Resources

"Teachers inventory available resources and consider what additional people, learning environments and teaching materials are necessary to fulfill the unit’s purpose. This section also considers the language and life experiences that students and the larger school community can bring to the inquiry." - Evaluating MYP interdisciplinary unit plans

Details to remember

• Identifying all of the unit's resources used in the teaching process and available to students can provide easy, organized access for both teachers and students.

• Here is a list of potential types of resources and resource details to consider:

  • specific resources for differentiating the learning process, with both learning support and learning extension options identified

  • specific resources that can provide a range of culturally diverse perspectives

  • specific resources that might inspire student action and service-learning

  • specific resources that effectively integrate technology to optimize learning and expression,

  • names of guest speakers from the school or wider community who could provide personal insights into specific elements of the unit

  • community environments that might be used to help students experience authentic applications of the unit’s content and/or conceptual ideas

  • bibliographic references to any print resources such as books, magazines, sheet music, etc.

  • URL addresses for all digital resources used in teaching and available to students such as websites, blogs, apps and/or software

• Including these details will provide a clear written record of curriculum support, and can facilitate teaching of the unit in subsequent years and/or teaching of the same unit by different teachers

Example

In this guide, a language and literature and sciences interdisciplinary unit is used to illustrate one example of what each unit plan section could look like using the provided guidance. Below is the resources section of that unit.

Check the resources through the descriptors (shown below) from the IB publication Evaluating MYP interdisciplinary unit plans.

It is not 'required' that every type of resource noted in the 'sharing' level column above be present for the resources to demonstrate 'sharing' level thoroughness. However, it can be helpful to keep the topics (and the questions below) in mind in order to expand the types of resources that are considered.

• Are the resources clearly identified? Are links/URLs and/or reference information provided?

• Are there a range of entry points into content and learning resources/environments?

• Are there learning support and extension resources identified?

• Are resources identified that can provide diverse points of view on interdisciplinary issues and ideas?

• (If applicable) Is effective technology integration evident?

• (If applicable) Are students' life experiences and multi-literacies used to inspire learning?

• Are resources identified that could inspire or create opportunities for action and real-world learning?

• Are people, organizations and/or facilities in the community noted that could provide meaningful opportunities for interaction?