GROUP 6: ARTS AND ELECTIVES

VISUAL ARTS 

The aim of the course is to develop powers of expression through the sympathetic use of media and to develop sensitivity to the visual environment.

Further to this the aims are:

      To expand consciousness of cultural values through questioning preconceptions, analyzing stylistic and conceptual approaches to work, practical exploration of processes and materials and empirical development of a refined perspective towards work.

      To foster a creative experience.

      To foster differentiated understanding of cultural values.
It is the commitment of the student to follow ideas through a variety of solutions stemming from a personal line of enquiry that is looked for.

The beginning of an IB Visual Arts Program is exciting and challenging for both students and the instructor.  Each year the class dynamics and content will evolve to better suit the fortunate young artists.  The student is embarking on a journey of creativity and discovery about themselves and also the enormously wide world of the visual arts.  All art movements and philosophies are interlinked and engendered by historical, social, and cultural phenomena.  One of the main focuses of the IB Visual Arts Program is to build the student's understanding of this important artistic foundation.  The student's own culture has a rich artistic heritage and may, with his or her own individual experiences provide him or her with the basis of their work.  There is also our host culture, Zimbabwe, which is immediately accessible and rich in stimuli.

 The Standard Level (SL) Option A or B course is completed in two years at HIS. Self-motivation, an inquiring mind, and the ability to do a lot of preparatory work for studio projects will be the student's most valuable assets.  The student will keep a Research Workbook (RWB) to help develop their ideas, research related items, and to aid in exploring their own interests.  The RWB can be described as a Graphic Journal - a record of the journey the student is taking.

MUSIC

The study of music within the IB syllabus allows for the exploration of shared human perceptions and emotions which temper our lives; those common or singular experiences which by other means are imperfectly expressed, or cannot be expressed at all.

The course aims:

      to give students the opportunity to explore and enjoy the diversity of music throughout the world;

      to encourage students to develop perceptual skills through a breadth of musical experiences, where they will learn to recognize, speculate, analyze, identify, discriminate and hypothesize in relation to music;

      to enable students to develop creatively their knowledge, abilities and understanding through performance and/or composition;

      to assist students to develop their potential as musicians both personally and collaboratively, in whatever capacity, to the full.

Students at Higher Level should have a background in both musical performance and composition, and study units in Musical Perception and Analysis, Solo Performance and Composition. At Standard Level, the unit in Musical Perception and Performance remains compulsory, but students may opt for a unit in either Solo Performance, Group Performance or Composition in order to suit their particular strengths and interests.

Musical Perception and Analysis

Work in this unit falls into three areas:

      A detailed analytical study of a prescribed work

      A broader study of examples from different cultures, genres and styles of music from around the world, investigating their structure, musical elements and historical/cultural context

      An independent musical investigation into two identifiable and distinct musical genres from any musical tradition.

Candidates sit a 2½ hour examination covering the first two areas of study, whilst the 1200-1500 word musical investigation is completed as coursework.

Solo Performance

Candidates present one or more solo recitals of approximately 20 minutes duration for internal assessment (externally moderated). More than one instrument can be offered (but this is not a requirement), and any musical style can be employed.

Group Performance

Candidates are expected to be active, participating members of at least one musical ensemble, and their public performances with that ensemble will be internally assessed on two or more occasions during the course. Participation in almost any of the major Haileybury choral and instrumental ensembles may be counted towards this unit.

Composition

Candidates submit a portfolio of three (Higher Level) or two (Standard Level) compositions completed during the course (total playing time: 5–15 minutes). Recordings and written statements detailing the work undertaken must be submitted. Work in any musical genre (traditional or electronic) is permissible.

THEATRE ARTS

Aims and Objectives

The aims are to help the students understand the concepts of the theatre, not purely through the learning about theatre, but an understanding of what can be learned through drama. This involves the students' bodies and minds. It is about the social understanding of any play, the background and therefore the reason it was written, and also what a person may learn through the analysis of a play. The students have to acquire an understanding of the links between social context and practical performance.

Syllabus Outline

Part 1  - Performance skills - ensemble work, performance techniques, characterization

Part 2  - World Theatre Studies - 3 play texts from more than one theatrical tradition and culture, in the original or in translations must be included.

Part 3 - Practical Play analysis - Engagement with a play from a director's point of view

Part 4   - Theatre Production - Involvement in at least 2 productions (one for Standard level) from a practical point of view

Part 5 - Individual Project - A project, chosen by the candidate with the teacher on a specific aspect of Theatre Arts.

The method of assessment in each of these modules, is either by a portfolio presentation of 2,500 words, or a oral examination, or a practical performance.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

IB Computer Science is a course designed for students who anticipate studying Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering or Science at a post-secondary level or for those who just enjoy solving problems using a computer in a logical manner. During this course the student will gain a full understanding of logical problem-solving as well as a detailed knowledge of how computers operate. Successful computerized systems result from: a clear understanding of the problem to be solved; appropriate use of hardware based on a detailed knowledge of its capabilities and limitations; efficient use of algorithms and data structures; thorough and logical design; careful testing and integration of all these components. Students of IB computer science will be guided by problem-solving strategies that will be continually reinforced in their coursework. Initial stages of the process will involve identifying and defining the problem(s) to be solved by a computerized system. The problem will be broken down (decomposed) into parts, each one of which requires a particular solution. From this problem definition, the student will construct appropriate algorithms to create a solution.

The emphasis of IB Computer Science will be on the use of a logical approach and analytical thinking in the context of using a computer to solve problems.

Students are expected to acquire mastery of the Java programming language. Mechanisms to be mastered include methods (procedures, functions), data structures, objects and high-level language constructs. Mastery of a particular aspect (or mechanism) of computer science is defined as the ability to use that aspect appropriately for some non-trivial purpose which is well documented. Mastery will be demonstrated through work submitted in the Program Dossier.

The computer science program focuses on software development, fundamentals of computer systems and the relationship between computing systems and society. The higher level (HL) program is extended to include: computer mathematics and logic; advanced data structures; objects and their use in problem solutions; further system fundamentals; the system life cycle; and file organization.

Contents:

PAGE 1 IB BROCHURE INTRODUCTION

PAGE 2 IB INTERNAL CALENDAR 2005-2006

PAGE 3 CONTACT INFORMATION

PAGE 4 GUIDANCE ON CHOICE OF SUBJECTS

PAGE 5 Languages in Groups 1 and 2

PAGE 6 Social Sciences

PAGE 7 Natural Sciences

PAGE 8 Mathematics

PAGE 9 Arts and Electives

PAGE 10 Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge

PAGE 11 Creativity, Action, and service

PAGE 12 Download CAS forms and guide

PAGE 13 SOME USEFUL LINKS

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