We will be using the Environmental Education Centre and our community partners to offer authentic application of our learning. Students will have the opportunity to engage in local stewardship projects, as well as lead groups of younger students at our Centre. The following course credits will be obtained while working on these projects:
Students will earn the following Grade 10 Credits:
PAD 20 Outdoor Activities (Health and Physical Education)
ENG 2D or 2P English (Compulsory Credit) - Academic English is strongly encouraged
GLC 20 Career Studies (Half Credit – Compulsory)*
CHV 20 Civics (Half Credit – Compulsory)*
SNC 2D or 2P Science (Compulsory Credit) - Academic Science is strongly encouraged
*If students will already have their Civics and Careers credits prior to joining the program this credit will be substituted with a SVN 3E (Environmental Science)
Part of our daily learning will include setting a lifelong enjoyment of regular physical activity such as hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing, camping and teaching some of these skills to younger students.
Each day will have an outdoor physical education component. Our outdoor activities remain stay local, (within two hours) as we believe there a lot to explore and enjoy in our community. Our enjoyment of the outdoors will always hold the following tenets at the forefront of our learning:
enjoying outdoor activities benefits our physical and mental health and is a positive lifelong habit
enjoying outdoor activities requires a 'leave no trace' philosophy so that we can continue to enjoy natural areas in the future
sharing our joy of outdoor learning with others increases our own enjoyment
We'll be communicating effectively in a variety of contexts, using a variety of tools appropriate to the setting and purpose.
"Literacy is about more than reading or writing – it is about how we communicate in society. It is about social practices and relationships, about knowledge, language and culture. Those who use literacy take it for granted – but those who cannot use it are excluded from much communication in today’s world. Indeed, it is the excluded who can best appreciate the notion of “literacy as freedom”.
UNESCO, Statement for the United Nations Literacy Decade, 2003–2012 in Ministry of Education, Ontario Curriculum for Grade 9 & 10 English, 2007
"Students will analyse literary texts from contemporary and historical periods, interpret and evaluate informational and graphic texts, and create oral, written, and media texts in a variety of forms. An important focus will be on the selective use of strategies that contribute to effective communication." Ministry of Education, Ontario Curriuclum for Grade 9 & 10 English, 2007
We'll be creating opportunities to develop transferable skills that can be used throughout your life. Our project-based learning environment will allow for opportunities to begin the habit of contributing as active citizens in your community.
In Civics, students look at what it means to be an “active citizen” specifically at the local level, but also at the global, national, provincial, and individual level. Students learn about how and which decisions are made at each level, which environmental issues are addressed at each level of government, and consider their role. Current local issues are researched first-hand by meeting local experts and working alongside them to contribute solutions. Many of our class projects will involve an active citizenship opportunity to contribute to the community in a positive way.
Working with local experts, we'll have opportunities to explore careers related to education, environmental science, community development and project management.
Students in Careers explore what personality types, skills, and goals they already have through self-inventories and creating a personal profile. They explore different occupations by working alongside environmental professionals. We will also explore what options are available after secondary school. Outdoor activities help students build critical thinking and communication skills they can transfer to career development. Students will also learn how to look for part-time or summer jobs and create a portfolio including a resume and cover letter outlining their skills and experience.
The scientific process drives our inquiries. All areas of science can be experienced through an environmental lens, and interactions with the physical world outdoors can strengthen understanding of scientific concepts. The strands of SNC 2D/P and some examples of how they fit with our learning are:
Earth and Space Science - Climate Change
Physics - Light and Geometric Optics
(e.g. how devices like cameras, infrared sensors etc use the properties of light to help us document and monitor our natural environment)
Chemistry - Chemical Reactions
(e.g. how reactions involving both naturally occuring chemicals, and human sources of pollution influence our understanding of the natural environment)
Biology - Tissues, Organs, and Systems
(e.g. what happens to our circulatory and respiratory systems during outdoor recreational activities? How do plant and animal systems differ from a cellular level, up to the level of organism?)