Academic Handbook
Grade 102023-2024

Table of Contents
1. Guiding Statements
2. Leadership at UWC ISAK Japan
Who is a transformational Leader?
How Do We Gauge our Success?
Leadership Portfolio & Leadership Diploma
3. Academic Honesty
4. Attainment Indicators
UWC ISAK Japan Attainment Indicators
What other skills and qualities do we look to assess?
5. UWC ISAK Japan Japan Grade 10 Academic Programme
Leadership
LEADERSHIP COURSE
Course Description
Course Outline
Assessment
Language and Literature
English (Level 1)
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
English (Levels 2 and 3)
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Japanese (Level 1)
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment
Japanese (Level 3)
Course Description
Humanities
Grade 10 Humanities - Facing a Challenging World
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
The Sciences
G10 Science
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed

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Assessment
Information Science17
17

Course Description

17

Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment

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Mathematics
G10 Mathematics

18

Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
The Arts

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Visual Arts
Course Description
Course Outline
Skills Developed
Assessment

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1. Guiding Statements
A Shared Mission
UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future
Our Distinct Identity
To empower our students to become transformational leaders who explore new frontiers for the greater
good of Asia and beyond
Our Motto
One Life. Realise your Potential. Be a catalyst for positive change.

2. Leadership at UWC ISAK Japan
A unique and core component of UWC ISAK Japan is our focus on leadership. Our leadership programme
is integrated into all aspects of living and learning on campus.

Who is a transformational Leader?
A transformational leader is someone who consistently identifies what is most important
and what is needed, takes purposeful action in the face of discomfort, uses diversity as
a strength, and supports others in this practice. With continuous practice, atransformational leader creates positive change within self and the community at large.

Leadership is a Practice
Leadership is not a position or status that a selective group of people earn, whether by the virtue of theireconomic or social position in society or their innate demeanour or personality. No matter what our
background or personality, we can all engage in practices that support our growth in leadership skills andmindsets to become positive change makers. While developing these core skills and mindsets, UWC ISAK
Japan offers a human-centred environment where each of us can find our own strengths, and our authentic
ways to create positive change.

How Do We Gauge our Success?
At UWC ISAK Japan, we believe that ultimate success is achieved when the entire UWC ISAK Japan
community is committed to the practice of transformational leadership; engaged in getting better at
Awareness, Connecting, Action-Taking, Self-Discipline, and Creativity; and making visible positive impact
for the greater good of Asia and beyond.
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Leadership Portfolio & Leadership Diploma
In order for students to track their engagement in the leadership practice and growth in their leadershipskills and mindsets, each student designs and creates their own web-based leadership portfolio across all
years at UWC ISAK Japan. They use this space to showcase major artifacts of their leadership practices,and reflect on their growth as leaders.
Upon graduation many of our students will be awarded a unique Leadership Diploma. The leadership
diploma acknowledges students who not only satisfy the academic requirements for a high school diploma
but also demonstrate significant engagement in the leadership practices throughout their time at UWC ISAK
Japan and have created positive changes that are in line with our mission. We work with students so they
can all meet this important milestone.

3. Academic Honesty
Definition: The School defines malpractice as behaviour that results in, or may result in, the student or any
other students gaining an unfair advantage in assessment components. Malpractice includes the following:●

Plagiarism: This is defined as the representation of the ideas or work of another person as thestudent's own.

●

Collusion: This is defined as supporting malpractice by another student, as in allowing one's work
to be copied or submitted for assessment by another.

●

Duplication of work: This is defined as the presentation of the same work for different assessment
components and/or diploma requirements.

●

Any other behaviour that gains an unfair advantage for a student or affects the results ofanother student. For example, taking unauthorised material or devices into a test situation,
misconduct during an exam, falsifying an activities record, disclosure of information to and receipt of
information from students about the content of a test to others who may not have written it yet.

In these cases, the student Code of Conduct which is in the Student Handbook, will be in effect.

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4. Attainment Indicators
UWC ISAK Japan Attainment Indicators
UWC ISAK Japan uses its own set of internal attainment indicators, which allow us to focus on student
learning and provide for cohesion across grade levels. In addition, they allow us to harmonise both the IB
and Japanese Ministry of Education grading requirements.
UWC ISAK
Level

7

6

5

4

Attainment Grade

Descriptors

Excellent

Skills Development​- Consistent and thorough evidence of the ability toapply skills both widely and flawlessly.
Content Acquisition​- Consistent and thorough evidence of near-mastery oftargeted subject knowledge.
Conceptual Understanding​- Consistent and thorough evidence of highquality analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
Consistent and thorough evidence of originality and insight.

Very Good

Skills Development ​- Consistent and thorough evidence of the ability toapply skills widely.
Content Acquisition​- Frequent evidence of near-mastery of targeted
subject knowledge.
Conceptual Understanding ​- Frequent evidence of high quality analysis,
synthesis and evaluation. Frequent evidence of originality and insight.

Good

Skills Development ​- Frequent evidence of the ability to apply skills tomost situations.
Content Acquisition ​- Frequent evidence of good targeted subject
knowledge.
Conceptual Understanding ​- Frequent evidence of good analysis,
synthesis and evaluation. Occasional evidence of originality and insight.

