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International Baccalaureate Courses

College & Career Planning

COLLEGE PREPARATORY (CP) courses are designed to prepare students for the rigors of college courses. Students in college preparatory classes are open-minded and seek to develop the skills necessary to analyze and synthesize information. Students will be provided with scaffolded opportunities to solidify their time management, note-taking, and study skills. Courses are designed to build a solid foundation in a particular content area. Opportunities for enrichment will be available.

ADVANCED (A) courses are recommended for students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement through a combination of ability and motivation. The Advanced level assumes that students are independent learners who can work with limited teacher support. Students are advanced and enthusiastic readers who can make inferences, draw connections, and comprehend texts with sophisticated themes and vocabulary at a fairly fast pace. These courses contain considerable enrichment and acceleration. Instruction will assume that students are able to grasp concepts on initial presentation. There will be little practice or repetition within the classroom. Students are expected to be able to organize their time, to plan long-term assignments, and to seek help when necessary, all on their own initiative. Advanced course enrollment requires teacher recommendation.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

It is essential for any pre-university education to equip students with the depth of discipline-specific knowledge and skills that they will need for their chosen academic and career paths. However, this must be balanced with the breadth needed to develop well-rounded students who can draw connections between different disciplines. As such, the philosophy of the IB Diploma Programme is that students should engage with a range of subjects while being able to explore specific areas of personal interest in greater depth.

• IB STANDARD LEVEL (SL) courses are rigorous core content based classes that focus on the “what” beyond concepts and theories.

• IB HIGHER LEVEL (HL) courses tend to delve deeper into the concepts that SL subjects cover focusing not only on the “what” but also the “how” and “why”. The core content is the same as the SL course in the same discipline, however, additional topics are covered.

Earth Science is centered on learning more about our planet. In this course, students will explore a variety of topics that begin with studying their local surroundings using Earth Science topics to shape a more global perspective of our Earth. Coverage may include the changing landscape of Vermont, map-making, plate tectonics and the origins of our solar system. Students will engage in their study through the use of a variety of resources, activities, hands-on projects, labs, field experiences and class trips to develop a wide range of learning skills.

This course introduces students to the most fundamental ideas in biology, including cells, genetics, body systems, evolution, and ecology. The course will focus on the following central concepts of biological science: an exploration of the ways cells contribute to the function of living organisms; a system of how living and nonliving things operate to meet the needs of organisms in an ecosystem; how living organisms pass traits from one generation to the next; how organisms evolve over time in response to changes in the environment; and human health and organ systems. Students will engage in a variety of activities to investigate and simulate the natural world around them, collecting data to help shape their understanding of life on Earth.

This course focuses on the nature and structure of matter and the characteristics of energy on a variety of scales. Major areas covered include nutrient cycles and energy flow in the ecosystem; the organization and use of the periodic table; physical and chemical changes; temperature and heat; sound; light; electricity and magnetism; and work, force, and motion. These topics are used to support the development of key science skills such as designing laboratory and field research projects, collecting and analyzing data, and using evidence to make scientific arguments.

• Levels: College-Prep, Advanced
• Credits: 1

This course is centered on the big ideas and questions in earth science, physics, biology, chemistry, and environmental science. Students will explore these topics through experiential learning, project-based units, and scientific inquiry. The combination of science with current technologies, engineering, and mathematics will be emphasized. Students will become scientists who ask and answer their own questions. This course will prepare students to continue their study of the sciences at LTS by developing essential habits of mind and understanding.

• Prerequisite: Integrated Science
• Credit: 1

Applied chemistry is a broad coverage course that will expand students’ awareness and knowledge of the chemistry that occurs every day all around us. The course is content-rich and will allow students to explore topics of interest with a strong foundation built on atomic theory and chemical bonding. Students will be introduced to scientific primary and secondary literature and will improve scientific literacy through writing and presentations.

