IB Middle Years Program [MYP]

MYP Arts for Grades 6 to 8 is a required three-year arts curriculum. Students study two of the three Arts areas (Music, Drama, Visual Arts) during each academic year. Students in Grades 9 and 10 will begin to narrow their focus by choosing two of the three Arts (Music, Drama, Visual Arts).

MYP Arts students reflect, connect, and document their artistic efforts in developmental workbooks in both visual and performing arts classes. Teachers of the MYP Arts have adapted the New South Wales standards to fit with the MYP expectations in order to ensure student’s skills are at an appropriate level.

MYP Design aims to provide the means and the context to help students become skillful problem solvers who can appreciate the role of technology in everyday life and society and can respond critically and resourcefully to real-life challenges. Students are expected to solve problems through the creation of technological products or solutions; they investigate problems and use the technology design cycle as a tool to design, create and evaluate products/solutions.

The MYP Design teachers have adapted the British National Curriculum standards in order to ensure the appropriate levels of skills are taught throughout the program.

The aim of Humanities in the MYP is to encourage students to respect and understand the world around them. The primary focus of Humanities is for students to examine the historical, social, religious, technological, and cultural aspects of a variety of civilizations and how the choices we have made in the past affect us today. Students accomplish this task through examining both primary and secondary sources as well as completing independent research. They are continuously challenged through each unit to apply and critically examine their knowledge about current and historical events.

Teachers of the MYP Humanities have adapted the AERO standards to ensure that students are taught appropriate skills throughout each level of the program.

The main aim of Language Acquisition in the MYP is to encourage students to gain competence in a modern language (Mandarin, Spanish, or English) other than their mother tongue, with the long-term goal of balanced bilingualism. Students who are enrolled in this course will show the level of competency expected of students who have studied a second language without access to the language outside the school environment. The course provides instruction in reading, listening, writing, and speaking that extends and uses students’ skills to read, write, and interpret a variety of literary and informational texts.

The MYP Language Acquisition teachers have adapted the Oregon English Language Proficiency standards (English Acquisition) and the California World Language standards (Mandarin and Spanish Acquisition) in order to ensure the appropriate level of skills are taught throughout the program.

The aim of Language and Literature in the MYP is to foster analytical thinking and response to literature. Students are exposed to language, literary, and non-literary genres through viewing, listening, speaking, reading, writing and presenting. They identify, explore, respond to, and reflect on these texts’ origins, structure, meaning and significance. To foster a lifelong love of reading, students are challenged to independently read a variety of age- and ability-appropriate texts of their choice.

Teachers of the MYP Language and Literature use the Common Core standards to ensure that an appropriate level of skill is taught throughout the program.

The aim of Mathematics at TCIS is to provide an in-depth exploration of the different strands of Math and their real-world applications. Throughout grades 6-10 students, are challenged to extend their knowledge and understanding by solving open-ended problems and thinking critically. This occurs in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: recognizing and working with algebraic concepts in real-world situations; looking at geometric concepts and developing justifications and reasons to support hypotheses in order to logically explain their arguments; extending previously learned algebraic techniques; as well as providing an introduction to skills necessary in preparation for the IB DP coursework.

Technology tools such as Geogebra, scientific and graphing calculators, and other online resources are incorporated as appropriate to each course. Students will be assessed through a variety of methods including investigations, journals, quizzes, tests, and culminating tasks.

The MYP Math teachers have adapted the Next Generation Sunshine State Mathematics standards in order to ensure the appropriate levels of skills are taught throughout the program.

MYP Physical and Health Education (PHE) is a multifaceted program designed to give all students from varying backgrounds an opportunity to develop lifelong skills and knowledge to lead active and healthy lives. Through a variety of team, individual and creative units, students learn how to think critically and creatively using their body as the medium. Students will develop learning skills such as collaboration, self management, communication, research, and reflection. Students are assessed using the IB MYP PHE Objectives and Criterion through performance assessment, video analysis, tests, assignments, personal reflections and oral presentations.

The TCIS Physical and Health Education program is aligned to the Australian Curriculum standards to ensure continuity throughout all aspects of the program.

The aim of Science at TCIS is to foster independent and critical thinking skills in order to make real-life connections. Students will investigate a selected set of material in order to develop a body of knowledge, participate in laboratory experiences, and explore the impact of scientific research in order to acquire the practices and analytical skills of successful scientists. The points of emphasis can range from but are not limited to: practical activities, data analysis, problem-solving and communication skills including gathering and presenting data from experiments, and the analysis and evaluation of these results both through individual and collaborative work. Links will be made to the nature of science, technology and society. Students will be assessed through a variety of methods including inquiry-based projects, laboratory work, unit tests, and writing tasks.

The MYP Science teachers have adapted Next Generation Science standards in order to ensure the appropriate levels of skills are taught throughout the program.

While it is not an MYP class, the aim of Bible at TCIS is to use inquiry to discover the truth contained in God’s word. The Biblical Studies department uses an MYP framework to guide the inquiry process. The scope and sequence in 6-10 is designed to show the symmetry of the Bible and help kids understand God’s redemptive plan in both the Old and New Testament. The Biblical Studies Department endeavors to provide an appropriate inquiry process so that students who already know the Bible can gain a greater knowledge while students who are unfamiliar with the Bible can gain a basic understanding of Christianity.