Satisfactory

Skills Development ​- Evidence of the ability to apply skills effectively insome situations. Content Acquisition ​- Occasional evidence of targeted
subject knowledge.
Conceptual Understanding ​- Occasional evidence of analysis, synthesis
and evaluation.

Underdeveloped
Attainment

Skills Development ​- Limited evidence of the application of appropriate
skills. Content Acquisition ​- Limited evidence of targeted subject
knowledge. Conceptual Understanding ​- Limited evidence of analysis,
synthesis and evaluation.

2

Low Measurable
Attainment

Skills Development ​- Very limited evidence of the application of
appropriate skills. Content Acquisition ​- Very limited evidence of targeted
subject knowledge. Conceptual Understanding ​- Very limited evidence ofanalysis, synthesis and evaluation.

1

No Measurable
Attainment

3

Minimal evidence demonstrated of required expectations

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What other skills and qualities do we look to assess?
When the school sends home report cards, students, and their families, receive their attainment level per
subject and also narrative comments where teachers and advisors discuss the students’ growth andprovide feedback on their approaches to learning. Among these skills and qualities, teachers and advisors
may discuss “awareness”, or the students’ capacity to observe oneself and the environment and tounderstand what is important for the greater good. Teachers and advisors may also discuss “connecting”, or
how the student empathises with members of the community, understands diverse potentials and supports
others towards a common goal. Teachers and advisors may also discuss “action taking”, or how the student
steps out of their comfort zone and acts with courage. Teachers and advisors may also discuss“Self-Discipline”, or how the student responds to challenges with measured reflection, resilience andoptimism. Teachers and advisors may also discuss “Creativity”, or how students’ generate ideas and build
upon the ideas of others.

5. UWC ISAK Japan Japan Grade 10 Academic Programme
Leadership
LEADERSHIP COURSE
Course Description
The Grade 10 Leadership program is the pinnacle of students’ experience at UWC ISAK Japan. Eachstudent has the opportunity to develop and run their own project or to join another student project. Throughthe experience of running a project, students learn leadership and teamwork skills such as communication,
project management, conflict resolution, and budgeting.
Successful projects are ones which are both ambitious enough to challenge the student to grow andimpactful enough to have positive outcomes for others.
The learning is student-led. This means that we expect students to drive their own learning, take initiative,
ask questions, and take action to move their projects forward.
The underlying methodology is two-fold:● Personalised - Each student can choose their own project based on the intersection of theirinterests and where there is a genuine need in the world. Instructors and coaches will guidestudents in learning the skills and knowledge needed to complete their projects.
● Project-based - Projects form the core of the curriculum and connect learning with real-life
experience. Reflection and coaching are key instructional strategies to help students uncover theirstrengths and areas for improvement in a relevant and practical way.
There are two Project Weeks in the course:● Fall Project Week: Students spend 2-3 days in a camp-like environment in which they are pushedUWC ISAK Japan G10 Academic Handbook 2022-2023

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●

outside their comfort zone to learn more about leadership, teamwork, communication, andself-awareness. They spend the final two days focused on their projects and taking action.
Spring Project Week: Students spend the entire week off-timetable to focus on their projects. Real
progress and action is expected during this Project Week.

Course Outline
The course is run in four phases which students can progress through at their own pace.
1. Explore○ Students take their first steps to create their Purpose Project. They learn about themselves,
teamwork, leadership, and identify the nexus between their interests and problems in theworld that need solving. They identify their strengths and areas for growth.
2. Trial and Error○ Students take their first action steps to find out more about the problem they are solving,what has already been done, who is already working in this space, and make connections
with possible mentors and supporters. With the support of their coach, students plan test
projects to see if their assumptions about the project are correct or not. They identify theneeded skills and knowledge, and resources required to proceed with their project.
3. Main Effort○ Students take action to achieve the aims of their project. This often involves ideating,prototyping, and testing. Students make project decisions and problem solve. Students
receive support from their coach and mentor.
4. Evaluate○ Students evaluate their project and themselves. This phase involves students identifying
their thoughts and feelings throughout the project, sharing their experiences, and evaluating
their project in terms of:i.
Processii.
Project Outcomesiii.
Self-Assessment to identify learning, achievements, challenges, strengths, interests,
and areas for improvement.

Assessment
Assessment is a ⅓ approach in which three assessments take place: student self-assessment, coachassessment, and peer assessment.
Coaches will review the student’s self-assessment, peer-assessment, and coach assessment. When thereis evidence of the success criteria, a pass will be awarded. The success criteria are:■ Students discover their interests.
■ Students identify a nexus between their interest and a community need.
■ Students take action and work towards solving a need.
■ Students reflect on the successes and failures of their actions.
■ Students reflect on and identify their personal strengths and areas for improvement.

