Upper School Profile

 

 

The Upper School curriculum provides sufficient flexibility so that students may tailor their program to meet their needs and interests with specialized elective courses and advanced courses in each department.Our program is built on developing the essential skills for learning, now and in life beyond ASM. To complement the more academic aspects of our curriculum, we encourage all students to take full advantage of the wide range of curricular and extra-curricular opportunities on offer in the Upper School.

There are three pathways to graduation, which run concurrently in the Upper School:

• The United States (US) High School Diploma - all students must complete this pathway in order to graduate from ASM.

• The Programa Oficial - running concurrently with the US High School Diploma in Grades 9-12

• The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) - running concurrently with the US High School Diploma in grades 11 and 12.

A presentation of these pathways can be found in the Learning Pathways section of the US Learning Program website.

ENGLISH 9: LITERATURE

The course will:

• Empower students to use language as a vehicle for thought, creativity, reflection, learning, self-expression, analysis, and social interaction.

• Challenge students to develop critical, creative, and personal approaches to studying and analyzing literary and non-literary texts, while exploring examples of writing drawn from a range of different genres, time periods, and cultures. 

Students will:

• Create a number of different texts; from essays to poems, short stories for Grade 2 students, a portfolio of their photography, and an advertising campaign to promote their Shakespearean performance, amongst other activities.

• Care for the opinions of others while working, debating, and collaborating in groups, and developing a lifelong interest in reading and writing. 

Assignments are based on three different skill sets; analytical, creative, and performance. Each assessment will give students the opportunity to develop their proficiency in understanding, analysis, organization, and language. All summative tasks are assessed by the department and not the classroom teacher.

Credits: 1

Length of Course: 1 year

Grade Level: Grade 9

ENGLISH 10: AMERICAN LITERATURE

The course will:

• Empower students to use language as a vehicle for thought, creativity, reflection, learning, self-expression, analysis, and social interaction through the analysis and evaluation of literature from various regions in the United States.  

• Challenge, refine, and expand students’ general understanding of what American literature might mean in its different forms, and apply linguistic and literary concepts and skills in a variety of authentic contexts. 

Students will:

• Create a number of different types of texts; from academic essays to music videos, documentaries, websites, and opinion columns.

• Care about and respect the opinions of others while working, debating, and collaborating in different contexts. This is a course that promotes a lifelong interest in reading and writing through open-minded engagement with a range of opinions and interpretations. 

Assignments are based on three different skill sets; analytical, creative, and performance. Each assessment will give students the opportunity to develop their proficiency in understanding, analysis, organization, and language. All summative tasks are assessed by the department and not the classroom teacher.

Credits:1

Length of Course: 1 year

Grade Level: Grade 10

IB ENGLISH A LITERATURE SL and HL 1 (Grade 11) 

Students will focus exclusively on literary texts, adopting a variety of approaches to textual criticism. Students explore the nature of literature, the aesthetic function of literary language and textuality, and the relationship between literature and the world. This is categorized into the following components: ‘Readers, writers and texts’, ‘Time and Space’, and ‘Intertextuality’. This course is especially useful to students who love to read and/or intend to go to university to study for what is classified as an art degree, such as literature, law, or history. 

SL students will explore a total of 9 texts and HL students will explore 12 texts drawn from a range of genres (non-fiction, poetry, drama, and prose), cultures, and time periods. They will complete a range of internal assessments, but they will also be externally assessed during their second year in the following areas:

• Paper 1: Guided literary analysis 

• Paper 2 Comparative essay 

• Individual oral (15 minutes): in response to the following prompt: Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of two of the works that you have studied. (40 marks)

And HL students will also complete:

• Higher level (HL) essay

IB ENGLISH A LITERATURE SL and HL 2 (Grade 12) 

Students will focus exclusively on literary texts, adopting a variety of approaches to textual criticism. Students explore the nature of literature, the aesthetic function of literary language and textuality, and the relationship between literature and the world. This is categorized into the following components: ‘Readers, writers and texts’, ‘Time and Space’, and ‘Intertextuality’. This course is especially useful to students who love to read or intend to go to university to study for a BA degree or law degree; such as literature, law, or history. 

SL students will explore a total of 9 texts and HL students will explore 12 texts drawn from a range of genres (non-fiction, poetry, drama, and prose), cultures, and time periods. They will complete a range of internal assessments, but they will also be externally assessed in their second year in the following areas:

• Paper 1: Guided literary analysis (exam in May)

• Paper 2 Comparative essay (exam in May)

• Individual oral (15 minutes): in response to the following prompt: Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of two of the works that you have studied. (January)

And HL students will also complete:

• Higher level (HL) essay (December)

Credits: 1 per year

Length of Course: 2 years of which this is the second

Grade Level: Grade 12

IB ENGLISH A LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE SL (Grade 11) 

In this course, students study a wide range of literary and non-literary texts in a variety of media. By examining communicative acts across literary form and textual type alongside appropriate secondary readings, students will investigate the nature of language itself and the ways in which it shapes and is influenced by identity and culture. Approaches to study in the course are meant to be wide-ranging and can include literary theory, sociolinguistics, media studies and critical discourse analysis among others. This course is especially useful to students who wish to explore language on a practical level, language in context, and explore the way language influences our perspective of the world. It is also useful for students who intend to study linguistics, social studies, journalism or law at university. 

SL students will explore a total of 4 texts drawn from a range of genres (non-fiction, poetry, drama, and prose), cultures, and time periods. They will complete a range of internal assessments, but they will also be externally assessed in their second year in the following areas:

• Paper 1: Guided textual analysis 

• Paper 2 Comparative essay 

• Individual oral (15 minutes): in response to the following prompt: Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of two of the works that you have studied. 

Credits: 1 per year

Length of Course: 2 years, of which this is the first

Grade Level: Grade 11

IB ENGLISH A LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE HL 1 (Grade 11) 

In this course, students study a wide range of literary and non-literary texts in a variety of media. By examining communicative acts across literary form and textual type alongside appropriate secondary readings, students will investigate the nature of language itself and the ways in which it shapes and is influenced by identity and culture. Approaches to study in the course are meant to be wide-ranging and can include literary theory, sociolinguistics, media studies, and critical discourse analysis among others. This course is especially useful to students who wish to explore language on a practical level, language in context, and explore the way language influences our perspective of the world. It is also useful for students who intend to study linguistics, social studies, journalism, or law at university. 

HL students will explore 6 texts drawn from a range of genres (non-fiction, poetry, drama, and prose), cultures and time periods. They will complete a range of internal assessments, but they will also be externally assessed in their second year in the following areas:

• Paper 1: Guided textual analysis 

• Paper 2 Comparative essay 

• Individual oral (15 minutes): in response to the following prompt: ‘Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of two of the works that you have studied’. 

• Higher level (HL) essay

 

IB ENGLISH A LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE SL and HL 2 (Grade 12) 

In this course, students study a wide range of literary and non-literary texts in a variety of media. By examining communicative acts across literary form and textual type alongside appropriate secondary readings, students will investigate the nature of language itself and the ways in which it shapes and is influenced by identity and culture. Approaches to studying in the course are meant to be wide-ranging and can include literary theory, sociolinguistics, media studies, and critical discourse analysis among others. This course is especially useful to students who wish to explore language on a practical level, language in context, and explore the way language influences our perspective of the world. It is also useful for students who intend to study linguistics, social studies, journalism, or law at university. 

SL students will explore a total of 4 texts and HL students will explore 6 texts drawn from a range of genres (non-fiction, poetry, drama, and prose), cultures, and time periods. They will complete a range of internal assessments, but they will also be externally assessed in their second year in the following areas:

• Paper 1: Guided textual analysis (exam in May)

• Paper 2 Comparative essay (exam in May)

• Individual oral (15 minutes): in response to the following prompt: Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of two of the works that you have studied. (January)

• Higher level (HL) essay (December)

Credits: 1 per year

Length of Course: 2 years, of which this is the second

Grade Level: Grade 12

IB ENGLISH A LITERATURE AND PERFORMANCE SL 1 (Grade 11) 

Literature and performance is an interdisciplinary synthesis of literature and theatre. It brings together literary analysis, based on close reading, critical writing and discussion, with practical and aesthetic elements of theatre. In this course students engage with a range of literary works, perform dramatic texts, and transform texts into realized performances. The course is grounded in knowledge, skills and processes associated with the individual disciplines, while developing interdisciplinary understandings generated from the interactions between literature and performance. This course is especially useful to students who love to perform and/or intend to go to university to study for an BA degree or a creative/practical degree; such as literature, creative writing, drama or art. 

