PD+Wednesday+Collaboration+Resources

8/31/11 - Significant Disciplinary Concepts
Work in grade-alike/subject-alike teams to map your significant concepts across each semester.

**From "Evaluating IB Unit Planners"...** "The significant concept can also be considered the big idea of the unit. Upon consideration of the subject-specificcontent and concepts to be taught in an MYP unit, it is very likely that one big idea or concept will emerge. The significant concept is usually a “real-life concept” and will (eventually) be written as a statement. Indeed, since the significant concept is a “real-life concept”, teachers will more readily be able to determine the ** one ** area of interaction for the unit that could be considered the “best fit”.

When developing a unit, a teacher will **start** by considering all the concepts that will be taught. By listingthese concepts, teachers will be able to identify one that is the most significant. This will then becomethe significant concept or big idea for the unit and will be written as a statement. //Significant concepts transcend the subject and could possibly be used in other subjects, making this the// //authentic “interdisciplinary connection” of an MYP unit of study. This process provides opportunity for// //another subject area teacher to collaborate more easily in the creation of an interdisciplinary unit."//

12/7/11 - MYP Culminating Tasks
**From "Evaluating IB Unit Planners"...** Teachers are required to develop a **culminating assessment task** for each MYP unit. A culminating task will provide students with further opportunities to demonstrate their learning in an __authentic real-life situation__.

Often a culminating task will allow students an opportunity to __respond to the MYP unit question__. However, it is critically important that teachers consider how students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the significant concept or big idea __at some point__ during the MYP unit of work, if not during the culminating task.

Teachers must think as assessors, asking themselves the following questions.
 * How did this task evolve from versions I've used in the past?
 * What is the disciplinary concept or Big Idea you are assessing through this task?
 * What is the most developed skill that a student would need in order to complete this task successfully?
 * What types of choices/options do you still provide the students within the structure of this task?
 * How did you differentiate the task so that all students are sufficiently challenged with it?
 * Which IB criteria/objectives from your content area are assessed through this task?
 * Which of the Approaches to Learning to you feel best match with what students are being asked to do here? Was that an intentional fit?
 * How and when did students know what was expected of them in this task?
 * What types of work have students done throughout this unit that are similar (while maybe //simpler //) to what you're asking them to do here?
 * What are you already learning about this task as you monitor student work that will inform how you use it in the future?