HSB4U, Grade 12 Challenge and Change in Society

This course is designed to provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge as well as a development of an attitude that supports these skills and knowledge responsibly. The course design is geared to meet and exceed the prerequisite requirements for studying Social Sciences and Humanities at the University level. The framework of course delivery focuses the “big pictures” or underlying principles, of Social Sciences and Humanities as outlined on pages 8 & 9 of the Ontario Ministry of Education document: The organization of the course is packaged into nine distinct units which correspond with the Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9to 12 Social Sciences and Humanities document. Research and inquiry skills apply to, and will be developed in conjunction with all the units in the course. Research and Inquiry skills are organized under subheadings related to the four stages of inquiry – exploring, investigating, processing information, and communicating and reflecting. Students will also conduct an independent research project using social science research and inquiry methods. In addition, a pre-unit has been added to review and assess the knowledge and skills of students prior to commencing the actual grade 12 course material. Teachers will be providing an assessment for learning opportunity at the beginning of the course; after the pre-unit as recommended in the Growing Success 2010 document. Teachers will be able to use the results of this diagnostic to identify gaps in concepts for learners and provide opportunities to bridge these gaps preparing all learners to be successful in the Grade 12 Change and Change in Society course.