Travis’ IB Psychology Course Outline – New Syllabus

Travis DixonCurriculum, Themantics

Having a clear course outline is really helpful. Hopefully the lesson-by-lesson structure of our textbook will make this planning process easy for you.

You can see more outlines on these two posts:

Download my course outline here.

You can also find other teachers’ outlines that have been posted on our facebook group for teachers. Feel free  to post any questions about this outline or my course.

Travis’ IB Psychology Course Outline

YEAR ONE

Semester One (65 lessons)

  • Introduction (8 lessons + 2*)
    • Assessment: Test (Key terms, identifying parts of a study, etc.)
  • Criminology (26 lessons + 4 – includes teaching how to write SAQs)
    • Assessment: 1 x take home SAQ and 1 x research essay (800 – 1,000 words)
  • Social Influence Part I (17 lessons + 3 – includes more practice on how to write SAQs)
    • Assessment: 1 x in-class SAQ
  • HL Extensions (Biological – animal studies and the brain)

Semester Two (65 lessons)

  • Social Influence Part II (14 lessons + 1 – teaching how to write “to what extent…” essay)
    • Assessment: 1 x “to what extent” take home essay
  • Quantitative Methods (18 lessons + 2 – teaching how to explain research methods and ethics)
    • Assessment: Test (similar in format to test from introduction)
  • Internal Assessment (20 lessons)
    • Assessment: First draft of the IA
  • End of year exam revision (10 lessons)
    • Assessment: 1 x in-class essay on topics we’ve covered so far

YEAR TWO

Semester One (70 lessons)

  • PTSD (27 lessons + 3) (SL course finishes)
    • Assessment: 1 x in-class SAQ (mid-point) and 1 x in-class essay (end of unit)
  • Love and Marriage (Optional for SL) (15 lessons + 3 – teaching how to write “discuss” essays)
    • Assessment: Research assignment – student choice of topic.
  • + HL Extensions – Cognitive and Genetics (22 lessons)

Additional assessment – IA final draft.

Semester Two (55 lessons)

  • SL/HL Mock Exam Revision (15 lessons – includes reviewing research methods and ethics, and reviewing SAQ and essay writing including “Evaluate” and “Contrast” essays.)
    • Assessment: Practice Paper Two
  • Qualitative Research Methods  (15 lessons + 5 – Paper 3 Practice)
    • Assessment: Practice Paper Three
  • IB Exam Revision: 15 lessons
    • Assessment: Practice Paper One
    • Assessment: 1 x in-class essay (practice Paper One, Part B)

*The + lessons indicates additional lessons used for assessment, teaching writing skills, reflections on what we’re doing, or just generally allowing some “breathing room” in each unit.