TOK Exhibition

Internal Assessment

What is the TOK Exhibition?

• A show & tell that exhibits a student’s exploration

of how TOK manifests in the world around us

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• It is the TOK Internal Assessment (IA)
• It is graded by the teacher AND moderated by IB
• It is worth 10 points
• It is weighted 33% of your TOK overall grade (IB diploma students only)

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The exhibition

Exhibition requirements

1. The exhibition must have 3 objects or images of 3

objects

• The 3 objects must connect to ONE of the 35 IA Prompts
• Each object has a written commentary
• This is an individual exhibition, groups are not allowed
• Multiple students may select the same IA prompt
• Students may NOT use any of the same objects
• You may NOT choose an object used in a previous exhibition by a student in our class (including yourself)

Selecting the theme & your Objects

To help narrow down your choices & give focus to your exhibition

1. Select one of these TOK themes
1. Knowledge & the knower
2. Knowledge & technology
3. Knowledge & politics
4. Knowledge & language
5. Knowledge & religion

Rubric and sample IA

Rubric

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Mrs. Tran’s sample IA

TOK Exhibition Step 1

1. Select an IA prompt
2. Unpack your IA prompt
3. Choose a core theme or optional theme as the focal point
4. Select 3 objects or images of 3 objects
5. Look over the Assessment Instrument

Let’s unpack your IA prompt (cont.)

Look up the IA prompt you chose in the IA Prompt document

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Scroll down to the table & see what issues are being raised by this prompt. Can you come up with other issues?

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There are knowledge concepts that go well with your prompt, already identified in the table. Are there other knowledge concepts that go with your prompt? (see the TOK Key)

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Digital or physical objects

It can be a physical object or a photograph of the

object. It must be a specific object with a specific

real world context. It can be something created by a

student but it must be pre-existing rather than

specifically created for this exhibition.

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Context of an object

Important: the object must have a specific real world

context, generic objects or generic images from

the internet are not acceptable

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For example, a photo of your baby brother is an object that has specific real world context. An image of a generic baby found on the internet does not.

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A picture of some random biology textbook is not acceptable because it has no story behind it. Your IB Biology textbook you used in Ms. Roudebush’s class has real word context.

Examples of acceptable objects

• a photo of a historical treaty
• a tweet from a Donald Trump
• an IB student’s extended essay
• a soccer ball used during your PE class
• a novel you read
• a video of you doing a piano recital
• a news article about the solar eclipse 2024
• A photo of the blood drive at Guajome

Vague real world context

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Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution has been debated over the years. Religious leaders disclaim this theory over the creationist ideology while scientists back this theory with scientific evidence

Specific real world context

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At Tri-City Christian school in Vista, staff disagree on the validity of this theory. The school’s pastor teaches creationism & discredits evolution. Science teachers teach evolution to meet the state standards & college requirements.

FAIL

PASS

Weak connection to technology theme

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The calculator connects to technology because it is a tool man created to make math calculations quicker

Strong connection to technology theme

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The calculator is a tool man created to make math calculations quicker. It also provides data in different forms like a graph & data tables, providing knowledge in different forms to deepen our understanding

Today’s Agenda

Go to pantry now, not during class

DUE today: object 3

NO CLASS FRIDAY

Theory of Knowledge

bias

truth

ethics

perspectives

arts

Theory of Knowledge

perspectives

ethics

truth

May 9

Today’s Agenda

Go to pantry now, not during class

Edit your IA

NO CLASS TOMORROW

Take out your Object 3: swap with a partner

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Critique their object 3:

• Does it have a specific real world context?
• Was the prompt answered in details?
• Was the theme addressed in details?
• Does the conclusion give reasons WHY the objects were chosen?
• Is the word count shown?
• Was the source for the image cited in MLA format?
• Was the source for the object cited in MLA format?

How to cut down your word count

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• Word count needs to be 900 - 950

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• Shorten the description of the object

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• Cut out repetitive sentences

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• Use contractions (i.e. shorten do not to don’t)

• It is the TOK Internal Assessment (IA)

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• It is graded by the teacher AND moderated by IB

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• It is worth 10 points

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• It is weighted 33% of your TOK overall grade

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• I will contact home if you don’t turn it in on time

Grading of IA

chicken sticky rice

Student sample IA 1

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Student sample IA 2

Object 3

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DUE: Wednesday May 7 before midnight

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Exhibition Showcase (in gym)

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Friday May 30, period 0, 1, 2

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• The TOK teacher is not allowed to comment on your IA until you submit the rough draft

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• The TOK teacher is only allowed to comment on ONE draft

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• Classmates & other teachers are allowed to read & comment on your IA as often as you want

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• OK to have AI score & comment on your IA; feed the AI app the rubric and your writing

