MYP Mathematics: Start with the global context
By Irina Amlin
At a glance
- Many teachers plan an MYP unit by starting with the concepts or the topic. Starting with the global context gives the unit a much stronger real-world anchor.
- The plan is five decisions, in order: global context, concepts, statement of inquiry, Criterion B and D tasks, then daily planning.
- In the example, a unit on the laws of exponents is grounded in Globalization and sustainability, with Systems as the key concept and Representation and Simplification as related concepts.
- The statement of inquiry is refined from an AI draft into language a 13-year-old can read and argue with.
Prefer to watch? This article is a written version of the video (6:09).
Where should you start when planning an MYP unit?
When designing an MYP unit, many of us begin with either the key and related concepts, or we jump straight into picking maths topics. Starting with the global context often gives the unit a much stronger real-world anchor. Students know from the first lesson why the mathematics matters, and every later decision has something concrete to connect to.
Our example is an MYP 3 (M3) unit on the laws of exponents. We'll make five decisions, in this order:
Step 1: How do you choose the global context?
Choose a context that creates some intellectual friction, rather than defaulting to a predictable pairing. The obvious match for exponents is Scientific and technical innovation: this is where scientific notation or compound interest would fall. The MYP Mathematics guide itself notes that many maths inquiries naturally sit in this context, and asks that students explore all six global contexts over time.
There's nothing wrong with that direction. But showing mathematical applications in unusual places helps students realise just how prevalent maths is in every domain. So instead, we ground the unit in Globalization and sustainability, focusing on digital infrastructure and the energy footprint of global data networks.
Notice that we've taken a big umbrella context and zeroed in on one small facet of it. That keeps the unit from being overwhelmed with too many pathways to follow, and gives students a compelling lens right away:
How fast does our digital footprint grow, and what does it take to sustain it?
Step 2: Which concepts give the unit structure?
With the context established, choose concepts that give the unit real structure. Instead of the default concepts for exponents, Form or Relationships, our key concept is Systems: sets of interacting or interdependent components. A global data network is exactly that.
The related concepts are Representation and Simplification, because that's what exponent laws do. They represent enormous repeated multiplications in a simpler form:
Much simpler than writing out twenty 2s. Interestingly, the guide's own example statement of inquiry for exponentials also brings systems together with Globalization and sustainability, so this is a natural choice, even if it's a less common one for exponents.
Step 3: How do you make the statement of inquiry student-friendly?
The statement of inquiry combines the key concept, related concepts and global context into one idea. The MYP tells us to avoid subject-specific vocabulary, so the statement stays transferable: no "exponents", no "powers". It should also be something students can understand.
I asked AI to draft a few statements that weave together our concepts and context. One was accurate, but "scale efficiently" is adult jargon. I wouldn't expect an M3 student to connect with it, so we refined it:
“Simplifying how information is represented allows complex systems to scale efficiently.”
“Finding simpler ways to represent information helps growing systems stay manageable.”
Same concepts and the same rigour, in language a 13-year-old can read and argue with.
Which AI prompt can stress-test a statement of inquiry?
I used a prompt similar to this one to stress-test my statement. It asks the AI to act as an MYP curriculum specialist and check three things:
Act as an IB MYP curriculum specialist. Critique this draft statement of inquiry for MYP Year [2/3]: “[insert draft]”.
Evaluate it against three criteria:
1Is it free of topic-specific vocabulary?
2Does it express a clear relationship between [key concept] and [related concepts]?
3Is the language age-appropriate for 12- to 14-year-olds without losing conceptual depth?
Suggest two refined versions.
Treat the output as a starting point. The final wording is your professional decision.
Step 4: What do the Criterion B and D tasks look like?
Summative tasks should link directly to the statement of inquiry. In this unit, both grow out of the data context.
Criterion BInvestigating patterns
Criterion DApplying mathematics in real-life contexts
For Criterion B, students don't see the laws up front. They investigate growing digital storage patterns or binary sequences, and from the repeated multiplication tables they discover the product, quotient and power rules themselves. Then they generalise and test them, including zero and negative exponents.
Don't hand out the laws first. If students can't select their own approach, the MYP Mathematics guide caps the level they can reach in Criterion B.
For Criterion D, we move beyond procedural calculation. Students use exponent laws to simplify and quantify massive global data streams, like cloud storage or streaming servers. Then they evaluate the physical limitations and energy costs of sustaining endless digital expansion, and reflect critically: is this growth sustainable?
