CONTINUTING A
TRADITION OF
EXCELLENCE.
Omaha Central High School
Lewis and Clark Middle School
www.ops.org/high/central
INSIDE:
What is the IB MYP?
2
IB MYP Subjects
2
IB Learner Profile
3
IB MYP Areas of
3
Interaction
Assessment and the
IB Middle Years Programme
4
IB MYP
Planning for the IB
MYP
4
Personal Project
5
Fundamental
5
Concepts
IB MYP and
Academic Honesty
6
IB MYP and
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Languages
G U I D E
www.ops.org/middle/lewisandclark
F O R
P A R E N T S
A N D
T H E
From the Coordinators
We hope you find this a useful guide to better understand the International
Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) at Lewis and Clark Middle
School and Omaha Central High School. We appreciate how difficult it is for
parents and students to develop a good picture of the IB MYP, and feel that
the particular topics covered here should meet that need.
The IB MYP is a strong effort by both schools to create a coherent, continuous programme that is developmentally appropriate and that respects
the quality and requirements of existing city and state curricula. We will
continue to refine its structure and process to achieve this goal.
Our Mission
Lewis and Clark Middle School and Central High School International Baccalaureate Community is dedicated to creating inquisitive and compassionate global citizens by:
Establishing life long learners who are productive citizens
IB MYP and IB DP
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Preparing for the IB
DP with the IB MYP
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Contact Information
Andrew Karmazin
MYP Coordinator, L&C
[email protected]
(402) 557-4335
C O M M U N I T Y
Developing intercultural understanding and respect
Providing rigorous, multidisciplinary instruction
Key Terms
IB – International Baccalaureate
MYP – Middle Years Programme
DP – Diploma Programme
MYP Progress in Omaha Public Schools
Lewis and Clark Middle School and Central High School have formed a partnership and together are a candidate school* for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. Together they are pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a commitment to
Paul Nielson
MYP Coordinator, CHS
[email protected]
(402) 557-3335
Cathy Andrus
DP Coordinator, CHS
[email protected]
(402) 557-3320
For additional
information visit:
www.ibo.org
high quality, challenging, international education that Lewis and Clark Middle and Central High School believe
is important for our students.
The authorization process consists of four stages: a feasibility study, application A with trial implementation,
application B, and the authorization visit. Currently, Central High School and Lewis and Clark Middle School
are in the final stage of the authorization process, as all applications have been approved. The authorization
visit for the MYP will take place from February 27 to 29, 2012. During this visit the International Baccalaureate Organization visiting team will check that the criteria and conditions to teach the MYP have been met.
This includes determining whether the school is committed to the philosophy, aims, objectives, and standards and practices of the MYP. This visit will determine if authorization status is granted, and thus if the
schools become IB World Schools.
*Only schools authorized by the IB organization can offer any of its three academic programmes:
the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), or the Diploma Programme. Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.
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What is the IB MYP?
The IB Middle Years Programme provides a framework of academic challenge that encourages students to
embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world, and become critical and reflective thinkers. The programme:
Encourages international mindedness in IB students, starting with a foundation in their own language
and culture.
IB Mission Statement
Encourages a positive attitude toward learning by challenging students to solve problems, show
The IB aims to develop
inquiring, knowledgeable,
and caring young people
who help to create a better
and more peaceful world
through intercultural
understanding and respect.
To this end the
organization works with
schools, governments and
international organizations
to develop challenging
programmes of
international education and
rigorous assessment.
These programmes
encourage students across
the world to become
active, compassionate, and
lifelong learners who
understand that other
people, with their
differences, can also be
right.
creativity and resourcefulness, and participate actively in their communities.
Reflects real life by providing a framework that allows students to see the connections among the
subjects themselves, and between the subject and real issues.
Supports the development of communication skills to encourage inquiry, understanding, language
acquisition, and to allow student reflection and expression.
Emphasizes, through the learner profile, the development of the whole student—physically, intellectually, emotionally, and ethically.
Each IB MYP is authorized independently. This means that each school determines what the programme will look like in
their community. Our MYP uses the curriculum from Omaha Public Schools and merges it with the MYP framework.
This combination creates a unique learning experience which reflects both the values of the MYP and Omaha Public
Schools.
