IB Psychology: Mastering IB1 Foundations Before Advancing to IB2

Wrapping Up Year 1: Why a Review is Crucial

If you've been following your long-term plan, you’ve likely wrapped up Paper 1 with your IB1 SL class and Paper 3 with your IB1 HL class. 

With the new school year just around the corner, you’re probably eager to dive into the internal assessment and start Paper 2 as your classes transition into IB2. 

However, before moving forward, it’s essential to review the IB1 content. 

The summer break is a long time without regular engagement with IB Psychology, and revisiting the material is crucial for several reasons.

The Importance of Revisiting Paper 1

Paper 1 deserves special attention as it makes up a significant portion of the overall grade—50% for SL students and 40% for HL students. 

Moreover, reusing theories and studies from Paper 1 in Paper 2 can help ease the pressure of content overload during revision. 

By revisiting these foundational topics, students reinforce their understanding and build a solid base for the more advanced content in IB2.

So, how can you effectively guide your students through a Paper 1 review? 

Let’s explore some strategies that can make this process engaging and productive.

Engaging Memory Recall: The Spider Diagram

Start by engaging students’ memory recall of the topics covered in Paper 1. 

Despite its complexity, Paper 1 is well-structured, with three approaches and three topics within each approach (four for HL students). 

This structure can be visually mapped out on large sheets of paper in a spider diagram format (see here for example: IB Psychology - Paper 1 Review Spider Diagrams.docx).

Place these sheets around the classroom and encourage students to walk around in pairs or small groups, adding details to each diagram before moving on to the next. 

This quick 10-minute activity will jog their memories and get them thinking about what they learned last year. 

It’s a dynamic way to get them actively involved in the review process.

Self-Audit and Personalised Revision Plans

Once students have refreshed their memories, have them conduct a self-audit of their Paper 1 knowledge. 

Provide them with an audit sheet where they can use a simple color-coding system: green for topics they remember well, amber for topics they mostly remember, and red for those they barely recall (you can use this one: IB Psychology - Paper 1 Audit Sheet.docx). 

This exercise will help them identify areas that need more attention and allow them to create a personalised revision plan to turn those reds into ambers and ambers into greens.

This approach not only highlights individual learning gaps but also empowers students to take control of their revision process, making it more targeted and efficient.

Ending on a Fun Note: Psychology Pictionary

I like to wrap up with something fun. 

A game of Psychology Pictionary is a great way to reinforce what they’ve learned while keeping the atmosphere light and enjoyable. 

In this activity, students choose a study from IB1 and draw it on the board for their peers to guess. 

Points can be awarded for correctly identifying the study’s researchers, method, sample cohort, results, or any other key details. 

It’s a fun, interactive way to review that encourages teamwork and friendly competition.

Final Thoughts: Preparing for Success in IB2

Reviewing and reinforcing the foundations of IB Psychology from IB1 doesn’t have to be a long, tedious process. 

It’s an important step before diving into the exciting new content of IB2, and it can be done in an engaging way that sets your students up for success.

As your classes return in the coming weeks, I hope you make time for this crucial review. 

Do you have any effective and fun ways of revisiting IB1 content? 

I’d love to hear your ideas!

Enjoy the final days of your summer break, and here’s to a smooth and successful start to the new academic year!

Thes


Future articles in this series:

  • Directing students to choosing the right Psychology EE topic for them.
  • Navigating Paper 2 Options.
  • Using essay templates to organise learning for Paper 1, Section A.

 

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