What is the IB Group 4? 

As part of the IB Diploma course, each student is required to take at least one Group 4 subject. Group 4 subjects cover the Sciences and are designed for students to deepen their understanding of the scientific method of inquiry. Students explore topics, theories, frameworks, and techniques related to their chosen Group 4 subject(s). 

…science is not just a collection of facts, it is a method of inquiry.

Tony George, CIS IB Coordinator

What Subjects are Available in Group 4? 

Currently, CIS offers the following Group 4 subjects as part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma:

  • Biology
  • Computer Science
  • Chemistry
  • Physics

What is the Group 4 Project? 

The Group 4 Project is an interdisciplinary activity in which all Diploma Programme Science students must participate in. It is a collaborative experience where students from different Group 4 subjects work together on a scientific or technological topic, allowing for concepts and perceptions from across the scientific disciplines to be shared. While working together, the students are encouraged to focus on the process of the activity, rather than the product of it.

This Year’s Group 4 Project

This year’s Grade 11 IB Diploma students investigated questions posed by our Grade 5 students using the scientific method of inquiry. The Grade 5s came up with questions from a broad range of scientific fields, such as, “is it possible to travel faster than the speed of light?” and, “which part of the school has the most bacteria?”

In small groups, Grade 11 students spent the day on March 24th designing experiments that would help them illustrate their answers to the questions their peers asked. Once a suitable experiment had been designed, the students created presentation boards in order to share their findings with the Grade 5 classes.

On March 25th, the Grade 11 teams presented their findings to the Grade 5 students in the MSHS Science Labs. Students were split into small groups consisting of students from at least two different science disciplines in order to work on their project approach and plan their experimental design. 

The G11s were well prepared, eloquent and had explained the questions in visual and engaging ways. They handled the follow up questions our G5s asked during the visit very well. Our students were proud to have been a part of the process. One little girl kept beaming, saying, “they chose my question!”

Ms. Marshall, G5 Teacher

Reflective Practice

Finally, as part of the project, all of the Group 4 Project participants were required to submit a short, non-graded, reflection of their experience. The assignment allowed them to reflect on some of the challenges they faced during the project and to highlight the learning that enabled them to overcome those challenges.

Learn More About The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme