Yellow Grass School

Yellow Grass School Course Selection

ACADEMIC POLICY (GRADES 10-12)

All grades Ten, Eleven and Twelve students are required to carry a full load of credits each semester/year unless special permission to carry fewer is granted by the Principal. Permission will normally be granted only under the following circumstances.

Individual Schedules

Yellow Grass School operates on a semester system. The "fall" semester runs from September through January; the "spring" semester from February through June. Students are generally not individually scheduled. Schedules operate on a six-day cycle.

The goal of Yellow Grass School is to have students graduate with as many credits as possible, but with the very least a minimum of 27 credits. This means Yellow Grass School grants no spares in Grade 10, one possible spare in Grade 11 and two possible spares only in Grade 12 for a maximum of three over grades 10, 11, 12.

Exceptions may be made in extreme circumstances.

Course Numbering

The course numbering system agrees with the standard pattern set out by Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment. The first digit of the number indicates the year level. The second number indicates the course orientation.

Example: English 10 - is a first year (Grade 10) course

English 11 - indicates a modified class in Grade 10

English 20 - is a second year (Grade 11) course

English 30 - is a third year (Grade 12) course

Credit Policy

The following chart outlines the credit policy for secondary education in Saskatchewan.

GRADE 10 / GRADE 11 / GRADE 12
Minimum 8 credits
Compulsory courses:
English Language Arts A 10 and
English Language Arts B10;
Social Studies 10, History 10 or
Native Studies 10;
Science 10;
Math at the 10 level;
3 electives at level 10 or higher / Minimum 16 credits
Compulsory courses:
English Language Arts 20;
Math at the 20 level;
6 additional elective credits at level 20 or 30 / Minimum 24 credits (5 of which must be at the 30 level)
Compulsory courses:
English Language Arts A 30 and
English Language Arts B 30;
Social Studies 30: Canadian Studies or History 30: Canadian Studies or
Native Studies 30: Canadian Studies;
Science 20 or 30;
Social science 20 or 30;
2 credits in Arts Education or Practical and Applied Arts at level 10, 20, or 30;
Wellness 10, Physical Education 20 or Physical Education 30

Grade Standing

To have a complete Grade 12, students must fulfill the following requirements:

(a) Earn a minimum total of 24 credits

(b) Earn a minimum of 5 credits at the 20 level

(d) Have completed all the compulsory requirements as given below.

(e) Earn a minimum of two credits in Arts Ed/Practical and Applied Arts Education 10, 20 or 30.

To obtain a complete Grade Ten at YGS a student must earn credits in:

(a) Two English classes (ELA A10/11, ELA B10/11)

(b) Social Studies / History 10/11

(d) Wellness 10

(e) At least one mathematics class (Math 11, WPM 10 or FND 10)

(f) At least two elective classes

To obtain a complete Grade Eleven at YGS, a student must earn credits in:

(a) One English class (ELA 20/21)

(b) One Social Science class

(d) One Science class (Science 21, Health Science 20, Environmental Science 20, or Physical

Science 20)

(e) Any electives to a minimum of 16 credits.

To obtain a complete Grade Twelve at YGS a student must earn credits in:

(a) Two English classes (ELA A30/31, ELA B30/31)

(b) Two Social Science class (Social Studies 30/31, History 30, Native Studies 30, Law 30)

(d) All other credits to a minimum of 24 credits in total for Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12

Yellow Grass School Course Options

(Note: Not all courses are offered each year)

