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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. 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

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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.

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 ½ year options and count for (2) option selections each.

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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. 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.

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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. 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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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. 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

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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 ½ 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)

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Course Descriptions

7 Attributes of Wellness 9

Students will focus on self wellness and how they can support wellness in their close

communities. 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 ($90.00 – 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.

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.

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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. This course will introduce you to the 7 attributes of being a Churchill student. We will help you develop skills and attributes to be leaders of your own growth and learning throughout your high school career and into adulthood. We can’t wait to meet you!

Churchill Promotions 9

Churchill needs you to promote our school. If you are interested in being a part of this

team you will learn about Graphic Design, Photoshop, Adobe Premier and Social

Media. You will create promotional materials like posters, banners and multimedia

messages for our school.

Computer Programming 9

Are you interested in building computer games or apps? In this course you will explore

many different aspects of computer science. Our focus will be on UI design and

introduction to basic programming syntax and algorithms.

Construction Tech 9 Construction Technology 9 incorporates instruction and projects that will involve using most of the power tools and machinery in the woodworking area.

Critical Thinking 9

Students will develop the skills and attributes of effective critical and creative thinkers.

Student will examine the traits and habits of mind needed to think critically and

creatively; including: fair-mindedness, intellectual empathy, intellectual perseverance,

intellectual humility, intellectual independence, intellectual courage, intellectual integrity

and a confidence in reason and evidence. Students will use critical and creative thinking

skills to engage with contemporary issues (i.e. the influence of technology on our

society, the role and responsibilities of the media etc.) to arrive at their own reasoned

judgments.

Drama 9

Students will learn the basics of stage movement, improvisation, character development and the basic techniques of acting.

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Fashion 9

Students will have the opportunity to learn basic sewing skills, including the use of a sewing machine and serger. A minimum of three projects will be made during the semester.

Foods 9

Have you ever wanted to explore the field of cooking? In Foods 9 you will learn the basics of meal planning, cooking and meeting the nutritional requirements of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Come and practice your cooking skills while enjoying your delicious creations.

French 9

French 9 is a 20 week option that is offered three times per week. This course is a continuation of concepts learned in French 7 and 8, but can be taken by beginners who are interested in pursuing the French IB program in Grade 10. Students will learn the basics of communication in French in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

Graphics 9

This course will improve your knowledge and techniques with Photoshop Elements. You will also learn editing "tricks" with photographs, take photographs and create photo presentations.

Leadership 9

Students will explore basic principles of leadership and evaluate their personal leadership characteristics and qualities. Students will also examine effective communication, public speaking and presentation skills while examining the role of volunteers in a community. Students will also focus on self wellness and how they can support wellness in their close communities.

Military History 9

Students will develop historical thinking skills through the examination of Canada’s role

in events such as War of 1812, World War I, World War II, Korean War and the war in

Afghanistan. It is very important to emphasize that the course will not glorify war. On the

contrary, the focus will be on developing an understanding of, and appreciation for, the

harsh realities of war and the impact they have on a nation’s identity.

Personal Fitness 9

The Fitness option will be an activity based course to introduce you to our excellent

fitness facility and to a variety of different training methods. This class is for individuals

of all levels of activity who want to explore ways to enhance their well being. Some

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examples of activities will include body weight movements, strength training machines

and cardiovascular training.

Power to Change 9

Students will participate in an active citizenship process that inspires young people to

identify local and global issues like access to clean water, adequate food, education,

health care and economic opportunity. By investigating/learning about key contributors

to change movements, local/global issues they are passionate about, students will be

empowered with the skills and tools to take action to improve their community.

Spanish 9 Spanish 9 is a 20 week option that is offered 3 times per week. This is an introduction to Spanish language and culture. Spanish is the 2nd most spoken language in the world and one of the easiest to learn. Students will experience foods and culture of Hispanic countries. At completion they will be able to communicate the basics of the language.

Tae Kwon Do 9 Supplementary fee $30 – uniform

This class is offered to students with an interest in learning a traditional martial art.

Students will learn the fundamental movements, stances, blocks, punches and kicks of

one of the world’s most dynamic self-defence forms. Classes are offered in a safe,

traditional format following the tenets of Tae Kwon-Do; Courtesy, Integrity,

Perseverance, self-control, and Indomitable Spirit. Instruction will focus on the white belt

to yellow belt curriculum. No previous experience is necessary. When choosing this

option please keep in mind that this class will require physical exertion each and every

session, and requires members to pay strict attention to the instructor at all

times. Students will be expected to maintain a clean uniform and participate to their

best ability each class.

Team Sports 9

This is a great opportunity for students to learn new sports in an option class. Students

will learn history of, techniques and strategies to play different sports. Come prepared

for a fun experience!

World Geography 9

Students in World Geography 9 will be introduced to the concepts of human, physical

and political geography. Students will come to understand the political divisions in our

contemporary world, as well as examine the impact of physical geography on the

human condition. Students will use print and digital map resources, including Google

Earth, to grow their understanding and appreciation of the complex world in which we

live.

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STUDENTS' COUNCIL

Everyone welcome. ATHLETIC TEAMS Volleyball Girls & Boys Basketball Girls & Boys Rugby Girls & Boys Curling Badminton Cross Country Golf Track & Field Intramural Activities Sports Events Assistant • Gate Supervision • Scorekeeping • Linesman • Other duties

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SCHOOL PRODUCTIONS

Major Dramatic Productions One Act Play Festival “Arts Alive and Well” Christmas Concert Spring Concert Concert in the Park Recognition Assemblies SPECIAL EVENTS

Orange and Blue Day Invitational Volleyball & Basketball Tournaments

City Track and Field Meets Dances Academic Awards Night Graduation Hall of Fame Colour Run Colour Day MISCELLANEOUS CO-CURRICULAR GROUPS Chess/Debate Club Cosplay Club Harry Potter Club

Human Rights Club Interact Club Jazz Choir Pep Committee QSA (Queer-Straight Alliance) Robotics Team Wellness Group Yearbook

2018-2019 CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM