Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

MYP unit planner

Teacher(s) Subject group and discipline Individuals and societies: History

Unit title The age of imperialism, 1850-1914 MYP year 4 Unit duration (hrs) 20

Inquiry: Establishing the aim of the unit

Key concept Related concept(s) Global context - international-mindedness

Change Innovation and revolution Self-expression and cultural expression

Culture Exploration: Students will explore an important
aspect of the social construction of reality: the
Causality (causation and consequence)
interrelatedness of economic changes and cultural
changes. Our era is no exception to this connection
since new types of popular consciousness are both
the cause and agents of change. The consequences
of these new types of popular consciousness–
whether negative or positive–affect our interpersonal
relationships, public life and our view of the world.

Statement of inquiry

Based on the quotation “There is no such thing as economic growth which is not, at the same time, growth or change of culture” from Edward P.
Thompson:
Economic changes, whether slow or fast, always involve cultural changes.

Inquiry questions

Factual: What were the main transformations that capitalist growth brought about in the second half of the 19th century?
Conceptual: What relationships can be found/established among all of these transformations? What relationships can be established between economic growth and
the cultural changes that occurred at that time? What current cultural changes can be identified as being due–in full or in part–to economic transformations?
Debatable: Does the economy define us socially, culturally and individually?

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Objectives
By the end of Unit A, students are expected to:
Our intention is for students to have assimilated all
aspects of the four objectives prescribed by the
MYP for individuals and societies by the end of Unit
A.
A. Knowing and understanding
i. Use terminology in context
ii. Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of subject-specific
content and concepts through
descriptions, explanations and examples
B. Investigating
i. Formulate a clear and focused research
question and justify its relevance
ii. Formulate and follow an action plan to
investigate a research question
iii. Use research methods to collect and
record relevant information
iv. Evaluate the process and results of the
investigation
C. Communicating
i. Communicate information and ideas
using an appropriate style for the
audience and purpose
ii. Structure information and ideas in a way
that is appropriate to the specified
format
iii. Document sources of information using
a recognized convention
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Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914
Summative assessment
Summary of the summative assessment tasks and Relationship between the summative assessment
corresponding assessment criteria: task(s) and the statement of inquiry:
THE FRONT PAGE OF A NEWSPAPER FROM THE The structure of the summative assessment task is
EARLY 20TH CENTURY closely related to the statement of inquiry. Students
will face challenges that will involve exploring the
possibilities of the statement of inquiry using specific
1. AN EDITORIAL TEAM
historical examples, completing activities related to
its understanding and meaning, and reflecting on
The assignment–Create the front page of a their learning experience. Through the use of their
newspaper from the early 20th century–must be understanding skills, students are expected to
done in groups of two (2) or three (3) students. demonstrate the extent to which they have
Although all members of the team will participate succeeded in correctly interpreting the meaning and
collaboratively, working together throughout the scope of the statement of inquiry that guides this unit.
assignment, individual tasks are divided as follows:
i. News editor
ii. Illustrator/cartoonist
iii. Layout designer
The newspaper assignment and the final report must
include the names of the students along with their
assigned roles.
When finished, each team will present their project
orally to their classmates and teacher.
Objectives: The information included on the front
page of students’ newspapers must discuss the
relationship between economic growth in the
second half of the 19th century and the cultural
changes associated with these transformations.
Students must also define the ideological position
(conservative liberal, reformist liberal, Marxist,
anarchist, social democrat, etc.) of their newspaper
through the news stories selected and through the