**CYBER denotes a Cyberstone Virtual School Course Option is Available**

Grade 10 / Grade 11 / Grade 12
English *CYBER
ENGA10/11
ENGB10/11 / English *CYBER
ENG20/21
Media Studies 20 / English *CYBER
ENGA30/31
ENGB30/31
Social Science *CYBER
Social Studies 10/11 / Social Science / Social Science *CYBER
History 30
Law 30
Psychology 30 *CYBER Only
Mathematics *CYBER
Workplace & Apprenticeship 10
Foundations and Precalculus 10 / Mathematics *CYBER
Workplace & Apprenticeship 20
Foundations 20
Precalculus 20 / Mathematics *CYBER
Workplace & Apprenticeship 30
Foundations 30
Precalculus 30
Calculus 30 *CYBER Only
Science *CYBER
Science 10/11 / Science
Health Science 20
Physical Science 20 *CYBER
Environmental Science 20 *CYBER Only / Science
Biology 30
Chemistry 30
Physics 30 *CYBER
Earth Science 30 *CYBER Only
Computer Science 20 *CYBER Only
Physical Education
Wellness 10 *CYBER / Physical Education
Physical Education 20 / Physical Education
Physical Education 20
Practical Applied Arts
Accounting 10 *CYBER Only
Information Processing 10
Electrical and Electronics 10
PAA Survey A10
PAA Survey B10 / Practical Applied Arts
Accounting 20 *CYBER Only
Information Processing 20 *CYBER
Agriculture Production 20 *CYBER Only Media & Communications 20 *CYBER Only / Practical Applied Arts
Information Processing 30
Interior Design 30 *CYBER Only
Food Studies 30 *CYBER Only
Life Transitions 30 *CYBER Only
Agriculture 30 *CYBER Only
Other Options
Career and Workplace Explorations 10, 20, A30, B30
Apprenticeship A20, B20, A30, B30
Special Project 10, 20, 30
Dual Credit Courses (through Saskatchewan Polytechnic)

Courses Offered

English Language Arts

Students take five compulsory English courses: English A10/11, B10/11, 20/21, A30/31 and B30/31. These courses feature full integration of all aspects of communication: reading, writing, listening, speaking, presenting and viewing. Both intensive and extensive work is done in these classes. Each of these courses advocates a unit approach to instruction and students learn about language through purposeful, challenging experiences. As well, our school offers elective English classes at the 20 level.

English Language Arts A10 (1 credit)

English Language Arts B10 (1 credit)

English Language Arts 20 (1 credit)

English Language Arts A30 (1 credit)

English Language Arts B30 (1 credit)

Media Studies 20 (1 credit)

This elective class shows students how popular culture pervades their lives and is promoted through mass media. Students will be helped to better understand and analyse popular culture and mass communications (including Internet, social networking, TV, cellular phones, magazines, film, newspapers and music) and thus become better educated consumers of media.

Social Sciences

Social Studies 10 (1 credit)

History 30 (1 credit)

Law 30 (1 credit)

Psychology 30 (1 credit)

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Mathematics

As a result of the new Provincial Mathematics Curriculum the following course options apply for students enrolling in Grade 10 at Yellow Grass School for the 2014 – 2015 school year and subsequent years. Three pathways have been developed (as shown below) for students. It is not intended for students to take all three pathways but rather make decisions about their post-secondary and career choices then take the appropriate pathway(s). At Yellow Grass School, students are generally expected to enrol in 2 math courses during each of the grades 10, 11 and 12 years.

Workplace and Apprenticeship Math 10 (1 credit)

This course option concentrates on practical and applied mathematics. Students are encouraged to enroll in this pathway if they wish to pursue further education and employment in trade related fields.

Topics to be covered include: conversion work and problem solving using the Systѐme International (SI) and Imperial system, the Pythagorean Theorem, Trigonometric ratios, parallel and perpendicular lines and their relationships, angles, Consumer Math (unit pricing and currency exchange, income)

Prerequisite: Grade 9 Math

Foundations and PreCalculus 10 (1 credit)

This option is encouraged for those students who will be applying to university. This course is also necessary for students who wish to take Calculus in grade 12.

Topics to be covered include: problem solving involving linear measurements and conversion between the Systѐme International (SI) and Imperial system, Trigonometric ratios, factoring, linear relations and functions, slope, function notation

Prerequisite: Grade 9 Math

Workplace and Apprenticeship Math 20 (1 credit)

This course option is intended for students who are looking at entry into the majority of trades (ex. Electronics Technician – Sask Polytechnic (was SIAST) or for direct entry into the work force. Please note however, it is important for students to investigate to determine if this is a possible pathway for entrance for some university programs as well (ex. Social Work – U of R).

