http://www.brentwood.bc.ca/curriculum/academics/grade-10-curriculum-the-exploration-year.html

The grade 10 curriculum builds on the foundational skills of grade 9 by encouraging students to become more confident in taking risks scholastically as they explore a variety of academic disciplines and interests. Exploration is indeed a key theme for our grade 10 program as a whole. Students are engaged in subjects that assist them in discovering their passions and strengths. A wide selection of electives is available to provide both a basis for advanced study in the senior grades and a preview of these more specialized areas of study. In addition, cross curricular themes are established which help students scaffold their knowledge by providing a context of key ideas that transcend subject boundaries. To this end, in their first term, all grade 10 students will experience a trip to the Bamfield Marine Research Station where science, history, geography and art will all form a part of their exploration of this uniquely beautiful West coast environment. Embedded in other areas such as the English curriculum are optional units that help students widen their experience and make informed choices. Integrated into the academic timetable, through lectures, discussions and contact with academic advisors are the learning outcomes associated with Planning 10, a Provincially required course that is designed to enable students to develop the skills they need to become self-directed individuals who set goals, make thoughtful decisions, and take responsibility for pursuing their goals throughout life. Health and career education form important strands of this course together with financial literacy.

All students take

  • English 10
  • Mathematics 10
  • Science 10 (students take all four units): Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Space Science.
  • Social Studies 10
  • French 10
  • Spanish 10
  • Extra English
  • Grade 10 Electives (students choose one of six electives): Marketing 11, Global Studies 11, Earth Science 11, Art History 11AP, Natural Philosophy and Ethics 11, Computer Science 11 AP, Music Theory AP.

English 10

In every grade, Brentwood students study a rich variety of non-fiction prose, novels, short fiction, verse, and Shakespeare. Grade 10 students are also introduced to Arthurian legend. Students’ binders and minds will be full with weekly writing assignments — often far longer than students are used to —- in a variety of different styles, vocabulary and grammar exercises, glossaries of literary terms, presentations, and independent reading. The significant forms of writing in Grade 10 are the expository essay, critical writing, and the personal reflective essay. A “genre” unit in the Winter term exposes students to different literary forms such as documentary, parody, advertising and screenplay.

Grade 10 students, in addition to reviewing all Grade 9 material, give particular emphasis to parallel structure, modifier errors, pronoun case errors, integrating quotations into prose, and parenthetical notation.

Students all sit the BC provincial English10 (Language Arts) examination in June.

Mathematics 10

In Mathematics 10 students explain and illustrate the structure and the interrelationships of the sets of numbers within the real number system. They use basic arithmetic operations on real numbers and also use exact values together with algebraic expressions to solve problems. Generating and analyzing numerical patterns leads to a consideration of variables and equations which extends to generalized operations on polynomials, including rational expressions. In relations and functions students represent data using linear function models and use a real world context to interpret and explain the data they are examining. The measurement unit involves the geometry of triangles, including those found in 2D and 3D applications. The sine and cosine laws are derived and applied to solve problems. Coordinate geometry problems involving points, line and line segments supplement this topic.

Social Studies 10

This course explores the themes of economic and technological change, culture and society, politics and law and the environment in Canada from 1815 to 1911. After the War of 1812, Canada was affected by events in Europe and the United States, as new political ideologies challenged the old systems and a flood of immigrants transformed Canadian society. As the country developed, it faced many challenges which often led to conflict and change. New provinces were added to the Canadian Confederation and a transcontinental railway was constructed. Canada became an important economic force and it began to strive for autonomy from Great Britain while coming increasingly connected with the United States.

The course also looks at Canada in a geographical context with an emphasis on the physiographic regions, industrial and economic development and globalization. Students do a “Road Trip” project in which they explore the physical geography, culture, history and economics of a specific city in Canada. The students should gain a greater understanding of the dynamics which have shaped the Canadian identity in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Science 10

All Grade 10 students cover the biology and chemistry units in half the year with one specialist teacher and the physics and earth science topics in the remaining half of the year with another specialist teacher. Many of the topics are integrated through fieldwork studies at nearby locations such as the estuary, beach and Mill Stream salmon run. An inquiry based, problem solving approach is encouraged wherever possible and students are introduced to the empirical nature of science by collecting and analysing their own data. In conjunction with the mathematics department, specific IT objectives are reached by having students handle and present data they have obtained through observation and measurement.

The biology unit covers an introduction to ecosystems and the factors that determine the sustainability of natural environments. Topics such as food chains, pyramids of biomass, succession and keystone species are investigated with particular reference to the estuarine environment. Students visit the Bamfield Marine Research Station on the West coast of the island for a 3 day field trip which involves a variety of lab and beach activities designed to complement and enhance the curriculum.

In chemistry, different types of chemical reactions are examined and described in terms of word and symbol equations. Isotopes and their importance in dating materials is described. Radioactivity of various kinds is described and related to their common sources. Problems associated with radioactivity are discussed and linked to the development of atomic weapons, cancer and atomic power. Motion is a major topic in physics with both uniform motion and acceleration described in terms of Newton’s Laws and simple equations. The course concludes with a consideration of energy transfer in natural systems, particularly weather and the movements of wind and water on a global scale. Tectonic plate theory, volcanism and seismic forces are also studied in this earth and space science section.

French 10 Advanced

This course is an enriched and horizontally accelerated class. Enrichment comes through reading and audio-visual resources. The prerequisites for this class are either Advanced French 9 or French immersion background. This class may contain a number of former immersion students and some students who are strong second language students; they will work well beyond the BC prescribed learning outcomes, especially in writing and grammatical understanding.

