Group 3: Individuals and Societies

The focus of the International Baccaureate Programme is that the students understand themselves in a local and global context.  The Group 3 subjects endeavor to help each student understand that their immediate surroundings have a direct link to the world at large.  At Abby Sr. we offer Geography and History at the Higher Level.  Students must choose one of these two courses to complete for their Diploma.  Each subject is described at further length below.

IB Geography (years 1 & 2)

Recommended Pre-requisite: grade of A or B in Social Studies 10

The first year of this course covers the basic concepts of physical and environmental geography.  The course covers the study of weather and climate, tectonic processes (earthquakes and volcanoes), erosion of the earth's landscape (rivers, glaciers, coastlines, weathering), the management of resources and environmental issues facing the planet (deforestation, desertification, acid rain, global warming, ecotourism, etc.).  This course parallels the Geography 12 Provincial course.

Second year IB Geography covers the problems associated with countries in the developing world.  The major areas to be studied are overpopulation, world food supply and famine, urbanization, energy resources and water quality and water quantity.  The major requirements for this course are two field study reports which can be done in Years 1 and 2.  Students write the IB geography exam at the end of the two year course. 

IB History (years 1 & 2)

Recommended Pre-requisite: grade of A or B in Social Studies 10, or a deep love of History with an advanced reading ability.

As a Higher Level course, IB History is taken over two years.  This course covers world history topics such as the causes, practices, and effects of war, the rise and rule of single party states, and the Cold War.  At Abby Sr. the regional focus of this course is Europe. 

Students will study material generally within the time frame of the Emergence of Contemporary Europe (1848 - 1890) to the end of the Cold War (1991).  Specific semester content will be adjusted to meet the emerging requirements in both IB History and the History 12 Provincial course.  Students will write both the IB History Exam and the Provincial History 12 exam at the end of year 2 of the Diploma Programme.