IB Diploma and Career-Related Program Resources / IB DP Academic Planner

North Atlanta International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Guide (January 2025)

What is the IB Diploma Programme?

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is an assessed programme for students in their junior and senior years. It is respected by leading universities across the globe. Students enter the IB Programme in their junior year at North Atlanta. Although coursework begins junior year, students will be asked to complete some summer assignment work prior to the start of junior year.

What the DP offers students

Through the DP, schools are able to develop students who:

have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge;

flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically;

study at least two languages;

excel in traditional academic subjects;

explore the nature of knowledge through the program’s unique theory of knowledge course.

Entrance Requirements at NAHS:

Students must hold a combined GPA of at least 87% in all 9th and 10th grade core courses plus their world language courses prior to eleventh grade.

Students must have completed two consecutive years in a world language course (Arabic, Chinese, French, or Spanish) prior to eleventh grade.

Students should have a minimum PSAT score in Evidence-Based Reading & Writing of 500.

Students that have attended NAHS in ninth and tenth grade must complete the MYP Personal Project and receive at minimum a grade of 5.

If necessary, the IB Coordinator will obtain TWO teacher recommendations (forms to be provided to the teachers) from 2 core teachers.

Though not required, it is recommended that students take AP Human Geography in ninth grade and/or AP World History in tenth grade. Sophomores that know they want to start the IBDP as juniors and meet the criteria for placement, may also take AP English Language in tenth grade.

Expectations and Removal from the IBDP at NAHS:

Once the schedule is created for an IBDP student, it is sometimes very difficult to make changes. Therefore, we strongly recommend that students commit to the IBDP at the start of their junior year. However, once a student is enrolled, there are only a few ways to exit the IBDP:

Excessive tardies and unexcused absences can result in a probationary period with the possibility of removal.

Failure in one IBDP course can result in a probationary period with the possibility of removal.

Failure in two or more IBDP courses will result in the student’s removal from the IB Diploma Program.

Two or more IB teachers expressing concern over student performance can initiate discussions that may lead to removal from the IBDP.

Students may also be removed from the IBDP upon parent and counselor request.

Severe infractions of Academic Dishonesty may also result in removal from the IBDP

Scheduling issues that may impede student graduation is also cause to be removed from the IBDP.

Students will be removed from the IBDP if the student did not complete the IB Extended Essay by the end of their junior year.

Assessment Policy and Fees:

In order to complete the IBDP, parents and students must sign an agreement prior to November of the student’s senior year stating that he or she will commit to completing all the required exams for the IBDP in addition to the other program requirements. As of 12/17/2024, Each IB Subject Examination costs $116 (x6), APS current pays 90% of this cost for NAHS IBDP students who qualify for Free-Reduced Lunch and 85% for NAHS IBDP students who do not qualify for Free-Reduced Lunch.

How are IB Diploma points accumulated?

Students must take 6 IB classes, one English, one Foreign Language, one Social Science, one Science, one Mathematics, and a sixth as elective. Three of these must be Higher Level (HL) and three Standard Level (SL). Typically at NAHS, students take all of their exams during their senior year. Each is assessed by IBO on a scale of 1-7. Students must score a minimum of 24 points to achieve the IB Diploma. This means scoring an average of 4 on each of the six assessments for a total of 24 points. There are exceptions to these rules, like one where they must score 12 points in their 3 Higher Level classes, meaning if they score a 3 in one, they must make up the difference by scoring at least a 5 in another HL class. They also must score 3 or higher on HL classwork with some specific exceptions. (http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/sfhs)

Linking the DP to other IB programmes

The DP is preceded by the IB’s Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). The three programmes are philosophically aligned, each centered on developing attributes of the IB learner profile. The programmes are consistent in their pedagogical approach. All schools in the North Atlanta Cluster of schools are PYP (elementary) and MYP (middle) schools. Students who have taken the PYP and MYP will therefore be well prepared for the challenges of the DP at North Atlanta High School.

