IB has created a new assessment this year that is MUCH easier than their previous assessment (which was a presentation).

In this “Exhibition,” which is done individually, each student has to choose from  one of thirty-five “knowledge questions” to answer.  Then, you have to choose three “objects” that help them answer the knowledge question prompt.

You then write about how each object helps you answer the question.  The total word count (including your mini-essays on all three objects) can’t be more than 950 words.  References do not count against those 950 words.

This is how one TOK teacher explained it to me:

So to answer the question of what is an object – anything that has a real-world context, that exists in a particular time or space. It is good if it has some personal meaning to the candidate but it does not have to have. So it can be an everyday object, a piece of art (including visual arts or performing arts but it needs to be very specific, a book, a graphic novel, a poem), it can be a digital object so a tweet, a news article, a speech, etc.

The only guidance is – it needs to have a real-world context and it cannot be random (a photo that was taken from the internet) – other than that if the student can describe the real-world context, it is an object.

So, it can’t be a picture of any basketball.  It can be a picture of the basketball you played with at home or that Kobe Bryant used to win a championship.

Here are some examples of a TOK Exhibition:

Exhibition A This was given a medium grade by IB

Exhibition B This was given a high grade by IB

Exhibition C This was given a high grade by IB

Exhibition D This was given a low grade by IB because the writer did not make connections between the objects and the prompt.

Exhibition E This is an example of just one object and mini-essay created by a TOK teacher

Exhibition F  This is a three object example created by a TOK teacher

 

Students will be creating “Exhibitions” throughout the year that will function as exams.  They will help prepare you for the final three object Exhibition at the end of the year.

Though you will have to do the final Exhibition on your own, during the year you will have the option to work alone, work with one other person, or work with two other people on these “practice” Exhibitions.

Though they are “practice” Exhibitions, and won’t be sent to IB (only the final one you do on your own will be sent to them), they will be major grades in this class.

 

This is the process we will use when doing “Exhibitions”:

The first time we do this process, we will do jigsaw presentations on this article:

An article from the Smithsonian Institution suggests different ways to think about artifacts. They include the following (this came from The Global Oneness Project): 

• Artifacts tell their own stories. 
• Artifacts connect people. 
• Artifacts capture moments. 
• Artifacts reflect changes.

Also, during the first time we do this, we’ll explore The Best Resources For Using “Object Lessons” In History.

DAY ONE:

Review two example exhibitions with a partner and score it against the rubric (make sure that you are reviewing different ones the second and third time you do this).

What are two things you have learned from reviewing it that you think would help you make your exhibition.

Each of you will share in a break out group your rubric scores and your “two things.” See if you can come up with an agreed score. Identify one spokesperson from the group to report to the class your conclusions.

 

DAY TWO:

Review the different ways of choosing a focus of your Exhibition:

1. Choose Theme, choose objects, choose prompt

2. Choose theme, choose prompt, choose objects

3. Choose prompt, Choose Theme, choose objects

4. Choose objects, Choose prompt, choose theme

Decide on at least prompt and theme by end of the day and submit

 

DAY THREE:

Students review the description of objects from the Guide, come up with questions about them to share.

Brainstorm objects – come up with a list of at least eight different objects that fit into the Guide’s description

DAY FOUR:

Write in one sentence how each of the eight objects would connect to the prompt and theme

Choose the three strongest/most interesting ones

Divide up who will write about which object and homework is to write a rough draft

 

DAY FIVE

Partners share their rough drafts and revise

Design a two-to-three minute presentation about their exhibition

DAY SIX

Finalize their presentation

DAY SEVEN

Presentations in breakout groups

Self-Reflection

Use this form to plan your “What If?” History project.

Create a short PowerPoint presentation and upload it to Authorstream. Post the link to your slideshare presentation in the comments section of this post.

Here’s is the outline for the PowerPoint presentation

Your presentation to the class must be five minutes or less..

Example One

Example Two

See more examples here.

Go here if you can’t see the show below:

Go here if you can’t see the show below:

Find all the information related to the 2019 Oral Presentations here.

