Example Pathway: SL with a focus

on the impact of authoritarian

ideology

April 2023-June 2023 September 2023-December 2023 Internal Assessment

Prescribed Subject World History Topics December 2023-January 2024

The move to global war. Authoritarian States (20th century). I do not teach in the IB.
Examples: 4 states and leaders---Iraq, Moreover, during January my
Case studies on Japanese and Saddam Hussein, Uganda--Idi Amin, students will be finishing their
German/Italian aggression leading to Cambodia---Pol Pot, USSR----Josef Stalin. high school career. So for my
the outbreak of World War II. version of the "Internal
The Cold War: superpower tensions and Assessment" we will be doing
Skills: identifying information in a rivalries (20th century). a light version of it with a
document and inferring meaning Examples: For leaders Mao and Nasser. smaller word count, etc.
from it, comparing and contrasting For crises: the Americas- the Contra War Students can begin working
differing views, understanding (1981-1990) and Asia/Oceania-either the mid-December and during
sources in regards to value-origin- invasion of South Korea by North Korea winter vacation. In January I
limitations, demonstrating own (1950) or the invasion of Afghanistan by the can meet with each student
knowledge in written form. Soviet Union (1979). For two countries to individually to assist draft
look at for economic/social impact--- development. Can be submitted
 Venezuela and Japan (both countries given
aid by the 2 Powers separately)
Skills: critical analysis, focus in research,
synthesis of sources, ability to discuss
implications and meaning beyond recitation
of facts.
at the end of February even
though we don't have classes
then. Students choose any
historical topic to investigate,
for example, the effect of Idi
Amin's expulsion of Indian
nationals on the economy.

Skills: referencing,
constructing a coherent written
argument, personal engagement
with research.

NOTE: This Pathway will be for the senior year of study at only SL level.

I tried to construct a curriculum that focuses on the impact of authoritarian ideology n the 20 th century. The prescribed subject covers how World War II
began and what consequences came of it (focusing on Europe and Asia). A focus on the ideas that drove this conflict can be explored. The first topic looks
authoritarian leaders themselves, ranging from Iraq, Cambodia, the USSR and Uganda. Economic and social impacts will be explored in Venezuela and
Japan, the first being supported by the USSR and the latter by the USA. The second topic looks at the impact of the Cold War, from the Americas and East
Asia. For the Internal Assessment students can freely choose a topic within the range (time and place) of what we studied throughout the year.
International-Mindedness is fostered by studying a wide range of regions (Europe, East Asia, Middle East, the Americas and Africa). Multiple
perspectives from each region will be investigated as well.

TOK can fit anywhere. One possible place could be: The invasion of South Korea by North Korea. I would propose the question: what does it mean to
know that an event occurred? How do our biases interpret historical facts? I could guide students to research what both the South Korean and North Korean
museums (in China) on the Korean War have to say about it. They both give wildly different facts, or interpretations of facts. Students will have to reconcile
the process by which we can say that “we know” how the war unfolded. Students will also have to answer, or discuss, how multiple perspectives can say
that the other side was wrong and our side was right.