East High School IB Summer Planning Guide

East IB summer planning guide (August 2023)

Overview of the IB Diploma Programme

This guide is designed for students and parents to help in the transition to UWCSEA East IB programme.

All available subjects that can be studied at UWCSEA East are here and Heads of Departments and teachers of these subjects have made suggestions about possible books, readings, podcasts, videos, questions to ask yourself etc., that may help in preparations for the first term and beyond. To be successful in the IB programme, it is very important that students develop independent study habits and reading skills. There is also significant research that informs us about the difference in students’ academic achievements between those who do and those who don’t read over long breaks between grades. In addition, many of these links provided allow students to immerse themselves in and connect to the worlds and ideas created and described by others, leading to a development of multiple perspectives. On top of this, students will remain informed of important events and issues within their chosen subjects.

You will notice that none of the subject areas have given out the curriculum or syllabus lists for the year. There will be more than enough time to focus on this during term time. The school holiday prior to Grade 11 is for preparation, reflection, resting and having a good time before school starts.

Hopefully there is something in these pages that piques your interest, but remember these are only suggestions. The most important thing is to come to school in August refreshed, prepared and excited about seeing old friends and/or meeting new ones.

What is the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) is designed as an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with final examinations that prepares students, normally aged 16 to 19, for success at university and life beyond.

A brief history of the IB Diploma Programme:

The IB Diploma Programme was established in 1968 to provide an international education that would enable young people to better understand and manage the complexities of our world, and to provide them with the skills and attitudes to take action to improve it. Such an education was rooted in the more progressive educational thinking of the time but also in the belief that the world could be made better through an education that focused on concepts, ideas and issues that crossed disciplinary, cultural, national and geographical boundaries.

The aim of the IBDP is to develop internationally-minded people who, recognising their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

The IB Core Requirements

CAS: Creativity, Activity, Service

The CAS core enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning. At the same time, it provides an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the rest of the IBDP.

CAS is organised around the three strands of creativity, activity and service defined as follows:

● Creativity: exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance

● Activity: physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle

● Service: collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need

A good CAS programme complements a challenging academic programme in a holistic way, providing opportunities for self-determination, collaboration, accomplishment, and enjoyment. It is a personal journey of discovery of self and others. For many students, CAS experiences include ones that are profound and can be life-changing. For student development to occur, CAS should involve real and purposeful experiences, personal challenge, thoughtful consideration, and critical reflection.

This is supported by your advisor who will check in with you at three key points over the 18 months. You will build your portfolio with reflections, photos and documents of the experiences. This is shared with your parents and UAC advisor so they can see the whole of you as you grow. From August onwards you will plan a series of experiences in clubs, sports, performances and local service that will challenge and develop you individually and collaboratively. You will be able to meet all of the IB guidelines through the different opportunities available in the activities and service programmes at UWCSEA East combined with Project Week.

Project Week, a compulsory and exciting part of our learning programme, is arranged around the CAS elements of creativity, activity and service. Many students visit existing Global Concerns NGO partners that we have in school combined with an optional form of physically challenging activity.

Consider over the break the following questions to ask yourself:

● What are my top 3 qualities? What are my top 3 skills? Which one skill and quality do I want to develop further?

● What do I care about? (specific human needs, environment, nurturing others)

● What does the community need? (Grade level, school, local, global – this may be needed when you consider an activity as well as a Service or GC)

● How can I make a difference? (to a team, NGO, environment)

● How can I make a change in myself? (organisation, self-awareness, communicator)

● How can I foster well-being through CAS?

● How can I make ethical and sustainable choices and decisions in all of my experiences? (critical thinker, problem solving, creative, concerned and principled)

Watch this short video to hear from students themselves what CAS is, what you can look forward to, and how to get the most out of this Core component of the IBDP.

ToK: Theory of Knowledge

ToK encourages critical thinking about knowledge itself, to try to help young people make sense of what they encounter. Its core content is questions such as: What counts as knowledge? Who owns knowledge? What is the value of knowledge? What are the implications of having, or not having, knowledge?

ToK links to ‘Service’ by asking what judgements might we make that we may not be aware of. What language do we use to describe the groups we work with? “Underprivileged”, “Differently Abled”. Language is never neutral and neither are the assumptions we make. Knowledge is transformative and therefore we should feel responsible for the knowledge we create and share. What you need to be able to do is to have an interest in things you have previously taken for granted and think about things in a new way.

There are plenty of resources online (e.g. YouTube). You could start by watching Richard Feynman (Science), Hannah Fry (Mathematics), The Art Assignment or Nerdwriter1 (Arts). Websites such as iai.tv/player, aeon.co or just watch the excellent documentary “The Last Artifact”. For books, it would be a good idea to get the preview on Kindle of any of the following: The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf, The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee, Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist by Frans De Waal or The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr. All are demanding reads but dipping into the first dozen pages of each will introduce you to some ‘big’ ideas.

