Activating prior knowledge: Areas of

Knowledge

Where does TOK fit in the DP?

”TOK in the wild” – what happens after the DP?

Agenda Why ‘do’ TOK in within our subjects?

What is one way to ‘do’ TOK within our

subjects?

The Knowledge Framework: how can students

make connections?

Spearfishing: the why vs the how

 Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Spearfishing Include story telling and oral
traditions to preserve methods
of fishing.
Human Sciences
Anthropology and the study of the
Cosquer caves (16,000 year-old art)
Natural Sciences
Study of light refraction.
Mathematics
Geometry lends the language and
concepts for understanding of optics
The Arts
The most famous recount of a
spearfishing expedition: Moby Dick
History
Greek historian Polybius wrote about
spearfishing techniques
Religious Knowledge Systems
Book of Job in the Old Testament
Ethics
The introduction of recreational and
commercial fishing in areas where
traditional fishing practices occur.
Hupa man and his spear. © Edward Curtis
QUESTION KNOWLEDGE
PRODUCE KNOWLEDGE

APPLY KNOWLEDGE TO
SERVE, CREATE AND BE
ACTIVE WITHIN A
COMMUNITY
“There are no foreigners here.”
How do you know?
TOK in our subjects

Support the idea Practice

that knowledge questioning
can be knowledge in
questioned. specific contexts.
Questions
Step 1: Select a DP11 class
 If you have a ‘syllabus’ within your guide:
Step 2: Select the next
- Identify your current unit of study and where you are in
TOK question in your it;
subject guide
- Identify one TOK question related to it.
 If you don’t have a ‘syllabus’ within your guide:
Step 2: Select the next
- Identify the TOK section in your subject guide
TOK question in your
subject guide - Identify a TOK question appropriate to your current
unit
Identify a TOK question you’ll ask your class and write
it up on the bulletin board for your subject group.
What can we clarify?
What will students be
doing when you ask
this question?
Climate change
Understanding
Evaluating claims that human activities are not causing climate
change.

What will students be doing?

Students are presented with the 10 most common arguments
used by climate change deniers. They search Google Scholar for
peer-reviewed articles and share (on a whiteboard) the claims
made within them that can support or refute these claims. Once
finished, students are asked to justify how certain they are of
their proposed explanations. :

TOK question
At the end of the exercise, students are asked: “Is certainty ever
possible in the natural sciences?”
Your turn: What will
students be doing
when you ask the TOK
question you
identified?
 Group Group
6 1

Group Group
5 2

Group Group
4 3
What goes on in a student’s mind?
Links to
Scope and Concepts and Historical
Methodology Personal
Application Language Development
Knowledge

What is this How has the Why is this area

What is the role What counts as
area of history of this of knowledge
of convention in fact in this area
knowledge area led to its significant to
this area? of knowledge?
about? current form? the individual?

What is the
What role does
significance of What is the
What makes language play in What role do
the key points nature of the
this area of the models play in
in the historical contribution of
knowledge accumulation of this area of
development of individuals to
important? knowledge in knowledge?
this area of this area?
this area?
knowledge?
Your turn: What aspect
of the knowledge
framework most closely
connects to your
identified TOK question?
 Spearfishing Natural Sciences
Study of light refraction.

Mathematics
Geometry lends the
language and concepts
for understanding of
optics.

TRIAL AND ERROR

Hupa man and his spear. © Edward Curtis

© Skullsinthestars