What are IB Core 11 & 12?
IB Core is a block that allows us to deliver content and support students in 3 courses:
- Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS)
- Extended Essay (EE)
- Career Life Connections (CLC)
What is Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)?
CAS is a self-directed program in which students engage in experiences that show:
- Creativity: Exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance
- Activity: physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle.
- Service to the community: an unpaid, collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need
Students choose their own experiences for each of the 3 strands of CAS. CAS is an 18-month program (October of grade 11 year-April 30th Grade 12 year). This means that students must also engage in CAS experiences and update evidence through winter, spring and summer breaks.
Students will use Managebac to provide evidence of their experiences and reflect on the CAS learning outcomes.
There are no “required” hours for CAS, but we encourage students to engage in 1 hour per week in experiences in each strand. (so 1 hour of C, one hour of A, one hour of S). We are more interested in consistency than counting exact hours. The goal is to have them add evidence of their participation in each strand each week
Students are given 15-20 minutes each week in their Core class to update evidence for CAS and will also be required to reflect on the CAS learning outcomes through grades 11 & 12.
CAS is a requirement for the IB Diploma Program. Students who do not meet the learning outcomes and requirements will not receive their diploma in July.
What are some examples of experiences for each strand? This is by no means, an exhaustive list, just common things that kids have done in the past…
Creativity: produces an end product | Activity: leads to a healthy lifestyle | Service: meets an authentic need in the community |
Music lessons/band/choir | Sports team | Cadets leader/TA for dance studio/mentor for younger sports teams |
Music composition | Drop-in rec sports | SOAR/Leadership/Athletic Leadership/PMSS library volunteer |
Dance lessons/group/at home using youtube videos | Dance lessons/group/at home using youtube videos | Volunteer at Share/ food bank |
Drawing/painting/ | Yoga | Volunteer at library/community center |
Scrapbooking/card making/ crafts at home | Brisk walk/jog/run | Play music at senior’s home |
Writing poems/creative writing | Going to the gym/fitness class | Tutoring (for free) someone from the community (not your friend or family member) |
Designing and building Lego structures | Bike rides/hikes | Volunteer at Coquitlam animal shelter |
Computer programming | Skating, swimming | Leader of a school club |
What is Extended Essay (EE)?
- A 4,000-word research paper on a topic chosen by the student.
- Should be related to a course/subject area they are taking, some may be interdisciplinary
- Begins early in the grade 11 year with some brainstorming of potential topics.
- Students will be assigned an Extended Essay supervisor who will provide support, feedback and mentorship.
- Partial draft will be submitted in June of their grade 11 year.
- Full draft will be submitted end of September of their grade 12 year.
- Final draft submitted late October of their grade 12 year.
- Extended Essay is a requirement for the IB Diploma Program. Students who do not meet the learning outcomes and requirements will not receive their diploma in July.
What is Career Life Connections (CLC)?
Career Life Connections is a course required by the BC Ministry of Education for Graduation.
At PMSS, we break it into 2 -2 credit courses (CLC 11 & CLC 12) and our IB Diploma students complete these requirements in their IB Core classes.
