Teacher(s) P.

Preston Subject group and discipline English Language and literature

Unit title Journeys of a Lifetime MYP year 3 Unit duration (hrs) 35 (7 weeks)

Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit

Key concept Related concept(s) Global context

Connections Genre Orientation in space and time
Connections are links, bonds and relationships among Point of view Explorations:
people, objects, organisms or ideas.  Peoples, boundaries, exchange and interaction
 Natural and human landscapes and resources

Statement of inquiry
Writing genres that enable readers to explore and discover about different times and places, often help to connect with other peoples’ points of view in a more open-minded
fashion.
Students will understand that through an inquiry into various kind of travel writing, they are in a better position to be more open-minded to the values and traditions of
other cultures.

Inquiry questions
Factual: What kind of rhetorical devices do authors use in travel writing?
Conceptual: How can an author’s perspective affect meaning and the readers’ attitudes?
Debatable: Can cultural immersion help people to become more open-minded and prevent conflicts among nations?

Objectives Summative assessment

A - Analysing Outline of summative assessment task(s) Relationship between summative
including assessment criteria: assessment task(s) and statement of
i. identify and explain the content, context, language, structure, technique
inquiry:
and style of text(s) about journeys (physical travel and mental) and the
relationships among texts Criterion A: Students discover
Criterion A:
similarities and differences in how
ii. identify and explain the effects of the creator’s choices on an audience:
1. Analysing extracts for content, different text types (genre) present
descriptive devices
structure, technique and style about similar content and will be able to

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iii. justify opinions and ideas, using examples, explanations and terminology; physical and mental journeys. Literary appreciate various techniques that
quote effectively from texts techniques: similes, personification, writers use and the effect these have
onomatopoeia, imagery. (i, ii) on the reader.
iv. Analyse various accounts of a subject told in different mediums; note
differences between points of view in texts 2. Analysing poems for creator’s choices, Criterion B: Students will observe how
structure. (i, ii, iv) text structures refer to features that
B – Organising
are common to specific genres
i. employ well-structured event sequences (literary, factual, poetry) and how
Criterion B, C, D: structure affects the message.
ii. organize opinions and ideas in a coherent and logical manner; thesis
sentences and supportive paragraphs 1. My trip to the _________. Criterion C: Students relate writing to
either personal experiences, texts they
iii. use MLA referencing and formatting tools for citations and bibliographies Personal Email Travel
have read, or both, and generate ideas
letter blog
C – Producing text about cultural similarities and
differences. They reflect on how travel
i. Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine and convey a variety of
can lead to discovery and appreciation
ideas; write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events; 2. Travelling: a road to self-discovery:
of other cultures and traditions whilst
use effective technique and well-chosen details ‘Where I come from’.
at the same time reflecting on the
ii. make stylistic choices in levels of formality in terms of linguistic, literary Personal Poem Travel difficulties and traumas people
devices, demonstrating awareness of impact on an audience and cultural letter blog sometime undergo to reach their goals
aspects and destinies.
iii. select relevant details and examples to develop ideas with focus on Criterion D: Students use appropriate
sensory details and varied descriptive vocabulary,
sentence structures for effect and
D – Using language
catching forms of expression as
i. uses a limited range of appropriate vocabulary and forms of expression inspired by texts read and personal
creative ideas. Students will try to use
ii. writes and speaks in an inappropriate register and style that do not
style, vocabulary and expressions to
serve the context and intention create tone and mood of different
times and experiences and consider
iii. uses grammar, syntax and punctuation with limited accuracy; errors often
these when addressing a specific
hinder communication audience.
iv. spells/writes and pronounces with limited accuracy; errors often hinder
communication

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 v. makes limited and/or inappropriate use of non-verbal communication
techniques.

Approaches to learning (ATL)

o Give and receive meaningful feedback
Communication i. Communication
o Use intercultural understanding to interpret communication
o Use appropriate forms of writing for different purposes and audiences
Share ideas with multiple audiences using a variety of digital environments and media
o Practise empathy
Social ii. Collaboration
o Take responsibility for one’s own actions
Listen actively to other perspectives and ideas
III. Organization skills
Self-management iii. Organisation
Managing time and tasks effectively
iv. Affective
o Plan short- and long-term assignments; meet deadlines
v. Reflective
o Bring necessary equipment and supplies to class

IV. Affective skills

Managing state of mind
o Mindfulness
– Practise focus and concentration
– Practise strategies to overcome distraction
V. Reflection skills
(Re)considering the process of learning; choosing and using ATL skills
o Develop new skills, techniques and strategies for effective learning
o Consider content
o What did I learn about today?
vi. Information VI. Information literacy skills
Research
literacy Finding, interpreting, judging and creating information
vii. Media o Access information to be informed and inform others
literacy o Use memory techniques to develop long-term memory
o Present information in a variety of formats and platforms
o Understand and implement intellectual property rights
o Identify primary and secondary sources

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 VII. Media literacy skills
Interacting with media to use and create ideas and information
o Demonstrate awareness of media interpretations of events and ideas (including digital social media)
o Make informed choices about personal viewing experiences
o Understand the impact of media representations and modes of presentation
o Seek a range of perspectives from multiple and varied sources
o Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and forma

viii. Critical VIII. Critical-thinking skills

Thinking
thinking How can students think critically?
ix. Ix. Creative thinking Analysing and evaluating issues and ideas
x. Transfer o Practise observing carefully in order to recognize problems
o Gather and organize relevant information to formulate an argument
o Recognize unstated assumptions and bias
o Interpret data
o Evaluate evidence and arguments
o Formulate factual, topical, conceptual and debatable questions
o Consider ideas from multiple perspectives
o Identify obstacles and challenges
IX. Creative-thinking skills
How can students be creative?
Generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives
o Use brainstorming and visual diagrams to generate new ideas and inquiries
o Make guesses, ask “what if” questions and generate testable hypotheses
o Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products or processes
o Create original works and ideas; use existing works and ideas in new ways
X. Transfer skills
How can students transfer skills and knowledge across disciplines and subject groups?
Using skills and knowledge in multiple contexts
o Inquire in different contexts to gain a different perspective
o • Combine knowledge, understanding and skills to create products or solutions

