11th Grade – Math Studies

Grade 11 Mathematical Studies this semester starts with the basics of numbers-conversion of units, scientific notations, rounding off numbers. It is then followed by three units which are interconnected namely, the Sets, Logic and Probability. These units give students the opportunity to polish their problem solving skills since these mainly involve a lot of analysis rather than complicated computations. The last unit this semester is on coordinate Geometry. This lesson makes use of previously learned concepts and skills such as lines, gradient, the Cartesian Plane, radicals and indices, as well as the theorem of Pythagoras. It is then a challenge for the Grade 11 students to be able to recall these lessons so that they can successfully tackle Coordinate geometry.

11th Grade – Math SL

The first semester of grade 11 IBDP Math SL focusses on the first three core topics namely Algebra, Functions and Equations and Circular Functions and Trigonometry. For continuity purposes, Circular Functions and Trigonometry is the first unit as this is the last topic covered in grade 10. In grade 11, students are expected to find the area of a sector, the length of an arc, double and half angle formula and use different techniques in proving identities. The next unit is on Relations and Functions where students are expected to sketch graphs of the different Functions with and without the use of graphics display calculator, perform operations on functions, sketch the inverse of a function, and to solve real-life application problems on relations and functions. Last unit is a review on some Algebra units taken in grade 10 and introduce sequence and series.

11th Grade – Math HL

Grade 11 IBDP Math HL focusses on the first three core topics namely Algebra, Functions and Equations, and Circular Functions and Trigonometry. As grade 11 students they are expected to find the area of a sector, the length of an arc, double and half angle formula and use different techniques in proving identities. For the unit on Relations and Functions the focus is sketching graphs of the different Functions with and without the use of graphics display calculator, performing operations on functions, sketching the inverse of a function, and to solving real-life application problems on relations and functions. Students are also expected to solve problems involving sequences and series, and exponents and logarithms. A review on Matrices is taken in the second quarter and the first topic that HL students must master is proving using the principle of mathematical induction.

12th Grade – Math Studies

In the Grade 12 Math Studies, students will be given time to work on their Internal Assessment Project for the first quarter, which constitutes 20% to their final IB marks in May. The Semester also covers Bivariate Statistics, which is directly linked to their project, as well as units on Sequences and Series, Financial Mathematics, Probability and Logic. Since they are already preparing for the IB exam, these said units are thoroughly discussed so that they can get a good grasp of the concepts and skills, which will hopefully equip them for the IB examinations.

12th Grade – Math SL

In the Grade 12 Math Standard Level, students will be given time to work on their Internal Assessment Project for the first quarter, which constitutes 20% to their final IB marks in May. The Semester also covers Bivariate Statistics, which is directly linked to their project, as well as units on Sequences and Series, Financial Mathematics, Probability and Logic.

11th Grade Biology

The Year 1 biology students learned about the fundamental units of living organisms: the cell and the molecules that support life.  They looked into what makes up a cell, the functions of the different organelles and how they work together as the smallest functional unit of all living things.  The students also learned about the elements and macromolecules that make up the structures of organisms, and provide their energy.

11th Grade Chemistry

The start of the IBDP Chemistry program this semester started with the laying down of standards for the diploma program. Students learned about The Atomic Structure, Measurement and Data Processing and Quantitative Chemistry, taking IB type of tests and performing experiments. Students experienced designing experiments, collecting data and processing them, and making conclusions and evaluations, the three aspects of Internal Assessment in the diploma program.

11th Grade Physics

For the first semester, the students focused on the first two core topics: Physics and physical measurements and Kinematics – with emphasis on internal assessments. The students learned to conduct scientific investigations from designing experiments to carrying them out. Students performed investigations with care on collecting and processing data and with considerations to uncertainties. They also evaluated results and reflected on the how they could have done the investigation more accurately and precisely to improve on results.

12th Grade Biology

The Year 2 biology students started the year learning about Ecology, the interactions between living things and their environment.  They then proceeded to looking into the different human body systems – respiratory, transport, immune, nervous, digestive and reproductive.  They learned the anatomy and physiology of each body system and how these systems work together to keep us alive.

