Follow-Up: How have innovations and ideas changed the world? (MYP 2)
In their previous unit, students in MYP 2 completed projects about significant innovations that have changed the world. Here is a link to my previous blog post introducing this unit and explaining the project in more detail. Briefly, in their final product, students were expected to (1) Introduce the innovation, (2) Explain the back story, (3) Discuss who was involved in bringing about the innovation, (4) Explain how/why it changed the world, and (5) Provide and explain at least two different perspectives on the innovation.
There are 6 students in the class and they decided to complete projects on the following ideas or innovations: medical face masks, agriculture, the internet, pharmaceuticals, feminism, and vaccinations. I will highlight three student projects here:
Medical Face Masks
The student who completed his project on face masks made an impressive educational video about the history of face masks, why they are significant, and how they have changed the world. His video was very professional looking and serves as a great tool to educate others about face masks and their importance.
Vaccinations
The student who completed his project on vaccinations is a natural presenter. He clearly put a lot of effort into his presentation and touched on all of the important points as per the instructions. He explained the history of vaccinations, dating back to the usage of snake venom by Buddhist monks as the very first practice of immunization. He also taught us about Edward Jenner, the man who pioneered the concept of vaccinations and created the world’s first vaccine (for smallpox) in 1796. He then went on to explain the different types of vaccines and the science behind them. He also did well to explain the critical importance of vaccinations as well as the different perspectives on them such as those adamantly opposing them, particularly in some parts of the USA.
Following are a few of the slides from his presentation. Keep in mind that the slides are low on text because rather than solely reading off of the slides, he used them to compliment his presentation, as this creates a much more engaging experience for the audience.
Pharmaceuticals
The student who completed her project on pharmaceuticals made a presentation for the class. She did a great job presenting her work . Importantly she used the slides only for images and important text to guide the audience. The rest of the information she explained clearly and confidently. It was clear that she did significant research on the topic as she lucidly she explained the history of pharmaceuticals, why they’re so significant, and how they may be viewed in both a negative and positive light. She created a very balanced presentation that showed both the pros and cons of the pharmaceutical industry.
Following are a few of the slides from her presentation. Keep in mind that the slides are low on text because rather than solely reading off of the slides, she used them to compliment her presentation, as this creates a much more engaging experience for the audience.
Overall, I’m happy with the quality of the projects MYP 2 completed. They spent a lot of time investigating their topics and presenting them in such a way that was both engaging and educational for the audience. Keep up the good work, MYP 2.
