The Social Studies Department includes the major disciplines of history and geography and covers government and leadership, global studies and law. Through the humanities curriculum, each student develops thinking, writing, speaking, listening, and reading skills, and learns how to articulate, modify, and defend a position by learning and analysing a defined body of content. Additionally, the student learns about the physical world in a geographical context.

The development of skills and attitudes – the learning process – plays as important a role in the education of each student as the acquisition of content. Each student needs to acquire a basis of knowledge before he or she can communicate ideas effectively or think critically. The knowledge explosion and the increasingly sophisticated means whereby students can readily gain access to information, however, suggest that students must be equipped with appropriate skills and attitudes to evaluate a bewildering array of choices. Thus, in class, students are presented with a varied set of learning activities which may include full class and small group discussions, note-taking from lectures and texts, library research using print materials and the Internet, video, field studies, achievement tests, guest speakers, formal oral presentations and debates.

As a result, each student will be introduced to aspects of Canada's history and geography in Grades 9-11. In addition, Canada's multi-cultural character is reflected by an examination of its European roots, the influence of the United States, and its future with the Pacific Rim nations.

An integral part of all Social Studies courses is a weekly review of current events in BC, Canada, North America and the world to remind students of the global issues beyond the school gates. All students are encouraged to listen to a news broadcast daily and to read the newspapers and journals available in the residences and the school library.

Social Studies 9

In this course, students are introduced to the concept of change and to the factors that contributed to the dramatic changes that occurred in Europe and North America during the period 1500-1815. Specific areas of study include the English Revolution, Industrial Revolution, American Revolution and French Revolution. Themes such as society and culture, politics and law, economy and technology, and the environment are used to analyze the nature of change and develop students’ critical thinking skills. For example, the expansion of European hegemony significantly altered the political, social and cultural systems of many of the world’s non-European peoples, particularly in Africa, Asia and the Americas. During a period of scientific change and new technologies (the Industrial Revolution), major challenges to the established systems of thought regarding religion, politics and social structure (the Enlightenment) were to take the form of revolutions in England, America and France, political and social upheavals through which the modern world was beginning to emerge.

21st Century Studies 9

The 21st Century 9 course introduces students to a variety of issues and problems that affect our world on a global level. These global issues are economic, political, cultural and environmental. The connections between the problems from a historical and geographical perspective provide the basis for an exploration of the complex nature of human interactions within society and with nature. The phenomenon of “globalization” in an economic and demographic sense is explored together with the effect of the internet on human communications, education and business. Students will be introduced to research techniques that include intelligent and efficient use of internet resources to extract and analyze information. The impact of man on the environment and the need for sustainable solutions to energy and waste production forms the second part of the course (which rotates to a new instructor half way through the year). Students will be introduced to means of collecting and handling data through technology devices and spreadsheet programs that help them manipulate and display measurements they have taken and information they have gathered. A “hands-on” component to the course will involve students in monitoring environmental sites on and around the school grounds, growing produce on campus and participating in conservation efforts with community groups. The course will also incorporate the Youth Philanthropy Initiative which offers an opportunity for students to win $5000 through the Toscan Foundation for a local charity. Students learn research and presentation skills including public speaking, video and slide presentation and the creation of an illustrated brochure. Through successful completion of the course, an ICT 9 credit is awarded to reflect student proficiency in areas of digital and information technology.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Social Studies 11

The course is divided into two main sections. Students change teachers at midpoint in the second term.

Government and Geography

Students study selected political systems, including communism, socialism, liberalism, conservatism, fascism and theocracy, as well as the structure of Canadian government. When possible, comparisons will be made with the American system. Within the Canadian system, the course will focus on the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, the electoral system, the constitution and the Charter of Rights. Current events will be used to create a modern context for topics under study.

Students also study Canada’s geography in a world context, with topics including the critical and changing times in the “global village”, world population, food supplies, surplus and famine, industrialization and urbanization, resource management and the environment.

