MYP Unit Description

English A Year 5 MYP / Grade 10

Unit title: The Future: Utopia or Dystopia?
Approximate duration: 8 weeks

Area of interaction focus Significant concept MYP Unit Question

Environments
What are the impacts of built
environments on language and
literature?
Global society will have to How would you portray the
determine what role future?
technology will play in future
development.

Unit Content
Critically read and creatively respond to Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World as follows:

Project 1: While reading your assigned book, I expect you to complete a writing-
based response that incorporates the following elements in an organized and high-
quality fashion:

· New vocabulary
· Literary terms—see the PowerPoint on the Summer Reading Project 2010 wiki
page for examples
· Quote analysis
· Possible discussion questions with your own answers
· Reflections and feedback focused at least in part on the unit question

Project 2: Since your first project required you to focus on written communication, I
would like to challenge you now to focus your energy on an oral and visual response to
your book. While I am not requiring you to focus on the more technical aspects of the
book in this response, clear inspiration and connections to the book must be evident in
what you produce for this part of the assessment.

Unit Objectives
• Understand and analyse the language, content, structure, meaning and significance
of both familiar and previously unseen oral, written and visual texts
• Express an informed and independent response to literary and non-literary texts
• Organize ideas and arguments in a sustained, coherent and logical manner
• Use language to narrate, describe, analyse, explain, argue, persuade, inform,
entertain and express feelings
• Use language accurately

