The philosophy and rational for the Alberta Science Program of Studies states that students graduating from Alberta schools require the scientific and related technological knowledge and skills that will enable them to understand and interpret their world and become productive members of society. They also need to develop attitudes that will motivate them to use their knowledge and skills in a responsible manner. Science programs provide opportunities for students to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that they need to explore interests and prepare for further education and careers. At Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, science teachers strive to provide students with learning experiences that enable them to relate to science in ways that are respectful of the inquiry process, while also allowing them to construct meaning of the world in which they live. A primary goal of science education at the LCI is to enhance scientific literacy and prepare students for post-secondary programs.
Science 9 (non credit course)
Science 9 is a general Science course in which all grade 9 students are enrolled. The grade 9 Science course discusses 5 main units: chemistry, biology, physics, environmental science and space exploration. In Science 9, as well as in the other high school science courses, students develop scientific knowledge through collecting, analyzing and interpreting experimental evidence. Connections among science, technology and society are also explored. All in coming grade 9 students are automatically enrolled in Science 9.
- Prerequisite - All in coming grade 9 students are automatically enrolled in Science 9 regardless of their final marks in grade 8.
- Course Fees - There are no additional fees for this course
Science 10 (5 credits)
Science 10 is designed to be a bridge from general science instruction, into the more defined disciplines of science academia. The Science 10 course introduces biology, chemistry, and physics. Science 10 allows you to choose from Biology, Chemistry, or Physics, depending on your interests, abilities and goals. Students should be mindful of what their marks are in each of the three units of Science 10, as that will help them decide which Science courses they should take at the 20 level.
- Prerequisite - Students who receive a final grade of 70% in Science 9 are encouraged to take Science 10. The minimum recommended final grade to advance to Science 10 is a 65% in Science 9.
- Course Fees - There are no additional fees for this course
Biology 20 & 30 (5 credits each)
High school biology is more commonly taken stream with the science to help students meet their science graduation requirements. Having said that, biology is still considered to be very challenging. Our biology classes engage in examining interactions of living systems with each other and their environment. While Biology 20 emphasizes energy and matter exchange, Biology 30 focuses on adaptation and change in biological systems as well as genetics and DNA.
- Prerequisite - Students who finish Science 10 with a final grade of 70% or higher (and more particularly, their marks in the Biology Unit of Science 10 were above 70%) , would be encouraged to take Biology 20. Any student who finishes with a final grade in Science 10 below 70% should strongly consider if they need to take Biology 20, and if Science 14/24 would be more advantageous. A Science 10 final grade of 65% or less will receive a recommendation to take Science 14/24.
- Course Fees - There are no additional fees for these courses
Chemistry 20 & 30 (5 credits each)
High school chemistry courses in Alberta are considered to be very challenging. Students usually only take chemistry 20 or 30 if it is an admission requirement for their post secondary program of choice. Our chemistry classes engage with the study of matter and its changes in the natural and industrial worlds. Chemistry 20 also emphasizes the structure and behavior of matter (chemical bonding, gases, solutions, and quantitative relationships in chemical change). Chemistry 30 focuses on changes of matter and related energy changes (organic chemistry, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, equilibrium)
- Prerequisite - Students who finish Science 10 with a final grade of 70% or higher (and more particularly, their marks in the Chemistry Unit of Science 10 were above 70%) , would be encouraged to take Chemistry 20. Any student who finishes with a final grade in Science 10 below 70% should strongly consider if they need to take Chemistry 20, and if Science 14/24 would be more advantageous. A Science 10 final grade of 65% or less will receive a recommendation to take Science 14/24.
- Course Fees - There are no additional fees for these courses
Physics 20 & 30 (5 credits each)
High school physics courses in Alberta are considered to be very challenging. Students usually only take Physics 20 or 30 if it is an admission requirement for their post secondary program of choice. Our physics courses engage in the exploration and analysis of the interactions between matter and energy, as well as help students understand the physics behind natural events and technology. Physics 20 emphasizes mechanics including kinematics, dynamics, energy, and waves (we strongly recommend Mathematics 10C as a prerequisite but it is not required by Alberta Ed). Physics 30 focuses on mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and the nature of atomic matter (we strongly recommend Mathematics 20-1 as a prerequisite but it is not required by Alberta Ed).
- Prerequisite - Students who finish Science 10 with a final grade of 70% or higher (and more particularly, their marks in the Physics Unit of Science 10 were above 70%) , would be encouraged to take Physics 20. Any student who finishes with a final grade in Science 10 below 70% should strongly consider if they need to take Physics 20, and if Science 14/24 would be more advantageous. A Science 10 final grade of 65% or less will receive a recommendation to take Science 14/24.
- Course Fees - There are no additional fees for these courses
Science 14 & 24 (5 credits each)
Science 14 and Science 24 are courses that provide a wide breadth of material in the general sciences. Science 14 and 24 are designed to help students apply scientific knowledge and skills to everyday experiences. At LCI, we combined both of these courses into a single instructional block where students earn 10 credits for both courses in one semester. In doing that, students also fulfill their requirement for high school diploma by taking a Science course at the 20 level. Science 14 & 24 are recognized as legitimate science courses that can be used for admission in many different college and trades programs. There are even a few situations where Science 14 & 24 meet the admission requirements for university programs (i.e. Bachelor of Arts program). Students should consult with an academic advisor at their post-secondary school of choice to find out if Science 14 & 24 will meet their desired admissions requirements.
- Prerequisite - Students who receive a final grade below 65% in Science 9 will be recommended to take Science 14/24. Even if a student may wish to upgrade their science classes later on, we would strongly encourage students with Science 9 marks below 65% to take the 1 block, 10 credit course to secure their graduation requirements before attempting to upgrade
- Course Fees - There are no additional fees for these courses
Scimatics 10 (15 credits)
Scimatics is a rigorous year-long course which integrates three separate core classes into two instructional blocks (one in the first semester and one in the second). The three classes that are interwoven together in Scimatics are Science 10, Mathematics 10C and Chemistry 20. Students who successfully complete the Scimatics course receive credits for completing all three of those courses. Because of the compressed instructional time that the three courses are covered in, Scimatics provides accelerated learning for students who enjoy an academic challenge. Scimatics appeals to students who want to explore the interrelatedness of different science and math disciplines. Scimatics is taught in a way that focuses on mastery of learning, inquiry based learning, and project based learning.
- Prerequisite - A student should have a minimum final grade of 90% in both Science 9 and Math 9 before applying to take Scimatics. Space in the Scimatics class is limited so interested students must fill out an application and submit it to the Scimatics teacher before the deadline. All applicants to Scimatics should still request Math 10C and Science 10 when making their course requests in PowerSchool for the following year in case their application is not accepted. All applicants will be notified one way or another regarding their acceptance into the course.
- Course Fees - There are no additional fees for this course