Literature and performance candidates must study at least five works, one of which must be in translation. Works must be selected to cover drama, and at least two other literary forms. They will complete a range of internal assessments, but they will also be externally assessed in their second year in the following areas:

• Paper 1: Comparative essay 

• Written assignment: In an essay of no more than 2,000 words, students critically examine an extract from a dramatic work that they have explored through performance.

• Transformative performance (10 minutes): students transform an extract from a non-dramatic literary work into a piece of theatre. This piece of theatre is then performed to a live audience.

• Individual oral (15 minutes): students complete an individual oral in which they explain their process of transforming the extract into performance. Both parts are internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB at the end of the course. (32 marks)

Credits: 1 per year

Length of Course: 2 years, of which this is the first

Grade Level: Grade 11

ELECTIVES

NARRATIVE AND PERFORMANCE(One Year) 

Narrative and Performance will explore the craft of various forms of storytelling both on the page and the stage.

The course will:

• Empower students to explore their potential as they both analyze as well as produce texts and performances.

• Challenge students to take risks both in their criticism of other works and the development of their own material.  

• Explore the creative process, the ways in which helpful critical feedback can improve that process,  and the relationship between creative and critical thinking.

Students will:

• Create a number of different types of texts and performances.

• Care about how their words and actions affect the work of their classmates. 

• Develop their skill in self-expression and communication both in their work, and the class’s critical discussions of work produced for the class. 

Credits: 1

Length of Course: 1 year

Grade Level: 9-10

The study of mathematics contributes to the development of logical, critical, and creative thinkers who have the ability to communicate analytically and to problem-solve effectively. Math students are taught to appreciate the beauty and practicality of mathematics and to recognize the connections between, and applications of, mathematics in all areas of their lives and studies.

Integrated Mathematics 9 Extended

Integrated Mathematics 9 

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Text: Various
Grade Level: Grade 9
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Integrated Math 8 or Extended

Integrated Mathematics 10 Extended

The focus of Integrated Mathematics 10 Extended is for students to pull together and apply the accumulation of learning that they have from their previous courses, with content grouped into three critical areas, organized into units. Students expand their repertoire of functions to include polynomial, rational, and logarithmic functions. They expand their study of right triangle trigonometry to include general triangles. Finally, students bring together all of their experience with functions and geometry to create models and solve contextual problems. The ASM Math Standards (Concepts & Procedures, Communication & Reasoning, Problem Solving) apply throughout the course and prescribe that students experience mathematics as a coherent, useful, and logical subject that makes use of their ability to make sense of problem situations.
Student assignments in the Extended course will contain more critical thinking and have a higher depth of knowledge and more performance tasks. The content of the Extended course is taught at a faster pace, leaving more time for students to develop deeper problem-solving skills. Both courses will provide a solid foundation for IB math courses at all levels. 

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Text: Various
Grade Level: Grade 10
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Integrated Math 9 Extended or completion of Integrated Math 9 with recommended grade of A or B and teacher approval/recommendation.

Integrated Mathematics 10 

The focus of Integrated Mathematics 10 is for students to pull together and apply the accumulation of learning that they have from their previous courses, with content grouped into three critical areas, organized into units. Students expand their repertoire of functions to include polynomial, rational, and logarithmic functions. They expand their study of right triangle trigonometry to include general triangles. Finally, students bring together all of their experience with functions and geometry to create models and solve contextual problems. The ASM Math Standards (Concepts & Procedures, Communication & Reasoning, Problem Solving) apply throughout the course and prescribe that students experience mathematics as a coherent, useful, and logical subject that makes use of their ability to make sense of problem situations.
Student assignments in this course will contain some critical thinking and some performance tasks. The content of the course is taught at a slower pace than the Extended course to ensure students develop a strong conceptual understanding to best prepare them for future math courses. Both the courses will provide a solid foundation for IB math courses at all levels. 

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Text: Various
Grade Level: Grade 10
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Integrated Math 9 or Extended

IB Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches

The distinction between Higher Level and Standard Level courses
Students who choose Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches at SL or HL should be comfortable in the manipulation of algebraic expressions and enjoy the recognition of patterns and understand the mathematical generalization of these patterns. Students who wish to take Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches at Higher Level should have strong algebraic skills and a natural curiosity about mathematics. They will be students who enjoy spending time with problems and get pleasure and satisfaction from solving challenging problems.

Credits: 2
Length of Course: 2 years
Texts: Pearson Textbook:
Mathematics for the IB Diploma - Analysis and Approaches SL
Mathematics for the IB Diploma - Analysis and Approaches HL
Grade Level: 11/12
Prerequisites: (SL) Completion of Integrated Math 10  or Extended;
(HL) Completion of Integrated Math 10 Extended or completion of Math 10  with recommended grade of A and teacher approval/recommendation.

IB Mathematics: Applications & Interpretations

Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation is for students who are interested in developing their mathematics for describing our world and solving practical problems. They will also be interested in harnessing the power of technology alongside exploring mathematical models. Students who take Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation will be those who enjoy mathematics best when seen in a practical context. This course recognizes the increasing role that mathematics and technology play in a diverse range of fields in a data-rich world. As such, it emphasizes the meaning of mathematics in context by focusing on topics that are often used as applications or in mathematical modeling. To give this understanding a firm base, this course also includes topics that are traditionally part of a pre-university mathematics course such as calculus and statistics. The course makes extensive use of technology to allow students to explore and construct mathematical models. Applications and Interpretation will develop mathematical thinking, often in the context of a practical problem and using technology to justify conjectures.

The distinction between Higher Level and Standard Level courses
Students who choose Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation at SL or HL should enjoy seeing mathematics used in real-world contexts and to solve real-world problems. Students who wish to take Applications and Interpretation at the higher level will have good algebraic skills and experience of solving real-world problems. They will be students who get pleasure and satisfaction when exploring challenging problems and who are comfortable undertaking this exploration using technology.

Credits: 2
Length of Course: 2 years
Text: Pearson Textbook
Mathematics for the IB Diploma - Applications and Interpretation SL
Mathematics for the IB Diploma - Applications and Interpretation HL
Grade Level: Grade 11/12
Prerequisites:  (SL) Completion of Integrated Math 10 or Extended;
(HL) Completion of Integrated Math 10 Extended or Completion of Math 10 with the recommended grade of A and teacher approval/recommendation.

ASM Math Explorations

ASM Math Explorations is a course designed for students in grade 11 who have struggled to fully understand the foundational math skills covered in grades 9 and 10. It emphasizes the hands-on applications of mathematics. It offers students opportunities to learn important concepts and skills in a variety of topics such as Numbers and Algebra, Geometry, and Modeling through the lens of traveling, cooking, and playing sports, among other things. It also reinforces and/or teaches skills they may encounter in everyday life such as budgeting, creating spreadsheets, and analyzing data. Another important piece of the course is that it allows students to demonstrate an understanding of these concepts and skills through a variety of ways such as video presentations, slideshow presentations, and written assessments.  Successful completion of this course will serve as the third and final math credit for those seeking a US High School diploma. Admission to this course is by school recommendation only. 

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1
Grade Level: 11
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course.

INTEGRATED SCIENCE 9

Integrated Science 9 is designed to be part two of a two-year, pre-IB program that intends to prepare students equally for the IB sciences. This course will focus on biology, environmental science, and anatomy and will be guided by the Next Generation Science Standards. These two domains of science will be held together with a focus on developing science process skills in the lab, such as designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and concluding and evaluating results. This course is the first part of a two-year preparation program to enter the IB Diploma program in any of the domains of science.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: Grade 9
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Integrated Science 8

INTEGRATED SCIENCE 10

Integrated Science 10 is designed to be part two of a two-year, pre-IB program that intends to prepare students equally for the IB sciences. This course will focus on physics and chemistry topics and will be guided by the Next Generation Science Standards. These two domains of science will be held together with a focus on developing science process skills in the lab, such as designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and concluding and evaluating results. This course is the second part of a two-year preparation program to enter the IB Diploma program in any of the domains of science.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: Grade 10
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Integrated Science 9

IB Biology SL/HL (1 and 2)

This course follows the IB Biology syllabus and is designed for students seeking to take the IB Biology exam at either the Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL). A student decides whether to follow the SL or HL track prior to beginning the two-year course. Year 1 for both levels (SL and HL) combines the rigorous academic study of biology concepts with experimental work designed to teach laboratory techniques and develop scientific research skills. In both SL and HL courses, topics covered over the two years include cells, molecular biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, and human physiology.
Students will use the laboratory techniques and research and writing skills learned in year one to design and complete a mandatory individual investigation of their choice. The HL course also includes advanced studies in DNA, genetics, plant science, and animal physiology.
Year 2 of HL is fast-paced and requires a good recall of year one topics, strong math skills, good independent study skills, and a desire to be challenged.

