One Science 9 class is required for graduation.
Areas of study are clustered under the following:
Biology: Cells are derived from cells.
Chemistry: The electron arrangement of atoms impacts their chemical nature.
Physics: Electricity is the flow of electrons.
Earth Science: The biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere are interconnected, as matter cycles and energy flows through them.
The core competencies – communication, thinking, and personal and social responsibility – will be emphasized.
This course covers the BC Science 9 curriculum but places an emphasis on the science of the ocean and all its inhabitants. It is recommended that Marine Science 9 students also take Marine PHE 9.
Students in this course may have the opportunity for additional activities such as a visit to the Vancouver Aquarium, a tour of a Coast Guard vessel, and a study of intertidal life.
One Science 10 class is required for graduation.
Areas of study are clustered under the following:
Biology: Genes are the foundation for the diversity of living things.
Chemistry: Chemical processes require energy change as atoms are rearranged.
Physics: Energy is conserved and its transformation can affect living things and the environment.
Earth Science: The formation of the universe can be explained by the Big Bang theory.
Students will take Marine Science 10 as a linear class paired with Physical and Health Education 10 and will receive credit for both courses. The courses will be taught with a marine focus in an interdisciplinary, project-based way that will take students from the classroom into the marine environment.
Students will have the option to earn their Pleasure Craft Operator Card and/or complete the PADI Open Water Diver course, and will gain experience on the water by learning to canoe during the PHE portion of the class. A year end optional canoeing and camping trip to Bamberton Provincial Park is offered as part of this course. There may be a cost to students who choose to participate in a variety of local field trips that occur throughout the year.
One Science 11 or Science 12 class is required for graduation.
The Marine Biology 11 course is a single semester course with students earning credit for Biology 11. This will be a very different experience from a regular Biology 11 course as it is taught with a marine theme and has a much larger lab and outdoor component. Students successfully completing this course are encouraged to continue to Biology 12 and Geography 12.
Experiential lab work will include:
kayak trips in local waters to experience hands-on marine biology,
field trips to the Vancouver Aquarium, Beaty Biodiversity Museum at UBC, and Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre,
an optional 4-day marine biology field trip to the Bamfield Marine Science Centre,
an emphasis on current climate change research,
understanding local forests as part of marine ecosystems,
measurement of oxygen production in kelp forests,
analysis of satellite data to measure changes in ocean salinity,
Expert guest speakers from biology and climate change fields both in the classroom and with a visit to the University of Victoria Biology Department.
Through these kinds of local, experiential activities, students will have a better understanding of marine environments as interconnected systems and responsible ocean stewardship.
In Life Sciences 11, students will be introduced to the realm of life’s diversity – from bacteria, to squid, to the giant Douglas Fir. Students will gain a better understanding of the interaction between people, other life forms and our environment. Life Sciences 11 is not a prerequisite for Anatomy & Physiology 12 - they are two separate courses.
Life Sciences 11 is made up of the following units:
Microscopy
Adaptation and Evolution
Viruses, Bacteria, Protists
Mycology, Green Algae, Mosses, and Ferns
Gymnosperms, Angiosperms
Invertebrate Zoology, Vertebrate Zoology
Ecology
The emphasis in this course is on lab work, which is a must to learn skills and processes for post-secondary work.
In order to be successful in Physics 11 it is recommended that students have attained a minimum grade of 75% in Science 10 and in Foundations of Math and Pre-Calculus 10.
The Physics 11 course is intended to provide insight into the scope, nature, relevance, and limitations of physics, in order that students may enter academic and technical careers.
The core sections of the course are:
Right-Angled Vectors
Kinematics and Projectile Motion
Dynamics of Forces
Work, Energy, and Power
Mechanical Waves and Optics
Electric circuits (DC), Ohm’s law, and Kirchhoff’s laws, including safety, power distribution, fuses/breakers, switches, overload, short circuits, and alternators
Chemistry 11 starts students on their journey into all areas of sciences at the post-secondary level. This course provides the building blocks of understanding chemical reactions, quantitative chemistry, atomic theory, chemical bonding and organic chemistry. Students will be introduced to a variety of lab techniques, and laboratory work is an integral part of the course. Students will carry out experiments on a weekly basis, and many are inquiry-based. This course is a stepping stone to many post-secondary programs, including pure and applied sciences, life sciences and engineering.
