The World We Live In is a course for 11 – 14 year-old students. It is based on our previous Worldviews course, but massively expanded to comprise three units, each consisting of around 30 classroom-ready lessons.
The course is designed for schools offering combined humanities to their younger learners, and delves into history, politics, sociology, religion, and philosophy. It can be adapted to fit into the MYP, IGCSE, or other programmes.
Unit 1: AGENTS OF CHANGE: SAMPLE
Unit 1 looks at how society has been shaped by individual thinkers who have approached the world with a radically different perspective and agenda to those who came before them.
We focus on politicians and activists, scientific thinkers, explorers, artists, and sports people, and for each ‘agent of change’, we assess how the world they left behind would never be the same again.
Unit 2: CONFLICT & COMPETITION
Unit 2 – Conflict & Competition – looks at how war, revolution, civil war, and other forms of conflict shape the way society develops over time.
We’ll begin adding the lessons for Unit 2 at the end of 2025. It will be complete by Spring 2026.
Unit 3: RESISTANCE & REVOLUTION
Unit 3 looks at why revolutions break out around the world, and looks at their social, political, and technological consequences.
We’ll begin adding the lessons for Unit 3 in summer 2026. It will be complete by the end of the 2026 academic year.
Subscribe to our free monthly TOK newsletter
Our newsletter, The Examined Life, delivers 8 thought-provoking real-world stories to your inbox, three of which we unpack in detail to challenge assumptions, introduce brilliant thinkers, and build a library of examples for your essay, exhibition, and UA portfolio.
It is the easiest way to stay connected to the ideas that matter most and develop the habits of authentic critical thinking. Subscribe here.