D. Thinking critically
i. Discuss concepts, issues, models, visual
representation and theories
ii. Synthesize information to make valid
arguments
iii. Analyse and evaluate a range of
sources/data in terms of origin and
purpose, examining values and
limitations
iv. Interpret different perspectives and their
implications
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Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914
perspective taken in the way these stories are
presented. Students must remember to give their
newspaper a name.
2. INVESTIGATING
Students will begin by formulating an inquiry
question. Students will need to consult a variety of
sources and collect as much information as possible
in order to write news, fictional reports, features or any
other type of text that is relevant to the question and
objectives of the assignment. Students may choose
topics that are local, national or international, but
they must choose which city their newspaper will
be sold in and a specific publication date. Students
must keep in mind that these decisions will influence
many aspects of their work. Any images or illustrations
must complement the texts and reinforce the ideas
they intend to convey.
3. DRAFTING AND EDITING THE NEWS
Students, as if they were real journalists, must write
and illustrate news that emphasizes the focus of their
newspaper. Students must consider the space
available on their page and synthesize their ideas and
use language that is appropriate to the newspaper’s
historical, local and national context.
4. LAYOUT
Students must arrange the texts and images on their
front page in a way that clearly and precisely
communicates their ideas and fulfils the objectives that
they have set out. Students should keep the following in
mind: the font and the font size, the use of banners,
headlines, subheadings, spaces, graphics, images,
illustrations, the name and date of the newspaper, etc.
 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

Computer programs such as Microsoft Publisher,

Page Maker or other similar software may be very
useful in completing the assignment.

5. PRINTING AND PRESENTATION

Students must print their newspapers in A3 in black

and white.

6. THE FINAL REPORT

In addition to their FRONT PAGE, students will need

to present a REPORT detailing each of the stages
they completed and in which they reflect on how the
learning experience contributed to their
understanding of the statement of inquiry.

The report must be presented according to the

following guidelines:

Font: Arial, size 12

Paper: A4

In a folder with a transparent cover

In an envelope

Layout of the report:

a. Coversheet (containing the students’ basic

details)
b. Table of contents
c. Introduction (The introduction must include
support for the inquiry question and the
objectives of the report.)
d. Investigation (The investigation section must

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

present and discuss the use/application of the

sources consulted to complete their project.)
e. Planning (The planning section must detail
exactly how the students envisaged the
project and which decisions were made.)
f. Action (The action section must discuss the
steps the students took and the obstacles
they encountered while completing their
project.)
g. Reflection (The reflection section must
synthesize the students’ process-focused
assessment and its results. The students
must also explain how the learning
experience contributed to their understanding
of the statement of inquiry.)
h. Bibliography (Using Harvard Style, students
must cite all of the sources they consulted.)
i. Appendices (if necessary)

Important note: Students’ final reports must be

submitted on the date and according to the pre-
established guidelines. A digital copy (coversheet,
report and signed checklist) must also be
submitted.

Assessment criteria:
In addition to the specific objectives, all aspects of
the four assessment criteria will be considered.
To achieve level 8, students must:
A. Knowing and understanding
i. Use language that is coherent and
appropriate to the historical context of the
early 20th century, both in the newspaper
and in the report.
ii. Demonstrate knowledge of the main
transformations of the historical period
being studied –the Second Industrial

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

Revolution– and an excellent

understanding of the relationship between
the economic and cultural changes that
occurred at that time, selecting clear
examples to be published on the front
page of their newspaper while always
providing explanations and support in
their report for the choices that the
students made.
B. Investigating
i. Formulate a clear and focused research
question that establishes the connection
between economic and cultural aspects
and justify its relevance in the report. (For
example: What are the connections
between the period of industrial
development in Catalonia and the
modernist architecture of Barcelona in the
early 20th century? What are the
connections between the emergence of
Impressionist art and the new technical
possibilities brought about by industrial
development?)
ii. Follow an action plan to investigate the
relationship between the economic and
cultural aspects outlined above.
iii. Investigate different types of sources
(print, non-print, primary, secondary, etc.)
to collect and record appropriate, varied
and relevant information.
iv. Thoroughly evaluate the students’
investigation process and results in their
reports.
C. Communicating
i. Communicate information in clearly
written notes using language that is

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

appropriate for both the period and the

medium.
ii. Structure information according to the
characteristics of a newspaper from the
era. It is very important to keep in mind
the examples presented in class:
excessively small print, more text than
images, limited amount of blank space,
types of advertising, no use of colour, etc.
Students must also reflect the purpose of
a front page, namely: attracting attention,
informing, highlighting, influencing,
causing a quick reaction, etc. Structure
information in a way that is appropriate to
the established presentation guidelines
(coversheet, table of contents,
introduction, development, conclusion-
reflective statement, sources consulted,
appendices).
iii. Document all sources of information using
the Harvard System of Referencing
throughout and at the end of the report.
D. Thinking critically
i. Make a detailed oral presentation of the
concepts (change, culture and causality)
while establishing connections between
them.
ii. Synthesize information to make valid
arguments that fully support the choices
that students made while completing their
project.
iii. Effectively and systematically evaluate a
range of sources (a minimum of four) in
terms of their authority, accuracy, validity
and bias, and recognize their value and
limitations by commenting on or
summarizing each of them.

