://www.compostinfo-guide.com/beginner_guide.htm
•
Education.com. Science project: How to Make a Solar Oven. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/designsolar-cooker/
•
Education.com. Science project: Building a Wind Gauge. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/buildingwind-gauge/
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LeCompte, C. 2010. Easy as 1, 2, 3: How to Recycle Grey Water. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: http://greenhomeguide.com/knowhow/article/easy-as-1-2-3-how-to-use-greywater-to-save-water-at-home
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Miguel Marchand. 2011. The bottle rescue ecoideas. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=qGt6X2m-Iq4&feature=emb_title
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Greywater Action. About Greywater Reuse. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://greywateraction.org/greywater-reuse/
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The Kid Should See This. How to make a Moser Lamp: 60 watts of free, natural light. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/58328864662
Identifying a need and planning how to address it
•
Community Tool Box. Learn A Skill: Section 5. Analyzing Community Problems. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-ofcontents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/analyzing-community-problems/main
•
Chapter 3: Section 1. Developing a Plan for Assessing Local Needs and Resources. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-ofcontents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/develop-a-plan/main
•
Van Korlaar, C. 2012. Needs Assessment Ideas. Top Nonprofits. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: https://topnonprofits.com/needs-assessment-ideas/
Approaching people for research: Interviews tips
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Chandler, C. 2014. Facing Your Fears: Approaching People For Research. Smashing Magazine. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/06/facing-your-fears-approaching-people-for-research/
Look for articles, blogs on asking smarter questions
•
Promoting a perspective: Climate change. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: http://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/523223/promoting-aperspective-climate-change
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Critical literacy in action: Multimodal texts on global warming. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroomresources/lesson-plans/critical-literacy-action-multimodal-1139.html
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Corner, A. 2015, updated 2018. 12 tools for communicating climate change more effectively. The Guardian [online]. (Accessed 12 April 2019.) Available from:
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/jul/06/12-tools-for-communicating-climate-change-more-effectively
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Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry
Prior to teaching the unit
During teaching
After teaching the unit
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