Niitsitapi Literacy & Upgrading Program

In Knowledge and Employability ELA 20-4/30-4, students who have experienced challenges or difficulty with their skills in ELA are shown additional strategies for success. Materials have practical applications for students and support development of reading comprehension, communication, and other occupational skills. Students may be required to create their own brief texts. This course is part of a sequence designed for students who may transition directly into the world of work, pursue further training/courses, or pursue other opportunities that may not require post‑secondary education.

Students analyze and respond to literature, including extended texts (a novel/nonfiction book, a feature film and a modern or Shakespearean play) and shorter texts (poetry, short stories, visuals and multimedia, and essays) that relate to cultural and societal issues in Canadian and global contexts. They also create their own texts, e.g., fiction, nonfiction, poetry, presentations/media. This course is for students considering careers that require strong reading and communication skills and for those who may be interested in post-secondary education.

Students with diverse abilities and goals study different types of texts, written at various levels, which explore issues in Canadian and global contexts. They study extended texts (a novel or nonfiction book, a feature film, and a modern or Shakespearean play) and shorter texts (poetry, short stories, visuals and multimedia, and popular nonfiction). Students are also encouraged to create their own texts, e.g., fiction, nonfiction and reports, poetry, and presentations/media. Material will often have daily life or practical applications for students. This course is designed for students considering careers that require basic reading and communication skills and for those interested in a range of post-secondary education or other opportunities.

In Social Studies 10-2 students explore the history and effects of globalization. They develop an understanding of the impact that globalization has on people’s identity and citizenship, while addressing emerging issues that globalization presents. In Social Studies 20-2, students examine the origins and effects of nationalism from various perspectives, developing an understanding of the impact of nationalism on individuals, international relations, and citizenship in Canada. In Social Studies 30-2 students will examine multiple perspectives on various ideologies, focusing on liberalism. They will develop an understanding of how ideologies can shape us and our world.

Students solve linear and area measurement problems of 2-D shapes and 3-D objects using SI and imperial units. They use spatial reasoning to solve puzzles; solve problems involving right triangles and angles; solve unit pricing, currency exchange and income problems; and manipulate formulas to solve problems. They also use scale factors and parallel and perpendicular lines to solve problems.

Students solve surface area, volume, and capacity problems. They use primary trigonometry to solve problems involving two or three right triangles, and model and draw 3-D objects and their views to scale. They use numerical reasoning to solve puzzles; create and analyze personal budgets; use proportional reasoning, unit analysis and manipulation of formulas to solve problems; and create and interpret graphs. Students use their understanding of slope and rate of change to interpret graphs.

Students determine the surface area and volume of 3-D objects and use trigonometric ratios to solve problems involving right triangles. They simplify expressions that involve powers with integral and rational exponents and simplify or factor polynomial expressions. At this level, students also analyze linear relations, solve systems of linear equations, and solve problems related to both sets of skills.

Students investigate arithmetic and geometric patterns and use the sine and cosine laws to solve problems involving triangles. They investigate the properties of radicals and rational expressions. Mathematics 20-1 students also analyze the characteristics of absolute value functions and quadratic functions, solve quadratic equations and systems of equations in various ways, and analyze the relationship between a function and its reciprocal.

Students investigate the properties of logarithms; study the characteristics and transformations of trigonometric, polynomial, exponential, and logarithmic functions by sketching and analyzing their graphs; and solve equations and problems related to these functions. Students also use basic counting principles to determine the number of permutations or combinations of the elements of a set to solve problems.

Students are introduced to the biological, chemical, physical and Earth sciences. By studying chemical reactions, cellular and multicellular processes that occur in plants, the conservation and conversion of energy, and Earth’s climate, they discover how energy is transformed.

Students investigate common chemical reactions and examine energy conversions in biological, chemical, physical, and technological systems. They learn about human health and the immune system. They also investigate the principles that describe the motion of objects and apply their knowledge to real-life situations.

Students examine the interactions of living systems to better understand the constant flow of energy and the cycling of matter. Specifically, students explore the functioning of the human body and the mechanisms that work to maintain balance in organisms—in ecosystems and in the biosphere.

Students conduct lab work and investigate how human systems sense and respond to the environment. They explore human reproduction and development at the cellular level and at the organism level. Students investigate the basic structure and role of DNA and investigate the inheritance of traits in individuals and populations. They analyze the changes in populations resulting from natural and human-induced changes in the environment and discover that living systems are dynamic.

Students explore matter and how it changes to understand the natural world. They investigate the chemical properties of solutions, and they apply their understanding of chemical bonds to explain ionic and molecular compounds. Chemistry 20 students explain the behaviour of gases, using the gas laws, and work to balance chemical equations.

Students examine and quantify how thermochemical and electrochemical systems use or provide energy. They explore common organic compounds—those that contain carbon—and how they are used in technological applications and everyday life. Students also investigate acid-base reactions and interpret how they eventually reach equilibrium.

In Aboriginal Studies 10 students will explore the political and economic organizations of Aboriginal cultures as well as Aboriginal symbolism and expression.

In Aboriginal Studies 20, they will study cultural change as it relates to the Métis, treaties, legislation, and schooling.

In Aboriginal Studies 30, learners will explore Aboriginal rights, land claims and self-government.

Blackfoot is one of the two most spoken Aboriginal languages in Alberta. Within this language is a unique worldview. Blackfoot language and culture are about connections and relationships, tied to the belief that everything is interconnected. The inclusion of Blackfoot in curriculum helps Blackfoot-speaking First Nations communities preserve and revitalize their language. It also helps students become better aware of the Blackfoot worldview.

Students will examine health holistically: the emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, and physical dimensions. They will learn how to make responsible choices about money and other resources, and they’ll learn that their decisions are based on their values and goals. Learners will continue to plot out their career path as they plan for life after high school. The aim of senior high school Career and Life Management (CALM) is to enable students to make well-informed, considered decisions and choices in all aspects of their lives and to develop behaviours and attitudes that contribute to the well-being and respect of self and others, now and in the future. CALM is the core course for health literacy at the senior high school level in Alberta.

Students will learn to communicate in various ways and work creatively with others as they discover dramatic expression. Through eight dramatic disciplines—movement, speech, improvisation, acting, theatre studies, technical theatre design, playwriting and directing—they will develop both performance and technical skills, becoming more confident in themselves and their ability to work together.

The physical education program contributes to the development of life skills for the personal management of health, for the use of physical activity as a strategy for managing life challenges, and for a setting within which to practice the ability to work with others. The program provides an equitable opportunity for all students to realize the benefits of participation in physical activity.

Students receive career exposure through CTS courses. They develop life skills and prepare for the workplace or further learning in the industry that interests them. Students create pathways to occupations in common industries from the five CTS clusters: Business, Administration, Finance & Information Technology (BIT); Health, Recreation & Human Services (HRH); Media, Design & Communication Arts (MDC); Natural Resources (NAT); and Trades, Manufacturing & Transportation (TMT).