12th Grade Physics

For the first semester, the study was focused on the four core topics: Electric currents, Fields and forces, Atomic and nuclear physics, and Energy, power and climate change. The students designed and performed investigations that affect the electromagnets for their internal assessment. The students also presented ideas about the different ways in which electrical energy is generated from the different sources, the impacts of the fossil fueled power plants. The students also looked at how these different processes of transforming of energy might affect climate.

11th Grade Art IBDP

The first semester focuses on understanding the goals and expectations of IB Art. Students research and investigate art styles, artists and their works, cultural & historical concepts to use for their artworks. The investigation and research works are recorded in their Investigation Work Book (IWB). The artworks are based on topics and media like Asian traditions, capturing moods, local color, plaster carving, etc.

12th Grade Art IBDP

Students choose to continue previous theme or change to a different one. They are given suggested topics to start working on but they may pursue their own investigations of concepts, styles, media, technique etc.

11th Grade IBDP History

The focus of the first Semester of the IB History Course which runs for two years, was to familiarize the students with the course requirements. Student learned how to evaluate a variety of Historical sources for a given Historical Investigation and to create a Scope and methods for a Historical Investigation. The course then went onto its first content topic which was a 20th Century Topic on Single Party States. Within this topic we looked at the different types of Single Party States that existed in the 20th Century in terms of their similarities and differences. Students developed the skills of writing a persuasive speech in support of a totalitarian ruler. The Course then went onto doing a study of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. The students are now in the process of their study of Stalin and becoming familiar with IB History Paper questions.

11th Grade IBDP Business and Management

Business and Management 11 is year one of the IBDP program. During this semester, the students were given basic background on business terminologies and concepts, building key understandings on the nature of business activity and an appreciation of its relationship and impact to the larger external environment. Aside from exploring the business and environment, the topic on Accounts and Finance was introduced. The students learn about the sources and uses of funds as well as investment appraisal tools to evaluate the financial costs and benefits of investment decisions.

11th Grade IBDP Psychology

Psychology 11 is year one of the IB Diploma programme.  Students at grade 11 this semester undertook the biological and cognitive levels of analysis.  Students learned different assumptions and theories of behavior under each level of analysis and how sometimes these two levels are interconnected.  There was an emphasis on being empirical; thus, students gained a reference bank of studies with which they can use to discuss, explain, analyze and evaluate a certain behavior or issue.  Assessments took the form of writing essays that outline, define, explain, and evaluate studies or theories.

12th Grade IBDP History

The second and final year of the IB History course in the first semester focused on the students conducting the required Internal Assessment a Historical Investigation on a historical topic of their own choosing. This is the culminating task of the skills they learned last year in evaluating historical sources and doing historical research. Besides the aforementioned task, finished a study of both their Prescribed topic for Paper 1 covering Peace and Peacemaking between the period of 1919 and 1936. This study involves the students making use of historical documents to answer a series of specific questions. The course additionally completed the remain requirements for a second 20^th century topic covering a study of the Causes and Practices of War. And finally, we started an in depth study on the Asia Pacific region of study which focused on the history of China from the late 18th century to the fall of the Nationalist in 1948 to the communists. The in depth study will focus next semester on the reasons for the fall of almost 5000 years of dynastic rule in China by 1912 and the subsequent chaos that existed prior to and after its fall, as well as, the rebirth of Chinese nationalism and struggles China faced through the first half of the 20th Century.

12th Grade IBDP Business and Management

For this semester, the course focused on two key units: Accounts and Finance for Quarter 1 and Human Resource Management for Quarter 2. More than just learning about managing money and financial statements, students were trained to analyse and use financial tools as aids for decision-making. The second unit exposed the students to the art of managing people and equipped them with management tools and concepts to help boost people’s motivation and productivity on the job. Students were then required to conduct employee surveys on different companies to evaluate the impact of both financial and non-financial reward packages on job satisfaction, motivation and productivity. The task also aimed at linking their actual findings to various motivation theories. Lastly, the students did revision work on their internal assessment.

12th Grade IBDP Psychology

Students completed their internal assessments and studied one option for their final exam Paper 2, Health Psychology, during semester one.  In this option, students investigated the causes of health problems such as stress, substance abuse, addiction, overeating and obesity in order to find a way to counter the damaging consequences and prevent their occurrence.  The benefit of this research is an improved understanding of the relationship between environmental and biological factors as well as cognition in determining individual behaviour.