+Bonus prompt: brainstorm a task idea
If you'd like a starting idea for the task, this prompt can help you brainstorm one aligned to both criteria:
Act as an MYP assessment specialist. Design an MYP Year [2/3] mathematics performance task for Criterion B and Criterion D based on the statement of inquiry:
“Finding simpler ways to represent information helps growing systems stay manageable.”
BCriterion B requires students to discover the exponent laws independently through digital data patterns.
DCriterion D requires students to evaluate the physical and environmental limits of global data storage.
Be clear about what this gives you: a draft idea, not a finished task. Unless the AI has a strong working knowledge of the MYP Mathematics guide and has seen several excellent example tasks, it won't produce a good assessment on its own. Use the output to spark your thinking, then build and check the task yourself against the criteria and their strands.
Step 5: How does the daily planning follow?
A strong context, well-chosen concepts and an age-appropriate statement of inquiry give you a clear line of sight through the whole unit. As you fast-forward into your day-to-day planning, your inquiry questions, formative pathway and targeted ATL skills flow naturally from these decisions.
Inquiry questions
FactualWhat patterns appear when we multiply or divide powers with the same base?
ConceptualHow do representations make big ideas easier to work with?
DebatableCan digital storage keep growing forever on a planet with finite resources?
Formative pathway
1Binary pattern discovery
2Simplification practice
3Data-scale case studies
4Peer review
ATL and service
ThinkingAnalysing a complex system
CommunicationPrecise mathematical notation
Service as actionA student-led “digital declutter” campaign
- Your inquiry questions spark daily classroom dialogue.
- Your formative pathway scaffolds understanding through pattern discovery labs and notation practice before students meet the summative task.
- Your targeted ATL thinking and communication skills make sure students know how to analyse data and evaluate real-world limitations.
Because this unit addresses real-world energy footprints, it even creates an organic bridge to service as action through student-led digital sustainability initiatives.
Start with the context, and the rest follows
Next time you plan, start with the global context and ask yourself:
What real-world tension does this topic help students understand?
Build the conceptual structure from there, and every daily lesson, formative activity and skill in the unit serves a clear, transferable purpose.
| Topic | Laws of exponents, MYP 3 |
|---|---|
| Global context | Globalization and sustainability: digital infrastructure and the energy footprint of data |
| Key and related concepts | Systems; Representation and Simplification |
| Statement of inquiry | Finding simpler ways to represent information helps growing systems stay manageable. |
| Summative tasks | Criterion B: discover the laws from data patterns. Criterion D: evaluate the limits of global data growth. |
| ATL and service | Thinking and communication skills; a student-led digital declutter campaign |
Frequently asked questions
Why start an MYP unit plan with the global context?
Starting with the global context gives the unit a strong real-world anchor. Students know from the first lesson why the mathematics matters, and the concepts, statement of inquiry, summative tasks and daily lessons all have something concrete to connect to. Many teachers start with concepts or topics instead, which works, but tends to lead to predictable units.
Can Systems be a key concept in an MYP mathematics unit?
Yes. Form, Logic and Relationships are the key concepts most associated with mathematics, but the MYP Mathematics guide says other key concepts can also be important. Systems, sets of interacting or interdependent components, fits naturally when the context is something like a global data network.
What makes a good MYP statement of inquiry?
A good statement of inquiry combines the key concept, related concepts and global context into one idea that students can understand. It avoids topic-specific vocabulary, such as "exponents", so it stays transferable beyond the unit, and it uses language students can read, remember and argue with.
Can AI write an MYP unit plan or assessment task for me?
AI is useful for drafting and stress-testing ideas, such as checking a statement of inquiry against clear criteria. It is a starting point, not a finished product. Unless it has a strong working knowledge of the MYP Mathematics guide and has seen several excellent example tasks, it won't produce a good assessment on its own. The final decisions are the teacher's.
When are the laws of exponents taught in MYP mathematics?
The MYP Mathematics guide lists exponents and powers in MYP 1 to 3, and the laws of exponents, including integer and negative exponents, at MYP 4 to 5 standard level. Each school builds its own curriculum map, and many introduce the laws of exponents in MYP 3, as in this example unit.
Irina Amlin
Irina Amlin is an MYP Mathematics teacher and former department head with teaching experience in Canada, Bermuda and the United States. She is a co-author of the Mathematics for the IB MYP series, including the widely used MYP by Concept textbooks for Years 1 through 5, and tutors MYP Mathematics at MYP Math Tutor.
The MYP Math Tutor team of 25+ qualified IB teachers, including examiners, department heads and an MYP coordinator, supports 200+ students at 100+ IB World Schools in 40+ countries, including Dwight School London, Western Academy of Beijing, the International School of Paris and GEMS Academy Dubai.
This work has been developed independently from and is not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate Organization.