Humanities Course Descriptions
Humanities 8
This course is a combination of required curriculum outcomes from grade 8 English and grade 8 Social Studies. In English, students are required to expand their reading repertoire. Short stories and guided reading activities will challenge students to communicate their interpretation of the readings. Students will expand their expository and narrative writing (formally introduced in grade 7) abilities. Social Studies specifically covers a time period of world history from the 7th century to 1750. In Humanities 8 we will look at cultures around the world. Europe and the Renaissance, the Islamic world and the Americas. Student will learn key information about some of the most spectacular peoples and inventions and art. Students will be able to connect their learning to their own knowledge and backgrounds.
At the end of this course one mark will be assigned for both Social Studies and Language Arts.
Humanities 9
This course is a combination of required curriculum outcomes from grade 9 English and grade 9 Social Studies. Language arts skills of reading and writing will be developed through integrated approaches to Social Studies assignments.
Traditional novel study and guided reading assignments along with poetry units will be covered in Language Arts. Within Social Studies, the time period of the 1600’s through to 1850 is studied. A time of Kings and revolutions in Europe and the birth of new countries in North America.
At the end of this course one mark will be assigned for both Social Studies and Language Arts.
Literary Studies and Composition 10
Prerequisite: English 9
With a focus on composition, students will develop and expand their ability to plan, write, and revise essays, read critically, document sources accurately while finding and interpreting relevant information, and apply peer and instructor feedback to the revision process. This course provides students with opportunities to write coherent, well developed, and unified expository and argumentative essays, to summarize and analyze published ideas, and to conduct research and write a research paper.
Literary Studies and Creative Writing 10
Prerequisite: English 9
With a focus on creative writing, students will read, think, and discuss a broad range of texts as a foundation for their own short stories, memoir, and/or poetry. The course focuses on the writing process, from idea development through to publication. The course provides students with opportunities to think critically as they explore, extend, and refine their writing.
Literary Studies and New Media 10
Prerequisite: English 9
With a focus on new media and technology, students will communicate ideas through print and digital media such as film, journalism, websites, and podcasts. In this course, students will also develop their skills in written communication for a variety of contexts. This course requires a passion for and interest in digital media, technology, or film.
Literary Studies and Composition 11
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on great novels, poems, short stories, graphic novels, and/or plays, students will work together to explore themes such as dystopia, death, love, and coming of age. In this course, students will also develop their skills in written communication for a variety of contexts.
Literary Studies and Creative Writing 11
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on creative writing, students will read, think, and discuss a broad range of texts as a foundation for their own short stories, memoir, and/or poetry. The course focuses on the writing process, from idea development through to publication. The course provides students with opportunities to think critically as they explore, extend, and refine their writing.
Literary Studies and New Media 11
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on new media and technology, students will communicate ideas through print and digital media such as film, journalism, infographics, websites, and podcasts. In this course, students will also develop their skills in written communication for a variety of contexts. This course requires a passion for and interest in digital media, technology, and/or film.
English First Peoples: Literary Studies & Writing
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on authentic First Peoples texts and experiences, students will read, think, and discuss a broad range of texts as a foundation for their own short stories, memoir, and/or poetry. It is intended to also improve students ability to plan, write, and revise essays, read critically, document sources accurately while finding and interpreting relevant information, and apply peer and instructor feedback to the revision process. Some themes covered will be Canada past, present and future, cultural identity, and reconciliation.
English First Peoples: Literary Studies & New Media
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on authentic First Peoples texts and experiences, this course is designed to reflect the changing role of technology in today’s society and the increasing importance of digital media in communicating and exchanging ideas. This course is intended to allow students and educators the flexibility to develop a program of study centred on students’ interests, needs, and abilities, while at the same time allowing for a range of local delivery methods. Some themes covered will be Canada past, present and future, cultural identity, and reconciliation. A wide variety of authentic First Peoples texts will be used.
English Language Arts 12
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 11 Course
Students will think critically, creatively, and reflectively to explore ideas within, between, and beyond texts to recognize and identify the role of personal, social, and cultural contexts, values, and perspectives in texts. In order to recognize how language constructs personal, social, and cultural identity, students will construct meaningful personal connections between self, text, and world. In this course, students will develop their skills in written communication in a variety of contexts. The course provides students with opportunities to think critically as they explore, extend, and refine their writing.
Social Studies 10
Prerequisite: Social Studies 9 or Humanities 9
Social Studies students are required to demonstrate competency in the “Big 6 of Historical Thinking”: significance, evidence, continuity and change, cause and consequences, historical perspective and ethical judgement. Content is used as a vehicle to develop the competencies. Social Studies 10 examines Canada from 1914 to the present. Course themes will examine the interrelations between economics, law, society, culture, politics, and global concerns. Social Studies 10 will examine how local, national, and global conflicts can have lasting effects on the contemporary world. Students will gain an understanding of how political decision making and societal change in Canada are influenced by interactions between individuals, groups, institutions, regional interests, and the environment. Students will examine how developments in Canadian society can be viewed in many different ways depending on an individual’s worldview or perspective. The development of reading, writing, and critical thinking skills will be essential focuses of the course.
