Movement, forces, pressure and moments — the movement of systems is due to interaction
This Year 9 unit makes motion quantitative. Students learn to describe movement with displacement-time and velocity-time graphs, to calculate speed and acceleration, and to identify the forces that change how a system moves. A recurring strand is the question of falling: whether all objects fall at the same rate once air resistance is removed, and how to design an experiment that settles it.
The key concept is systems, with related concepts of movement and interaction, in the global context of scientific and technical innovation. The unit builds directly on the Year 8 introduction to forces and prepares students for GCSE-level mechanics.
The unit is assessed across the MYP Sciences criteria. The handover assessment used a criteria B and C summative built around acceleration — students plan an investigation, process their data, and evaluate the method — supported by a scaffolded version and a science-skills guide.