French 10 Core

Designed for students who have had previous French instruction, this course fulfills the BC prescribed French learning outcomes. Listening, speaking and writing skills are emphasized, alongside a sound grammatical understanding. French 10 is a continuation of French 9, which is a prerequisite for this course. A natural progression of the scope and sequence of the French language continues with detailed grammatical explanations throughout the course.

Spanish 10 Core

A continuation of Spanish 9, this is a second-year course. This course will expose the students to the diverse and exciting Spanish speaking world. As the year progresses, the majority of the class will be conducted in Spanish. The students will be able to discuss topics relating to school, home, food and eating. The students will also learn to describe events in the present and the past. Listening, speaking and writing skills are emphasised, coupled with a sound grammatical understanding. This course places special emphasis on speaking skills in everyday situations. There is a very strong cultural component to the class where the students will learn about various cultural traditions from the Spanish speaking world. An in-depth look at Latin America will take place through presentations on various aspects of its culture and history.

Grade 10 Electives

Students choose one of six year-long electives.

Marketing 11

This course looks at the general theory of Marketing and its role in our everyday lives. The Marketing mix is explored in detail after the students are exposed to some behavioral psychology and how it impacts our decision making processes. To better appreciate the role of customer service in marketing, the students get practical experience through their Front of House work at the Bunch Theatre. The selling process is looked at in some detail and the students then are asked to enter the marketplace and sell advertising for the annual Brentwood Regatta Souvenir program. This year with the opening of the Crooks Centre, which will house a number of student services including the school store, the students will be involved in the planning, product management, sales and marketing in the store.

Global Studies 11

This course will examine the many complex and fascinating issues that affect our global community. Students will closely examine the various concepts and perspectives through individual and group research and in-depth class discussions. Some of the topics include globalization, human rights, trade, development, foreign aid, gender issues, terrorism, and international organizations. These concepts are examined in their historical contexts and through the analysis of current events. Students also examine several case studies from different countries, concentrating on the relationship between the developed and developing world. From this study, the students will gain an appreciation of the interdependence of these topics and so develop a greater ability to interpret and understand global events.

Earth Science 11

This course is an excellent preparatory course for Geology 12, Geography 12 and Environmental Science AP. There are five main topic areas: Astronomy: Students survey the methods used to study the universe, the origin of the universe itself, the objects within it and the relationship between objects within our solar system, particularly Earth, its moon and the sun. Earth Materials: Students study the types of rocks and minerals found in Earth’s crust together with the extraction and use of Earth’s resources. Geological Time: Students assess the significance of age dating, the fossil record and the Geological Time Scale. Internal Processes and Plate Tectonics: Students are introduced to the processes involved in seismology, volcanic activity and plate tectonics. Surface Processes and the Hydrosphere: The atmosphere, weather phenomenon, the hydrological cycle, weathering, erosion and physical oceanography are discussed in the context of current global issues such as climate change and topsoil depletion.

Natural Philosophy and Ethics 11

This course is a broad-ranging discussion and research based study of issues that arise from the development of technologies. Students adopt an ethical perspective. They are encouraged to challenge and debate accepted positions in areas such as biomedical and computer technology. The nature of ethics and value systems are analyzed as well as the premises behind scientific thought. Pseudoscience, logical fallacies and the relationship between science and the media are also discussed and illustrated through a variety of case studies. The course covers all of the prescribed learning outcomes for Science and Technology 11 and students receive this credit at the end of the course thereby fulfilling their graduation requirement for a Science 11.

Music Theory AP

The course enables students to master the rudiments and terminology of music, notational skills, intervals, scales, keys, chords, meter, and rhythm. It includes, but is not limited to, study of a wide variety of vocal and instrumental music from the standard Western tonal repertoires. Musical ability is developed through a variety of means such as written exercises, sight reading, listening and dictation. It progresses to include creative exercises which introduce more advanced concepts such as phrase structure, Roman numeral progression, analysis of repertoire, and harmonic analysis, Functional triadic harmony in traditional four-voice texture, including non harmonic tones, seventh chords, and secondary dominants are also investigated. Students are encouraged to develop their own compositions and are introduced to software programs that facilitate the writing of melodies and scores. In addition to the AP exam in May, students are also prepared for RCM examinations at various levels throughout the course depending on their experience and ability.

Art History 11AP

The study of art and its role in society from prehistoric times to the renaissance forms the basis of this program. In the course, students examine and critically analyze major forms of artistic expression from the past and the present from a variety of cultures. While visual analysis is a fundamental tool of the art historian, art history emphasizes understanding how and why works of art function in context, considering such issues as patronage, gender, and the functions and effects of works of art. A second year of art history completes the preparation for the Advanced Placement exam.

Computer Science 11AP

This course is a preparation for Computer Science AP and is primarily directed at developing the programming component required for success at the AP level. Students will be introduced to the concepts and language involved in Java based programming and the ideas behind the successful design, testing, debugging and implementation of a computer program to solve specific problems. An object oriented approach to programming is adopted and students will also be introduced to the concept of a class in terms of both its design and its user interface. In addition, this course will also offer a “hands on” component in terms of examining and reconstructing hardware elements. The principles of networking computers and the management of servers will also be outlined. Students will receive credit for Information and Communication Technology 11 (ICT 11) through successful completion of this course.