Additional IB DP Courses are available:

a) via Pamoja (online teacher DP courses) for an additional fee: Film (SL) French Ab, ITGS (HL/SL) Philosophy (HL/SL)

b) School-assisted language courses for mother tongue languages (please contact the DP coordinator for information)

MANDARIN

11th Grade Mandarin Ab Initio

Students continued the focus on the core topics of the individual and society, leisure and work. Students practiced different writing formats and reading of different text types. They continued to build new vocabulary in preparation for the Mandarin Ab Initio program.  In Semester 1, grammar and vocabulary were learned to secure their oral and writing skills in Mandarin.

12th Grade Mandarin Ab Initio  

Students explored how to write an academic intercultural comparison essay followed by the three themes in the Mandarin Ab Initio syllabus.  The topics are the individual and society, leisure and work, and urban and rural environment. Students developed reading comprehension, writing and oral skills for their final IB exam. Students practiced different writing types and speaking skills for their final IB exam.

11th Grade Mandarin B

12 Grade Mandarin B

SPANISH

11th Grade Spanish Ab Initio  

Students learnt how to introduce themselves, basic expressions for Spanish language, vocabulary related to people, family and Education. They started developing their language skills such as comprehension, writing and oral. In this semester they were able to describe and compare people using the appropriate vocabularies such as nationalities, age, professions, likes and dislikes, appearance and Daily routines. The students also applied grammatical structures in the target language to achieve the description and comparison aims. They started gain skills such as deduct meanings through the context or familiar words to face Paper 1 (reading and comprehension test). At the end of the semester the students were be able to write different written pieces between 60 and 120 words. For next semester the aim is to build their confidence to enhance their oral skills.

12th Grade Spanish Ab Initio  

In this semester the students revised the knowledge of the language acquired last school year to reinforce and being ready to gain more content. They learnt vocabularies related to Environmental Issues such as Global Warning, Climate changing, Recycle, Natural resources, Organic Food, Pollution and Animals in extinction. The students continued refining their language skills such as comprehension, writing and oral to be ready for the IB exams (Papers 1-2, Written assignment and Oral presentations). In this semester they were able to debate about the topics previously mentioned using impersonal expressions to apply the use of the Subjunctive for expressing own opinions. For next semester they will continue practicing for the IB exams.

12th Grade Spanish SL/HL  

Students reviewed important grammar points such as the present, and the contrast between the preterit and the imperfect tenses. Other tenses included the future and the conditional and some other grammar points such as the usage of the verb “to be” in Spanish, and the reflexive verbs and reflexive constructions. Important vocabulary related to the environment and leisure was also taught. Besides, they practiced for their upcoming IB exams by performing oral presentations to describe a picture and writing IB-style papers such as letters, articles, speeches, blogs, and emails.

 

11th Grade  

Theory of Knowledge is a course about critical thinking and inquiry into the process of knowing, rather than about learning a specific body of knowledge. Students explored a range of ways of knowing, tools that are used to answer “how do we know?” and a range of areas of knowledge, that is, specific branches of knowledge.  During semester one, students are introduced to Human Sciences or the Social Sciences and Natural Sciences as the focus areas of knowledge. The ways of knowing of sense perception, language and reason are utilized to see how they influence the understanding of these areas of knowledge.  With our discussions of these ways of knowing and areas of knowledge, the students make connections between them and reflect on them so that they become aware of their own perspectives and those of various groups whose knowledge they share.

12th Grade  

We begin the semester by completing units in the three remaining Areas of Knowledge, History, the Arts, and Ethics.  Students are then introduced to the TOK Presentation and TOK Essay topics.  The TOK presentation is completed in December, and the TOK Essay is be completed in January.  For the essay, the students brainstorm ideas on the six set titles with other students, in order to help them decide which essay title they will choose to answer.  For the presentation, the students are allowed to work either individually or in groups of two, and are helped in choosing a real-life topic, and in developing a knowledge issue from it.  Both the essay and presentation are IAs, the results of which are submitted to the IBO for those who are taking the Diploma.