IB MYP Planning Guide: Global Contexts, ATL Skills, and Criterion Assessment with TeachAI

Introduction: The MYP Planning Framework

The IB Middle Years Programme challenges teachers to design learning that is:

• Concept-driven — organized around Key and Related Concepts
• Context-rich — grounded in Global Contexts
• Inquiry-based — structured around Factual, Conceptual, and Debatable questions
• Skills-focused — explicitly teaching Approaches to Learning (ATL)
• Criterion-referenced — assessed against subject-specific objectives (A, B, C, D)

This is sophisticated curriculum design. TeachAI's Teacher Workspace helps MYP teachers create complete, IB-aligned units and lessons that meet all these requirements—in a fraction of the time.

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What TeachAI Generates for MYP

When you select IB MYP in the Teacher Workspace, TeachAI produces planning documents that follow the official MYP Unit Planner structure: Inquiry → Action → Reflection.

A. Inquiry — Establishing the Purpose

• Key Concept (1) and Related Concepts (2–3)
• Global Context with specific exploration
• Statement of Inquiry (SoI) — a testable, concept-context connection
• Inquiry Questions:
  • Factual (recall/define)
  • Conceptual (relationships, generalizations)
  • Debatable (multiple perspectives)

B. Objectives & Summative Assessment

• Subject Objectives by strand for the MYP year
• Summative task overview — authentic product with audience/purpose
• Criteria with task-specific clarifications
• Alignment map: SoI ↔ Objectives ↔ Criteria ↔ Evidence

C. Approaches to Learning (ATL)

• Target ATL skills mapped to activities and assessments
• Explicit teaching and evidence collection points

D. Action — Teaching & Learning

• Content and skills by lesson clusters
• Learning experiences and inquiry strategies
• Formative assessment plan with feedback loops
• Differentiation (Support/Core/Extension)
• Resources and safety protocols

E. Interdisciplinary Connections

• Potential IDU links and transfer opportunities

F. Unit Timeline

• Week-by-week focus, formative checks, evidence, ATL

G. Reflection

• Before/during/after teaching reflections
• Implications for vertical progression

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Step-by-Step: Creating an MYP Unit in TeachAI

Step 1: Open the Teacher Workspace

Go to /teachers-workspace and sign in.

Step 2: Select IB MYP

From the curriculum dropdown, choose IB Middle Years Programme (MYP).

If you've uploaded MYP subject guides or your school's scope and sequence, select the relevant course.

Step 3: Choose Your Plan Type

Select Unit for a complete unit plan, or Lesson for individual lessons.

Step 4: Describe Your Unit

Provide details in your prompt:

Create an MYP Year 3 Sciences unit on ecosystems and biodiversity. Key concept: Systems Related concepts: Balance, Interaction Global context: Globalization and sustainability — exploring the impact of human activity on ecosystems Duration: 8 weeks Include criterion A (Knowing and understanding) and B (Inquiring and designing) assessments.

Step 5: Generate and Refine

Click Generate. TeachAI produces a complete unit following the MYP planner structure.

Refine with follow-up prompts:

• "Add more ATL skill-building activities for research skills."
• "Include a formative assessment for week 3."
• "Strengthen the debatable inquiry questions."

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Creating MYP Lesson Plans

For individual lessons, select Lesson and describe:

Create a 75-minute MYP Year 4 Mathematics lesson on linear relationships. Link to the unit on patterns and relationships. Key concept: Relationships Related concepts: Pattern, Representation Global context: Scientific and technical innovation Include criterion C (Communicating) and D (Applying mathematics in real-life contexts).

TeachAI generates a lesson with:

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Key MYP Elements TeachAI Handles

Global Contexts

TeachAI generates units grounded in all six MYP Global Contexts:

Key and Related Concepts

TeachAI understands MYP concepts and generates authentic Statements of Inquiry:

Statement of Inquiry: "Systems maintain balance through the interaction of their components, and human activity can disrupt this equilibrium with global consequences."

Inquiry Questions (F/C/D)

Every unit includes properly structured inquiry questions:

• Factual: What are the components of an ecosystem?
• Conceptual: How do interactions between organisms maintain balance in a system?
• Debatable: Should economic development take priority over ecosystem preservation?

Subject Objectives and Criteria

TeachAI aligns to the official MYP subject objectives:

Example: Sciences

• Criterion A: Knowing and understanding
• Criterion B: Inquiring and designing
• Criterion C: Processing and evaluating
• Criterion D: Reflecting on the impacts of science

Example: Mathematics

• Criterion A: Knowing and understanding
• Criterion B: Investigating patterns
• Criterion C: Communicating
• Criterion D: Applying mathematics in real-life contexts

TeachAI generates task-specific clarifications for each criterion used in the unit.

ATL Skills Framework

Every unit maps ATL skills to specific activities:

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Example: A Complete MYP Unit Request

Prompt:

Create an MYP Year 5 Language & Literature unit on persuasive writing and media literacy. Key concept: Communication Related concepts: Audience, Purpose, Context Global context: Personal and cultural expression — exploring how media shapes public opinion Duration: 6 weeks Summative: Students create a multimedia persuasive campaign on a social issue. Include criteria A (Analysing), B (Organizing), C (Producing text), D (Using language). Differentiate for 4 EAL learners at Phase 3.

What TeachAI Generates:

A complete unit with:

• Statement of Inquiry connecting communication, audience, and media influence
• Factual/Conceptual/Debatable inquiry questions
• Week-by-week sequence with text analysis, writing workshops, and media production
• Formative assessments (drafts, peer feedback, conferencing)
• Summative task with task-specific clarifications for all four criteria
• ATL skills explicitly taught (research, communication, self-management)
• Differentiation strategies for EAL Phase 3 learners
• Reflection prompts for before/during/after teaching

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MYP Subject Groups Supported

TeachAI generates plans for all eight MYP subject groups:

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Tips for Better MYP Planning with TeachAI

1. Specify the MYP Year

Objectives and criteria expectations differ by year. Always include "MYP Year 1/3/5" in your prompt.

2. Include Your Concepts and Context

The more specific you are about Key Concept, Related Concepts, and Global Context, the more authentic the Statement of Inquiry.

3. Name the Criteria

Tell TeachAI which criteria you're assessing: "Include criteria A and C" or "Focus on criterion B (Inquiring and designing)."

4. Ask for Task-Specific Clarifications

If you need rubric-ready language:

"Generate task-specific clarifications for criterion C at the Year 4 level."

5. Upload Your Subject Guide

For the most grounded results, upload your MYP subject guide. TeachAI will reference the official strands and command terms.

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Conclusion: MYP Planning That Meets the Standard

The MYP's concept-driven, inquiry-based approach requires sophisticated planning. TeachAI helps you:

• Generate complete units following the official Inquiry → Action → Reflection structure
• Integrate all MYP elements (concepts, contexts, SoI, inquiry questions, ATL, criteria)
• Align to subject objectives with task-specific clarifications
• Create ready-to-teach lessons with hinge-checks and differentiation
• Save hours while maintaining IB quality standards

Ready to try it?

• Open Teacher Workspace — Select IB MYP and start planning
• Explore MYP Curriculum Page — See all MYP planning features

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