Students will be exposed to the following skill sets during the course of the year.

 

• Theory Fundamentals
• Intermediate Harmony
• Analysis and Music Appreciation
• Aural Skills
• Sight Reading and rhythm reading
• Music composition, orchestration and arranging
• Music Software and Technology

 

Students will take the AP music theory exam in May and may have the option of doing the Royal Conservatory of Music Advanced theory exam.

Students will evaluate the origins, purpose and impacts of political systems and ideologies in Canada and around the world. Issues at the regional, national and international levels are explored and students will assess relationships between these issues and policy formation. Power structures, independence movements, elections and electoral systems, the role of mass media, Indigenous governance, and international governance will also be pursued.  Students are encouraged to enroll in Political Studies 12 as a prerequisite to AP Comparative Government and Politics 12. 

This course is designed to engage students in their society. We look at all things culture. Specifically, how culture is formed, developed, organized, manifested, and adapts to conflict. At points, students will focus on specific areas as a class, and during more individualized stretches, students will explore areas of their own personal interest. Additionally, we will be inviting guests to join the class and share their perspectives or expertise in specific areas. In a globalized world, it is important that individuals explore different ways of knowing and understanding the world; this course will start that journey. Students are encouraged to enroll in Comparative Cultures 12 in preparation for AP Human Geography 12.

In this course students explore various aspects of Indigenous culture, values, traditions, history, languages and land. Students will examine the social, cultural, economic and political impacts of colonialism and cultural genocide, and discuss the movement towards decolonization. Students have the opportunity to learn course content by means of storytelling, analyzing case studies, and interpreting literature by Indigenous authors. Guest speakers and Indigenous artists will join our class frequently to further explain the significance of cultural expression. Experiential learning opportunities will be offered throughout the year, including a field trip to explore the culture of the Coast Salish people and legacy of the Residential School system.

Students will develop their judgement and reasoning skills by assessing the consequences of technological change, people, and events. They will understand how these consequences shaped global change and historical significance. Topics presented in this course include: the rise and rule of authoritarian regimes, civil wars, independence movements, and revolutions. Human rights movements, including those of Indigenous peoples, religious, ethnic, and/or cultural conflicts, including genocide and global conflicts (including World War I, World War II, and the Cold War) are also examined.  The role of nationalism is studied through the presentation of migrations, movements, collective security, and territorial boundary changes. Students are encouraged to enroll in 20th Century World History 12 as a prerequisite to AP United States History 12. 

This course is designed to prepare students for the rigours of academic work at the university level. Through reading and analyzing documents, articles, and texts, students will develop research and writing skills in a diverse range of topics. Much of the content of the course is student driven and the curriculum is focused on skills that will be developed throughout the year. Students are encouraged to take AP Seminar 11 in preparation for AP Research 12.

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 behavioural psychology and how it impacts our decision making processes. Practical experience is offered through a number of initiatives during the year. To better appreciate the role of customer service in marketing and business, students get practical experience through their Front of House work at the Bunch Theatre. The sales process is looked at in some detail and students are asked to enter the marketplace and sell advertising for the annual Brentwood Regatta Souvenir program. 

This course will examine the many complex and fascinating issues that affect our global community. Students will study the various concepts and perspectives through individual and group research and in-depth class discussions. 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 use several case studies from different countries, concentrating on the relationship between the developed and developing world. The focus of the coursework is to help students gain an appreciation of the interdependence of these topics and so develop a greater ability to interpret and understand global events.

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 study of art and its role in society from prehistoric times to the renaissance forms the basis of this program. 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. 

Pre-Calculus 11 is a course designed, along with Pre-Calculus 12, to give students who are interested in pursuing future studies that require calculus, the necessary foundation of algebraic skills.  Students begin by representing and analyzing situations that involve expressions, equations and inequalities. Quadratic, polynomial and rational functions are represented and analyzed. Students solve coordinate geometry problems involving points, lines and line segments and apply the geometric properties of circles to solve problems. The following mathematical processes are emphasized throughout the year: Communication, Problem Solving, Connections, Reasoning, Mental Mathematics, Technology and Estimation Visualization.

Students in Literary Studies 11 will engage is such esoteric pursuits as the study of biblical allusions in Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies, or a critical research paper examining sources of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Grade 11s will think critically and laterally in their synthesis essays, will learn how to distinguish a 4/6 composition from a 6/6 composition from a hundred yards, and will learn that the most exciting moment of a young person’s life is the identification of “Option D: No error” in a grammar quiz.  By year’s end, students should have a good idea as to which path they wish to travel in Grade 12: English 12 or Literature 12. 