Model Parliament

All students will participate in a parliamentary style debate through a model parliament. In addition, they will learn to defend a point of view using the two-person parliamentary debate format.

History

Students will study 20th century Canadian history (1900-1990) through themes and topics which include racism and multiculturalism (immigration and aboriginal rights), Canada’s road to autonomy, the creation of the Canadian identity through various conflicts, boom and bust in the 20s and 30s, Canada’s role in the two world wars, French/English relations, Canada’s post-World War II international role and major issues in Canada’s domestic policy.

Art History 12AP

AP Art History is designed to provide the same benefits to secondary school students as those provided by an introductory college course in art history: an understanding and enjoyment of architecture, sculpture, painting and other art forms within historical and cultural contexts. In the course, students examine major forms of artistic expression from the past and present and from a variety of cultures. They learn to look at works of art critically, with intelligence and sensitivity, and to articulate what they see or experience.

Students examine the following spectrum: non-European artistic traditions, ancient through Medieval, and Renaissance to present.

Geography 12

This course is a detailed examination of our physical environment, including geomorphology, climatology, meteorology, soils, and natural vegetation. Human geography includes a study of energy resources, minerals, agriculture, transport and communications, industry, and land use choices. Map and photo interpretation also constitutes a significant part of the final examination which all students write in June.

World History 12, 1919-1991

World History 12 follows the BC provincial curriculum which covers the aftermath of World War I, the inter-war period, the causes, course and results of World War II, the post-1945 world to 1991, and the collapse of communism in the West. In addition to political events, social and economic issues, such as the changing role of women and the impact of technology, are explored.

Art History AP

AP Art History is designed to provide the same benefits to secondary school students as those provided by an introductory college course in art history: an understanding and enjoyment of architecture, sculpture, painting, and other art forms within historical and cultural contexts. In the course, students examine major forms of artistic expression from the past and present and from a variety of cultures. They learn to look at works of art critically, with intelligence and sensitivity, and to articulate what they see or experience.

Course content spans a broad spectrum: ancient through Medieval including pre-history, the Ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece and Rome, early Christian, Islamic, Byzantine, early Medieval, Romanesque and Gothic. The course also examines the Renaissance to present including 14th through 16th centuries, 17th and 18th centuries, 19th century and 20th century. In May, students will write the Art History Advanced Placement exam.

Human Geography AP

The course provides a systematic study of human geography, including a look at the nature of population, cultural patterns and processes, the political organization of space, agricultural and rural land use. Industrialization and economic development within cities and urban land use are also explored. The course teaches the use of spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human organization of space. Software programs that integrate data sets with maps of various kinds are employed to help students image and display patterns of human interactions and changes in resources. An appreciation of how to use and interpret data sets and geographic models is a major outcome of the course including aerial and satellite imagery on scales that range from the local to global. The geography of religion, ethnicity and language are explored from a cultural and historical perspective together with man’s impact on the planet and its ecosystems. The challenges posed by population pressures and economic development are considered from a global perspective as well as through case studies that illustrate particular relationships and principles. Critical thinking and the ability to extract meaning from data are key skills that are developed throughout the course.

Psychology AP

Psychologists are interested in every aspect of human thought and behaviour. This explains why there are more than a dozen sub-fields of contemporary psychology. Psychology AP introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of core concepts and theories concerning such mental processes as consciousness, learning, development, personality, testing, and intelligence. As students investigate normal and abnormal perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and actions, they will learn and employ the methods used by psychologists. This study should enable students to recognize psychological principles encountered in everyday situations, and to apply the concepts to explore their own lives.

Comparative Government and Politics AP

This course covers an introduction to comparative politics, sovereignty, authority and power; political institutions; citizens, society and the state; political and economic change and public policy. Six countries form the core of the AP exam: China, Great Britain, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria and Russia. Students are encouraged to analyze and critique political systems and their historical records as well as gain an appreciation of media influences and cultural bias.

The political spectrum in all its hues and the machinery of government form a backdrop for discussions on current world events and future trends.