Name:

Course OutlineSchool Name: Fieldstone King’s College SchoolDepartment Name: Social Sciences and Humanities

Ministry of Education Course Title: Philosophy: Questions and Theories, Grade 12, University Preparation

Grade Level: 12Ministry Code: HZT4U

Developed by: Jason SwetnamDevelopment date: August 2014

Revised by: Jason SwetnamRevision Date:

Developed from: The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: Social Sciences and Humanities, 2013 (revised)

Prerequisite: Any university or university/college preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English, or Canadian and world studies

Credit Value: One

Teacher: Jason SwetnamTeacher E-mail: jswetnam@fieldstonekcschool.org

Extra Help Tutorials: Tuesday and Wednesday 3:30PM - 4:30PM

Course Evaluation: Coursework 70%November Evaluation 5%January Evaluation 25%

Course Description/RationaleThis course enables students to acquire an understanding of the nature of philosophy and philosophical reasoning skills and to develop and apply their knowledge and skills while exploring specialized branches of philosophy (the course will cover at least three of the following branches: metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, philosophy of science, social and political philosophy, and aesthetics). Students will develop critical thinking and philosophical reasoning skills as they formulate and evaluate arguments related to a variety of philosophical questions and theories. They will also develop research and inquiry skills related to the study and practice of philosophy.

Unit 1 – Philosophical Foundations and MetaphysicsIn this unit, students will begin with an overview of the main areas of philosophy and look in depth at what it is to think critically, avoid fallacies, and use philosophical reasoning. Then, they will explore the main questions, concepts, and theories of metaphysics. Metaphysics is generally concerned with defining the ultimate constituents of reality and how we perceive them. The world appears to be structured by space and time. It is proliferated by matter and minds, things and their properties. We understand ourselves and our relationships to others and things by means of abstract concepts, such as causation, necessity, creation, and destruction. However, the age-old metaphysical dilemma remains when we investigate reality: are we discovering the underlying structures of existence or merely reflecting on how we represent the world within our minds? Beyond an examination of the basic concepts of metaphysics, an investigation into historical approaches to metaphysical questions is essential. How did science offer an alternative to mythological explanations of reality? How did Plato and Aristotle explain the meaning of life? How did perceptions of reality change from the Medieval to the Modern period? Are there fundamental differences between Eastern and Western approaches to metaphysics? How do virtual reality and hyper-reality affect the post-Modern experience? Throughout this unit, students evaluate classic texts, philosophers, and schools of philosophy to formulate their own opinions and to demonstrate the applicability of metaphysical thought to everyday life.

Unit 2 – EthicsStudents uncover the main questions, concepts, and theories of ethics. Students debate questions, such as What are good and evil? What is virtue? and What is the good life? Various methods of determining right from wrong are explored. Moral relativism and moral skepticism are also analysed. Students use critical-thinking skills to explore and evaluate a variety of ethical questions and moral problems and read primary source material by major philosophers. Connections are made between the ethical theories and dilemmas in everyday life. Students analyse and apply philosophical theories to create and defend their own ideas about ethical issues. Research and philosophical reasoning skills are used to prepare for class discussions and written papers.

Unit 3 – AestheticsFrom the earliest cave paintings to contemporary performance installations, art and questions about the nature of beauty and taste have been fundamental to humankind. Changing modes of valuation – from Plato’s mistrust of poets to Kant’s theories on judgment through post-Modern theories of art – have led to changing views of both what is considered artistic and beautiful and of the role of art and artists. Students often have strongly held, subjective viewpoints on taste and artistic merit across a broad spectrum of artistic forms, including television, music, and cinema. This unit gives students an opportunity to ground those judgments in a more objective, philosophical context. By exploring the Western philosophical tradition as it relates to aesthetics, they also have opportunities to expand and revise their own theories and beliefs. Students are encouraged to put art in the context of other branches of philosophy, including ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics.