IB MYP Subjects
The IB MYP has a core composed of eight subjects. Each student in the MYP is expected to take all subjects
at Lewis and Clark Middle School. At Omaha Central High School, students are required to take a minimum
of six subjects each year. The eight subjects are:
*Language A (English)
*Arts (Fine and Performing)
*Language B
*Mathematics
*Humanities
*Technology
*Physical Education
*Sciences
Each of these subjects corresponds generally to what is offered as part of the OPS curriculum. IB MYP courses are different and characterized by the:
Use of the MYP aims, objectives and criteria for assessments long range planning
Use of the Areas of Interaction to connect content across subjects
(Interdisciplinary)
Use of guiding questions, the design cycle, and reflective writing
Infusion of international-mindedness
Additionally, our schools have made a strong commitment to offer world languages over
the four years of the MYP. These language courses include French and Spanish.
The IB MYP is fundamentally an instructional model with a curriculum framework. This
means that any course can be taught as an IB MYP course, not just those of high academic level. At Lewis and Clark Middle School all teachers participate in IB MYP activities and expectations, regardless of what level of students they teach. This allows the IB
MYP model to be used in honors, special education, English as a Second Language, cooperative arts and core educational classes.
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The MYP Student and the Learner Profile
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship
of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. At our schools, we will develop this type of person by developing the traits of
the IB Learner Profile within all students. IB learners strive to be:
Inquirers – They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning.
They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.
Knowledgeable – They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and
develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.
Thinkers – They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned,
ethical decisions.
Communicators – They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes
of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.
Principled – They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.
Open-minded – They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of
other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from experience.
Caring – They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act
to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.
Risk-takers – They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new
roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.
Balanced – They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.
Reflective – They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and
limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.
The Areas of Interaction
The Areas of Interaction (AoI) are a critical piece of the IB MYP instructional model,
serving to connect students to real-world learning as well as challenge them with
deeper questions about the subject material. The AoI are five specific themes that are
used to help shape teaching units over the four years of the programme. Teachers
identify one AoI to guide discussion about the content of the unit. This may take the
form of guiding questions, reflections, reading selections, or even broader projects.
The Five Areas of Interaction are:
Approaches to Learning: more personal than the other AOI, in that it relates
to the individual student and learning styles; includes teaching a variety of learning
and organizational strategies, from which students choose the most appropriate
As part of a community and service project, students at Lewis and
Clark hosted a blood drive for the Red Cross..
Community and Service: considers the relationships between individuals, specific groups, and society at large; students examine both what they receive from society, and what they can contribute to improve society.
Human Ingenuity: examines human creativity; innovations, creative thinking, artistic expression, and inventions; and its
impact on individuals, societies, and the world and develop an understanding that through time, history and society have
changed by humanity’s creative genius.
Environments: used to examine the world in which we live, including both natural and manmade environments; students consider different ways of utilizing and protecting the world around us and understand how issues effect society,
ecology, and economy.
Health and Social Education: considers both physical and mental health, including personal growth, social issues, and
making informed choices, thus developing a sense of responsibility for one’s own well-being and personal relationships.
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Assessment and the IB MYP
Assessment of student achievement in the IB MYP is different from typical assessment practices and
includes several distinct components. The intention of IB MYP assessment is to use criterion-based
rubrics, grading against set criteria, each year of the programme that prepare students for 10 th grade
assessment activities.
General assessment practices include:
Backward planning with teachers designing the assessment tasks first, and then developing
the lessons to make students successful.
The use of predictive (before learning), formative (during learning) and summative (after
learning) assessment. Assessment is seen as an integrated part of learning.
Rubrics are used to increase student awareness of, and achievement toward, the specific
learning goals of the teaching unit.
Assessments build toward the tenth grade year of the IB MYP. Aligning the knowledge
and skills gained from 7th to 10th grade, shared assessment development, and standardized
scoring support a consistent and logical progression in student success.
As part of their assessment on knowledge and
understanding and communication in science,, this science class created Periodic
Tables of Ordinary Objects.
Conceptually, each IB MYP subject is a four-year course in an area of study ending in the 10th grade.
During the 10th grade, students participate in IB MYP assessment tasks that use the assessment criteria
from the MYP subject guides. These tasks are incorporated as part of the regular teaching and assessing
process, and do not constitute additional work for students. All assessment tasks are designed by IB
MYP teachers and evaluate student achievement on the regular course goals. These tasks are validated
informally by the IB to ensure they meet an international standard for rigor.
