The Ontario Secondary School Diploma / Lumudai Chol Program
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Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 – 12: Program and Diploma Requirements, 1999 (OSS) sets out the policies and requirements that govern the program in English-language secondary schools in Ontario. It outlines the policies of the Ministry of Education for programs in Grades 9 to 12, including the requirements for the awarding of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
Below is a list of some the course we are currently offering at Yeshiva Darchei Torah. If you have any questions regarding our Limudai Chol program, please contact the General Studies Principal Ed McMahon at (416) 782-7974 ext. 225.
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Geography of Canada, Grade 9
The course draws on a variety of frameworks, such as the ecozone framework and the principles of physical, human and economic geography, to explore Canada’s distinct and evolving character. Students will investigate the interconnections among landforms, climate, soils, plants, animals, and human activities in Canadian ecozones to develop geographic knowledge and skills that contribute to an understanding of Canada’s diversity and it’s role in the world. Students will examine the components of natural and human systems, how they interact and influence one another, and Canada’s relationships with the global community.
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Principles of Mathematics, Grade 9
This course enables students to develop generalizations of mathematical ideas and methods through the exploration of applications, the effective use of technology, and abstract reasoning. The strands of Grade 9 are designed to build upon those of Grade 8 while at the same time providing for growth in new directions in high school. These strands include: Number Sense and Algebra, Relationships, Analytic Geometry, and Measurement & Geometry.
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Science, Grades 9 & 10
This course enables students to understand basic concepts in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, and physics; to develop skills in the processes of scientific inquiry; and to relate science to technology, society, and the environment.
Students will learn scientific theories and conduct investigations related to atomic and molecular structures and the properties of elements and compounds; cell division and reproduction; the principles of electricity; and space exploration.
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English, Grades 9 & 10
This course emphasizes analytic reading, writing, oral communication, and thinking skills that students need for success in the secondary school academic programs and their daily lives. Students will study and interpret texts from contemporary and historical periods, including plays, short stories, and short essays, and will investigate and create media works. An important focus will be the correct and effective use of spoken and written language.
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Healthy Active Living, Grades 9 & 10
This course emphasizes regular participation in a variety of enjoyable physical activities that promote lifelong healthy active living. Students will learn movement skills and principles, ways to improve personal fitness and physical competence, and safety and injury prevention. They will investigate issues related to healthy sexuality and the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs and will participate in activities designed to develop goal setting, communication and social skills.
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Principles of Mathematics, Grade 10
This course is an extension of the grade 9 course and should provide a firm basis for those students who wish to continue to study Mathematics through high school and beyond. Topic includes: Graphing, Coordinate Geometry, The Straight Line, Systems of Equations, Quadratic Functions and Equations, and an introduction to Trigonometry.
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Social Science, Grade 10
Ministry Guideline: Canadian and World Studies 1999
This course explores Canadian participation in global events and traces our development as a country through changes in population, economy and technology. Students will analyze the elements that constitute Canadian identity, learn the stories of both individuals and communities, and study the evolution of political and social structures. Students will learn about differing opinions of the past, and will come to understand the importance in historical studies of chronology and cause and effect relationships. They will also learn to develop and support a thesis, conduct research and analysis, and effectively communicate the results of their inquiries.
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Career Studies, Grade 10
The purpose of the Grade 10 Career Studies course is to equip students to intelligently and purposefully interact with their world (now and in the future) so that they live, work, and participate as satisfied and contributing members of society. Students learning will include assessing their own knowledge, skills, and characteristics and investigating economic trends, workplace organization, work opportunities, and ways to search for work. The course explores post-secondary learning options, prepares students for community based learning and helps them build the capabilities needed for managing work and life transitions. Students will design action plans for pursuing their goals.
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English, Grade 11
This course emphasizes the development of literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will analyse challenging texts from various periods (Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, and V.S. Naipaul’s Miguel Street); conduct research and analyse the information gathered; write persuasive and literary essays; and analyse the relationship among media forms, audiences, and media industry practices. An important focus will be on understanding the development of the English language.
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Functions and Relations, Grade 11
This course introduces some financial applications of mathematics, extends students’ experiences with functions, and introduces second-degree relations. Students will solve problems in personal finance involving applications of sequences and series; investigate properties and applications of trigonometric functions; develop facility in operating with polynomials, rational expressions, and exponential expressions; develop an understanding of inverses and transformations of functions; and develop facility in using function notation and in communicating mathematical reasoning. Students will also investigate loci and the properties and applications of conics.
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Physics, Grade 11
The course is designed to provide students with the fundamental background necessary to understand physical concepts, to apply scientific techniques, to handle equipment intelligently and safely, and to appreciate the applications and implication of physics in technology and society. This course will survey eight units of study in Physics, furnishing a foundation for those students who wish to take further studies in Physics. Most of the material in this course emerges from pre-twentieth century physics.
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Science, Grades 11 & 12
This course provides students with the opportunity to expand on the content and processes introduced in the prerequisite grade 11 course. This chemistry course focuses on the relationship between molecular structures and macroscopic physical and chemical properties. It is intended to prepare students for further studies in chemistry at the university level and therefore places emphasis on analysis and problem solving.
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Chemistry, Grades 11 & 12
These courses focus on the concepts and theories that form the basis of modern chemistry. Students will study the behaviours of solids, liquids, gases, and solutions; investigate changes and relationships in chemical systems; and explore how chemistry is used in developing products and processes that affect our lives and our environment.
