The IB Hexagon

This section contains some basic information about IB Physics, I have aimed this at the teacher totally new to the IB although it could also provide some reassurance to old hands that "it is what you though it was". Before delving into the depths of the physics syllabus we should take a look at the IB hexagon.

This is actually my version of the hexagon (gets around copyright issues), I  have put CAS around the outside encompassing everything and TOK and the EE on the inside holding the subjects together. You might argue that EE should be in one of the subject petals but the essay writing skills cross subject boundaries. The fact that students do 6 subjects, CAS, TOK and an EE means that they are going to be fairly busy, as the teachers of one of the subjects we should be aware that the students don't have so much time to spend on our subject as we might like. In a good IB schools subject teachers will cooperate so that deadlines don't all occur at the same time.

 

HL and SL

So the IB is a 6 subject diploma consisting of 3 subjects at standard level and 3 at higher level, it is possible to do more subjects at HL but its not really advisable. The overall idea is that the difference between HL and SL is not in the level of difficulty but in the quantity of material. This may be true in some subjects but it's not in physics except for the internally assessed practical component which is exactly the same except that HL do more hours.

 

Group 4

Group 4 is the IB name for science subjects, physics, biology, chemistry and design technology. Environmental systems used to be the 5th member of the group but the syllabus has recently been changed making it a group 3/4 subject. All group 4 subjects have a similar syllabus structure with a common SL/HL core , additional HL material and options

 

Practical work

All group 4 subjects have a component of 25% internally assessed practical often called IA by IB teachers. Whereas the theory part of the course is pretty much like any other physics course the practical part isn't and for that reason quite a large part of this website is devoted to IA.

 

A short presentation

 

 

 

 

The Prezi