“All IB MYP
assessment
Planning for the IB MYP
activities help
prepare students
for the final
6th Grade
Plan 7th grade schedule with counseling staff
th
7 Grade
Receive IB MYP Student information
assessment tasks in
Learn about the IB MYP during Homeroom and
during classes
Participate in IB MYP activities and assessments
the 10th grade
year.”
Complete the IB MYP Homeroom Project
Plan 8th grade schedule with counseling staff
8th Grade
Participate in IB MYP activities and assessments
Learn about the IB MYP Personal Project
Complete the IB MYP 8th grade Capstone Project
Both visual and performing arts are a major part of the
IB MYP.
Plan 9th grade schedule with counseling staff
Formally indicate to the IB DP Coordinator a desire to pursue the IB DP
th
9 Grade
Participate in IB MYP activities and assessments
Submit topic for the Personal Project
Plan 10th grade schedule with counseling staff
10thGrade
Participate in IB MYP activities and final year assessments
Work on and complete the Personal Project
Participate in the Personal Project Fair
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MYP Personal Project
The Personal Project is the culminating activity for the IB MYP students. At Omaha Central High School, all MYP students in the 10thgrade
are encouraged to complete the Personal Project. The Personal Project is presented during the Personal Project Fair which is held in the
spring of the student’s 10th grade year.
The Personal Project is a student’s unique response to the challenge to identify and pursue a personal goal
to its conclusion. Goals are developed around one of the five Areas of Interaction, and are intended to
allow students to demonstrate their growth as learners and active members of the community. For many
students, the Personal Project is a particularly meaningful activity and a point of reference for future pursuits: college applications/admission; Advanced Academic coursework (IB DP Classes), and the Extended
Essay.
Students are introduced to the Personal Project during their 7 th and 8th grade year, when they complete
the Homeroom Capstone Project at Lewis and Clark. Students begin working on their Personal Project in
9th grade after initial discussions with the coordinators. Students are assigned an advisor, who works with
the student to ensure they are progressing toward their goal. The Projects are assessed and displayed
during the spring, Personal Project Fair. The Personal Project counts towards the final MYP assessment.
These students added a community garden to
Lewis and Clark Middle School.
Each Project is a unique expression of a student’s interests. Examples of projects include:
Art – painting, music, video, photography
Writing – novels, short stories, poetry, essays
Design – bridges, gardens, studios, games, computer software
Community – environmental projects, concerts, fund-raising, tutoring
Fundamental Concepts of the MYP
Adolescents are confronted with a vast and often bewildering array of choices. The MYP is designed to provide students with
the values and opportunities that will enable them to develop sound judgment. From its beginning, the MYP has been guided by
three fundamental concepts that are rooted in the IB mission statement.
These three fundamental concepts are:
Holistic learning—representing the notion that all knowledge is interrelated and that the curriculum should cater to the development of the
whole person, the attributes of which are described by the IB learner
profile
Intercultural awareness—representing the notion that school communities should encourage and promote international-mindedness by
engaging with and exploring other cultures, a key feature of international
education as reflected in the attributes of the IB learner profile
Communication—representing the notion that schools should encourage open and effective communication, important skills that contribute to
international understanding as exemplified by the attributes of the IB
learner profile.
“We, not me” is a common expression at
Lewis and Clark. It helps to create a group
of principled individuals, on and off the
court.
The IB learner profile and the MYP fundamental concepts provide schools with guidance on their school policies and practices
as they implement and develop the programme.
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MYP and Academic Honesty
The IB organization defines academic honesty in Academic Honesty as ―a set of values and skills that promote personal integrity and good practice in teaching, learning and assessment.‖ The qualities of personal integrity principles included in the Learner Profile are primary reasons for focusing on academic
honesty. IBO defines students who are principled as acting ―with integrity and honesty, with a strong
sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of individual groups, and communities. They take
responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.‖ All stakeholders
(students, teachers, parents, administrators) benefit from an atmosphere in which academic honesty is
expected and celebrated. Academic honesty requires students’ work be authentic, students to have respect for
intellectual property and students to have an avoidance of malpractice.
What are the responsibilities of each student?
To ensure all work submitted for assessment is authentic with the ideas and work of
others fully documented
To acknowledge the work and ideas of others
Academic Honesty is taught to all students as
part of the IB MYP’s approaches to learning.