EE: the Extended Essay

The Extended Essay is an in-depth study of a focused topic chosen by you. It is intended to promote high-level research and writing skills, as well as intellectual discovery and creativity. It provides students with an opportunity to engage in personal research in a topic of their own choice, under the guidance of a supervisor (a teacher in the school).

This research leads to a major piece of formally presented, structured writing in which ideas and findings are communicated in a reasoned and coherent manner. After the completion of the written essay, a short concluding interview, or viva voce, is conducted with the supervisor.

There is no work that needs to be done with regard to the Extended Essay during the school holiday; just think about areas you are passionate about.

Visit this site for more information on Extended Essay.

Academic Subject Options

Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature

Chinese A Literature SL and HL 大家可以利用暑假开始阅读老师推荐的文学作品，在阅读的同时也可以做谢谢阅读的笔记。

● 《 文 学 欣 赏 》（ 第 二 版 ）胡 山 林

● 《大淖记事》汪曾祺短篇小说精选

● 《潮骚》三岛由纪夫

● 《鲸骑士》威提伊希麦拉

● 《无声告白》伍绮诗

文学理论课程

Chinese A Language and Literature SL and HL 文学作品：建议大家自己购买纸质书，自己的书，记笔记比较方便。

● 郝景芳《人之彼岸》、《北京折叠》

● 《雷雨》曹禺

● 《洛夫诗选》洛夫

● 《美食家》陆文夫

● 《厨房》吉本芭娜娜

● 《纽约客》白先勇

● 【美】伍绮诗《无声告白》

● 【美】阿瑟米勒《推销员之死》（暂定） 非文学文本：

● 白先勇《台北人》

● 电影、电视、纪录片 关于移民、种族、科技、教育、家庭关系、女性、等级 ，多看几部，回来可以分享，作为口试的预

备材料

● 广泛阅读与搜集：可以用扫描、拍照、剪报、下载等方式加以存档：

○ 专栏/评论

○

English A SL and HL

Embarking on a range of reading for IBDP English A

What kind of reading should I do?

Here is a core reading list, which will hopefully encourage you to read widely and help you to learn more about yourself as an individual. Additionally, included in this list is an expansive view of classic ‘stories’ from around the world and different time periods. English A: Literature and Language and Literature students, as part of your school holiday reading we expect you to read several works of fiction and non-fiction, which can include novels, plays, poetry, memoir, travel writing and a range of news media. Regular reading of such publications is crucial to success in these courses. We’d also like you to venture into multimedia types of texts: speeches, adverts, reviews, films, songs, photographs—anything that communicates meaning!

If you already have a personal reading list for the break then you can incorporate these into your school holiday reading and find interesting connections between them. Even better would be if you could bring in works related to subjects you feel particularly passionate about.

How should I record my reading experiences?

You should keep a record of what you’ve read (see example) so that you can reflect on your reading experience later. Highlight or bookmark quotations that resonate with you.

Over the two years of the course you will keep a record of your personal and critical responses to texts in your Learner Portfolio; your school holiday reading will form the foundation of this.

We hope you “Read. Read, Read.” – William Faulkner (American novelist, screenplay writer and essayist)

Español Literatura NM/NS

En el programa de literatura estudiarás diferentes movimientos literarios y leerás obras escritas originalmente en español, inglés, francés, árabe e hindi. En este programa se abordarán diferentes géneros literarios: novela gráfica, cuentos, leyendas, poesía, teatro y canciones. Para ello es aconsejable que en preparación al curso de Bachillerato Internacional revises los siguientes materiales:

Cuentos y fábulas:

Renacimiento – El Conde de Lucanor de Don Juan Manuel. Trata sobre las relaciones humanas y se observan los siguientes valores: Solidaridad, compañerismo, generosidad, educación para la convivencia, sinceridad, honradez, aprendizaje, conocimiento y sabiduría.

