Social Studies | École Alpha Secondary School

SOCIAL STUDIES 8

In this foundational course, students will examine the rise and fall of several major civilizations while developing their understanding of diverse cultures from around the world. Students will examine the development of civilizations and cultures from the 7^th century to 18^th century including those in Europe, Latin America, Africa, China, Japan, and the Arab World. Themes such as imperialism, militarism, expansion, and colonization will be used to address political, social and cultural change, and to explore the relationship between humans and the natural environment. Students will develop their ability to assess documents (writings, drawings, records), to research and investigate through inquiry, to think critically and creatively, and to work successfully in diverse groups.

The Big Ideas of Socials 8 include:

Contact and conflict between groups of peoples stimulated significant cultural, social, and political change.
Human and environmental factors shape changes in population and living standards.
Changing ideas about the world created tension between people wanting to adopt new ideas and those wanting to preserve established traditions.
Imperialism, expansion, and colonization had profound effects on different groups of people.

SOCIAL STUDIES 9

Students will study how emerging ideas and ideologies changed the landscape of Europe, North America and around the globe, impacting political, social and economic landscapes. Global revolutions and rebellions are a major topic of interest, and we will examine the ways in which these impacted different social groups. Migration and colonization will be further explored, as well as its impact these had on First Peoples cultures and worldviews. Students will analyse how Canadian economic, political, and social development is influenced by the physical environment and physiographic regions, while also looking at the development of Canada as a nation. Students will study the first fifty years after Confederation, and how that impacted our relationship with First Peoples, as well as American and European contacts. This content is interwoven with the key skills students will need to look critically at our changing world, such as document analysis, map interpretation, synthesizing ideas and defending opinions.

The Big Ideas of Socials 9 include:

Emerging ideas and ideologies profoundly influence societies and events
The physical environment greatly influences the nature of social, political and economic change
Disparities in power alter the balance of relationships between individuals and societies
Collective identities are constructed and can be changed over time.

SOCIAL STUDIES 10

Social Studies 10 is an important and engaging course that is divided into the study of politics, 20^th century global history, and human and physical geography. Students will build on skills learned in grade 8 and 9 to develop a greater understanding of more difficult and abstract ideas that have impacted Canada over the last one hundred years. Many of the problems of the modern world, such as climate change, economic disparity, and political and social turmoil are examined through our study of key changes in the 20^th century. Students will study political institutions and ideologies, First Peoples self-governance, and the global struggle for human rights. Students will look at global affairs including World Wars, the Cold War, and decolonization and resistance movements. Last, students will examine issues related to demography, economic inequality, living standards around the world, and the interaction between humans and the environment.

SENIOR COURSES OFFERED EVERY YEAR

EXPLORATIONS IN SOCIAL STUDIES 11

Social Studies 11: Explorations will allow students to get some exposure and introduction into the other senior social studies courses. There are a total of fourteen Big Ideas that teachers can choose from to build a framework for their classes, choosing several different ones to fit the needs of the class. There could be a variety of content amongst teachers, and some teachers may choose to team teach if scheduling permits, allowing a maximum amount of flexibility to provide content to students. Regardless of content being covered, all students who take this course will have the same expectations when it comes to curricular competencies, such as using inquiry methods, comparing cultural phenomena across time and space, making ethical judgements about decisions and information and understanding trends and patterns in human development.

CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS STUDIES 12

Through this course, students will examine the diversity, depth, and integrity of the cultures of Indigenous peoples both in Canada and around the world. We will examine the processes of colonization and their impacts on our world today. Students will consider multiple perspectives regarding community development and make connections to the present realities of Indigenous people and the movement towards reconciliation, decolonization, and self-determination. Students will learn how the identities, worldviews, and languages of Indigenous people are renewed, sustained, and transformed through their connection to the land. This course meets the Indigenous-focused coursework requirement.

20th CENTURY WORLD HISTORY 12

This course looks at the major events of the 20^th century, with a focus on the growth of Nationalist movements and political changes that occurred in the century, and the resulting local and global conflicts that arose. Students will use inquiry and critical thinking skills to compare and contrast the different impacts on religion, culture, and society that arose as a result of these conflicts, and how human rights, social inequity, and religious persecution resulted from many of the authoritarian regimes that arose in the last 100 years. Students will also look at the impact technology and globalization has had on the world and its people. Students will have the opportunity to analyze information from a variety of sources, and assess the validity and accuracy of data, and how that data shapes our view of the past.

GENOCIDE STUDIES 12

This course looks at the causes, events and impacts of genocide through the study of historical and contemporary case studies. Students will explore the social, political, economic, and cultural conditions for genocide to occur and how those spheres are impacted by the intentional attempt to eradicate groups of people. Students will look at genocide from multiple perspectives and lenses, and critically assess why such events take place despite active attempts to prevent them. Global and regional influences will be examined, with the goal of seeing that local conflicts often involve or influence on a much larger scale the Earth as a whole; the impact of technology on the size and scale of genocide will also be examined.

LAW STUDIES 12

The course will provide a comprehensive introduction to law and the legal process, particularly as they relate to the Canadian justice system. In addition to discussing the basic components of the law, the course will explore some of the major legal issues facing Canadians, including the parole system, young offenders and juvenile justice, and constitutional rights under the Charter. Field trips, guest speakers, films, and documentaries all add to the course. Students will analyze actual legal cases utilizing decision making techniques with their legal knowledge to determine case outcomes. Students will also look at the correctional system, and they will analyze the history of law in Canada as it pertains to such things as past social injustices, and ethical decision making.

POLITICAL STUDIES 12

This course will focus on major political systems here and abroad including First Peoples’ governance. Students will explore different electoral systems, the relationships created between people and governments, and international systems that attempt to control global issues. Local, regional, and national politics in Canada will be studied, as well as issues arising from phenomena such as regional disparity and the role of mass media in the democratic process. Students will assess the impact of political data and propaganda, what factors influence political decision making, and critically analyze past and present political decisions that had unintended consequences.

PSYCHOLOGY 12 (BAA Course)

Psychology 12 is a course on human behaviour and basic concepts in modern psychology. This course covers the five major psychological domains: methods, bio-psychological, cognitive, developmental, and socio-economic domain. This course is recommended for those students who have an interest in Psychology and wish to pursue it further at a post-secondary institution. The focus of this course is to develop students’ abilities with critical thinking, essay writing, research and experimental methods, academic reading, and oral presentations.

AP PSYCHOLOGY 12

Explore the ideas, theories, and methods of the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. You’ll examine the concepts of psychology through reading and discussion and you’ll analyze data from psychological research studies. In this course you will learn the following skills:

Connecting psychological concepts and theories to real-life scenarios
Understanding and interpreting data
Analyzing research studies in psychology

SOCIAL JUSTICE 12

The course has three focus areas: defining social justice, recognizing, confronting and overcoming injustice, and moving toward a socially just world. Students will be active participants in class discussions, will use inquiry and critical and creative thought to examine issues of injustice, and will develop an action plan to address a selected issue. Students will examine the connectedness of social justice issues both locally and abroad, while using inference and the assessment of different points of view to reach a deeper understanding of past and present issues. This will be a stimulating course for students interested in taking the initiative to direct their own learning and to use their acquired knowledge and skills to help create a socially just world.

HUMAN GEOGRAPHY 12/AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

This course focuses on how humans impact and interact with the world around them, and the importance of place to people and cultures around the world. Students will students topics like demography, urbanization, city planning, languages, world religions, transportation, environmental issues, and geopolitics. (Interested students can take the AP exam if they choose).