Curriculum handbook for parents. Catholic School version. Senior high school

2011·5.9 MB·English

by  Alberta. Alberta Education

2011 2012
yicihetfajj Government of Alberta
Digitized by the Internet Archive
2016
in
https://archive.org/details/curriculumhandbo2011albe
Curriculum
Handbook
SENIOR
HIGH SCHOOL
Parents
for
Catholic School Version
2011-2012
This Curriculum Handbookprovidesparents
with informationaboutthe seniorhigh school
curriculum. Itincludes:
• selected learningoutcomes foreach subject
areafromtheprovincial curriculum
• links to the AlbertaEducationwebsitewhere
more informationcanbe found
• aquestionnaire.
Note: In an effortto enhance communicationwith
parents, AlbertaEducationwill be replacingthis
printdocumentwithanew, online, digital parent
resource withaprintable component. Youmay
accessthis newparentresource byvisitingthe
AlbertaEducationwebsite at
http://education.alberta.ca/parents.aspx
.
Alberta Education
Thisdocument, alongwithmostAlbertaEducationdocuments, canbefound
onthewebsiteathttp://education.alberta.ca
.
Parentdocumentsreferenced inthishandbook, alongwithmostAlberta Educationdocuments, are
availableforpurchasefrom:
LearningResourcesCentre
12360- 142 Street
Edmonton,Alberta, Canada, T5L4X9
Telephone: [phone]
Toll-free: 310-0000(insideAlberta)
Fax: 780^122-9750
Internet: http://lrc.education.gov.ab.ca/pro/default.html
Telephone numbersreferredto inthishandbookcanbereached,toll-free insideAlberta, bydialling
310-0000.
Arts, Communications andCitizenship FrenchLanguageEducation Services
Telephone: [phone] Telephone: [phone]
Fax: 780^122-0576 Fax: 780—122-1947
E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
DigitalDesignandResourceAuthorization Inclusive Learning Supports
Telephone: [phone] Telephone: [phone]
Fax: 780^122-9157 Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
DistributedLearning
LearnerAssessment
Telephone: [phone] Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone] Fax: 780^122^1200
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
FirstNations,MetisandInuit Services Mathematicsand Sciences
Telephone: [phone] Telephone: [phone]
Fax: 780—115-9306 Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
ISSN 1481-9406
Copyright©2011,theCrowninRightofAlberta, asrepresentedbytheMinisterofEducation.AlbertaEducation,
10044- 108 StreetNW,Edmonton,Alberta, Canada,T5J5E6.
Permissionisgivenbythecopyrightownertoreproducethishandbookforeducationalpurposesandonanonprofit
basis.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
iv Message fromtheMinisterofEducation
v LetterfromBishopFrederickHenry
1 Introduction
1 FindingInformation
2 HelpingYourChildatHome
3 InformationRegardingtheAlbertaHumanRightsAct
4 Senior High School
4 Overview
7 Religious Education
11 Completing Senior High School
11 AlbertaHigh School DiplomaGraduationRequirements
13 CertificateofHigh SchoolAchievement
14 CertificateofAchievement
15 CertificateofSchool Completion
15 High SchoolDiplomas, CertificatesofAchievementand
Transcripts
15 ProgramsofStudy
16 Information and Communication Technology
17 First Nations, Metis and Inuit Education
17 English Language Learners
18 Required Courses/Programs
18 EnglishLanguageArts
23 Mathematics
30 Science
36 Social Studies
42 Physical Education 1
45 CareerandLifeManagement(CALM)
47 Optional SubjectAreas
47 Aboriginal Studies 10-20-30
48 CareerandTechnology Studies
49 FineArts
52 PhysicalEducation20-30
54 Social Sciences
55 Languages
66 Off-campusPrograms
68 LocallyDevelopedCourses
69 Knowledge and Employability
71 Commonly Accessed Web Links
73 Questionnaire
CatholicCurriculumHandbookforParents: SeniorHighSchool
Message from the
Minister of Education
ThegovernmentofAlbertais committedtoprovidingqualityeducationalopportunitiesforall students in
ourprovince,withthe successofeach studentbeingthehighestpriority. Ourchildrenandyouth must
come first-everyday-withoutexception.
Thisbrightfutureispossible, butitrequiresall ofustotakebold stepsaswerethinkournotionsabout
whateducation means inthe21stcentury.
Through ourvariouspublicengagement initiatives, Albertans from all walksoflifeareengaged informal
and informal conversationsabouthowwecan continuetobuilda strongeducationsystem inthis
province. In speakingwithparentsandparentgroups, I havealsoheardthatwemustbepreparedtothink
through howwemaximizeourresources in educationandtransformwhatwe do, sowecan support
students inall aspectsoftheirlearning.
Partofthis change involveshowwecommunicatetoparentsand, in particular, howwe communicate
aboutwhattheirchild isexpectedto learnateach stageofhisorhereducationaljourney. Torespondto
thisneed, wearedevelopinganewonlineresourceforparentsthatwillexpandourreach into schoolsand
communitiesacrossAlberta.
WewilltransitionfromthepresentCurriculumHandbookforParentstoanenhanced digitalresource
in2012. Grade-at-a-Glancewill stillbeavailabletoparentsand others inaprintedformat.
It ismybeliefthat studentsbenefitwhenparentsactivelyengage intheirchildren’s learningbecause
together, bothhaveasolidunderstandingofthetasks, challengesandrewardsofferedthrough our
programofstudies. Youplayanintegralrole inyourchild’seducationbyprovidingtheencouragement
and supportheorsheneedsto succeed.