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English, Grade 12
This course emphasizes consolidation of literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will analyze a range of challenging texts from various time periods, countries and cultures; write analytical and argumentative essays and a major paper for an independent literary research project; and apply key concepts to analyze media works. An important focus will be on understanding academic language and using it coherently and confidently in discussion and argument.
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Canada History Identity and Culture, Grade 12
This course explores the challenges associated with the formation of a Canadian national identity. Students will explore the social, political, and economic forces that have shaped Canada from the pre-contact period to the present and will investigate the historical roots of contemporary issues from a variety of perspectives, Students will use critical-thinking and communication skills to consider events and ideas in historical context, debate issues of culture and identity, and present their own views.
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Canadian and World Politics, Grade 12
This course examines national and international political issues from a variety of perspectives. Students will learn about the rights and responsibilities of individuals, groups, and states within the international community, analyse the different ways in which Canada tries to settle its conflicts with other nations; and evaluate the role of nationalist and internationalist ideologies in shaping relations among states.
Emphasis will be placed on critical analysis and evaluation of the processes that have such a great impact upon our lives. The dual goals of this course are: 1) for students to develop the skills necessary to cope with university-level social sciences studies, and 2) to empower students so that they will be able to translate political knowledge and skills into personal actions. Knowledge is power.
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Canadian and World Studies: A Geographic Analysis, Grade 12
This course draws on geographic concepts, skills, methods, and technologies to analyze significant issues facing Canadians as citizens of an interdependent world. Students will examine the challenges of creating a sustainable and equitable future through the study of a range of topics, including economic interdependence, geopolitical conflict, regional disparities in the ability to meet basic human needs, and protection of the planet’s life-support systems.
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Geometry and Discrete Mathematics, Grade 12
This course enables students to broaden mathematical knowledge and skills related to abstract mathematical topics and to the solving of complex problems. Students will solve problems involving geometric and Cartesian vectors, and intersections of lines and planes in three-space. They will also develop an understanding of proof, using deductive, algebraic, vector, and indirect methods. Students will solve problems involving counting techniques and prove results using mathematical induction.
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Mathematics of Data Management, Grade 12
This course broadens students’ understanding of mathematics as it relates to managing information. Students will apply methods for organizing large amounts of information; apply counting techniques, probability, and statistics in modelling and solving problems; and carry out a culminating project that integrates the expectations of the course and encourages perseverance and independence. Students planning to pursue university programs in business, the social sciences, or the humanities will find this course of particular interest.
This course is designed to satisfy the prerequisites for a number of university programs that may include statistics courses, such as those found in the social sciences and the humanities. The expectations in the strands of this course require students to apply mathematical process skills developed in prerequisite courses, such as problem solving, reasoning, and communication, to the study of probability and statistics. The Counting and Probability strand extends the basic probability concepts learned in the elementary school program and introduces counting techniques such as the use of permutations and combinations; these techniques are applied to both counting and probability problems. The Probability Distributions strand introduces the concept of probability distributions; these include the normal distribution, which is important in the study of statistics. In the Organization of Data for Analysis strand, students examine, use, and develop methods for organizing large amounts of data, while in the Statistical Analysis strand, students investigate and develop an understanding of powerful concepts used to analyse and interpret large amounts of data. These concepts are developed with the use of technological tools such as spreadsheets and Fathom, a ministry-licensed dynamic statistical program. The Culminating Data Management Investigation strand requires students to undertake a culminating investigation dealing with a significant issue that will require the application of the skills from the other strands of the course.
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Physics, Grade 12
This course enables students to deepen their understanding of the concepts and theories of physics. Students will explore further the laws of dynamics and energy transformations, and will investigate electrical, gravitational, and magnetic fields; electromagnetic radiation; and the interface between energy and matter. They will further develop inquiry skills, learning, for example, how the interpretation of experimental data can provide indirect evidence to support the development of a scientific model. Students will also consider the impact on society and the environment of technological applications of physics.
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Advanced Functions, Grade 12
This course satisfies the mathematical prerequisite for some universities in areas that include business, social science, and health science programs. The strands in this course help students deepen their understanding of functions by revisiting the exponential and trigonometric functions introduced in Grade 11 to address related concepts such as radian measure and logarithmic functions and by extending prior knowledge of quadratic functions to explore poly- nomial and rational functions. The Characteristics of Functions strand addresses some of the general features of functions through the examination of rates of change and methods of combining functions.
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Calculus and Vectors, Grade 12
This course is designed to prepare students for university programs, such as science, engineering, and economics, that include a calculus or linear algebra course in the first year. Calculus is introduced in the Rate of Change strand by extending the numeric and graphical representation of rates of change introduced in the Advanced Functions course to include more abstract algebraic representations. The Derivatives and Their Applications strand provides students with the opportunity to develop the algebraic and problem-solving skills needed to solve problems associated with rates of change. Prior knowledge of geometry and trigonometry is used in the Geometry and Algebra of Vectors strand to develop vector concepts that can be used to solve interesting problems, including those arising from real-world applications.
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Music
This program is intended to develop students’ understanding and appreciation of music through practical skills and creative work. Through this program students will not only find in music a source of enjoyment and personal satisfaction, but also gain creative problem-solving skills, individual and cooperative work habits, knowledge of themselves and others, a sense of personal responsibility, and connections to their communities and future careers.