Subject: Biology
Grade Level: pre-MYP
Unit and time
period
Unit title
Area of Interaction
Context
Significant concept
Unit 1 –
September to
the end of
November
Life and its Diversity.
Health & Social:
Understanding how cells
work, its function as "building
blocks" of organisms and
describe the requirements for
cells to live.
Basic requirements of
Life.
The cell theory.
Pro-/ Eukaryotic cell
Animal / Plant cell
“Cell city analogy”
Darwin’s theory of
evolution.
Advances of diversity in
population for survival.
Teacher: Dr. Compel Peter
Possible assessment
tasks
1. Quiz – “Charles
Darwin.”
MYP 3 Modified Objectives
addressed
(Students should be able to ...)
- explain how cells function and
describe the requirements for cells to
live.
- understand the Value of biodiversity
in the context of Darwin’s theory of
Evolution.
Understanding basic unit of
structure and function in living
things.
2. End-of-unit test
Understanding the process of
Evolution as a main reason for
today Diversity between living
Organisms
Unit 2 –
December to
the end of
January
Unit 3 –
February to
the April
Earth - our Home.
The Human –Earth
interaction and
coexistence in flow of
the time.
Community & Service:
Understand the
consequences of the
Human – Earth
interactions.
Understand the changes on the
Earth that led to the human
evolution and understand the
consequences of the human
activities to the changes of the
Earth.
1. Poster / PPT
presentation” Earth –
our Home”
2. Lab work: “Observe
the life variability in
micro-ecosystem of
your home”.
- read scientific text effectively in order
to understand the most relevant
information
to understand and use scientific
language.
- understand and discuss the connection
between the Human Evolution and
Changes on the Earth.
Environment:
Ecology.
Biosphere - levels of
organization.
Energy flow.
Cycles of Matter (Vater,
nutrient, Nitrogen…).
How does environment
effect the other ones?
Understanding the interactions
and interdependence among
the organisms and between the
organisms and their
surroundings (environment).
1. End-of-unit test
- understand the energy flow in the
nature and recognize the internal
connections within the food chain /food
web.
- discus the interdependence of
organisms in different ecosystems.
- recognize and recall scientific
information relevant to the unit
- explain and apply scientific
information
Unit 4 – May
to the June
Plant diversity
ENV, H&S
Can cyanobacteria be
useful ?
Which plants and their
extracts have been used
in medicine and why?
What is my favorite
plant and why is it good
for me?
What kind of herbal tea
should I drink?
Which parts of plants
do we eat?
Are there strangers
among plants worth
introducing?
Should herbal remedies
be regulated?
Should humankind use
technology to design
flowers and highly
nutritional plants?
Through this AOI
students will learn about
the importance of plants
for living organisms,
medicine, diet and
environment.
The will find out about
the adaptations of plants
living in different
environments.
Students will find out
what are some of the
endangered species of
Plants.
Students will learn about the
Plant structure, function and
importance for medicine.
They will learn the basic
Classification of Plants – Seed
plants, Flowering plants.
Learning how the plants are
important, understanding how
the plant structure is related to
its function.
They will find out how the
plants can be used in
Medicine.
Learning about the nutritional
specialists – parasites and
carnivorous plants.
Understanding how the plants
can defend themselves.
1. Lab work 1
“Comparing Mosses
and Ferns”
2. Lab work 2
“What are the most
common Seed plants
found in Slovakia?”
3. Argumentative
essay
“Should herbal
remedies be regulated?”
4. End-of-unit test
- to understand and use scientific
language relevant to the unit in written
lab reports
- to formulate a simple research
question and hypothesis
- to design a simple investigation,
materials/equipment needed, describe a
method, comment on it and suggest
improvements
- to carry out scientific investigation
safely and skillfully and work
effectively and responsibly as a
member of a team
- to draw conclusions, discuss and
explain the results
- to discuss the importance of plants for
our health
- to understand and use scientific
language relevant to the unit clearly
and effectively
- to demonstrate honesty when
handling the data, acknowledging
sources as appropriate
Subject: Biology
Unit and time
period
Unit 1 –
September to
the end of
October
Unit title
Unit 2 –
November to
the mid of
January
Multicelled
organisms
Unit 3 – Mid of
January to the
mid of March
Single celled
organisms.
