International Baccalaureate Program

Educating for Excellence

 

Rigor + Relevance + Relationships = Educational Excellence

MYP in the Classroom

Northside Blodgett Middle School

MYP Unit Forces in the Earth and Man

Instructors Josh Hunkele and Nick Rossington

Each spring, Northside Blodgett (NSB) seventh grade Science teachers Josh Hunkele and Nick Rossington implement an MYP learning unit designed to probe students’ knowledge of forces on earth’s surface and how they affect man. All seventh grade students at Northside Blodgett Middle School have completed the “Forces in the Earth and Man Project” since 2005.

“Our goal is to have students begin to understand that natural disasters have a far greater reach of influence on man than just the destruction of property and to develop an appreciation of current events,” says Mr. Rossington. During the six-week course, the seventh graders are assigned a force topic (hurricanes, earthquakes or volcanoes) and asked to investigate how man has been influenced by that force. The MYP Areas of Interaction are used as a framework to help guide students through this project, and also served to reinforce Quantum Leap’s Rigor, Relevance and Relationships:

Ø Approaches to Learning Students worked independently; students demonstrated a critical analysis of information (can explain the information to the teacher and classmates); students used APA citation to reference sources of information.

Ø Community & Service / Environment Students identified the effect of their natural disaster; students explained how science can be applied to prevent problems before they start or help solve them once they are realized; students suggested actions to be taken by themselves and classmates in response to these problems.

Ø Health & Social Students identified the ethical (right vs. wrong) and social (how it impacts the community) necessity of helping others in need.

Ø Homo Faber Students explained how scientists around the world are responding to this problem.

“As a result of this project, students developed an insight into the research process, an appreciation of the use of personal opinion in regards to ethical and societal issues and an understanding of proper citation practices,” said Mr. Rossington.