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Course Culminating TaskThe course culminating activity for Philosophy: Questions and Theories should allow students to demonstrate a range of academic and intellectual skills, while at the same time allowing students to draw on the materials and knowledge they have acquired during the course. For these reasons and since 30% of a student’s final grade is based on the course culminating activity, this activity is best constructed around a variety of tasks. As a University Preparation course, the tasks should reflect the types of assignments students are most likely to encounter in Social Science or Humanities courses at university. This activity should be introduced early in the course. Some of the allocated time (20.5 hours) should be used throughout the semester for conferencing, research, writing, and editing workshops. The remainder is reserved for the end of the semester.The first of two related tasks for the Course Culminating Activity requires students to write a 1500- to 2000-word formal essay, which can be expository, argumentative, or persuasive; it is important that the essay cover material from three of the main areas of philosophy. Students may take a particular philosopher and examine how his/her philosophy has contributed to or influenced the areas of philosophy covered in the units, e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Nietzsche, Carol Gilligan, Lao Tzu. Students may instead examine a specific philosophical concept, issue, or question, e.g., How does the concept of personhood relate to each unit? How does the question of whether a deity exists or does not exist impact on the areas of philosophy covered? How does a specifically feminist approach to philosophy alter or influence the approaches to the three areas of philosophy? Alternatively students may focus on a particular philosophical movement or school, e.g., existentialism, phenomenology, scepticism, utilitarianism, pragmatism, Confucianism, and examine how it approaches particular aspects of the major areas of philosophy. The teacher reserves the right to give final approval for any particular topic.The more informal 10- to 12-minute oral presentation for the Course Culminating Activity should focus and elaborate on one particular aspect of the essay. Students may focus on the way their topic relates to a particular unit or they may organize the presentation on an alternate basis. The presentation must include an audio-visual component and the presenting student must prepare a one-page, double-sided handout for classmates, contextualizing and summarizing the main points of the material.To maximize the potential for student success, this activity should be structured by the teacher in terms of the process and outcomes, while giving students substantial latitude in their choice of topics. A sample method for organizing and sequencing the research, writing, and presentation processes is provided. No specific grading weights have been suggested. Students should be given multiple assessment and feedback opportunities during the process prior to actual evaluations. Given the time restrictions of the course, much of the work is done outside class hours.Stage 1: Students conference with the teacher. Students present two to four potential essay/presentation topics in written form with evidence of rudimentary research. In consultation with the teacher, students choose a specific topic.Stage 2: Students submit specific topic and preliminary research in written form, including notes, photocopies, and bibliographic references.Stage 3: Students have ongoing consultation with the teacher and provide evidence of further progress in written form, such as outlines, primary and secondary notes, and preliminary drafts. The teacher provides assessment and feedback.Stage 4: All primary and secondary notes are due for evaluationStage 5: Students prepare full rough drafts in word-processed form, including Works Cited and parenthetical references, to be ready for in-class Peer Editing Workshop. The teacher may choose to offer formative assessment at this stage.Stage 6: Students submit final version of essay and all supporting materials.Stage 7: Small group rehearsals for Oral Presentations.Stage 8: Oral Presentation for full class.The last part of the activity is a formal oral examination that covers material from the entire course.

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Overall Curriculum Expectations