Prokaryotes.
Eukaryotes.
Invertebrates
Sponges
Cnidarians
Worms
Molluscs
Echinoderms
Grade Level: MYP 1
Area of Interaction
Context
Health & Social:
How to protect from
serious illnesses?
Example malaria and
sleeping sickness
Significant concept
Understanding the
difference between
unicellular and multicellular organisms and
between prokaryotic and
eukaryotic organisms.
Community &
Service:
What can I do to
protect coral reefs?
How does
environment effect
the other one?.
Understanding basic unit of
structure and function in
living things
Enviroment:
Understanding basic unit of
structure and function in
living things
How does one animal
effect the other one?
Teacher: Dr. Compel Peter
Possible assessment
tasks
End-of-unit test.
- understand, that single-celled organisms are parasites ,
which cause many diseases
1. Lab work 1
Observe invertebrates
that live in local
environments.
2. End-of-unit- test.
1. End-of-unit test.
Where does a
pearl come
from?
Unit 4 – Mid of
March to the
end of June
Arthropods
Arachnids
Crustaceans
Insect
Human Ingenuity:
Insects – friends or
enemies?
Learning how to write a
good essay.
students will discuss
different examples of
reports and will try to
evaluate their quality
MYP 3 Modified Objectives addressed
(Students should be able to ...)
- explain how cells "building blocks" of living organism.
- recognize differences between a host and a parasite
1. Argumentative
essay
“Insects – friends or
enemies?”
2. End-of-unit test
-ability to read scientific text effectively in order to
understand the most relevant information
to understand and use scientific language
- discuss the diversity of invertebrates.
- recognize and recall scientific information relevant to
the unit of mixtures
- apply the knowledge to solve problems in familiar and,
with guidance, in unfamiliar situations
- describe different types of mollusks and their features.
- describe different types of echinoderms and their
features.
- observe details of mollusks and echinoderm shells.
- recognize and recall scientific information relevant to
the unit
- explain and apply scientific information to solve
problems in familiar and, with guidance, unfamiliar
situations
- understand and use scientific language relevant to the
unit in written essay.
- describe, explain, discuss and support your ideas.
- understand and use scientific language relevant to the
unit clearly and effectively
- to demonstrate honesty acknowledging sources as
appropriate
Subject: Biology
Grade Level: MYP 2 Teacher: Dr. Compel Peter
Unit and time period
Unit title
Area of Interaction
Context
Significant concept
Possible assessment
tasks
Unit 1 – September to
the end of November
Chordates.
General characteristics of
Chordates, Vertebrates,
Invertebrates.
Classification of
Chordates. ()
Human Ingenuity:
How are scientific names
a universal tool for
communication between
scientists?
Distinguish between
chordates & vertebrates.
Understand the key
concept of endothermic
and exothermic animals.
1. End-of-unit test
Community & Service:
How we can help some
endangered animals to
survive?
Understanding the
evolutionary insight of the
vertebrates’ development.
Presentation: Chordates
and their Evolution
Environments:
What kinds of coldblooded animals living in
Slovakia are bio
indicators?
Discuss, why it is worth to
keep our environment
clean because of bio
indicators
Unit 2 - December to
January
Unit 3 –February to mid
of April.
Unit 4 – Mid of April to
the end of June
Evolution of Chordates.
Cold-blooded
vertebrates
(fish, amphibians,
reptiles)
Warm-blooded
vertebrates.
( birds, mammals)
Health & Social:
Can be a pet vector for
serious illnesses?
How to protect from
serious illnesses?
Lab work: Observe
vertebrates that live in
local environments.
Explain the adaptations
that enable most birds to
fly.
Understand terms,
herbivore, carnivore, and
omnivore.
Objectives addressed
(Students should be able
to ......)
- learn the basic
characteristics of
vertebrates and chordates.
- understand the
difference between cold
blooded and warm
blooded animals, and
between the chordates and
vertebrates.
- to apply the knowledge
and understand and use
scientific language
relevant to the unit in
written presentation and
lab report.
1.Lab work
- Investigating how
reptiles regulate the
temperature of their body
2. End-of-unit test
- understand the way of
reptile adaptation for Life
on Land
- identify amphibians as
vertebrates that can live
on land for part of their
lives.
1.Lab work
- Investigating what
happens to a feather in
oilHow can be oil spill fatal
to ocean life
2. End-of-unit test
- understand and use
scientific language
relevant to the unit in
written lab reports
Subject: Biology
Grade Level: MYP 3 Teacher: Dr. Compel Peter
Unit and time period
Unit title
Area of Interaction
Context
Significant concept
Possible assessment
tasks
Unit 1 – September to
the November
Human body construction.
Systems, organs, tissues and cells.
The Skeletal system.
Type of Bones.
Type of joints.
Structure of bones.
When leg gets broken…
Community & Service:
How we can help people
with disabilities?
Students will become
familiar with the bones of
the human body.
Students will discuss the
importance of healthy
diet for bone
development.
1.End-of-unit test
Unit 2 - December to
January
Muscular system.
Type of muscles.
Structure of muscles.
Function of muscles.
Human Ingenuity:
How can I demonstrate
how the power
development?
Students will learn about
the movement
complexity and
understand how muscular
and skeletal systems
cooperate.
1. Lab work: Power
development by
exercise.
Students will distinguish
between different types
of blood cells and their
function.
Students will recognize
that body is a dynamic
system with many inputs
and outputs
To understand how is
body regulated by senses,
nervous and endocrinal
system
To know how to prevent
from sexual diseases
1. End-of-unit test
Integumentary system.
Unit 3 – February to
April
Unit 4 - May to the
end of June
Transit in human body.
Circulatory and Respiratory
system.
(Parts- blood, vessels, heart, how
does it work)
Digestive and Urinary system
(parts, how does it work)
Environments:
How does air pollution
affect living things?
Nervous, Endocrine and
Reproductive system.
Human ontogenesis (parts, how
does it work)
Health & Social:
Why is prevention the
most important cure?
2. Poster presentation:
Where the power
comes from?
2. Lab work:
Measuring your pulse
rate and breathing
rate.
1.End-of-unit test
2. Essay: Civilization
diseases.
Objectives addressed
(Students should be
able to ......)
- understand the levels
of the body construction.
- describe the general
structure of the bone and
the functions of the
skeletal system and its
parts.
- demonstrate the
knowledge about the
function of muscular
system
- explain and apply
scientific information
and ability to use
scientific language
clearly
- understanding
significant role of blood
in our bodies
- ability to use scientific
language clearly
- identifying problems –
including deductive
reasoning, solutions to
problems
Subject: Biology
Grade Level: MYP 4
Teacher: Dr. Compel Peter
Unit and
time period
Unit title
Area of Interaction
Context
Significant concept
Possible assessment
tasks
Unit 1 –
September to
November
Fundamentals of the life.
Characteristics of Living
Things.
Health & Social:
Understanding a
balanced diet necessity
to keep our body
healthy.
Students will understand that
all living organisms are
composed of cells and what all
living things have in common.
They will learn distinguish
between organic/ inorganic
compounds, macromolecules/
polymeric molecules and
understand which chemical
compounds are necessary in
order to maintain the life and
why.
They will learn the
composition of the cell
membrane and understand the
mechanism of the movement
of materials in and out of
cells.