Explorations in Social Studies 11
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
Social Studies 11 Explorations develops student critical thinking by having students ask questions; gather, interpret, and analyze ideas; and communicate findings and decisions about various topics. The course is a survey course of various topics in History, Geography, Law, and First Nations Culture. The course allows students to use critical thinking skills to understand the world, by examining, discussing, writing and presenting their opinions on variety of topics. Social Studies 11 Explorations will be an inquiry project based course that incorporates formative and summative assessment strategies.
20th Century World History 12
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
History 12 allows students to examine the history of the Twentieth Century concentrating on European/American influences on a global scale, which include the rise and fall of communism, World Wars, peace keeping/making, the cold war, tensions in the Middle East, the war on terrorism and post-cold war relations. Students will develop an awareness of various approaches to history, gaining historical empathy and an appreciation of context, while working with a variety of primary, secondary and visual sources.
Law Studies 12
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
The aim of this course is to encourage students to analyze the Canadian Legal System, focusing on criminal laws, civil laws, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Indigenous Peoples governance. Students will investigate how laws are created, why laws exist, and demonstrate knowledge of how citizens can access and use laws. This course will require students to complete assignments using textbooks, videos, class discussions, class debates, mock cases, and internet searches. Students will use these assignments to analyze criminal case studies, civil case studies, and civil rights challenges to demonstrate critical thinking skills, writing skills, and acquisition of key core competencies. The focus of this course is to have students utilize acquired legal knowledge of Canadian Criminal Code, Youth Criminal Justice Act, contracts, wills, torts, employment laws, and Indigenous Peoples governance.
Physical Geography 12
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
Physical Geography 12 investigates how the earth works- in the air, on the ground, and among living things. It encompasses information, concepts, and methods from many areas of study and addresses both the physical and the human-created systems of the world. Students will be studying people, places, and environments around the planet and how humans adapt to and change/or alter the physical environments around them.
Social Justice 12
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
Social Justice 12 examines and explores controversial social issues with the goal of raising awareness of social injustices, both past and present. Social Justice 12 develops skills necessary to examine the origins of values and beliefs, to challenge assumptions, and to broaden and enhance inclusion and diversity within our progressive democratic society. The course includes a student commitment to action. Students will be challenged to think and act ethically, empowering them to realize their capacity to effect positive change in the world.
This course is a combination of required curriculum outcomes from grade 8 English and grade 8 Social Studies. In English, students are required to expand their reading repertoire. Short stories and guided reading activities will challenge students to communicate their interpretation of the readings. Students will expand their expository and narrative writing (formally introduced in grade 7) abilities. Social Studies specifically covers a time period of world history from the 7th century to 1750. In Humanities 8 we will look at cultures around the world. Europe and the Renaissance, the Islamic world and the Americas. Student will learn key information about some of the most spectacular peoples and inventions and art. Students will be able to connect their learning to their own knowledge and backgrounds.
At the end of this course one mark will be assigned for both Social Studies and Language Arts.
Humanities 9
This course is a combination of required curriculum outcomes from grade 9 English and grade 9 Social Studies. Language arts skills of reading and writing will be developed through integrated approaches to Social Studies assignments.
Traditional novel study and guided reading assignments along with poetry units will be covered in Language Arts. Within Social Studies, the time period of the 1600’s through to 1850 is studied. A time of Kings and revolutions in Europe and the birth of new countries in North America.
At the end of this course one mark will be assigned for both Social Studies and Language Arts.
Literary Studies and Composition 10
Prerequisite: English 9
With a focus on composition, students will develop and expand their ability to plan, write, and revise essays, read critically, document sources accurately while finding and interpreting relevant information, and apply peer and instructor feedback to the revision process. This course provides students with opportunities to write coherent, well developed, and unified expository and argumentative essays, to summarize and analyze published ideas, and to conduct research and write a research paper.
Literary Studies and Creative Writing 10
Prerequisite: English 9
With a focus on creative writing, students will read, think, and discuss a broad range of texts as a foundation for their own short stories, memoir, and/or poetry. The course focuses on the writing process, from idea development through to publication. The course provides students with opportunities to think critically as they explore, extend, and refine their writing.
Literary Studies and New Media 10
Prerequisite: English 9
With a focus on new media and technology, students will communicate ideas through print and digital media such as film, journalism, websites, and podcasts. In this course, students will also develop their skills in written communication for a variety of contexts. This course requires a passion for and interest in digital media, technology, or film.
Literary Studies and Composition 11
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on great novels, poems, short stories, graphic novels, and/or plays, students will work together to explore themes such as dystopia, death, love, and coming of age. In this course, students will also develop their skills in written communication for a variety of contexts.
Literary Studies and Creative Writing 11
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on creative writing, students will read, think, and discuss a broad range of texts as a foundation for their own short stories, memoir, and/or poetry. The course focuses on the writing process, from idea development through to publication. The course provides students with opportunities to think critically as they explore, extend, and refine their writing.
