Peel Alternative School North for the Peel District School Board
Wilderness Experience 2
Course 2 of 3: Environmental Science (SVN3M)
Teacher: David Spencer
Room: 14 at Peel Alternative School North
Email: david.spencer@peelsb.com
Phone: 905-455-1225 ext.114
Meeting Times:
Tuesdays 1-3 p.m. for Tutorial Time
Wednesday 12:55 -3 p.m
Thursdays 8:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
1. Course Description
This Ontario Ministry of Education course Environmental Science (SVN3M) provides students with the
fundamental knowledge of and skills relating to environmental science that will help them succeed in life after
secondary school. Students will explore a range of topics, including the role of science in addressing
contemporary environmental challenges; the impact of the environment on human health; sustainable
agriculture and forestry; the reduction and management of waste; and the conservation of energy. Students
will increase their scientific and environmental literacy and examine the interrelationships between science,
the environment, and society in a variety of areas.
Students will demonstrate achievement of the course expectations through the completion of the following
summative tasks:
Unit
Summative Tasks
1
2
3
Environmental Science Glossary, Key Concepts and Scientific Inquiry
Field Trip to Jack Smythe Field Centre: Explore Winter Ecosystems via snowshoeing
Field Trip: Brampton Library, Culminating Unit:, Research Skills, Valid Sources,
Bibliography, Citations, BYOD Devices, Cloud Computing, Digital Footprints Social Media
Field Trip: Niagara Escarpment exploration via a Bruce Trail hike.
Field Trips and Guest Speakers from Toronto Region Conservation and Conservation
Youth Corps
Environmental Science Presentation to grade 4 students
Field Trip to Crawford Lake a meromictic lake
Field Trip: Cycling Trip Along Etobicoke Creek, storm water and waste management
Careers and the Future of Environmental Science
Environmental Science Connections 3 day Experience at Camp Kitchikewana
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
2. Assessment and Evaluation
A: Scientific Investigation Skills and Career Exploration - Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
* demonstrate scientific investigation skills (related to both inquiry and research) in the four areas of skills
(initiating and planning, performing and recording, analysing and interpreting, and communicating);
* identify and describe careers related to the fields of science under study, and describe the contributions of
scientists, including Canadians, to those fields.
B: Scientific Solutions To Contemporary Environmental Challenges - Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
* analyse social and economic issues related to an environmental challenge, and how societal needs
influence scientific endeavours related to the environment;
* investigate a range of perspectives that have contributed to scientific knowledge about the environment,
and how scientific knowledge and procedures are applied to address contemporary environmental problems;
* demonstrate an understanding of major contemporary environmental challenges and how we acquire
knowledge about them.
1
Peel Alternative School North for the Peel District School Board
Wilderness Experience 2
Course 2 of 3: Environmental Science (SVN3M)
Teacher: David Spencer
Room: 14 at Peel Alternative School North
Email: david.spencer@peelsb.com
Phone: 905-455-1225 ext.114
C: Human Health And The Environment - Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
* analyse initiatives, both governmental and non-governmental, that are intended to reduce the impact of
environmental factors on human health;
* investigate environmental factors that can affect human health, and analyse related data;
* demonstrate an understanding of various environmental factors that can affect human health, and
explain how the impact of these factors can be reduced.
D: Sustainable Agriculture And Forestry - Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
* evaluate the impact of agricultural and forestry practices on human health, the economy, and
the environment;
* investigate conditions necessary for plant growth, including the soil components most suitable for various
species, and various environmentally sustainable methods that can be used to promote growth;
* demonstrate an understanding of conditions required for plant growth and of a variety of environmentally
sustainable practices that can be used to promote growth.
E: Reducing And Managing Waste - Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
* analyse economic, political, and environmental considerations affecting waste management strategies;
* investigate the effectiveness of various waste management practices;
* demonstrate an understanding of the nature and types of waste and strategies for its management.
F: Conservation Of Energy - Overall Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
* assess the impact on society and the environment of the use of various renewable and non-renewable
energy sources, and propose a plan to reduce energy consumption;
* investigate various methods of conserving energy and improving energy efficiency;
* demonstrate an understanding of energy production, consumption, and conservation with respect
to a variety of renewable and non-renewable sources.
3. Definitions for Assessment
Diagnostic: This refers to assessment activities undertaken at the beginning of a block of learning to
determine student's strengths and learning needs in order to plan, modify, and adjust instruction or to
provide alternative learning opportunities. Diagnostic assessment data is not used in the determination of
grades.
Formative: This refers to the ongoing assessment and/or evaluation during the learning process. It is used
to monitor student performance and provide feedback in an effort to enhance and improve their performance
on summative tasks. As well, recorded formative data may be tracked and monitored to support professional
judgement in cases where the body of summative evidence provided by the student has been affected by
illness, missed assignments, etc.
