Introduction
This course enables students to deepen their understanding of chemistry through the study of the properties of chemicals and chemical bonds; chemical reactions and quantitative relationships in those reactions; solutions and solubility; and atmospheric chemistry and the behaviour of gases. Students will further develop their analytical skills and investigate the qualitative and quantitative properties of matter, as well as the impact of some common chemical reactions on society and the environment.
The big ideas of this course are:
- Matter, Chemical Trends, and Chemical Bonding
- Every element has predictable chemical and physical properties determined by its structure.
- The type of chemical bond in a compound determines the physical and chemical properties of that compound.
- It is important to use chemicals properly to minimize the risks to human health and the environment.
- Chemical Reactions
- Chemicals react in predictable ways.
- Chemical reactions and their applications have significant implications for society and the environment.
- Quantities in Chemical Reactions
- Relationships in chemical reactions can be described quantitatively.
- The efficiency of chemical reactions can be determined and optimized by applying an understanding of quantitative relationships in such reactions.
- Solutions and Solubility
- Properties of solutions can be described qualitatively and quantitatively, and can be predicted.
- Living things depend for their survival on the unique physical and chemical properties of water.
- People have a responsibility to protect the integrity of Earth’s water resources.
- Gases and Atmospheric Chemistry
- Properties of gases can be described qualitatively and quantitatively, and can be predicted.
- Air quality can be affected by human activities and technology.
- People have a responsibility to protect the integrity of Earth’s atmosphere.
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:
- Science, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, 2008 (Revised)
- 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 careers related to the fields of science under study, and describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians, to those fields. |
| B Matter, Chemical Trends, and Chemical Bonding | |
| B1 | analyse the properties of commonly used chemical substances and their effects on human health and the environment, and propose ways to lessen their impact; |
| B2 | investigate physical and chemical properties of elements and compounds, and use various methods to visually represent them; |
| B3 | demonstrate an understanding of periodic trends in the periodic table and how elements combine to form chemical bonds. |
| C Chemical Reactions | |
| C1 | analyse chemical reactions used in a variety of applications, and assess their impact on society and the environment; |
| C2 | investigate different types of chemical reactions; |
| C3 | demonstrate an understanding of the different types of chemical reactions. |
| D Quantities in Chemical Reactions | |
| D1 | analyse processes in the home, the workplace, and the environmental sector that use chemical quantities and calculations, and assess the importance of quantitative accuracy in industrial chemical processes; |
| D2 | investigate quantitative relationships in chemical reactions, and solve related problems; |
| D3 | demonstrate an understanding of the mole concept and its significance to the quantitative analysis of chemical reactions. |
| E Solutions and Solubility | |
| E1 | analyse the origins and effects of water pollution, and a variety of economic, social, and environmental issues related to drinking water; |
| E2 | investigate qualitative and quantitative properties of solutions, and solve related problems; |
| E3 | demonstrate an understanding of qualitative and quantitative properties of solutions. |
| F Gases and Atmospheric Chemistry | |
| F1 | analyse the cumulative effects of human activities and technologies on air quality, and describe some Canadian initiatives to reduce air pollution, including ways to reduce their own carbon footprint; |
| F2 | investigate gas laws that explain the behaviour of gases, and solve related problems; |
| F3 | demonstrate an understanding of the laws that explain the behaviour of gases. |
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.