MYP unit planner
Unit title
Immune and Integumentary Systems
Teacher(s)
D. Martinez
Subject and grade level
Science – Year 1
Time frame and duration
3 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?
Why have we chosen this?
What are the big ideas? What do we want our
students to retain for years into the future?
Health and social education. This area of
interactionhas been chosen because
knowledge of organ systems could help
improve the student’s outlook about habits
and health.
The immune and integumentary system
help protect and fight against infections.
MYP unit question
How does the immune system and the skin help protect us
from infections and pathogens?
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?
Read the appropriate sections of the textbook and search for vocabulary words. With this “base knowledge”
in place, students will then work on labeling diagrams based on pictures projected in class and watch short
videos that provide a visual component to learning, from BrainPOP and Discovery Streaming.
Students will identify different parts—tissues, cells, and organs—that are active in the prevention and
fighting of disease. This will lead to performing “exercises” and activities where they demonstrate acquired
knowledge actively, thus bringing their attention back to themselves and their daily habits. These activities
will include 2 labs.
The animated film Osmosis Jones will be shown in class for 2 consecutive periods, paired up with a
worksheet that will help mine the popular film for scientific knowledge.
Finally, one multiple choice Quiz will be given as each system is finished/covered. Further re-teaching or
enrichment assignments may be assigned as needed.
Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?
Objective – Knowledge and Understanding
Apply scientific knowledge and understanding to solve problems in familiar and, with guidance, in unfamiliar
situations, consistent with the level of complexity of the units of work covered.
Objective – Processing Data
With guidance, collect and record data using units of measurement as and when appropriate.
Which MYP assessment criteria will be used?
Criterion C – Knowledge and Understanding of Science
Criterion E – Processing Data
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?
SC.6.L.14.5 AA (H) Identify and investigate the general functions of the major systems of the human body
(digestive, respiratory, circulatory, reproductive, excretory, immune, nervous, and musculoskeletal) and
describe ways these systems interact with each other to maintain homeostasis.
I can describe how the human body keeps out infections.
I can describe the parts and functions of the immune system.
I can explain how the immune system fights infections.
I can explain the difference between infectious and noninfectious diseases.
I can explain the functions of the integumentary system.
I can describe the major parts of the skin and their major functions.
Approaches to learning
How will this unit contribute to the overall development of subject-specific and general approaches to learning skills?
Organization
The Holt Science and Technology textbook will provide vocabulary words and reading material to explore
concepts and cement understanding. Powerpoint presentations based on the textbook, provided by
Learning Village, will be used to alternate and provide the opportunity to practice note-taking.
Images—both in pictures and videos—will help visualize the organs and tissues involved in the
integumentary and immune systems.
Time constrains in lab assignments will stress the effective use of class time, and finishing work on a timely
basis.
Collaboration
Two labs will be done in groups of 4, stressing cooperation and leadership. Fold-It notes will also be
assigned and carried out in this manner.
Communication
Students will communicate their understanding of learned lesson materials by effectively working in groups
to perform labs and other cooperative assignments.
Information Literacy
Both lab assignments will require students to process data and use it to draw conclusions.
Learning experiences
How will students know what is expected of them? Will
they see examples, rubrics, templates?
How will students acquire the knowledge and practise
the skills required? How will they practise applying
these?
Do the students have enough prior knowledge? How will
we know?
These concepts will be taught using the
resources available: direct instruction,
games/group-work, and class discussion, and
lab activities. An animated film (Osmosis Jones)
will also be shown, paired with a worksheet to
facilitate understanding and learning.
Direct Instruction
Teaching strategies
How will we use formative assessment to give students feedback
during the unit?
What different teaching methodologies will we employ?
How are we differentiating teaching and learning for all? How have
we made provision for those learning in a language other than their
mother tongue? How have we considered those with special
educational needs?
All forms of learning will be experienced in the class, as
available.
Powerpoint Presentations
Note-Taking
Educational Videos (Discovery Streaming, BrainPOP)
Hands-On Lab Activities
Initial familiarity with the terms involved will be
gained through reading the book, taking notes
on vocabulary words, and labelling activities
derived from acquired vocabulary words.
Games
Student will have the chance to put these
concepts into practice (with teacher observation
and guidance as required) through a hands-on
activities. They include:
Movement of body parts while identifying what
is being moved, how it moves, and what
interacts with it.
Class Discussion
Students will be encouraged to ask relevant
questions in every classroom. Some will be
directed to find answers in the book/reading,
other answers will be provided and discussed.
ELL and ESE Students:
1. Extra time will be given to complete assignments
2. Materials will be provided in native language or
translated
3. Buddy system will be used with bilingual
classmate
4. Dictionaries will be made available in classroom
Lab Activities
Two lab activities will illustrate concepts and
provide opportunities for hands-on learning.
“Antibodies to the Rescue!” Lab, and
“Disgusting Science!”
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?
Learning Village, and other internet resources will be used extensively in order to meet specific standards
and enrich course content.
Holt Science & Technology Level Green, Red, and Blue textbooks will be used as needed for note-taking,
reading assignments, and other activities that could be supplemented.
Discovery Streaming and BrainPOP videos will be used for student-friendly, educational videos.
A store-bought lab from National Scientific, “Disgusting Science” will be paired up with a craft-making lab
“Antibodies to the Rescue”. All materials needed for the labs are available through the department, or
easily obtaineable.
The film Osmosis Jones will be obtained from either a video-rental place, or purchased on sale at a retailer.
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?
Figure 12
MYP unit planner