As a teacher, I like to think I’m pretty organized. I plan, I prep, and I try to anticipate what my students will need. But sometimes, even the best-laid plans go completely sideways—and that’s exactly what happened when I introduced research articles for the IB Business Paper 1 Myt case study.
I had this great idea: I’d provide my students with a few key articles to help them build background knowledge. Simple, right? Nope.
NY Times? Requires an account—and that is banned at my school.
Statista? They had already maxed out their free articles.
BrandBassador? Completely blocked by the firewall.
So, in true teacher fashion, I had about two minutes to adapt. And that’s when I introduced the 5-4-3-2-1 Activity—a structured but flexible way to get students thinking critically about the case study, even without external articles.
The 5-4-3-2-1 Activity for IB Business Paper 1 Myt Case Study
This activity is designed to get students thinking about potential Paper 1 topics, industry trends, and business concepts—all while building confidence for the exam.
5 - Predict Five Possible Questions
Students brainstorm five possible exam questions or topics that might come up in Paper 1 based on the Myt case study. I like to use these questions every Monday or Friday as warm-up discussions or writing prompts.
4 - Advantages & Disadvantages of Social Media Influencers
Students identify two advantages and two disadvantages of using social media influencers as a marketing tool. This helps them analyze a relevant business strategy and practice structuring balanced responses.
3 – Three Industry Facts
Each group researches three key facts about a different industry to strengthen their understanding of market trends. Assign students one of the following industries:
Non-alcoholic beverages
Water
Coffee
This exercise builds real-world connections and can help them apply business concepts in the exam.
2 – Two Articles about Business & Avatars
Students find two articles about businesses using avatars. This connects with modern business strategies and innovation, which could be relevant in Paper 1.
1 - The Next Chapter
Finally, students write a continuation paragraph for the Myt case study. What do they think will happen next? What should Myt focus on? They write about 100 words, practicing structured and analytical thinking.
Why This Works for IB Paper 1 Preparation
Each task in the 5-4-3-2-1 Activity has a specific focus:
· Encourages critical thinking
· Helps students get familiar with case study-related concepts
· Provides structured but flexible preparation
· Makes Paper 1 feel less overwhelming
This activity worked really well and I think it helped them learn more about the industries in the case study and think about what the IB might ask in the real exam.
In my next blog, I’ll be sharing how I use the three case studies I created to maximize student learning for IB Business Paper 1.
If you try this activity, I’d love to hear how it goes! Or, if you have another go-to method for getting students ready for Paper 1, let me know—I’m always looking for new ideas.
And if you’re looking for ready-to-use case studies to help students practice for IB Business Paper 1 Myt 2025, check out my Paper 1 case study pack here.
Comments