Credits: 1 per year
Length of Course: 2 years
Grade Level: Grades 11-12
Prerequisites: SL: Completion of Integrated Science 9/10 or equivalent
HL: Completion of Integrated Science 9/10 or equivalent with a B or higher recommended in IS9

IB Chemistry SL/HL (1 and 2)

This course follows the IB Chemistry syllabus and is designed for students seeking to take the IB Chemistry exam at either the Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL). It is a course for curious students who wish to study the matter and understand more about how scientists use models to better understand chemical processes. Throughout this challenging course, students will study the Core Topics which include: stoichiometry, atomic structure, periodicity, bonding, energetics, kinetics, equilibrium, acids and bases, electrochemistry, and organic chemistry. In addition, students will enjoy multiple opportunities for scientific study and creative inquiry through investigation. Data processing and analysis will be studied in-depth, and students will learn to think critically and communicate their findings like scientists. The first year of the course will include the bulk of the Core Topics and participate in the Group Four Project. In the second year, students will complete the Core Curriculum and design and carry out an individual investigation for the Internal Assessment.
A growth mindset and confidence in mathematics are assets in this course. 
Students should understand that the HL Course is faster-paced and includes topics that are more challenging and require a strong background in mathematics than the SL Course.

Credits: 1 per year
Length of Course: 2 years
Grade Level: Grades 11-12
Prerequisites:
SL: Successful Completion of Integrated Science 10; good standing in mathematics
HL: Strong Math skills and completion of Integrated Science 10 with a grade of B or better are recommended

IB Physics SL/HL (1 and 2)

This course follows the IB Physics syllabus and is designed for students seeking to take the IB Physics exam at either the Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL). A student decides whether to follow the SL or HL track prior to beginning the two-year course. Year 1 for both levels (SL and HL) combines the rigorous academic study of a wide range of physics concepts with experimental work designed to teach laboratory techniques and to develop scientific research skills and technical writing skills. Broad topics covered over the 2 years are space, time & motion, the particle nature of matter, wave behavior, fields, and nuclear and quantum physics.  These are all covered at an SL and HL level with the HL Course including a deeper study of the above topics.  Students will use the laboratory techniques and research and writing skills learned in year one to design and complete a mandatory individual investigation of their choice. A growth mindset and strong math skills are needed to be successful in this course at either level.
The HL course is generally more challenging, faster-paced, and requires more background in mathematics than the SL Course.  

Credits: 1 per year
Length of Course: 2 years
Grade Level: Grades 11-12
Prerequisites:
SL: Successful Completion of Integrated Science 10; good standing in mathematics
HL: Strong Math skills and completion of Integrated Science 10 with a grade of B or better are recommended

IB Environmental Systems and Societies SL (1 and 2)

This course is designed for students seeking to take the IB Standard Level Environmental Systems and Societies exam. This course explores the cultural, economic, ethical, political, and social interactions of societies with environmental systems. As a result of this course, students will become equipped with the ability to recognize and evaluate the impact of our complex system of societies on the natural world. The interdisciplinary nature of the course requires a broad skill set from students and includes the ability to perform research and laboratory investigations and to participate in philosophical discussions. Topics include Environmental Value Systems, Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Aquatic Systems, Soil Systems, Atmospheric Systems, Climate Change, Human Population, and Resource Use. 
Students will use the laboratory techniques and research skills learned in year one to design and complete an individual investigation of their choice in the following year.
At this time, IB ESS is only offered at SL level.

Credits: 1 per year
Length of Course: 2 years
Grade Level: Grades 11-12
Prerequisites: Completion of Integrated Science 9 and 10; strong verbal and writing skills recommended

IB Sports, Exercise and Health Science SL/HL (1 and 2)

This course follows the IB Sports Exercise and Health Science syllabus and is designed for students seeking to take the IB SEHS exam at either the Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL). In both the Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) SEHS students will cover a range of topics such as anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, acquisition of skill, psychology, training programs and nutrition. Students investigate these topics in the context of sport, exercise, and health to carry out practical investigations in both laboratory and field settings. This will provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and understanding necessary to apply scientific principles and critically analyze human performance. Where relevant, the course will address issues of international dimensions and ethics by considering sport, exercise, and health relative to the individual in a global context. 
Students will use the laboratory techniques and research and writing skills learned in year one to design and complete a mandatory individual investigation of their choice in year two. The HL course also includes advanced studies in anatomy, physiology, fatigue, friction/drag, skill acquisition/analysis, genetics, athletic performance, and exercise and immunity.
Ultimately, students will explore the health-related benefits of exercise and the performance-related benefits of exercise. Thus even if students don't have a specific athletic goal in mind, this information is still important as it relates to everyday general health and the prevention of disease. This course will provide excellent preparation for university courses including those specifically related to Anatomy,  Sport Physiology, Nutrition, Kinesiology, Athletic/Personal Training, Exercise, and Health Sciences.

Credits: 1 per year
Length of Course: 2 years
Grade Level: Grades 11-12
Prerequisites: Completion of Integrated Science 9 and 10;

IB FRENCH  ab initio 1 /French 1

This course, open to Upper School students (Gr. 9-12), is designed for 8th-grade students in French 1 MS, beginners, and any “false beginners” who do not meet the requirements to enter French 2. This course is designed to initiate or extend students' ability in the four skills - listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Major emphasis is placed on the development of the ability to speak fluently with accurate pronunciation and intonation. This course is also the first year of IB French ab initio for Grade 11 students. Authentic documents, as well as teacher-supplied materials, will be used in conjunction with online resources. Homework and assessment of the four skills are given in this course.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: Due to its pace, this course is challenging for IB students with difficulties in their native language.

IB FRENCH ab initio 1 or 2/French 2

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed French 1 or MS French 2. It is a continuation of the preceding course and is intended to increase student's proficiency in the four skills. A number of basic reading selections may be used as the basis for the development of this proficiency. Authentic documents will be used in conjunction with specific FFL material as well as online resources. Emphasis upon fluency with accurate pronunciation continues. The literature will be introduced by reading a novel in French.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated satisfactory proficiency in all standards but especially in the productive standards (writing, grammar, speaking); students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written French.

IB FRENCH  ab initio 2 / IB French B SL 1/French 3

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed French 2 or MS French 3. It is a continuation of the preceding course and is intended to increase students' ability to communicate in a foreign language. Authentic documents and online resources will be the core of the learning experience. Novels will be read and studied.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated satisfactory proficiency in all standards but especially in the productive standards (writing, grammar, speaking); students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written French.

IB FRENCH B SL 1 or 2 / IB French B HL 1/French 4

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed French 3. It is a continuation of the preceding course with a complete review of grammar. Authentic documents and online resources will allow students to not only work on the four skills but also to know in-depth about French society and current events. There will be a special emphasis on productive and receptive skills to fulfill IB requirements. Novels will be read and studied. Emphasis is placed on a careful reading of literary texts, newspapers, and magazine articles with text handling, written productions, and oral presentations to fulfill IB requirements.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated satisfactory proficiency in all standards but especially in the productive standards (writing, grammar, speaking); students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written French.

IB FRENCH B SL 2 / IB French B HL 1 or 2/French 5

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed French 4. It is a continuation of the preceding course. Material includes a representative body of all kinds of texts in French including literature, movies, and online resources. Emphasis is placed on a careful reading of literary texts, newspapers, and magazine articles with text handling, written productions, and oral presentations to fulfill IB requirements. Special emphasis is placed on current social events as well as global issues. At the end of this course, students are able to achieve the B2 level (CEFRL). 

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated satisfactory proficiency in all standards but especially in the productive standards (writing, grammar, speaking); students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written French.

IB FRENCH B HL 2/French 6

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed French 5. It is a continuation of the preceding course. French VI is an advanced course where all skills, both written and oral comprehension, and expression, are improved and a C1 level (CEFRL) is reached. A wide variety of texts are studied with special emphasis on literary texts and those dealing with social topics and global issues, with a French-speaking country perspective. 

