“Out of the Box” is a set of fully-resourced lessons for the 2018 to 2024 specification of the IGCSE Global Perspectives course. It is designed to be taught with minimal preparation by any teacher, with or without GP experience.
Much of the content remains relevant to the new syllabus (from 2025), but please be aware that there have been substantial changes to the specification of the assessment tasks on the 2025 syllabus, so content relating directly to assessment tasks may be misleading. Please see this page for our updated teacher resources.
FAMILY · TROUBLED TEENS
2018 to 2024 syllabus
This exploration of the Troubled Teen Industry has nine lessons, which develop critical thinking skills relating to the core concept of perspectives, and lay down foundation skills for the Individual Report.
Free samples:
Lesson 1 – In a Parent’s Shoes
Lesson 2 – Paris and her Mother
Lesson 3 – Caricatures
Lesson 4 – #breakingcodesilence
Lesson 5 – Introducing the IR
HUMAN RIGHTS
2018 to 2024 syllabus
This nine-lesson unit lays down foundation skills for the Team Project (TP) through an investigation of Human Rights.
It includes a Mini TP which guides students to create and evaluate an alternative Outcome for an existing project about claiming the right to marry freely.
Free samples:
Lesson 1 – The Universal Declaration
Lesson 5 – Mini TP: Claiming the Right to Marry Freely
Lesson 6 – Mini TP: Sharing & Planning
CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND THE TP
2018 to 2024 syllabus
Designed to be used either as a prelude to the Human Rights Unit or as a standalone, this five-lesson unit enables students to consider their attitude to cultural relativism. It helps to develop a fuller understanding of what “cultural perspectives” means in the Team Project rubric, and gives detailed guidance for a mini team project which explores cultural diversity on a range of relatable issues.
Free sample: Lesson 5 – Reflective Writing
GLOBALISATION · TOURISM
2018 to 2024 syllabus
This unit of eight lessons develops critical thinking and writing skills with a focus on Component 1 (Written Examination), through an exploration of international tourism. It leads up to a full practice test on a matching topic, so it would be useful in the run up to year-end or mock exams. The unit could equally be taught earlier in the course, since the critical thinking and writing skills for the exam are also required for the coursework projects.
Free sample: Lesson 4 – What Should Venice Do?
CLIMATE CHANGE (SUSTAINABLE LIVING, ETC.)
2018 to 2024 syllabus
This unit of ten lessons teaches students to recognise, collect and create the ingredients of an Individual Report within the topic area of climate change. This unit relates to Sustainable Living and other IR topics.
Free sample: Lesson 2 – Evaluating testimony
MIGRATION · REFUGEES
2018 to 2024 syllabus
This short unit takes a look at attitudes to migrants and refugees, with an emphasis on skills for Component 1 (Written Examination).
BELIEF SYSTEMS · GENDER EQUALITY
2018 to 2024 syllabus
This short unit guides students through a process to start their own IR on any of the available topics. An example project about how belief systems affect gender equality models the process of selecting a topic and formulating a research question.
What users are saying about Out of the Box
“Thanks again for this initiative and your wonderful resources — they have truly reinvigorated my lessons and given me more time for meaningful time with students!” — Lluís, a GP teacher in Denmark
“This unit is absolutely wonderful Max — I am looking forward to the next one! Thank you so much for creating this content” — Nadine, a GP teacher in Romania
“I’m really excited to join as I’m the only teacher at my school but have been teaching the course for 10 years so great to support your level of work because it’s impressive. Anything you’ve done really promotes creative and critical thinking, for me as a Global Perspectives teacher that’s really important” — Sharee, a GP teacher in New Zealand
“Thank you for creating such a helpful website. I check it everyday. I used the troubled teens unit. Students loved it” — Shaheen, a GP teacher in Mauritius
Features of IGCSE GP “Out of the Box”
 | Extensive links to compelling multimedia content around the web |
| High-quality images add value to the slides |  |
 | Critical thinking concepts are related to authentic real-world situations. |
| Activities are extensively supported with role cards, templates, worked examples, suggested sources, and more. |  |
 | Every lesson has clearly stated aims phrased as can-do statements. |
| Knowledge and practice of skills are interwoven with the exploration of topics |  |
 | Cross-curricular links are highlighted. |
| Language support is provided for ESL students |  |
 | Students practice specific aspects of the coursework projects within the context of competently made projects. |
| Students follow step-by-step Mini Project guides… |  |
 | analyse writing samples… |
| discuss what to write with scaffolding that helps them think things through… |  |
 | …and have detailed templates to help them structure their writing with confidence. |
| Cutdown versions of the complete mark scheme make marking the Mini Projects less onerous for the teacher and less intimidating for the student, while the big picture gradually emerges. |  |
 | Teacher notes below the slides help the teacher to get up to speed on a question quickly, and facilitate rich, insightful discussions. |
| All materials can be edited by the teacher. |  |