Siglo XIX - Elege entre estos cuentos del siglo XIX y completa algunas de las actividades para comprobar tu comprensión (Actividades):

● El Café (Larra)

● El Pastor Clasiquino (Espronceda)

● Pulpete y Balbeja (Estebañez Calderón)

● La Cruz del Diablo (Bécquer)

● La Hija del Sol (Fernán Caballero)

● La Mujer alta (Pedro Antonio de Alarcón)

● La Leva (Pereda)

● ¡Adiós, Cordera! (Clarín)

Teatro:

● La Rosa de Oro (Clarín)

● El Tranvía (Pardo Bazán)

● El Contador (Emilia Pardo Bazán)

● ¿Dónde está mi cabeza? (Pérez Galdos)

● El Maestro Raimundico (Juan Valera)

● Golpe Doble (Vicente Blasco Ibáñez)

● La niña Chole (Valle-Inclán)

Romanticismo – Don Juan Tenorio de José Zorilla. Esta obra sucede en Sevilla, durante el Siglo de Oro. Un año después de hacer una apuesta para ver quién podría ser más malvado y mujeriego, don Juan Tenorio y don Luis Mejía se reúnen en un mesón para comparar sus hazañas. Tras contar los muertos en batalla y mujeres seducidas, está claro que don Juan es el ganador. Pero ambos rivales deciden hacer una nueva apuesta, y don Juan le asegura a don Luis que le quitará a su prometida, y que además conquistará a una monja.

Poesía y canciones:

Durante este curso analizaremos canciones actuales y poemas modernistas y vanguardistas.

● Elige un artista que te guste escuchar y después lee la letra de sus canciones, ¿sabes si usa sobre todo versos de arte mayor o menor? ¿los versos tienen rima? ¿qué tipo de rima usa?

● ¿Qué figuras literarias son las más comunes en poesía o en canciones? ¿Qué tópicos literarios son los que más se usan en las canciones que escuchas?

French A SL and HL

Le cours comprend des œuvres (9 en SL et 13 en HL) francophones ou traduites en français et appartenant à quatre formes littéraires : prose fictionnelle, prose non-fictionnelle, théâtre et poésie. Il est donc vivement conseillé de lire des œuvres appartenant à plusieurs de ces formes avant de commencer le cours. Voici une liste de lectures conseillées, dans lesquelles des auteurs francophones abordent des thèmes (questions mondiales) qui sont également développés dans les oeuvres au programme:

Bande dessinée/roman graphique:

● Aya de Yopougon, de Marguerite Abouet et Clément Oubrerie

● Persepolis de Marjane Satrapi

Théâtre:

● Le dieu du carnage, de Yasmina Reza

● Rhinocéros, d’Eugène Ionesco

Prose fictionnelle:

● Une vie de Guy de Maupassant

● Le ventre de l’Atlantique de Fatou Diome

● Ni d’Eve, ni d’Adam d’Amélie Nothomb

● La plus secrète mémoire des hommes de Mohamed Mbougar Sarr

● Un chant écarlate de Mariama Bâ

● L’élégance du hérisson de Muriel Barbery

● Un barrage contre le Pacifique de Marguerite Duras

● Plonger de Christophe Ono-dit-Biot

Poésie:

● Cahier d’un retour au pays natal d’Aimé Césaire

● Chants d’ombre de Léopold Sédar Senghor

School Supported Self-Taught languages

First Challenge: Read one novel in your Language A. Choose a novel which is considered a classic in a country where your Language A is spoken. Typically it would be a novel that students your age study at school in a country where your Language A is spoken. You may need to ask your parents to advise you on a book choice. After having read the book, answer the questions in the following book report template You may need to look up the following terms in your Language A: narrator, protagonist, context, plot, theme, climax, imagery, symbolism.

Second Challenge: Watch a film originally made in your Language A. Based on the film paradigm above, provide a description of the plot. Integrate this description in a film review. Use the following structure for your book review:

● First paragraph: introduction of the film, the director, the actors etc.

● Second paragraph: description of the plot (refer to the film paradigm below)

● Third paragraph: your opinion on the plot, the actors, the music etc.

● Fourth paragraph: your recommendation

Group 2: Language Acquisition

For students entering into a SL or HL Language B course, the following is recommended to help maintain your language skills over the school holiday. Ab initio is an introduction to a language and so students entering an ab initio course can try some of the following but it is not expected.

Chinese B SL and HL

Reading comprehension and vocabulary

Vocabulary practice

Online Reading Practice: Chinese Reading World

Suggested reading for Higher Level students:

● 《亲爱的安德烈》 龙应台

● 《美国老爸台湾妈》赵映雪

● 《北京折叠》郝景芳

● 《城南旧事》林海音

Video Learning Materials:

● Integrated Chinese Videos

● China Focus

English B HL

Reading, listening and writing journal

Keep a journal on your school holiday reading/listening and respond to each piece of text.

For each reading or listening, your journal should include:

1. A short summary (one paragraph of about 75 words).

2. A list of new vocabulary (at least 10 words) from each piece of text and a sentence written from each new word (a sentence of your own making—not from a dictionary)

3. A new piece of text but of a different type (for example you read a news article and write a blog entry) about that topic. Use some of the new vocabulary you have found in the original text.

