Grade 9 Course Handbook 2018 - 2019 - …

1 1 Grade 9 Course Handbook 2018 - 2019 Principal's Message: Welcome to Winston Churchill High School, a school that is proud of our Culture of Success! The programs and opportunities available for you at Churchill are designed to meet a variety of student needs, goals, ambitions and dreams. This is an exciting and vital time in your life as a student, where ambitions and goals for your transition to independence and adulthood begins to flourish. Churchill is a student-centered school fostering an environment that encourages and enables students to be accountable for their learning and behavior. Students are at the heart of each decision we make as a school, and we believe this is one of the key factors that makes Churchill stand out as a school of excellence. At Churchill, we offer a full range of program opportunities leading to a wide range of employment and post-secondary pursuits. Through our Culture of Success motto, we take pride in our history and in the possibilities for the future.

2 We place high expectations on our students to be accountable their own learning and to challenge themselves academically and socially. We encourage all of you to become an active member of your school community. There are many opportunities to be involved in student leadership activities, fine arts , athletics, clubs and service initiatives. This is your school and your high school experience. Make it everything it can be. Carey Rowntree, Principal 2 General Information for Incoming Students This booklet is designed to help you plan your Grade 9 year at Winston Churchill High School. The Grade 9 year is the foundation for remainder of high school years. Keep in mind that your success in Grade 9 subjects will determine the courses you take in Grade 10. Set realistic goals and keep up with your class work. Grade 9 is an important year of transition for you. Your Grade 9 Program Students entering Grade 9 will be assigned to a teacher-advisor who will assist with all your high school programming.

3 Students are required to take Language arts , Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and Physical Education - Health. Students will be registered in up to eight options. Band and Choir are year-long courses and therefore, count as four (4) option selections each. Spanish, French and Tae Kwon-Do are year options and count for (2) option selections each. 3 Churchill Grade 9 Honours Winston Churchill High School takes pride in helping prepare all students to transition from middle to high school. For students who have historically been academically successful, we have scholastic opportunities through the Grade 9 Honours Program with the goal of continuing to develop academic skills and potentially engaging in the Pre-IB Program in Grade 10. We have found that students who possess attributes in the following four key areas to be most successful in the honours program. Cognitive Ability Creativity Commitment to Learning Adaptability to Learning Environments When considering the Churchill Grade - 9 Honours program, please think about more than just solid cognitive abilities.

4 To be successful in the program, students should also demonstrate academic maturity. This can be seen in: commitment to daily school work creativity adaptability when confronted with challenges to organization and pacing ability to work with others and independently. **Admission to the Grade 9 Honours Program is limited and acceptance is based on a ranking of highest academic grades in the following core subject areas: English, Math, Social Studies and Science. 4 The Churchill Grade 9 Honours Program is not an accelerated program of studies. It is a program designed to build on the Alberta Grade 9 Program of Studies by introducing enriched and advanced academic skills to students prior to engaging in the Grade 10-12 academic programs, including IB studies. Students grow to: become independent learners; recognize relationships between school subjects and the world outside; combine relevant knowledge, experience and critical thinking to solve problems independently and collaboratively.

5 The Churchill Grade 9 Honours Program can also provide students with greater continuity and an easier transition to Grade 10 full academic pursuits, including the Churchill Grade 10 Pre-IB and the Grade 11 and 12 IB programs. Students wishing to pursue studies in the IB program are not required to participate in the Grade -9 Honours Program. Application to IB at the Grade 10 level is a separate process that is open to any current Grade 9 students registering for Grade 10. Equally important to consider is that participation in the Grade -9 Honours Program does not guarantee a student will be accepted to the IB Program in the subsequent grades. Knowledge and Employability (K & E) Students entering high school in Grade 9 may have been in a Knowledge and Employability program in middle school or may qualify for these courses upon entering Winston Churchill High School. The courses are a hands on, skill based program designed to help students enter the work world.