Topics covered in this course may include:

• Medicinal chemistry

• Toxicology

• Chemical warfare

• Cooking with chemistry

• Fireworks and explosions

• Chemical communication

• Levels: Advanced, IB Standard Level

• Length: Two-Year Course (SL), One-Year Course (advanced)

• Credit: 1 per year

• Prerequisites: Successful completion of Integrated Science and faculty recommendation

Advanced Chemistry is a lab-based course which emphasizes the: 1) structure and behavior of atoms; 2) composition and properties of compounds; 3) reactions between substances and their accompanying energy changes; and 4) laws which unite these phenomena into a comprehensive system. Numerous connections between chemistry and everyday life are made. This course moves at a fast pace to accommodate the range of content covered. This course is taught through readings, discussion, lab activities, projects, and possible field trips, and prepares students for IB science offerings.

The Advanced level (year 1) of chemistry includes the following core content topics:

• Stoichiometric relationships

• Atomic structure

• Periodicity

• Chemical bonding and structure

• Energetics/thermochemistry

• Chemical kinetics

The two-year SL course assumes that students are independent learners who can work with limited teacher support. Students are advanced and enthusiastic readers; they can make inferences, draw connections, comprehend and appreciate texts with sophisticated vocabulary and themes read at a fast pace. Students are strong expository and narrative writers who understand grammar, mechanics, spelling and sentence/paragraph structure.

Those choosing to continue into the second year SL level course will cover:

• Equilibrium

• Acids and bases

• Redox processes

• Organic chemistry

• Measurement and data processing

• One of the following topics: materials, biochemistry, energy, or medicinal chemistry

An Internal Assessment (IA) is required for SL Chemistry; the initial work on this independent project will begin in Advanced Chemistry (G10) and continue in Year 2.

• Levels: IB Standard Level, IB Higher Level

• Two-Year Course

• Credit: 2

• Prerequisites: Chemistry and faculty recommendation

This two-year Biology course is the study of life. The vast diversity of species makes biology both an endless source of fascination and a considerable challenge. Biologists attempt to understand the living world at all levels from the micro to the macro, using many different approaches and techniques. Biology is still a young science and great progress is expected in the 21st century. This progress is important at a time of growing pressure on the human population and the environment.

By studying biology in the Diploma Programme, students should become aware of how scientists work and communicate with each other. While the scientific method may take on a wide variety of forms, the emphasis on a practical approach through experimental work characterizes the sciences. Students will design investigations, collect data, develop

manipulative skills, analyze results, collaborate with peers, and evaluate and communicate their findings.

Core content includes:

• Cell biology

• Molecular biology

• Genetics

• Ecology

• Space and space exploration

• Green chemistry

• Biomimicry

Level Distinctions

Standard Level (SL)

External Assessments:

• • Paper 1: Multiple Choice

  • Paper 2: Data-based, short-answer and extended-response questions

  • Paper 3: Data-based, short-answer and extended-response questions

Individual Investigation

Group 4 Project

Higher Level (HL)

External Assessments:

• • Paper 1: Multiple-choice questions

  • Paper 2: Data-based, short-answer and extended-response questions

  • Paper 3: Data-based, short-answer and extended-response questions

Individual Investigation

Additional Content: nucleic acids, metabolism, cell respiration and photosynthesis, plant biology, genetics and evolution, animal physiology

• Credits: 1
• Prerequisite: Integrated Science, 1 year of Chemistry (Advanced or Applied)

AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course. Students cultivate their understanding of physics through inquiry-based investigations as they explore topics such as Newtonian mechanics (including rotational motion); work, energy, and power; mechanical waves and sound; and introductory, simple circuits. After the AP exam, students will continue their study of physics by exploring electromagnetism.

• Prerequisite: Integrated Science
• Credit: 1

This course explores the origin and diversity of life on Earth. Topics include structure and function, and unique adaptations of fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Students research various wildlife management and conservation strategies including the development and maintenance of zoos and aquaria. Activities include tracking and monitoring of local wildlife, field trips to nearby zoos, and laboratory dissections.