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Language and Literature
English (Level 1)
Course Description
Language is essential for communicating, thinking, and learning. Furthermore, having a firm command of
language is fundamental to critical thinking, which is a key skill in all IB Diploma courses. As such, students
in English 1 develop an appreciation for, and enjoyment of, the power and beauty of the English languagein daily use and in literature. English 1 is a course that focuses on building vocabulary, strengthening
grammar and preparing students for success in the IB Diploma program.
The English 1 course focuses on four units:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Building blocks of English
Overcoming Obstacles
Creative Writing
Essays and Speeches

Course Outline
Quarter 1: Building blocks of English
This unit focuses on introducing students to the fundamentals of high school English. This includes learning
how to organise paragraphs, write an acaemic essay and write summaries. It also focuses on reading
comprehension strategies such as guessing context from the title, skimming, scanning and guessing
meaning from context. This builds a strong foundation for the rest of the year, not only for English but also
for other subjects.
Quarter 2: Overcoming Obstacles
This unit centres around the main question, “How are obstacles overcome?”. Throughout the unit we read
and/or watch biographies of various celebrities and activists such as Malala Yousoufzai, Nick Vijicic, Helen
Keller, Iqbal Masih, etc.. After learning about each celebrity, we discuss the obstacles that they faced in life
and the strategies they used to overcome them. These obstacles could be mental, physical, cultural orsocial. We then talk about obstacles in our own life and apply what we have learned from the celebrities inour own lives.
Quarter 3: Creative Writing
Having spent the first half of the year strengthening English language foundation, we now start exploring
the literary aspects of the course. Students learn the fundamentals of short stories such as plot graph,setting, and characterisation. Students use this knowledge to deconstruct some popular fairy tales. They
also have an opportunity to share fairy tales from their culture. Finally, we look at some fractured fairy tales
and write a fractured fairy tale of our own.
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Quarter 4: Essays and Speeches
In this unit, we learn about speech as a text type, learn what makes a speech a memorable speech andlisten to famous speeches from around the world. Students then pick a topic that they are passionate about,write and deliver a speech on the topic.

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Paragraphing
Essay writing
Story analysis
Creative writing: short stories
Reading: non-fiction texts
Reading: fiction texts
Collaborative skills
Speaking skills
Performance skills

Assessment
Quarter 1: Building blocks of English● A series of summaries● Vocabulary quizzes● 5-paragraph essay
Quarter 2: Overcoming Obstacles● Presentation: present on the obstacles faced and overcome by a celebrity of choice● Comprehension and vocabulary quizzes
Quarter 3: Creative Writing● Write an original fractured fairy tale
Quarter 4: Speech● Analyse a famous speech● Write and deliver a speech

English (Levels 2 and 3)
Course Description

Language is essential for communicating, thinking, and learning. Furthermore, having a firm command of
language is fundamental to critical thinking, which is a key skill in all IB Diploma courses. As such, students

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in English 2 and 3 develop an appreciation for, and enjoyment of, the power and beauty of the English
language in daily use and in literature.
This is a language and literature course that prepares students for success in the IB Diploma as well as
encourages students to pursue their creative interests. The study of language involves exploring how
language is used in texts that students encounter on a daily basis. Students need to think critically about
the stylistic and structural devices that the creators of texts use as well as the purpose, audience, and bias
in texts such as social media and news articles.
The study of literature involves texts that communicate complex human ideas through written art forms
such as poetry and novels. Moreover, students develop their own creative skills by learning how to use
structure and stylistic devices in their own creative works.
This English course focuses on four units:
I.
II.
III.
IV.

Creative writing: The creative process behind poetry and protest
Drama study: The principles of storytelling in Shakespeare’s plays.
New media: Campaigns and persuasion
Novel study: Writers express their views on societal and political issues.

The course begins with a creative writing unit on poetry that presents creativity as a process rather
than inspiration. Students learn how to use a variety of thinking tools, poetic devices and poetry
forms to express their ideas. Through the act of creation, students become more aware of the
choices poets need to make when crafting their poems. This leads to skills-based work on poetry
analysis and writing literary essays, which are key skills for Diploma level studies in English.
Students have a chance to study the principles of storytelling as they apply to drama texts througha study of Shakespeare’s plays Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Concepts
such as dramatic irony, archetypal characters, and genre conventions are examined bydeep-diving into selected scenes. Performance skills are taught in conjunction with scene analysis
as a way for students to understand the plays as an actor or director might.
The English course at UWC ISAK Japan recognizes the ever changing nature of language andforms of communication in a unit on social media and persuasive language. In this part of thecourse, students will have the opportunity to create a social media campaign on a global issue
they care about. They will create multi-modal social media texts such as Facebook and Twitter
posts as well as persuasive speeches. The students will explore how organisations make use ofsocial media to persuade viewers to think, feel, or take action in certain ways.
The course concludes with a novel study and creative writing unit exploring how writers express
their views on important societal issues through the novel form. Students draw on the concepts
learned from the previous units, such as the principles of story and the creative process, to craft
their own short stories that deal with societal or political issues of concern to each student. At thesame time, the class studies George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Craig Silvey’s Jasper Jones, and Keiji
Nakazawa’s Barefoot Gen. Themes of power and language, revolutions and repression, andconflict and order are examined and connections made to current world events and students’ lives.

Course Outline
Quarter 1: The creative process behind poetry and protest

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Students study poetic forms and techniques and write their own poems. They apply thinking tools to help
develop originality in their poems. They write several poems and make a portfolio of their poetry, thenanalyse one of their poems. Students then look at a range of protest poetry and write a 5-paragraph essay
analysing a literary poem.
Quarter 2: Drama study: The principles of storytelling in Shakespeare’s plays.
Students explore how the principles of storytelling are applied in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet and A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. Students understand characterization and language devices common to
Shakespeare’s works. Students learn how the forces of antagonism, such as the protagonist, theantagonist, setting, and secrets, combine to cause the tragedy, or comedy, of the two plays. In addition,
students practise research skills as they look into the time period Shakespeare wrote in.

