Refining the Global Issue

Global Issue should be:

1.
2.
3.

Texts studied: ● Highlight Fields of Inquiry studied within

(include title, author, and type of literature) each text: (can be one or multiple)
● Underline one keyword per text that most
resonates with you

1. Culture, identity and community

2. Beliefs, values and education
3. Politics, power and justice
4. Art, creativity and the imagination
5. Science, technology and the environment

1. Culture, identity and community

2. Beliefs, values and education
3. Politics, power and justice
4. Art, creativity and the imagination
5. Science, technology and the environment

1. Culture, identity and community

2. Beliefs, values and education
3. Politics, power and justice
4. Art, creativity and the imagination
5. Science, technology and the environment

Write one-two sentences connecting each text above to another we read this semester through a Field of Inquiry.
Example: Antigone relates to Animal Farm through the political sphere and the power struggle between
the main protagonist, Antigone and the non-pig animals, and the antagonist, Creon and Napoleon.

1. Animal Farm

2. Antigone

3. Persepolis
 Ladder of Abstraction
After watching the “IB English Guys” videos, complete the following process to build your own Ladder of Abstraction.
These steps will require you to complete work on a separate sheet of paper. Title your paper and add it to your Learner Portfolio for
your next Checkpoint. Questions are the key!
1. What text did you love?
2. What are some of the ideas in the novel that resonated with you?
a. On a separate sheet of paper, build a mindmap. In the middle of the paper, put the title of the text and the author’s
name in a circle, then brainstorm and write out keywords/phrases of the ideas included in the text. You must have at
least six keywords/phrases related to this text.

3. What field of inquiry matches your keywords or mindmap most? Circle your answer here. On the back of your mindmap
paper, create an upside down triangle, similar to the one shown in the “IB English Guys'' video. We will call this your
Ladder of Abstraction. Write out the Field of Inquiry in the top space.
a. Culture, identity and community
b. Beliefs, values and education
c. Politics, power and justice
d. Art, creativity and the imagination
e. Science, technology and the environment
f.
4. What portion/topic do you want to narrow it down to?
a. Write down the portion topic in the next space down on your ladder.
b.
5. Context within the novel. When/where/who related to the topic.
a. In a short sentence, indicate when within the text you see this topic become a problem. Write this sentence in the
third space of your ladder.
b.
6. What causes this topic/problem to occur?
a. Consider your topic and problem. Answer this question in the fourth space of your ladder.
b.
7. Why?
a. Now that you have identified a problem, think about why it is a problem. The answer may seem obvious, but you
need to think about why on a deeper level.
b. Write out your answer to “why” on the fifth space of your ladder.
c.
8. Reread your keywords from your mindmap.
9. Refining a Global Issue. Discussion.
a. With a partner, discuss the work you have done so far. Read your keywords, topic, problem, and answers aloud to
them. (Read down the ladder.)
b. Use the sentence starters provided to explore what a potential global issue for your chosen text could look like.
After discussion, write out three sentences (filling in the blanks) at the bottom of your ladder.
i. “Today, I’d like to explore the inquiry field of …. More specifically, I’d like to discuss …. This is
important/critical because …”
c. Have your partner read these sentences aloud back to you.
i. Does it sound right? Any mistakes? Is it logical? How do you feel about it? Do you want to explore it
further?Revise your sentences if necessary.
ii.
10. Do you have a Global Issue? Answer the following questions in the space provided.
a. Connect to the text. What does this issue relate to in the text?

b. What is the significance on a wide scale?

c. Do we feel it in everyday contexts? How?