As Grade 11s who choose this English option will dive into the AP English Language & Composition pool, in addition to covering the English 11 curriculum, they will spend much more time learning the dark and potent arts of textual analysis and persuasion. The likes of Mary Oliver, Camille Paglia, Trevor Noah, George Orwell, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and, of course, Charles Dickens lurk in this class. 

Transitioning to the new BC curriculum

Brentwood College School is excited to present the new BC Social Studies curriculum to our high school students. Up to the Grade 10 level, that journey has started already. We had anticipated that the full implementation of that curriculum would take place in September 2017, but the Ministry of Education called for a delay. Moving forward, our teachers are keen to challenge Brentwood students with components of the new curriculum, and that students entering Grade 11 have already transitioned into elements of the new curriculum already demand that we offer unique options to ensure they are getting the most out of their work in social studies. We are going to facilitate the Social Studies 11 curriculum, but guide students through it in an enriched way. Students will be able to choose from the three options below, assuming their timetables can accommodate their preference.

Social Studies 11: World History enrichment stream

Depending on the students background knowledge, they will be afforded the opportunity to explore specific areas of interest regarding the concepts of nationalism and the breakdown of long-standing imperialist structures created by new economic and political systems. If students have a background in European and Canadian history, they will be encouraged to explore situations from around the world.

Social Studies 11: Comparative Cultures enrichment stream

Students in this class will have the opportunity to explore how our understanding of geographic and environmental factors influence the development of agriculture, trade, religion, values, politics, language and authority in cultures. If students have a background in European and Canadian history, they will be encouraged to explore cultures from around the world.

Social Studies 11: Political Studies enrichment stream

Students will be provided with the opportunity to explore how political decisions are made, the institutions that shape power in different countries, the impact of unequal distribution of political and social power as well as agreements that have been made on an international level that represent comprises between countries with different values. If students have a background in European and Canadian political developments, they will be encouraged to explore political developments around the world.

A thorough understanding of biology provides students with a foundation for studies in ecology, the environment and medicine. To fully comprehend the science of biology, students must first familiarize themselves with classification systems and evolutionary theories. The origin of life according to the heterotroph hypothesis is followed by a study of the Monerans emphasizing bacteria. Protists, plants and animals are then studied in a sequence that depicts the evolutionary progression of life. The oceanfront campus provides a unique opportunity for students to examine a living marine environment.

This course represents the first year of Advanced Placement Biology, a two-year course leading to the AP Biology exam, and that gives credit for both Life Sciences 11 and Anatomy and Physiology 12. A solid understanding of the additional material taught in this course may provide students with first-year biology credit in university. The first term focus is a study of biochemistry, cells and cellular processes. The animal kingdom and evolutionary themes are explored in the second term. The year concludes with a study of heredity including classical genetics, DNA, protein synthesis and the regulation of the genome. Several labs will be completed throughout the year including experiments related to the study of biotechnology and genetic engineering.

Chemistry 11 is a survey course designed to provide a strong foundation for post-secondary science. The material covered in Grades 9 and 10 is thoroughly reviewed and followed by an intense study of stoichiometry. The fundamentals of organic chemistry are introduced in preparation for further studies at the university level. A unit on solution chemistry provides the basis for topics covered in Chemistry 12. To succeed in this course, students must be comfortable with algebra and have a firm grasp of the chemistry concepts taught in previous grades.

The course material matches the curriculum for Chemistry 11 prepared by the provincial government and often expands into additional areas of interest including the behaviour of gases. Students may be required to participate in national chemistry competitions such as the Avogadro exam. A solid understanding of this course helps students who study biology, medicine, physics or engineering. The AP option moves at a faster pace to allow for extra units such as redox chemistry to be included in order to allow time for AP material in Grade 12.

The study of Physics 11 provides students with the foundations for post-secondary physical sciences, astronomy and engineering. Topics from both classical and modern physics are covered in this survey course. These topics include motion, energy, waves, optics and special relativity. Additional topics such as quantum mechanics and nuclear physics may also be examined. The diversity of this material helps students to further their understanding of the technical world in which they live and prepares them for the rigorous Physics 12 course. This course best suits students with a firm understanding of mathematics.

AP Physics 11 lays the foundation for students to pursue algebra-based, introductory college-level studies in physics. Topics will include: Newtonian mechanics, work & energy, momentum & impulse, and many more. Only serious science and mathematics students with strong academic credentials should consider the AP option over regular Physics 11.

French 11 Core

This course is for students who have successfully completed French 10. Listening, speaking and writing skills are emphasized, alongside a sound grammatical understanding. The course seeks to consolidate many of the concepts introduced in French 10 and presents a number of more complex topics. Some French 10 topics will be revisited, but through a new context. the course will fulfill the BC prescribed French learning outcomes. Students will be exposed to French in an engaging way through the storytelling method which will facilitate the genuine acquisition of the language. 

