Do you want to try the themantic approach but you’ve already started linear? No worries. These resources can help you trial teaching IB Psych’ by combining core and options topics, and it won’t cost you any time, effort or money. In fact, it could save you all three!
As teachers get deeper into this new syllabus, many are realizing the overwhelming nature of the course. And so you might just be contemplating the idea of going thematic but perhaps you’re a little daunted by the prospect. This is why I’ve put together some resources that will help you trial the themantic approach with zero risk. These are taken from our popular Love and Marriage unit.
FREE LOVE AND MARRIAGE THEMANTIC TRIAL – DOWNLOAD
Why teach “Love and Marriage?
Because if your students aren’t already in romantic relationships, they’re going to be one day. Learning what makes a healthy relationships could really help in their own relationships now, and in the future. Also, the study of attraction is an inherently fascinating topic that never fails to grab students’ attention.
This blog post can give you some more reasons to consider the themantic approach: Why teach themantically?
This post also has a video of me explaining how the model works.
Unit Summary: Love and Marriage
In a nutshell, we try to address three key questions in this unit:
- Why do people fall in love?
- Why do they stay in love?
- Why do they fall out of love?
We begin by looking at factors that influence falling in love (i.e.”attraction” and “mate preference.”). These include seeing how biological and cultural factors can affect whom we form a relationship with. We then look at how positive communication can help maintain a healthy and happy marriage, before looking at how negative communication patterns can destroy one. But, we counter-argue this by seeing if there are cultural factors that may contribute to marital satisfaction and the chances of divorce. All this in just 15 lessons.
Unit Summary: The Topics
Chapter/unit has five topics:
5.1 Evolution of Attraction
5.2 Pheromones and Behaviour
5.3 Culture and Attraction
5.4 Communication and Relationships
5.5 Culture and Relationships
The sample materials below include materials for 5.1-5.3. You get the full digital chapter and all teacher support materials from our online store.
Chapter 5 of our textbook covers the personal relationships topic in the Human Relationships option, which includes:
- Personal Relationships
- The formation of personal relationships
- Communication and personal relationships
- Why personal relationships
change or end
But because it’s holistically designed, it also covers content in the core, including:
- Hormones (testosterone)
- Pheromones (androstadienone)
- Evolutionary explanations of behaviour
- Cultural dimensions (Ind/Coll)
- Cultural influences
- Research methods and ethics
By teaching the core and options together, you can teach about 10 topics in the course in-depth and to essay level in about 15 hours.
Get the Whole Chapter/Unit!
You can buy the whole digital chapter and complete support pack for only $50.
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Digital chapter: Love and Marriage (LINK)
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Digital downloads: Teacher Support Pack – Love and Marriage (LINK)
Travis Dixon is an IB Psychology teacher, author, workshop leader, examiner and IA moderator.