Quarter 3: New media: Campaigns and persuasion
Students analyse various social media texts such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. Students examine howorganisations make use of persuasive language devices to influence viewers. Students learn how to identify
bias. Students understand how an individual can have a voice and connect with an audience by creating asocial media campaign of at least three texts, one of which needs to be a speech.
Quarter 4: Novel study: Writers express their views on societal and political issues.
Students read Animal Farm by George Orwell, Barefoot Gen by Keiji Nakazawa, and Jasper Jones by
Craig Silvey. Students understand how authors address social and political issues in their works of fiction.
Story principles such as structure, archetypal characters, and irony are analysed and students apply thoseprinciples in their own works of fiction. Connections are made between the novels, students’ own
experiences, and the wider world.

Skills Developed
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●

Poetry analysis
Story analysis
Paragraphing
Essay writing
Creative writing: poetry
Creative writing: short stories
Reading: non-fiction texts
Reading: fiction texts
Collaborative skills
Speaking skills
Performance skills

Assessment
Quarter 1: The creative process behind poetry and protest● Creative piece: poetry portfolio.
● Rationale of one poem from the portfolio.
● Analysis essay of one protest poem.
Quarter 2: Drama study: The principles of storytelling in Shakespeare’s plays.
● Performance: present one scene from Romeo and Juliet or A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
● Literary essay.
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Quarter 3: New media: Campaigns and persuasion● Persuasive speech.
● Social media campaign.
Quarter 4: Novel study: Writers express their views on societal and political issues.
● Literary essay.
● Creative piece: short story
End of year exam
● Essay based on one unit of study from the year.

Japanese 1
Japanese as a world language for beginning learners

Course Description
The purpose of this course is to help each student attain a beginning level of Japanese proficiency in thefive skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and typing by presenting language in the context of thecontemporary Japanese-speaking world and its culture. The Primary emphasis in classroom is tocommunicate in Japanese. Students will also be expected to master hiragana, katakana, and some kanji
characters by the end of the course. Written exercises and reading usually will be assigned as in-class workand quizzed in class. As a summative assessment at the end of each semester, students will be assigned a
project which they will demonstrate their communication skills (presentational, interpretive, andinterpersonal) and their reading and writing skills. It is an additional language-learning course and students
with appropriate academic challenge will develop their intercultural understanding through project basedlearning.

Leadership/Mindfulness practice and Japanese language acquisition
What does it mean to be a positive change maker as a language learner? How can we make positivechanges while learning Japanese language and culture? At UWC ISAK Japan, students will consistently be
asked to practice their leadership while learning Japanese language and culture. Students will also be
encouraged to observe and identify Mindfulness in Japanese culture and bring them into their life.

Course Outline
In order to build solid foundation in Japanese literacy, with an emphasis on “Conceptual Understanding”,
students will acquire the following grammar expressions;Introducing yourself, Asking people their names and what they do, Asking/telling people times, phone
numbers, etc., Asking and answering how much things cost, Going shopping, Ordering food in a restaurant,
Talking about daily activities and customs, Extending invitations, Accepting and refusing invitations, Asking
and describing where things are, Talking about things that happened in the past, Talking about habitual
actions in the past, Talking about travel, Making offers and invitations, Talking about likes and dislikes,
Requests, Asking for and giving permission, Talking about rules and regulations, Offering to help, Giving
reasons for doing/not doing something

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Numbers / Time / Particles / Question sentences / Verbs (present and past tense) / Word order/ Frequency
adverbs / Adjectives / Te form of verbs

Skills Developed-

Students can communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrating linguisticcompetence and intercultural understanding.
Students can use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and/or cultural contexts.
Students can understand and use language to express and respond to a range of ideas withaccuracy and fluency.
Students can organize ideas on a range of topics, in a clear, coherent and convincing manner.
Students can understand, analyze, and respond to a range of written and spoken texts.

Assessment
Check for understanding as formative assessment:
Reflections, Quizzes, Summarizing the grammar materials, Making visual presentations, Graphic recording,Peer instruction, Peer/Self Assessments, “Separate what you do and don’t understand”, observations,discussions, questioning, and more!
Authentic assessment as summative assessment (the year-long project):First semester – Hosting students from Karuizawa High School -Making local friends beyond the UWCISAK community.
Second semester –Visiting Karuizawa High School and experiencing traditional school life in Japan.
The goals of this project are:-

To enable students to make friends beyond our school community-

To help students learn more about authentic Japanese language and culture-

To explore their life in Japan with the Japanese language skills they gain the year-

To help students practice/develop their leadership and mindfulness skills

Japanese 2AJapanese as a world language

Course Description
The purpose of this course is to help each student attain an intermediate level of Japanese proficiency
in the five skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and typing by presenting the language in thecontext of the contemporary Japanese-speaking world and its culture. Written/reading exercises
regularly will be assigned in class and students will be quizzed in class as a part of their formative
UWC ISAK Japan G10 Academic Handbook 2022-202313assessments. Students will be asked to make a presentation and lead a group discussion in Japanese.
At the end of the semester, as a part of their summative assessments, students write a short essay andwill also work on an individual project to demonstrate their communication skills (presentational,
interpretive, and interpersonal). It is an additional language-learning course and students withappropriate academic challenge will develop their intercultural understanding through their projectbased learning.
Leadership practice and Japanese language acquisition
What does it mean to be a positive change maker as a language learner? How can we make positivechanges while learning Japanese language and culture? At UWC ISAK Japan, students will consistently be
asked to practice their leadership while learning Japanese language and culture.