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

A1. Exploring: explore topics related to philosophy, and formulate questions to guide their research;A2. Investigating: create research plans, and locate and select information relevant to their chosen topics, using appropriate philosophical research and inquiry methods;A3. Processing Information: assess, record, analyse, and synthesize information gathered through research and inquiry;A4. Communicating and Reflecting: communicate the results of their research and inquiry clearly and effectively, and reflect on and evaluate their research, inquiry, and communication skills.B1. The Nature of Philosophy: demonstrate an understanding of the main areas of philosophy,periods of philosophical development, and the differences between philosophy and other areasof inquiry; B2. Philosophical Reasoning: demonstrate an understanding of philosophical reasoning and criticalthinking skills, including skills required to identify and avoid common fallacies of reasoning, and demonstrate the ability to apply these skills in various contexts.C1. Understanding Metaphysics: demonstrate an understanding of the main questions in metaphysics, and of the positions of major philosophers and schools of philosophy with respect to some of these questions; C2. Exploring Metaphysics: demonstrate an understanding of metaphysical theories, and evaluate responses to some of the main questions in metaphysics by major philosophers and schools of philosophy; C3. Making Connections to Metaphysics: demonstrate an understanding of connections between metaphysics and other areas of philosophy, other subject areas, and various aspects of society, including everyday life; C4. Philosophical Reasoning in Metaphysics: use philosophical reasoning skills to develop, communicate, and defend their own responses to metaphysical questions.D1. Understanding Ethics: demonstrate an understanding of the main questions in ethics, and of thepositions of major philosophers and schools of philosophy with respect to some of these questions; D2. Exploring Ethics: demonstrate an understanding of theories in ethics, and evaluate responses tosome of the main questions in ethics by major philosophers and schools of philosophy; D3. Making Connections to Ethics: demonstrate an understanding of connections between ethics andother areas of philosophy, other subject areas, and various aspects of society, including everyday life; D4. Philosophical Reasoning in Ethics: use philosophical reasoning skills to develop, communicate,and defend their own responses to philosophical questions in ethics.H1. Understanding Aesthetics: demonstrate an understanding of the main questions in aesthetics, and of the positions of major philosophers and schools of philosophy with respect to some of these questions; H2. Exploring Aesthetics: demonstrate an understanding of theories in aesthetics, and evaluate responses to some of the main questions in aesthetics by major philosophers and schools of philosophy; H3. Making Connections to Aesthetics: demonstrate an understanding of connections between aesthetics and other areas of philosophy, other subject areas, and various aspects of society,including everyday life; H4. Philosophical Reasoning in Aesthetics: use philosophical reasoning skills to develop, communicate,and defend their own responses to questions in aesthetics.

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Outline of Course Content

Unit LengthUnit 1: Philosophical Foundations and Metaphysics 40 hoursUnit 2: Ethics 40 hoursUnit 3: Aesthetics 20 hoursCourse Culminating Task 10 hours

Total 110 hours

Semester of a Glance

September October November December JanuaryUnit 1:

Into to PhilosophyPhilosophical SurveyThe Big QuestionsWhy study philosophy?

Unit 1:

Understanding MetaphysicsExploring MetaphysicsConnecting to Metaphysics

Unit 2:

Understanding EthicsExploring EthicsConnecting to Ethics

Unit 2:

Understanding EthicsExploring EthicsConnecting to Ethics

Unit 3:

Understanding AestheticsExploring AestheticsConnecting to Aesthetics

ReviewCCTOral Exam

Resources

Textbook:

Philosophy: Thinkers, Theories, and Questions (McGraw-Hill Ryerson)

Website:http://faithlesspilgrims.weebly.com/

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Teaching and Learning Strategies

LectureDemonstrationsReadingsStructured DiscussionsSeminarsFormal/Informal PresentationsConferenceRole PlayInquiry / DiscoveryPractical ExercisesAssignmentsDebatesProblem SolvingBrainstormingGroup workResearch ProjectsGamesIndependent StudyInterviewsWorkshop / Field tripsSelf/Peer Analysis

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Assessment/Evaluation Strategies

As Learning For Learning Of LearningConversationClassroom discussionSelf-evaluationPeer assessment

ObservationSeminar preparationSteps in philosophical reasoning

Student ProductsReflection journalsCheck ListsSuccess Criteria

ConversationClassroom discussionSmall group discussionQ&A Conferences

ObservationGroup discussionsThought experiments

Student ProductsPractice sheetsQuizzesResearch Pieces

ConversationPresentations of researchQ&A Debates

ObservationSeminarsPresentations

Student ProductsProjectsPresentationsEssaysTests

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Program Planning

Differentiated Instruction: Teachers will differentiate the strategies and tools used to assess students’ progress towards their learning goals in a way that enables each student to demonstrate his or her learning. Content will be differentiated so that achievable learning goals are identified for each student. Process will be differentiated so that a variety of instructional and management strategies engage all modalities. Similarly, achievement data will be gathered through various assessment tools in order to ensure that products are differentiated.

Education for Exceptional Students: A Student Success Plan (SSP) will be maintained for each student who is identified. The SSP outlines, as appropriate, any modified or alternative curriculum expectations and any accommodations (i.e., the specialized support and services) that are required to meet the student’s needs. The SSP also identifies the methods by which the student’s progress will be reviewed.