DECEMBER:

• Knowledge Questions
• Math p. 312-340 (homework due 12/5)
• The Arts p.441- 469 (homework due 12/12)
• History p. 417-439 (homework due  12/19)

JANUARY:

• Ethics p. 470-509 (homework due 1/9)
• Natural Sciences p. 341-373 (homework due 1/16)
• Human Sciences p. 374- 416 (homework due 1/23)
• Religious Knowledge Systems p. 510- 538 (homework due 1/30)

FEBRUARY

• Indigenous Knowledge Systems – Cultural perspectives p. 539-568 (no required homework, but extra credit if completed by 2/6)
• TOK Presentation Planning – Decide on topic by February 13th. Assuming we can get access to the computer lab or laptops, you will have four class periods each week to work on it for four weeks. Your written draft plan will be due on March 1st.

MARCH

• Prepare Presentation in March
• You will make your presentation in late March. Presentations will be video-recorded

APRIL:

• First three weeks of April are kept available in case we are running behind. If not, we’ll do some special projects prior to starting the essay.
• Begin work on TOK Essay in late April

MAY/JUNE:

• Work on Essay
• Essay due on June 3rd
• Final group project due on day of the Final

 

Here are the two final projects by IB Theory of Knowledge classes due at the end of the school year:

 

Instagram Videos

Students must create three short (45-to-one minute each) videos (or one longer one) communicating the meaning of three important TOK concepts.

You can see examples here.

I think Instagram is the easiest tool to use, especially since they have now extended the length of videos to one-minute. However, they are welcome to use other tools.

Students can work alone or with one other classmate.

We will begin work on the videos on Monday, May 21st.  Because of the San Francisco field trip, the videos won’t be due until 8:00 AM on Tuesday, May 29th.

 

Explain Like I’m Five

Students – on their own or with one other classmate – prepare and teach a four-to-five minute lesson on one or more TOK concepts.

The key, though, is that they have to pretend that they are teaching to five-year-olds.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” is often attributed incorrectly to Albert Einstein, though he did say something similar.

That notion has a lot in common with The Feynman Technique.

First, students read, annotate and discuss a chapter from one of my books (Here’s My Chapter On Elements Of A Successful Lesson, Along With Student Hand-Outs THEY Use To Teach).

Then, we watch Explain Like I’m Five videos.

Then students use the planning form that accompanies my chapter on elements of a successful lesson to plan the lesson (that form is actually used by them for longer lessons during the year, but they adapt it for this one).

Then, they teach it to the class.

We will begin work on the lesson on Wednesday,  May 30th.   The lessons will be taught on June 7th and 8th.

 

FINAL

You can receive extra credit for your Final by creating an infographic explaining the Theory of Knowledge class. You can see an example here. You can use any tool you want, including pen and paper. Free online tools include Visme, Piktochart, Venngage, Infogram or Easelly.

You will have the entire two-hour “Final” time to create this infographic, or you may begin working on it earlier.

Before you create your infographic online and leave the link to it in the comments section of this post:

First, review The Ultimate Infographic Design Guide: 13 Tricks For Better Designs and Infographics For Beginners: The Ultimate Guide.

Then, design a rough draft on paper.

Lastly, go to one of the sites and create your infographic.

As I have explained, I write a teacher advice column for educators.

This week’s questions is “What has been your best moment in a classroom?”

I thought it would be interesting to get student responses, too.

Please write about your own best experience in a paragraph or two in the comments section. It might be best to write it in Google Doc first and then copy and past it here.

Say:

When and where it happened, though don’t use names (say in elementary school, in high school, in Sacramento, or elsewhere, say the grade)

What happened

How you felt then and how you feel now about it

What made it so good

What can teachers and other students learn from the experience?

 

Over the weekend, I will select several passages for publication, and will give those authors permission slips needing to be signed by parents.  There will be no problem, however, if you or your parents decide that you do not want your work published.

Theory Of Knowledge Schedule 2017-18

Mr. Ferlazzo’s Email Address: mrferlazzo@aol.com

Class blog: https://theoryofknowledge.edublogs.org/

Homework:

* The homework schedule can be found on the next page.  You are expected to read each chapter and complete the same assignment for each one (see homework example sheet) by the due date.  Homework is always due on a Monday.