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated satisfactory proficiency in all standards but especially in the productive standards (writing, grammar, speaking); students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written French.

ACTUALITÉ DU MONDE FRANCOPHONE

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed French 4, 5, or 6 and/or who are native French speakers. The goal of the course is to learn about geography, history, and culture in the French-speaking world through current affairs; to better understand the French-speaking world and its origins, to better understand the interconnections that exist in our globalized world; and to look at the challenges that French-speaking parts of the world are faced with. The course will also prepare the students to present the examination for the European official certification of their level: B2 or C1 in the Institut Français de Madrid.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: Successful completion of French 4, 5, or 6 and/ or being a native French speaker.

INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH

This is an elementary course for real beginners in Spanish who enroll at ASM in the second half of the year. It introduces basic Spanish vocabulary and provides practice in using it for the duration of the second and third trimesters.

Credits: 2/3 credit
Length of Course: January to June
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: None

IB SPANISH ab initio 1/Spanish 1

Spanish 1 presents a communicative approach to language. Students will use the language in meaningful situations, such as: meeting people, shopping, asking for directions, etc. The basic grammatical structure of the language is taken from these situations. Emphasis is given to pronunciation, listening comprehension, and appropriate reaction to common situations. The correctness of spelling, and the writing of simple messages, dialogues, and paragraphs will also be considered.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: None

IB SPANISH ab initio 1 or 2/Spanish 2

This course maintains and develops the comprehension and speaking skills acquired in Spanish 1. More emphasis is placed on reading and writing skills during the second half of the year but the main emphasis of this course is to reinforce oral skills to be used in meaningful situations. There will be a review of structures learned in Spanish 1, but new verb tenses will be introduced (conditional, past, etc.). Students will be required to write for the correction of grammar and usage, and to read a selection of articles and stories at an appropriate level in addition to holding discussions based on general themes and current events. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to hold a simple conversation in Spanish, write paragraphs about any topic, and understand directions in Spanish in any context.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated proficiency in at least 4 of the 5 Foreign Language Standards for their level; students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written Spanish; all students (IB and non-IB) will need teacher approval to progress to the next level.

 

IB SPANISH ab Initio 2/ IB Spanish B SL 1/Spanish 3

At the end of this level, students will have mastered all the tenses of the Spanish language. Special emphasis will be given to the subjunctive mood, prepositions, and idiomatic expressions and sayings. More emphasis will be rendered to reading and writing but oral skills will also be stressed.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated proficiency in at least 4 of the 5 Foreign Language Standards for their level; students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written Spanish; all students (IB and non-IB) will need teacher approval to progress to the next level.

IB SPANISH B SL 1 or 2/IB Spanish B HL 1/Spanish 4

In this course,  students will master all the grammatical aspects of the language. The course will focus on reading and writing a number of texts including literary ones. Cultural aspects such as media, literature, and art, and the growing importance of the Spanish language in the world will be emphasized. The curriculum for Spanish 4 follows the standards established by the European Framework of Languages for level B2.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated proficiency in at least 4 of the 5 Foreign Language Standards for their level; students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written Spanish; all students (IB and non-IB) will need teacher approval to progress to the next level.

IB SPANISH B SL 2/ IB Spanish B HL 1 or 2/Spanish 5

This course is designed for students with prior proficiency in Spanish. The main focus of the course is on improving language skills. These language skills will be improved through the study and use of a variety of written and spoken material. Such material will range from everyday oral exchanges to literary texts and will be related to Spanish culture. The material will be selected to enable students to develop mastery of language skills and intercultural understanding. It will not be intended solely for the study of specific matters or content. The curriculum for Spanish 5 follows the standards established by the European Framework of Languages for levels B2-C1.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated proficiency in at least 4 of the 5 Foreign Language Standards for their level; students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written Spanish; all students (IB and non-IB) will need teacher approval to progress to the next level.

SPANISH B HL 2/Spanish 6

This course is designed for Grade 12  students who want to take the Spanish B exam. It is a continuation of the preceding course. Spanish 6 is a proficiency course where students will be able to understand with ease virtually everything heard or read, will be able to summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstruct arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation, and will be able to express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating subtle shades of meaning even in the most complex situations. The curriculum for Spanish 6 follows the standards established by the European Framework of Languages for level C1.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated proficiency in at least 4 of the 5 Foreign Language Standards for their level; students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral and written Spanish; all students (IB and non-IB) will need teacher approval to progress to the next level.

MANDARIN 1

In Mandarin 1, students are going to start with pronunciation in Mandarin, tones, and how to pronounce each sound. The four language skills, speaking, listening, reading, and writing are included in the first year of Mandarin although writing is less demanding. Knowledge of Chinese culture will also be introduced in class, to provide students with a superficial understanding of Chinese people and culture. After one year of studies, students are expected to be able to read around 150-200 characters. They are required to be able to write about 100 basic Chinese characters, depending on the ability and effort of each student. Those who are interested in taking Mandarin as one of the IB subjects are recommended to begin in 9th grade at the latest. The following are the topics that will be covered during the course:
Topics in Mandarin 1:
Pronunciation (Hanyu pinyin: initials/finals/tones), structures, basic radicals and writing order of Chinese characters, knowledge of the evolution of some Chinese characters, numbers and dates, greetings and family members, occupations, self-introduction, time and time adverbs, the verbs of daily routines, typing Chinese characters on the computer, means of transportation, colors, body parts, describing people with some adjectives.
Project: Family introduction, daily routines (written and oral), interview with a native Chinese speaker (written and oral), describing the looks of two famous people.

Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-10
Prerequisites: Approved by Spanish and English teachers
Resources: Textbook and workbook as well as teacher-produced worksheets

IB MANDARIN ab initio Y1/Mandarin 2

Students will begin reviewing what they learned in Mandarin 1. Pronunciation in Mandarin, meaning the tones and the way to pronounce each sound will continue to be emphasized. The four language skills, speaking, listening, reading, and writing, are all included. Writing is less demanding but will gain importance as the course advances. After Mandarin 2, students are expected to be able to read around 300-350 characters and write around 200 Chinese characters. The following are the topics which will be covered during the course.
Topics in Mandarin 2:
Countries and languages, school subjects, making a phone call, weather, seasons, sickness, hobbies (music, sports, and dance), food, and house.
Projects: weather reports and descriptions of seasons, comparisons of Western and Chinese food, which will usually be followed by a field trip to a nearby Chinese restaurant

Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated proficiency in the following standards for their level (pronunciation, listening, and comprehension); students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral, read, and written Mandarin; all students (IB and non-IB) will need teacher approval to progress to the next level.

IB MANDARIN ab initio Y1/Mandarin 3

Students will begin by reviewing what they learned in Mandarin 2. Pronunciation in Mandarin, the tones, and the way to pronounce each sound will continue to be emphasized. The four language skills, speaking, listening, reading, and writing, are all included. Writing is gaining importance. Students will be required to write Chinese characters in most of their assignments. At the end of the Mandarin 3 course, students will be expected to read around 450-500 characters and write around 450 Chinese characters. The following are the topics which will be covered during the course.
Topics in Mandarin 3:
Some topics from Mandarin 2 will be repeated but dealt with in greater depth. These topics include describing a person, weather, seasons, seeing doctors, hobbies, food, and house. Some new topics such as Chinese family titles, shopping, eating out, school facilities, and neighborhoods will be added.
Project: Chinese New Year, Chinese food, family titles, describing your school. More comparisons of cultures will be emphasized in their projects.

Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated proficiency in the following standards for their level (pronunciation, listening, comprehension, short-essay writing); students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral, read and written Mandarin; all students (IB and non-IB) will need teacher approval to progress to the next level.

IB MANDARIN ab initio Y2/ IB Mandarin B SL Y1/ Mandarin 4

Mandarin 4 is the beginning of the IB course. This course lasts two years. Only Upper School students may join this course. The main language of instruction is Mandarin. The students will be exposed to a range of text linked to one or more of the topics prescribed in the syllabus. Authentic materials will be used in the classroom as well. There will be a variety of writing formats included in the course such as diary, email, poster, advertisement, invitation, blog, notice, letter, speech draft, etc. There are constant oral descriptions of pictures and answering questions orally during this 2-year course. Through the course, the students get a deeper understanding of the culture too. The students are required to write Chinese characters in most of their assignments. At the end of the Mandarin 4 course, students are expected to be able to read around 800-1000 characters. The following are some examples of the topics which will be covered during the course.
Topics in Mandarin 4: The rotation of the five themes (experiences, identities, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet) is the syllabus content of Mandarin 4. Through the study of the different themes, students will develop the four language skills necessary to fulfill the assessment objectives of the language ab initio course. The following are some examples of the prescribed topics for the Ab initio course: Daily routines, employment, environmental concerns, education, entertainment, food, and drink, holidays, neighborhood, personal details, appearance and character, weather, shopping, transport, etc.

Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated proficiency in the following standards for their level (Chinese characters, pronunciation, listening and reading comprehension, one-to-one oral interaction, oral picture description, and short-essay writing); students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral, read and written Mandarin; all students (IB and non-IB) will need teacher approval to progress to the next level.

IB MANDARIN B SL Y2/Mandarin 5

Mandarin 5 is the IB language B Standard level course. It is designed for students with some previous solid learning of Mandarin. In addition, it is also for those who the teacher thinks are ready to take the challenge because of their effort and performance in previous courses. The course involves a large quantity of reading and oral discussion. The materials will extend from everyday oral exchanges to current issues. Many are related to the cultures concerned. The language of instruction is Mandarin. Students are required to write Chinese characters in all of their assignments. It is essential that teachers give a minimum of 150 teaching hours to meet the requirements of the language B standard-level course. It takes two years to reach the required level. At the end of the Mandarin 5 course, students are expected to be able to read more than 1500 characters and write an essay of about 300-480 Chinese characters. The following are some examples of the topics which will be covered during the course.
Topics in Mandarin 5: The rotation of the five themes (experiences, identities, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet) is the syllabus content of Mandarin 5. The resources are widely selected from the textbooks of different publishers. Some videos of the Foreign youtubers who speak Mandarin are used in class.

Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisites: ASM Students need to have demonstrated satisfactory proficiency in all of the standards for their level; students coming from other schools will be required to take a placement test to assess their command of oral, read, and written Mandarin; all students (IB and non-IB) will need teacher approval to progress to the next level.

Computer Science & Engineering

This upper school course explores the intersection of computational design thinking, hardware construction, programming fundamentals, and applied robotics. Through a series of hands-on projects and theoretical modules, students will develop a deep understanding of the principles and practices that underpin modern technology. The course is designed to align with the IB framework, emphasizing key concepts such as change, systems, expression, and values and ethics.

Credits: 1
Length: 1 year
Grade levels: 9-12
Prerequisites: None

Advanced Computer Science & Engineering 

This upper school course delves into advanced technological systems and innovation, offering students a comprehensive understanding of design cycles, physical computing systems, and cutting-edge technologies. The course aligns with the IB framework, emphasizing key concepts such as design, computation, systems, and impact.

Credits: 1
Length: 1 year
Grade levels: 9-12
Prerequisites: Computer Science & Engineering

INTEGRATED SOCIAL STUDIES 9 & 10

Integrated Social Studies 9 and 10 (ISS9 and ISS10) are the foundational social studies courses in the Upper School curriculum. This is a concept-based program, designed using contemporary pedagogical paradigms.  The Integrated Social Studies program carries with it a focus on inquiry-based learning, 21st Century Skills (including communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity), and taxonomic thinking scaffolding. The student is placed at the center of the exploration.
The grade 9 and 10 Social Studies program encourages students to respect and understand the world around them and equips them with the necessary investigative skills to inquire into multiple disciplines such as political science, economics, human geography, sociology, and history. It encourages dynamic learners to consider local and global concepts such as identity, power, sustainability, and technology.  Building transfer skills which transcend the boxed classroom model is tantamount.  This is something that both explicitly and implicitly invites an interdisciplinary lens and creates connections with multiple disciplines across the Upper School spectrum.  
Students will learn to collect, describe, analyze, and evaluate data from the lens of a social scientist and learn how to interpret increasingly complex information, including original source material. The course aims to foster and nourish critical thinkers who will carry with them the foundations to be agents of change within their communities and societies.

Credits: 1 credit per year
Length of Course: 2 years
Grade level: Grade 9 & 10
Requirements: None

IB HISTORY SL OR HL (1 AND 2)

IB History is a contemporary history course focusing on the 20th Century.  It is a topics-based course focusing on war and conflict resolution as well as the Cold War.  Many of the same topics will be covered as the SL course but HL will go into more detail concerning European affairs.  It will cover the years 1871 to 1991.  One of the topics covered will be a source-based diplomatic analysis of the "Move to Global War" with two case studies, one of Japanese expansionism and the other of the development and reaction to Fascism and National Socialism.  Another major topic will be the Cold War, viewed from an international perspective, looking at crises all over the world such as the Berlin Crisis, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.  We will also look at a series of conflicts such as the World Wars, the Spanish Civil War, the Chinese Civil War, and the Second Indochina War (Vietnam War).   There is also a Historical Investigation on a topic chosen by the student during the first year. 
Standard Level
Completes Internal Historical Investigation and External Paper 1 and 2
High Level 
As part of the HL extensions, will also examine European diplomacy from 1871 – 1918; an analysis of Germany, Italy, and Spain during the interwar years; an evaluation of the successes and failures of European diplomacy from 1919 - 1945, looking at the development of the League of Nations, Nazi and Fascist foreign policies, appeasement, the development of the “Grand Alliance” during the Second World War, and the origins of the Cold War in Europe. 
Completes Internal Historical Investigation and External Paper 1, 2 and 3

Credits: 1 per year
Length of course: 2 years
Grade level: Grade 11 and 12
Prerequisites: None

IB BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SL OR HL (YR 1 AND 2)

The IB Business Management is a rewarding course that allows you to take an inside look into the real business world. Business management studies business functions, management processes, and decision-making in contemporary contexts of strategic uncertainty. It examines how business decisions are influenced by internal and external factors. The course also explores how individuals and groups interact within an organization, how they may be successfully managed, and how they can ethically optimize the use of resources sustainably. The business management course utilizes three major focuses to create the rigorous program: Content (tools, theories, techniques from within the syllabus), Case Studies, and the overarching Concepts (change, creativity, sustainability, and ethics), students will develop the relevant skills to ensure each focus connect with one another. Students are required to sit for the SL and HL examination in May of the second year and complete an Internal Assessment for SL and HL. The course topics are divided between the 2 years, each topic includes some content only required for HL students. 
Standard Level
The content topics include Business organization and environment; Human resources; Accounts and finance; Marketing; and Operations management. In addition, students will be required to utilize a Business Tool Kit composed of decision-making tools. 
Completes a Paper 1, Paper 2, and Internal Assessment 
High Level
The content topics include Business organization and environment; Human resources; Accounts and finance; Marketing; and Operations management. In addition, students will be required to utilize a Business Tool Kit composed of decision-making tools. This is similar to SL however all HL topics will have additional subunits and/ or be covered in greater depth.
Completes a Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3, and Internal Assessment 

Credits: 1 per year
Length of course: 2 years
Grade levels: Grades 11 and 12
Prerequisite: None 

IB ECONOMICS SL OR  HL (YR 1 AND 2) 

Economics is the study of choice that allows students to develop an understanding of the complexities and interdependence of economic activities in a rapidly changing world.
At the heart of economic theory is the problem of scarcity. While the world’s population has unlimited needs and wants, there are limited resources to satisfy these needs and wants. As a result of this scarcity, choices have to be made. IB Economics uses economic theories to examine the ways in which these choices are made at the level of producers and consumers in individual markets (microeconomics), at the level of the government and the national economy (macroeconomics), and at an international level where countries are becoming increasingly interdependent (the global economy).
The choices made by economic agents (consumers, producers, and governments) generate outcomes that impact the relative well-being of individuals and societies. As a social science, economics examines these choices using models and theories. 
As economic growth and increased efficiency become prominent goals, challenges arise in terms of fair access to resources, goods, and services. When exploring these significant global issues, sustainability and equity become key concepts for students to understand and analyze.  Government intervention appears throughout the course and students are expected to critically evaluate the balance between the market forces of the private sector and intervention by governments.
Given the rapidly changing world, economic activity and its outcomes are constantly in flux. Students are encouraged to research current real-world issues.. Through their own inquiry, students are able to appreciate both the values and limitations of economic models in explaining real-world economic behavior and outcomes.
By focusing on six real-world issues through the nine key concepts (scarcity, choice, efficiency, equity, economic well-being, sustainability, change, interdependence, and intervention), students develop the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes that will encourage them to act responsibly as global citizens.
Standard Level
The Standard Level course contains all aspects of the HL course, sans some selected applications from parts of the syllabus as well as the Paper 3 assessment (basic math applications). 
High Level
The course contains all of the above.  For the internal assessment, candidates are required to produce a portfolio of three commentaries based on published extracts from the news media using the key concepts as a lens. There are three external assessment examinations for higher-level students, focusing on evaluation, data response, and basic math applications respectively. 
 
