Introduction
This course enables students to enhance their understanding of concepts in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, and physics, and of the interrelationships between science, technology, society, and the environment. Students are also given opportunities to further develop their scientific investigation skills. Students will plan and conduct investigations and develop their understanding of scientific theories related to the connections between cells and systems in animals and plants; chemical reactions, with a particular focus on acid-base reactions; forces that affect climate and climate change; and the interaction of light and matter.
Big Ideas
The big ideas of the course are:
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Biology
- Plants and animals, including humans, are made of specialized cells, tissues, and organs that are organized into systems.
- Developments in medicine and medical technology can have social and ethical implications.
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Chemistry
- Chemicals react with each other in predictable ways.
- Chemical reactions may have a negative impact on the environment, but they can also be used to address environmental challenges.
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Earth and Space Science
- Earth's climate is dynamic and is the result of interacting systems and processes.
- Global climate change is influenced by both natural and human factors.
- Climate change affects living things and natural systems in a variety of ways.
- People have the responsibility to assess their impact on climate change and to identify effective courses of action to reduce this impact.
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Physics
- Light has characteristics and properties that can be manipulated with mirrors and lenses for a range of uses.
- Society has benefited from the development of a range of optical devices and technologies.
Strictly follows Ministry of Education curriculum
This is an OSSD credit course. It has been developed based on the following Ontario Ministry of Education documents:
- The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10 Science, Revised 2008
- Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools (2010)
Curriculum Expectations
| A Scientific Investigation Skills and Career Exploration | |
| A1 | demonstrate scientific investigation skills (related to both inquiry and research) in the four areas of skills (initiating and planning, performing and recording, analysing and interpreting, and communicating); |
| A2 | identify and describe a variety of careers related to the fields of science under study, and identify scientists, including Canadians, who have made contributions to those fields. |
| B Biology: Tissues, Organs, and Systems of Living Things | |
| B1 | evaluate the importance of medical and other technological developments related to systems biology, and analyse their societal and ethical implications; |
| B2 | investigate cell division, cell specialization, organs, and systems in animals and plants, using research and inquiry skills, including various laboratory techniques; |
| B3 | demonstrate an understanding of the hierarchical organization of cells, from tissues, to organs, to systems in animals and plants. |
| C Chemistry: Chemical Reactions | |
| C1 | analyse a variety of safety and environmental issues associated with chemical reactions, including the ways in which chemical reactions can be applied to address environmental challenges; |
| C2 | investigate, through inquiry, the characteristics of chemical reactions; |
| C3 | demonstrate an understanding of the general principles of chemical reactions, and various ways to represent them. |
| D Earth and Space Science: Climate Change | |
| D1 | analyse some of the effects of climate change around the world, and assess the effectiveness of initiatives that attempt to address the issue of climate change; |
| D2 | investigate various natural and human factors that influence Earth's climate and climate change; |
| D3 | demonstrate an understanding of natural and human factors, including the greenhouse effect, that influence Earth's climate and contribute to climate change. |
How you are assessed in this course
At Agile Preparatory Academy, tests and assignments are carefully crafted to promote understanding of course content and help students achieve academic success. This success translates to high grades achieved by our students, which reflect a thorough understanding of concepts covered in the course as well as meeting and exceeding curriculum expectations.
Assessment FOR / AS / OF learning
Our teachers champion the idea that the primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Our teachers monitor student progression through the course and provide reflection and feedback that guides students towards improvement. The assessment and evaluation strategies of our school follow the Ministry of Education's policies and curriculum requirements. Our teachers use the following types of assessments to improve student learning:
Assessment for learning – These assessments include practice questions which do not contribute significantly (or at all) to the final grade. These assessments give students opportunities to practice their skills and test their knowledge prior to attempting assessments that affect their final grade. It also gives students and teachers opportunities to identify gaps in understanding and discover concepts that have been misunderstood. Here, our teacher gives students descriptive feedback and coaching for improvement.
Assessment as learning – These assessments include self reflections. The purpose of these assessments is to help students develop their capacity to be independent and autonomous learners who are able to set their own goals, monitor their own progress, determine next steps, and reflect on their thinking and learning. These tasks allow students to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and allow them to advocate for their own learning.
Assessment of learning – These assessments contribute to the final mark of the course. Our teachers ensure that these assessments are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to give multiple opportunities to our students to demonstrate the full range of their learning. It allows our teachers to judge the quality of student learning with respect to curriculum expectations and assign a percentage grade to represent that quality. These assessments are designed to be fair, transparent, and equitable for of our students.
The Final Grade
The overall grade of the course is composed of:
- 70% from course work
- 30% from final evaluation
Most of the overall grade, 70%, is based on course work done prior to the final evaluation. This portion of the grade reflects the student's most consistent level of achievement in the course, with special consideration given to more recent evidence of achievement. Here, our teachers gather evidence of learning from assignments, projects, presentations, and tests throughout the course (Assessment of Learning), giving students multiple opportunities to perform well.
The balance, only 30% of the overall grade, is gathered from final evaluations administered at the end of the course. The final assessment may be a final exam, a final project, or a combination of both an exam and a project.
The OSSD credit
A credit is granted and recorded when the final percentage mark in this course is 50 per cent or higher.
Agile Prep Academy is a high school through which a student can earn credits towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) high school diploma. We are in compliance with Ontario Ministry of Education policies, and are assessed and authorized by the Ministry to grant the OSSD diploma as well as OSSD credits.
Our courses are taught online, which allows our students to meet and exceed the online credit requirements needed for graduation. For further high school graduation requirements, including the Online learning graduation requirement, please visit the Ministry’s website.