The Role of Technology in the Curriculum: In this course, information technology plays an important role in the development of students’ research and inquiry skills and in their ability to communicate the results of their research and learning. Students can use electronic and telecommunications tools to access, organize, and interpret information and ideas; word-processing applications to draft, organize, revise, format, and transmit written work; and presentation software and audio-visual technologies to enhance the effectiveness of oral and visual presentations.

English Language Learners: This is a course that can be adapted for all learners without losing the challenge of the assignments given. This course also gives ELL students an opportunity to use English while working within groups to achieve common goals.

Career Education: A course that is based on communication can be productive for many different careers. Students will be required to identify knowledge and skills they have acquired and to demonstrate an understanding of ways in which they can apply this learning in career contexts.

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Important School Policies*Please See FKCS Student Handbook for details*

Absences/Attendance Attendance in all classes is compulsory for all students and it is expected that students attend each class on time. However, we understand that circumstances arise where students must miss class for various reasons. Absences are classified and dealt with in two ways: explained and unexplained absences.

Explained AbsencesThese absences are the result of the following:

Legitimate Foreseen Circumstances: The absence was communicated to administration at least 48 hours in advance. Necessary documentation was provided and administration approved the absence.

Legitmate Unforeseen Circumstances: The absence was the result on an incident or illness that could not be foreseen. The student/guardian is expected to contact the school as soon as possible. Documentation related to the absence is provided to the school upon or before return.Families (or students, if over 18) are urged to phone the school (416-487- 1989 ext. 228 Hala Hussein or ext. 249 Victoria Bell) on the morning of absences before 8:00 a.m. Hala will attend to the call or a message can be left regarding students’ absences.Explained absences are communicated to teachers such that arrangements can be made to ensure the student is given the opportunity to catch up on missed work and assignments.

Unexplained AbsencesThese absences have the following characteristics:The student has not provided the school with sufficient reasoning behind the absence and/or appropriate documentation has not been provided (ie doctor’s note).The student could have foreseen the absence and did not inform the school in a timely manner.School events do not count as absences.

LatenessConsequences for lateness will be determined by teacher. If lateness becomes a chronic problem, they may be treated as unexplained absences.

Absence during Summative Evaluations On-going summative evaluations in all courses take place during the months of December & January (Semester 1) and May and June (Semester 2). Planned vacation time is not a valid reason for missing examinations or summative activities. Students who will be travelling in June should book their flight tickets as early as possible. Students must write their examinations according to the exam schedule and cannot leave the country before a scheduled exam is to take place.

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Absences and Special Circumstances Some students may have special circumstances, such as extenuating life events, special events or sport competition. For special permission to be granted for these events, please speak with the Head of School.

Late Assignment Guidelines Ever since the implementation of the new Ontario Ministry of Education document Growing Success, educators in the province have been struggling with how to balance compliance with the new assessment and evaluation policy with the realities of teaching, inspiring, and motivating young people. In consultation with the teachers, who have been encouraging school-policy reform in this area, we are continuing to develop a policy for late assignments that is in line with ministry documents and ultimately helps our students to succeed at Fieldstone and beyond.

Students are responsible not only for their behaviour in the classroom and the school but also for providing evidence of their achievement of the overall expectations during the time specified by the teacher. It is expected that students are proactive in communicating with their teachers ahead of time if they are unable to meet deadlines. Should a deadline not be met, the teacher will follow, according to their professional judgment, some or all of the following courses of action:

· Communicating with parents about due dates and scheduling an appointment with the parents if the problem persists

· Reviewing the need for extra support for English language learners and for students with SSPs

· Asking the student to complete the assignment at lunch time or after school· Setting up a student contract outlining student specific responsibilities and

consequences regarding late submissions · Deducting marks up to and including the full value of the assignment (giving the

assignment a mark of zero)

Acceptable ReasonsWe understand that there are situations where even the best of intentioned students are unable to meet a deadline for a variety reasons. Students will not be punished or inconvenienced for matters beyond their control. Our objective is to ensure that students respect and prepare to meet deadlines not to merely punish students who are unable to meet deadlines. Students who are not able to meet deadlines are expected to follow some or all of the following such that teachers are able to make appropriate accommodations:

Meet with their teacher to discuss their circumstances well before the due date/test date

Propose an alternative deadline that is reasonable considering the circumstances Show a genuine desire to meet expectations (for example, attend tutorials and actively

seek help during class) Provide evidence to corroborate their circumstance (for example, a doctor’s note)

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Should a student follow the above steps, the incident may not be recorded as a Late/Missed Assignment/Test offense at the discretion of the teacher.