How teaching and learning is organized in the DP

The DP organizes teaching and learning through six subject groups, underpinned by the DP core. Students choose a course from within each subject group. For most courses, students take written examinations at the end of the DP (in May of their senior year). In many programme areas, students complete externally assessed coursework. Components of the DP core require students to produce coursework, for example.

The IB Diploma Programme curriculum sets out the requirements for study of the DP.

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The curriculum is made up of the DP core and six subject groups. Made up of the three required components, the DP core aims to broaden students’ educational experience and challenge them to apply their knowledge and skills.

The three core elements are:

Theory of knowledge, in which students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know.

The extended essay, which is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.

Creativity, activity, service, in which students complete a project related to those three concepts.

The six subject groups and the courses in each group offered at NAHS are: Year I and Year II USUALLY mean junior year and senior year. Please note that some SL courses are only offered during senior year and some can be either.

		Junior Year	Senior Year	Special notes
GROUP 1	Studies in language and literature	IB Literature HL Year I	IB Literature Year II	HL only
GROUP 2	Language acquisition	IB Spanish SL/HL Year I IB French SL/HL Year I IB Chinese SL Year I IB Arabic SL Year I	IB Spanish SL/HL Year II IB French SL/HL Year II IB Chinese SL Year II IB Arabic SL Year II	Spanish and French offered at HL only for students who have more than 2 years in the language.
GROUP 3	Individuals & societies	IB History HL Year I IB Business/Mgmt HL Yr I IB Business/Mgmt SL	IB History HL Year II IB Business/Mgmt HL II	History HL only IB Bus/Man SL can be 11th or 12th grade
GROUP 4	Sciences	IB Physics SL Year I IB Biology SL/HL Year I IB Sports & Exercise SL/HL Y1	IB Physics SL Year II IB Biology SL/HL Year II IB sports & Exercise SL/HL Y2	Biology, Sports, Exercise & Chemistry can be taken in HL depending on student’s World Language or interest. IB Physics can be taken only if student already took Algebra II.
GROUP 5	Mathematics	IB Mathematics: : Analysis & Approaches SL Yr I	IB Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches SL Yr II IB Math: Applications and Interpretations SL – offered senior year only	SL only
GROUP 6	The Arts	IB Film Year I IB Dance Year I IB Visual Arts Year I IB Music Year I IB Theatre Year I	IB Film Year II IB Dance Year II IB Visual Arts Year II IB Music Year II IB Theatre Year II	All of these arts courses may be taken as either SL or HL EXCEPT for Theatre

Choosing subjects in the Diploma Programme

Students choose courses from the following subject groups: studies in language and literature; language acquisition; individuals and societies; sciences; mathematics; and the arts.

Students may opt to study an additional sciences, individuals and societies, or languages course, instead of a course in the arts. Students will take some subjects at higher level (HL) and some at standard level (SL). HL and SL courses differ in scope but are measured according to the same grade descriptors, with students expected to demonstrate a greater body of knowledge, understanding and skills at higher level.

Each student takes at least three (but not more than four) subjects at higher level, and the remaining at standard level. Standard level subjects take up 150 teaching hours. Higher level comprises 240 teaching hours.

FOUR Examples IB DP student schedules below:

This is an example for students interested in visual arts:

Junior Year:	Senior Year:
IB DP Literature HL Year I	IB DP Literature HL Year II
IB Spanish HL Year I	IB Spanish HL Year II
IB DP History HL Year I	IB DP History HL Year II
IB Biology SL Year I	IB Biology SL Year II
Pre-Calculus	IB Math Studies SL
IB Visual Arts SL Year I	IB Visual Arts SL Year II
IB Theory of Knowledge	IB Theory of Knowledge
Elective	Economics

This is an example that most IB DP students follow – taking IB Economics their senior year to complete the required 6 IB DP courses

