Introduction
This course enables students to deepen their understanding of chemistry through the study of organic chemistry, the structure and properties of matter, energy changes and rates of reaction, equilibrium in chemical systems, and electrochemistry. Students will further develop their problem-solving and investigation skills as they investigate chemical processes, and will refine their ability to communicate scientific information. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of chemistry in everyday life and on evaluating the impact of chemical technology on the environment.
Big Ideas
The big ideas of the course are:
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Organic Chemistry
- Organic compounds have predictable chemical and physical properties determined by their respective structures.
- Organic chemical reactions and their applications have significant implications for society, human health, and the environment.
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Structure and Properties of Matter
- The nature of the attractive forces that exist between particles in a substance determines the properties and limits the uses of that substance.
- Technological devices that are based on the principles of atomic and molecular structures can have societal benefits and costs.
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Energy Changes and Rates of Reaction
- Energy changes and rates of chemical reactions can be described quantitatively.
- Efficiency of chemical reactions can be improved by applying optimal conditions.
- Technologies that transform energy can have societal and environmental costs and benefits.
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Chemical Systems and Equilibrium
- Chemical systems are dynamic and respond to changing conditions in predictable ways.
- Applications of chemical systems at equilibrium have significant implications for nature and industry.
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Electrochemistry
- Oxidation and reduction are paired chemical reactions in which electrons are transferred from one substance to another in a predictable way.
- The control and applications of oxidation and reduction reactions have significant implications for industry, health and safety, and the environment.
All lessons taught via videos
All lessons are video-based lectures that gently guide the student through important concepts. Concepts are brought to life with animations.
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 11 and 12 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 careers related to the fields of science under study, and describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians, to those fields. |
| B Organic Chemistry | |
| B1 | assess the social and environmental impact of organic compounds used in everyday life, and propose a course of action to reduce the use of compounds that are harmful to human health and the environment; |
| B2 | investigate organic compounds and organic chemical reactions, and use various methods to represent the compounds; |
| B3 | demonstrate an understanding of the structure, properties, and chemical behaviour of compounds within each class of organic compounds. |
| C Structure and Properties of Matter | |
| C1 | assess the benefits to society and evaluate the environmental impact of products and technologies that apply principles related to the structure and properties of matter; |
| C2 | investigate the molecular shapes and physical properties of various types of matter; |
| C3 | demonstrate an understanding of atomic structure and chemical bonding, and how they relate to the physical properties of ionic, molecular, covalent network, and metallic substances. |
| D Energy Changes and Rates of Reaction | |
| D1 | analyse technologies and chemical processes that are based on energy changes, and evaluate them in terms of their efficiency and their effects on the environment; |
| D2 | investigate and analyse energy changes and rates of reaction in physical and chemical processes, and solve related problems; |
| D3 | demonstrate an understanding of energy changes and rates of reaction. |
| E Chemical Systems and Equilibrium | |
| E1 | analyse chemical equilibrium processes, and assess their impact on biological, biochemical, and technological systems; |
| E2 | investigate the qualitative and quantitative nature of chemical systems at equilibrium, and solve related problems; |
| E3 | demonstrate an understanding of the concept of dynamic equilibrium and the variables that cause shifts in the equilibrium of chemical systems. |
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.