Interdisciplinary unit planner draft- Pre-release materials May 2023

This is a brainstorming document intended to consider potential ways to support students in exploring the ideas presented in the pre-release
material associated with ID eAssessment, May 2023.
Teacher(s) Subject groups Sciences, Mathematics

Unit title MYP year 5 Unit duration

Inquiry: establishing the purpose of an interdisciplinary unit

Purpose of integration

Disciplinary knowledge contributing to the integrated purpose:

● During the disciplinary learning in science, students will:

○ focus on the ways in which scientific inquiry and data analysis contribute to understanding and addressing the complex issues surrounding
sustainable transportation. They will use scientific methods to gather data, analyze results, and draw conclusions about the effectiveness of
different sustainable transportation options.
○ explore fundamental principles of sustainable transport, including environmental impacts, energy use, and emissions. They will also investigate
the evidence behind various transportation technologies, such as electric vehicles and public transportation systems. Optionally, students can
investigate the impact of transportation on public health, including air pollution, noise pollution, and physical activity levels.

● During the disciplinary learning in mathematics, students will:

○ focus on the ways in which mathematical reasoning and problem-solving can contribute to developing an understanding of the quantitative
aspects of sustainable transportation. They will analyze data, make predictions based on models, and develop evidence-based
recommendations regarding the future of sustainable transport.
○ analyze and interpret data related to sustainable transportation. They will create mathematical models to estimate the energy efficiency, cost,
and environmental impact of different transportation options. Optionally, students can also analyze the impact of various factors such as traffic
congestion, fuel efficiency, and driving habits on carbon emissions.

Integrated purpose/Synthesis:
● During the interdisciplinary teaching and learning process, students will combine their learning from both subjects to develop:
○ an evidence-based policy recommendation from the perspective of a selected population/interest group regarding the future of sustainable
transportation.
○ (Alternative idea): a Sustainable Transportation Fair. Each student (or pairs/small groups) will create a workshop, presentation or informational
Booth which includes evidence-based background information and proposed solutions, addressing the perspectives of a specific constituency.

Key concept(s)/(related concepts) Global context

Concepts: Global context: Globalisation and sustainability
Perspective, evidence, interpretation Exploration: Sustainable transport

Statement of inquiry

Investigating and interpreting evidence from multiple perspectives supports decision-making in the transition to sustainable transport.

Inquiry questions

Factual: Blue- IB suggested questions

● What issues/problems are created by traditional transport methods?

● What are the key factors that make a transport method “sustainable”?
● What are some different forms of sustainable transport? What are the benefits and challenges to each?

● What factors need to be taken into consideration when developing a sustainable transport method and system?
● What energy sources could be considered to support sustainable transport methods? What are the benefits and challenges to each?
● What are the most significant barriers to transitioning to sustainable transport, and how can they be overcome?

● What forms of research can provide meaningful, valid evidence?

Conceptual:
● How can we identify the most sustainable transport methods?
● How can personal interests influence how evidence of “sustainability” is interpreted?
● How do cultural, economic, and social perspectives impact the transition to sustainable transport?

Debatable:
● To what extent do personal circumstances influence perspectives on transport?
● To what extent should governments invest in sustainable transport solutions?
● Should individuals be financially incentivized to use sustainable transport methods?
● How can we balance the need for economic growth with the need for sustainable transport?

During the learning process, students will explore the pre-release materials, framed through these questions:

● What words and ideas in the sources are new, challenging to understand, or have unique meanings in this context?
● How does the pre-release material express disciplinary and interdisciplinary ways of knowing?
● How is everything connected?
Summative assessment—interdisciplinary performance(s) of understanding

Interdisciplinary objectives/criteria
A. Evaluating
i. Analyse disciplinary knowledge
ii. Evaluate the interdisciplinary perspectives

B. Synthesizing
i. create a product that communicates a purposeful interdisciplinary understanding
ii. justify how their product communicates interdisciplinary understanding

C. Reflecting
i. discuss the development of their own interdisciplinary understanding
ii. discuss how new interdisciplinary understanding enables action’

Summative Task ideas (depending on available time and resources)

Sustainable Transportation Policy Development

Research and develop policy recommendations that encourage the adoption of sustainable transportation practices at the local, state, or national level.