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

iv. Meticulously interpret different

perspectives on the same topic and their
implications.

Approaches to learning

Students will be able to:

I. Communication Students will exchange ideas, messages and information, interacting with each other and with their teacher.
II. Social: Collaboration skills Students will work collaboratively.
III. Self-management:
Organization skills Students will be mindful of the time and the tasks required of them.
Affective skills Students will need to be responsible for their own state of mind. They will need to be able to focus their attention,
overcome distractions, be empathetic, control their impulses, mind their manners, reduce their anxiety levels, and analyse the reasons
behind their success and their mistakes.
Reflection skills Students will reappraise their learning processes through meaningful questions about the contents they have learned
and their implications, the skills they have used, the strategies they have developed, and their individual and group work.
IV. Research: Information literacy skills Students will investigate, collect, interpret and evaluate information.
V. Thinking: Critical-thinking skills Students will analyse and evaluate issues and ideas. They will identify problems, defend their positions, identify non-
explicit biases and assumptions, interpret data, evaluate evidence and arguments, identify and evaluate propositions, draw conclusions, test
generalizations, preconceptions and conclusions, review their understanding on the basis of new information and evidence, ask questions, consider ideas
from multiple perspectives, develop arguments in favour, against or in opposition to, and analyse complex concepts by breaking down their constituent
parts to give rise to a new understanding.
Creative-thinking skills Students will need to consider multiple alternatives, make unexpected connections, speculate, use flexible
thinking, and be able to conceive metaphors and analogies.
Transfer skills Students will investigate multiple contexts to obtain different perspectives and make connections with other fields of
knowledge or subjects. They will also combine their knowledge, understanding and skills.

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry

Contents Learning process

Specific: Learning experiences and teaching strategies

Working with the statement of inquiry, students will gain an in-depth understanding of
• The bourgeoisie in the 19th century: The century of the triumphant
the characteristics of the era and have the following learning experiences:
bourgeoisie
• The spread of capitalism: a) new types of production; b) advances in A. Constructing a concept map
communication; c) the population explosion; d) changes in the fields; e)
As an introduction to this stage, content will be reviewed and notions/ideas
urban transformation (the industrial city); f) transformations in industry
and knowledge will be explored before constructing a concept map in class
• Society in industrialized countries. Everyday life: Housewives; working
on how a capitalist society is formed and the primary reasons behind it.
families and bourgeois families
Once the concept map has been constructed, the students will discuss its
• Social conflicts: The “labour problem;” ideologies and schools of thought main ideas, concepts and information in a writing assignment to
in the 19th century; labour movements demonstrate that they have essentially understood the process that they
• Colonial expansion: Imperialism have studied and that they are ready to move on to the next stage of the
• The political situation in Europe and around the world: On the path to learning experience planned in this unit.
liberal democracy
• New artistic expressions B. The spread of capitalism after 1850:
• The Titanic as a symptom: The Zeitgeist of an era coming to an end (S. Students must search for and collect information on the main
Zizek) transformations that occurred during the second industrial revolution:
Procedural: a. New types of production
b. Advances in communication
Students will develop technical and analytical skills such as being
able to: c. The population explosion
• Debate and support their opinions d. Changes in the fields

• Explore concepts and ideas, acquire knowledge and increase e. Urban transformation
their understanding f. Transformations in industry

• Understand the causes and consequences of the changes A digital presentation of each of these topics will be shown in class.
attributable to human actions C. History through cinema

