Middle Years Programme

OYIS was authorized as a Middle Years Programme school in June  2021. 

At OYIS our goal is to care for, educate, and develop independent, globally-minded students.

Beginning in grade 7 and finishing at the end of grade 10, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a holistic and rigorous 4-year course that encourages students to make connections between their studies and the real world.

Through our inquiry-based instruction, we aim to foster collaborative, balanced, and reflective lifelong learners who engage meaningfully in their communities.

What is Teaching and Learning through Inquiry?

The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is concept-based teaching and learning allowing students to organize their knowledge into broad categorizing concepts. Students can experience the transfer of ideas across disciplines. In a concept-driven curriculum, big ideas such as change, logic, and perspective are taught across disciplines encouraging the transfer of knowledge.

The classroom is student-centered rather than teacher-centered; the teacher is a facilitator of learning. Students are active learners engaged in constructing their own learning through posing research questions. They are challenged by problem-based learning with connections to real-world problems.

MYP Approaches to Learning (AtLs) equip students with the research, collaboration, thinking, and communication skills to be able to confidently and independently complete the challenging Diploma Programme (DP) in grades 11-12. The AtLs ensure that a student’s socio-emotional development is measured and mapped as part of curriculum development and highlights a strong emphasis on student wellbeing.

Academic Development

Having completed the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), students at OYIS enter the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), which prepares them for the IB Diploma Programme. The MYP is offered from Grade 7 through to Grade 10 (students aged 12 to 16).

The MYP aims to help students develop their personal understanding, their emerging sense of self, and responsibility to their community. MYP teachers organize the curriculum with appropriate attention to: 

  • Teaching and learning in context.  Using global contexts, MYP students explore human identity, global challenges, and what it means to be internationally minded.
  • Conceptual understanding. Students use concepts as a vehicle to inquire into issues and ideas of personal, local, and global significance and examine knowledge holistically.
  • Approaches to learning. Provides students with the foundation for independent learning and encourages the application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. 
  • Service as action. Learning by doing. Students learn to be caring members of the community —making a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. 
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2018

Why the MYP?

Research shows that students participating in the MYP:

  • Build confidence in managing their own learning
  • Learn by doing, connecting the classroom to the larger World
  • Outperform non-IB students in critical academic skills
  • Consistently have greater success in IB Diploma Programme examinations
  • Thrive in positive school cultures where they are engaged and motivated to excel
  • Develop an understanding of global challenges and a commitment to act as responsible citizens.

Language & Literature

This course helps students develop strong communication and analytical skills by engaging with a variety of literary and non-literary texts. Students explore how language shapes meaning, identity, and cultural expression through reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities. By studying different genres, time periods, and global perspectives, students refine their ability to interpret and express ideas effectively. The course also encourages creativity, critical thinking, and an appreciation for storytelling in all its forms.

Design

Design explores the avenues of digital design and product design through the lens of the Design Cycle. Students will place their focus more on the process of how great designers tackle a problem or challenge and not the final product or solution. Students get to inquire and analyze all aspects of the problem, giving them the framework to create a solution using a variety of critical and creative thinking skills. Once their solution has been created, students will go through a rigorous process of evaluating the success of their solution based on a set of criteria created by themselves.

Design offers opportunities for students to use their thinking skills extensively by exploring creative solutions to presented problems or project prompts. This allows students to create new and innovative designs through the Design Cycle process as well as giving them options to improve already existing inventions. Students will also gain research skills to learn new technical skills in robotics, vinyl cutting, and 3D printing.

Students will be assessed on four criteria: inquiring and analyzing, developing ideas, creating solutions, and evaluating. Students will accomplish these in a variety of ways from Lion’s Den presentations, Design Cycle notebook submissions, and product performance contests. Some examples of this are the Lego Mindstorm, Lego Sumo Robotics Competition, and the Great Japanese Cardboard Boat Race. During assessments students will be required to show how they accomplished their goals with the use of the Design Cycle as well as reflecting on each stage of the process.

Music & Visual Arts

Music
In the MYP music program students explore various disciplines and aspects of music and the arts in general. Students learn how to compose, analyze, perform, record, and present music in a variety of ways.

