IB options

Ok, as the title indicates, we've just begun covering the options of the sciences. In Chemistry we HL-people are forced to do SL-options because the class is mixed, which really pisses me off, as they want to do the easy ones because they hate the idea of actually having to do some work. Anyways, I got angry at my teacher and I thought of one alternative: rebel against him and answer the 'wrong' option for the exam, that is instead of answering something like human biochemistry I would answer the organic chem option.
Is this permitted?

Reply 1

Annie Hall

I'm not sure if i'm understanding correctly. Your teacher has set the options for your entire class- SL and HL- to be the SL options??

If that's the case, **** that. Go to your IB coordinator and sort that teacher out.

If not, then I don't see what the problem is. Just because you've been given an option you don't like doesn't mean you shoudl change it. Life isn't fair.

In English, I'm not going to start harping on about a part one play in the Art of Drama section. It's just not cricket.

I don't know whether or not you're allowed to, but if you were that would sort of defeat the point of having a teacher teach you their preferred options. Maybe someone else can verify.

Reply 2

HMSChocolate

I think what you're plannign to do is to do extra study in another option that you are not covering in class and do that option in the exam? that's perfectly fine. the IBO doesn't know which option you do in class so in the exam you could do which ever question you want.

Reply 3

sadiqhassan

yep you'll be fine. In my school we study Fuels and Energy and Human Biochemistry in class, but we are allowed to skip class and study any option we want to independantly. :biggrin:

However, in Physics we have to do Optics and Astrophysics, not sure why.

Reply 4

HMSChocolate

But optics and astro are easy options though. I did Optics and it totally saved my Physics grade. I got a low 4 in both P1 and 2, but because of Optics, I got a 7 in paper 3 and ended up with a 6 overall.

ETA: Yay! I'm adored and respected! :wink:

Reply 5

nota bene

As everyone has said, IBO has no idea what option you are doing, so just write on the one you want in exams (it is advisable if you have studied it lol)

I know that there will be people in both my chem and phys class that will do other options than the ones the teacher goes through... I probably will do one on my own in chemistry, I simply don't want human biochem...

Reply 6

sdawood

sadiqhassan

In my school we study Fuels and Energy and Human Biochemistry in class, but we are allowed to skip class and study any option we want to independantly. :biggrin:

However, in Physics we have to do Optics and Astrophysics, not sure why.

This is because (and I know this because I went to your institution) a vast majority of chemistry students (~90% if I remember right) take Biology or Physics along with Chemistry. Fuels and Energy is very Physics oriented, and thus preferred by Physics students, and Human Biochemistry is likewise for Biology students. To solve the chaos that would ensue if they forced people to take one or the other, they allowed independant learning.

For Physics, Astro and Optics are mandatory because they are the most logical and least straining options to take. Also, due to departmental experience, when they taught the others, students would learn Astro anyway simply due to the stupidly easy Astro questions on the final exam.

Back on topic, it seems odd that your teacher is forcing SL options onto an HL class, when HL options on an SL class will be far more beneficial. I would suggest speaking with your IB Coordinator about this fact, as the schools general ranking could fall if the HL class does not perform as it could have with proper teaching. If that fails, I would suggest self-teaching only if you have an IB Guide and Syllabus on hand during the process. The benefits of being taught the material by a teacher are quite profuse, and independant learning should only really be considered if you know you can pull it off well.

Reply 7

*Dani*

My options are:

Mathematics SL
Spanish A1 SL
Environmental Systems SL
History HL
economics HL
English A2 HL.

In my economics class, there are people who go for the SL exams, but they are being prepared for the higher level. It also happens in chemistry and physics.

Reply 8

andy_cole2

hey hMS how many times have i pined about easy ib options for physics HL ok are u serious are they really the easiest options,,,cos i will change right now if they are :p:

Reply 9

HMSChocolate

I didnt do Astro but the HL people in my class did and said it was easy. And Optics I found incredibly easy. It's just a lot of practicing with ray diagrams (there's only a set number of ray diagrams they could ask you to draw) and memorising derivatives of lens formulae.

I actually *liked* Optics which is saying a lot considering I hate physics. I think I found Optics easy because it was visual and the rays diagrams you could usually figure out the derivatives for if you've drawn the right lines. It's like applying trigonometry functions, deriving lens functions. Just takes practice, I think.

Then again I speak of the SL portion of the topic so I don't know how much more complicated HL Optics get.

Andy: What are you doing for your option?

Reply 10

jyang89

you don need to follow the class option. i'm saying this for the sciences only - i think it's quite hard to do this for the languages.

My physics teacher chose to do astrophysics for the 2nd physics option. I din like the idea and so asked him whether i could do self study biomedical physics on my own. he was nice enough to let me out of class as well as provide me with some books. =) i din do too bad in the exams..

Reply 11

andy_cole2

wow one week ago jeez i never saw ur quesiton lol i think the edit was the question :p:

anyway i'm not sure probs astro not sure for t'other one lol bio maybe i just want stuff easy :p:

Reply 12

HMSChocolate

yeah, easy science option could do wonders! I got a 7 in the option paper and a 4 for both paper 1 and 2. was soooo happy with my 6 in the end. :smile: