Notes_ IB ESS Syllabus and Guide

Course Structure & Interdisciplinary Framework

Interdisciplinary Classification: Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) is an interdisciplinary course that integrates the methodologies, scientific techniques, and knowledge systems of Group 4 (Sciences) with the analytical frameworks and social perspectives of Group 3 (Individuals and Societies).
Academic Credit Options: Because of its dual-group nature, students can enroll in ESS to fulfill either their Group 3 or Group 4 International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma requirement.

Required Course Materials & Daily Supplies

Oxford Resources for IB Diploma Programme 2024 Edition Environmental Systems and Societies Course Companion textbook cover

Primary Textbook: Oxford Resources for IB Diploma Programme: Environmental Systems and Societies Course Companion (2024 Edition), authored by Jill Rutherford and Gillian Williams, published by Oxford University Press.
Hardware & Technology: Dell laptop computer and an iPad tablet for digital coursework and Moodle access.
Physical Note-taking & Organizational Gear:
- Stack of spiral notebooks.
- Two-pocket folders (pink and blue).
- Three-ring binders (available in blue, pink, green, and orange).
- Writing utensils including standard HB graphite pencils and gold metallic ballpoint pens.

Comprehensive Curriculum Topics & Year 1 Sequence

Full Syllabus Topic Outline:
1. Foundations: perspectives, systems, and sustainability
2. Ecology: how ecosystems function
3. Biodiversity and conservation: evolution, threats, conservation measures
4. Water: systems, access, pollution, water security
5. Land: soil, agriculture, forestry
6. Atmosphere and climate change: causes, mitigation, adaptation
7. Natural resources: use, choices, impact, waste
8. Human populations & urban systems: sustainability, urban environments, air pollution
Year 1 Instructional Sequence at ACS:
- Topic 1: Foundations
- Topic 2: Ecology
- Topic 7: Natural resources
- Topic 8: Human populations & urban systems
- Topic 3: Biodiversity and conservation

ACS Internal Grading Policy & Evaluation Categories

Internal Grade Weighting (Skyward Categories):
- Assessments (Unit Tests): $70\%$ (Skyward Category: Assessments)
- Laboratory Reports (Pre-lab, Skills, and Reports): $20\%$ (Skyward Category: Lab Reports)
- Assignments (Projects / Classwork / Quizzes): $10\%$ (Skyward Category: Assignments)
Assessment & Coursework Details:
- Tests: Two unit tests are administered per quarter (Quarters I, II, III, and IV). Tests are designed to simulate official IB examination conditions using a combination of short-answer questions, free-response questions, and structured case studies.
- Quizzes: Formatted similarly to IB exam questions, but administered more frequently and on a shorter scale than unit tests.
- Assignments: Assigned and reviewed regularly. Consists of online Moodle quizzes, textbook free-response questions, and instructor-developed problem sets. Oral presentations and special projects are factored into the Laboratory Reports grade category. All assignments must be turned in on time.
- Laboratory Reports & Field Investigations: For all practice laboratory activities, each student must independently produce and submit an individual lab report, even when experimental procedures are conducted in collaborative groups. Reports are assessed against standard IB evaluation criteria. For the formal Internal Assessment (IA), students must execute an entirely individual investigation and write an independent report.

Official IB External & Internal Assessment Breakdown (First Assessment 2026)

IB ESS Assessment Weighting Breakdown Table

Overall Course Assessment Structure:
- External Assessment: $75\%$ of overall IB score ( $3\text{ hours}$ total duration).
- Internal Assessment (IA): $25\%$ of overall IB score ( $10\text{ hours}$ dedicated time).
External Assessment Component Breakdown:
- Paper 1:
- Weighting: $25\%$ of total IB grade.
- Duration: $1\text{ hour}$ .
- Marks: $35\text{ marks}$ .
- Format: Students are provided with a range of data presented in diverse forms concerning a single, unseen case study. Questions require data analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. All questions are compulsory.
- Paper 2:
- Weighting: $50\%$ of total IB grade.
- Duration: $2\text{ hours}$ .
- Marks: $60\text{ marks}$ .
- Format:
  - Section A ( $40\text{ marks}$ ): Compulsory short-answer and data-based questions.
  - Section B ( $20\text{ marks}$ ): Requires students to answer one structured essay question selected from a choice of two options (worth $20\text{ marks}$ each).
Internal Assessment Component Breakdown:
- Weighting: $25\%$ of total IB grade.
- Duration / Time Allocation: $10\text{ hours}$ .
- Marks: $30\text{ marks}$ .
- Evaluation: Teacher-assessed internally and externally moderated by the IB at the conclusion of the course.
Collaborative Sciences Project:
- Completed during the fall semester of Year 1 at ACS.

Internal Assessment (IA) Detailed Specifications & Requirements

Core Task Definition: An individual investigation into a student-formulated ESS research question, requiring independent design, implementation, and completion of an empirical study.
Report Specifications: Written report formatted as a $3,000\text{ word}$ experiment report.
Timeline & Submission Deadlines:
- Conducted during the summer prior to senior year.
- A complete draft must be submitted by September 2025.
Assessment & Compliance Rules:
- The investigation must be specifically tailored to address established IB assessment criteria (students must be provided with the explicit rubrics prior to starting).
- Academic Integrity Rule: An Extended Essay (EE) cannot be based on the same research question used for the ESS Internal Assessment.

Practical Tool 1: Experimental Techniques & Methodological Skills

Laboratory Work Skills:
- Take precise quantitative measurements including counts, time, mass, volume, temperature, length, pH, and chemical concentrations.
- Select and justify experimental techniques, sampling strategies, laboratory apparatus, and materials.
- Perform procedures to measure plant matter biomass (dry weight only).
- Perform laboratory procedures to measure gross and net primary productivity, secondary productivity, and biological oxygen demand (BOD) — Higher Level (HL) only.
- Set up and handle laboratory equipment with high standards of safety and accuracy.
Fieldwork & Ecological Sampling Skills:
- Measure abiotic parameters across climatic, edaphic (soil), and aquatic environments.
- Identify flora and fauna using dichotomous keys, digital databases, and specialized mobile applications, applying proper binomial nomenclature.
- Implement quadrat sampling to estimate organism abundance, population density, percentage cover, and percentage frequency of non-motile species.
- Execute capture-mark-release-recapture techniques applying the Lincoln index formula to calculate population sizes of motile organisms: $\text{Lincoln Index } N = \frac{n_1 \times n_2}{m_2}$ where $n_1$ is the number of animals marked and released, $n_2$ is the total number captured in the second sample, and $m_2$ is the number of marked animals recaptured.
- Establish transects to quantify biological changes along an abiotic gradient.
- Collect field data for evaluating species diversity indices.
- Collect field data for calculating biotic indices — Higher Level (HL) only.
Questionnaires, Surveys, & Interview Protocols:
- Identify and justify the selection of an appropriate target respondent demographic.
- Formulate structured open-ended or closed-ended questions using multiple-choice options or Likert scales.
- Select and justify appropriate sampling methodologies and sample sizes (e.g., random, convenience, volunteer, or purposive