The ESS Case Studies

Case Studies for Environmental Systems and Societies

Welcome to the Revision Village IB Environmental Systems & Societies Case Studies Collection. These Case Studies are designed to support students in their preparation for the IB ESS examinations, in particular for Paper 1. Explore the features and functionalities of this collection to maximise your study experience and enhance your understanding of the curriculum.

What is in the Case Study Collection?

The IB Environmental Systems & Societies Case Study Collection is composed of Paper 1-style Case Studies. Each Case Study presents you with resources about a country or region and a corresponding set of questions. The variety of resources and questions ensures that you have ample opportunity to practice interpreting and analysing data, applying your knowledge to the context presented in the Case Study, and formulating concise and accurate responses for each question type found in Paper 1. The Case Studies are accompanied by written markschemes and a concise sample answer, as well as video explanations that further clarify the content and the best approach to the question. Finally, you can submit your responses for detailed and targeted feedback from Newton AI.

How should the Case Studies be best used?

IB ESS students will benefit from actively practising the type of questions that are on the exams. By reading and analysing the information presented in the Figures and answering the questions they are paired with, you will improve your ability to interpret information and apply your knowledge of Environmental Systems and Societies in previously unseen contexts. You will also learn how to formulate concise and relevant responses to IB ESS questions - supported every step of the way by markschemes, video solutions, and Newton AI.

What is the difference between Open Study and Examination Mode?

A Case Study can be attempted in either Open Study or Examination mode. Open Study mode will allow you to answer each question at your own pace. You can also receive carefully tailored AI feedback and consult the written markscheme and video solution at each step. Alternatively, you might choose to answer all of the questions for the Case Study at once, in Examination Mode. Under this mode, you can tackle questions in any order you wish and go back to change answers before you submit the whole Case Study at once when finished. You can choose to time yourself, using the duration indicated for each Case Study. After completion, you will have access to all markschemes and video solutions, and you will receive AI feedback and an overall 1 - 7 mark on your submitted work. In Examination Mode, your answers will be saved so you can always return to them. In Open Study Mode, you can attempt each question anew.

How are the Case Studies organised? Should I go in order?

The Case Studies are organised by themes taken from the ESS curriculum. There are eight themes in total, four of them relating to the structure and function of nature, four of them relating to the resources humans need and how their use affects the environment. This allows you to choose a Case Study that will give you more practice in a particular area of the curriculum and so better tailor your revision. Note that each Case Study relates to multiple subtopics, even though the focus is on one of the themes. As a result, the order in which you do the Case Studies is entirely dependent on your schedule and preferences. We do, however, recommend that you work through several Case Studies in order to apply your knowledge from across the curriculum.

How long are the Case Studies?

Due to the nature of the IB ESS SL exam, the best practice for Paper 1 is to do an entire Case Study. However, we recognise that IB students have a lot going on, so we have created not only full Case Studies that, with 35 marks and 60 minutes, are the same length as an IB Paper 1, but also designed shorter Case Studies of 18 marks that give you a similar range of practice in 40 minutes.

How hard are the Case Studies?

In order to tailor your revision for Paper 1 we have created Case Studies that are relatively easy, medium or hard. The individual questions in RV ESS Case Studies range in difficulty from easy to hard, as indicated.