4. Include both readings and listening from various sources.

5. Include the printed text or a link for each text type.

6. Include some of the following text types (and any others you may find):

○ news reports

○ magazine columns

○ editorials

○ blogs

○ pamphlets/brochures/flyers/leaflets

○ essays

○ articles

○ television documentaries

○ spoken or written interviews

○ movies

○ movie/restaurant/book reviews

○ diaries

○ biographies

○ travelogues

○ guides

○ information report

○ recount

○ narrative

Grammar

It is important to maintain and improve your grammar. Please consult appropriate websites or books and try to self-correct.

Subject areas to read/write/listen about:

5. Sharing the Planet

Grammar, vocabulary, reading: www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/ Grammar quiz: www.englishclub.com/grammar

Listening

www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/eslvideo

Text types

http://portfolios.uwcsea.edu.sg/ealatuwcseaeast/2019/06/15/welcome/ (PATHWAY: Students - Text Types - IB Text Types)

All skills and test preparation

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening

French B SL and HL

Grammar

Choose your verb(s) and your tense(s) then practise online:

● https://www.languagesonline.org.uk/Hotpotatoes/frenchindex.html (great to revise vocabulary as well)

● https://conjuguemos.com/

It is essential that you start the French B course with a solid knowledge of the imperfect, perfect, present, and future tenses. This is a great Powerpoint presentation which consolidates some basic grammar points.

Reading comprehension and vocabulary

● Vocabulary practice: http://quizlet.com/subject/french

● Great reading exercises: http://1jour1actu.com

● A bank of articles sorted by topics relevant to the French B curriculum. Choose articles that you are interested in and note down new vocabulary:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzRJcgBcctNgZlhfODZ5RHhTWFk&usp=sharing

Listening

● French news in French but at a slow speed—you can also access the transcripts: www.newsinslowfrench.com

● Video listening practice with transcripts: www.laits.utexas.edu/fr

● Video clips of French songs and transcripts. Practise French while listening to music: http://chansonsfle.blogspot.sg

● Film trailers and scenes in French: www.premiere.fr/Bandes-annonces

● International francophone TV channel: www.tv5.org

Films

Students are encouraged to watch at least two of the following films in French with French subtitles; they should write down key phrases and colloquialisms.

● L’auberge espagnole

● The African Doctor (available on Netflix)

● Intouchables

● Bienvenue chez les Chti’s

● L’Arnacoeur

● Tanguy

● Welcome

Spanish B SL and HL

Grammar

Grammar is fun. If you want to revise concepts or try some tenses, this website will help to quiz yourself and read about all aspects of Spanish grammar: studyspanish.com/grammar/

Reading comprehension and vocabulary

● The best place to start is the BBC’s languages web-pages. Choose the ‘reportajes’ link to find articles from the former ‘Semanario Internet’ with a variety of reading exercises. The articles are archived into topic areas. www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/news

● Newspapers: www.elmundo.es

● Spanish daily newspaper. The website gives you access to all of the day’s news articles. www.elpais.es

● On-line Spanish daily news: www.estrelladigital.es

● Reading cultural activities: espanol.lingolia.com/en/reading (Select levels A2 and B1)

Listening

● Listening cultural activities online: espanol.lingolia.com/en/listening Select levels A2 and B1

● Search for ‘4 minutos’ within this site and then listen and try to pick out the main stories (www.rtve.es)

● 10 short films to improve your listening skills in Spanish: https://infoeducacion.net/cortos-educativos/#10_cortos_educativos_para_ver_online_que_te_sorprenderan

● Spanish News (www.euronews.net)

● Select language ‘español’ and then choose from a wide variety of News videos. (www.20minutos.es)

● Songs and exercises: Practise Spanish by listening to music (lyricstraining.com) or through its app (lingoclip.com/es)

Films

Students are encouraged to watch as many short movies “cortometrajes” en español (YouTube link) or at least two films or series in Spanish with Spanish subtitles; they should write down language phrases and colloquialisms. There are a wide range of films and series in Spanish language on Netflix, Prime, HBO Max and other platforms.

Group 3: Individuals and Societies

Business Management

As a customer or consumer, you interact with businesses and organisations on a daily basis. As such, you already have an applied knowledge of the Business Management course. You will likely be aware of some marketing strategies used by global organisations and will even have been influenced by these strategies, you will have heard people speaking about their jobs and what makes them happy or unhappy at work, you will know that organisations are likely driven by the goal of making a profit or surplus and you will have had experience of good or poor quality service. This course will delve deeper into such examples so you can understand the theory behind them. Units of study include: Introduction to Business Management, Human Resource Management, Finance & Accounts, Marketing and Operations Management. Additionally, a set of situational, planning and decision-making tools are studied to analyse and evaluate different disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts.g Four conceptual lenses underpin the course, and provide the framework for deeper study: change, ethics, creativity and sustainability.