Literary Studies and New Media 11
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on new media and technology, students will communicate ideas through print and digital media such as film, journalism, infographics, websites, and podcasts. In this course, students will also develop their skills in written communication for a variety of contexts. This course requires a passion for and interest in digital media, technology, and/or film.
English First Peoples: Literary Studies & Writing
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on authentic First Peoples texts and experiences, students will read, think, and discuss a broad range of texts as a foundation for their own short stories, memoir, and/or poetry. It is intended to also improve students ability to plan, write, and revise essays, read critically, document sources accurately while finding and interpreting relevant information, and apply peer and instructor feedback to the revision process. Some themes covered will be Canada past, present and future, cultural identity, and reconciliation.
English First Peoples: Literary Studies & New Media
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 10 Course
With a focus on authentic First Peoples texts and experiences, this course is designed to reflect the changing role of technology in today’s society and the increasing importance of digital media in communicating and exchanging ideas. This course is intended to allow students and educators the flexibility to develop a program of study centred on students’ interests, needs, and abilities, while at the same time allowing for a range of local delivery methods. Some themes covered will be Canada past, present and future, cultural identity, and reconciliation. A wide variety of authentic First Peoples texts will be used.
English Language Arts 12
Prerequisite: Any Language Arts 11 Course
Students will think critically, creatively, and reflectively to explore ideas within, between, and beyond texts to recognize and identify the role of personal, social, and cultural contexts, values, and perspectives in texts. In order to recognize how language constructs personal, social, and cultural identity, students will construct meaningful personal connections between self, text, and world. In this course, students will develop their skills in written communication in a variety of contexts. The course provides students with opportunities to think critically as they explore, extend, and refine their writing.
Social Studies 10
Prerequisite: Social Studies 9 or Humanities 9
Social Studies students are required to demonstrate competency in the “Big 6 of Historical Thinking”: significance, evidence, continuity and change, cause and consequences, historical perspective and ethical judgement. Content is used as a vehicle to develop the competencies. Social Studies 10 examines Canada from 1914 to the present. Course themes will examine the interrelations between economics, law, society, culture, politics, and global concerns. Social Studies 10 will examine how local, national, and global conflicts can have lasting effects on the contemporary world. Students will gain an understanding of how political decision making and societal change in Canada are influenced by interactions between individuals, groups, institutions, regional interests, and the environment. Students will examine how developments in Canadian society can be viewed in many different ways depending on an individual’s worldview or perspective. The development of reading, writing, and critical thinking skills will be essential focuses of the course.
Explorations in Social Studies 11
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
Social Studies 11 Explorations develops student critical thinking by having students ask questions; gather, interpret, and analyze ideas; and communicate findings and decisions about various topics. The course is a survey course of various topics in History, Geography, Law, and First Nations Culture. The course allows students to use critical thinking skills to understand the world, by examining, discussing, writing and presenting their opinions on variety of topics. Social Studies 11 Explorations will be an inquiry project based course that incorporates formative and summative assessment strategies.
20th Century World History 12
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
History 12 allows students to examine the history of the Twentieth Century concentrating on European/American influences on a global scale, which include the rise and fall of communism, World Wars, peace keeping/making, the cold war, tensions in the Middle East, the war on terrorism and post-cold war relations. Students will develop an awareness of various approaches to history, gaining historical empathy and an appreciation of context, while working with a variety of primary, secondary and visual sources.
Law Studies 12
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
The aim of this course is to encourage students to analyze the Canadian Legal System, focusing on criminal laws, civil laws, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Indigenous Peoples governance. Students will investigate how laws are created, why laws exist, and demonstrate knowledge of how citizens can access and use laws. This course will require students to complete assignments using textbooks, videos, class discussions, class debates, mock cases, and internet searches. Students will use these assignments to analyze criminal case studies, civil case studies, and civil rights challenges to demonstrate critical thinking skills, writing skills, and acquisition of key core competencies. The focus of this course is to have students utilize acquired legal knowledge of Canadian Criminal Code, Youth Criminal Justice Act, contracts, wills, torts, employment laws, and Indigenous Peoples governance.
Physical Geography 12
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
Physical Geography 12 investigates how the earth works- in the air, on the ground, and among living things. It encompasses information, concepts, and methods from many areas of study and addresses both the physical and the human-created systems of the world. Students will be studying people, places, and environments around the planet and how humans adapt to and change/or alter the physical environments around them.
Social Justice 12
Prerequisite: Social Studies 10
Social Justice 12 examines and explores controversial social issues with the goal of raising awareness of social injustices, both past and present. Social Justice 12 develops skills necessary to examine the origins of values and beliefs, to challenge assumptions, and to broaden and enhance inclusion and diversity within our progressive democratic society. The course includes a student commitment to action. Students will be challenged to think and act ethically, empowering them to realize their capacity to effect positive change in the world.