6 The curriculum focuses practical applications combined with work experience placements in grades 10 and 11. The program leads to a high school certificate of completion. K&E students do have a transition route to a high school diploma in Grade 12 if Grade 10 and 11 K&E courses are completed with adequate grades. 5 The Knowledge and Employability stream has a maximum enrolment, and students who qualify or are interested in this program may contact Tracy Wong for more information. Core Groups: Each Grade 9 student will be assigned to a core group. All students in the same core group will remain together for all core subjects. Your core group will be identified by a number of designation such as 91, 9-2, 9-3, etc. Each core group will have a unique timetable indicating the time and location for each class. Core groups travel to different classrooms each period. For options, students will not remain in core groups. Timetables for options are determined on an individual basis according to student requests and spaces available.

7 Advisor Groups: Each Grade 9 student will be assigned to a teacher-advisor. Your advisor group will always meet in the same place, usually the teacher-advisor s classroom. Your advisor will be the same person for the entire time you are a Churchill student. Advisor groups are made up of students from all four high school grades. The group meets four days a week in a class period specifically set aside on the timetable. 6 Language arts 9 Language arts 9 is a year-long Course . Classes will be held five times per week in one semester and four times per week in the other semester. Math 9 Math 9 is a year-long Course . Classes will be held five times per week in one semester and four times per week in the other semester. Social Studies 9 Social Studies 9 is a semester Course . Classes will be held six times per week. Science 9 Science 9 is a semester Course . Classes will be held six times per week. Physical Education and Health 9 PE 9 and Health 9 will be offered as a combined Course that runs all year long.

8 Classes will be held three times per week. Teachers will balance class activities so that PE 9 receives 75 hours of instruction and Health 9 receives 50 hours of instruction. Grade 9 Core/Required Classes 7 Selecting Your Grade 9 Options General Guidelines: The following guidelines are provided to assist students and their parents in selecting Grade 9 options: There are eight option spaces for Grade 9 students. There are two option courses for each quarter and they meet three times per week. Select options from the list to total 8 option spaces. Band and Choir will be offered as year-long options and will each take four option spaces. Spanish, French and Tae Kwon-Do are offered as year options and will take up two option spaces each. Every effort will be made to timetable students in to their top seven choices, but due to numbers, some students may not get every option they request. Options (# of option spaces used) 7 Attributes of Wellness 9 (1) Animation 9 (1) Art 9 (1) Band 9 (4) Choral 9 (4) Churchill Business Challenge 9 (1) Churchill Connections 9 (1) Churchill Promotions 9 (1) Construction Tech 9 (1) Computer Programming 9 (1) Critical Thinking 9 (1) Drama 9 (1) Fashion 9 (1) Foods 9 (1) French 9 (2) Graphics 9 (1) Leadership 9 (1) Military History 9 (1) Personal Fitness 9 (1) Power to Change 9 (1) Spanish 9 (2) Tae Kwon Do 9 (2) Team Sports 9 (1) World Geography 9 (1) 8 Course Descriptions 7 Attributes of Wellness 9 Students will focus on self wellness and how they can support wellness in their close communities.

9 Students will also examine effective communication, public speaking and presentation skills while examining the role of volunteers in a community. Students will explore basic principles of leadership and evaluate their personal leadership characteristics and qualities. Animation 9 Are you interested in cartooning and animation? This class will explore different techniques and styles of animation including frame-by-frame animation, stop motion animation, and the use of animation software. Art 9 Art 9 will introduce the elements of design through a number of projects and various materials. The understanding of design can be applied to many other option classes throughout high school. Band 9 ($ instrument rental if necessary) Band 9 is a year-long option that is offered three times per week. Band takes up four of the option spaces available to Grade 9 students. This option promotes an improvement in music skills and knowledge, an increased ability to perform music, growth and strengthening of individual character, and cooperative social interaction.

10 Choral Music 9 Choir 9 is a year-long option that is offered three times per week. Choir takes up four of the eight option spaces available to Grade 9 students. As with Band 9, this option promotes an improvement in music skills and knowledge, an increased ability to perform music, growth and strengthening of individual character, and cooperative social interaction. Churchill Business Challenge 9 Do you want to learn about running a small business? In this class, you will learn what it takes to market and manage a small business. We will focus on marketing products from our school store in a challenge environment. Teams of students will create and execute a marketing plan and learn to manage money at the same time. 9 Churchill Connections 9 Welcome to the Churchill Family! We would like to invite you to be connected to our school and our community. Churchill Connections is a hands-on Course that focuses on the fundamentals for a successful high school career; growth mindset, critical and creative thinking, as well as becoming your best self and contributing to a positive school environment.