Junior Year:	Senior Year:
IB DP Literature HL Year I	IB DP Literature HL Year II
IB Arabic SL Year I	IB Arabic SL Year II
IB DP History HL Year I	IB DP History HL Year II
IB Sports HL Year I	IB Sports HL Year II
IB Mathematics SL Year I	IB Mathematics SL Year II
elective	IB Business SL Year I
IB Theory of Knowledge	IB Theory of Knowledge
Elective	Elective

This is an example for a student who is mostly interested in world languages and has already taken 2 years previously in both languages before entering into the DP:

Junior Year:	Senior Year:
IB DP Literature HL Year I	IB DP Literature HL Year II
IB Arabic SL Year I	IB Arabic SL Year II
IB DP History HL Year I	IB DP History HL Year II
IB Biology SL Year I	IB Biology SL Year II
IB Mathematics SL Year I	IB Mathematics SL Year II
IB Theory of Knowledge	IB Theory of Knowledge
IB DP French HL Year I	IB French HL Year II
Elective	Economics

This is an example for a student who is mostly interested in the sciences and wants to ‘double up’ in their DP science classes:

Junior Year:	Senior Year:
IB DP Literature HL Year I	IB DP Literature HL Year II
IB Arabic SL Year I	IB Arabic SL Year II
IB DP History HL Year I	IB DP History HL Year II
IB Physics SL Year I	IB Physics SL Year II
IB Mathematics SL Year I	IB Mathematics SL Year II
IB Theory of Knowledge	IB Theory of Knowledge
IB DP Biology HL Year I	IB Biology HL Year II
Physics	Economics

Managing IB related assessments and work over the course of the two-year IB DP programme:

North Atlanta High School subscribes to a program called Managebac which was developed for IB schools. This program is where students get their class calendars and upload all of their IB Internal Assessments such as History IAs and TOK presentations. They also upload all CAS requirements on Managebac as well. Teachers use Managebac to develop IB Unit Plans to ensure our IB DP classes are taught in the IB DP teaching Philosophy.

Assessment and Exams

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) assesses student work as direct evidence of achievement against the stated goals of the Diploma Programme (DP) courses. DP assessment procedures measure the extent to which students have mastered advanced academic skills in fulfilling these goals, for example:

analyzing and presenting information;

evaluating and constructing arguments

solving problems creatively

Basic skills are also assessed, including:

retaining knowledge, understanding key concepts, applying standard methods

In addition to academic skills, DP assessment encourages an international outlook and intercultural skills, wherever appropriate. Student results are determined by performance against set standards, not by each student's position in the overall rank order.

The IB uses both external (graded by the IB) and internal assessment (graded by teacher) in the DP.

Depending on a student’s IB Schedule, students typically take paper exams (External Assessments) in all 6 subjects plus have to complete an internal assessment during the course of their senior year.

External assessment – tested in May of Senior Year

Examinations form the basis of the assessment for most courses. This is because of their high levels of objectivity and reliability. They include:

essays, structured problems, short-response questions, data-response questions, text-response questions, case-study questions, and multiple-choice questions (though these are rarely used).

Internal assessment – assessed by March of senior year

Teacher assessment is also used for most courses. This includes:

oral work in languages, laboratory work in the sciences, investigations in mathematics and history, artistic performances

IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

What is TOK?

Theory of knowledge (TOK) plays a special role in the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP), by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know. It is one of the components of the DP core and is mandatory for all students. The TOK requirement is central to the educational philosophy of the DP. At NAHS, IB Students take TOK over the course of both junior and senior year.

How is TOK structured?

As a thoughtful and purposeful inquiry into different ways of knowing, and into different kinds of knowledge, TOK is composed almost entirely of questions.

The most central of these is "How do we know?", while other questions include:

What counts as evidence for X?

How do we judge which is the best model of Y?

What does theory Z mean in the real world?

Through discussions of these and other questions, students gain greater awareness of their personal and ideological assumptions, as well as developing an appreciation of the diversity and richness of cultural perspectives.

Assessment of TOK

The TOK course is assessed through an exhibition and a 1600 word essay. At NAHS, the TOK exhibition is completed in their JUNIOR YEAR and the TOK paper is completed in their SENIOR YEAR.