Credit: 2 (1 per year)
Length of Course: 2 years
Grade Levels: 11 and 12
Textbook: Kognity IB Economics
Prerequisites: one 

IB Digital Societies SL OR HL (YR 1 and 2) 

In DS students will study and evaluate the impact of Information Technology (IT) on individuals and society. The class explores the advantages and disadvantages of the access and use of digitized information at the local and global levels. DS enables students to evaluate social and ethical considerations arising from the widespread use of IT by individuals, families, communities, organizations, and societies at the local and global levels. Students develop an understanding of the capabilities of current and emerging IT systems and evaluate their impact on a range of stakeholders. By applying their knowledge of existing IT systems, students consider real-time scenarios and make informed judgments about the effects of IT developments on the participants. Students develop their knowledge of IT systems and practical IT skills to justify IT solutions for a specified client or end-user. No particular background or prior knowledge of DS is necessary for students to undertake this course; however, familiarity with IT terminology, concepts, and tools would be an advantage. As this course is completely digital, students are highly encouraged to bring their own laptops to class.

Standard Level
Completes a Paper 1, Paper 2, and Internal Assessment 
High Level 
HL extension: challenges and interventions 
5.1 Global well-being 
5.2 Governance and human rights 
5.3 Sustainable development 
Completes a Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3 and Internal Assessment 

Credits: 1 per year
Length of course: 2 years
Grade levels: Grades 11 and 12
Prerequisite: none 

IB GLOBAL POLITICS HL (YR 1 AND 2) 

The DP HL global politics course explores fundamental political concepts such as power, equality, sustainability, and peace in a range of contexts. It allows students to develop an understanding of the local, national, international, and global dimensions of political activity and processes, as well as to explore political issues affecting their own lives. The course helps students to understand abstract political concepts by grounding them in real-world examples and case studies. It also invites comparisons between such examples and case studies to ensure a wider and transnational perspective.

The study of global politics enables students to critically engage with different and new perspectives and approaches to politics in order to comprehend the challenges of the changing world and become aware of their role in it as active global citizens.

These four common core compulsory units under the central unifying theme of “people, power and politics” will require students to undertake a comprehensive engagement activity.
Standard Level
Completes Internal Engagement activity, and External Paper 1 and 2
High Level
HL Extension:  Political issues in two of the following six global political challenges are researched and presented through a case study approach.

1. Environment
2. Poverty
3. Health
4. Identity
5. Borders
6.Security

Completes Internal Engagement activity and HL extension: global political challenges;  and External Paper 1 and 2

Credits: 1 per year
Length of course: 2 years
Grade level: Grade 11 and 12
Prerequisites: none

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

The Introduction to Sociology is a project-based class whose curriculum is divided into two main semesters, as described below.: 
Semester 1 - Sociology I: Identity. Culture. Examining Our Social World. Socialization.
Sociology sees identity through the lens of role behavior. This notion will be explored as a way for the students to dig into who they are before they can delve into their role in society. We will learn about social roles through personal experience, exploring the way in which social life is organized, what social norms and expectations are, and why they vary across cultures. Cultural variation and cultural similarities will be highlighted, with a strong focus on the three principal sociological perspectives on Society: Functionalism, Conflict Theory, and Interactionism. 
In the “Examining your social world” chapter, students will engage in collecting data and research, highlighting the limits and virtues of data collection, the scientific method, and research analysis in a social science vis a vis a natural science - all with the purpose of finding a correlation between two variable of society and exploring a research question of their choosing (e.g. How to do parenting styles impact on political inclinations?). 
Lastly, We will explore the socialization process through the study of Primary and Secondary socialization agents, the three principal theories on how we become socialized (Looking-glass, Role-taking, and Impression Management)including the notion of resocialization and the impact of the media on social life. 

Semester 2 - Sociology II: Socialization. Social Interaction. Groups, Organizations and Institutions. Social Movements
Status and Role will be key concepts in understanding how society is structured and how we interact with each other, with a look into three principal social interaction theories: Dramaturgical Analysis, Social Exchange, and Ethnomethodology. Nonverbal communication and Online Interaction will round off this concept chapter. 
Students will consistently be encouraged to develop a Sociological Imagination, enabling them to make links between the goings-on of everyday life and the concepts they study in class. The class is highly interactive, and students are encouraged to step outside of their comfort zones, take risks, and participate actively in class.
Organizing Society. Deviance and Social Control. Social Change and Movements. Groups form the kernel of societal organization, which in turn informs our formal organizations. We will explore the different social institutions – family, religion, education, government and politics, economy, and health/environment. Deviance and Social control will be viewed from the aforementioned three sociological perspectives. In addition, we will look at collective behavior and how social change occurs, as well as learn methods to establish plans of action for any social issue within the scope of the areas they've learned. The final project of the year is the creation of a Social Movement of students’ choice.  
The class is highly interactive, and students are encouraged to step outside of their comfort zones, take risks, and participate actively in class. 

Credits: 1
Grade levels: Grades 9 through 12
Textbook: Benokraitis (2019). SOC6: Introduction to Sociology. Cengage Learning Inc. ISBN: 978-1-337-40516-4
Prerequisites: None

THE PERFORMING ARTS

The ASM music department believes that music is a fundamental part of the human experience and an essential part of holistic education. Students who enroll in music courses can expect to learn not only the fundamentals of music theory, history, and performance practice but how these elements are combined to create aesthetic experiences that cannot be duplicated in any other class. Students will also participate in regular active music-making experiences during which critical thinking and creativity are explored and developed.  The ASM Music Department has designed a curriculum that focuses not only on music fundamentals, but the importance of music in one’s life. We believe that connection is key and that expression through music is essential to life.

UPPER SCHOOL CHOIR

The Upper School Choir is designed to give students the tools they need to become knowledgeable and well-rounded musicians. Music of various time periods, styles, genres, and ethnicities will be performed, analyzed, and evaluated throughout the course of the year. Students will have the opportunity to create their own arrangements and compositions based on music fundamentals taught in the choir. Students are encouraged to become more independent musicians using their knowledge to make musical decisions on their own. Students will perform selected works at various concerts at ASM and in the greater Madrid community. Participation in international festivals is encouraged.

Credits: 1
Length: 1 year
Text: Sheet music and method books, use of MusicFirst online platform
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: None

WIND ENSEMBLE

The Upper School Wind Ensemble is a performance-based class in which students work to become musically literate, comprehensive musicians. Students perform and evaluate music from different time periods, of varying styles and genres. Rehearsals are regularly recorded and evaluated. Students also complete homework assignments using Flipgrid and other software. The Wind Ensemble works throughout the year to perform selected concerts at various venues including the ASM community and the greater Madrid community. Other possible performances might include a trip to a music festival in or outside of Spain.  Students are encouraged to participate in international music festivals.

Credits: 1
Length: 1 year
Text: Sheet music, method books, Flipgrid
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: At least one year of formal instrumental music instruction

ORCHESTRA

The Upper School Orchestra is designed to give students the tools they need to become well-rounded, competent musicians. Students perform and evaluate music from different time periods, styles, genres, and ethnicities. Rehearsals are regularly recorded and evaluated by students. Students also complete homework assignments and quizzes using SmartMusic and other music software. Students are encouraged to create their own arrangements and compositions based on the fundamentals taught in class. The curriculum of the Upper School Orchestra focuses on performance repertoire as well as string technique, music theory, and music history. Selected works will be performed for school concerts as well as festivals in other countries. Participation in international music festivals is encouraged.

Credits: 1
Length: 1 year
Text: Sheet music, method books, compositional software, online research tools
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: At least one year of formal instrumental music instruction on a string instrument (violin, viola, cello, bass) and director approval.

JAZZ ENSEMBLE

The Upper School Jazz Ensemble is comprised of traditional big band instrumentation: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, guitar, piano, bass, and drum set. Students will study jazz, rock, Latin, swing and blues charts as well as will learn basic improvisation. Rehearsals are regularly recorded and evaluated. In addition to practicing at home, some homework assignments will need to be completed using Flipgrid. Students will perform several concerts throughout the year for the ASM community and for the greater Madrid community. Other possible performances might include a trip to a music festival in or outside of Spain.

