English A1 HL or SL

Language A1 SL self-taught (offered in Amharic, Arabic, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Modern Greek, Nepali, Norwegian, Persian, Pilipino, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Sesotho, Sinhalese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Thai, Turkish and Welsh; Afrikaans and Siswati is offered as an anticipated candidate in the November session before graduation)

Spanish B HL or SL

French B HL or SL

Mandarin ab initio SL (new for 2010-2011 school year)

History of the Americas HL / History SL

Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) HL or SL

Economics HL or SL (new for 2010-2011 school year)

Biology HL or SL

Chemistry HL or SL (new for 2010-2011 school year)

Physics HL or SL (new for 2010-2011 school year)

Mathematical Studies SL

Mathematics HL or SL (HL new for 2010-2011 school year)

Visual Arts HL or SL

Theory of Knowledge

English A1 HL or SL

The aims of IB English are to extend and develop English language skills. This is achieved through the literary texts chosen for each part of the course and paying close attention to the aims and objectives of the subject.

The text guidelines for English A1 HL prescribes fifteen texts which are divided into four parts:

Part I World Literature (3 texts in translation chosen from the World Literature PBL);

Part II Detailed Study (4 texts chosen from the PBL);

Part III Groups of Works - Drama (4 texts chosen from PBL);

Part IV School’s Own Choice (4 texts chosen from the World Literature list or elsewhere)

The text guidelines for English A1 SL prescribes eleven texts which are divided into four parts:

Part I World Literature (3 texts in translation chosen from the World Literature PBL);

Part II Detailed Study (2 texts chosen from the PBL);

Part III Groups of Works - Drama (3 texts chosen from PBL);

Part IV School’s Own Choice (3 texts chosen from the World Literature list or elsewhere)

Each school puts together its own programme of texts drawn from a list of authors supplied by the IB (Prescribed Book List). However, texts will be chosen that are neither too difficult for the students, nor unlikely to ensure progression.

Language A1 self-taught (SL only)

This is for students who wish to take a native tongue as Language A1. In this case, the student will be supervised and monitored by the Language A1 teacher and, where possible, arrange for a tutor to provide instruction in the native tongue. This option is only available at SL. Further details are available from the IB Diploma Coordinator.

Spanish or French B SL

The focus of this IB course will be to continue to develop students’ foundation in the target language. This will be achieved by a variety of means that are relevant and connected to students’ own lives. Students will use authentic texts and to improve reading comprehension, to create oral discourse, and original writings. Students will make cultural connections and comparisons between their own lives and experiences and those of their peers in the Spanish or French speaking world.

Students enrolled in the Language B Standard level Course at AISK will be continuously challenged to increase their language competence. Students will focus on the following topics during their 150 hour course of study. As students use the topics to expand on previous acquired knowledge, they will increase their grammatical accuracy and expand their vocabulary by comprehending authentic texts, commenting on meaning (both orally and in writing), and developing a high standard of oral comprehension.

Language B courses are intended for the student who has 2 – 5 years of experience in the target language.

History of the Americas HL / History SL

The purpose of the course is to enable students to become historians; to research, interpret, analyze and draw their own conclusions.   We seek to foster globally minded, compassionate thinkers who understand and appreciate the interdependence between peoples and their environments.  While focusing on the acquisition of historical knowledge, students will be able to gain an understanding of the present through their explorations of the past.   Through careful study of differing interpretations of historical events, we hope to attain an understanding and appreciation of diversity and tolerance.  International mindedness prepares students to be active citizens of their country and the world.  Without knowledge of history, students lack the tools and the purpose to enable positive change.  While technology and increased interdependence continue to shape our world, it is imperative that we develop a sense of responsibility and ownership of the changes. 

Students will cover the topics chosen in depth.  Particular emphasis will be placed on honing historians’ skills of research, evaluation of resources, document comprehension and analysis, interpretation of varying perspectives and communication.  Students will be assigned primary and secondary source documents to read, summarize and analyze.  With each source, they will be able to state the origin, purpose, value and limitations.  Small and large group discussion, think-pair-share, co-op jigsaw, cooperative and collaborative learning, oral presentations,  fictional narratives, analytical essays, small writing assignments, debates will all be used to gain a deeper understanding of the material covered.

Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) HL or SL

ITGS will be a study of the social and ethical impact of information technology on society. It will explore the advantages and disadvantages of using digital information locally and globally requiring students to make informed decisions concerning the use of IT in today’s society.

Students will use an appropriate writing style to present extensive research on an IT issue that they choose from a prescribed set of impact areas: business and employment; education; health; arts, entertainment and leisure; science and the environment; politics and government.

An integrated approach will be used to teach IT systems from a social and/or ethical point of view. A criterion-referenced method of assessment will be used. Assessment criteria will be judged from clearly defined achievement level descriptors. Higher Level courses will involve a 2 year course of instruction and Standard Level courses can involve 1 or 2 years of instruction.

Biology HL or SL

In Biology courses, students acquire knowledge of biological facts as well as develop a broad, general understanding of the principles of the subject. There are four biological themes that run throughout the course: Structure and Function, Universality versus Diversity, Equilibrium through Systems and Evolution. There is a strong emphasis on practical investigation throughout the course.

Higher Level

Biology (HL) is a rigorous course that requires a solid grounding in biological content as well as a good understanding of chemistry. This course provides an excellent preparation for College / University studies which require an advanced biological qualification. Students study the core material as well as additional, in depth concepts in the areas of biochemistry, cells, genetics and heredity, human biology, ecology, classification and evolution and plant science. In addition, students will study two option topics.

Standard Level

Biology (SL) requires a good grounding in biology and provides an excellent preparation for College / University studies which require a strong background in basic biology. Students study the core areas of cells, biochemistry, genetics, ecology, evolution and human biology. In addition, students study two option topics.

Mathematical Studies is a standard Level mathematics course. It is designed for students with varied backgrounds and abilities. Students study the following topics over the two years: sequences & series, number sets, linear equations, quadratic equations, sets, logic, probability, functions (linear, quadratic, exponential, trigonometric), coordinate geometry, triangle trigonometry, geometry of 3D shapes, univariate and bivariate statistics, linear regression, chi-squared distribution, differential calculus, compound interest, loan and savings tables.  Use of a graphic display calculator (GDC) is required for the course and a summative project is completed at the end on a topic of the student's choice.

Visual Arts HL or SL

The Visual Arts IB course will be suitable for students who are interested in developing and exploring their own creative potential through a variety of media and with a focus on a theme of their choice and interest. The main prerequisites for the course are enthusiasm, commitment and a willingness to work in both practical and theoretical aspects of the visual arts.

The course involves two parts:

(a) Studio Work (Practical) and

(b) Research Work (Theoretical, centered around a research workbook)

Higher Level (HL) students study both parts which consists of 30% research workbook and 70% Studio Work. Standard Level (SL) students choose either practical or theory although a certain amount of research will be expected with their practical work or vice versa.

The aim of the Visual Arts program to encourage the students to pursue quality and creative work through experimentation, by using various media. It also encourages students to learn about a variety of cultures and to incorporate that knowledge into their artwork. Hopefully, through this they will learn more about themselves and others.

The general objectives are for the students to show growth and commitment through the study of art. It is also to develop and show an interrelationship between their research and their productions of art work.

Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

The TOK course will be taught three times per week in the last quarter of grade 11 and twice per week in the first quarter of grade 12.  Both IB DP and non-IB students will take the course, which will total over 100 hours.

The dual-purpose of the course is to get students to examine how knowledge is constructed and how they have come to accept the ‘truths’ that they believe.  To achieve this general purpose the course has supporting aims and objectives.  The main aims are to develop students’ fascination with knowledge and understand how it is constructed by different communities as well as themselves.  To reach this understanding, students are encouraged to reflect on their experiences (as learners, as CAS students, as IB candidates/students, in every day life, etc) and make interdisciplinary and cross-cultural connections, so as to become aware of their own personal assumptions and become tolerant of others’ knowledge claims.  Thus, the supporting objectives of the course are to build students’ analytical skills so that they can evaluate knowledge claims and their underlying assumptions and implications.

The proposed process to achieve these aims and objectives will involve discussions, debates and Socratic dialogue of knowledge claims (from brief selected reading pieces) and their underlying assumptions and implications.  Students will also be encouraged to generate hypotheses, questions, explanations, conjectures, alternative ideas and possible solutions in response to knowledge issues.  The complementary assessments will include individual and group presentations, written assignments (paragraphs and essays), and participation in class activities.