Student will learn about the
experimental background and
important moments of the
DNA function discovery.
They will understand the
connection between the
structure and function of
nucleic acids and their
importance for life
Students will learn about the
different cell types and
understanding the function of
cell organelles. Learning about
the basic processes of the cell
energy flow - photosynthesis
and respiration. Understanding
the mechanisms of Mitosis
and crucial importance of cell
division for maintaining life of
all living organisms and also
impact of cell division defects.
1. End-of-unit test
2. Lab work: Using
the light microscope.
Chemistry of the life.
What makes water so
special for life?
Why does a cell need
proteins, carbohydrates and
lipids?
Transport across the
membrane.
How is transportation in cell
secured?
Unit 2 –
December to
January
Nucleic acids –the key to
inheritance and evolution.
DNA, RNA structure –
Same, but different.
DNA replication.
Gene Expression:
Translation, Transcription.
Unit 3 –
February to
April
Life is cellular
Why are the functions of
cell organelles important for
its survival?
Cell cycle – Cell division.
How do cells of gut, skin
and blood get renewed?
How is renovation (mitosis)
of cells regulated and why is
cancer relevant?
Can a cell get tired?
Human Ingenuity:
Understand the
Rosalind Franklin
contribution to DNA
structure & role
discovery / importance
of the academic
honesty in the science.
Community& Service:
Significance of safe and
responsible behavior of
individuals within
communities.
Promotion of equality
and equity within
communities.
Health & Social:
Cell division
dysfunction related
diseases - cancer.
MYP4 Modified Objectives
addressed
(Students should be able to ...)
- to understand characteristics of
living things
- to understand characteristic of
water and its importance for all
living things
- to understand the structure and
function of proteins, carbohydrates,
lipids and their importance for cell
- to understand homeostasis
- to understand and use scientific
language relevant to the unit.
- to understand and explain how the
molecules move in and out of the cell
- to be able to demonstrate diffusion
and osmosis and explain its
importance in the aspects of
everyday life.
1.Poster presentation
“The story of DNA”
- learn about the important moments
of the inheritance key molecules and
laws of heredity discovery
- to understand the structure and
function of nucleic acids and their
importance for life
1. Lab work.
Observing Plant and
Animal Cell
2. Lab work 2
Chloroplasts and
Photosynthesis.
3. End-of-unit- test
4. Poster presentation
- to recognize, understand and use
scientific knowledge relevant to the
unit Cells in written lab reports
- to formulate a simple hypothesis
and explain it
- to identify variables, materials
/equipment needed, describe a
method, comment on it and suggest
improvements
- to collect and record the data and
organize them into a table or a graph
and analyze them
Unit 4 –
April to the
end of June
Invisible yet dangerous
What are viruses and
bacteria?
Can we fully grasp role of
microorganisms in our
environment?
How did Louis Pasteur save
Russian kids in Paris?
Should mass vaccination be
required?
How do bacteria develop
resistance and why is it
relevant?
How to prevent spread of
HIV?
How to protect ourselves in
season of flu?
Epidemiologist - a carrier
path for me?
H&S, HI
Through this AOI
Students will focus
their learning on
vaccination, its history
and stimulation of
immune system to fight
subsequent invasion by
the same microbes.
They will learn about
viral diseases that
damage immune
system. Based on the
gain knowledge
students will discuss
the ways how to protect
against viruses and
bacteria. Students will
also find out about
epidemiology as a
carrier path.
Students will find out how the
viruses and bacteria may
infect animals, plants and
humans and interfere with
normal life functions.
Understanding how are
bacteria and viruses affecting
our immune system.
They will learn about
vaccination and all understand
how can we fight against some
diseases.
Students will learn that
understanding the structure
and function of microbes is
very important for finding the
right treatment.
Students will learn about the
career in Epidemiology
1.Argumentative essay
“Should mass
vaccination be
required?”