Three main focal points of the program are:

  • creative process
  • communication
  • delivery

These three points are integrated to address the use of relevant ATL skills that identify Concepts and Global Contexts and give students opportunities to make connections with global issues through studying a variety of local cultures.

The main aims of the program are:

  • to give students ample opportunities to experience a real-life situation as professional musicians
  • to meet the main MYP Performing Arts Program’s goals
  • to prepare students to continue studying music in the future


Students’ assessment is based on four criteria: Knowing and Understanding, Developing Skills, Thinking Creatively, and Responding. Students will meet these criteria through concept-based experiences and real-life disciplinary projects such as performances before the live audience, recording, composition, and research presentations. Students would need to demonstrate the relevant disciplinary skills, knowledge, and critical thinking as well as the ability to reflect on their own and others’ works.

Further information can be the IB’s MYP Arts Website.

Visual arts:
The Visual Arts program at OYIS invites learners to develop their artistic skills, engage in creative inquiries, and most importantly, discover and express themselves as artists. Students in Grades 9 and 10 can elect to study visual arts for the entire year, while students in Grades 7 and 8 will split their year between Visual Arts and Music. We use artistic mediums such as mural painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, and weaving to connect with our inquiries. Students also have direct input into the art mediums we explore.

Art has a strong concept-based approach. This will allow students to connect and apply artistic knowledge, and identify and develop the art specific skills they need in order to create and share their art. Emphasis is placed on building communication, research, and thinking skills during this course when students view and present artwork, collect information about art and artists in different genres, and analyze or reflect on the choices, ideas, and processes of themselves and other artists.

In visual arts, student assessment is carried out in alignment with four criteria: knowing and understanding, developing skills, thinking creatively, and responding to art. Over the year, students have opportunities to share what they know through the artistic responses that they produce, and the process journals- where research, analysis, reflections, and idea development are all noted. Our aim is for students to curate and host at least one major exhibition of their art in the school year. Of course, opportunities to share and discuss their completed artwork will happen regularly during the year.

Individuals & Societies

Individuals and Societies is a multidisciplinary subject.  It includes many subjects that are often taught separately, including geography, history, political science, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, economics, and others.  Through Individuals and Societies, students can learn about the factors that have shaped and influenced their neighborhoods, nations, natural environment, and species.  

Individuals and Societies is assessed on four criteria: knowing and understanding, investigation, communication, and critical thinking.  Knowing and understanding refers to a student’s ability to learn and recall specific information, such as vocabulary to explain a concept in more detail.  Investigation is the students ability to find new information on a topic using appropriate sources, as well as their ability to document those sources.  Communication requires students show their learning using a variety of methods to a variety of audiences.  Critical thinking, finally, needs students to select appropriate and convincing evidence to construct cogent, compelling, and/or creative arguments.  

One key ATL skill in Individuals and Societies is research.  Students need to be able to select appropriate sources and use them to make clear and convincing arguments.  They do this through assessments like magazine articles on famous psychology experiments and creating documentaries examining how pandemics have changed over time.  

Another important ATL skill is communication.  Students need to use a variety of communication techniques, including writing and speaking, for different purposes and audiences. This includes assessments like creating a public service announcement about a specific type of global poverty or using Minecraft to teach audiences about ancient civilizations through their architecture.  

Further information can be found on the IB’s MYP Individuals and Societies website.

Mathematics

At OYIS, our MYP Mathematics program spans from MYP 2 to MYP 5, providing a strong foundation for students as they progress toward the Diploma Programme (DP). We offer both the standard and extended Mathematics courses in MYP 4 and MYP 5, ensuring students are well-prepared for the varying demands of DP Mathematics. The extended course challenges students with more abstract and complex topics, bridging the gap between MYP and higher-level DP courses.

Our curriculum is built on an inquiry-based approach, where students explore a variety of mathematical concepts, including algebra, geometry, functions, statistics, and probability. We emphasize real-world applications, encouraging students to see mathematics as a tool for solving everyday problems. Assessments go beyond traditional knowledge tests, incorporating investigations, real-life applications, and report writing to develop students’ analytical and communication skills.

