The DP

theory of knowledge (TOK)

course
Essential understandings and learning objectives

Essential understandings
In this lesson, you are encouraged and enabled to develop the following
understandings:
• TOK is about how we know, not what we know.
• Overview of the three parts: core theme (Knowledge and the Knower),
optional themes, and areas of knowledge
• TOK connects academic disciplines with personal and global contexts.

Learning objectives
At the end of the lesson students are expected to:
• Define what TOK is and how it differs from other subjects.
• Understand the structure of the TOK course.
• Begin to develop the habit of critical reflection.
What is Theory of Knowledge?
• TOK is a course designed by the IB to engage DP students in
critical thinking about the nature of knowledge, and the
process of knowing in different academic disciplines, as well
as in the world around them.

• TOK challenges students to explore how knowledge is

constructed, evaluated, and shared across different
disciplines and real-world contexts.
Activity 2: Wordwall Activity - TOK Key
Concepts Match-Up
Instructions for Pairs:

• With your partner, open the Wordwall Match-Up

activity using the link or QR code provided.
• You will see 12 TOK key concepts and 12 short
definitions.
• Together, discuss and decide which definition best
matches each concept.
(Think about how each concept is used in TOK
discussions!)
• Your goal is to match all pairs correctly in the
shortest time possible.
• Once you're done, show your final screen to the
teacher and compare your time and accuracy with
other pairs.
The IB Core
What is Theory of Knowledge?
• TOK is a course designed by the IB to engage DP students in
critical thinking about the nature of knowledge, and the
process of knowing in different academic disciplines, as well
as in the world around them.

• TOK challenges students to explore how knowledge is

constructed, evaluated, and shared across different
disciplines and real-world contexts.
Activity 2: Wordwall Activity - TOK Key
Concepts Match-Up
Instructions for Pairs:

• With your partner, open the Wordwall Match-Up

activity using the link or QR code provided.
• You will see 12 TOK key concepts and 12 short
definitions.
• Together, discuss and decide which definition best
matches each concept.
(Think about how each concept is used in TOK
discussions!)
• Your goal is to match all pairs correctly in the
shortest time possible.
• Once you're done, show your final screen to the
teacher and compare your time and accuracy with
other pairs.
 The aims of the DP core are:

 to foster international-mindedness and encourage students to

become responsible and actively involved global citizens

 to develop students’ self-awareness and sense of identity, and

provide an opportunity for reflection on their development of the
attributes of the IB learner profile

 to enrich and add value to students’ overall learning experiences

through the core—supporting, and being supported by, their
academic studies in the rest of the programme.
TOK Key Concepts

• Twelve concepts are listed as

having particular prominence in the
TOK course: evidence, certainty,
truth, interpretation, power,
justification, explanation,
objectivity, perspective, culture,
values and responsibility.

• These have been selected as key

TOK concepts and they will be
explored throughout the course,
always in relation to knowledge.
TOK Curriculum model
Areas of Knowledge

Area of Knowledge Most Related DP Subject Group(s)

History Group 3: Individuals and Societies
(History)
Human Sciences Group 3: Individuals and Societies
(e.g., Psychology, Economics)
Natural Sciences Group 4: Sciences (e.g., Biology,
Chemistry, Physics, ESS)
Mathematics Group 5: Mathematics (e.g., AA and
AI)
The Arts Group 6: The Arts (e.g., Visual Arts,
Theatre, Music, Dance, Film)

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Optional Themes:
Optional Theme Most Related DP Subject Group(s)
Knowledge and Technology Group 4: Sciences (e.g., Computer
Science, Physics); Group 3: Individuals &
Societies (e.g., Digital Society)
Knowledge and Language Group 1: Studies in Language and
Literature; Group 2: Language
Acquisition
Knowledge and Politics Group 3: Individuals and Societies (e.g.,
Global Politics, History, Economics)
Knowledge and Religion Group 3: Individuals and Societies (e.g.,
World Religions, Philosophy); Group 1 (if
literature-based)
Knowledge and Indigenous Societies Group 3: Individuals and Societies (e.g.,
Social and Cultural Anthropology); Group
2 (language link)

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TOK Assessment Details:
TOK assessment: Two tasks

The TOK exhibition: students create an exhibition of three

objects that show how TOK manifests in the world around
us.

The TOK essay: students write a 1,600 word essay on a

prescribed title set by the IB. The key focus is on
encouraging connections and comparisons across different
disciplines and areas of knowledge.
TOK Timeline:
 How the diploma outcome is
The overall diploma points are calculated by adding together the grades (1 up to 7) achieved from
each of the six subjects and then including between zero and three points from the core. This means
calculated
that the highest score that a candidate can achieve is 45 points*.