2. End-of-unit test
- to give example and discuss
positive and negative effects of
vaccination
- to understand the function and
structure of bacteria and viruses
- to provide scientific information in
an argumentative essay
- to understand and use scientific
language relevant to the unit
- to demonstrate honesty when
handling the data, acknowledging
sources as appropriate
- to recognize and recall scientific
information relevant to the unit
- to explain and apply scientific
information to solve problems in
familiar and, with guidance,
unfamiliar situations
Subject: Biology
Unit and
time period
Unit 1 –
September
to the mid
of
November
Unit title
Grade Level: MYP 5
Area of Interaction
Context
Unicellular versus
Multicultural
Importance of
organization for structure
and function of a whole
organism.
Evolution and Diversity
of species
Ch. Darwin and
Neodarwinism.
Natural selection
Are there any rules of
evolution? Where does it
go?
Environments:
Unit 2 –
November
to the end
of January
Finding Order in
Diversity
How are animals
organized?
History of Taxonomy
Why to classify?
Binomial Nomenclature.
Understand the
evolutionary insights of
the modern taxonomy.
Unit 3 –
February
to April
Unicellular organisms
How useful and
dangerous can single cells
be?
Why scientists pay close
attention to Ciliata?
Porifera, Cnidaria and
Worms
What are Sponges?
How does a jellyfish
hunt?
How coral reefs grow and
Human Ingenuity:
The key persons and the
taxonomy milestones.
(Confucius, Aristotle,
Carolus Linnaeus,).
Understand the
importance of Binomial
nomenclature in context
of scientific
communication around
the world.
H&S
Knowledge of selfprotection, prevention and
life cycle of contagious
infections caused by
single celled organisms.
Self-protection,
prevention and life cycle
of diseases caused by
parasitic Flatworms and
Roundworms.
Environment.
Students will understand
the relationship between
evolutionary processes
and diversity of species.
Milestones of Evolution
towards the Humans.
Diversity – Advantage or
Disadvantage?
Teacher: Dr. Compel Peter
Significant concept
Possible assessment
tasks
MYP4 Modified Objectives
addressed
(Students should be able to ...)
Understanding the important
levels of organization for
structure and function of an
organism.
Recognizing the process of
Evolution as a process of
continuous and gradual change
under the pressure of natural
selection.
Learning about the Darwin’s
Evolution theory with impact to
today world.
1. Lab work
“Use of Microscope”
- to understand the organization of
living things
- to understand the Darwin’s
theory of Evolution and diversity
of species in meaning of new
evidences from modern scientific
disciplines (molecular biology,
genetics, geology, etc.)
- to understand and use scientific
language relevant to the unit in
written lab reports
Students will learn to understand
the modern classification system
in context of the historical
background.
They will understand how the
organisms are classified and will
know how to use classification
tools.
1.PPT Presentation
“Finding Order in
Diversity.
2. End-of-unit- test
- to understand the levels of
Classification and difference
between the natural/artificial
taxonomical categories.
- to be able to use classification
tools and to construct them
- to be able to read scientific text
effectively in order to understand
the most relevant information
Understanding the impact of
parasitic Sarcomastigophora on
their host.
Understanding the sleeping
sickness, malaria etc. and the
lifecycles of parasites.
Discussing the prevention and
treatment of malaria,
toxoplasosmosis, giardiasis etc.
Understanding the development
of Invertebrates and the
milestones in their evolution
1. Lab work
“Comparing and
contrasting Flatworm and
Roundworm”
- to understand the body structure
and function of protists
- to discuss the life cycle of
parasitic protozoans
- to understand the symptoms,
prevention and treatment of
malaria, sleeping sickness etc.
- to formulate a simple hypothesis
and explain it
- to collect and record the data and
organize them into a table or a
graph and analyze them
2. End-of-unit test
3.Quiz “Evolution and
diversity of species.”
