THE ARTS
THE ARTS
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D I G I T A L A R T S W O R K S H O P
Offered at: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (semester course) - Can be Repeated for credit.
Concepts Include: Subject, Form, Digital Photography, Computer Graphics, Digital Illustration and Photo Manipulation.
Overview:
HS Digital Arts Workshop is an arts pathway for students to practically explore skills, concepts, and forms of digital arts within a semester. The workshop model is exploratory in nature and follows a Design Thinking framework that requires students to inquire into the processes of researching, planning, developing skills, creating, responding, and connecting. Students are encouraged to explore technologies that can enhance artistic pieces and are introduced to photo editing, image creation, and graphic design software. Understanding how these types of platforms work and the potential they have for artistry, allows students to make connections between the digital and handcrafted world. Collaborative and individual projects are a component of this course which is provided in a two-year rotation, meaning that a student can take this course in any or all semesters of Grade 9 and Grade 10, for example, without repeating content.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
H S D I G I T A L A R T S S T U D I O
Offered to: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 (year course)
Concepts Include: Subject, Digital Photography, Graphic Design and Animation.
Overview:
HS Digital Arts Studio is a year-long course that blends art, technology and communication with the aim of developing students’ understanding of digital media. The program focuses on creative expression and its development by applying the IB Design Cycle to artistic projects. The program is structured to help students build their conceptual development and production skills to serve three purposes: 1) provide students with fundamental concepts of design, techniques, and tools used for the creation of digital media; 2) allow students to develop skills in controlling media and executing artistic projects; and 3) give students a general background in contemporary art and basic technological skills necessary to develop artworks. The course offers an opportunity to engage in the study and practice of visual language by providing training in artistic methods and media within the areas of graphic design, photography, and filmmaking. Students are encouraged to explore technologies that can enhance artistic pieces and are introduced to photo editing, image creation, and graphic design software. Understanding how these types of platforms work and the potential they have for artistry, allows students to make connections between the digital and handcrafted world.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
H S V I S U A L A R T W O R K S H O P
Offered at: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (semester course) - Can be Repeated for credit.
Concepts Include: Visual Culture, Expression, Form, Audience, Style
Overview:
HS Visual Art Workshop is an introductory course designed for students to practically explore skills, concepts, and forms within the visual arts over a semester. This workshop-based course emphasizes experimentation and inspires students to create, communicate, and connect through hands-on experiences across various media and techniques. Students will develop aesthetic awareness and foundational art skills, focusing on the elements and principles of design while enhancing their technical abilities. Through the study of art movements, artists, and their work, students will draw connections between historical and contemporary art practices and real-world contexts. Inquiry-driven and conceptual units encourage students to analyze the motivations behind artistic expression, explore how art is perceived, and understand the diverse purposes of art creation. The curriculum is dynamic and equips students with the tools to refine their personal skill sets, enabling them to create artwork in one or more media. Delivered on a two-year rotation, the course ensures that students can participate across multiple semesters in Grades 9 and 10 without encountering repeated content, making it an enriching and versatile pathway into the arts.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
H S V I S U A L A R T S T U D I O
Offered at: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 (year course)
Concepts Include: Aesthetics, Relationships, Development, Creativity
Overview:
HS Visual Art Studio is a year-long course designed for students to engage deeply in the practical exploration of skills, concepts, art theory, and diverse media and techniques. The studio model emphasizes inquiry into the creative process, guiding students through the iterative cycles of art-making. This course is both challenging and thought-provoking, encouraging students to push their creative boundaries and grow as confident, reflective art-makers. Students will develop problem-solving skills in art, working within a creative cycle that fosters resilience and adaptability. Art historical references and studies of various perspectives and contexts enrich students' understanding of the reasons behind art-making, enabling them to draw meaningful connections to their own creative practices. Units in this course are experiential in nature, integrating community-centric learning by linking cohesive projects to real-life situations. This approach provides students with the opportunity to explore art as a tool for communication, connection, and impact within their communities. The course content evolves from year to year, tailored to align with the student’s prior visual arts experiences and knowledge, ensuring a personalized and dynamic learning experience.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
I B D P V I S U A L A R T H L & S L
Offered at: Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 2 (two-year course)
Concepts Include: Aesthetics, Presentation, Narrative
Overview:
The IBDP Visual Arts program serves as a gateway to the creative world, encouraging students to explore and express their unique perspectives. Through self-advocacy, students investigate past, present, and emerging forms of visual art while engaging in the production, appreciation, and critical evaluation of these works. They develop a comprehensive understanding of art from local, national, and international perspectives, documented in their Process Journal. The programme emphasizes the exploration of a wide range of skills, techniques, and processes, enabling students to respond visually and creatively to personal and cultural experiences. Over two years, students take ownership of their learning, developing conceptual ideas and effective working practices as they prepare for a culminating exhibition. This final showcase reflects their evolving understanding of art, blending research, technical skill, and individual expression. Students are encouraged to see art as dynamic and ever-changing, using it as a medium to articulate their view of the world while connecting meaningfully with diverse artistic traditions and contemporary practices.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
H S T H E A T E R W O R K S H O P
Offered at: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (semester course) - Can be Repeated for credit.
