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The
International Baccalaureate
Diploma Program
The Rabat American School
Rabat, Morocco
October 13, 2009
Introduction
The IB Mission
The IB Learner Profile
The IB Curriculum
The Extended Essay
CAS – Creativity, Action, Service
University Recognition
Predicted Scores
Requirements for Registration for the May 2010 Exams
Introduction
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is a two-year program of studies with
syllabuses and assessments developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
based in Geneva, Switzerland. The IBO awards an internationally–recognized diploma that is
widely recognized by universities around the world. Many colleges and universities require the
IB Diploma and/or IB certificates for admission. In a competitive field, such credentials work in
the favor of students even when they apply to institutions that do not require them for admission.
The IB Diploma Program is one of the most challenging and comprehensive courses of study a
high school can offer. Life long skills such as analysis, critical thinking and time management are
honed in the IB program. Students may have a difficult time adjusting to the demands of the
program as the academic schedule and co-curricular expectations may leave limited time for
activities students have grown accustomed to. However, students who have completed the IB
Diploma report a strong sense of accomplishment, feel that the time and effort were well spent,
and many report that they are well prepared for the rigors of the first year of college.
The IB Mission
“The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and
caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through
intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with
schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging
programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These
programmes encourage students across the world to become active,
compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their
differences, can also be right.” (IBO 2007)
The IB Learner Profile
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing
their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more
peaceful world. IB learners strive to be:
Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to
conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They
actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout
their lives.
Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global
significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop
understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.
Thinkers They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to
recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.
Communicators They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively
in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They
work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.
Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and
respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take
responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany
them.
Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and
are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and
communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points
of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.
Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of
others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive
difference to the lives of others and to the environment.
Risk-takers They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and
forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas
and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.
Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance
to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.
Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They
are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to
support their learning and personal development.
(IBO, 2006)
The IB Curriculum
A hallmark of the IB Diploma Program is the balance required in academic courses. There are
six subject groups and students are required to take at least three but not more than four higher
level courses selected from those six groups. The remaining subjects must be taken at the
standard level. Students must select one subject from each of Groups 1-5. The sixth course may
be selected from Groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or Computer Science. Most of the courses offer a college
level curriculum.
In addition to the challenging courses, the IB expects diploma earners to fulfill three other
requirements: a minimum of 150 hours of activities in Creativity, Action and Service (CAS), a
self-directed Extended Essay of 3,000- 4,000 words and the Theory of Knowledge course. These
are the unifying elements of the IB diploma program.
Candidates are awarded scores from one to seven for each subject and may earn a maximum of
three bonus points for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge course. Thus, the maximum
point total for an IB Diploma candidate is 45. A minimum of 24 points is needed to earn the
diploma, subject to certain other requirements. For example, the candidate will not receive the
Diploma if s/he earns an E in either Theory of Knowledge or on the Extended Essay.
IB Course Offerings at RAS
First Language
English A1 HL & SL
Language A1 SL Self-taught3
Notes:
1 - Course descriptions can be found in the RAS Curriculum Handbook.
2 - A note on language levels:
Language A1 – the study of literature in a native language
Language A2 – the study of literature in a native language for near-native language learners
Language B – the study of a language for several years in school
Language ab initio – beginning a new language, with no prior experience in that language
3 - A self-taught language is one for which the student does not attend AES classes. This is
generally a native language other than English. In this course the student will study the literature
of the language as well as world literature in that language. Self-taught language students
generally work with a tutor. AES provides necessary support but does not assume any teaching
responsibility. A self-taught language meets the requirements for either language A1 or language
B. Students completing English A1 and a self-taught language A1 will receive a bilingual diploma.
4 - IB Economics SL and IB Geography SL are offered in alternating years as one-year courses.
Individuals and Societies
History HL
Economics SL4
Geography SL4
Mathematics
Mathematics HL
Mathematics SL
Math Studies SL
Fine Arts
Visual Arts SL
Second Language
Arabic A2 HL & SL
Arabic B HL & SL
French A2 HL & SL
French B HL & SL
French ab initio SL
Experimental Sciences
Biology HL & SL
Chemistry HL & SL
Physics SL
6 - Theory of Knowledge
The Theory of Knowledge course, or ToK, is a central element in the IB Diploma Program. This
is an interdisciplinary course in which students explore what it means to say that we ‘know’
something. It is a course in which students learn to question the bases of knowledge. How do we
know what we say we know? What are the limitations of our knowledge? How is new
knowledge acquired?