French 11 Advanced

The prerequisites for this class are Advanced French 10 or a strong immersion background. This class may contain former immersion students and strong second language students. They will go well beyond the BC curriculum, especially in writing and grammatical understanding. Students will be exposed to French in an engaging way through the storytelling method which will facilitate the genuine acquisition of the language. 

This is a language alternative for students who have completed Spanish 10. It is a third-year course and a continuation of the Spanish 10 program. This class is conducted almost entirely in Spanish and concentrates on elevating the mastery of all language skills through reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students will describe events in the present, past and future through the discussion of topics such as travel, daily life, health and future endeavours. There will be a very strong cultural component in the class; the students will learn about the culture, customs, traditions, geography and history of the Spanish-speaking world with a special focus on South America. Students will be exposed to Spanish through the storytelling methodology which will allow them to use the target language in an engaging way.

The emphasis in Mandarin 11 and 12 is on the communicative approach in which students are encouraged to convey meaning and knowledge, primarily orally but also in written form. The confidence to “take risks” is a hallmark of this instructional philosophy and a variety of methods are used to develop the necessary ease with this learning environment. The small student to teacher ratio is a critical factor as is the level of teacher expertise. Both of these considerations have required us to be creative in our delivery of the courses in the past.  Typically, students will be expected to describe or narrate, with some supporting detail, events, situations, or experiences. They are encouraged to exchange opinions on topics of interest, apply idiomatic expressions with some fluency and interact with increased independence in familiar life situations. Students also acquire knowledge by having them view, listen to, and read creative works, and respond to them in various ways. Cultural awareness is increased by  identifying customs and traditions from various cultures in the Canadian mosaic, and comparing them with those of Chinese cultures. Students are also exposed to local Chinese culture in Victoria’s Chinatown.

Students will explore concepts such as Top Down Design, basic coding structure, event driven applications and user interface design while learning the Javascript language. Javascript is widely used in mobile app development and large scale interactive web applications (Facebook, Netflix, eBay) and is now rapidly moving into the desktop application environment. No prior coding knowledge is required, the language constructs are introduced through a graphical block environment which allows students to gradually migrate to hand typed code. Students may also have the opportunity to delve into physical computing.

This course is primarily for students who have demonstrated a high level of ability in 2D art and who may be interested in a post-secondary career in a related field such as art, photography, fashion or design. The course promotes a sustained investigation of all three aspects of portfolio development—Quality, Concentration, and Breadth. It enables students to develop mastery in concept, composition, and execution of drawing and 2-D design. In addition, students develop a variety of approaches in drawing and design and are able to demonstrate a range of abilities and techniques, solving problems and expanding ideas using different media. Students also study painting and drawing styles from the past and learn to incorporate elements of these into their own work. The course emphasizes making art as an ongoing process that involves the student in informed and critical decision making. This includes group and individual student critiques and instructional conversations with the teacher, enabling students to learn to analyze and discuss their own artworks and those of their peers.

This is a provincially prescribed curriculum designed for students who may not have taken Mandarin 5 to 10. Successful completion of this course should provide students with a level of competence that will allow them to successfully participate in Mandarin 11 and 12 courses. 

To provide students with an equivalent preparation for Mandarin 11 and 12 courses, this course incorporates material from the prescribed learning outcomes, suggested instructional strategies, suggested assessment strategies, and recommended learning resources identified for grades 5 to 10.

A major aim of this course is to balance expectations regarding the emergent language skills of students who are new to the study of Mandarin with consideration of their ages, life experiences, and prior knowledge. It is expected that students will.

• introduce themselves and others using appropriate family-relationship terms
• identify and exchange preferences and interests
• use appropriate vocabulary to communicate needs, desires, and emotions
• describe events, experiences, and procedures sequentially
• recognize and apply commonly used idiomatic expressions
• participate in a variety of situations drawn from real life

As students acquire increasing variety in vocabulary and language structures, they are able to communicate about more topics. Assessment focuses on the communication of meaning and the extent to which students are able to share ideas and information. Although oral interaction is most important, students also need feedback and support in developing written skills.

In this course, students develop skills connected to assessing and analyzing design problems, and working alone or as part of a team to visualize, produce and critique solutions. Examples looked at in class will come from a broad range of fields, including: fashion design, architecture and interior design, environmental design, industrial design, product design, and visual art. Ideally, students will learn a little about all of these fields, but, more importantly, will learn to think like designers: researching needs, developing models, surveying clients, trouble-shooting productions and learning from challenges and successes.