Course Outline
While building solid foundation for Japanese literacy and communication skills, students will also develop
their “Conceptual Understanding” emphasizing on the following themes and topics as a link to Japanese B(IB);
Identities:
Lifestyle, Health and well-being, Briefs and values, Subcultures, Language and identity
Experiences:
Leisure activities, holidays and travel, Life stories, Rites of passage, customs and traditions
Human Ingenuity:
Entertainment, Artistic expressions, Communication and media, Technology, Scientific innovation
Social Organization:
Social relationship, Community, Social engagement, Education, Working world, Law and order
Sharing the planet:
Environment, Human rights, Peace and conflicts, Equality, Globalization, Ethnics, Urban and rural
environment

Skills Developed-

Students can communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrating
linguistic competence and intercultural understanding.
Students can use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and/or cultural contexts.
Students can understand and use language to express and respond to a range of ideas withaccuracy and fluency.
Students can organize ideas on a range of topics, in a clear, coherent and convincing manner.
Students can understand, analyze, and respond to a range of written and spoken texts.

Japanese 2B
Japanese as a first/heritage/world language

Course Description
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The purpose of this course is to help each student attain an advanced level of Japanese proficiency in thefive skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and typing by presenting the language in the context of thecontemporary Japanese-speaking world and its culture. Written/reading exercises regularly will be assigned
in class and students will be quizzed in class as a part of their formative assessments. Students will be
asked to make a presentation and lead a group discussion in Japanese. At the end of the semester, as apart of their summative assessments, students write a short essay and will also work on an individual
project to demonstrate their communication skills (presentational, interpretive, and interpersonal). It is anadditional language-learning course and students with appropriate academic challenge will develop theirintercultural understanding through their project based learning.
Leadership practice and Japanese language acquisition
What does it mean to be a positive change maker as a language learner? How can we make positivechanges while learning Japanese language and culture? At UWC ISAK Japan, students will consistently be
asked to practice their leadership while learning Japanese language and culture.

Course Outline
While building solid foundation for Japanese literacy and communication skills, students will also develop
their “Conceptual Understanding” emphasizing on the following themes and topics as a link to Japanese B(IB);
Identities:
Lifestyle, Health and well-being, Briefs and values, Subcultures, Language and identity
Experiences:
Leisure activities, holidays and travel, Life stories, Rites of passage, customs and traditions
Human Ingenuity:
Entertainment, Artistic expressions, Communication and media, Technology, Scientific innovation
Social Organization:
Social relationship, Community, Social engagement, Education, Working world, Law and order
Sharing the planet:
Environment, Human rights, Peace and conflicts, Equality, Globalization, Ethnics, Urban and rural
environment

Skills Developed-

Students can communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrating
linguistic competence and intercultural understanding.
Students can use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and/or cultural contexts.
Students can understand and use language to express and respond to a range of ideas withaccuracy and fluency.
Students can organize ideas on a range of topics, in a clear, coherent and convincing
manner.
Students can understand, analyze, and respond to a range of written and spoken texts.

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Japanese 3
中学国語修了程度の学力を有する学生を対象

Course Description「読む」「聞く」「見る」というインプット型学習によって入ってきた情報を脳の中で処理し、「書く」「話す」というアウトプット型学習によって記憶に定着させ、さらに「発信する」「伝える」「行動する」ことによって人とつながり、現実の社会に影響を与える。
1. 文章を多角的に捉え、表現について考察し、論理への理解・論理的思考を深める。
2. 目的や場に応じて、的確に聞き取り、効果的に話す。
3. エッセイやスピーチ作成に必要な構想の構築方法（構造的に理解する力）、叙述の基本的なスキル（文章の詳細な読み取りや分析ができる力）を身につけ、高度な論述力やスピーチ力を培う。
文章全体の構成を捉えて読むことを前提とし、「論点を明確にする→意見を構築し、構成を整える→意見を検証し、再構築する」という流れを意識しながら、常にクリティカルに思考する姿勢を育てる。読解力・理解力・知識力をバランスよく鍛えるために、学生主導ディスカッションを中心に授業を進める。自分の言葉で説明し、相手の意
見を聞きながら理解を深めることを意識しつつ、「書く」能力の基礎、表現力、対話・会話力をつける。そして、「行動する力」へとシフトする。
課題に対しては、個人及びグループで取り組み、発展的に「学び」を確認する。エッセイ（小論文）に関しては、個人で関連資料を収集・分析し、自身の考えを構築、構成して述べていく。担当教員からのフィードバックを受け、書き直しを試み、自己の表現を客観的に検証する姿勢を養い、「レジリエンス」を高めつつ、応用可能で柔軟な知識と学力を身につける。
客観的 インプット↓
賛同・反対・疑問・考察・分析↓
主観的 アウトプット

Course Outline
Q1

共感力「相手の身になる練習」「熱源」( 夏休み課題・読書ノート 9月)