These books and clips cover different aspects of business and the people that run them.

● Toyota Production System (1988) by Taiichi Ohno

● Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard

● No Logo by Naomi Klein

● Drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us by Daniel Pink

These business education websites have interactive resources:

● www.tutor2u.net/business

● www.businessmanagementib.com

Economics

Watch this video which explores the issue of scarcity and resource allocation, the topic we will start the course with. Note down some observations and think about how you would answer this question:

“How is it that the first world has an oversupply of food, while 1 in 7 in the world are malnourished?

You could also explore the ‘A level and IBDP’ sections of the tutor2u.site The home screen is regularly updated with new topics drawn from current news events, linked to parts of the IB/A-Level syllabus so that you can begin to understand how news events are analysed using concepts that you will come across in class.

If you are a newcomer to Economics, you could also view some of these short clips on YouTube that relate to micro and macroeconomics here There are also some excellent documentaries that you could view such as ‘Before the Flood’, ‘Money for Nothing: Inside the Federal Reserve’, ‘Boom, Bust, Boom’ and, of course, “Freakonomics’. You can also access Kanopy resources using your UWC account to view these short documentaries:

● The Economics of Daily Life

● The Economics of Happiness

● Sustainable

● The Cost of Living

● When China Met Africa

● Green Economics-Living Well

● Clothes to Die For

● Pricing: what hides behind a price?

● The invisible hand

● Free Markets, Capitalism, Neo-classical Economics: A focus on Joseph Schumpeter The Man who discovered capitalism

● The Economics of Uncertainty (a series) including Game Theory, moral hazard and adverse selection, and the business cycle

Geography

Geography is a dynamic subject that is grounded in the real world and deals with some of the major concerns of our time. You will be studying contemporary issues like Poverty, Climate Change and Globalisation, and Geopolitical issues like conflicts over resources.

To help you prepare for IB Geography, find out more about these global issues and get into the habit of regularly checking in with what is going on in the world by reading the news.

Reputable sites to use include:

● http://www.bbc.com/news/science_and_environment/

● http://www.theguardian.com/environment/all

● http://www.scientificamerican.com/sustainability/

Download this IB geography podcast app which has a wealth of podcasts related to our units of study.

These recently published books are both relevant to several different aspects of the course, and are a fascinating, easy school holiday read. Pick one and think about the questions it raises for you about contemporary world issues: Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling and Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall.

Global Politics

IB Global Politics is a dynamic subject that is built around the unifying theme of ‘people, power and politics’. You will have the opportunity to explore the interactions of both state and non-state actors at various levels of analysis including community, local, national, regional, international, and global. As such, politics is happening all around you, and you should be aiming to spend part of your school holiday tuning into political ideas and discussions.

The first unit will focus on the role of China in a Changing World, while the second unit will look at Global Public Health with a focus on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014. Taking note of these two political issues in particular will be most useful for your first semester of IB Global Politics.

You are encouraged to create a Twitter account (if you haven’t already got one) and follow @melwilsonglopo You can also use the hashtag #IBglopo to review a range of up-to-date resources.

Podcasts are also an excellent source of relevant political information, including in-depth interviews and discussions. The following podcasts are recommended as a very good starting point for Global Politics students:

● The World Next Week: Council of Foreign Relations

● Global Dispatches: Conversations on Foreign Policy and World Affairs

● The Daily: New York Times

● The Economist Radio

● Global News Podcast: BBC World Service

While there are literally thousands of books available that relate to the study of Global Politics, an interesting book to start with, as it deals with one of the major course concepts of ‘power’, is Is the American Century Over? by Joseph Nye. The Almighty Dollar by Dharshini David presents a fascinating account of globalisation at work, while Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall provides a description of various conflict ‘hot spots’ around the world.

History

The study of History comes with a great responsibility. Yes, we must learn from the past in order to understand who we are today. But we must also study History in order to speak for those without a voice. That said, there is also pure joy to be found in the wonderful, baffling, hilarious and sometimes terrifying stories from History. IB History hopes to immerse you fully in each of these vital elements. Your programme largely examines the social, political and economic history of the 19th and 20th century. We travel across continents to explore war, peace, revolutions, dictatorships, remarkable advancements and crimes against humanity. Units include Tokugawa and Meiji Japan, Revolutionary Cuba, Qing China, the Vietnam War, the Rwandan genocide and Nazi Germany. As such, we suggest you read some fascinating survey histories, and watch some films, to develop a feel for the themes and tone of the period.

