Canadian & World Studies

This course looks at different local, national and global issues, events, moments, people, trends and changes in Canadian identity from 1914 to the present. We look at how individuals and different groups (aboriginals, children, immigrants, government leaders & politicians, men, soldiers, workers and women) in Canada are affected by events in our history. We consider how our Canadian values have endured and evolved. We also examine what makes events significant and why, how change occurs and what they mean in our society. We see how even our everyday lives shape our identity and impact who we are as Canadians.

Students will have a better sense of who they are and how they are connected to different local, national and global communities through their Canadian identity.  Students will have a better understanding of what it means to be Canadian, a better grasp of some of the decisions our country has made, a better sense of our role in the global world and also how we can be both unified and divided as a nation. Students will be able to have a better understanding of the issues they see on-line, on the news, in the newspaper. Students will be able to form better opinions of issues and look for facts and proof. Students will be able to engage in more conversations about our country. Students will be able to make more connections to past events with current issues, topics and events that affect our everyday lives.

Level: Academic

Prerequisite: None

This course looks at different local, national and global issues, events, moments, people, trends and changes in Canadian identity from 1914 to the present. We look at how individuals and different groups (aboriginals, children, immigrants, government leaders & politicians, men, soldiers, workers and women) in Canada are affected by events in our history. We consider how our Canadian values have endured and evolved. We also examine what makes events significant and why, how change occurs and what they mean in our society. We see how even our everyday lives shape our identity and impact who we are as Canadians.

Students will have a better sense of who they are and how they are connected to different local, national and global communities through their Canadian identity.  Students will have a better understanding of what it means to be Canadian, a better grasp of some of the decisions our country has made, a better sense of our role in the global world and also how we can be both unified and divided as a nation. Students will be able to have a better understanding of the issues they see on-line, on the news, in the newspaper. Students will be able to form better opinions of issues and look for facts and proof. Students will be able to engage in more conversations about our country. Students will be able to make more connections to past events with current issues, topics and events that affect our everyday lives.

Level: Academic

Prerequisite: None

This course explores rights and responsibilities associated with being an active citizen in a democratic society. Students will explore issues of civic importance such as healthy schools, community planning, environmental responsibility, and the influence of social media, while developing their understanding of the role of civic engagement and of political processes in the local, national, and/or global community. Students will apply the concepts of political thinking and the political inquiry process to investigate, and express informed opinions about, a range of political issues and developments that are both of significance in today’s world and of personal interest to them.

Level: Open

Prerequisite: None

This course explores rights and responsibilities associated with being an active citizen in a democratic society. Students will explore issues of civic importance such as healthy schools, community planning, environmental responsibility, and the influence of social media, while developing their understanding of the role of civic engagement and of political processes in the local, national, and/or global community. Students will apply the concepts of political thinking and the political inquiry process to investigate, and express informed opinions about, a range of political issues and developments that are both of significance in today’s world and of personal interest to them.

Level: Open

Prerequisite: None

Travel and Tourism explores various top tourist destinations around the world, examining the tourism industry and the impact it has on regions and their people. Students will learn to establish criteria for choosing an ideal vacation while learning about All-Inclusive and Cruise vacations. The class will also learn about the economic, environmental and social impacts of tourism. Using this knowledge, students will create an Ecotourism resort that maximizes positive economic impacts, while mitigating negative environmental and social impacts on tourist areas. The class also focuses on teaching valuable travel tips such as how to plan vacations which students will put into practice as they plan a thirty-day trip through Europe. This course will provide students with practical skills that will save them time and money and, hopefully, inspire them to explore the world.

Level: Open

Prerequisite: CGC1DI or CGC1PI

A modern history of the people and events that have shaped for better or worse who we are today. In an attempt to understand your history, we will be exploring the history of your parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

Students will leave this course with a life long interest and curiosity about history. Students will leave the course with an appreciation for the great successes and tragic failures of people during the modern era. Students will develop research skills to help them find the best ways to locate the information they need and the best ways to communicate the information to other people.

Level: Open

Prerequisite: None

This course investigates various ancient civilizations and examines their contribution to Western Culture. We start with Prehistory and Human Origins, discussing the development of civilization. From there we explore Mesopotamia and Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Medieval Europe. We consider various questions, including: What causes some civilizations to become dominant while others decline? How does technology promote change? What is the relationship between myths, legends, and the study of history? How do civilizations respond to external influences on religion, culture, trade, technology and innovation?

