This is a proposed scope and sequence for the new IB DP Computer Science curriculum. During a Category 3 training, a discussion among educators supported a conceptual approach. However, most teachers agreed to deliver the course in a topic-based format for the first year to better acclimate to the new syllabus.
Amongst the many assumptions this schedule makes / things to know:
about 5 teaching hours per week
the first year has a 45 week school year
the second year has a 38 week school year
there are common vacations for schools
IA is started second semester, 1st year
there are end-of-unit revision and examinations for each topic
Please email Bill at bmackenty@gmail.com with any contributions, complaints, and/or ideas. There is a google-doc version of this that you can copy and edit at this link.
Year 1
Semester 1 (Weeks 1–18)
| Week | Topic | Weekly Focus Areas | Subtopic | HL Extensions/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Programming Fundamentals Computational Thinking | Variables, data types, tracing simple programs, computational thinking concepts, flowcharts | B1.1, B2.1 | Please include B1 computational thinking into B2 as you are teaching. |
| 2 | Programming Fundamentals | Substrings, exceptions, debugging | B2.1 | |
| 3 | Programming Constructs | Sequence, selection structures | B2.3 | |
| 4 | Programming Constructs | Loops, modularisation | B2.3 | |
| 5 | Data Structures | Static vs dynamic structures, arrays, lists, stacks, queues | B2.2 | |
| 6 | Programming Algorithms | Big O, linear & binary search | B2.4 | |
| 7 | Programming Algorithms | Bubble & selection sort, recursion | B2.4 | HL: Recursion |
| 8 | File Processing, Computational Thinking | File read/write, problem specification | B1.1, B2.5 | |
| 9 | Unit examination | Unit examination | B2.1, B2.2, B2.3 | |
| 10 | October Break | |||
| 11 | Computer Hardware | CPU components, GPU, memory | A1.1 | HL: Comparison between CPU and GPU |
| 12 | Computer Hardware, Data Representation | Fetch-decode-execute cycle, compression, binary data | A1.1, A1.2 | |
| 13 | Computer Hardware | Secondary memory, compression, cloud | A1.1 | HL: Pipelining in multicore architectures |
| 14 | Data Representation, Operating Systems | Logic gates, truth tables, OS roles | A1.2, A1.3 | |
| 15 | Operating systems | Scheduling, polling, interrupts | A1.3 | HL: Multitasking |
| 16 | HL: Control SL: Revision | Control Systems | A1.3 | |
| 17 | HL: Translation SL: Revision | interpreters and compilers | A1.4 | |
| 18 | Semester Revision & Assessment | Mid-year evaluations | ||
Semester 2 (Weeks 19–45)
| Week | Topic | Weekly Focus Areas | Subtopic | HL Extensions/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19–21 | Christmas Break | |||
| 22 | Database fundamentals and Database Design | Schema, ERDs, data types | A3.1, A3.2 | |
| 23 | Database Design | Tables, normal forms, 3NF | A3.2 | |
| 24 | Database Programming | SQL CRUD, joins, updating | A3.3 | HL additional practice in SQL joins |
| 25 | SL: Database Programming HL: Database Calculations, Views, Transactions | Aggregate functions, transactions | A3.3, A3.4 | |
| 26 | HL: Alternative databases and data warehouses SL: Database revision | OLAP, distributed databases | A3.4 | |
| 27 | Databases | Revision | A3 | |
| 28 | Databases | Unit examination | A3 | |
| 29 | IA: Introduction, Analysis, Planning | Coding, testing, debugging, refinement | IA | Milestones clearly defined across weeks |
| 30 | February Break | |||
| 31 | IA Development | Coding, testing, debugging, refinement | IA | Milestones clearly defined across weeks |
| 32 | IA Development | Coding, testing, debugging, refinement | IA | Milestones clearly defined across weeks |
| 33 | IA Development | Coding, testing, debugging, refinement | IA | Milestones clearly defined across weeks |
