IB Global Politics - Defining Sovereignty

An entire lesson that begins with student research on the number of countries in the world, followed by a teacher-led discussion of what criteria need to be met in order for a territory to be considered a country. Students are then given slides that introduce them to the four criteria of the Montevideo Convention as well as the concept of a nation-state as laid out in the Treaty of Westfalia. The lesson concludes with a written task asking students to explain why their country is a distinct state apart from all others. Originally used with an IB Year 1 Global Politics class, the PowerPoint format ensures that the lesson can be adapted to suit other curriculums and grade levels.