● The Age of Extremes by Eric Hobsbawm

● A People’s History of the World by Chris Harman

● Civilisation: the West and the Rest by Niall Ferguson

● Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall

Watch

● Platoon

● Ghost of Rwanda

● Comandante

● Hitler: The Rise of Evil

● All Quiet on the Western Front

Psychology

As students of psychology, you will have a chance to learn more about the fascinating human species. Be aware, however, the explanations are often complex, and there are no definitive answers in understanding the human mind and behaviour. At the core of the DP psychology course are the three different approaches to understanding behaviour and thinking; the biological approach, the cognitive approach and the sociocultural approach.

As an introduction to some of the topics we cover, students can go online to TED Talks and listen to and reflect upon the Fascinating psych experiments playlist (9 talks). Additionally, the psychology podcasts that we recommend include Invisibilia, All In The Mind, Hidden Brain, Revisionist History, (S2, S3), Work/Life and Brains On.

Any of the following are books you may want to read over the break to give you a taste of what we cover in Psychology:

● Patient HM A story of memory, madness and family secret by Luke Diitrich

● Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

● Crazy Like Us by Ethan Waters

● The Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon

● How the mind works by Steven Pinker

● 30-second psychology by Christian Jarret (Editor)

● Outliers: The story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

● The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge

● Strangers to Ourselves by Rachel Aviv

● Behave by Robert Sapolsky

Group 4: Sciences

Science is both a process for generating new knowledge and for explaining the world around us. Over the long vacation, maintain your interest in science by visiting the following quality science websites to read articles and watch science videos. From your reading, consider problems that could form the basis of an extended investigation in your science subjects.

● www.guardian.co.uk/science

● www.guardian.co.uk/science/series/the-newton-channel-science-videos

● www.bbc.co.uk/science

● www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/

Biology

Biology is the natural science which is concerned with the study of life and living things. Amongst other topics, we will look at cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, ecology, evolution and the human body.

In preparation for your Biology course, you can consolidate your existing Biology understandings by engaging in some holiday reading to maintain your curiosity. The following books and websites are particularly good:

● Creation, the origin of life / the future of life by Adam Rutherford, concerning what life is, where it came from and where it is going.

● Gut by Giulia Enders, which reveals the latest science on how much our digestive system has to offer.

● What Has Nature Ever Done for Us by Tony Juniper, which links life, the planet and economics.

● CrashCourse Biology channel on YouTube is a great online resource.

● The Biology Department also likes A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson which describes the people behind the major findings in modern science.

Chemistry

Chemistry is the central science in that it is said to be the bridge between the physical and life sciences. Chemistry is concerned about the behaviour of matter—the stuff which makes up our world—and how it interacts together. In preparation for your Chemistry course, we ask that you consolidate your existing chemistry learning, but also that you engage in some vacation reading to maintain your chemical curiosity. The following websites are particularly good:

● Napoleon’s Buttons

● The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) have a great ‘Learn Chemistry’ site www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry and a host of other interesting areas to help satisfy your chemistry cravings. Download The Mole student magazines and have fun with the award winning interactive periodic table.

● The periodic table of videos: www.periodicvideos.com This is easily the most enjoyable journey through the periodic table on the Internet.

Finally, an excellent and enjoyable account of the wonderful world of molecules is contained in P.W. Atkins’ Molecules. You can read most of this as a preview on Google books by searching for ‘Google books Atkins Molecules.’

Sports, Exercise, and Health Science

Sports, Exercise, and Health Science is an applied science course that investigates human performance and its adaptations to training programs. We focus on acquiring the knowledge and necessary understanding to critically analyse athletic pursuits- be it swimmers, rugby players, or skateboarders. We begin the course with basic anatomy, which some students can find particularly challenging. To prepare yourself for this, having a general understanding of the scientific names for muscles and bones will be particularly useful.

Social media is also a great place to find up-to-date research in Sport Science, and those listed below are great resources for this:

● Science for Sport (@scienceforsport)

● YLM Sports Science (@ylmsportscience)

● [P]Rehab (@theprehabguys)

● Evidence Based Movement (@evidencebasedmvmt)

● OPEX Fitness (@opexfitness)

● BBC sport (@bbcsport)

Additionally, the following books, videos, and websites will help guide any preparations:

● BBCbitesize: a great resource to improve your general knowledge and understanding of the skeletal and muscular systems.

● Knowledge Encyclopedia: Human Body focuses on anatomy and physiology, two key components of this course and provides fantastic pre-reading information for the course.

● ESPN: Sport Science is an inquiry-based YouTube channel that explores current topics in sport science.

● Science for Sport is a website that provides articles, videos, and infographics on a variety of topics related to the field.

● The Physical Educ8or has really useful YouTube videos that cover all core topics in the SEHS course.

