TOK unit plan Intuition

TOK: Mathematics DP year 2

Course and topic Timing of unit

Unit description and texts DP assessment(s) related to unit

Mathematics is founded on a set of more or less universally

accepted definitions and basic assumptions. It proceeds from
a system of axioms using deductive reasoning to prove
theorems or mathematical truths. These have a degree of
certainty unmatched by any other area of knowledge, making
it excellent raw material for study in TOK

INQUIRY: establishing purpose of the unit

Transfer goals
List here one to three big, overarching, long-term goals for this unit. Transfer goals are the major goals that ask students to transfer, or apply,
their knowledge, skills, and concepts at the end of the unit under new/different circumstances, and on their own without scaffolding from the teacher.

- How does mathematics connect to other AoKs?

Was mathematics discovered or invented?
The quest for mathematical Certainty
Mathematics and beauty

1
Essential understandings
List here the key content/skills/concepts that students will know/develop by the end of the unit.

Students must explore a range of AOKs. It is suggested that studying four of these eight in depth would be appropriate. The AOKs
selected for detailed study should be carefully selected to ensure a coherent and balanced approach. There are two central purposes to
the AOKs in TOK. On the one hand they are the tools that answer the question how do we know? and on the other hand they help us
answer the question how do I know?

Missed concepts/misunderstandings
List here likely misunderstandings students may have during the unit with relation to skills, content and concepts.

Inquiry questions
List here the understandings above written in question form, preferably as ones that inspire students to answer them. Feel free to create additional
questions that help inspire further inquiry in the unit but may not directly connect to an above essential understanding.

1 How certain can we be about knowledge gained in Mathematics?

2 Is mathematics discovered or invented?
3 Should elegance or beauty be relevant to mathematical value?

2
ACTION: teaching and learning through inquiry

Key activities Assessment

3
Exploring ethical dilemmas
Ted video about Math the hidden message
Activity 1
What is maths?
Mathematics scavenger huntmathematics and sense perception

Activity 2
Ppt
History of mathematics: Origins of maths
Counting systems
Numbers versus mathematics

Activity 3 GW: group will present the story to the class,

Three-minute presentations on the homework reading
Dan Meyer: Math Class Needs a Makeover
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_meyer_math_curriculum_makeover.html
Bean activity http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/bag-the-beans/
identifying the significant mathematical claim
made in the story, and explaining why the
justification offered in the original story is
insufficient

Activity 4 .

Quiz: Nature of mathematics and students of mathematics

Users of maths
Mathematics and daily life
Winning the lottery
Mathematics and small businessCase study: Alpaca farming

Activity 5
Applied mathematics:

4
Mathematics and culture (science, engineering, art and architecture, secure encryption,
etc

5
Activity 6
Quiz: Users of mathematics/applied mathematics
Reason and maths
Rules of the game: A rough comparison
Axioms and proof: Invent a game
Systems of maths: Euclidean versus non-Euclidean geometry

Activity 7
Makers of maths:
How is knowledge made in mathematics (pure maths)?
Andrew Wiles and Fermats Last Theorem

Activity 8
Emotion and maths: The Monty Hall problem
Deriving knowledge questions: What knowledge questions does the Monty
Hall problem raise?

Activity 9
Is maths invented or discovered?28 http://www.closertotruth.com/topic/Is-Mathematics-
Invented-or-Discovered-/27

Activity 10
UNIT TEST: Mathematics as an area of knowledge29

6
 Approaches to learning Connections

Utilises individual, pair, small group and whole class formats

to foster collaboration (social skills)
Assessment includes both written and oral tasks, to develop
both written and oral communication (communication skills)
Focus within the activities on exploring multiple perspectives
and becoming more aware of their own perspective and
assumptions (thinking skills)

Resources

REFLECTION: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry

What worked well What didnt work well

7
 Transfer goals
List the transfer goals from the beginning of this unit planner.

Transfer reflection
How successful were the students in achieving the transfer goals by the end of the unit?

TOK unit plan Mathematics

TOK: Intuition DP year 1,
Course and topic Timing of unit

8
 Unit description and texts DP assessment(s) related to unit

Intuition is sometimes described as immediate cognition, or

knowledge, which is immediately evident without prior
inference, evidence or justification. Intuition is often
contrasted with reason, as it is regarded as knowing without
the use of rational processes

INQUIRY: establishing purpose of the unit

Transfer goals
List here one to three big, overarching, long-term goals for this unit. Transfer goals are the major goals that ask students to transfer, or apply,
their knowledge, skills, and concepts at the end of the unit under new/different circumstances, and on their own without scaffolding from the teacher.

Understand how intuition works

Biases (Hindsight, availability, conformation)
To consider the interaction between imagination, Intuition and Memory.
To critically consider the validity of the arguments for these 3 Woks (in terms of existence & knowledge production)

9
Essential understandings
List here the key content/skills/concepts that students will know/develop by the end of the unit.

Students must explore a range of WOKs. It is suggested that studying four of these eight in depth would be appropriate. The WOKs
selected for detailed study should be carefully selected to ensure a coherent and balanced approach. There are two central purposes to
the WOKs in TOK. On the one hand they are the tools that answer the question how do we know? and on the other hand they help us
answer the question how do I know?

Missed concepts/misunderstandings
List here likely misunderstandings students may have during the unit with relation to skills, content and concepts.

How accurate is our intuition?

How does intuition impact our knowledge of the world?

Inquiry questions
List here the understandings above written in question form, preferably as ones that inspire students to answer them. Feel free to create additional
questions that help inspire further inquiry in the unit but may not directly connect to an above essential understanding.

To what extent does intuition provide us with reliable knowledge?

What makes some people more intuitive than others?
How important is intuition in ethical decision-making?

10
ACTION: teaching and learning through inquiry

Key activities Assessment

11
Activity 1
Intuition and feeling are tightly connected; they
What is the feeling of intuition? How can we describe it? play a huge part in our self-awareness and
boundary awareness.

Activity 2
What skills do you possess that you can di without conscious thought?
Do you fidget with your hands, chew on your pen while your mind is far, far away?

Activity 3
For Reflection pg. 195
Would you consider yourself to be enacting this how to knowledge through intuition, through
memory, or through both?
Activity 4
Discussion activity
Quick math question
.

Activity 5
For Reflection pg. 201
Choose just one of the cognitive biases given here and adopt it for a week. Watch out for it in
your own thinking and try to notice its effect on what you hear around you.

Activity 6
For reflection pg. 205

12
Dou you trust your own intuitions? Why or whyt not?

13
 Approaches to learning Connections

Utilises individual, pair, small group and whole class

formats to foster collaboration (social skills)
Assessment includes both written and oral tasks, to
develop both written and oral communication
(communication skills)
Focus within the activities on exploring multiple
perspectives and becoming more aware of their own
perspective and assumptions (thinking skills)

Resources

REFLECTION: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry

What worked well What didnt work well

14
Transfer goals
List the transfer goals from the beginning of this unit planner.

Transfer reflection
How successful were the students in achieving the transfer goals by the end of the unit?

15