International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Massena High School
IB Courses are either Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL).
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All Diploma Program (DP) subject areas, whether studied at higher level (HL) or standard level (SL) are integral to the program. The philosophy of the IB DP is that students should engage with a range of subjects while being able to explore specific areas of personal interest in greater depth.
Standard level courses are not watered down versions of higher level courses.
In most cases, SL and HL courses consist of the same educational aims and foundational syllabus components. HL courses typically also include a range of optional elements. The assessment objectives are the same for both course types, and all IB exams are marked and standardized with the same level of rigor.
INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS
One of the most unique aspects of an IB education is the Internal Assessment (IA). The IA provides a practical or real-world application of the material studied in the course.
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Internal Assessments are evaluated locally by the course teacher. Samples of work are then externally graded by IB moderators around the world. Assessments typically contribute between 20% and 30% of the student’s overall IB grade. The IA is given even more consideration in courses with a major practical component, such as in Visual Arts and Music.
EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTS
External assessments are graded externally by IB moderators. In most courses, the external assessments are the examinations students take in May.
Some courses have written assignments, exhibitions and performances that are graded externally as well.
SCALE FOR IB SCORES
7 = Excellent
6 = Very Good
5 = Good
4 = Satisfactory
3 = Mediocre
2 = Poor
1 = Very poor
N = No grade
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CURRENT IB COURSES
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
Core Element 2-year Course
Theory of knowledge (TOK) is a core element undertaken by all full diploma students. It is a course about critical thinking and inquiring into the process of knowing, rather than about learning a specific body of knowledge. It plays a special role in the DP by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, to make connections between areas of knowledge and to become aware of their own perspectives and those of the various groups whose knowledge they share. The overall aim of TOK is to encourage students to formulate answers to the question “how do you know?” in a variety of contexts, and to see the value of that question. This allows students to develop an enduring fascination with the richness of knowledge.
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IB assessments include:
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one essay on a title chosen from a list of six prescribed titles.
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one exhibition to the class
English Literature HL
Group 1 2-year Course
B English HL is a two-year course. This course develops understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism and promotes the ability to form independent literary judgments. In Language A: Literature, the formal analysis of texts and wide coverage of a variety of literature—both in the language of the subject and in translated texts from other cultural domains—is combined with a study of the way literary conventions shape responses to texts.
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Students completing this course will have a thorough knowledge of a range of texts and an understanding
of other cultural perspectives. They will also have developed skills of analysis and the ability to support
an argument in clearly expressed writing.
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The IB assessments include:
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Prepared oral response on the way that one work originally written in the language studied and one work studied in translation have approached a common global issue.
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Guided analysis of unseen literary passage/ passages from different text types.
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Comparative essay based on two literary works written in response to a choice of one out of four questions.
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Written coursework component: 1,200–1,500 word essay on one work studied.
Language Acquisition
French SL & Spanish SL
Group 2 2-year Courses
The IB DP language B course provides students with the opportunity to acquire or develop an additional language and to promote an understanding of other cultures through the study of language.
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The IB assessments include:
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One writing task from a choice of three
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Listening and reading tasks
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Individual oral assessment
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History of the americas HL
Group 3 2-year Course
The DP history course is a world history course based on a comparative and multi-perspective approach to history. It involves the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility. The course emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically and to develop historical skills as well as gaining factual knowledge. It involves a challenging and demanding critical exploration of the past.
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The IB assessments include:
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a historical investigation into a topic of the student’s choice
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source-based paper based on the move to global war
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essay paper on the Cold War and authoritarian states (20th century)
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essay paper based on the history of the Americas
Business Management HL
Group 3 2-year Course
Are you thinking about majoring in Business in college?
This course will expose you to all the major business functions, so you can discover your interests. You will learn about marketing, corporate finance, human resource management, and operations management. This is exactly what Business Administration majors study in college. Students will examine how business decisions are influenced by factors that are internal and external to an organization and how these decisions impact upon a range of internal and external stakeholders. Emphasis is placed on strategic decision-making. Students also conduct a business research project centered on a current issue an organization is facing. At the end of the course, students get an opportunity to run their own virtual business!
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IB assessments include:
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three exams in May of the second year
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a research project about a real business issue or problem facing a particular organization using a conceptual lens
Psychology SL
Group 3 1-year Course
The IB Diploma Program standard level psychology course aims to develop an awareness of how research findings can be applied to better understand human behavior and how ethical practices are upheld in psychological inquiry. Students learn to understand the biological, cognitive and sociocultural influences on human behavior and explore alternative explanations of behavior.
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The IB assessments include:
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a report of a simple experimental study conducted by the student
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short-answer responses and an essay on the three levels of analysis (biological, cognitive and sociocultural)
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an essay response to an option
Sports, Exercise & Health Science SL
Group 4 1-year Course
This course explores the science underpinning physical performance and provides the opportunity to apply these principles. The course incorporates the disciplines of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology and nutrition. Students cover a range of core and option topics, and carry out experimental investigations in both laboratory and field settings. This course is good preparation for courses in college related to sports fitness and health, and serves as useful preparation for employment in sports and leisure industries.