We embrace diverse learning styles and assessment methods, recognizing that students have different strengths. Technology plays an integral role in our instruction, with graphing display calculators (GDCs) introduced in MYP 4 to support data analysis, graphing, and problem-solving. By fostering logical reasoning, collaboration, and critical thinking, our MYP Mathematics program equips students with the skills necessary for success in further mathematics and beyond.

Language Acquisition

The MYP Language Acquisition course is designed for students learning an additional language. It focuses on building proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing while fostering an appreciation for different cultures. Students engage with authentic materials, interactive activities, and real-world contexts to develop confidence in using the language effectively. This course encourages students to think critically about language and communication while preparing them for further study and global interactions.

Physical Health and Education

Physical Education (PE) in the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) goes beyond physical activity—it is an integral part of developing well-rounded, healthy, and balanced individuals. 

Our program emphasizes concept- and inquiry-based teaching, encouraging students to think critically about the connections between movement, health, and their personal development.

Throughout the year, students engage in a variety of units, including aesthetic movement, invasion games, fitness and health, net games, self-defense, mental resilience and individual pursuits. These units are designed to build physical literacy, foster teamwork and collaboration, and enhance critical skills such as problem-solving, leadership, and communication.

Our approach prioritizes the development of lifelong skills and habits, helping students understand the importance of physical and mental well-being. Lessons are structured to encourage self-reflection, goal-setting, and meaningful participation, ensuring that each student can grow in a supportive and engaging environment.

Through these diverse and dynamic units, we aim to inspire students to be active, mindful, and resilient in all aspects of their lives.

Interdisciplinary Learning

Interdisciplinary teaching and learning is central to the MYP experience and is a collaborative experience for students and teachers as they participate in learning from more than one discipline. Interdisciplinary learning blurs the lines between the distinct disciplines of MYP and allows for the transfer of factual, procedural, and conceptual knowledge across the disciplines, allowing students to make connections and transfer conceptual understanding between multiple disciplines.

Interdisciplinary teaching and learning promote authentic assessment through curricula developed to solve real-world problems that impact students’ local, global or virtual communities. Students develop their approaches to learning skills and develop new ways to communicate their interdisciplinary understanding.

Science

Integrated:
In Grades 7 and 8, students will study Sciences through an integrated program in which units of work will cover various fields of science. Through this course, students will begin to understand and appreciate the ways in which science is used to solve problems around the world. An exploration-based approach to gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Physics:
Physics will explore the concepts of mechanics and waves. Through inquiry, data collection, and analysis, students will gain a deeper appreciation for the laws of motion and understand the role that motion, force, energy, and waves play in our daily lives and shape our universe’s existence.

Chemistry:
Chemistry will explore the building blocks of our universe, atoms, and how they determine the chemical and physical properties of the many substances around us. Explorations in the lab will help students understand how periodic trends determine the reactive properties of elements, and allow for deeper investigation into the relationship between the natural world and chemistry.

Biology:
Biology will explore the functions of living organisms and their interactions in ecosystems. Topics will range from the microscopic, with cells and respiration, to the global, studying the human impact on the natural environment. Students will develop practical skills in the lab, preparing slides and using microscopes to make detailed observations, testing the effects of osmosis, and learning how plants grow.

Assessment and skills:
Sciences assessment includes the recall and application of scientific understanding, the design of rigorous investigations, the processing of data and evaluation of scientific procedures, and reflection on the effects of science on humanity and our planet. Students will develop their information processing skills, critical thinking, and personal responsibility in lab safety.

The Personal Project

Personal Project
Personal Project (PP) is the culmination, the zenith, the finale of the MYP.  To succeed, you will use all your knowledge, all your ATL skills, all the global contexts, and all your learner profile attributes.  It will not always be easy, but your supervisor, your teachers, and your friends and classmates will be with you every step of the way to help you succeed.

Personal Project is also the opportunity for you to explore and express something that is important or interesting to you.  It can be something traditionally “academic,” but it could also be something that you wouldn’t think of as doing in school, like dance, gaming, or travel.  The goal in PP is to plan and execute a substantial project to achieve a personal goal.

Personal Project is assessed on investigation, planning, taking action, and reflection.  In order to succeed, self-management skills are essential. In particular, students will need to break this large task into smaller, attainable goals and set deadlines for those goals.

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