Students will:
● Research sustainable transportation policies and practices at the local, state, or national level. Collect data on the effectiveness of different policies and
practices in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable transportation.
● Analyze the data to identify the most effective policies and practices for promoting sustainable transportation.
● Develop policy recommendations that encourage the adoption of sustainable transportation practices at the local, state, or national level. These
recommendations should be based on scientific evidence and best practices identified through research and analysis.
● Present the policy recommendations in a clear, concise, and persuasive manner. Use data, graphs, and other visual aids to support the
recommendations.
● Share the policy recommendations with policymakers and other stakeholders, such as local officials, community organizations, and advocacy groups.

In the policy recommendations, students will address the following:

1. Introduction: Introduce the issue of sustainable transportation and the goals of the policy recommendations.
2. Analysis: Provide a detailed analysis of the sustainable transportation policies and practices at the local, state, or national level. Use scientific evidence
and best practices to identify the most effective policies and practices for promoting sustainable transportation.
3. Recommendations: Identify specific policy recommendations that encourage the adoption of sustainable transportation practices. These
recommendations should be based on scientific evidence and best practices identified through research and analysis.
4. Implementation: Describe how your recommendations can be implemented, including any legislative or regulatory changes that may be required.
5. Evaluation: Discuss how the effectiveness of your policy recommendations will be evaluated and how success will be measured.

Assessment:
● Product: (Crit. Bi) Policy
 ● Process Journal:
○ (Crit. Ai) Analysis of disciplinary knowledge. Example questions to consider:
■ What specific elements of disciplinary knowledge from Science and Maths contribute to my understanding the topic of sustainable
transportation?
■ How do the knowlede and skills of Sciences and Maths help me consider the causes, scope and consequences of sustainable
transportation?
■ What differences and similarities do I notice in how each subject :
● approaches the topic of sustainable transportation?
● Interprets the concepts “perspective”, “evidence”, and “interpretation”, and the relationship between the concepts?
○ (Crit. Aii) Evaluation of interdisciplinary perspectives. Example questions to consider:
■ What new, more compelling or nuanced understandings of this topic and statement of inquiry do I have now because of the synthesis of
these subjects?
■ Strengths:
● How does combining the perspectives and content of Sciences and Maths help me understand this topic and statement of
inquiry more fully than I could through either subject alone?
● What specific knowledge, understanding, skills from each subject was most impactful in strengthening my understanding?
■ Limitations:
● What could be limitations in combining these particular subjects?
● What other subjects might add another dimension to my thinking about this topic and statement of inquiry?
○ (Crit. Bii) Justification of how the policy communicates interdisciplinary understanding. Example questions to consider:
■ In what specific ways does my product synthesize knowledge from both/all subjects/disciplines to communicate interdisciplinary
understanding? (Remember to give valid reasons and describe evidences how the contributions from the disciplines are truely
integrated in the product.)
○ (Crit. Ci) Discuss the development of your own interdisciplinary understanding over the course of the unit. Example questions to consider:
■ What did I already know about this issue prior to the unit?
■ What did I already know about the Science and Maths content needed in this exploration?
■ How did my understanding of the knowledge domains in each subject change over the course of the unit?
■ In what ways (if any) did my understanding of disciplinary knowledge change or expand when I combined the two subjects in my
product?
■ What was my thinking process as I tried to combine the disciplinary knowledge into a synthesized understanding? (ie. Did some
aspects of each subject stay separate? Did some things seem to blend together?)
■ Did any subject/discipline seem more important to the purpose and outcome of the unit?
■ In what ways did my understanding of the unit’s topic, issues, concepts, statement of inquiry change over the course of the unit?
○ (Crit. Cii) Discuss how new interdisciplinary understanding could promote action in the community. Example questions to consider:
■ What are some things I learned during this unit that caused me to think differently about the world?
■ What types of action resulted/could result from the learning in this unit? (direct, indirect, advocacy, research)
■ What types of action do I hope my product could inspire?
■ What further action might I be interested in taking based on what I’ve learned in this unit?