• Develop intellectual and socially respectful attitudes based on We will work with an excerpt from the film “Modern Times” (1936) by
accepting diversity and acknowledging the “other” Charlie Chaplin, accompanied by his own words about his production:

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

• Develop the ability to imagine different “worlds”
• Learn to think historically
D.
“The film starts from an abstract idea; from an impulse to say
something about how life is manipulated and channelled, and
where men are transformed into machines...”
The excerpt will provide students with the opportunity to appreciate some of
the effects that the Industrial Revolution had on humanity, including how the
world was seen and what the social relationships were like. It will also show
them how the mechanization of society had spread and the results it was
having on the social undercurrents of the time from a sharply critical point of
view.
The condition of the working class in England

A section from Renato de Fusco’s book “History of Contemporary

Architecture” (see bibliography) will provide contextual information for
students that will enable them to learn more about the central role of social
housing in 19th century cities and its sociological impact on modern city
planning. Among other aspects, the author offers relevant information and
adopts the point of view of F. Engels in his 1845 book “The Condition of
the Working Class in England.” Students’ research will enable them to
analyse the problems of industrial age cities from a political, economic and
social perspective in addition to their cultural implications.
E. Relationships: Literature and society
Reading an excerpt from “Hard Times” by English novelist Charles
Dickens will provide students with opportunities for reflection and
understanding including what life and the working conditions of people at
the time were like; aspects of everyday life and the culture of the time; and
how, in all historical periods, art –including literature– is connected with other
aspects of social and cultural life. “Hard Times” is Dickens’ most critical
account of industrial society.
Students will be asked to answer two questions after reading the text:
How does Dickens describe the life and working conditions of the people of
the era?
What would be an example of an artistic expression or a cultural
phenomenon that offers critical insight into the problems of today’s society?
Support your choice and discuss it with your classmates.

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

F. Everyday life: Housewives, working families and bourgeois families

A short text from “A History of Private Life” (Volume 4) by Michelle Perrot
and Anne Martin-Fugier (contemporary French historians) will provide
students with information on the everyday lives of housewives.
G. Social conflicts in industrialized countries (assignment with written
sources)
The spread of industrialization led to severe inequalities and social conflicts
among individuals. This situation caused several societal groups and
institutions to take different sides. Students will work with sources that reflect
the opinions of representatives from workers' movements, the Catholic
Church, political authorities and intellectuals from the period. The aim is
to increase students’ awareness of some of these controversial opinions
and for them to evaluate their meaning.

H. Defining concepts: Imperialism

Students must construct a concept map on “imperialism” as a way of
reinforcing their understanding of what it has meant over time and what
shapes it took at the end of the 19th century.
I. The Titanic as a smptom
By reading an excerpt in class from “The Sublime Object of Ideology” by
Slavoj Zizek, students will reflect on the Zeitgeist (the spirit and
intellectual and cultural climate) of an era that was coming to its end.
J. Caricature as a resource for learning history: “A dialogue between
liberals”
Through caricature, the students will be challenged to participate in an
empathy exercise, recreating an imagined dialogue between a European
ruler from the second half of the 19th century and a liberal, industrial
member of the bourgeoisie about their country’s economic situation.

Formative assessment
The formative assessment will be addressed and stimulated through ongoing
reflection in the classroom, self-assessment and observation of examples. Specifying
the assessment criteria will not be sufficient; I will emphasize what we expect for
each of the skills that we hope our students can achieve in the MYP.

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

The students will be asked to:

• Read the guidelines, command terms and explanations out loud.
• Complete a worksheet with activities on the second industrial revolution.
• Participate in “role-playing” exercises (point J in the previous section).
• The summative activity will consist of two parts. One part will be strictly
informational.
• Students will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their previous
knowledge and/or prejudices. For example, students will be asked to
construct a semantic map or take a diagnostic test.
• Students will be given guided-reading activities on the topic.
• Students will be given feedback on each of the activities A, B, C, D, E, F,
G, H and I which will focus on their achievements, strengths and
weaknesses.
• Students will fill out self-assessment and co-assessment forms.
• Students will reflect on the approaches to learning skills involved in the
process.
• After completing the summative activity, students must individually fill out
a questionnaire that will inquire about the understanding they have
achieved through the learning experience. The questionnaire will have
spaces where the students can reflect on the main components of the
Programme that they worked on in Unit B: the statement of inquiry, the
global context, the key concept and the debatable question.

Differentiation
I will take into account the different ways in which students “relate to knowledge,”
how they appropriate this knowledge and how they are able to communicate it.
• I will also take into account the students’ interest levels, their evident skills and
their personal time when organizing and implementing the tasks.
• I will provide examples and guidelines for the students before and during the
activities.

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

• I will intervene at the start, in the middle and at the end of the activities,
guiding and supporting the learning process and being mindful of the
students’ unique characteristics.
• I will encourage the use of several different resources to complete the work.

Resources

Selected bibliography:
ANDERSON, BENEDICT (2000). Comunidades imaginadas: reflexiones sobre el origen y la difusión del nacionalismo (Original English title: Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and
Spread of Nationalism). FCE, Mexico

ARIÉS, PHILIPPE; DUBY, GEORGES (dir.) (1991-1992). Historia de la vida privada, tomos 8-10 (A History of Private Life, volumes 8-10). Taurus, Madrid.

ARÓSTEGUI, JULIO; BUCHRUCKER, CRISTIAN; SABORIDO, JORGE (coord.) (2001). El mundo contemporáneo: historia y problemas (The Contemporary World: History and Problems).
Editorial Biblos/Crítica, Barcelona.

BERGER, PETER; LUCKMANN, THOMAS (1997). La Construcción Social de la Realidad (Original English title: The Social Construction of Reality). Amorrortu, Buenos Aires.

BERGERON, LOUIS, et al. (1983). La época de las revoluciones europeas 1780-1848 (The Era of European Revolutions 1780-1848). Siglo XXI, Madrid.

BERNAL, JOHN D. (1979). Historia Social de la Ciencia (Original English title: The Social Function of Science), 2 volumes. Editorial Península, Barcelona.

BERTAUX, PIERRE (1974). África. Desde la prehistoria hasta los estados actuales (Africa: From Prehistory to Today’s Nations). Siglo XXI, Madrid.

BRIGGS, ASA; CLAVIN, PATRICIA (1997). Historia Contemporánea de Europa 1789-1989 (Original English title: Modern Europe, 1789-present). Editorial Crítica, Barcelona.

BRUUN, GEOFFREY (1964). La Europa del Siglo XIX, 1815-1914 (Original English title: Nineteenth-Century European Civilization). FCE, Mexico.

CASTORIADIS, CORNELIUS (1989). La Institución Imaginaria de la Sociedad. Vol. 2: El imaginario social y la institución (The Imaginary Institution of Society. Part 2: The Social Imaginary and the
Institution). Tusquets Editores, Barcelona.

CAUTE, DAVID (1965). Las Izquierdas Europeas desde 1789 (Original English title: The Left in Europe Since 1789). Ediciones Guadarrama, Madrid.

CHESNEAUX, JEAN (1969). Asia oriental en los siglos XIX-XX (Eastern Asia in the 19th and 20th Centuries). Editorial Labor, Barcelona.

DE FUSCO, RENATO (1992). Historia de la arquitectura contemporánea (History of Contemporary Architecture). Celeste Ediciones, Madrid.

DELANNOI, GIL; TAGUIEFF, PIERRE ANDRÉ (comp.) (1993). Teorías del nacionalismo (Theories of Nationalism). Ediciones Paidós, Barcelona.

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 Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914

DI TELLA, TORCUATO, et al. (2006). Diccionario de Ciencias Sociales y Políticas (Social Science and Political Dictionary). Ariel, Buenos Aires.

DUROSELLE, JEAN BAPTISTE (1967). Europa de 1815 hasta nuestros días. Vida política y relaciones internacionales (Europe from 1815 to Today. Politics and International Relations). Editorial
Labor, Barcelona.

GEARY, DICK (comp.) (1992). Movimientos Obreros y Socialistas en Europa, antes de 1914 (Original English title: Labour and Socialist Movements in Europe before 1914). Ministerio de Trabajo y
Seguridad Social de España, Madrid.