This course provides students with the opportunity to view their everyday lives through a thoughtful, scientific lens. It develops scientific literacy skills used for critical thinking as a productive member of our democratic society in an era filled with excess information. The topics covered in this course are chosen collaboratively by the students and teacher. Sample topics could include:
Green transportation technologies
Personal genetics and evolution
Climate change
Impact of agriculture and the global food industry
Safety of GMO foods, vaccines, and antibiotics
Solving crimes using forensics
This is a diverse and relevant course that examines science topics through a variety of mediums such as class discussions, presentations, videos and documentaries, experiments, and other activities.
Science for Citizens 11 satisfies the Science 11 requirement for graduation but does not qualify as a science prerequisite for most university programs.
One Science 11 or Science 12 class is required for graduation.
The main units studied in Anatomy and Physiology 12 are:
Cellular Biology
Cellular Processes
Biochemistry
Human Body Systems and Physiology
Students will do lab exercises although the emphasis in the course is on lectures and formal classroom instruction. The reading demand in the course is fairly high since the textbook, which is the prime reference source, is quite advanced. Students are encouraged to work toward scholarship standing.
Chemistry 12 builds on the foundational skills from Chemistry 11, and this course will prepare students for a variety of post-secondary programs in pure and life sciences, engineering and nursing. Topics covered in this course include chemical kinetics, equilibrium, solubility, acids and bases and electrochemistry. Students will expand their critical-thinking, problem-solving and laboratory techniques with weekly experiments. There is a strong emphasis on inquiry-based activities and labs.
Physics 12 is a continuation of Physics 11, and it is recommended that students have a mark of at least 75% in Physics 11 and Pre-Calculus 11 to take this course.
Physics 12 covers similar topics to those in Physics 11, but moves away from more simple one-dimensional problems into more sophisticated two-dimensional problems by emphasizing the use of vectors. Physics 12 is a requirement for most university programs in the faculties of science and engineering.
The core sections of the course are:
Two-Dimensional Vectors
Relative Velocity
Frames of Reference and Special Relativity
Static Equilibrium
Uniform Circular Motion
Gravitational Fields
Impulse and Momentum
Electrostatics
Electromagnetism
See the International Baccalaureate section for more information about this program
This course will give you a solid foundation in the fundamentals of biology for university. The course is covered over a two year period over three semesters of study. Depending on the result in the course, students can receive first year university credit at some post-secondary institutions. Core Topics covered include Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity and Human Physiology. Additional higher level topics include Nucleic Acids, Metabolism (cellular respiration and photosynthesis), Plant Biology, Genetics and Evolution and Animal Physiology. There is also an extended unit on Human Physiology that will be covered.
All students will complete a self-directed experiment for their internal assessment, as well as participate in the collaborative, cross-disciplinary Group 4 Sciences project
Please note that there is a tuition fee for all IB level courses
Chemistry (SL) provides the foundational skills and knowledge for students well-prepared for first year chemistry at university. Two main ideas are at the centre of this course: Structure of Matter (the nature of matter from simple to more complex forms) and Reactivity of Matter (how and why chemical reactions occur). Topics covered include Atomic Theory and the Periodic Table, the Mole concept and Stoichiometry, Organic Chemistry, Ionic and Covalent Bonding and Structure, Intermolecular forces, Electrons in Atoms, Reaction Kinetics and Bond Energies, Chemical Equilibria, Acids and Bases, and Electrochemistry.
The skills required for the study of chemistry will be emphasized throughout the course. These include: experimental techniques, technology, mathematics, exploring and designing, collecting and processing data, and concluding and evaluating. All students will complete a self-directed experiment for their internal assessment, which will encompass all of these skills. A significant part of the course will be dedicated to laboratory work.
An indicator of success for this course is a grade of 80% or higher in Foundations of Math and Pre-Calculus 10.
Please note that there is a tuition fee for all IB level courses