Concepts Include: The Actor and the Audience, Telling the Story, Character Development, and The Creative Ensemble
Overview:
HS Theater Workshop is an arts pathway for students to build confidence and skills as a performer and communicator. In this semester-long course, students will practically explore performance conventions and forms of theater within conceptual units that are inquiry driven. The workshop model is exploratory in nature and places emphasis on participation and the process of theater-making through creating, performing, responding, and connecting with others as actors and audience members. While performances in front of an audience are an essential component of the course, the workshop model also places emphasis on collaboration and personal growth as an ensemble member. The content of the HS Theater Workshop course is designed in a two-year rotation, meaning that a student can take this course in any or all semesters of Grade 9 and Grade 10, for example, without repeating content.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
H S T H E A T E R S T U D I O
Offered at: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 (year course)
Concepts Include: The Actor and the Audience, Telling the Story, Character Development, and The Creative Ensemble
Overview:
HS Theater Studio is a year-long course in which students will practically explore performance conventions, production concepts, and basic theater history through forms of theater. The studio model requires students to problem-solve scripted and devised works by creating, performing, responding, and connecting with aspects of theater-making. Individual and collaborative performances, as well as student-led sessions are a component of this course to develop students’ acting confidence and leadership skills. The content of this course will be challenging and thought-provoking––encouraging students to consider multiple perspectives, how personal and global context shape meaning-making as an actor and audience, and to grow as reflective practitioners. The content of this course may vary from year to year based on the students’ previous theater experiences and knowledge.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
T H E A T E R P R O D U C T I O N A N D D E S I G N
Offered at: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (semester course)
Concepts Include: Communication, Systems, Efficiency, Impact and Safety
Overview:
Theater Production and Design is a semester-long course for students to practically explore skills,processes, and real-world theater problems in multiple areas of theatrical design and technicalproduction. The course is exploratory in nature and provides students with hands-on experiences todevelop foundational skills as a theater-maker. Although students can take this course each semesteras an arts pathway, there are aspects of the content that will be repeated: the roles and systems of stage technicians, career pathways, the components of our AISJ stage spaces, theatre safety, and script reading as a designer. Academic study and hands-on application of knowledge and skills in scenic design, lighting, sound, props, costumes, and make-up design will vary from semester to semester to ensure students can take this course multiple times. Students who take this course more than once are also encouraged to participate backstage in one theatrical production or provide technical assistance for an AISJ event to gain additional knowledge and experience.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
I B D P T H E A T R E H L & S L
Offered at: Grade 11, Grade
Credits: 2 (two year course)
Concepts Include: Students as theatre makers, Staging play texts, Exploring world theatre traditions, Collaboratively creating theatre.