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IB assessments include:
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three exams in May
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an investigation (lab) and write-up
Biology HL
Group 4 2-year Course
Through the study of DP biology, students are empowered to make sense of living systems through
unifying themes. By providing opportunities for students to explore conceptual frameworks, they are
better able to develop understanding and awareness of the living world around them. This is carried
further through a study of interactions at different levels of biological organization, from molecules and
cells to ecosystems and the biosphere. Integral to the student experience of the DP biology course is the
learning that takes place through scientific inquiry. With an emphasis on experimental work, teachers
provide students with opportunities to ask questions, design experiments, collect and analyze data,
collaborate with peers, and reflect, evaluate and communicate their findings.
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​IB assessments include:
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individual investigation (lab) and write-up
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multiple-choice questions
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data-based, short answer and extended response questions
Biology SL
Group 4 1-year Course
hrough the study of DP biology, students are empowered to make sense of living systems through
unifying themes. By providing opportunities for students to explore conceptual frameworks, they are
better able to develop understanding and awareness of the living world around them. This is carried
further through a study of interactions at different levels of biological organization, from molecules and
cells to ecosystems and the biosphere. Integral to the student experience of the DP biology course is the
learning that takes place through scientific inquiry. With an emphasis on experimental work, teachers
provide students with opportunities to ask questions, design experiments, collect and analyze data,
collaborate with peers, and reflect, evaluate and communicate their findings.
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​IB assessments include:
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individual investigation (lab) and write-up
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multiple-choice questions
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data-based, short answer and extended response questions
PHYSICS SL
Group 4 1-year Course
Physics is concerned with an attempt to understand the natural world; from determining the nature of the atom to finding patterns in the structure of the universe. It is the search for answers from how the universe exploded into life to the nature of time itself. Observations are essential to the very core of the subject. Models are developed to try to understand observations, and these themselves can become theories that attempt to explain the observations. Besides leading to a better understanding of the natural world, physics gives us the ability to alter our environments.
DP physics enables students to constructively engage with topical scientific issues. Students examine scientific knowledge claims in a real-world context, fostering interest and curiosity. By exploring the subject, they develop understandings, skills and techniques which can be applied across their studies and beyond.
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Topics include:
1. Space, time and motion
2. The particulate nature of matter
3. Wave behavior
4. Fields
5. Nuclear and quantum physics
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IB assessments include:
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individual investigation (lab) and write-up
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multiple choice questions
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data- and practical-based questions plus, short answer and extended response questions
MATHEMATICS ANALYSIS & APPROACHES SL
Group 5 2-year Course
Precalculus/Calculus
The IB mathematics standard level (SL) course focuses on introducing important mathematical concepts through the development of mathematical techniques. Students apply the mathematical knowledge they have acquired to solve realistic problems set in an appropriate context.
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Students will study the following topics:
1. Number Algebra
2. Functions and equations
3. Geometry and trigonometry
4. Statistics and probability
5. Calculus
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IB assessments include:
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an individual exploration - a piece of written work that involves investigating an area of mathematics
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short-response questions based on the whole syllabus
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extended-response questions based on the whole syllabus
MATHEMATICS APPLICATIONS AND INTERPRETATION SL
Group 5 1-year Course
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The IB DP Mathematics: applications and interpretation course recognizes the increasing role that mathematics and technology play in a diverse range of fields in a data-rich world. As such, it emphasizes the meaning of mathematics in context by focusing on topics that are often used as applications or in mathematical modelling. To give this understanding a firm base, this course includes topics that are traditionally part of a pre-university mathematics course such as calculus and statistics. Students are encouraged to solve real-world problems, construct and communicate this mathematically and interpret the conclusions or generalizations.
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Students will study the following topics:
1. Number Algebra
2. Functions and equations
3. Geometry and trigonometry
4. Statistics and probability
5. Calculus
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IB assessments include:
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an individual exploration - a piece of written work that involves investigating an area of mathematics
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short-response questions based on the whole syllabus
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extended-response questions based on the whole syllabus
VISUAL ARTS HL/SL
Group 6 2-year Course
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The IB Diploma Program visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to further study of visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts.
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IB assessments include:
Comparative study
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10–15 screens which examine and compare at least 3 artworks, at least 2 of which need to be by different artists
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3–5 screens which analyse the extent to which the student’s work and practices have been influenced by the art and artists examined
Process Portfolio
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13–25 screens which evidence sustained experimentation, exploration, manipulation and refinement of a variety of art-making activities
Exhibition
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A curatorial rationale
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8–11 artworks
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Exhibition text (stating the title, medium, size and intention) for each artwork