Students will have improved their critical thinking and writing skills as they examine various civilizations and argue what makes them great. Students will have a better understanding of the origins of Western culture and how it shapes our world today. 

Level: University/College

Prerequisite: CHC2DI

This course investigates examples of genocide in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including Armenia, the Holocaust, and Rwanda.  Students will examine issues surrounding human behaviour, including analyzing how bias, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination impact various groups.  This course does not simply analyze hatred in society, but also studies the development of empathy and understanding.  Throughout the course, students will gain an understanding of the role of perpetrator, victim, bystander, rescuer, opportunist, and resister.

As the course unfolds students will be challenged to draw appropriate connections between the history of Genocide and Canadian history, and the lives of the people they are investigating and their own lives.  Students will use critical thinking skills and will evaluate the ways in which they may empower themselves to become active citizens.

Level: University/College

Prerequisite: CHC2DI 

This course explores Canadian law with a focus on the sources of law, rights and freedoms, criminal law, and civil law. During the criminal law unit, students will solve a CSI Bluevale crime, research a famous criminal, and take a field trip to Toronto to observe trials at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Throughout the course, students will use critical-thinking, inquiry, and communication skills to develop informed opinions on legal issues and apply this knowledge in a variety of ways and settings, including case analysis, mock trials, and debates.

Level: University/College

Prerequisite: CHC2DI

This course gives students practical information about legal issues that directly affect their lives. Students will examine the need for laws in society, the roots of Canada’s legal system, the rights and freedoms that people in Canada enjoy, and the basic elements of criminal law and dispute resolution. Through experiences such as mock trials, debates, and case studies, students will apply inquiry and communication skills to develop and express opinions on legal topics of interest to them.

Level: Workplace

Prerequisite: None

Canadian and World Issues (CGU 4UI) is often called “World Issues” for short because the focus of the course is to look at major world issues facing Canadians and people worldwide.  Some global topics include:  population impacts, human rights, poverty, sweatshops/child labour, aid and trade, resource use, availability of food, political conflicts, terrorism etc. Where do Canadians fit in this interdependent and inter-connected world?  What is our role in these issues?  Are we part of the problem or part of the solution?  This course will help to broaden your understanding of these issues while developing your critical thinking skills and further improving your mapping and geographical skills.

Level: University

Prerequisite: Any U or U/C-level course in Canadian and World Studies, English, or Social Sciences and Humanities

The West refers to the region of land in the western hemisphere of the world, and with it, the vast cultures, ideologies, traditions, values and ways of life it brings.  This course investigates the major trends in Western civilization and world history from the sixteenth century to the present.  The central course theme is based on revolution - revolutions that have transformed the world we live in.

This is a university preparation course and therefore focuses on guiding students through the research process.  Regardless of program, students will need to learn how to access university databases, organize information, and create thoughtful arguments.  This course places great emphasis on the research essay and teaches students, with individual teacher feedback and meetings, how to construct a meaningful paper.  

Level: University

Prerequisite: Any U or U/C-level course in Canadian and World Studies, English, or Social Sciences and Humanities

This course examines Canadian and world politics from a variety of perspectives. Students will investigate the ways in which individuals, groups, and states work to influence domestic and world events, the role of political ideologies in national and international politics, and the dynamics of international cooperation and conflict resolution.

Students will be able to apply critical thinking, inquiry, and communication skills to develop and support informed opinions about current political conflicts, events, and issues.

Level: University

Prerequisite: Any U or U/C-level course in Canadian and World Studies, English, or Social Sciences and Humanities

This course examines elements of Canadian and international law in social, political, and global contexts. Students will study the historical and philosophical sources of law, rights and freedoms, criminal law, labour law and international law. During the criminal law unit, students will have the opportunity to observe trials at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto, listen to various guest speakers, and participate in a mock trial. Critical-thinking and communication skills will be developed through the lyric assignment where students are responsible for analyzing a song with a legal, moral, or ethical focus and leading the class in a meaningful discussion.

Level: University

Prerequisite: Any U or U/C-level course in Canadian and World Studies, English, or Social Sciences and Humanities