This curriculum overview is avaluableresourcethatwill answermanyquestionsyoumayhaveabout
whatyourchildislearning. Ialsohopethisresourcewillhelpcontributetoopportunities foropen
dialoguebetweenyou,yourchildandyourchild’steacherregardingcurriculumoutcomes and
expectations.
DaveHancock, Q.C.
Minister
DearParentsandGuardians:
OnbehalfoftheCatholic BishopsofAlberta, Iwishtoexpressmyappreciationtothe
GovernmentofAlbertaandAlbertaEducationforprovidingyouthisupdatedKindergartentoGrade 12
CurriculumHandbooksforParents.
You, parents, arethefirstandprimaryeducatorsofyourchildrenespeciallywithregardsto
education inthefaith. ByensuringthattheGospel istrulylived inthecontextofyourfamilyand inthe
lifeofourschoolsandcommunitiesyouareapowerfulwitness foryourchildren. Theroleoftheparents
isvital inprovidingthebestpossibleeducation forourchildren.
Whenyouenrollyourchildren inaCatholic schoolyoucanbeassured ofoursupportinyourrole.
I encourageyoutoworkcloselywiththe schoolbyjoiningyourlocal school councilsorparentgroups.
Youcanassistyoungmen andwomen,boys and girls,to understandthemselvesasmoral persons living
thewayofChristthroughtheexperienceandteachingoftheCatholic Church. Beastrongvoice forthe
Catholic identityofourschools. Inthisway,youwill share inthecentralmissionoftheChurch,whichis
toproclaimJesusandhisGospel intheworldtodayand, in sodoing, handonourfaithtoourchildren.
WecommendAlbertaEducationforprovidingthese updatedCurriculumHandbooksforParents.
TheyprovideacomprehensivepresentationofthecontentandexpectationsoftheReligiousEducation
programapprovedbytheCanadianConferenceofCatholic Bishops.
Maytheirusebeasourceofgrowth in faith, hope andlove inallofourcommunitiesthroughout
Alberta.
SincerelyYours inChrist,
BishopFrederickHenry
DioceseofCalgary
EducationLiaison, AlbertaConferenceofCatholic Bishops
'
Introduction
—
Websitelinksforfurtherinformation Students learn inavarietyofenvironments intheirhomes,
areprovidedthroughoutthe schoolsandcommunities. Parents,teachersandcommunity
*ha'ndbo°ok~. v' mHHK! members form apartnershiptoassistthis learning.
Whenparentsknowwhatchildrenare studyingatschool,theycan
providebetterhome supportfortheirchildren’s learning. The
CurriculumHandbooksforParents aredesignedtoassistparents
in participatingintheirchild’seducationbyfosteringan
understandingofwhatstudents learnateach grade level.
Finding Information
Parentscanfindinformationaboutthecurriculumand learning
resources in anumberofways:
• Contactteachers orschooladministrators.
http://education.alberta.ca/parents/reso • CurriculumHandbookscontain selectedoutcomesforeach
urces/handbook.aspx
subjectareafromtheAlbertaprogramsofstudy. They
provideamore detailedpictureofeachyear. ThisCurriculum
HandbookisoneofasetfromKindergartento seniorhigh
school produced ingeneralandCatholicversions and in
French. TheyareavailableontheAlbertaEducationwebsite
orforpurchasefromtheLearningResourcesCentre(LRC).
http://education.alberta.ca/parents/reso • Curriculum Summariesforeachgrade levelprovideabrief
urces/summaries.aspx
overviewofeachyear. Thesummariesareavailableonthe
AlbertaEducationwebsite.
©AlbertaEducation,2011 CatholicCurriculumHandbookforParents: SeniorHighSchool
http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/pro • jnAlberta,theprovincialcurriculum isorganized into
qram.aspx ProgramsofStudy. Theycontain learningoutcomes foreach
subjectareafrom KindergartentoGrade 12. Theyare legal
documentsthatoutlinewhythe educational program is
offered,whatstudentsareexpectedto learn andthebasic
principlesabouthowstudentsareto achievetherequired
knowledge, skillsandattitudes. Schoolauthoritiesusethe
ProgramsofStudytoensurethatstudentsmeetprovincial
standardsofachievement. However,theyhave flexibilityto
decide howtoteachthecurriculum andtheorderinwhich itis
taught. Theyare availableontheAlbertaEducationwebsite
orforpurchasefromthe LearningResourcesCentre (LRC).
http://education,.a[berta.ca/aggs/irdb • TheAuthorizedResourcesDatabase ontheAlbertaEducation
website listsAlbertaauthorized studentand teacher
resources, mostofwhichareavailableforpurchase fromthe
LRC.
http://educatjon;aiberta.ca • TheAlbertaEducationwebsitecontains informationon
learningfromtheearlyyearsto adulthood.
Helping Your Child at Home
Hereare some importantpointersforyoutohelpyourchild learn.
• Be positiveandencouraging inyourapproachto learning. It
will helpyourchildfeel confidentandenthusiasticabout
success.
• Talktoyourchild aboutschoolworkandhelpwithhomework
whenyoucan.
• Helpyourchild setrealisticgoalsanddiscussprogress inan
encouragingway.
• Connectyourchild’sschoolworkwitheverydaylifeanduse
these opportunitiesforproblem solvingineverydaysituations.
• Keep intouchwithteachersaboutyourchild’sprogress,
includingsuccessesandachievements,notjustconcerns.
Thefollowingresourcesmayhelpyou. Checkyourchild’s school
foravailability.
Thisresourceisavailableforpurchase • MakeSchool Workfor You: AResourceforJuniorandSe—nior
fromtheLearningResourcesCentre HighStudents Who WanttoBeMoreSuccessfulLearners
(LRC). Orderonlineat
http://lrc.education.qov.ab.ca/pro/default Informationonknowingyourself, gettingorganized, making
.html everyclasscount,testtaking, presenting learning, getting
alongwithothersand stayingmotivated.