GRADE 11 IB COURSE SELECTIONS
Art 20/30 IB HL - 10 credits (full year)
Prerequisite: Art 10
Visual Arts 20 IB/30 IB students are introduced to an enriched studio program that provides opportunities to develop technical skills while exploring the following media: drawing, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media and painting. This is a rigorous and rewarding program where students will begin to develop their own personal vision through studio work and their Visual Art Journal.
Biology 25/30 IB SL - 10 credits (full year)
Prerequisite: Biology 20 IB
This class is a university-level introductory biology course offered at the standard level (SL). Students cover topics similar to those of the Alberta curriculum with a focus on inquiry, communication, risk-taking and reflection. It covers a wide range of topics, from human physiology, cell biology and genetics to ecology and evolution, and is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the natural world. A practical approach is emphasized when using the scientific method cumulating with a major research project.
Business Management Advanced IB - 10 credits
Prerequisite: Business Management 25 IB
Students will continue developing skills in the areas of business and commerce including the exploration of topics such as; Human Resources, Accounting and Finance, Marketing, and Operations Management. Mastery of these skills occurs through project-based, real-time learning with continued emphasis on ethics, strategy, innovation and globalization.
Chemistry 20 IB HL - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Science 10
Students will cover all the components of the Chemistry 20 Alberta Program of Studies. In addition, an in-depth study of atomic structure, periodicity, additional bonding concepts such as hybridization, crystal field theory, ligands and introductory organic nomenclature will be covered. A final lab exam is scheduled for each student near the end of this course. A wide variety of lab experiences are provided.
A major interdisciplinary research project is undertaken.
Computer Science 20 – 5 credits
(not IB courses, but prerequisite)
Prerequisite: Computer Science 10
Object-Based Programming: Using the Java computer programming language, students will solve problems by organizing information in a way that reflects the real world rather than the way computers are designed. Students will develop their understanding of decisions and repetitive instructions. They will also be introduced to Java graphics libraries and use lists of information called arrays in their programs. Object-Oriented Designs and Data Structures: This is a more advanced class that places an emphasis on systematic class design using a subset of UML (Unified Modeling Language), test driven development, debugging and error handling. Recursion, inheritance and polymorphism get demystified.
Economics 20 IB HL – 6 credits
No prerequisites required
· Why are some countries rich and some countries poor?
· Why have income and wealth become more unequally distributed over the past few decades?
· How will population aging affect life in the coming decades?
· How will the workforce change with advances in robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence?
Economics is what can help us answer these questions. It is the study of scarcity, the study of how people use resources, or the study of decision-making and how people make decisions about those resources. Economics often involves topics like wealth, finance, recessions, and banking, leading to the misconception that economics is all about money and the stock market. It helps us understand historical trends, interpret today’s headlines, and make predictions for coming decades.
Economics is a relatively new social science that touches upon many aspects of our lives and has important effects on the well-being of all people around the world. The study of economics is essentially about dealing with scarcity, resource allocation and the methods and processes by which choices are made in the satisfaction of human wants.
This course emphasizes microeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting individuals, firms and markets, and macroeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting countries, governments and societies. These economic theories are applied to real-world issues. Prominent among these issues are fluctuations in economic activity, international trade, economic development and environmental sustainability.
This course encourages students to develop international perspectives, fosters a concern for global issues, and raises students’ awareness of their own responsibilities at a local, national and international level. It also seeks to develop values and attitudes that will enable students to achieve a degree of personal commitment in trying to resolve these issues, appreciating our shared responsibility as citizens of an interdependent world.
English 20 IB HL – 5 credits
Prerequisite: English 10-1
Students are introduced to a wide range of literature. Different genres from various eras and countries are discussed, studied, and compared. An emphasis is placed on examining the effects of writers’ craft. There is a great variety of reading, writing, listening, discussing, viewing and representing during this course. The IB Areas of Exploration include Readers, Writers and Texts; Time and Space; and Intertextuality: Connecting Texts. Global issues are explored through literature. Pre-reading, research and text annotation and text purchase is required and assigned prior to the beginning of the course.
Mathematics 30-1/31 IB SL - Analysis and Approaches –
10 credits (full year)
Prerequisite: Math 20 IB
In addition to an enriched presentation of all the topics in Math 30-1 and Math 3l, this course is similar in content to the Higher Level, but with questions of a much more straightforward nature, and is suitable for students who already possess a proven sound mathematical background. It is a demanding course containing a broad range of topics including algebra, trigonometry, calculus, and statistics. It is suitable for those students who wish to go on to further study in those subjects with a significant mathematical content. It also has an internally assessed component.