2. PPT / Poster
presentation
“Parasitic Worms”
3.Lab work
what is threatening them?
Do Nematoda affect our
health?
Molusca, Annelida and
Arthropoda
Can a delicacy be deadly?
How do pearls get
formed?
What are the wonders of
octopus?
Earthworm as a pioneer.
Diversity of Arthropda.
Mysteries of social insect
Protection of endangered
invertebrates.
Realizing that Corals are
living organisms and
underlining the
importance of their
protection.
Understand how the
marine invertebrates are
adapted to their
environment and how the
Annelids can be useful for
Ecosystem.
They will learn about the
life and organization of
social insect.
Students will focus their
learning on the important
features of arthropods and
their importance in
Ecosystem.
(germ layers, body symmetry,
cephalization etc.).
Learning about the body
organization, function and
ecology of Porifera and Cnidaria
(Sponges).
Understanding the life cycle of
parasitic worms (Tapeworms and
Roundworms), the diseases they
cause and learn about treatment
and prevention.
Describing the features,
characteristics and ecology of
Annelids
Learning about the benefit of
Leeches
Learning about the features of
Mollusks, its form and function
and ecology
Finding out the connection
between bivalves and pollution
Identifying the features of
arthropods, explaining their
development and the important
trends in their evolution.
“How are Insects adapted
for feeding?”
4. End-of-unit test
- to recognize and recall scientific
information relevant to the unit of
Porifera, Cnidaria and Worms
- to apply the knowledge to solve
problems in familiar and, with
guidance, in unfamiliar situations
- to compare and contrast the
defining features of Annelids,
Mollusks and Arthropods
- to understand the usefulness of
Bivalvia for people.
- to explain the benefit of leeches- to understand and use scientific
language relevant to the unit
- to demonstrate honesty when
handling the data, acknowledging
sources as appropriate
- to recognize and recall scientific
information relevant to the unit
- to explain and apply scientific
information to solve problems in
familiar and, with guidance,
unfamiliar situations
Unit 4 –
May to
June
Chordates.
H&S
Milestones of evolution
towards humans.
Introducing remarkable
sharks.
Chimera and bit of
mythology.
Why shark is not a fish?
Inconsistent frogs not as
delicacy.
Temperature matters for
crocodiles, turtles and
snakes.
Conquerors of air.
Is milk only commonality
for mammals?
Through this AOI
students will learn what
the Chordates are
They will understand the
Milestones of evolution
towards humans.
The will learn about how
fishes are adapted for life
in water
Students will learn about
the adaptation of aquatic
animals to terrestrial life.
They will understand the
essential functions of
mammals.
Learning the phylogeny and
development, body structure, life
function and adaptation of
Echinodermata,
They will understand the
characteristics of Chordates and
explain what vertebrates are.
They will focus on difference in
structure, function and
adaptation between aquatic and
terrestrial chordates; Tunicata,
Cephalochordata, Cyclostomata,
Chondroichtyes, Osteichtyes,
Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves,
Learning about the Endangered
species
Students will understand the
relationship between climate
change and adaptation of
reptiles.
Understand the characteristic,
evolution and life functions of
Mammals.
Discuss and understand the
diversity of Mammals.
1. Poster presentation
“Diversity of Reptiles”
2. Lab work 2
“How do birds breath?”
3. Argumentative essay
“What are the ecological
consequences of
distinction of animal
species.?”
4. End-of-unit test
- to understand and use scientific
language relevant to the unit in
written lab reports
- to formulate a simple research
question and hypothesis
- to carry out scientific
investigation safely and skillfully
and work effectively and
responsibly as a member of a team
- to draw conclusions, discuss and
explain the results
- to discuss the evolution and
adaptation of Vertebrates
- to understand and use scientific
language relevant to the unit
clearly and effectively
- to demonstrate honesty when
handling the data, acknowledging
sources as appropriate