Print E-mail

A revised and updated Program of Studies for Social Studies K-12 is currently being phased in, with new high school courses over three years, starting with new Social 10-1 and 10-2 courses being implemented in 2007-08. They will be followed by new Social 20-1 and 20-2 courses in 2008-09, as described in this guide. The new Social 30-1 and 30-2 courses will come on stream in 2009-10, with the first re-designed diploma exams being written by students in January and June 2010.

Social Studies assists students to develop the content, skills and attitudes students they need to become effective global as well as Canadian citizens.
Students work with content drawn from all the disciplines that study people and their behavior, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science and psychology. Students will have to be global as well as Canadian citizens and this content will concentrate on developments and issues that are of special interest to the world as well as the Canadian community.

Society is changing very rapidly. The biggest contribution Social Studies can make in helping students deal with these changes is to help develop a skill called past/present/future perspective. It is the ability to use the past to understand the present and to point to the probable future.

Canadian citizens are one of the world’s most fortunate people. We live in a country that is recognized being one of the best in the world, and one of the reasons for this is Canada’s strong democratic traditions. But these traditions have to be guarded to be maintained. That requires an understanding of the roles, rights and responsibilities required by the citizens of a democratic society. It also calls for the development of democratic attitudes. One of the ways Social Studies will help develop these abilities is by having students deal with important questions or issues. Students will learn how to deal with “what should be” as well as “what is”.
Alberta has two different sets of Social Studies courses. The more rigorous set of courses consists of Social Studies 10-1, 20-1 and 30-1. It is a challenging sequence of courses that has been designed for the motivated student. The other set of courses consists of Social Studies 10-2, 20-2 and 30-2.

As well, Jasper Place offers enriched programming for Honours students: both Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate. These are best suited to students with a high academic standing and a keen interest in Social Studies. We will be offering courses at the Social Studies 10-1 AP, Social Studies 20 -1AP, and Social Studies 30 AP level, along with Social Studies 10-1IB, Social Studies 20-1IB, Social Studies 30IB, and World History 30 IB.