Health and physical education

Grade 9; 1 credit; full year

Grade 9 Well-being is the first year of a two-year high school course sequence focused on student wellness. This course is structured around the newly adopted ASL K-12 well-being framework. Students spend approximately half their time engaged in physical education and the other half in classroom-based experiences involving health education and well-being practices, such as meditation and healthy decision making. Physical education topics include personal challenge through rock climbing, first aid skills, exploring inclusion in sports through tchoukball and korfball, fitness and safety in aquatics, and cooperative skills in team games. Health topics covered include, but are not limited to, self-care practices, time management, healthy advocacy, adolescent sexuality and alcohol/drug awareness. Information literacy and digital well-being are explored, including work utilizing real-world scenarios. 

Grade 10; ½ credit; semester I or II
Health is a required, skills-based, semester-long class for all Grade 10 students. It is based on the belief that nurturing students' mental, social and physical well-being is central to their character development. Students are encouraged to make positive behavioral shifts that enhance self-esteem and mental resilience. Topics covered build on from Grade 9 and address critical components of health and wellness, with the aim of increasing knowledge and practical application for students in their lives. Information and skills explored include healthy decision-making, emotional well-being, adolescent sexuality, alcohol and drug education and personal growth. This discussion and experiential-based class provides students with a safe forum in which to talk about sensitive issues. Students gain a deeper understanding of health and wellness through four visits to local community partnerships. Performance is assessed based on ASL’s K-12 well-being standards and framework.

Grades 10-12; ½ credit; semester I or II

This semester course provides students with a diverse range of non-traditional physical activities, which complement and build on those experienced in Grade 9 PE. Students continue to develop their collaborative skills, and participants have the opportunity to challenge themselves by taking on a peer leadership role. Students are encouraged to critique the role of sport in society and consider how we can seek to address inequality. Students are assisted to further develop their motor skills and general fitness. Assessment is based on the three areas covered by the ASL Physical Education Standards: movement, knowledge and understanding, and social and emotional behaviors.

Grades 10-12; ½ credit; semester II

Sports Leadership provides the starting point for students interested in developing their leadership skills in order to take on a role as a team captain, coach or peer leader. Skills developed during the semester can also be applied to life in general. Leadership is the focus of the course, not sporting ability. During the semester, each student has the opportunity to:

• develop and use a variety of presentation skills by participating in cooperative games and activities.
• gain an understanding of the concepts and principles of leadership skills (communication, motivation, organization, safety, confidence and knowledge) and the 6 Cs of teamwork (commitment, communication, contribution, compromise, cooperation and celebration).
• use leadership skills as well as the 6 Cs of teamwork to design, develop and plan activities, which they go on to lead or teach.

Sports Leadership has set learning outcomes and assessments, including written assignments and a practical aspect. The final project is designing and developing sessions that the student teaches to middle school PE students.

Grades 10-12; ½ credit; semester I or II

This course is aimed at students with a genuine interest in learning how to develop and maintain a balanced health-enhancing fitness regime, and modeling this in our community. The key focus areas include:

• Developing a range of skills and fitness through lifetime fitness activities/sports
• Developing the key knowledge and skills to create and safely implement a personal exercise program
• Developing fitness goals for general well-being
• Critically analyzing fitness goals, programs and reflecting on the process
• Building positive and safe work habits around fitness development
• Working with and mentoring younger students to help them develop their skills and fitness in modified games

Lifetime Fitness builds on the knowledge covered in the fitness units in previous years, covering components of fitness, energy systems, and principles of training. Students are taken through a range of training methods and training activities, learning how to perform key exercises safely and effectively.

Along with the practical component of this course, students are expected to write and evaluate personal fitness goals, develop an exercise program, and keep a training log, which they use to help them evaluate their personal exercise program. They are guided through how to work with younger people and promote regular physical activity to improve health and well-being. Assessments are based on the three areas covered by the ASL Physical Education Standards: movement, knowledge and understanding, and social and emotional behaviors.

½ performing arts credit or ½ physical education/well-being credit; semester I or II

The study of dance addresses the use of the human body and physical movement as an expressive art form, and as a skill-based discipline. Students explore the art of dance through observation, technique and choreography. An emphasis is placed on reflection and critical thinking, as well as skill development. Through the study of dance, students learn to analyze, synthesize and integrate both theoretical and applied knowledge into their creation of movement. The dance program emphasizes risk taking, and developing the combination of the physical and the artistic.

This course is designed for disciplined and passionate students who want to explore the language of movement as an expressive and creative art form. Through physical activities, technical exercises, improvisation and choreography, students develop their understanding of the elements of dance, including body, effort, shape and space. Well-being is an important component, with students developing plans for healthful practices, including nutrition and injury prevention. Classwork directs students toward advanced practice and creative understanding of dance as a performing art form. Class requirements include: engagement with technical exercises; development of interpretative skills; leadership and collaboration; discussion and analysis of professional work; creation of performance material; and rehearsal for a public performance. The course requires attendance at two professional dance events in London. The course can be taken more than once.