Unit Texts or Materials

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
MYP Unit Description
English A Year 5 MYP / Grade 10
Assessment Criteria
Criterion A: Content (receptive and productive)
Achievement Level descriptor
level
0 The student does not reach a
standard described by any of the
descriptors below.
1-2 The student demonstrates very
limited understanding of the text
and topic, and little or no
awareness of the author’s choices.
There is little or no detail,
development or support.
In creative work, pieces show very
limited imagination or sensitivity;
the student rarely employs literary
features, or employs literary and/or
non-literary features that do not
serve the context or intention.
The use of terminology is missing,
inconsistent and/or incorrect.
3-4 The student demonstrates limited
understanding of the text and
topic,
and sometimes shows an
awareness of the author’s choices,
although detail, development
and/or support are insufficient.
In creative work, pieces show
limited imagination or sensitivity;
the student attempts to employ
literary and/or non-literary
features; these sometimes serve
the context and intention.
The use of terminology is
sometimes accurate and
appropriate.
Task-specific clarification
You do not reach a standard
described by any of the
descriptors below.
You show little understanding of
Brave New World through your
written project, and provide few if
any details to develop and
support your work.
Your creative response shows
little imagination and creativity;
You do not make clear or
meaningful connections to Brave
New World in your creative
response.
You do not examine literary terms
at all in your written project.
You show basic understanding of
Brave New World through your
written project, and provide
limited details to develop and
support your work.
Your creative response shows
limited imagination and creativity;
You make few clear or meaningful
connections to Brave New World
in your creative response.
You examine a few literary terms
with errors.
MYP Unit Description
English A Year 5 MYP / Grade 10
5-6 The student demonstrates a
sufficient understanding of the
text and topic, and an awareness
of the author’s choices, using
adequate detail, development and
support.
In creative work, pieces reflect
some imagination and sensitivity;
the
student generally employs literary
and/or non-literary features that
serve the context and intention.
Terminology is usually accurate
and appropriate.
7-8 The student demonstrates a good
understanding of the text, topic
and the author’s choices, using
substantial detail, development
and support.
In creative work, pieces reflect
imagination and sensitivity; the
student employs literary and/or
non-literary features that serve the
context and intention.
Relevant terminology is used
accurately and appropriately.
9-10 The student demonstrates a
perceptive understanding of the
text, topic and the author’s
choices, consistently using
illustrative detail,
development and support.
In creative work, pieces reflect a
lot of imagination and sensitivity;
the student employs literary and/or
non-literary features effectively
that serve the context and
intention.
The student shows a
sophisticated command of
relevant terminology, and uses it
appropriately.
Criterion B: Organization
Achievement Level descriptor
level
You show some understanding of
Brave New World through your
written project, and provide
adequate details to develop and
support your work.
Your creative response shows
some imagination and creativity;
You make some clear and
meaningful connections to Brave
New World in your creative
response.
You examine some literary terms
with some depth and few errors.
You show good understanding of
Brave New World through your
written project, and provide
significant details to develop and
support your work.
Your creative response shows
good imagination and creativity;
You make many clear and
meaningful connections to Brave
New World in your creative
response.
You examine several literary
terms with depth and few errors.
You show exceptional
understanding of Brave New
World through your written
project, and provide excellent
details to develop and support
your work.
Your creative response shows
excellent imagination and
creativity; You effectively make
several clear and meaningful
connections to Brave New World
in your creative response.
You show a mastery of several
literary terms through your
written response.
Task-specific clarification
MYP Unit Description
English A Year 5 MYP / Grade 10
0 The student does not reach a
standard described by any of the
descriptors below.
1-2 The student rarely employs
organizational structures and/or
language-specific conventions, or
uses those that do not serve the
context and intention.
The work is generally
disorganized, unclear and/or
incoherent.
The student employs critical
apparatus inappropriately or not
at all.
3-4 The student sometimes employs
organizational structures and/or
language-specific conventions that
serve the context and intention.
The work shows the beginnings of
organization but lacks coherence.
The student employs critical
apparatus with limited success.
5-6 The student usually employs
organizational structures and
language-specific conventions that
serve the context and intention.
The work is generally organized,
clear and coherent.
The student generally employs
critical apparatus correctly.
7-8 The student consistently employs
organizational structures and
language-specific conventions that
serve the context and intention.
The work is usually well-
organized, clear and coherent and
the ideas being expressed build
on each other.
The student employs critical
apparatus correctly.
You do not reach a standard
described by any of the
descriptors below.
You do not organize your written
project as directed in the project
description.
Your written project is
disorganized and unclear overall.
Your creative project lacks clarity
and organization overall.
You do not consistently organize
your written project as directed in
the project description.
Your written project has basic
organization but lacks overall
clarity.
Your creative project shows
limited clarity and organization
overall.
You generally organize your
written project as directed in the
project description.
Your written project has general
organization and clarity.
Your creative project shows basic
clarity and organization overall.
You consistently organize your
written project as directed in the
project description.
Your written project shows a
strong sense of organization and
clarity.
Your creative project exhibits
strong clarity and organization
overall.
MYP Unit Description
English A Year 5 MYP / Grade 10
9-10 The student consistently employs
sophisticated organizational
structures and language-specific
conventions that serve the context
and intention.
The work is consistently well-
organized, clear and coherent and
the ideas being expressed build on
each other in a sophisticated
manner.
The student integrates critical
apparatus correctly and
effectively.
Criterion C: Style and language mechanics
Achievement Level descriptor
level
0 The student does not reach a
standard described by any of the
descriptors below.
1-2 The student employs a very
limited range of appropriate
vocabulary, idiom and sentence
structure. There are very
frequent errors in grammar and
syntax, which persistently hinder
communication.
There is little or no evidence of a
register and style that serve the
context and intention.
There are very frequent errors in
punctuation and spelling/writing,
which persistently hinder
communication. In
oral/presentation work there is
little or no competence in oratory
technique.
You consistently organize your
written project in a sophisticated
way as directed in the project
description.
Your written project shows an
excellent sense of organization
and clarity.
Your creative project exhibits
excellent clarity and organization
overall.
Task-specific clarification
You do not reach a standard
described by any of the
descriptors
below.
Your written project shows very
limited vocabulary and sentence
structure. You make several
grammar and language errors
which limit your ability to convey
main ideas.
The register and style you use in
your written project do not match
the project description.
You make very frequent
punctuation, spelling and writing
errors which prevent you from
writing clearly and presenting
your creative project effectively.
MYP Unit Description
English A Year 5 MYP / Grade 10
3-4 The student employs a limited
range of appropriate vocabulary,
idiom and sentence structure.
There are frequent errors in
grammar and syntax, which hinder
communication.
There is some evidence of a
register and style that serve the
context and intention.
There are frequent errors in
punctuation and spelling/writing,
which hinder communication. In
oral/presentation work there is
some competence in oratory
technique.
5-6 The student generally employs a
range of appropriate vocabulary,
idiom and sentence structure.
Grammar and syntax are
generally accurate; occasional
errors sometimes hinder
communication.
The student often uses a register
and style that serve the context
and intention.
Punctuation and spelling/writing
are generally accurate;
occasional errors sometimes
hinder communication. In
oral/presentation work there is
adequate competence in oratory
technique.
7-8 The student employs a range of
appropriate vocabulary, idiom
and sentence structure. Grammar
and syntax are accurate;
occasional errors rarely hinder
communication.
The student consistently uses a
register and style that serve the
context and intention.
Punctuation and spelling/writing
are accurate; occasional errors
rarely hinder communication. In
oral/presentation work there is a
good level of competence in
oratory technique.
Your written project shows limited
vocabulary and sentence
structure. You make many
grammar and language errors
which limit your ability to convey
main ideas.
The register and style you use in
your written project matches the
project description some of the
time.
You make frequent punctuation,
spelling and writing errors which
prevent you from writing clearly
and presenting your creative
project effectively.
Your written project shows a basic
range of vocabulary and sentence
structure. You make few
grammar and language errors
which only occasionally limit your
ability to convey main ideas.
The register and style you use in
your written project matches the
project description most of the
time.
You make few punctuation,
spelling and writing errors which
only occasionally prevent you
from writing clearly and
presenting your creative project
effectively.
Your written project shows a good
range of vocabulary and sentence
structure. You make only
occasional grammar and
language errors which rarely limit
your ability to convey main ideas.
The register and style you use in
your written project usually
matches the project description.
You make very few punctuation,
spelling and writing errors which
rarely prevent you from writing
clearly and presenting your
creative project effectively.
MYP Unit Description
English A Year 5 MYP / Grade 10
9-10 The student employs a wide and
effective range of appropriate
vocabulary, idiom and sentence
structure. Grammar and syntax are
accurate; very infrequent errors
do not hinder communication.
The student demonstrates
mastery of a register and style
that serve the context and
intention.
Punctuation and spelling/writing
are accurate; very infrequent
errors do not hinder
communication. In
oral/presentation work there is a
high level of competence in
oratory technique.
Your written project shows an
excellent range of vocabulary and
sentence structure. You make
very few grammar and language
errors which do not limit your
ability to convey main ideas.
The register and style you use in
your written project fully matches
the project description.
You make no punctuation,
spelling and writing errors overall,
which allows you to write and
present your projects at a high
level.