Ultimately, these questions refer back to the Knower. The course encourages each student to
reflect upon his or her own knowledge and upon the knowledge claims of others. S/he learns that
knowledge is filtered through the Ways of Knowing - emotion, language, perception and reason -
all of which serve to create individual understandings of knowledge. The nature of knowledge is
also influenced by the methods used to acquire it in the different Areas of Knowledge, so that the
historian perceives an event much differently than the mathematician might.
At RAS, The Theory of Knowledge course begins in the third Trimester of the first year of the IB
Diploma Program (Grade 11) and ends in the second Trimester of the following year (Grade 12).
The students are required to write a 1200 to 1600 word essay on one of ten topics provided by
the IB each year. The students are also required to prepare an individual or small-group
presentation in which they explore the knowledge issues presented by a substantive real-life
situation.
The Extended Essay
The Extended Essay is an independent research project carried out under the guidance of a
faculty supervisor. IB Diploma candidates must choose from among 27 subject areas and may
write essays in English or another language. The IBO guidelines suggest that the research and
writing process should take about 40 hours. The candidate should work with his or her advisor
for about three to four hours. The final essay must be presented in a standard format, with
appropriate references, and should not be more than 4000 words in length. There is no minimum
word count, though essays of under 3000 words generally do not cover the topic in sufficient
depth. In the essay the candidate must raise a question, state a thesis, defend the thesis with
appropriate evidence, address the counterarguments and present a conclusion.
Sample Extended Essay titles:
English A1 The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter: The hidden facets of
fairy tales and society.
French B L'image de la femme marocaine. Dans quelques romans ou
nouvelles marocains, de langue francaise, entre 1970 a nos jours
Geography Urban Growth of Rabat, 1956-2008
History Success without Intervention: Reforms in Socialist Hungary
1968-1980
Physics The kinematics and kinetics involved in the movement of the
human hinge joint: the knee. Invertigating the difference between
the motion of a healthy knee with a knee suffereing from arthritis.
Chemistry Comparing two methods of determining ascorbic acid
concentration: iodine and dichloroindophenol titrations
Music A comparison between Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 26 and Sonata
Op. 111, demonstrating Beethoven’s musical evolution
Visual Arts Investigation of four photographs: how do aesthetic qualities
influence the emotional impact of documentary photography?
8 - Extended Essay Calendar
YEAR 2 Candidates
(May 2010 Exam)
September 12 Extended Essay Wriitng Retreat. Working draft of essay due to the IB
Coordinator through turnitin.com.
November 2 First draft of essay due to IB Coordinator - 2 hard copies and also through
turnitin.com.
Draft forwarded by her/him to advisors for review and discussion with
candidates. Draft evaluated according to the EE rubrics. Formal
recommendations for improvement given.
January 18 Final draft of essay due to IB Coordinator - 2 hard copies and also through
turnitin.com.
Draft forwarded by her/him to advisors for evaluation.
February 1 Predicted grades & Comments from advisor to the IB Coordinator.
Advisor feedback to candidates.
Extended Essay Calendar
YEAR 1 Candidates
(May 2011 Exam)
December 14 EE Student Handbook distribution: to be read over the Winter Break. Begin
narrowing down subject area choices for your EE. You are advised to read the
sample EE’s posted on the IB Moodle page.
January 16 Formal introduction to the EE. Discussion of calendar and advisor (Saturday)
selection. Discussion of academic integrity, plagiarism and the appropriate use of sources.
January Extended essay symposium
- Subject discussions. Two 15-minute sessions. Lead teachers or designates
to discuss the nature of the EE in their subject area, focusing on topics and
research methods. Students will choose two subject areas and attend
meetings in those areas.
- Distribution of EE Supplementary materials handout.
- Talk with two potential advisors.
9 - This section of the timeline may be accelerated in order to help the candidates complete a
working draft before the summer break.
February Subject, advisor and working version of topic due
Online plagiarism tutorial due
Set up meetings with advisor. Begin refining topic/question.
March Subject, updated topic/question and bibliography with five sources due
Set up meetings with advisor. Discuss next steps with advisor.
March Meet in ToK classes. Discuss the abstract, thesis statement, structure of the
argument and developing an outline.
April First draft of outline. Discuss next steps with advisor.
May Meet in ToK classes. Discuss the rubrics.
May Second draft of outline. Discuss next steps with advisor.
Extended Essay Draft Submission Guidelines
Each draft of the extended essay should include the following components:
1. Title page with the title of the paper, your name, the subject, and the word count. Remember
that the word count does not include the abstract, acknowledgements, table of contents,
maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations, tables, citations, bibliography or appendices.