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Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry
Content
 The English-speaking world
 Britain: Scotland England, wales and Northern Ireland
 Identity and nationality
 Contrasts (new, modern/old, traditional/past/ future)
 Voyages of discovery, revelations, self-exploration.
 Autobiographies and biographies
 Author’s purpose: message
 Author’s purpose methods
 Informational texts
 Holidays in different countries: culture shock
 Effect of reported speech and direct speech
 Poetry: persona, tone
 Citing textual evidence
 Writing to describe: adjectives and adverbs; sensory
language; dominant impression; spatial order;
chronological order
 Remembrances, observations
 Vignettes
 Writing to inform
 Writing: personal response
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Learning process
Learning experiences and teaching strategies
1. Level check – what do students remember from the previous year? Quick quizzes
2. Learner portfolio students keep key notes and products in a portfolio together with
reflections
3. Inquiry: investigate times and places in travel writing and discover cultural idiosyncrasies and
seemingly strange traditions to which dwelling closer make these understandable.
Products: 1. posters with pictures and captions/ 2. PP presentations / 3. photo collage
Presentations of products (show & tell) in pairs/groups – delegating responsibilities and roles
4. Concept mapping – planning, representing cultural elements (family, government), central
idea and relevant facts, argument/thesis and proof; genres and conventions
Products: graphic representations of investigations and findings kept in portfolio
5. Global concept - Orientation in space and time – timelines; textual analysis questions and
answers
6. Discussions (whole class/groups)
7. Writing process: drafting, writing proofreading, editing
8. Reading strategies- pre-reading vocabulary and conceptual understanding
Formative assessment
Assessing prior learning
Regular quizzes for vocabulary, concepts, language devices, literary devices, textual content
(through games, competitions, online tests, paper tests)
Observation (focusing on individual students’ responses to selected items)
Portfolio assessment
Peer interaction
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 Differentiation
1. adaptation of formative assessment
2. Choices in individual, pair, group preferences (with whom to work);
3. assistance with vocabulary; access to abridged texts;
4. differentiated homework;
5. formative assessment tasks according to need;
6. extension content for advanced students based on personal interest;
7. goal setting and explanation of criteria ‘next level’;
8. access to resources (vocabulary lists, questions sample answers, sample essays/other writing
samples/ writing conventions

Resources

Texts:
Extracts from:
“A Walk in The Woods”
Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
by Bill Bryson
“Robbed in Prague” by John Simpson
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes by Robert Louis Stevenson
‘Amundsen’s arrival at the South Pole’ excerpt by Roald Amundsen.
Once by Morris Gleitzman. (Felix and prisoners on the train to Auschwitz.)

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 “The British” (poem) by Benjamin Zephaniah
‘The Road not Taken’ by Robert Frost
Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry
Prior to teaching the unit
In this unit, students will read and analyse a range of
short stories that take them around world. They will
find it interesting to learn about the journeys, both
physical and mental, that people have undertaken at
different times and to different parts of the world as
they can also share their own experiences as travellers.
Students are familiar with the short-story genre from
the point of view of story structure and plot
development although some revision of concepts and
terminology will take place.
Students will have a preference for certain authors and
their narrative content, and they will have the
opportunity to select and to research such authors in
more depth and present their findings/products
(posters, essays, PPT presentations etc.) to the class.
The closest learner attribute are risk-takers and open-
minded, as the unit reflects the often-challenging
elements involved in the process of travel and
discovery.
Interdisciplinary connections identified are with
Individuals and Society, Russian and Kazakh language
and literature and the unit provides opportunities for
students to work alone, in pairs and in small groups.
Most students prefer to work collaboratively but there
is a tendency t want to form groups based on gender
or according to the likelihood of being generally aware
of the potential to get things right,
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During teaching After teaching the unit
What difficulties did we encounter while What were the learning outcomes of this unit? 
completing the unit or the summative
How well did the summative assessment task
assessment task(s)? 
serve to distinguish levels of achievement? 
 What resources are proving useful, and what
Was the task sufficiently complex to allow
other resources do we need? 
students to reach the highest levels? 
 What student inquiries are emerging? 
What evidence of learning can we identify? 
What can we adjust or change? 
What artifacts of learning should we document? 
What skills need more practice? 
Which teaching strategies were effective? Why? 
What is the level of student engagement? 
What was surprising? 
How can we scaffold learning for students who
What student-initiated action did we notice? 
need more guidance? 
What will we do differently next time? 
 What is happening in the world right now with
which we could connect teaching and learning How will we build on our experience to plan the
in this unit?  next unit? 
 How well are the learning experiences aligned How effectively did we differentiate learning in
with the unit’s objectives?  this unit? 
What opportunities are we hearing to help What can students carry forward from this unit to
students explore the interpretative nature of the next year/level of study? 
knowledge, including personal biases that
Which subject groups could we work with next
might be retained, revised or rejected? (DP
time? 
theory of knowledge skills development)
What did we learn from standardizing the
assessment?
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There are several opportunities for service learning
opportunities.
Are there any possible opportunities for meaningful
service learning? 
 What in the unit might be inspiring for
community or personal projects? N/A

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