2
Peel Alternative School North for the Peel District School Board
Wilderness Experience 2
Course 2 of 3: Environmental Science (SVN3M)
Teacher: David Spencer
Room: 14 at Peel Alternative School North
Email: david.spencer@peelsb.com
Phone: 905-455-1225 ext.114
Summative: This refers to assessment and/or evaluation that occurs at the conclusion of a block of learning
for the purposes of determining the grade. Summative assessment provides the foundation for teachers'
professional judgement. These assessments are reported across the four categories of the achievement
chart.
4. Assessments
Assessments will be distributed across four achievement chart categories using a variety of assessment
methods:
Categories of
Achievement
Knowledge /
Understanding
Thinking / Inquiry
Communication
Application
Category
Description
Students will
develop
knowledge of
facts, terms,
concepts,
principles and
theories and
develop an
understanding of
the relationship
among theories.
Students will
develop critical and
creative thinking
skills (reflecting and
explaining) and
research and
inquiry skills
(formulating
questions).
Students will
develop
communication of
information and
ideas using
language,
symbols and
visuals and forms
for different
audiences and
purposes.
Students will practice
the application of ideas
and skills in familiar
contexts and transfer
concepts and
procedures to new
contexts through
presentations, using
technology and visual
equipment.
Each week, students should complete homework, prepare for field trips, reflect on activities and guest
speaker presentations. For assignments, presentations and communication skills throughout this Wilderness
Experience program, students will be assessed under the following categories.
Achievement
Category
Weightings
50-59%
(Level 1)
60-69%
(Level 2)
70-79%
(Level 3)
80-100%
(Level 4)
Learning Skills and Work Habits: It is an expectation that each student is assessed not only on their
academic achievement but also on their Learning Skills. According to the Growing Success document,
these skills include: Responsibility, Organization, Independent Work, Collaboration, Initiative and SelfRegulation. Each of these six learning skills will be evaluated on the report card as E – Excellent, G – Good,
S – Satisfactory or N – Needs Improvement. The development and consistent practice of these Learning
Skills and Work Habits will positively influence the student’s academic achievement.
Experiential Education: During our numerous outdoor experiential field trips, we will be away from the
school for the entire day. Students need to act responsibly, commit to attending all field trips and prepare
themselves adequately. At home, students will need to prepare and pack their own lunches the day before
each field trip. Students will also need to dress appropriately for hot or cold weather conditions, wear sun
screen, sunglasses, bring drinking water and doctor prescribed medication.
Assessment Expectations: To earn a credit students have the responsibility to submit sufficient evidence
of their understanding within established deadlines. It is in the student's best interest to submit evidence of
learning at every opportunity that is provided, so that his/her grade accurately reflects what was learned. In
3
Peel Alternative School North for the Peel District School Board
Wilderness Experience 2
Course 2 of 3: Environmental Science (SVN3M)
Teacher: David Spencer
Room: 14 at Peel Alternative School North
Email: david.spencer@peelsb.com
Phone: 905-455-1225 ext.114
the event that a student produces insufficient evidence in the key understandings for the course, the entire
credit is at stake. It is a very serious matter for a student to miss opportunities to demonstrate understanding
through assessment. One of the consequences of missing an assessment is that the student may be
assigned an Incomplete (I) for that task. If the student fails to provide a sufficient body of assessment
evidence to the teacher, the entire credit may be Incomplete.
Deadlines: Some deadlines are negotiable, some are absolute. If the student does not complete or submit
work on either an absolute or a negotiated deadline, that work will be considered incomplete. The student
should seek assistance from the teacher when unable to complete the task due to insufficient knowledge or
skill. It is the responsibility of the student to plan ahead and to take action and negotiate an alternate
deadline in circumstances when he/she is unable to complete the task on time.
Academic Honesty
It is expected that students complete their own work in a transparent honest manner. Plagiarism will not be
tolerated. “Plagiarism is the action of taking and using, as one’s own, the thoughts, writings or inventions of
another. It could be an idea, design, passage or work. Plagiarism also exists if a student copies word for
word. Plagiarism of ideas also exists if a student takes and uses an idea without giving proper annotation
(i.e. to note the author or source of the information including the Internet). Plagiarism also extends to
submitting the work of friends, peers, and/or parents as your own” (Peel Alternative School Student
Handbook). Students found to have plagiarized will have to admit their error, redo the assignment and may
receive a mark of zero.
Mark Breakdown
Term Work: 70%
Final Evaluation: 30%
(15% Culminating Unit + 15% Summative Assessment)
Student and Parent Agreement
I have read the above course information and agree to follow and meet the above expectations.
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