Competent historical thinkers understand both the vast differences that separate us from our ancestors and the ties that bind us to them; they can analyze historical artifacts and documents, which can give them some of the best understandings of times gone by; they can assess the validity and relevance of historical accounts, when they are used to support entry into a war, voting for a candidate, or any of the myriad decisions knowledgeable citizens in a democracy must make. All this requires “knowing the facts”, but “knowing the facts” is not enough. Historical thinking does not replace historical knowledge: the two are related and interdependent.

Peter Seixas, “‘Scaling Up’ the Benchmarks of Historical Thinking” (2008)

GRADE 11 COURSES

CHW3MI – This course steps back in time to the age of antiquity to look at the ancient worlds of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome and Medieval Europe before the 16th century. Understanding is achieved through research, historical inquiries and simulations. Topics will include warfare, politics, architecture, religion, philosophy and culture. Students will have the opportunity to research a variety of civilizations as a part of their independent study assignment.

HSP3CI –  This College stream course explores human behaviour and the reasons people do the strange things they do. It introduces the theories, questions, and issues that are the major concern of Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology. Students will develop an understanding of the way social scientists approach the topics they study and the research methods they employ with a focus on class discussion, video, role plays, etc., on topics such as racism, drugs, serial killers and abuse.

HSP3UI – This University stream course explores human behavior and the reasons people do the strange things they do. It introduces the theories, questions, and issues that are the major concern of Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology. Students will develop an understanding of the way social scientists approach the topics they study and the research methods they employ with a focus on class discussion, video, role plays, etc., on topics such as racism, drugs, serial killers and abuse.

GRADE 12 COURSES

CHY4UI – This course explores the history of the world since the sixteenth century, emphasizing the interaction between the emerging West (Europe) and other regions of the world. Students will learn about a variety of economic, social, and political systems and the changes they have undergone over time. Pivotal moments in history such as the Renaissance, French revolution, and the Cold war may be examined over the duration of this course. A field trip to a war of 1812 defensive fortification may also be offered.

HSB4UI – This course examines the theories and methodologies used in Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology to investigate and explain shifts in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour and their impact on society. The students will demonstrate an understanding of how social change is the result of how we deal with various social issues such as abortion, conformity, alienation; discrimination, hate crimes, genocide, the Civil Rights Movement, poverty, obesity, elderly, baby boom, organ donation, cloning and the changing family.

HZT4UI – This course enables students to acquire an understanding of the nature of philosophy. Students will explore two of the specialized core branches of philosophy, metaphysics (the nature of reality) and ethics, as well as elements of Social and Political philosophy. Students will build on their critical thinking and philosophical reasoning skills as they formulate and evaluate arguments related to a variety of philosophical questions and theories (eg. what’s the best way to live a good life?)

IB COURSE OFFERINGS

CHA3UW – History of the Americas is a three part course involving the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility. More specifically, this course focuses on subjects in world history including “The Move to Global War”, “Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars” and “Authoritarian States”. It emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically and to develop historical skills as well as gaining factual knowledge. It puts a premium on developing the skills of critical thinking post secondary level research and writing skills and on developing an understanding of multiple interpretations of history.

CHI4UW – History of the Americas is a three part course involving the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility. More specifically, this course focuses on subjects in world history including “The Move to Global War” “Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars” and “Authoritarian States”. It emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically and to develop historical skills as well as gaining factual knowledge.

CHY4UW – History of the Americas is a three part course involving the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility. More specifically, this course focuses on subjects in world history including “The Move to Global War” “Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars” and “Authoritarian States”. It emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically and to develop historical skills as well as gaining factual knowledge. It puts a premium on developing the skills of critical thinking post secondary level research and writing skills and on developing an understanding of multiple interpretations of history.

HSP3UW – This course provides students with opportunities to think critically about theories, questions, and issues related to anthropology, psychology and sociology. Students will develop an understanding of the approaches and research methods used by social scientists. This course is the systematic study of mental processes and behavior. At the core of this psychology course is an introduction to the cognitive, biological and sociocultural approaches to understanding behavior.

HHG4MW – This course continues the rigorous and systematic study of mental processes and behavior. Psychology is a complex subject which draws on concepts, methods and understandings from a number of different disciplines. There is no single approach that would describe or explain mental processes and behavior on its own as human beings are complex animals, with highly developed frontal lobes, cognitive abilities, involved social structures and cultures.

HHS4UW – This course continues the rigorous and systematic study of mental processes and behavior. Psychology is a complex subject which draws on concepts, methods and understandings from a number of different disciplines. There is no single approach that would describe or explain mental processes and behavior on its own as human beings are complex animals, with highly developed frontal lobes, cognitive abilities, involved social structures and cultures.

HZT4UW – Students will study key philosophical areas such as ethics, social philosophy and logic with integration of the I.B. core component Theory of Knowledge TOK). Discussion and critical reflection form the backbone of this course. Students will explore this course with a focus on the fundamental question of TOK: “how do we know that?