My IB Understanding each element of the Unit Planner in isolation is only the first step. The true craft of an MYP educator lies in synthesis. This chapter walks through the exact, step-by-step workflow of building a highly effective unit plan from a blank template, using backward design.
Why This Matters
Educational purpose: the blueprint for meaning-making
The Unit Planner is the formal blueprint guaranteeing that the designed, delivered, and assessed curriculum stay integrated, moving educators beyond "What will we do today?" to "What do we want to learn?", "How best will we learn?", and "How will we know?"
The common misconception: "top-to-bottom" planning
Teachers often choose concepts, draft an SOI, and only weeks later figure out the summative — almost always producing a disjointed unit. Planning is dynamic, interrelated, and iterative.
What happens if this is ignored?
The Action section becomes a list of fun, disconnected activities; final assessments don't address the objectives, invalidating grades; and units fail to reach "Capable" or "Exemplary" in BQC review.
Core Concepts: The Step-by-Step Workflow
Phase 1: Inquiry (establishing the purpose)
Step 1 — Determine objectives and the summative: select the specific strands you'll assess, then design a task that authentically demonstrates those objectives.
Step 2 — Select the conceptual lenses: one Key Concept, one or two Related Concepts — less is more.
Step 3 — Anchor in a Global Context: choose one context and a specific exploration for real-world relevance.
Step 4 — Draft the Statement of Inquiry: synthesize concepts and context into one transferable sentence that becomes the unit's anchor.
Step 5 — Generate Inquiry Questions: Factual, Conceptual, Debatable to guide students toward the SOI.
Step 6 — Target specific ATL Skills: 1-3 specific skills tied directly to the summative's demands.
Phase 2: Action (learning and teaching through inquiry)
Step 7 — Front-load the content: the specific facts and standards students must learn.
Step 8 — Sequence the learning experiences: a lesson for every strand you plan to assess.
Step 9 — Plan formative assessment and differentiation: low-stakes checks and tangible, planned scaffolds.
Phase 3: Reflection (considering the planning, process, and impact)
Step 10 — The three stages of reflection: prior to teaching (prior knowledge, challenges), during teaching (what's working, live adjustments), and after teaching (achievement data, ATL effectiveness, next year's changes).
Common Mistakes
1. The "orphaned" summative assessment
How to avoid: document the explicit relationship between the summative and the SOI; the prompt must require using the concepts to solve a problem in context.
2. The ATL "wishlist"
How to avoid: identify only a few specific skills with clear descriptions of how they'll be explicitly taught.
3. "Invisible" differentiation
How to avoid: document exact scaffolds (e.g., specific sentence frames) rather than vague promises of "extra help."
4. Assessing the untaught
How to avoid: ensure absolute constructive alignment — Objective maps to Criterion, which maps to the taught lesson.
5. The empty reflection box
How to avoid: use achievement data to drive specific documentation of what will change next year.
Practical Classroom Examples
Mathematics (Year 3). Objectives C & D drive a summative where students act as urban planners. Key Concept Form, Related Concepts Space, Models, Global Context Fairness and development. SOI: "Mathematical models of physical space and form can be utilized to improve the equitable development of a community." Targeted ATL: organizing information logically for a formal proposal.
Language and Literature (Year 4). Objectives A & B drive a comparative literary essay. Key Concept Perspective, Related Concepts Character, Theme. Mid-unit, formative process journals reveal students confusing "Theme vs. Topic" — the teacher pauses to reteach it with a new visible thinking routine, documenting the pivot in real time.
Reflection Questions
- Did I start planning from the final assessment criteria, or from a list of fun activities?
- Does my summative actually force students to prove the Statement of Inquiry?
- Have I selected a realistic number of ATL Skills with dedicated teaching time?
- Would a colleague know exactly what tangible tools I'm using in Differentiation?
- Is my Reflection section filled with data-driven observations for next year?
Quick Checklist: Building the MYP Unit Plan
- ☐ Establish the destination — select the MYP Objective strands to summatively assess.
- ☐ Design the performance — an authentic assessment aligned to those objectives.
- ☐ Select the lenses — 1 Key Concept, 1-2 Related Concepts, one Global Context exploration.
- ☐ Draft the SOI and ensure the assessment explicitly addresses it.
- ☐ Map the pathway — Factual, Conceptual, Debatable questions.
- ☐ Target 1-3 highly specific ATL Skills.
- ☐ Plan the Action — content, ATL mini-lessons, formative assessments.
- ☐ Design scaffolds documented specifically.
- ☐ Reflect continuously, keeping the planner open while teaching.
Key Takeaways
- Backward design is essential — establish the summative and objectives first.
- The planner is interrelated — Inquiry, Action, Reflection are not isolated boxes.
- The SOI is the anchor of the unit.
- ATL Skills must be explicitly taught and formatively practiced, not just listed.
- Reflection drives quality — an exemplary plan evolves year after year.