Courses
Core TOPS on Bloor Courses
Students in the TOPS on Bloor program will take 2-4 credits per year in grade 9-12. The TOPS program will have designated cohorts for 2 credits within grade 9 and 10 (science and mathematics). In grade 11 and 12, students may take pre-AP and AP courses respectively as part of their course package. Every grade 9 TOPS student entering in the fall of 2023 must take a minimum of 12 courses within the TOPS program (STEM courses). Note that this is a reduction in the number of credits from 20 TOPS/STEM courses required from the TOPS on Bloor program as per the new TDSB directive regarding changes to specialized schools.
Any student who began their TOPS program prior to September 2023 must still earn 20 TOPS/STEM credits to receive their TOPS certificate upon graduation. Their guidance counsellor will outline their required courses during course selection.
Grade 9 Core TOPS Courses
Math: This course follows the curriculum for the MDM1D course material as described by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Additionally, students enrolled in this course will receive enrichment through additional topics like set theory and advancement of topics from grade 10 as well as engagement in bridge as a social, strategy and problem solving game.
Science: This course follows the curriculum for the SNC1W course material as described by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Each of the four units are enriched and students will benefit from the vertical planning that is part of the preparation for the pre-AP sciences programming in the senior sciences. Additionally, students enrolled in this course will participate a student designed inquiry project (science fair).
Grade 10 Core TOPS Courses
Math: Students in the grade 10 TOPS program are scheduled into MDM2DP in semester 1 and MCR3UP in semester 2. Both courses follow the Ontario curriculum and areas of enrichment are planned to support the learning and study mathematics study as this cohort of students will be prepared to take their grade 12 math courses in the following year.
Science: This course follows the curriculum for the SNC2D1 course material as described by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Each of the four units are enriched and students will benefit from the vertical planning that is part of the preparation for the pre-AP sciences programming in the senior sciences. Additionally, students enrolled in this course will participate a field study that combines inquiry and science curriculum from the intermediate science years. In non-pandemic years, this trip has been carried out during a 4 day trip to YMCA Wanakita.
Grade 11 Core TOPS Courses* and Pre-AP Courses
*Math (MHF4UP and MCV4U0): Students in the grade 11 TOPS take both grade 12 math courses as part of their core courses at TOPS on Bloor. In the first semester they take MHF4UP which is an enriched grade 12 functions course. In the second semester, they take MCH4U0. The MCH4U0 course is aligned with both the Ontario and the AP Calculus AB curricula. Students taking this course will have the option to write the AP Calculus AB or BC exam in May of the year that they take this course.
Biology (SBI3UP): This course follows that curriculum for the SBI3U course material as described by the Ministry of Education for Ontario. Additionally, the students enrolled in this course will be covering some of the Advanced Placement Biology curriculum as this course is considered a pre-AP biology course and some of the material for the AP course is vertically integrated into this course at BCI.
Chemistry (SCH3UP): This course follows that curriculum for the SCH3U course material as described by the Ministry of Education for Ontario. Additionally, the students enrolled in this course will be covering some of the Advanced Placement Chemistry curriculum as this course is considered a pre-AP Chemistry course and some of the material for the AP course is vertically integrated into this course at BCI.
Physics (SPH3U0): This course follows that curriculum for the SPH3U course material as described by the Ministry of Education for Ontario. The SPH3U0 course is aligned with both the Ontario and the AP Physics 1 curricula. Students taking this course will have the option to write the AP Physics 1 exam in May of the year that they take this course.
Grade 12 TOPS Certificate Elective Courses
Biology (SBI4U0): This course follows that curriculum for the SBI4U course material as described by the Ministry of Education for Ontario. Additionally, the students enrolled in this course will continue the AP Biology curriculum that was started in SBI3UP to cover the Advanced Placement Biology curriculum as this course is an AP Biology course. Students taking this course will have the options to write the AP Biology exam in May of the year that they take this course.
Chemistry (SCH4U0): This course follows that curriculum for the SCH4U course material as described by the Ministry of Education for Ontario. Additionally, the students enrolled in this course will continue the AP Chemistry curriculum that was started in SCH3UP to cover the Advanced Placement Biology curriculum as this course is an AP Chemistry course. Students taking this course will have the options to write the AP Chemistry exam in May of the year that they take this course.
Physics (SPH4U0): This course follows that curriculum for the SPH4U course material as described by the Ministry of Education for Ontario. Additionally, the students enrolled in this course will follow the AP Physics Mechanics curriculum. To be successful in this course students will need to have previously taken MCV4U0 as calculus will be used in problem solving in this course. Students taking this course will have the options to write the AP Physics Mechanics exam in May of the year that they take this course.
Science Study Skills and University Preparation (GLS401): Students who are in their final year of the TOPS program are expected to take a science studies skills course that will focus on lab skills for university. This course will also focus on researching and choosing university programs, scholarship application, writing a personal statement and resume building.