“Language study
involves the
exploration of
cultures associated
with a specific
language,
promotes,
personal growth,
enhances cultural
identity and
develops effective,
independent
To assume responsibility for the consequences of personal actions if work is not authentic regardless of whether the plagiarism is deliberate or negligent. The same is true of
collusion, knowingly copying others work.
What are the responsibilities of each parent?
To support students, the schools, and the IB organization, in their quest for academic
honesty.
Each teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School and Omaha Central High School will help ensure that all
students are taught appropriate research and study skills through the Area of Interaction, Approaches to
Learning. This will allow students to appropriately document their resources and help ensure academic
honesty.
MYP and Languages
Lewis and Clark Middle School and Omaha Central High School recognize language as the key to learning. Thus, all teachers are in essence
teachers of language. All teachers are responsible to facilitate the development of students in reading, writing and oral communication.
The schools embrace the IB philosophy encouraging students to be
effective communicators in their first language as well as a second language. Lewis and Clark Middle School and Central High School support
all students having the opportunity.
thinking, and
fosters clear,
precise
communication.”
Language study encompasses more than reading, writing and speaking.
It involves the exploration of cultures associated with a specific language, promotes personal growth, enhances cultural identity and develops effective, independent thinking, and fosters clear, precise communication.
The emphasis on World Languages helps
build international mindedness in all IB MYP
students.
Although a second language is not required for graduation by Omaha
Public Schools, it is encouraged by teachers and counselors as a prerequisite for college admission. The study of
languages and cultures facilitates international mindedness in both students and staff. In this way, all students in
the Middle Years Programme will be required to take four years of either French or Spanish.
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IB MYP and the IB Diploma Programme
As a middle school partnership, Lewis and Clark Middle School and Central High School offer two distinct International Baccalaureate programs—the IB MYP and the IB DP. The IB DP is for juniors and seniors at Central,. The IB MYP is for all 7th and 8th graders at Lewis and
Clark Middle School and for 9th and 10th graders at Central, who have transitioned from Lewis and Clark or another MYP. Both programmes are currently candidate schools and both could be authorized for the 2012-2013 school year. The IB MYP and the IB DP are part
of a continuum of education, providing students in Omaha the opportunity to pursue a rigorous, real-world focused course of study that
emphasizes development of student characteristics.
The IB MYP at Lewis and Clark Middle School is designed to be an inclusive programme, where all students at Lewis and Clark are participants. Currently the programme is structured that only students from Lewis and Clark & Millard North Middle School will be participants in
the MYP at Central High School. Although the two programs are very complimentary, students are not required to complete the IB MYP in order to be
in the IB DP . This is intended to provide as open enrollment process as possible to encourage student participation in our most challenging
courses.
Preparing for the DP with the MYP
The MYP develops skills and knowledge necessary for success in the DP. By the end of the MYP, students should be able to
plan, organize and complete their own learning activities with limited support. They should have strong communication skills
using a variety of styles of communication, such as different languages and the specific styles of mathematics, sciences, humanities, arts, etc. Students should be able to identify and build on their strengths, as well as identify and accommodate their
weaker areas.
In addition to these academic skills, over the course of the MYP, students
will develop a strong knowledge and skills base in the different subject areas. These knowledge and skills help to prepare students for the greater
challenges of the IB Diploma Programme.
MYP students interested in pursuing the IB DP at Central High School
register for MYP honors classes in English, math, biology, and US History.
Students continue the world language started at Lewis and Clark and take
Freshmen Academics Career and Technolgy Skills (FACTs) class. In either
9th or 10th grade, MYP students are required to take PE and an arts class
(music, drama or fine arts). By continuing in the MYP, DP students participate in the continuum of the International Baccalaureate. Each programme
is designed to meet the intellectual developmental needs of students at that
particular age. Although there is a common, strong philosophy underpinning both the programmes, each programme has distinct characteristics
that are age appropriate. The MYP is an inclusive programme including
grades 7-10. The DP, although not exclusive, is rigorous and intended to
prepare students for success at the university level.
In addition, the IB DP is a prescribed curriculum organized around six disciplines (Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Experimental Sciences, Mathematics and the Arts). Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is both a course
the students take, as well as, a common thread connecting the disciplines. TOK encourages students to reflect on their experiences as learners and to make connections between academic disciplines and between thoughts, feelings and actions. TOK
guiding questions are incorporated into every DP course. The DP courses are assessed through external moderation of internally assessed work and external examinations. Learning is brought to life through Creativity, Action and Service and the culminating experience is the production of the Extended Essay.
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