| 34 | IA Development | Coding, testing, debugging, refinement | IA | Milestones clearly defined across weeks |
| 35 | IA Interim Submission & Feedback | Teacher review, feedback | IA | IA draft submission |
| 36 | Revision & Exam Preparation | Final term review | revision | |
| 37 | Revision & Exam Preparation | Final term review | revision | |
| 38 | Spring Break | |||
| 39 | Networks | Fundamentals, devices, architecture, transmission | A2.1 | HL: TCP model |
| 40 | Networks | Network Architecture | A2.2 | HL: Describe the function of servers |
| 41 | Networks | Data transmission | A2.3 | HL Static and dynamic routing |
| 42 | Networks | Network Security | A2.4 | HL vulnerabilities and countermeasures |
| 43 | Network Revision | Revision | A.2 | |
| 44 | Network examination | Unit examination | ||
| 45 | Year-End Assessments | Final evaluations | revision | |
Year 2
Semester 1 (Weeks 1–18)
| Week | Topic | Weekly Focus Areas | Hours | HL Extensions/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weclome back, review | Welcome back / review | ||
| 2 | OOP Fundamentals | Fundamentals, classes, attributes methods | B3.1 | Please introduce case study here and weave it into this years teaching and learning |
| 3 | OOP Fundamentals | Encapsulation, information hiding | B3.1 | |
| 4 | HL: OOP Fundamentals SL: OOP Problem solving | Multiple classes, inheritance, polymorphism | B3.2 | |
| 5 | HL: OOP Fundamentals SL: OOP Problem solving | Abstraction, composition and aggregation, design patterns | B3.2 | |
| 6 | OOP | Revision | B3.1, B3.2 | |
| 7 | October Break | |||
| 8 | OOP | Unit examination | B3.1, B3.2 | |
| 9 | IA Final check | final reviews | IA | IA completion |
| 10 | IA Final Submission, Mock Feedback | IA submission | IA | IA completion |
| 11 | HL: Abstract Data Types SL: Revision | Linked lists, BSTs, ADTs | B4.1 | |
| 12 | HL: Abstract Data Types SL: Revision | Linked lists, BSTs, ADTs | B4.1 | |
| 13 | HL: Abstract Data Types SL: Revision | Linked lists, BSTs, ADTs | B4.1 | |
| 14 | HL: Revision SL: Revision | Revision | B4 | |
| 15 | HL: Unit examination SL: Revision | Unit examination | B4 | |
| 16 | Revision & Mock Exams | SL/HL mock exams and review | ||
| 17 | Revision & Mock Exams | SL/HL mock exams and review | ||
| 18 | Revision & Mock Exams | SL/HL mock exams and review | ||
Semester 2 (Weeks 19–38)
| Week | Topic | Weekly Focus Areas | Subtopic | HL Extensions/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19–21 | Christmas Break | |||
| 22 | ML Fundamentals | ML types, hardware, real-world applications | A4.1 | |
| 23 | ML Fundamentals (A4.1) | Unit test for SL students | A4.1 | |
| 24 | February Break | |||
| 25 | HL: ML Advanced SL: Revision | ANN's and CNN's, Data preprocessing | A4.3 | |
| 26 | HL: ML Advanced SL: Revision | Linear regression, classification techniques | A4.3 | |
| 27 | HL: ML Advanced SL: Revision | Hyperparameter and clustering techniques | A4.3 | |
| 28 | HL: ML Advanced SL: Revision | Agents, reinforcement learning and association rules | A4.3 | |
| 29 | HL: ML Advanced SL: Revision | Genetic algorithms, model selection and comparison | A4.3 | |
| 30 | ML Ethics | Ethics, case study overview | A4.4 | |
| 31 | ML | Unit test | A.4 | |
| 32 | Case Study Intensive | Analysis, discussions, mock questions | Case Study | |
| 33 | Case Study Intensive | Analysis, discussions, mock questions | Case Study | |
| 34 | April Break | |||
| 35 | Intensive Revision & Exam Prep | Exam-focused revision and practice | ||
| 36 | Intensive Revision & Exam Prep | Exam-focused revision and practice | ||
| 37 | Intensive Revision & Exam Prep | Exam-focused revision and practice | ||
| 38 | IB Exams Begin | External assessments | go make the the world a better place with computer science. | |