More action oriented idea:

Sustainable Transportation Fair

Project Objectives:
 ● To educate and encourage the community to adopt environmentally-friendly transportation practices and to raise awareness about the impact of
transportation on the environment.
● To develop students' leadership, communication, and teamwork skills
● To foster community engagement and collaboration for a sustainable future

Project Activities:
1. Research and Planning: The students will conduct research on sustainable transportation practices, identify local organizations working on sustainable
transportation, and plan the fair activities.
2. Community Engagement: The students will reach out to local businesses, organizations, and government agencies to invite them to participate in the
fair. They will also engage with the school and local community through social media, flyers, and other forms of outreach to invite them to attend the fair.
3. Fair Activities: The fair will include a range of activities and exhibits, such as:
● Workshops and presentations on sustainable transportation practices
● Potential options depending on student initiatives:
■ Exhibits on sustainable transportation options, such as electric vehicles, carpooling, and public transportation
■ Bike and walking tours
■ A raffle for sustainable transportation prizes, such as bike helmets or bus passes
■ Informational booths on how to reduce one's carbon footprint
4. Data Collection and Analysis: The students could collect data on the number of attendees, their demographics, and their knowledge and attitudes
towards sustainable transportation practices. They could also collect feedback from participants and use this data to evaluate the effectiveness of the
fair.
5. Reflection and Action: The students will reflect on their experiences organizing and hosting the fair and use their findings to develop an action plan for
promoting sustainable transportation practices in their school and community.

Assessment:
● Product: (Crit. Bi): Workshop/Presentation/Informational Booth
● Process Journal: (Same example question prompts as above)
○ (Crit. Ai) Analysis of disciplinary knowledge
○ (Crit. Aii) Evaluation of interdisciplinary perspectives
○ (Crit. Bii) Justification of how the policy communicates interdisciplinary understanding
○ (Crit. Ci) Discuss the development of your own interdisciplinary understanding over the course of the unit
○ (Crit. Cii) Discuss how new interdisciplinary understanding promoted engagement and action in the community

Approaches to learning (ATL)

ATL skills can be identified based on student needs and on the nature of the learning experiences.

Category/ Cluster In order for students to: they will need to The skill strategy/strategies that
cluster (objective, learning engagement, (skill indicator(s)) will be explicitly taught and
or assessment task) practised is/are:
(specific strategy/strategies)

Communication Communication

Social Collaboration

Self-management Organization
Affective
Reflection

Research Information literacy

Media literacy

Thinking Critical thinking

Creative thinking
Transfer

Action: Teaching and learning through interdisciplinary inquiry

Disciplinary grounding

Subject: Sciences Subject: Mathematics

MYP objectives MYP objectives

Related concepts: Related concepts:

Content Content

Factual knowledge: Factual knowledge:

Conceptual knowledge: Conceptual knowledge:

Procedural knowledge: Procedural knowledge:

Introduction to the interdisciplinary unit

Disciplinary learning engagements and teaching strategies Disciplinary learning engagements and teaching strategies

Interdisciplinary learning process

Interdisciplinary learning experiences and teaching strategies

Support details

Formative assessment

● Informal strategies:
○

● Formative tasks:
○

Differentiation

● Content:
○
 ● Process:
○

● Product/task:
○

Resources

Reflection: considering the planning, process and impact of interdisciplinary inquiry

Prior to teaching the unit During teaching After teaching the unit