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$1.25

TOK Exhibition Step 2

1. Create a Google document called TOK Exhibition
2. The title is clearly indicated; this is your IA Prompt
3. Images of your 3 objects
4. A typed commentary on each object (maximum 950 words total)
5. Appropriate citations & references
6. Submit 1 draft for teacher feedback
7. The final document will be graded by the teacher and submitted to IB for moderation

Today’s goals:

Object 1:

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1. Write 2nd paragraph
2. Write 3rd paragraph
3. Cite sources on Bibliography page

Today’s Agenda

Go to pantry now, not during class

eCoursework form

IA in ManageBAC

Work on cardboard display

Friday May 30 is the showcase

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Theory of Knowledge

perspectives

ethics

truth

3 scores for your IA

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• IA commentaries (10 points)

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• Display board (10 points)

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• Talking with spectators (10 points)

✅

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Come to classroom by 7:50 to pick up your poster board

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Meet in the gym at 8:00 am to set up tables & chairs

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Exhibition showcase: Tomorrow in the gym

Period 1 and Period 2

What to put on your display

Prompt - HUGE font size, eye catching

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Theme - (optional)

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3 images (or actual objects) - HUGE color images, eye catching

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Bullet points of your commentaries for EACH object; only major ideas; get the audience to ask questions, not just read

This Friday: Period 1 & 2

Checklist for submitting your IA (final version)

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• Do not show name or ID on this document
• Is the IA prompt & number at the top?
• Is the theme there?
• Are there pictures of all 3 objects?
• Is there a short caption for each object?
• Is the word count there?
• Are the references on a separate page?
• Grade your IA using the rubric

TOK Exhibition: 3 grades in Aeries

TOK Exhibition commentaries: google doc (10 points)

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TOK Exhibition display: cardboard trifold (10 points)

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TOK showcase: interaction with spectators (10 points)

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TOK Exhibition is Friday, May 30 period 0, 1, and 2

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TOK Exhibition Step 3

1. Students must showcase their exhibition to an

audience

• The audience may consist of students, parents, teachers and/or community members
• The exhibition is in person
• This showcase is not graded by IB
• This showcase is graded by the TOK teacher

TOK Exhibition Assessment Instrument (rubric)

[click here]

TOK Exhibition timeline

• TODAY - final commentaries due
• Tomorrow

Work on display for showcase

• Friday May 26 - showcase day (period 1, 2, 3)

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Importance of the TOK exhibition

Equivalent to a final exam (grade in Aeries)

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IB diploma people

• 33% of your TOK grade (grade with IB)
• If you fail the exhibition, your TOK course grade rests solely on the TOK essay (67%)
• Getting a 9-10 on the TOK essay is nearly impossible, which means getting 67% is not realistic
• Which means you may not get your IB diploma if you fail the course with IB

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Format

1. IA prompt is at the top of the document; the IA prompt number is included; the prompt is written verbatim
2. The theme is identified on the document
3. Object 1, Object 2, Object 3 are labeled with a short title
4. Word count goes on the bottom
5. Citations & references go on a separate page

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See Mrs. Tran’s sample document

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Citation & references

1. The image of each object must be appropriately

referenced to give credit to the source.

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• If an object is a student’s own original work, then this should be identified & acknowledged to ensure that the teacher & moderators are clear about the origins of the object.

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• Cite source(s) for background information on this object

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Word count

• Maximum: 950 words
• The word count includes the written

commentaries on each of the 3 objects

• The word count does NOT include:
• Any text contained on/within the objects themselves
• Acknowledgements, references (footnotes, endnotes, or in-text), or bibliography
• Anything past 950 words will be disregarded by

me and IB moderators

Sample exhibition

[click here]

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Look for patterns

1. What is the 1st paragraph about?
2. What about the 2nd paragraph?
3. 3rd paragraph?

Common mistake #1

Paragraph 1 just describes the object on what it looks like or what it is, without stating its significance, or its use or purpose

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Tip

Paragraph 1 must discuss why this object is significant to you or society; bring up any controversies or benefits it has

Common mistake #2

Paragraph 2 is a repeat of paragraph 1, just more descriptions of the object

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Tip

Paragraph 2 must focus on the prompt, using specific details about the object to address the prompt

Common mistake #3

Paragraph 3 doesn’t say why you chose this object or how it contributes to your exhibition

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Tip

Paragraph 3 should include different perspectives and/or how this object strengthens your exhibition; how it contributes to your theme

Example

• Video of a woman singing a song about the Me Too movement; Youtube must be in the bibliography because that’s where I got the video from

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• An article from the NY Times on the Me Too movement must be referenced in the bibliography too since I learned about this movement from this article

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