Unacceptable ReasonsStudents who fail to meet deadlines for reasons that do not conform with what is described as acceptable (see above) will be dealt with as follows:First Offence: In this first instance of a skipped of late submission of an Assessment of Learning, the student will be made aware of the consequences that will follow subsequent missed assessments and complete the Missed Evaluation Contract. The student will submit the assignment, or re-write the test, at an agreed-upon date once this contract is returned.

Second offence: the student will be scheduled an alternative assessment to be written outside of the regular school day which may include during PD days, holidays, lunch periods, after school or before school. The scheduled date will be set by the Assistant Head of School upon consultation with the teacher. For the purposes of grade reporting, the student will automatically receive a ‘Below Level 1’ evaluation until the assessment has been evaluated. Should the school year end before the scheduled assessment, the student will receive a final grade of I (for incomplete). If the student fails to write the scheduled assessment, it will be evaluated as ‘Below Level 1’ and a final course grade will be determined.

Three or more offences: If a student skips a third or more scheduled Assessments of Learning, the student will automatically be evaluated at ‘Below Level 1’ and will not be given a second opportunity to write the assessment.

Cheating and PlagiarismStudents must understand that test/exams they complete and the assessments for evaluation must be their own work. Cheating and plagiarism will not be accepted.

The Assessment and Evaluation policies of the Ontario Secondary School Curriculum make it clear that evaluation is only to reflect the extent to which a student has achieved the curriculum expectations of a given course. When a student is caught cheating or plagiarizing, it is impossible to determine the extent to which he or she has achieved the curriculum expectations being evaluated in a given assignment or test.

Plagiarism and cheating are both taken very seriously at Fieldstone. Plagiarism is an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author, without crediting the original author. Plagiarism commonly occurs in schools when students copy text from the internet and submit it as their own work. Cheating, a form of plagiarism, occurs when a student copies another student’s work during an evaluation such as a test or exam.

Plagiarizing Take-Home Assignments Students who are caught plagiarizing an assignment will be penalized according to the following procedure:

1st offence The student will be asked to re-submit the assignment in his/her OWN

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words. The work will be submitted at a date set by the teacher and no marks will be deducted. If grades are to be reported prior to the re-evaluation of the assignment in question, the grade will determined based on all other evaluations and will not be adversely affected by the incident of plagiarism. If the work is not submitted at this time, the student will follow the procedure outlined in the late assignment policy.

2nd offence The student will receive a ‘Below Level 1’ evaluation on the assignment and the Assistant Head of School will be notified. The student may re-submit such that the assignment is no longer classified as plagiarized; however, all work must be done under the supervision of the course teacher during tutorial hours. A due date will be set by the course instructor and late assignments will be dealt with in accordance to the late assignment policy.

Three or more offences

The student will receive a ‘Below Level 1’ evaluation on the assignment and will meet with the Assistant Head of School to be placed under Conduct Probation. The probationary contract will outline the student’s violations of the Fieldstone Code of Conduct, up to and including plagiarism, and the consequences that follow should the student be found in violation of this contract. Should a student already be placed on Conduct Probation, this incident would be considered a serious violation of the Student Code of Conduct and will result in disciplinary action. The student may correct the assignment(s) in the same manner outlined in the 2nd offense.

Cheating on Unit Tests and Exams Students caught cheating on unit tests and exams will automatically receive a ‘Below Level 1’ evaluation on the assessment in question and will meet with the Assistant Head of School, who will consider the individual circumstances of the student, including grade level and maturity. If deemed appropriate after such consideration, the student will be placed on Conduct Probation.

Petitioning a Plagiarism/Cheating Accusation or Consequence Students may petition an accusation or consequence of plagiarism if they believe to be falsely accused or believe there to be exceptional circumstances that have been overlooked. Students may first petition a charge by their teacher to the Assistant Head of School upon meeting. If the student does not agree with the Assistant Head of School’s decision he/she may appeal it to the Head of School.

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