GERBOD, PAUL (1982). Europa cultural y religiosa de 1815 a nuestros días (Cultural and Religious Europe from 1815 to Today). Editorial Labor, Barcelona.

HOBSBAWM, ERIC (1998). La Era del Capital, 1848-1875 (Original English title: The Age of Capital, 1848-1875). Editorial Crítica, Barcelona.

HOBSBAWM, ERIC (1998). La Era del Imperio, 1875-1914 (Original English title: The Age of Empire, 1875-1914). Editorial Crítica, Barcelona.

HOBSBAWM, ERIC (1998). Naciones y Nacionalismo Desde 1780 (Original English title: Nations and Nationalism since 1780). Editorial Crítica, Barcelona.

HOBSBAWM, ERIC (2001). Historia de Gran Bretaña desde 1750 hasta nuestros días (Original English title: Industry and Empire. From 1750 to the Present Day). Editorial Crítica, Barcelona.

JOLL, JAMES (1983). Historia de Europa Desde 1780 (Original English title: Europe Since 1870: An International History). Alianza, Madrid.

KUCZYNSKI, JÜRGEN (1967). Evolución de la clase obrera (The Evolution of the Working Class). Ediciones Guadarrama, Madrid.

MACKENZIE, NORMAN (1969). Breve Historia del Socialismo (Original English title: Socialism: A Short History). Editorial Labor, Barcelona.

MACRY, PAOLO (1997). La sociedad contemporánea. Una introducción histórica (Contemporary Society. A Historical Introduction). Ariel, Barcelona.

MARTÍNEZ CARRERAS, JOSÉ U. (1999). Introducción a la historia contemporánea (2 tomos) (An introduction to Contemporary History (2 volumes)). Istmo, Madrid.

MEYER, JEAN (1999). Rusia y sus Imperios, 1894-1991 (Russia and Its Empires, 1894-1991). FCE, Mexico.

MIÉGE, JEAN-LOUIS (1975). Expansión europea y descolonización, de 1870 a nuestros días (European Expansion and Decolonisation, from 1870 to the Present Day). Editorial Labor, Barcelona.

MOMMSEN, WOLFGANG J. (1991). La Época del Imperialismo. Europa 1885-1918 (The Age of Imperialism. Europe 1885-1918). Siglo XXI, Madrid.

MORAZÉ, CHARLES (1965). El apogeo de la burguesía: siglo XIX (The Height of the Bourgeoisie: 19th Century). Editorial Labor, Barcelona.

NÉRÉ, JACQUES (1980). Historia contemporánea (Contemporary History). Editorial Labor, Barcelona.

RENOUVIN, PIERRE (dir.) (1967). Historia de las relaciones internacionales (4 tomos) (A History of International Relations (4 volumes)). Aguilar, Madrid.

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TILLY, CHARLES (1992). Coerción, Capital y los Estados Europeos 990-1990 (Original English title: Coercion, Capital, and European States, AD 990-1990). Alianza Universidad, Madrid.

RUDÉ, GEORGE (1971). La multitud en la historia. Los disturbios populares en Francia e Inglaterra, 1730-1848 (Original English title: The Crowd in History. A Study of Popular Disturbances in
France and England, 1730-1848). Siglo XXI, Buenos Aires.

THOMPSON, E.P. (1979). Tradición, Revuelta y Conciencia de Clase (Class Consciousness, Tradition and Revolt). Editorial Crítica, Barcelona.

VILAR, PIERRE (1982). Iniciación al vocabulario del análisis historico (An Introduction to the Vocabulary of Historical Analysis). Editorial Crítica, Barcelona.

WALLERSTEIN, IMMANUEL (1998). Impensar las Ciencias Sociales. Límites de los paradigmas decimonónicos (Original English title: Unthinking Social Science: The Limits of Nineteenth-Century
Paradigms). Siglo XXI, Mexico.

Literary works:

DICKENS, CHARLES (1854). Hard Times. Source: http://planlectura.educ.ar/pdf/dickens.pdf

Visual media:

TIEMPOS MODERNOS (Original title: MODERN TIMES) (1936). Starring, directed and produced by Charles Chaplin, United States of America. Duration: 87 min.