The exhibition assesses the ability of the student to apply TOK thinking to a real-life situation, while the essay takes a more conceptual starting point. For example, the essay may ask students to discuss the claim that the methodologies used to produce knowledge depend on the use to which that knowledge will be used.

What is the significance of TOK?

TOK aims to make students aware of the interpretative nature of knowledge, including personal ideological biases – whether these biases are retained, revised or rejected.

It offers students and their teachers the opportunity to:

reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and on areas of knowledge

consider the role and nature of knowledge in their own culture, in the cultures of others and in the wider world.

be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge

recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected but uncertain world.

The IB Extended Essay

The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper. One component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, the extended essay is mandatory for all students.

What is the extended essay?

The extended essay is a required component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP). It is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.

What is the significance of the extended essay? The extended essay provides:

practical preparation for undergraduate research

an opportunity for students to investigate a topic of special interest to them, which is also related to one of the student's six DP subjects.

Through the research process for the extended essay, students develop skills in:

formulating an appropriate research question

engaging in a personal exploration of the topic

communicating ideas

developing an argument.

Participation in this process develops the capacity to analyze, synthesize and evaluate knowledge.

How is study of the extended essay structured?

Students are supported throughout the process of researching and writing the extended essay, with advice and guidance from a supervisor who is a teacher at the school. At NAHS, students begin their Extended Essays around October of their junior year and it is due in May of their Junior Year. At NAHS, we have an Extended Essay Coordinator who coordinates the Extended Essay Supervisors and students and also makes sure all work is uploaded on managebac.

Also at NAHS, students follow an extended essay assignment sheet over the course of the two school years. Periodically, students must meet with their supervisors to discuss the progress of their essays. All grades accumulated for EE assignments are entered in their TOK class grade book their junior year.

How is the extended essay assessed?

All extended essays are externally assessed by examiners appointed by the IB. They are marked on a scale from 0 to 34. The score a student receives relates to a band. The bands are:

A – work of an excellent standard.

B – work of a good standard.

C –work of a satisfactory standard.

D – work of a mediocre standard.

E – work of an elementary standard.

Creativity, activity, service (CAS)

Creativity, activity, service (CAS) is one of the three essential elements that every student must complete as part of the Diploma Programme (DP). Studied throughout the Diploma Programme, CAS involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies. CAS work begins the 1st day of junior year and is due in April of their senior year. The student’s TOK teacher is their CAS adviser during both years. At NAHS, we have TWO CAS Coordinators who supervise the advisers and students to make sure students are uploading their CAS work on managebac.

It is not formally assessed. However, students reflect on their CAS experiences as part of the DP, and provide evidence of achieving the eight learning outcomes for CAS.

How is CAS structured?

The 3 strands of CAS, which are often interwoven with particular activities, are characterized as follows:

Creativity – arts, and other experiences that involve creative thinking.

Activity – physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the DP.

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.

In order to demonstrate these concepts, students are required to undertake a CAS Project. The project challenges students to:

show initiative

demonstrate perseverance

develop skills such as collaboration, problem-solving and decision-making.

What is the significance of CAS?

CAS enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience. It provides opportunities for self-determination and collaboration with others, fostering a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment from their work. At the same time, CAS is an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the DP.

CAS projects

Example of a “creativity” project

A talented musician could learn a particularly difficult piece, or a different style of playing.

He or she could then perform for an audience, raising funds for a particular cause.

Example of an “activity” project

“Activity” projects do not have to be sports-related or competitive. A valuable “activity” project could help a student overcome a personal fear, such as rock climbing.

Requirements for CAS projects

CAS requires students to take part in a range of activities and projects. These should always involve:

real, purposeful activities, with significant outcomes

personal challenge

thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting

reflection on outcomes and personal learning.

The IB doesn’t prescribe specific projects or activities to students. However, the IB does recommend that students take part in at least one project involving teamwork. All students should be involved in activities they’ve initiated themselves.