Core points matrix

Unlike the other subjects, TOK and the EE are graded from A to E. The third element of the core, CAS, does not receive a
grade as it would not be meaningful to evaluate performance in this area.

The core is worth between zero and three points towards the overall diploma points. The candidate can also fail to achieve
the diploma certificate if they obtain a grade E in either TOK or EE or if they do not complete CAS. The number of points is
calculated using the table below.
 Failure
A candidate conditions
can only receive the overall diploma certificate if
none of the following nine conditions below applies:

● CAS requirements have not been met.

● Candidate’s total points are fewer than 24.
● An N (no grade awarded) has been given for TOK, EE or for a
contributing subject.
● A grade E has been awarded for one or both of TOK and the EE
● There is a grade 1 awarded in a subject/level.
● Grade 2 has been awarded three or more times (HL or SL).
● Grade 3 or below has been awarded four or more times (HL or SL).
● Candidate has gained fewer than 12 points on HL subjects (for
candidates who register for four HL subjects, the three highest grades
count).
● Candidate has gained fewer than 9 points on SL subjects (candidates
who register for two SL subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL).
12 TOK Key concepts

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 Understanding
Knowledge questions

• TOK is centred on the exploration

of knowledge questions .

• They are the questions about knowledge we ask

in order to develop critical thinking and further
depth of understanding.

• They are questions which are contestable,

meaning that there are different but plausible
answers to them, and they draw on
TOK concepts.
7/31/25
Examples:
• Knowledge questions focus not on things that happen, but rather on how we
develop knowledge, test knowledge claims, justify knowledge claims and, when
necessary, revise knowledge claims.

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Knowledge questions and TOK Assessments

• Exploration of knowledge questions can therefore help us to have a deeper

understanding of how knowledge is constructed and evaluated in different
areas, as well as helping us to make sense of the world around us.

• The two assessment tasks—the TOK exhibition and TOK essay—centre on the
exploration of knowledge questions as both the Internal Assessment (IA)
prompts and the prescribed essay titles take the form of knowledge
questions.

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Activity 3: KQ Detective Activity
• Instructions:
Work in pairs. For each question below, determine whether it is a subject-specific
question or a TOK knowledge question. Then identify the relevant TOK concept (if
applicable) and write a short justification for your answer.

# DP Subject Question Type TOK Concept Justification

Group (Subject or KQ)
The Arts How does personal Knowledge Perspective / It explores how
experience affect the Question Interpretation experience
interpretation of art? shapes
understanding
of art.
1 Studies in How does language
Language and influence the way we
Literature interpret literary texts?

2 Language What is the difference

Acquisition between passé
composé and imparfait
in French?

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# DP Subject Question Type TOK Concept Justification

Group (Subject or
KQ)
3 Individuals and How do historians
Societies determine the reliability of
sources when constructing
knowledge?
4 Sciences What are the stages of
mitosis?
5 Mathematics How can we be certain
that mathematical proofs
reflect truth about the real
world?

26
 Related exhibition prompt Why
do we seek knowledge (IAP-17)?
Links to the TOK ● Refer to the ideas from this
exhibition lesson to answer this question.
● For example, why are we
studying this course - and
trying to improve our
understanding of what
knowledge is? How could this
help us to navigate the world
more effectively?
● Which objects could help to
illustrate your answer?
Are you a
‘TOK
thinker’?
Justify your
answer.
 ● During this lesson, we consider the highlighted aspects of the TOK course
● The images used in the presentation slides can also give students ideas about
Linking this lesson to the

selecting exhibition objects; see also our link below to a specific IA prompt

CORE THEME OPTIONAL THEMES AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE TOK ASSESSMENT

course

Knowledge & the Indigenous societies The arts The TOK essay
knower
Language History

Politics The human sciences The TOK exhibition

Religion Mathematics

Technology The natural sciences

 Explore the TOK themes and areas of knowledge in more
depth via a range of thinkers, media sources, and other
resources, in our EXPLORATION POINTS DOCUMENTS.

Access the documents via the links below. You’ll also find
the EP icons on all of the TOK course pages of the site to
help you unpack the quotes, KQs, and real-life situations
CORE THEME thatOPTIONAL
you find there.
THEMES AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

● Knowledge & the ● Indigenous societies ● The arts

knower ● Language ● History
● Politics ● Human sciences
● Religion ● Mathematics
● Technology ● Natural sciences