Credits: 1
Length: 1 year
Text: Sheet music, method books and Flipgrid
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: At least one year of formal instrumental music instruction and director approval.

IB MUSIC SL and HL (Grades 11 and 12) blended

International Baccalaureate Music is for students with a strong interest in music. Students will be empowered to recognize how technical training and creative competencies combine to inform practical work and contribute to the formation of a well-rounded modern musician. With this in mind, the study of music embodied by three roles: the researcher, the creator, and the performer. In these roles, students inquire, create, perform and reflect on the course’s three musical processes: Exploring music in context, Experimenting with music, Presenting music. Students are encouraged to personalize their musical studies through the exploration of diverse musical material through four Areas of Inquiry (AOLs). Additionally, the engagement of the AOLS takes place across three contexts:
Personal context -music that has significance to the student.
Local context -music that has local significance but may be unfamiliar to the student.
Global context - unfamiliar music from a variety of places, societies, and cultures.
Assessment of student achievement will be based on exploring music in context, experimenting with music, and presenting music. HL students have an additional component called the contemporary music-maker, which is a multimedia presentation documenting their real-life project.

Credits: 2
Length of course: 2 years
Text: The Enjoyment of Music, Basics of Music: opus one and World Sound Matters
Prerequisites: Teacher approval

IB MUSIC SL and HL (Grade 11) year 1 only

International Baccalaureate Music is for students with a strong interest in music. Students will be empowered to recognize how technical training and creative competencies combine to inform practical work and contribute to the formation of a well-rounded modern musician. With this in mind, the study of music is embodied by three roles: the researcher, the creator, and the performer. In these roles, students inquire, create, perform, and reflect on the course’s three musical processes: Exploring music in context, Experimenting with music, and Presenting music. Students are encouraged to personalize their musical studies through the exploration of diverse musical material through four Areas of Inquiry (AOIs). Additionally, the engagement of the AOIs takes place across three contexts:
Personal context -music that has significance to the student.
Local context -music that has local significance but may be unfamiliar to the student.
Global context - unfamiliar music from a variety of places, societies, and cultures.

Year 1 students will learn more about composition, music history, and music theory as it relates to analysis and performance practice.  Coursework will be focused on skill development and opportunities to create and explore diverse types of music.

Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Text: The Enjoyment of Music, Basics of Music: opus one and World Sound Matters
Prerequisites: Teacher approval

IB MUSIC SL and HL (Grade 12)  year 2 only

 

IB MUSIC SL and HL (Grade 12)  year 2 only

Year 2 IB Music students will build off of skills and concepts learned in the 1st year  course.  Students will complete their required Internal and External assessments based on the course’s three musical processes: Exploring music in context, Experimenting with music, Presenting music. HL students have an additional component called the contemporary music-maker, which is a multimedia presentation documenting their real-life project.

Theory of Knowledge (Mandatory for all students studying for an IB Diploma)

The Theory of knowledge (TOK) course plays a special role in the IB Diploma Program by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature, scope, and limitations of knowledge and the process of knowing. In this way, the main focus of TOK is not on students acquiring new knowledge but on helping students to reflect on, and put into perspective, what they already know. TOK underpins and helps to unite the subjects that students encounter in the rest of their DP studies. It engages students in explicit reflection on how knowledge is arrived at in different disciplines and areas of knowledge, on what these areas have in common, and the differences between them.

The aims of the TOK course are:
to encourage students to reflect on the central question, “How do we know that?”, and to recognize the value of asking that question
to expose students to ambiguity, uncertainty, and questions with multiple plausible answers 
to equip students to effectively navigate and make sense of the world, and help prepare them to encounter novel and complex situations
to encourage students to be more aware of their own perspectives and to reflect critically on their own beliefs and assumptions
to engage students with multiple perspectives, foster open-mindedness, and develop intercultural understanding
to encourage students to make connections between academic disciplines by exploring underlying concepts and by identifying similarities and differences in the methods of inquiry used in different areas of knowledge
to prompt students to consider the importance of values, responsibilities, and ethical concerns relating to the production, acquisition, application, and communication of knowledge.
TOK is a 5-trimester course.  During the first year of the course, students will study the core theme: Knowledge and the knower.  They will also explore two of the five optional themes as chosen by the TOK instructors (Knowledge and technology, Knowledge and language, Knowledge and politics,  Knowledge and religion, & Knowledge and indigenous societies.  Over the 5 trimesters course, students will study five areas of knowledge: History, The human sciences, The natural sciences, The arts, & Mathematics.  Students are required to complete two assessment tasks for TOK.  During year one, students will complete the Theory of Knowledge exhibition and during the 2 trimesters of the second year, they will complete the Theory of Knowledge essay on a prescribed title.
(From IB Subject Guide 2020)

Course Key Concepts
The aims of the TOK course are:
• to encourage students to reflect on the central question, “How do we know that?”, and to recognize the value of asking that question
• to expose students to ambiguity, uncertainty, and questions with multiple plausible answers
• to equip students to effectively navigate and make sense of the world, and help prepare them to encounter novel and complex situations
• to encourage students to be more aware of their own perspectives and to reflect critically on their own beliefs and assumptions
• to engage students with multiple perspectives, foster open-mindedness, and develop intercultural understanding
• to encourage students to make connections between academic disciplines by exploring underlying concepts and by identifying similarities and differences in the methods of inquiry used in different areas of knowledge
• to prompt students to consider the importance of values, responsibilities, and ethical concerns relating to the production, acquisition, application, and communication of knowledge.
(From IB Subject Guide 2020)of knowledge

Assessment Objectives
It is expected that by the end of the TOK course, students will be able to:
demonstrate TOK thinking through the critical examination of knowledge questions
identify and explore links between knowledge questions and the world around us
identify and explore links between knowledge questions and areas of knowledge
develop relevant, clear, and coherent arguments
use examples and evidence effectively to support a discussion
demonstrate awareness and evaluation of different points of view
consider the implications of arguments and conclusions.
(From IB Subject Guide 2020)

Course Outline
The TOK course centers around a core theme: Knowledge and the knower.  This theme provides an opportunity for students to reflect on themselves as knowers and thinkers, and on the different communities of knowers to which we belong.
 Students will then go on to study two optional themes from the following five options:
• Knowledge and technology
• Knowledge and language
• Knowledge and politics
• Knowledge and religion
• Knowledge and indigenous societies                                                         
These five themes have been selected because of their contemporary real-world relevance and their rich potential to stimulate interesting and engaging TOK discussions around key areas, such as the justification of, and evidence for, claims. It is intended that all five of these optional themes will have strong links to, and extend from, the core theme—Knowledge and the knower. Whereas the core theme focuses on the student and the particular communities of knowers that they belong to, the optional themes broaden the focus to five factors that have a huge impact on the world today and that play a particularly key role in shaping people’s perspectives and identities. They raise issues that students are likely to encounter in their lives both within and, importantly, beyond their school experiences.

Areas of knowledge are structures within which much human knowledge is organized. In these areas, there are often socially established methods for producing knowledge, as well as norms for what counts as a fact or a good explanation. 
Students will study all of the following AOKs:
• History
• The natural sciences
• The human sciences
• Mathematics
• The arts
Within their discussions, students should be encouraged to think about and draw examples from, specific individual academic disciplines that are included within the different areas of knowledge.
Three of these will be covered in grade 11 (natural sciences, human sciences, and the arts) while the remaining two will be covered in grade 12. (from IB Subject Guide 2020)

Credits: 1
Length: 5 Trimesters
Grade Levels: 11-12
Prerequisites: None

VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT AT ASM

The Visual Arts Curriculum provides students with both the foundation to become active and effective members of their community and with the foundation for continued artistic success. To this end, the curriculum is designed as an integrated approach to creating two-dimensional and three-dimensional art, art criticism, and art appreciation. Course offerings include both traditional and digital art mediums. The Visual Arts program stresses the development of critical thinking skills, the cultivation of an aesthetic sensibility, exposure to diverse ideas, and awareness through art of the relationship between oneself and others, and society. ASM offers a variety of traditional and digital arts courses.

DRAWING AND PAINTING

Drawing and Painting is a year-long course that provides the students with a foundation in traditional and non-traditional two-dimensional drawing and painting skills. It has been modeled around the five art department standards.  A range of drawing and painting skills will be explored. In addition, students will be exposed to some art history and art criticism. This course is designed for students who think they cannot draw or paint and for those who think they have some skill and wish to learn more. Each student will have an opportunity during the last trimester to create independent projects that will be coached by the instructor. The student will present a plan for independent work for the last third of the course that reflects the art department standards.

Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Text: None
Grade Level: Grades 9 - 12
Prerequisites: None

VISUAL ARTS

Visual Arts is a year-long course that has been modeled around the five art department standards. Students will have hands-on practice and learn key concepts that are essential to the visual arts. Students will use a wide variety of media in the course. They will have opportunities to practice photography, drawing, painting, collage, video, and 3D media. Students will acquire a greater understanding and improved practice of the elements of art and the principles of design. These building blocks of visual art support creativity and are key to being expressive and understanding the visual language of aesthetics. Students will engage in them through art production, critiques, investigations, and art appreciation. Students will engage in multidisciplinary art production, critiques, investigations, and art appreciation. There will be a focus on building skills, techniques, art materials, idea development, and creativity. Each student will have an opportunity during the last trimester to create independent projects that will be coached by the instructor. The student will present a plan for independent work for the last third of the course that reflects the art department standards.

Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Text: None
Grade Level: Grades 9-12
Prerequisites: None

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Digital Photography is modeled around the five art department standards. Students will use their own cameras and ASM´s digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR). Edited, non-edited, and manipulated photographs will be explored and worked on using Industry-standard software where necessary. A wide variety of technical and conceptual information will be explored in this course. Each student will have an opportunity during the last trimester to create independent projects that will be coached by the instructor. The student will present a plan for independent work for the last third of the course that reflects the art department standards.

Credits: 1 credit
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: None

DIGITAL ARTS

Upper School Digital Arts explore the major Commercial Art areas of Digital Photography and Manipulation, Digital Compositing and Illustration/ Graphic Design, 3D Modeling and Animation, Virtual Reality, and Video Production/Post-Production. This year-long technology-based course provides the student with a solid base and exposure to contemporary Digital Arts in all its forms. By blending traditional approaches with a thorough grounding in the elements of art and principles of design, the course provides the student with a wide range of both artistic and technical tools in order to prepare them for a variety of Digital Arts -related careers. Students are encouraged to have a portable, external hard drive/pen drive for extra backup and saving of their work on a daily basis.

Credit: 1 credit
Length of course: 1 year
Grade level: 9-12
Prerequisites: None
Resources: Digital Art Masters – 3D total.com

3D DIGITAL ANIMATION

The class is designed to give students introductory skills in the field of 3D computer animation and short film production. The three general topic areas to be covered during the first two trimesters are: 
Classical principles of animation timing, acceleration/deceleration, anticipation, follow-through, arcs, squash and stretch, exaggeration, secondary actions, staging, and personality.
Animation and film production work pipeline, pre-production, modeling, rigging, shading and texturing, animating, lighting, rendering, and post-production.
Technical training in 3D software and 2D digital manipulation
The final section will be spent designing and developing a major project, using the concepts and skills developed during the initial part of the course, coupled with post-production involving editing and compositing software.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Grade Levels: 9-12
Pre-requisites: None

VIDEO ART

This year-long technology-based art course provides the student with a solid base in and exposure to artistic video processes. The class is designed to expose the student to concepts involved in filming pre-production, scene blocking, staging, lighting, camera moves, green-screening, editing, compositing, and post-production. It provides students with a thorough introduction to digital video production including the use of video cameras, projectors, and video editing software. Students will gain the technical and conceptual understanding to produce resolved video artworks that can be presented in a gallery/ installation and public-viewing contexts. It will also allow students to gain an understanding of the genre of video art within contemporary fine art practice.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Resources: Video Art: A Guided Tour by Catherine Elwes, University of the Arts London
Grade Level: 9 – 12
Prerequisites: None

UPPER SCHOOL FILMMAKING

This yearlong technology-based art course provides the student with a solid base in contemporary filmmaking and cinematography. In this class, students will produce a short film after first being exposed to the principal concepts of filmmaking. These include: screenwriting (from concept creation to finished script), pre-production (economics of film, planning, casting), production (directing, sound recording, acting, scene blocking, lighting, cinematography, green-screening), post-production (editing, music, sound mix), as well as entry of the film in film festivals and screenings around the world. This project-based class provides students with a thorough introduction to screenwriting, digital film, and cinema production techniques, pipelines, and processes, including the use of digital video cameras, production equipment, and video-editing software. Students will gain the technical, theoretical, practical, and conceptual skills and understanding necessary to produce their own short films.

Credits: 1
Length of Course: 1 year
Resources: The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age (2013 Edition) by Steven Ascher and Edward Pincus; On Directing Film (1992) by David Mamet
Directing: Film Techniques & Aesthetics (Fifth Edition, 2013) by Michael Rabinger and Mick Hurbis-Cherrier; How to Shoot a Feature Film for Under $10,000 (And Not Go to Jail) by Bret Stern (2002); On Film-making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director (2005) by Alexander Mackendrick, edited by Paul Cronin; In the Blink of an Eye (2ndEdition, 2001) by Walter Murch
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisites: None

IB VISUAL ART 1 (SL AND HL)

IB Visual Art 1 is the first-year course of a two-year course of study. The first year of IB Art focuses on the artistic process, exploring mediums, understanding other artists' works, and working towards what will be a coherent body of work. Students learn how to study artists’ works, make their own artworks, and work in a visual arts journal.  Students complete a comparative study of other artists' works by the end of IB Art 1.  Self-reliance and the ability to work independently are essential. The general aims of the IB Visual Art curricula are to:
provide opportunities to develop the aesthetic, imaginative, and creative faculties.
stimulate and train visual awareness, perception, and criticism of the arts of various cultures.
enable students to discover, develop and enjoy means of creative visual expression.
encourage the pursuit of quality through training and individual experiment.
exemplify and encourage inquiry and informed attitudes toward all art and design forms, both in history and today.

Credits: 1 per year
Length of Course: 2 years (for IB 1 and IB 2)
Text: None
Grade Level: 11
Prerequisites: None

IB VISUAL ART 2 (SL AND HL)

IB Visual Art 2 is the second year course of a two-year course of study. The second year of IB Art focuses on refining their art practice in order to have a coherent body of work. In September the students will submit a selection of work from each of the three components that will help the instructor gauge a predicted score. Students will also refine the completed comparative study. They will submit process portfolio pages, artworks, exhibition material, and a comparative study for examination in IB Art 2 for their final score for this course. 
Self-reliance and the ability to work independently are essential. The general aims of the IB Visual Art curricula are to:
provide opportunities to develop the aesthetic, imaginative, and creative faculties.
stimulate and train visual awareness, perception, and criticism of the arts of various cultures.
enable students to discover, develop and enjoy means of creative visual expression.
encourage the pursuit of quality through training and individual experiment.
exemplify and encourage inquiry and informed attitudes toward all art and design forms, both in history and today.

Credits: 1 per year
Length of Course: 2 years (for IB 1 and IB 2)
Text: None
Grade Level: 12
Prerequisites: IB Art 1

PHYSICAL EDUCATION/HEALTH INTRODUCTION

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH – YEAR 1

In 9th-grade Physical Education and Health, students will participate in team and individual sports, lifetime activities, and the wellness program. Activities students will be involved in can include flag football, rhythms, and dance, soccer, tchoukball, field hockey, floor hockey, bocce ball, ultimate Frisbee, speedball, softball, pickleball, table tennis, volleyball, acro sport, track & field, and fitness. Topics studied in health include first aid, alcohol education, healthy lifestyles, and fitness throughout life.
Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Grade Level: 9
Prerequisites: None

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH – YEAR 2

This course is a continuation of the 9th-grade program, but the major emphasis is on the development of long-term habits that lead to a healthy and fit adult lifestyle. Activities students will be involved in can include flag football, rhythms and dance, soccer, tchoukball, basketball, ultimate Frisbee, speedball, badminton, yoga & table tennis, volleyball, acro sport, track & field, and fitness. Topics studied in health class include illegal drugs, CPR, stress management, relationships education, and, health and fitness throughout life. In 10th grade, students select either ‘Option A: Competitive-sport-based curriculum’ or ‘Option B: Non-competitive and cooperative activities’. Some sports and activities are included that best suit each option. Student surveys are used to inform others' choices. Health workshops are as above for all students. Students are encouraged to choose the strand (Option A or B) that best suits their individual interests or abilities.

Credits: 1
Length of course: 1 year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: PE/Health Year 1