IB Extended Essay Introduction Lesson - EE Launch Workshop (First assessment 2027)

IB Extended Essay Introduction Lesson - EE Launch Workshop - Identity to Research Question - RRS & Reflection Setup (First assessment 2027)

Launch your students into the IB Extended Essay with purpose, clarity, and confidence.

This highly engaging, structured lesson is designed to help students begin their EE journey the right way — not with random topic picking, but with identity-driven inquiry and meaningful reflection.

Perfect for IB coordinators and supervisors introducing the EE for first assessment 2027, this resource walks students through:

• Understanding what the EE really is (and what it isn’t)
• Exploring personal identity and interests as the foundation for research
• Making meaningful connections between personal passions and global issues
• Setting up their Reflections on Planning and Progress Form (RPPF) thinking through the Researcher’s Reflection Space (RRS)
• Generating 2–3 potential interest areas
• Writing their first reflection

What’s Included:

• Clear lesson objectives (student-friendly and teacher-ready)

• Interactive “Fact or Fiction” activity about the EE

• Step-by-step identity-to-inquiry workshop

• Guided worksheet prompts (Who Am I? → What Influences Me? → Making Connections)

• Structured RRS setup guidance

• First reflection writing task

• Plenary discussion prompts

• Key messaging aligned with IB expectations

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand the purpose, structure, and assessment of the EE

• Recognise the importance of process + reflection

• Identify at least 2–3 viable interest areas

• Begin forming inquiry-based thinking

• Set up their RRS correctly

• Write their first reflective entry

Why Teachers Love This:

• Moves students away from “What topic should I pick?”
• Prevents weak, AI-generated or generic questions
• Encourages authentic, student-led inquiry
• Sets up strong foundations for high-scoring reflection marks
• Creates buy-in from day one

This lesson shifts the EE conversation from compliance to curiosity.

Perfect For:

• IB Diploma Programme schools

• New EE supervisors

• Whole cohort EE launch sessions

• Tutors guiding independent research projects

• Schools preparing for IB EE first exams 2027

Duration:

1 hour lesson (can be extended into two sessions if desired)

Key Message for Students:

“You didn’t choose an EE topic today. You identified where good EE topics come from.”

Start the EE process with reflection, ownership, and authentic curiosity — not panic.