プレゼンテーション
ディスカッション
振り返りQ2

アイデンティティ
「日本という国」

エッセイ
プレゼンテーション
ディスカッション
振り返りQ3

アイデンティティ
「タテ社会の人間関係」「『甘え』の構造」

エッセイ
プレゼンテーション
ディスカッション
振り返り

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Q4

アイデンティティ
「こころ」「私とは何か」（読書ノート５月）
個人プロジェクト（共感力・アイデンティティ）
アウトプット「話す」「書く」「行動する」

エッセイ
プレゼンテーション
ディスカッション振り返りファイナルプロジェクト

まずは、ISAKという多様性がある環境で他人を知り、相手の身になる力を身につける努力をする。そして、他人を知ることで自分自身を理解する。Empathy BuildingからIdentity Buildingという学習活動を通して、次年度からのIB学習のConceptual Learningにつながる。またその中で日本語でのエッセイの書き方やプレゼンテーション
能力などのテクニカルスキル向上においてもIBレベルで指導を受ける。

Skills Developed 習得する基本的な技術
・
・
・
・
・

文章全体の構成、要旨や主題、筆者の主張を的確に捉え、要約する。
論理的な思考力 分析、意見構築、検証を通して客観的に述べる。
根拠を明確にして論を組み立て、構成、展開できる。
文章を読んでまとめた意見や感想を共有し、自分の考えを広げる。
明確な自分の意見を持ち、論理的にアウトプットできる。

技術そのものを学ぶことは大切であるが、その技術が、いつ、どこで、どう社会に役立つのか、これを考えることはより重要となる。

Humanities
Grade 10 Humanities - Facing a Challenging World
Course Description
The Humanities 10 course analyses Global Issues in an interconnected world. Drawing upon several
disciplines--History Geography, Economics and Politics--students are asked to investigate real world issues
through the lens of the United World College ethos while meeting the requirements of MEXT (the Japanese
Ministry of Education). Here at UWC ISAK Japan, our G10 Humanities programme addresses questions ofsustainability through each social discipline by explicitly focusing on international topics and theirimplications on regional and local communities within Asia. In addition to knowledge of real world issues,
students will be equipped with the necessary skills to ensure adequate preparation for Individual andSocieties (Group 3) within the IB. Such skills include document analysis, essay writing, critical thinking,communication, and investigation. Students will be encouraged to take ownership of their learning, while
becoming reflective, balanced critical thinkers.
Concepts by Discipline:
Geography

History

Economics

Global Politics

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Sustainability

Modernity

Development

Citizenship

Innovation

Global Interaction

Social Justice

Democracy

Course Outline
Geography
Sustainability
Innovation
This portion of the course focuses on the key question: How do we share space, time and resources withothers? The course begins with an exploration of the topic of population dynamics. What are theimplications of population growth? What factors influence growth, decline, and maintenance of populations?
Students will explore why some societies have ageing populations while others seek to control population
growth. Immigration, emigration and displacement are also explored using current and historical casestudies. Another section of the Sustainability unit focuses on the impact of Global Climate Change.
Students are presented with the scientific evidence, political perspectives, and social media response andare challenged to consider possible options. What actions should be taken?
History
Modernity
Global Interaction
Modernity and global interaction are the key themes of the History unit. Students explore Japan from theTokugawa Shogunate to the postwar period, considering the transition of Japan from isolation to formidable
regional military power. Aspects of the traditional culture and society will be explored, as well as theimplications of the forced opening of Japan by the United States. Modernization, industrialization,
constitutionalism and the extension of the vote and citizen’s rights will be juxtaposed with discussion of therise in militarism and imperial aims in the first half of the twentieth century. How and why has Japanevolved into a global power?
Economics
Development
Social JusticeThis unit focuses on the discrepancy of wealth between the global north and south. It evaluates thesignificance and implications of European colonialism and its contribution to the current economic divide. It
analyses the United Nations Development Goals by exploring case studies within specific regions within the
global south, which students will evaluate their progress. Most importantly, students will weigh personal
responsibility and action within an unequal world.
Global Politics
Democracy
Citizenship
The Global Politics unit addresses the concept of Democracy by investigating its history and development
over time and space. It addresses individual rights and responsibilities needed to ensure a healthy andsustainable democracy. It evaluates present challenges to democracy, such as inequality, education,
injustice and social challenges from media outlets. Finally, the unit asks to students to analyse the claim‘that democracy is an outdated concept in the 21st century.’UWC ISAK Japan G10 Academic Handbook 2022-2023

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Skills Developed
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Capacity to develop rigorous and cogent arguments
Ability to make reasoned judgments
Understanding the purposes, values and limitations of a range of sources of information
critical thinking
Emotional intelligence
Analysis, synthesis and interpretation of information
Construction of substantiated analyses about the past
Research and selection of materials
Communication and writingorganisation and self-management
Storytelling
Collaboration

The Sciences
G10 Science
Course Description
Our Science programme explores 7 topics aligned with the Japanese MEXT curriculum: the nature ofscience, characteristics of life, properties of matter, photosynthesis & cellular respiration, light, polymers,
and our changing environment. In line with our college mission, the programme also emphasises
cross-cutting concepts of awareness, connecting, action-taking, self-discipline, and creativity.

Course Outline
Semester 1 The principles of science and characteristics of scientific knowledge.
The basic unit of life and how organisms are classified.
The structure of atoms and how the elements are organized.
The source of energy on Earth and how that light energy is converted into chemical energy byphotosynthetic organisms.
The source of organic compounds and how they are used by heterotrophs to produce energy.
Semester 2 The properties and uses of electromagnetic waves, namely visible light.
The relationship between light and plant growth, animal behaviour, and human sight.
The properties and functions of various clothing material and nutrients in food.
How science innovation and development have improved human lives.
The geology of Japan.

