Developing Study Habits for MYP Science Summatives
Studying Science at MYP Level
All candidates of the IB Middle-Years Programme (MYP) have to study science. In this way, the MYP science course differs from other academic courses where students can choose to forgo certain aspects of the course or papers. The reason for this is to ensure that a wide enough range of scientific knowledge and skills are covered in preparation for external examinations such as the IGCSEs and IB Diploma Programme. As with other secondary science courses, MYP learners will learn about chemistry, biology and physics, but some schools will also include additional courses (e.g. environmental science and sports science) that meet the course requirements.
The IB MYP science course aims to connect scientific theory with everyday life applications, where students are taught to research, analyse, and interpret scientific concepts and data. Those taking MYP science also learn to design experiments and to collect data. In doing so, MYP learners can come to evaluate different assumptions and understand how the world works with relation to culture and ethics.
How Is MYP Science Assessed?
As with other MYP courses, IB MYP science is assessed via formative and summative tasks throughout the academic year. The specific tasks themselves may be designed by the teachers and, thus, can vary across schools. However, it is not uncommon for teachers to use formative assessment tasks taken or adapted from existing MYP textbooks. It is important to note that MYP formative assessments are internal and do not affect the students’ official school grades. They merely help teachers and schools to monitor student understanding, provide feedback, and alter the focus of lessons based on the students’ needs. On the other hand, MYP summative assessments are graded and based on tasks developed and marked by school teachers. They are designed to evaluate’ learning progress against the pre-determined MYP assessment criteria.
Schools also have the option to register students for external assessments (eAssessments). These are computerised assessments that are taken in the final year of the MYP, and are also scored again Criteria A-D. Importantly, the format of the eAssessments are more similar to traditionally timed examinations than the MYP assessment tasks, where MYP learners essentially work on a project over multiple lessons and often need to submit a final write-up in order to receive a grade (e.g. a lab report, a venn diagram, a completed worksheet with a mixture of short and long questions).
Understanding the IB MYP Science Rubric
Understanding what the IB MYP science assessment criteria are is extremely important for academic success. There are four criteria each marked out of 8:
Criterion A: Knowing and understanding
Criterion B: Inquiring and designing
Criterion C: Processing and evaluating
Criterion D: Reflecting on the impacts of science
Criterion D is usually the one students struggle with most of all. Beyond understanding and drawing conclusions from the data, MYP learners are required to reflect on the implication of their findings. Not only are students expected to discuss strengths and weaknesses in their investigation, but they also need to think about how it can contribute to the existing literature, and how we can use the findings to real-life problems more effectively.
How to Prepare for an IB MYP Science Assessment
Whether studying for an MYP formative or summative science assessment, it is important that students are methodical and targeted in their approach. For instance, rewriting class notes may force MYP learners to revisit all of the scientific concepts and theories, but it is inherently a passive process that does little to help individuals remember the information.
Instead, it can be more beneficial to make use of flashcards, mnemonics, and study groups. Make sure to flashcard all the key scientific diagrams, processes, theories and principles and be able to recreate them after several revisions; write down key scientific terminology on flashcards and their definitions behind to practise active recall rather than passive revision; quiz yourself after studing each unit and make sure you can explain all the content in your own words.
Use all the resources available to you—both on and offline—when studying. Revise using a range of question types and wherever you make a mistake, be sure to redo it and write your corrections out clearly. This is especially important for calculation and data analysis questions.
In addition to learning the key scientific terms and equations, make sure to learn the command terms: is the question asking you to describe, define or evaluate? Tailoring answers according to the command term rather than just writing a response that involves the relevant keywords of the topic will increase your chances of scoring highly in the assessment. Don’t just try to memorise everything to do with the topic. Instead, organise all your notes into topics and sub-topics. Colour code all the important terminology and use visual aids where possible.
Forming the Right Habits with BartyED
At BartyED, our team of experienced science tutors have worked with MYP students in all aspects of the course, be it writing a lab report on electricity, revising for a test on bonding, or preparing for a Criterion B & C formative assessment. Our support is individualised and comprehensive, and lessons tailored to the unique learning needs of each student. Whether it is consolidating existing knowledge, simplifying complex problems, introducing new topics, or offering support on exam technique, BartyED’s IB MYP Science tutors have done it all.
So, if you think that you or your child could benefit from the guidance of an expert BartyED MYP Science tutor, reach out today via our contact page, fill in the form below, or contact us by phone at +852 2882 1017.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes, all students must take science during the MYP.
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Whereas students are assessed for their skill and knowledge in science through unit tests in the KS3, they are assessed in the MYP through formative and summative tasks. Both systems asses’ content knowledge, lab report writing, data analysis, as well as problem solving skills. However, many IB schools now assess MYP learners using eAssessments instead.
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Students frequently struggle with assessments that involve a combination of Criteria B, C and D, because these require the application of scientific knowledge and skills learned in class to real-life problems that they need to solve. Students often need to describe ways to investigate a research question, as well as collect, analyse and present their data in a clear and structured manner. It also pushes learners to think about how their results may be helpful or realistic given the wider context of the research question.
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An experienced tutor can prove highly beneficial at MYP level, as they can work directly with student to better support their learning outcomes.