This homework should be completed by the beginning of the second semester.  At that time, we’ll focus on our two major projects – a group Oral Presentation and an Essay.  Those two projects will make-up ninety-percent of your second semester grade.

* Group (Two people) or Individual TOK Presentation – It will be videotaped. Substantial time in class will be provided to prepare, but outside time will also be needed.  Your grade on this group presentation will be one of the two primary components of your official grade from IB.  You may make presentations on two different topics .  The one with the higher grade will count.

* TOK Essay – At least one essay where substantial time in class will be provided (assuming we can get access to computer lab), but outside time will also be needed.

* If you are an IB Diploma candidate or are seeking an IB TOK Certificate, you will also have to write a TOK essay in the fall of 2018 during your senior year that will be submitted to IB and will comprise the second component of your official IB grade (the Group Presentation will be the other portion).

 

Class work:

* You will keep a well-organized folder divided by WOK & AOK.  The syllabus, warm-ups, returned homework, and some hand-outs should be kept there.  It will be checked monthly by Mr. Ferlazzo.

* You’ll be getting packets for each Way of Knowing and each Area of Knowledge we study.  They will stay in the room and be shared among classes.  Please don’t write in them.

* There will be some assignments each week related to the packet and, with few exceptions, there will be plenty of time in class to do them, including warm-ups.   You’ll keep what you’ve written until each Friday, when I’ll collect them.  If you are not here one day, check with a classmate to see what you missed so you can catch-up.  You’ll staple them in chronological order – so, each day, when you start with your warm-up, you’ll write the day of the week and date.  You don’t have to use separate sheets for each day – just start the next day where the last day left off.

* We’ll try it out and if it doesn’t work well, we’ll change it

CALENDAR

This schedule is subject to change in consultation with the class.  The order of the assignments will not change.  There will be some days when you need to bring your book to class.  If you keep it in class, however, Mr. Ferlazzo is not responsible for it.

SEPTEMBER:

• Introduction to TOK
• The Problem and Nature Of Knowledge, p. 3-39 — two chapters (homework due 9/18)
• Allegory of the Cave
• Personal and Shared Knowledge, p. 40-76 (homework due 9/25)

OCTOBER:

• Sense Perception p. 115 -139 (homework due 10/2)
• Language p. 77-114 (homework due 10/9)
• Reason and Logic 140-170 (homework due 10/16)
• Emotions p. 171-196 (homework due 10/23)
• Imagination, Faith, Intuition & Memory p. 197-311 class will be divided into four groups, with students in each group taking responsibility to read, do homework and present on ONE chapter (homework due 10/30) EXTRA CREDIT IF YOU DO HOMEWORK FOR MORE THAN YOUR ASSIGNED CHAPTER

NOVEMBER:

• Knowledge Questions
• Math p. 312-340 (homework due 11/6)
• The Arts p.441- 469 (homework due 11/13)
• History p. 417-439 (homework due  11/27)

DECEMBER:

• Ethics p. 470-509 (homework due 12/11)
• Natural Sciences p. 341-373 (homework due December 12/18)

JANUARY:

• Human Sciences p. 374- 416 (homework due 1/15)
• Religious Knowledge Systems p. 510- 538 (homework due 1/22)
• Indigenous Knowledge Systems – Cultural perspectives p. 539-568 (no required homework, but extra credit if completed by 1/29)

FEBRUARY

• TOK Presentation Planning – Decide on topic by February 9th. Assuming we can get access to the computer lab or laptops, you will have four class periods each week to work on it for four weeks. Your written draft plan will be due on February 23rd.

MARCH

• Prepare Presentation in March
• You will make your presentation in late March. Presentations will be video-recorded

APRIL:

• First three weeks of April are kept available in case we are running behind. If not, we’ll do some special projects prior to starting the essay.
• Begin work on TOK Essay in late April

MAY/JUNE

• Work on Essay
• Essay due on June 4th
• Final group project due on day of the Final

 

 

 

 

Tok from Larry Ferlazzo on Vimeo.