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Skills Developed
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Observing the natural world
Recognition of environmental issues
Appreciation of technological innovations
Working together on projects
Teaching others
Asking questions
Discussing topics
Choosing areas of researchPresenting information
Researching information
Meeting deadlines

Assessment
Students in Grade 10 Science receive feedback on formative and summative assessments throughout theirunits of study. Graded unit tests, presentations, projects, and an end of year exam are major assessment
pieces. As many students are transitioning to an English academic environment as well as one thatemphasizes higher-order cognitive skills, reported grades reflect a best-fit of the student’s achievement atthat time.

Information Science
Course Description
Information Science course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding on the role and effect ofInformation Technology (IT) on society. Students learn the scientific way of thinking that helps to find andsolve issues regarding Information Technology and build the ability and attitude to further develop theinformation society. This course provides a framework for the student to make informed judgments anddecisions about the use of technology within social contexts. It encourages students to use their knowledgeof IT systems and technical skills to justify IT solutions for the identified problems.
In our school, this course is delivered mostly through practical hands-on activities as it is a skill-based
course. It comprises three main phases - 1) Awareness and application of existing tools & technologies 2)
Acquisition of basic computational thinking and problem-solving skills 3) Creating computational solutions
by applying logical thinking skills.
Here at UWC ISAK, the Information Science course goes hand in hand with our core leadership courses:
Mindful Self Discipline (Leading self) and Design Innovation (Leading with Others). Leadership is practiced
throughout the Information Science course.

Course Outline
Awareness and application of existing tools & technologies○ Understanding the use of a wide variety of softwares and Apps to solve problems
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○
○
○

Applications to specified scenarios.
Awareness of the ways Information Technology can help in home, learning and work
environments
Evaluating their social and ethical significance.

Acquisition of basic computational thinking and problem-solving skills .
○ Learn how to think algorithmically and solve programming problems efficiently.
○ Practical activities to acquire logical thinking skills.
○ Coding Apps and Games with the help of interactive visual programming tools.
Creating computational solutions by applying logical thinking skills.
○ Learn about basic notions about one modern programming language such as Python.
○ Create solutions to real life problems by using computer simulation.
○ Basic notions of algorithms and cryptography.
Knowledge of IT including new and emerging technologies

Skills Developed
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Technical / IT skills
Computational Thinking/Logical Thinking skills
Problem-solving skills
Coding skills
Analysis skills
Research skills
Critical thinking
Collaborative skills
Leadership skills
Communication skills

Assessment
Assessments in Information Science are practical and skill-based. The projects/products, the students workon, will be the major assessment components.
● Presentations● Projects● Research Activity

Mathematics
G10 Mathematics
Course Description

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“Mathematics as an expression of the human mind reflects the active will, the contemplative reason, and thedesire for aesthetic perfection. Its basic elements are logic and intuition, analysis and construction, generality
and individuality.” - Richard Courant

Our G10 Mathematics has two main goals: to fulfill the requirements of the Japanese MEXT curriculum andto prepare students for the core syllabus of IB Mathematics as they enter G11.
The programme is organised around five major units, each with a number of distinct topics. However, thegoal of the overall syllabus is to allow the students to see the many connections between these topics, andhow each can relate to applications in other fields of knowledge.
The course begins with a full exploration of all the different sets of numbers, from natural (counting
numbers) to irrationals, and the ways of expressing or approximating them. After a brief review of
coordinate geometry, inequalities are studied in depth, including inequalities involving absolute value(modulus). Linear programing completes this topic with real-world applications of finding solutions tosystems of inequalities. Unit 1 concludes with a brief study of the structure of mathematical statements andproofs, exploring how to express truths as formal conditional statements and avoid false logicalconclusions.
In the second unit, quadratic functions and their graphs (parabolas) are studied in depth, including thevarious ways of solving quadratic equations. Students are introduced to optimisation, whereby they mustfind the optimal value of one variable to maximize or minimize another under a set of constraints. The unit
concludes with quadratic inequalities, linking back to the first unit.
The third unit is a study of geometric shapes and measures, and trigonometry. The concept of similar
figures is used to introduce the key idea of proportions and trigonometric ratios in right triangles. Moving on,
the sine and cosine rules are developed to extend the range of problems with solutions based on
trigonometric equations. The unit circle and the concept of directed angles (rotations), which create the key
link between triangles and circular functions. Measuring angles using radians is also introduced. Finally, thebasic periodic graphs of sine and cosine are studied, and their applications, such as with pendulums,
electricity and sunlight.
The fourth unit focuses on data analysis and statistics. Various methods of presenting univariate datavisually, such as boxplots and stemplots, are studies, as well as different summary statistics to measure thecentre and spread of a data set. Bivariate data, the study of the relationship between two variables isstudied with scatter plots and regression analysis.
Finally, the fifth unit is a general study of functions, including the concepts of domain, range and one-to-one
functions. Composite and inverse functions are studied in detail, and the latter leads to the introduction of
exponential and logarithmic functions. Growth and decay are modelled with these functions, and are used
to predict future values for variables.