Topics to be covered include: conversion work and problem solving using in the Systѐme International (SI) and Imperial system in area, volume and capacity measurements, problem solving in right triangles, modeling and drawing 3-D objects and their views including to scale, budgeting and personal finances, and slope

Prerequisite: Workplace and Apprenticeship 10

Foundations of Mathematics 20 (1 credit)

This course option is intended for students who wish to continue in post-secondary studies in programs that do not require Calculus (ex. Kinesiology – U of S). Please note however, it is also an acceptable entrance requirement for Sask Polytechnic (was SIAST) programs such as Nursing or Power Engineering Technician.

Topics to be covered include: problem solving using rates, scale diagrams and scale factor, properties of angles and triangles, cosine and sine laws, inductive, deductive and spatial reasoning, normal distributions and statistics, quadratic functions

Prerequisite: Foundations and Pre-Calculus 10

PreCalculus 20 (1 credit)

Workplace and Apprenticeship Math 30 (1 credit)

Foundations of Mathematics 30 (1 credit)

PreCalculus 30 (1 credit)

Calculus 30 (1 credit)

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Physical and Life Sciences

Science 10 (1 credit)

This course includes the diverse topics of physical and life sciences. Ecosystem interactions and biodiversity will be investigated alongside the impact and consequences of human activities. Students will experience a variety of chemical reactions, including the role of energy changes. They will name, write and represent compounds and chemical reactions. Force and motion will be explored as they relate to constant speed, constant acceleration and their causes. The development and societal impact of motion-related technologies will also be studied.

Prerequisite: Grade 9 Science

Health Science 20 (1 credit)

This course will challenge students to look at the health science field from holistic and analytic perspectives to provide a basis for making sound personal health choices. Students will examine the range of philosophies that guide health care and consider ethical decision within those contexts. Understanding the basic anatomy and physiology of the human body will provide a context for studying the normal and abnormal functioning of various body systems, including the role of nutrition and metabolism. Lastly, students will examine diagnostic tools and procedures and how they are used to inform treatment. Students will also investigate the range of health science careers and post-secondary programs available in Saskatchewan.

Prerequisite: Science 10

Environmental Science 20 (1 credit)

Students will learn how to examine local and global environmental issues from a systems perspective while considering the effects of human actions and a growing global population on the climate and environment, as well as the effects of the environment on human health. They will explore the mechanisms and importance of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and the sustainability of past and current practices and technologies humans have developed to live with and within the environment. Prerequisite: Science 10

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Physical Science 20 (1 credit)

This course combines chemistry and physics in an integrated manner to investigate concepts related to heating and cooling, the foundations of chemistry, including the mole and quantitative analysis of molecules and chemical reactions, and the characteristics and properties of waves. An overarching theme is the study of the enterprise of public and private science as it occurs in agriculture, industry, and universities to help students better understand various physical science related career paths. Student inquiry will guide independent investigations of physical science phenomena.

Prerequisite: Science 10

Computer Science 20 (1 credit)

Computer Science 20 introduces the student to writing computer code; that is, instructions that make a computer perform a task or solve a problem. While learning to write code, the student will develop problem solving and logic skills.

Areas to be covered may include some, of the following: computer components, computer tear down and computer rebuild, installation of operating systems, networking computers, programming of virtual cars, Python coding, graphics programming, problem solving with Python.

Prerequisite: Science 10

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Earth Science 30 (1 credit)

Prerequisite: Physical Science 20 or Environmental Science 20

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Biology 30 (1 credit)

Prerequisite: Health Science 20 or Environmental Science 20

Chemistry 30 (1 credit)

Prerequisite: Physical Science 20

Physics 30 (1 credit)

Prerequisite: Physical Science 20

Physical Education

Wellness 10 (1 credit)

Physical Education 20 (1 credit)

Physical Education 30 (1 credit)

Practical and Applied Arts

Accounting 10 (1 credit)

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Accounting 20 (1 credit)

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Information Processing 10 (1 credit)

Information Processing 20 (1 credit)

Information Processing 30 (1 credit)

Electrical and Electronics 10 (1 credit)

PAA Survey A10 (1 credit)

PAA Survey B10 (1 credit)

Agriculture Production 20 (1 credit)

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Media and Communications 20 (1 credit)

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Interior Design 30 (1 credit)

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Food Studies 30 (1 credit)

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only

Life Transitions 30 (1 credit)

This course is offered through Cyberstone Virtual School only