Finally, stay active with activities you love. Ask yourself questions while pursuing these activities, such as, what causes fatigue? What muscles am I using and how am I using them? What makes this skill particularly challenging? Or, what is actually happening to my body as I increase my fitness? Find answers to questions that genuinely intrigue you.

Physics

Physics is a science that makes meaning of physical phenomena by discovering laws and mathematical relationships from the outcomes of experimental investigations and careful observations. This course will allow you to investigate both the world of classical physics, its history and its development into the modern era of quantum physics. You will investigate the models that help us to explain the natural world from the smallest subatomic particles to the largest objects in the universe. You will also be able to make connections with modern technology and see how much of it is a result of the investigation into the strengths and limitations of these models.

There are many YouTube channels that give an accurate overview of the physics behind the headlines, clarify misconceptions and will introduce you to ideas you will encounter on the course. Those worth watching include: Veritasium, Minutephysics and #physics.

The history of science is essential to appreciating the context in which scientists lived and how their work, and its results, were shaped by the times and places in which they lived. The Measure Of All Things by Ken Alder makes an excellent read and is also available as a three part documentary.

A good and brief introduction to many theories in physics can be found in the book 50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know by Joanne Baker.

A slightly more complex look at several key theories is given by Richard Feynman in his book, Six Easy Pieces

Computer Science

“Whether you want to uncover the secrets of the universe, or want to pursue a career in the 21st century, basic computer programming is an essential skill to learn.”

Professor Stephen Hawking, CH, CBE.

Computer Science is the study of theory and the application of techniques which will allow you not only to solve existing problems with computers, but also design and apply algorithms which bring new possibilities to other disciplines. Software and computational thinking have been applied to many different fields to push the boundaries of what was previously believed to be possible. Whether you are interested in creating the next level of VR or animated film, breaking an encryption code, making music or games, learning at an accelerated pace or even becoming a digital entrepreneur, you will find that the same tools can be applied effectively in each of these endeavours and many more.

To prepare yourself for the new concepts and ways of thinking that you will learn, it would benefit you to have some experience of computer programming in any language. There are many introductory courses but one which teaches the material in a simple yet transferable way is the Khan Academy’s excellent Intro to JS For the more adventurous, we would also recommend Stanford University’s CS101 online course which covers many of the basics of Computer Science and programming in a different style.

It would be very useful if you could download and install the Eclipse IDE for Java Developers on your laptop as we will be using this throughout the course. You would also benefit from reading the MIT Technology Review and related websites which keep you up-to-date with new and emerging technologies.

Design Technology

Design, and the resultant development of new technologies, has given rise to profound changes in society: transforming how we access and process information; how we adapt our environment; how we communicate with others; how we are able to solve problems; how we work and live.

Technology emerged before science, and materials were used to produce useful and decorative artefacts long before there was an understanding of why materials had different properties that could be used for different purposes. In the modern world the reverse is the case, and designers need to have an understanding of the possibilities offered by science to realise the full potential of what they can design in terms of new technologies, products and systems.

Design is the link between innovation and creativity, taking thoughts and exploring the possibilities and constraints associated with products or systems, allowing them to redefine and manage the generation of further thought through prototyping, experimentation and adaptation. It is human-centred and focuses on the needs, wants and limitations of the end user.

To help you prepare for the IB Design Technology course, we suggest reading, watching documentaries and regular visits to websites like:

● http://designmuseum.org/design

● http://storyofstuff.org/movies/

● http://www.vitra.com

You could visit the National Design Centre in Singapore as well as the Red Dot Museum. In preparation for this course, you should gain familiarity with Autodesk Fusion 360 software. You are also encouraged to access and read the book The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

Environmental Systems and Societies

Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) is both a Group 3 Individuals and Societies and a Group 4 Experimental Sciences course that offers a coherent perspective of the interrelationships between the natural and human systems. This perspective is one that enables us to adopt informed personal responses and sustainable solutions to the wide range of pressing environmental issues that we have inevitably come to face. Attention is constantly drawn to our own relationship with the environment and the significance of choices and decisions we make in our own lives. In ESS, we evaluate the scientific, ethical,economic and socio-political aspects of issues on a local scale which at the same time directly link and apply to the global context.

These articles from the following sites should get you excited about current environmental issues and solutions we will be studying in the course:

● Environment and Natural Resource Security

● Wild Singapore

● Green Facts

Group 5: Mathematics

All courses at the IB Diploma rely heavily on technology and all students are expected to have the TI-Nspire CXII graphing calculator. This model is available at the school shop on East Campus and students should bring this calculator, along with the cables and packaging, to their first Mathematics lesson. You will need your licence key and activation code to be able to install the TI software on your laptop.

What better way to prepare for your IB Diploma than reading about mathematics, listening to stories about mathematics and doing mathematics. Please dip into any of these online resources and enjoy your school holiday.

Group 6: The Arts

Dance

Watch as much dance as you can, live and on video. While watching observe the following:

● movements used

● use of space

● use of speed/energy

● use of dancers (number, gender, how they work together)

● use of music

● use of costume or props

● reflective comments on how each dance compares to dances or dance styles you are already familiar with.

Film

Increase the range and style of films you watch. Experiment with different genres and films from different eras. Start to read film theory (not just reviews) linked with the films you watch and keep a journal with your titles, dates, thoughts and impressions. A ‘Film Diary’ will become a great resource for you.

Here are some sites that might help discovering new films, especially world cinema.

● Mr Scott’s list of suggested films

● http://www.bfi.org.uk/news/50-greatest-films-all-time

● https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-movies/

● https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/100-greatest-world-cinema-films/ Also, begin to consider the process of filmmaking and how we read and produce film. There are several well-made practical film production ‘schools’ online. Here are a couple:

● RocketJump Film School

● Every Frame a Painting

You will be making films early, so any hands-on time with a camera/phone capturing characters or interesting compositions will be beneficial. Holidays are perfect for this type of thing.

Music

Practise your voice/instrument as much as you are able. Listen widely. Seek out live music. Actively discover some unfamiliar music. Record your impressions in a notebook.

Watch the excellent video content on these YouTube channels: Nahre Sol, David Bennett Piano and Adam Neely

Theatre

See as much theatre as you can wherever you are in the world. Keep the online programme so that you will be able to make connections next year. If you have no access to live theatre, you can access productions and information about productions digitally through sites such as:

Digital Theatre Plus edu.digitaltheatreplus.com

Username: uwcseadrama

Password: building@8896

Dramaonline dramaonlinelibrary.com

Username: uwcsea

Password: research

Keep a record of your impressions of both the acting and direction as well as design choices you can see. You can make a short audio or video record of your thoughts or write/type them.

Visual Arts

Visit local galleries or museums and record basic impressions and collect pamphlets, etc. from those places. Put these impressions, recollections and brochures in a notebook to be sourced at the beginning of the year. Part of your study is concerned with how you present and exhibit your works. Noting how professional institutions do this can give you great ideas and provide a justification for anything you may want to do that is a bit out of the ordinary. How you want people to experience your work also affects how you do your artwork. Understanding and sourcing cultural visual metaphors, using traditional techniques are established ways to approach this course. Looking around you and recording ideas and exciting observations for possible use in your work later can guide your thoughts and prevent you from experiencing creative block.

Drawing and sketching using colour via watercolours or merely recording in pencil and ink is a core practice for all artists. This can include recording parts of designs and patterns, sampling textures and details. Drawing trains the mind and for an artist or designer enables the brain to understand complex relationships.

“An individual’s ability to draw is the ability to shift to a different-from-ordinary way of processing visual information—to shift from verbal, analytic processing to spatial, global processing.” –

Engage in art, look at the world and record your thoughts, ideas and feelings in a travel sketchbook. Do this on a plane, sitting in a car, on a bus, sitting in a cafe, walking the streets – make it natural and vital to your life each day.

A message from University Advising

The University Advising Centre is looking forward to working with you as you make the transition into Grade 11. With this in mind, we share here a link to the UAC website which has a multitude of resources if you are interested. We have a robust set of university advising programming available throughout the IB Diploma Programme; here is a timeline. All new Grade 11 students will meet with their assigned University Advisor at the start of the new academic year to review their IB course selection package.

Questions and Contacts

We want you to have the best school holiday possible before arriving here at UWCSEA East. We know you might have some questions or clarifications that need to be made. If your questions are about the IB, please feel free to contact the IB Diploma Coordinator. If your questions are about the High School experience, contact the Head of Grade 11 or High School Vice Principal. We will be happy to help make the transition as easy as possible.

Ted Cowan

High School Vice Principal (Grades 11–12) ted.cowan@uwcsea.edu.sg

Gemma Dawson IB Diploma Coordinator gemma.dawson@uwcsea.edu.sg

Orientation Information

Gemma Markham Head of Grade 11 gemma.markham@uwcsea.edu.sg

Ray Rashad Grade 11 Secretary rayhannauwc@uwcsea.edu.sg

The orientation schedule and other information about life in College is available on the Orientation website. If you are a Grade 11 student who is new to UWCSEA East, please bring an official copy of your previous school transcript(s) from Grade 9 and 10. Please give this to the Grade 11 secretary at orientation.

If you have any questions, please contact the Grade 11 secretary. They will be happy to help you out and make sure you are prepared.