NKCHS IB Happenings
November 2022
November in IB!
As a program, we've held an IB student retreat and an IB parent meeting, registered all students for May exams, and are looking forward to our first of three 8th grade shadow days.
A full year out of "pandemic education," it is clear kids are doing much better at acclimating to the IB life. We could not be more proud of each of them! If you want to keep an eye on upcoming important events, links are provided at the end of the newsletter.
2022-23 IB T-shirt
Order Your Shirt by Tuesday, November 8!
Amnesty Weekend
CAS and SL
CAS: IBDP students are required to complete CAS experiences throughout the 18 months of their junior and senior years. CAS is composed of three components: creativity, activity, and service. "Creativity" involves students exploring ideas to create a product or performance. "Activity" requires students to get their heart rate up in ways that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Finally, "Service" allows students to work in/with their community to meet a need. While there is no expectation for a specific number of hours a student should commit, it is expected they show a balanced and continual commitment to CAS throughout their 11th and 12th grade years. Beyond completion of the experiences, students are also required to reflect on each. The portfolio of their experiences and reflections is managed and showcased in a platform known as ManageBac.
In addition to individual CAS experiences, students must also complete at least one CAS Project during their two years as an IB student. This project involves a collaborative series of CAS experiences that involve creativity, activity, and service and last at least one month.
Ask your student about their progress toward meeting their CAS requirements. All juniors should have completed at least 1-2 experiences with a reflection and evidence for each. They should also have their initial CAS interview uploaded. Seniors should have a minimum of four experiences, one project in mind, and their initial and midpoint interviews completed.
Further details of the learning outcomes associated with CAS experiences are provided in the document linked below.
SL: IBCP students are required to complete 50 hours of service learning to receive the IBCP certificate. Ideally, the service learning project aligns with a student's career-related study, allowing them to further develop their skills while fulfilling an authentic community need. Students are required to complete a proposal for approval prior to beginning their work. Further details on the nature of Service Learning can be found in the link below.
In an effort to make hours more convenient and attainable, Dr. Evans worked to establish partnerships in the community. We are pleased to announce our IB Service Learning partnership with the North Kansas City YMCA. Students have the option to connect with different departments at the YMCA to fulfill their 50 service learning hours. This is an optional opportunity; we do have students who have already started hours or students who have chosen a different organization/approach to fulfill their hours. The Personal and Professional Skills (PPS) classes will be visiting the YMCA next week during their block to learn more about the service opportunities the "Y" has to offer. If students choose to complete hours at the YMCA, we will have available times to go during the school day during MTSS time.
Seniors need to have their 50 hours completed by the end of April, although students are encouraged to complete the hours prior to April. Students are using this SL Time Log Sheet to keep track of their hours. Dr. Evans will be visiting the PPS 1 and PPS 2 classes monthly to meet with students and ensure they are on track. As always, family support and encouragement to complete the hours is always appreciated!
Meet the CAS and SL Coordinators
Michelle Strack
Dr. Dara Evans
IB Students Learn to "Handle Hard Better!"
Group 5 Courses - Math
Math Analysis and Approaches - At NKCHS, we offer standard-level and higher-level Math Analysis and Approaches, with a pre-requisite course of College Calculus I. I This course, which places a heavy emphasis on algebraic methods and calculus, is designed for students who enjoy mathematical problem-solving and innovation. Students learn math in great depth and are able to solve abstract problems and construct solid mathematical arguments.
SL/HL Math Analysis and Approaches students are performing Vector operations and will soon learn to apply Vectors to operations in space.
Students in College Calculus I are graphing complex functions and relations using calculus and will apply graph analysis to optimization.
Math Applications and Interpretation - This IB math course is a two-year standard level math course. The prerequisite for the second year can be fulfilled by taking either Pre-Calculus or Math Applications and Interpretation SL 1. With an emphasis on statistics and functions, this course is best suited for students who want to learn how to develop their math skills in a way to apply to solve practical real-world problems.
Prior to Thanksgiving break, SL 2 Math Applications and Interpretations students are reviewing probabilities (experimental, theoretical & conditional probabilities, tree diagrams, Venn diagrams) and then moving onto some geometry & trigonometry with Voronoi diagrams & right & non-right triangle trig. Students are also working to complete their IAs by Friday, November 11.
Students in IB Pre-Calculus are currently performing transformations of functions, including translations, scale changes, and reflections. They will next apply transformations to mathematical modeling.
Next week in SL 1 Math Applications and Interpretations students will continue to study and be assessed on how to create regression models for linear, exponential, and quadratic data sets.
For more information about each of the IB Math courses, please check out the subject briefs below.
Meet the Group 5 Teachers!
Chris McCullough
Tessa Knudsen
Kara White
IBCP - Engineering Pathway
The Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Engineering course sequence gives students interested in the engineering profession an opportunity to explore real-world problems and understand they often have multiple solutions. PLTW Engineering students are empowered to explore possibilities, experiment, learn from failure, and turn their ideas into reality.
Intro to Engineering Design (Year 1) - In this course, students dig deep into the engineering design process, applying math, science, and engineering standards to hands-on projects. They work individually and collaboratively to solve problems using 3-D modeling software, documenting their thinking in an engineering notebook.
IB students in IED have been creating a puzzle cube out of 27 ¾” blocks. They are sketching the parts, building a prototype, 3-D modeling and 3-D printing.
Principles of Engineering (Year 2) - Through problems that engage and challenge, students explore a broad range of engineering topics, including mechanisms, the strength of structures and materials, and automation. Students develop skills in problem-solving, research, and design while learning strategies for design process documentation, collaboration, and presentation.
IB students in POE have been working on their Rube Goldberg projects
Civil Engineering and Architecture (Year 3 option) - In CEA, students learn important aspects of building and site design and development. They apply math, science, and standard engineering practices to design both residential and commercial projects and document their work using 3-D architectural design software.
CEA students have been learning about Revit, a 3-D rendering software designed for architecture.
Digital Electronics (Year 3 option) - In DE, students are provided a foundation for students who are interested in electrical engineering, electronics, or circuit design. Students study topics such as combinational and sequential logic and are exposed to circuit design tools used in industry, including logic gates, integrated circuits, and programmable logic devices.
Students in DE have been learning about AOI (And/Or/Inverter) logic.
Engineering Design and Development (Year 4) - In this highest-level course of the PLTW Engineering sequence, the knowledge and skills students have acquired come together. They identify an issue and research, design, and test a solution, ultimately presenting their solution to a panel of engineers! Students apply the professional skills they have developed to document a design process to standards, completing Engineering Design and Development ready to take on any post-secondary program or career.
EDD students have been creating surveys for their year-long project.
Meet the PLTW Engineering Teachers
Louis Breinin
Eric Kleoppel
Who's Here to Help You?
IB Career-related Program Coordinator
IB Diploma Program Coordinator
IB Program Administrative Assistant
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