Middle Years Programme
To explore the ASOY MYP Curriculum, or to find out more about the Year 5 personal project, please follow the links to the right.
The Middle Years Programme of Studies
Overview
The IB MYP is the middle continuum of studies that bridges the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP). It uses an inquiry-based curriculum to promote independent critical thinkers and provides a foundation of skills and knowledge to prepare students for success in the Diploma Programme. The MYP covers students aged 11 to 16 from grades 6 to 10.
Subjects
Students in the MYP study eight subjects: Design, Individuals and Societies, Language Acquisition , Language and Literature, Mathematics, Physical and Health Education, Sciences, and The Arts (Visual Arts and Music).
Design is a class where students are taught to be independent learners and critical thinkers to solve problems and use an iterative (improvement) process to develop and create solutions/products. Students work through researching products and information, developing design ideas and plans, creating their solution, and evaluating the solution they created, in areas such as computer programming, electronics, packaging, woodworking, and resistant materials.
Individuals and Societies teaches students about history, geography, psychology, economics, and more to explore the historical and present world and make connections. Students look at ancient history, but also at the world today to develop thinking, writing, presentation, and communication skills along with a foundation of knowledge that is helpful in their selected Diploma Programme subjects.
Language Acquisition at ASOY teaches students the French language. It uses a Phase system, where students who do not know much French and who are new to ASOY would enter the beginning Phase 1 or Phase 1/2 class at the appropriate grade level, where all the students are new, or newer learners of French. Students with some French knowledge and ability would enter a Phase 3 or Phase 3/4 class where students would have a greater knowledge. Students who are confident and more fluent in French would enter at Phase 5.
For native or near-native French speakers, ASOY offers Language and Literature A (French), which prepares them for French Language A in the Diploma Programme. This is new at ASOY and ties in with our French initiatives in the Primary Years Programme and the Diploma Programme.
Language and Literature teaches a breadth of literary genres and styles, allows students to explore different geographical writing, such as African authors, and develops the fundamentals and mechanics of the English language to help students progress in writing, speaking, and reading ability. Novel and short story reading, different writing formats and purposes, and presentation types are used throughout the year at each level, building on previous learning.
Mathematics is the study of mathematical processes, uses, and ideas, continuing on from PYP Grade 5 and culminating in MYP Year 5, which prepares students for a range of mathematics courses in the Diploma Programme. From simple geometry in grade 6, introductory logic in grade 7 leading to algebra in grade 8, and culminating in trigonometry, quadratic equations, and logarithms in grade 10, students build their mathematics skills every year.
Physical and Health Education, or PHE, combines two subjects often taught separately into one. In health, students learn about body systems and changes as well as valuable information and practice for first aid and water emergencies, among others. In the Physical Education part, students study a range of topics, not only through action, but also through analysis of strokes and forces, in order to improve their techniques and skills. Volleyball analysis, synchronized swimming, basketball, frisbee golf, and parkour are a few of the unit topics that students like.
Sciences at ASOY start out general in grade 6 and 7, but begin to be broken down in grade 8 to prepare students for the Diploma Programme. Units begin to be more discrete and focused at this point. Students study the environment, chemical properties, forces, and more in grade 6 and 7 and build on these in grade 8, leading to Sciences 9 and 10 where units deal more with topics centered on Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. This designed progression allows students to be better prepared to choose their Science majors in the Diploma Programme, while still being inquiry based and developing critical thinking skills at the MYP level.
The Arts at ASOY has two strands: Visual Arts and Music. Students in grades 6 to 10 take both Music and Visual Arts each year, each class taking 1 semester of Visual Arts and 1 semester of Music. In both classes, students work through a range of inquiry-based projects and build upon skills and knowledge from years before to develop a strong foundation in the Arts.