Course Outline
Unit 1: Understanding the Number System & Manipulating Equations
Basic Review
Sets, including Union and Intersection
Number systems
Irrationals & Surds, operations with surds.
Rounding
Exponents (Indices), rational indices (roots)
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Standard Notation
Basic expanding and factoring
Rearrangement of simple formulae. (change of subject)
Addition and subtraction of simple algebraic fractions.
Linear Equations and Their Graphs
Gradients (slopes) and y-intercepts, the form y = mx + c,
Parallel and perpendicular lines, including understanding of gradients (slopes).
Mid-point of a line segment and distance between two points in the plane.
Solution of simultaneous linear equations in two variables.
Inequalities
The properties of order relations: <, ≤ , >, ≥ .
Set notation on a Number Line
Linear inequalities in one variable including compound inequalities
Linear programming
Absolute Value
Equations & inequalities, one variable.
Linear Inequalities, including absolute value, in the Cartesian plane
Logic
Necessary and Sufficient Conditions
Inverse, Converse and Contrapositive of a proposition
Unit 2: Quadratic Functions
Quadratic Equations
Solving quadratic equations by factoring and completing the square
The quadratic formula
Parabolas
Graphs of vertex and standard forms of quadratic functions
Max/Min, symmetry of quadratic functions; applications of max/min.
Finding equations from graphs.
Optimisation
Quadratic Inequalities, use of sign charts.
Unit 3: Geometric Shapes & Measurements
Triangles
Similar Triangles, Ratio and Proportion.
Geometry of the circle, Plane Figures
The circle, centre, radius, area and circumference.
Arc, sector, chord, tangent and segment.
Perimeter and area of plane figures.
Trigonometry
Right triangle trigonometry: the sine, cosine and tan ratios, solving triangles.
Applications: angle of elevation and depression.
Trigonometry of 3D shapes.
Directed angles in the coordinate plane and the unit circle.
Coterminal and reference angles, angles in all quadrants.
Area of a Triangle (½ ab sinC)
Sine and Cosine Rules
Radian Measure
Graphs of Sine and Cosine, amplitude and period
Unit 4: Data Analysis (Statistics)
Univariate Data
Discrete vs continuous
Bar graphs, dot plots, stemplots
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Grouped Data & Histograms
Measures of Center: Mean Mode Median (incl. frequency tables)
Measures of Spread: Range, Interquartile range
Box plots
Standard deviation (manually)
Bivariate Data
Scatter plots and correlation
Mean Point, Line of Best Fit
Regression line with GDC
Unit 5: Functions
Function notation & functions as a mapping of elements
Even & Odd Functions
Domain and Range
Composite Functions
Inverse functions
Exponential Functions
Logarithmic Functions
Growth and Decay

Skills Developed
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Manipulation of any form of polynomial expression, equation or inequality in order to simplify or
solve.
Visual (graphical) analysis of polynomial functions and their features.
Applications of equations and inequalities; identifying the math required to solve a problem
described verbally.
Reasoning; understanding valid and invalid arguments
Seeing angles as directed (rotations), understanding trigonometric ratios as components of circularfunctions.
Ability to solve any triangle that is determined.
Defining angles in radian measure.
Understanding sinusoidal graphs, what they represent and how they can be applied to explore thephysical world.
Understanding the various ways of representing data sets visually
Understand the various ways of summarizing data sets with various measures of centre and spread,and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
The ability to explore the relationship between variables with scatter plots and regression analysis
Understanding the distinct families of functions, and seeing commonalities in all of them through thelanguage of transformations
Understand exponential and logarithmic functions and how they apply to the natural world to growthand decay.
Understand inverse functions as reverse mappings of sets of numbers.

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The Arts
Visual Arts
Course Description
The Grade 10 Art course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations
and boundaries by exploring a range of art from different cultures and times. Students investigate the links
between Japanese art and Western art, exploring their similarities and differences and developing analyticalskills. Students are introduced to a range of media and techniques, and skills are developed in these. The
course is designed for students who want to go on to study Visual Arts in the IB Diploma Programme, butseeks to enrich all students through the development of understanding and appreciation of visual arts.

Course Outline
Grade 10
Art as a Force for Change
Students work in groups on large-scale art-works which are designed for exhibition in the Hiroshi Senju
Gallery in Karuizawa. The exhibition runs through November and December and receives over 1000
visitors, most of whom are Japanese. The students develop visual works of art which respond to the school
mission for positive change, and accompany them with texts in multiple languages.
Japanese influenced Posters
Students work with generative AI and Photoshop to create composite images which incorporate Japanese
art and design principles. Students choose themes for their posters which address issues important tothem. The project connects to leadership in G10 through identifying what is important and taking action toraise awareness of it.
Mask Making
Students explore 3D art-making in connection to Japanese and Western theatre traditions, such as
Bunraku and Noh. Students design and create mask which will be used in community theatre
performances.
Relief Printing
Students explore Japanese and Western traditions of woodblock carving and printing. Students design andprint three-colour reduction prints, taking inspiration from works by Hiroshige and Hokusai.qualities,
intentions).

Skills Developed

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Acrylic painting – colour, brush-marks
Collage, photoshop
Analysis
Art terminology
Photographic skills – composition, viewpoint, framing, colour, tone, photoshop editing
Observational drawing
DesignWoodblock carving
Relief Printing

Assessment●●●●

Group work painting with textiles for exhibition
Poster design
Masks for theatre
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