Digital presentation:

The spread of capitalism after 1850: The main transformations of the second industrial revolution

Reflection: Opinion on the planning, the development and the impact of interdisciplinary inquiry
Prior to t teaching the unit During teaching After teaching the unit

Heeding E.P. Thompson’s proposal, we will
emphasize the cultural and subjective aspects of
the period being studied: The evolution of
capitalism during the second industrial
revolution. This particular epistemological field will
give us the opportunity to better understand the
individual protagonists of this historical period who
have a “face of their own” and are not merely defined
by their insertion in a specific (and decisive)
socioeconomic infrastructure. We will try to
appreciate and understand the active presence of
One of the advantages that will help us get off to a
good start is linguistic in nature. The specific
vocabulary for the subject, which was first seen in an
exercise in Unit A, will help lead to a general
understanding of certain key aspects.
The school provides adequate access to the
resources we need to implement the unit. It is
important to bear in mind that, at times, the use of
these resources must be coordinated to ensure that
they are available and functioning properly.
After submitting their initial assignments, many of
which did not meet expectations, students’
understanding skills have since risen to an
“adequate” level (3-4) overall.
The aspect which received both the best results after
observation and assessment was in the ideological
position that the students adopted and in the
corresponding internal coherence that they had to
demonstrate in their assignments. In most cases, this
aspect was resolved satisfactorily. Although certain
“caricatures of historical reality” may sometimes still

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political subjects, their social action and the creative
interference of historical agents.
“There is no such thing as economic growth
which is not, at the same time, growth or
change of culture.”
E.P. Thompson, an English historian, suggested that
historical processes be read the other way around
when analysing the creation of a new popular
consciousness which promotes the spread of
innovations (in this case, referring to technological
changes and the Industrial Revolution itself). Thus,
unlike traditional theoretical-methodological
procedures that base their interpretation of history on
economic infrastructure, this perspective looks for the
conditions for social and technological change in the
popular consciousness.
This line of thinking–which comes from the statement
of inquiry–must guide the teaching and learning
experience at all times through different scenarios
and experiences. I believe that it is important for
students to understand the connection between
growth and cultural changes. The economic and
technological growth of our era is no exception to this
connection since new types of popular
consciousness are both the cause and the agents of
change. The consequences of these new types of
popular consciousness–whether negative or
positive–affect our interpersonal relationships, public
life and our view of the world.
Last year, the students studied: the English origins of
the Industrial Revolution, its characteristics and
historical significance, the bourgeois revolutions and
the birth of the class-based society. This prior
knowledge makes it possible to teach this year’s
content in a way that expands and reinforces the
students’ understanding of the historical process.
Individuals and societies teacher support material 16
Students actively participate in class and are able to
make their own work groups and divide the tasks
among all members of the group. The students do
not often require assistance and they appear to
work as if they have absolute control of
everything that needs to be covered and
considered. This concerns me greatly.
In the words of Giovanni Sartori, the primacy of the
image and the vast wealth of information available–
the first and second in the history of humanity whose
impact on current events is like a maelstrom that
penetrates the entire social fabric through an array of
devices–has led to the prevalence of the visible over
the intelligible, making it more difficult to attain
abstract thought as well as to have clear and distinct
ideas. This cultural factor has real effects on our
teaching and is continuously kept in mind when
selecting content, curriculum resources, etc.
The learning experiences–in other words, the
experiences that could pass for learning, since they
are not analogous elements–appear to be consistent
with the objectives of the unit if the abilities
demonstrated by the students to reflect on the
statement of inquiry and resolve the practical
problems that arise in each of the planned instances
(in addition to other times that they arise
spontaneously) are taken into account.
Many times, epistemological reflection takes centre
stage. The previously studied unit (Introduction to the
epistemological characteristics of history) seems to
have provided analytical elements that support the
students’ work which will, most likely, enable them to
reach the levels of understanding that are sought and
help them add a certain complexity to their historical
thinking.
The assignment with written sources (Activity G:
Social conflicts in industrialized countries) is a
great help for students to able to explore the
Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914
appear in students’ assignments, I am able to focus
on what is important and assess the connections that
students have made very positively, especially when
these connections really help students understand
both the statement of inquiry and the concepts better.
I believe that reviewing this aspect helps support
meaningful learning. In any case, the opportunity to
reflect on this was given a space that most students
took advantage of.
The papers that did not reach the “acceptable”
threshold (level 3-4) did not do so for the following
fundamental reasons:
1. Inquiry questions that were poorly
formulated or poorly focused and whose
relevance could not be substantiated
2. Anachronistic elements or important
conceptual oversights that were not
overcome
3. Inadequate presentation or a presentation
that did not strictly follow the pre-established
guidelines
4. Superficiality in the approach to the subject
matter and/or comprehension/demonstration
of the statement of inquiry
The task was sufficiently complex and allowed all of
the proposed aspects to be assessed.
Some activities were very effective and piqued
students’ intellectual curiosity in very positive ways. I
would particularly like to highlight the students’ oral
participation and the connections that they made
(including the use of personal experience, general
interest topics and their knowledge of other subjects)
Some fundamental ideas that I believe should be
considered in the future include:

The previously studied unit (Introduction to the
epistemological characteristics of history) sought to
lay the foundations in order to reach new objectives.
An understanding of the radical otherness of the
past as an essential part of any type of historical
analysis is key for students to develop their
understanding skills which must necessarily include a
meticulous treatment of this aspect.
While interdisciplinary connections require
coordination in order to improve students’
understanding skills, they also provide opportunities
for certain aspects to appear that were discussed in
other subjects and which can reinforce new learning
experiences and give students the opportunity to
achieve a much deeper understanding of the topic.
Arts and language and literature are two excellent
examples.
I will tap into the students’ prior knowledge through a
type of diagnostic test that will help lead to the
construction of a semantic map in class which will
serve both as a review and a jumping off point. At the
same time, my own mental prowess and my
constructive abilities will be challenged.
Individuals and societies teacher support material 17
interpretative nature of knowledge and personal
biases while they attempt to achieve aims that are
linked to critical thinking. In any case, I think that
more time to work on this is necessary.
Proposals that promote understanding over covering
more content and that essentially subordinate it
necessarily force teachers to distribute the time we
have to work in a way that, at times, makes it difficult
to keep up with our country’s national curriculum
requirements. In fact, we are considerably behind
schedule.
Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914
• Continue using the checklist as an
educational element
• Stimulate a cross “dialogue” among different
proposals
• Work with more examples in class; in
particular, more examples of inquiry
questions that help guide students’ research
• Revise expectations of students’
achievements and the assessment criteria
even further during the process
• Further specify what the recommendations
for appropriate use of a range of sources are
and how they will be assessed
• Integrate, if possible, arts and language
and literature
• Coordinate with teachers who taught the
subject (individuals and societies) the
previous year to work out specific
guidelines for approaches to learning that
need to be reinforced even further in vertical
planning, especially with regards to
research skills
• Plan a type of presentation that is designed
to help students further reinforce the
communication objectives

ATTRIBUTES OF THE IB LEARNER PROFILE that
could be reinforced through teaching this unit:
I believe that this unit will help students reinforce
many of the attributes of the IB learner profile such
as inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers,
communicators, open-minded, caring, reflective, etc.
Individuals and societies teacher support material 18
Opportunities that arose during the teaching
process that enabled certain attributes to be
reinforced, and how this was received by
students:
This proposal aims to pique the students’ curiosity,
for example, through the use of stories and selected
curriculum resources as well as by promoting action
to demonstrate what they are capable of achieving,
while reflecting on the attributes and their
implications.
Unit plan: The age of imperialism, 1850–1914
Conclusions about the initial aim and its results:
I believe that the most positive results are those
aspects that are directly related to reflection and
which have been enabled by the attributes of the IB
learner profile. The connection between the
academic content and this axiomatic element
organized the class in such a way that it made it
possible to visualize aspects that would not have
been possible to access otherwise.