Upperclassmen will now have more opportunities to gain important credits for college and essential knowledge for their desired careers. IB geography and human anatomy and physiology will be added to the curriculum . Danielle Koehler will be teaching IB Geography and Angela Rizzo will be instructing Human Anatomy.
IB Geography currently has a “satellite group” meaning the teachers are testing out the class this year and will not become a fully fledged class until the next academic year. This is the first year Human Anatomy has been introduced to marshall. Both classes will only be available to seniors.
According to History Department Chair Roy Wood, every unit in IB Geography will include an essential question assessment, which could be an essay, a paper from each historical investigation or the internal assessment. Wood is helping the structure of the class along with Koehler to transform it into a Standard Learning IB course. Danielle Koehler and Roy Wood are going to teach the IB geography classes together.
“This is a great SL course and it fulfills one of your studies requirements, but it’s outside the stereotypical history course,” Koehler said.
According to Wood, the class is expected to be more of a social studies class than a history class. “This is because it focuses more on population shift, demographic transition models, death rates and birth rates rather than historical events.” Wood said.
Human Anatomy and Physiology covers topics ranging from different body systems, tissues to scientific investigations.
“The structure of the classes changes from day to day depending on whether or not Ms. Rizzo wants us to do a project, or an activity like working with microscopes,” Hart said.
Despite Human Anatomy and Physiology being an elective, the class is said to be challenging.
“Seniors should not take this class, unless [they] are really interested in medicine, surgery or anything in that department. If so, I think it’s a very, very valuable class to take,” Senior Meredith Hart said.
According to both teachers, the courses require an immense amount hard work and dedication.
“This course is not honors or IB and it is extremely challenging, but it’s definitely doable,” Rizzo said. “Unlike IB and honors, this course is not homework driven. It’s mostly class work.”
IB Geography will be challenging as well.
“This class was designed to be a little bit more strenuous than the world one class,” Wood said.
Even though both classes will be difficult, they both are valuable and unique classes. IB geography is a new a different type of history class that satisfies an IB credit. Human anatomy and physiology will give in depth information to help prepare doctors and nurses while also being a fun elective. Both classes are constructive for the future as IB geography helps with the IB diploma and Human anatomy and physiology is perfect for future workers in the medical field.
