Vientiane International School

Focus and Aim

The aim of this course is to provide students with opportunities to study, experiment, investigate and question the world around them in a biological context.  Students will be able to enquire and research scientific concepts through prescribed and self instigated activities.

Students will be encouraged to view 'life' in a global context by studying and investigating not only their own environments, but the interconnectedness of micro-ecosystems and the world in its entirety.
Through this course of  study and investigation students will develop the scientific, social and academic skills required to actively engage life, regardless of their choice of vocation, and to promote life long learning.  To facilitate this process students will undertake tasks which involve research, design and investigate experiments using the 'Scientific Process', and engage in debates and oral presentations using individual and group work.   These tasks will all be assessable (formative and summative) to ensure understanding and learning are taking place.

Topics

• Statistics
• Cells
• Chemistry
• Genetics
• Evolution
• Ecology
• Human Physiology
• Neurobiology - Behavior
• Physiology/Exercise 

IB Assessment

The seven grade 'General Grade Descriptors' and all or only parts of the 'Internal Assessment Criteria' will be used for assessing students' work, depending on the nature and purpose of the task.
Assessment instruments will consist of:
    * conduct and reporting of experiments and investigations; this will involve anecdotal records of students' manipulative and scientific techniques and procedures, and criterion assessed 'write-ups'. These investigations will compose the IB Internal Assessment component of the course,
    * research tasks; criterion based and assessed written and oral work,
    * mini-quizzes; (weekly) assessed in class with/by students for immediate feedback
    * field trip reports; criterion based and assessed power point presentations, written and oral work.

A final exam will be conducted at the end of each semester for exam practice, monitoring students' learning/understanding, and for school specific records. The IB external assessment will culminate the course at the end of each year.

Term work 70%   Final assessment 30%

VIS Assessment

The VIS grade will be based on the differentiation of tasks and assignments from the above list.  These differentiated tasks and assignments will be handed out with the course outlines at the beginning of the school year.