Quotations are included in the word count.
2. Abstract of not more than 300 words (this is a summary, not an introduction)
3. Table of contents
4. All pages numbered, with your candidate number in the top right corner of each page. Print
on one side of the page only.
5. Illustrations, tables, and graphs clearly labeled and acknowledged.
6. Citations and bibliography
7. Appendices, if needed.
8. One copy of each draft should be submitted through turnitin.com by the due date. This copy
should include all components of the paper.
9. Two paper copies of each draft should be submitted directly to the IB Coordinator by the due
date. This copy should also include all components of the paper.
Creativity, Action, Service (CAS)
CAS is the experiential learning component of the diploma. Through CAS, the IB curriculum
aims to challenge and extend the individual by developing a spirit of discovery and self-reliance,
and by encouraging the pursuit of individual skills and interests.
CAS activities will most often occur outside the walls of a classroom. An important aspect of the
CAS experience is the emphasis on activities that are new to the student. It provides the impetus
for students to explore pursuits that may become lifelong interests, to challenge themselves by
setting new goals and to develop new skills. And through their CAS activities, students develop
concern for the welfare of others and a sense of responsibility toward their communities, whether
local, national, or international.
The underlying philosophy and complementary aims of the CAS program are that:
• education neither begins nor ends in the classroom;
• an international education must go beyond the provision of information and is inevitably
involved in the development of attitudes and values which transcend the barriers of class,
religion, gender or politics;
• the will to act in service to a community complements intellectual and academic
development;
• international schools have a special challenge and opportunity to establish links with
local communities and in doing so further the aims of international understanding;
• CAS should aim to challenge and extend the individual student, to develop a spirit of
discovery and self-reliance, to encourage personal skills and interests, and to inspire
awareness, concern and responsibility to serve the community in general, and the
disadvantaged in particular.
Creativity should be interpreted as imaginatively as possible to cover the widest range of arts,
hobbies and interests and activities. Creativity includes participating in musical or theatrical
performances, writing for the school newspaper, helping with the yearbook, learning to play a
musical instrument, exploring a new language or designing and carrying out a project. The focus
is on activities that involve different modes of expression.
Action involves physical activity. Group activities are strongly encouraged, but individual
activities are also acceptable. The emphasis is on the development of healthy habits and lifestyles.
Service does not mean exclusively social service, although this is encouraged. Service activities
that have an impact beyond the school community are expected. These might include
environmental or international projects. Service activities should not only involve doing things
for others but also doing things with others and developing a real commitment with them. The
relationship should therefore show respect for the dignity and self-respect of others.
11 - It is important to note that these categories are not mutually exclusive. A dance performance, for
example, incorporates creativity and action. Building a house for an underprivileged family
combines service and action. Students are encouraged to seek activities that combine different
aspects of CAS.
SOME POSSIBLE CAS ACTIVITIES
Creativity The Arts and other experiences that involve creative thinking
Action Physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle
Service An unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student. The rights, dignity
and autonomy of all those involved are respected
1. Possible hours are approximate and are based on full and significant participation– the actual number
could be less or more depending on the extent of your participation and initiative.
2. Hours claimed by you may be modified after taking your Advisor’s feedback into consideration.
3. A final product/event will be required in all of the activities.
4. At least one project has to be initiated and managed by you and so will need to be a new one. However, it is
possible for it to be a new component of an existing activity.
ACTIVITY CREATIVITY ACTION SERVICE POSSIBLE HOURS
(approx.)
Activity Leader
• Will vary
Designing & putting up the IB bulletin board
• • 5
Designing & managing the CAS bulletin board
• • 8 per
trimester
Designing policies – CAS, HW, Common Expectations
• • Will vary
Secondary School play actor
• 35
Costume master / mistress for Secondary School play
• • 15
Uproar – HS Newspaper
• 12
Blood Drive
• • 6
Costumes for Elementary School play
• • 8
Prom related activities
• • Will vary
Valentine/Spring grams (buying materials, designing & making
cards, distributing etc) • • 8
12 - ACTIVITY CREATIVITY ACTION SERVICE HOURS
(approx.)
AMAC Committee
• • 15
Movies of events – AMAC, School profile etc
• • 15
Learning/Developing a skill – language, jewelry making, painting,
musical instrument, singing • Will vary
Coffeehouse
• • 8
Steps to Story Bridges / Story Bridges
• • 8 per
trimester
Talent Show participation
• • 6
Graduation Slide Show
• • 8
Varsity Sport (Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Swimming,
Badminton, Track) • 35
In school physical activity
(Softball, Fitness, Dance etc) • • Will vary
Outside school physical activity (Soccer, track, fitness, aqua-gym,
horseback riding, dance, Habitat for Humanity) • • • Will vary
Fun Run participation (running, supporting)
• • 6
Dar Taliba
• 15 per tri.
