IB History Curriculum Map

Curriculum Map for IB History

Following the IB course offers its own particular challenges and opportunities. Firstly, the fact that there is no mid-course external assessment comparable to the AS/A2 model is something that will suit some teachers and students more than others. Secondly, IB teachers have to organise a course that acknowledges that some students within the class will be studying at Standard Level, whilst others will also be working towards the extra paper required for the Higher Level examination. Some teachers – myself included – therefore lean towards teaching Paper 3 (Higher Level) topics that are also tested in Paper 2 (Standard Level & Higher Level) in order to reduce the overall workload of the Higher Level candidates. Nevertheless some selected topics will only be relevant for Paper 2; there will also be others that are only relevant to Higher Level candidates sitting Paper 3, and on these occasions Standard Level students need to be given free study time.

At a glance, my initial idea for teaching the syllabus, term by term, looks like this (although I am likely to juggle things around as time wears on! (SL=Standard Level; HL=Higher Level))

Year 12

Autumn part 1

Autum part 2

Spring part 1

Spring part 2

Summer

• SL: Effects of WW2; students do this as an induction project, I work it into an essay.

• SL: Mussolini's Domestic Policies (2wks)

• HL: Russia under Alexander II (3 wks*)

(*do 2 lessons per week for both SL and HL after the first full week; week 7 could be for tests if a buffer not needed).

• HL: Middle East 1914-39 (3wks)

• SL: SCW Causes / Course – (3 wks)

HOLIDAY PROJECT: Research on the rise of ONE dictator

• HL: Russia 1881-1894 (3wks)

• SLP1: Middle East 1939-48 (2 wks)

HOLIDAY PROJECT: Essay based on the research from last holiday comparing rise of SEVERAL dictators.

• HL: Russia 1894-1914 (3wks)

• SLP1: Middle East 1948-1949 (1 wk)

• SL: Chile and Pinochet (2wks)

• SL: Russia 1914-1917 (2wks)

• SL: Rule of Franco (1 wk plus holidays)

Holiday project: Revision for the examination directly after the holidays

Exams
A. Essay on either:
1. Comparing rise of Pinochet / Franco OR
2. Rule of Franco
B. Sourcework on Middle East to 1949

• SL: Russian Revolutions of 1917 (2 weeks)

• SL: Causes of WW1 contrasted with WW2
(2 wks) – using IGCSE materials.

• HL: Russia 1917-24 (2 wks) – (keep SL in for lessons on RCW)

• SLP1: Middle East (2wks) – 1950-67

Holiday Project: Choosing IA title and doing first draft
HL Extra – essay on Napoleon?

Year 13

• SL: Rise of Stalin 1924-29 (2 wks)

• SL: Rise of Mao / Chinese Civil War (3 wks) – and compare CCW to RCW

• SL: RULE of Mao needed for ‘different region’ angle – holiday project

Holiday Project: Final draft of IAs

• SLP1: Middle East 1968-79 (2 wks) – with an overview of events up to 1993 as per HL requirements

• SL: Rule of Stalin (3 wks)

Holiday Project: Revision for mock exams.

• Mock Exams and Feedback (2wks) - e.g. comparing rule of Franco, Mao, Stalin.

• SL: Origins of the Cold War (3 wks)

• Revision of the course, with emphasis on contrasts / comparisons between different dictators / wars.

Study Leave

How do you structure your course? I'd be very interested to compare ideas - please contact me with your suggestions and comments!

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