Social Studies is a multidisciplinary subject that draws from the Social Sciences and Humanities to study human interactions and social and physical environments. At North Delta Secondary the main goal of Social Studies is to develop thoughtful, responsible, active citizens who are able to access and evaluate information, to consider multiple perspectives and to make reasoned judgments.

Students must take Social Studies in Grade 8, 9 and 10. Students must take one senior level Socials class (11 or 12 level) in order to meet the Graduation Requirements. However, students may take more than one Social Studies course in their Grade 11 or 12 year, and Grade 11 students may take Grade 12 level courses, and Grade 12 students may take Grade 11 level courses.

Please note that although Psychology 11 and Psychology 12 are part of the Social Studies department, these courses may not be used to satisfy the Social Studies 11 or 12 Graduation Requirement.

Social Studies 8 examines history around the world from the 7th century to 1750. The course looks at how changing ideas about the world created tension between people wanting to adopt new ideas and those wanting to preserve established traditions. The exploration, colonization and varying consequences colonization had for different groups. The interactions and exchanges of resources, ideas, arts and cultures between different civilizations. Social Studies 8 is a required course.

The course examines the history of Europe and North America from 1750 to 1919. It will examine the impact of colonization and the development of North America during this period. This course will also examine the development of Europe and its impact on Canada and the United States. Students will take part in oral presentations, group and individual projects, library research and class assignments. Current events are integrated into the appropriate section of the course. This is a required course.

The emphasis of this course will be on Canadian studies from 1919 to present. Topics that will be covered include:

Canadian autonomy and identity, the industrialization of Canada, Canada’s role in domestic and international conflicts, and discrimination and reconciliation in the Canadian context. A variety of research assignments, role playing, oral presentations, map-skills, current events, and decision-making strategies are incorporated into the course. Students may choose Connections Cohort Socials 10. This is a required course.

This course serves as an introduction to the fundamentals of the study of the mind and human behavior. Some of the topics covered are: Social Psychology, Altered States of Consciousness, Perception, Psychological Disorders, Experimental Design, Emotions, Evolutionary Psychology, Biopsychology and an Introduction to the Major Perspectives in Psychology. The focus of the course is on actively doing activities that reinforce the theory that we are learning in class. As a result, we will do a number of experiments and surveys throughout. This is an elective course. Note this course does not satisfy the Social Studies 11 graduation requirement.

The focus of this course is the Canadian legal system. Topics covered include the court system, criminal law, the youth criminal justice act, human rights legislation, indigenous legal systems, the charter of rights and freedoms, and civil law. Course content includes: class discussion, current legal events, text- based theory, field trips to Provincial and/or Supreme Courts and a mock trial. This is an elective course.

This course serves as a continuation of Psychology 11, but with more of an emphasis on theory. While reinforcing the topics learned in Psychology 11, we will cover all new information and theory. Some of the topics covered are: Developmental Psychology, Behaviorism, Freudian Psychology, Memory, Forensic Psychology, Therapy and Gender Psychology. The focus of the course is on actively doing activities that reinforce the theory that we are learning in class. As a result, we will do a number of experiments throughout. This is an elective course. Note this course does not satisfy the Social Studies 11 graduation requirement.

The course will examine and encourage understanding of the following concepts: equity and equality for minority groups, ethics, sexual orientation, diversity, human rights and oppression. The course will develop critical thinking skills for a range of social justice issues. These issues will be analyzed from an ethical perspective. Students will conduct a self-assessment of their own attitudes and behaviours relating to social justice including recognizing injustice, embracing diversity, developing empathy and taking action. Activities include class discussion, individual and group projects, research assignments, current events and field studies. This is an elective course.

While History 12 can be described broadly as a history of world affairs in the 20th century, it concentrates on the years between 1919 and 1991. This course studies international relations, social, political, economic and cultural aspects of great powers in the Twentieth Century: how great powers caused World War II, how democracy was rejected for communism in the USSR and fascism in Germany and Italy, and how the USA and USSR dominated power politics in the cold war confrontation and subsequent detente. History 12 requires students to use historical evidence and fact to analyze and construct arguments, and to be aware of the subjective nature of history. A variety of instructional methods are used including text-based theory, videos, simulations, group work, debate, oral presentations, lectures, editorials, journals, etc. This is an elective course.

This course examines the development of genocide and mass murder of populations throughout human history, and the impact of the intentional destruction of peoples and their cultures. Students will make use of the term genocide to describe these atrocities, will assess similarities in progression and scope between different occurrences, and will learn the political, legal, social and cultural ramifications of these tragedies. Efforts to prevent genocide, such as international laws, commitments and enforcement to prohibit genocide and violence targeted against groups of people will also be analyzed using ethical perspectives. Students taking this course will develop critical thinking skills and will engage in assessing differing perspectives. This is an elective course.

This course examines the identities, worldviews and languages of the BC First Peoples. They will assess the impact of contact and colonialism, how this has continued to affect the political, social and economic lives of the B.C. First Peoples. Students will explore people’s cultural expressions, richness, diversity and resiliency. The importance of self-governance, leadership, and self-determination, B.C. First Peoples continue to challenge and resist Canada’s ongoing colonialism. A variety of instructional methods are used including text-based theory, inquiry processes and skills, class discussions, group work, debates, research assignments, current events and field studies. This course meets the BC Ministry of Education Indigenous Focused 4 credit graduation requirement. This course is an elective.