Mathematics 30-1/31/ IB HL – 10 credits
(this course continues in to Grade 12)
Prerequisites: Math 20 IB and teacher recommendation
In addition to an enriched presentation of all the topics in Math 30-1 and Math 3l, this course will cover extensions in calculus, reasoning, vectors, matrices, inverse trigonometric functions, probability density functions, sets, relations and groups. This course is suitable only for students of considerable proven ability, along with enthusiasm for the subject in its purest form. This is a very demanding course and is suitable for those wishing to pursue a career in pure math, engineering or physics
Physics 25/30 IB SL - 8 credits (full year)
Prerequisite: Physics 20 IB
In this course, you will complete all the Alberta Physics Program of Studies in Physics, and also complete the requirements for Standard Level Physics IB. This is an enriched, accelerated physics program. Excellent math skills are required and the Math IB program is strongly recommended concurrently. A major interdisciplinary research project is undertaken. An individual lab investigation is completed.
Psychology 20IB SL- 5 credits
No prerequisites required
Ultimately, psychology is the study of the mind and behaviour and attempts to answer questions around the brain, the way we sense and perceive the world around us, processes used in thinking, remembering, and learning, and the way we understand ourselves and how we interact with others.
At its core, Psychology SL is an introduction to three different approaches to understanding behaviour: the biological, cognitive and sociocultural approaches. Students will study and critically evaluate the knowledge, concepts, theories and research that have developed the understanding in these fields.
Psychology SL also promotes an understanding of the various approaches to research and how they are used to critically reflect on evidence as well as assist in the design, implementation, analysis, and evaluation of the students’ own investigations. The themes of research and ethics are integral to the course and paramount to the nature of the subject.
The aims of Psychology are to:
· develop an understanding of the biological, cognitive and sociocultural factors affecting mental processes and behaviour
· apply an understanding of the biological, cognitive and sociocultural factors affecting mental processes and behaviour to at least one applied area of study
· understand diverse methods of inquiry
· understand the importance of ethical practice in psychological research in general and observe ethical practice in their own inquiries
· ensure that ethical practices are upheld in all psychological inquiry and discussion
· develop an awareness of how psychological research can be applied to address real-world problems and promote positive change
· provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional language
· foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of language learning.
Social Studies 20 IB HL - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Social 10-1
This course provides students with an introduction to the discipline of history by surveying the development of western civilization from the Enlightenment to the types of government we have in society today. Topics covered include the French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, World War I and authoritarian states in the 20th century.
Theory of Knowledge - 3 credits
Mandatory for all IB students
The aim of this course is to encourage students to reflect on the central question, “How do we know that?”, and to recognize the value of asking that question. Other aims include:
· to expose students to ambiguity, uncertainty and questions with multiple plausible answers
· to equip students to effectively navigate and make sense of the world, and help prepare them to encounter novel and complex situations
· to encourage students to be more aware of their own perspectives and to reflect critically on their own beliefs and assumptions
· to engage students with multiple perspectives, foster open-mindedness and develop intercultural understanding
· to encourage students to make connections between academic disciplines by exploring underlying concepts and by identifying similarities and differences in the methods of inquiry used in different areas of knowledge
· to prompt students to consider the importance of values, responsibilities and ethical concerns relating to the production, acquisition, application and communication of knowledge.
While other courses are about “what you know”, this course is about “how you know.” All grade 11 students are required to take TOK. It is offered in a blended format with both an in-class and an online component for full diploma students or as a term course for course students. This course begins in grade 11, and TOK continues to be explored in the core IB subjects at the grade 12 level.
International Languages – ab initio
The two-year ab initio language course is designed for students enrolled in the IB program who have a limited experience of learning the target language. The language ab initio course aims to develop a variety of areas of linguistic skills. In addition, students will become familiar with aspects of the everyday life and culture of the countries in which the language of study is spoken. The five prescribed themes are: Identities, Human Ingenuity, Social organization, Sharing the Planet and Experiences. A specific core syllabus and language-specific syllabus for the International Baccalaureate Program (IB) is used to guide the course.
French 20 IB ab initio – 5 credits
Prerequisite: French 10
In addition to covering the French 20 Alberta curriculum, students in this course are challenged further with additional oral, writing and reading comprehension activities within each of the language IB ab themes, thus increasing the breadth and depth of the French 20 course. Attention will also be paid to increasing students’ cultural awareness of the Francophone community.
Spanish 20 IB ab initio – 5 credits
Prerequisite: Spanish 10
In this Spanish course students will begin to study the three themes of the language IB ab initio curriculum through reading, writing, listening and speaking activities while also fulfilling the Alberta Education language curricular requirements. Students will explore various aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures.
International Languages – B Standard Level
French 30 IB SL
Prerequisite: French 20 or Grade 9 French immersion
This course prepares students for the French 30/31 IB oral reading comprehension and written exams. The regular French 30 Alberta Education curriculum is initially covered. Additionally, a variety of supplements readings are added to the program to improve reading comprehension and a source for developing oral skills. Language, vocabulary, idiomatic expressions and grammatical structures will be introduced using several different types of text and discourse that serve particular communicative purposes. The five prescribed themes are: Identities, Human Ingenuity, Social organization, Sharing the Planet and Experiences. Students will be able to explore cultural aspects of the Francophone world through the study of texts and visual materials as a means of exploring the history, current events, values and attitudes of a range of French speaking countries. Comparisons to other cultures will be established in order to celebrate the difference.