Overview:
The IB DP theatre course at SL & HL is a multifaceted theatre-making course that allows students to participate as creators, designers, directors, and performers—working individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble. Throughout the two-year course, students will actively engage in world theatre traditions, explore a variety of advanced theatre theories, examine classic and contemporary scripts and performances, and transform ideas into action as inquisitive and productive artists. Students will conduct research through various processes and learn how to document their work for academic and personal use. At times, rehearsal outside of class may be required. Additionally, students are required to see live theatre performances outside of AISJ and are strongly encouraged to participate in AISJ productions and/or regional or international theatre workshops. The course aims for students to become aware of their own personal and cultural perspectives and develop an appreciation of the diversity of theatre practices and processes while gaining a richer understanding of themselves, their community, and the world.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
H S M U S I C W O R K S H O P
Offered at: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (semester course) Can be Repeated for credit.
Concepts Include: Making Music, Creating, Responding
Overview:
HS Music Workshop is an arts pathway for students to get hands-on experience as performers (guitar), composers, and listeners within a semester. The workshop model is exploratory in nature and inspires students to create, perform, respond, and connect through shared experiences. The content of the HS Music Workshop course is tailored to each student’s background and ability, meaning that a student can take this course in any or all semesters of high school, and can be repeated.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
H S M U S I C S T U D I O
Offered at: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 (year course)
Concepts Include: Creating, Personal & Cultural Expression
Overview:
HS Music Studio is a year-long course in which students will engage with music as performers, composers, and as listeners while also learning basic music theory. The studio model allows students to perform on guitar and/or piano. Students will perform for the class and small audiences throughout the year. The content of the HS Music Studio course is tailored to each student’s background and ability, meaning that a student can take the course more than once.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
H S C H O I R
Offered at: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 (year course) or 0.5 (semester course)
Concepts Include: Making Music, Making Music Together, Creating, and Personal & Cultural Expression
Overview:
HS choir is an arts pathway for students who want to expand their individual singing abilities while working alone and with others. Students will sing music from a variety of cultures and genres, which will be performed at school as well as evening events. Students will also learn basic music theory, create original compositions, and explore music as listeners. This course can be taken at any grade level and is considered a studio class for Grade 10. Students in Grade 9, 11, or 12 can take it for one or two semesters.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
H S B A N D
Offered at: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 (year course)
Concepts Include: Creating and Personal & Cultural Expression
Overview:
HS Band is a one-year studio arts pathway for students who already play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument to develop individual and ensemble skills. Students will play music from a variety of cultures and genres, which will be performed at school as well as evening events. Students will also learn basic music theory, create original compositions, and explore music as listeners. This course can be taken at any grade level and is considered a studio class for Grade 10.
Course prerequisites: Previous experience on a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument
Course requisites: Teacher approval
B E G I N N I N G B A N D
Offered at: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (1 semester course; the course is first semester) Can be Repeated for credit.
Concepts Include: Making Music, Making Music Together, Creating, and Responding
Overview:
Beginning Band is an arts pathway for students who missed opportunities to participate in band, who want to rejoin band after time away from the course, or for students who want to learn a secondary instrument. Students will learn to play a woodwind or brass instrument along with other beginning students in order to join the HS band second semester. Students will also learn basic music theory, create original compositions, and explore music as listeners.
Course prerequisites: None
Course requisites: None
I B D P H L & S L M U S I C
Offered at: Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 2.0 ( 2-year course)
Concepts Include: Performance, Composition, and Research
Overview:
IBDP HL Music is a two-year, rigorous course in which students will study music through four lenses: Music for Sociocultural and Political Expression; Music for Listening and Performance; Music for Dramatic Impact, Movement and Entertainment; and Music Technology in the Electronic and Digital Age. Students will engage with each lens as researchers, composers, and performers. Students will study advanced music theory in order to discuss music in academic papers and apply knowledge to their performances and compositions. HL students are required to take private lessons outside of school, and practicing at home is a requirement. SL students are encouraged to take private lessons, and practicing and home is a requirement.
Course prerequisites: Private study on piano, strings, wind, or vocal
Course requisites: Teacher approval
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