Children’s Hospital
• 10 per tri.
Ramadan Food Drive
• 8
Assisting with the Elementary After School Programme
• • 8 per
trimester
Holiday Bazaar
• 8
Concession Stand – school play, sports event
• 6
Prom related activities
• • Will vary
Assisting with miscellaneous school events – sports meet, school
dances, movie nights • • Will vary
NHS Projects
• • Will vary
Recycling Club
• TBD
NOTE: Independent projects must be supervised by a responsible adult (non-family member), may not be
for the benefit of any religious institution and must be approved by the IB Coordinator
13 - CAS individual student completion form (8 LEARNING OUTCOMES)
School: Rabat American School Code 0656 Session: May 2010
There is evidence that ______________________________________________________ has:
Name and session number of student
Learning Outcome Achieved ?
(X) Nature and location of evidence
increased his/her awareness of his/
her own strengths and areas for
growth
undertaken new challenges
planned and initiated activities
worked collaboratively with others
shown perseverance and
commitment in his/her activities
engaged with issues of global
importance
considered the ethical implications
of his/her actions
developed new skills
____________________________________ ____________________________________
_____________________________ CAS Coordinator’s name CAS
Coordinator’s signature Date
University Recognition
Policies vary widely in this area. The IBO maintains a searchable online database at http://
www.ibo.org/country . This database has information regarding the IB in specific countries: IB
schools, colleges/universities that recognize the IB Diploma/certificates; the recognition policy
of the government of the country etc.
United States
The IB is widely recognized; acceptance by universities is increasing
• The IB Diploma Program is recognized as one of the most challenging high school curricula
• Some schools offer sophomore standing for successful completion of the Diploma Program,
usually with a score minimum
• University credit or placement is offered for higher level scores of 5 or more, though this may
vary; credit or placement is not generally offered for certificates in standard level scores though
there are exceptions in this area too.
United Kingdom
• The IB diploma is required for acceptance at many universities, but not all
• Minimum scores for certain subjects may be required; acceptance may be contingent on
obtaining sufficient scores
Other European countries
• Generally require the IB diploma
• May have additional requirements
Predicted Scores
Predicted scores are often required by U.K. and Canadian universities though the acceptance
may be conditional on actual exam scores. Increasingly U.S. universities require them too though
acceptance is usually not conditional on actual scores. The candidate is able to see is the total of
the scores in all the subjects. This allows the counselor to help him/her in narrowing down the
list of colleges to which s/he will apply.
Predicted scores in individual subjects are kept confidential. There is little to be gained by
sharing the predicted scores in individual subjects with the candidates as these are predictions
and not a certainty. Furthermore, this information may actually have a negative affect on the
candidates’ performance: a high prediction can possibly lead to over confidence while a score
lower than a student’s expectations could cause a drop in motivation.
Requirements for Registration for the May 2010 IB exams
A. For ALL students writing one or more IB Exams in May 2010 By Monday, October 26, 2009
1. Signed letter of Acceptance of General Regulations
• This is required by the IB of all students writing an IB exam and not just the Diploma candidates.
The General Regulations explain the position of the IB regarding, among other things,
responsible and ethical behaviour, definitions of academic infringement and of malpractice,
conditions for the award of the Diploma etc.
• General Regulations are posted on Moodle and were distributed, along with the letter, to students in
the third week of September. They were not distributed to students who had submitted the signed
acceptance letter last year.
• A copy of the letter can be collected from the IB Coordinator if necessary.
Monday, October 26, 2009
2. Payment of IB Exam Fees
• The letter with the fee amount was given to Seniors on October 9, 2009 and to Juniors on October 13, 2009.
• An email to parents was sent as follow up
• IB Exam Fees are due by Monday, October 26, 2009
• A copy of the letter can be collected from the IB Coordinator if necessary.
B. ADDITIONAL requirements for Diploma Candidates By Monday, November 2, 2009
3. Extended Essay Drafts
• Year 2 candidates must have turned in the Working Draft as well as the First Formal Draft
of their Extended Essays. By Tuesday, November 10, 2009
4. Evidence of CAS
• Year 1 candidates must have had their individual CAS half-year plan meeting.
• Year 2 candidates must have a minimum of 15 validated hours in each category.
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