PSG - Sciences

List of 6 items.

• Co-Curricular Activities related to Science

  Students interested in expanding their knowledge and skills in science-related fields are encouraged to apply to the following opportunities, or connect with department members who lead them:

  1. Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair
  2. Kwantlen Science Challenge
  3. UBC Physics Olympics
  4. Science World’s Future Science Leaders
  5. Frontiers in Science: Newfoundland Expedition

• Science Enrichment and Science Acceleration

  Science enrichment involves students’ personal curiosity, experiential engagement, and involvement outside of school in advancing their own areas of interest in science. Students enriching their studies in these ways, outside their courses and classwork, are encouraged to share their experiences in formal and informal ways with their peers and the community.  Students who have a passion for learning are typically focused on enrichment.
  
  Science acceleration refers to the completion of sequential courses on reduced timescales.  As such, the depth of learning can be subordinated to speed. For this reason, WPGA students are, in almost all cases, limited to taking science courses one year ahead of their current grade level. To optimize student learning, only one acceleration opportunity is permitted in a student’s 5-year experience at WPGA, either within our own acceleration program or, much less preferably, in an online/summer school format. The curricular competencies, research skills, and critical thinking skills embedded in our WPGA Science program are required for success in senior science courses.
  
  

  Science acceleration will be phased out over the 2026 - 2031 timeframe to ensure all students benefit from the WPGA science program and assuredly emerge with science competencies needed for their futures.  Acceleration through the grade 8 - 10 curriculum has been used in the past as the means for students to complete 6 sequential course levels in their 5 years of high school.  Starting with the 2031 cohort, all students will be required to complete Science 8 - 10 during the regular school year at WPGA - no summer school and no accelerated cohorts.  The preparation for Advance Placement Biology, Chemistry and Physics will begin for those students in September of their grade 11 year, with requirements and opportunities in each of the three disciplines differing slightly.  Details will be published by January 2028.
  
  For the students in the 2028, 2029, and 2030 cohorts, here remain three pathways for science acceleration, each with their own criteria.

  1. Completing  the “Acceleration Candidacy Process” successfully during the second half of grade 8, from January to early July.
  2. by taking Science 10 and Life Sciences 11 concurrently, given demonstrated proficiency in each of the learning standards on the final Science 9 report card and the Science 9 teacher’s permission
  3. by taking Physics 12 or Chemistry 12 in summer school as the prerequisite for an Advanced Placement course in those subjects.
  4. Classes of 2029 and 2030 only: Science 10 in summer school following Science 9 at WPGA with Proficient or higher in all learning standards on Science 9 June reports, and a placement test in August administered at WPGA demonstrating Proficiency in all Science 10 learning standards.

• Acceleration Candidacy Process

  (Note - science acceleration described here applies only to 2028, 2029, and 2030 cohorts).

   

  Students aiming to take Science 10 Honours in their Grade 9 Year:
  Students accepted into the candidacy for SC8H are adjudicated by a committee of teachers and administrators using the following criteria:

  1. Proficient learning standards in SC8 and STEM 8 (if relevant) on the winter, spring, and final report cards.
  2. Effective preparation and engagement during each lesson for the different modules, and successful completion of the modules’s summative tasks.
  3. Acceptable work habits in all courses, gathered by teacher feedback, at the winter and final reporting periods.

   

  Depending on the criteria above, students may not be permitted into SC8H program (the candidacy). As well, they may choose to leave the program, or be asked to withdraw based on a data-driven consultative decision, at several points: after Module 2, after Module 3, after the final report card, or in the summer. Final approval for advancement to Science 10 in their grade 9 year is determined in early July after the final learning task is submitted. 

   

  The 2030 cohort was the final cohort entering this acceleration pathway.  Students in the 2031 cohort and subsequent will take Science 8/9/10 in sequence at WPGA during the regular school year. In January 2028, when the 2031 cohort is selecting their courses for their grade 10 year, the Science 10-AP pathway will be published with the aim of allowing students to complete AP-level sciences without the need for summer school or online courses.

  
  
  

• Students Concurrently taking Life Sciences 11 in their Grade 10 Year

  Permission may be granted by the Science Department Head for grade 10 students to take Life Science 11 concurrently with Science 10.  This acceleration option is for very strong Science 9 students with a pattern of Proficient or Extending in all core courses and in all science learning standards on their June report cards. Students selecting Life Sciences 11 for their grade 10 year must indicate an alternate in their course selection submission. Interested students should seek feedback from their Science 9 teacher before requesting LFSC11 in grade 10. Placement decisions will be based on Proficiency in each Science 9 learning standard on the final report card and the Science 9 teacher’s recommendation.

• Summer School Physics and Chemistry (External)  

  1. Students are restricted from taking Physics 11 or Chemistry 11 from an external provider if they wish to take subsequent physics or chemistry at WPGA. Students who are not continuing with further physics or chemistry courses at WPGA can take PH11 or CH11 externally.
     
     
  2. Students can accelerate in chemistry and physics by taking Chemistry 12, or Physics 12, in summer school or on-line following completion of Chemistry 11 or Physics 11 at WPGA. This can qualify them to take the AP course in that subject.Complete the External Course Intent Form available at www.wpga.ca/external or through Wolfnet Resources, then contact the Department Head for approval prior to enrolling in an external CH 12 or PH 12 course.

• AP Pathways 

  AP Pathways

  AP science courses offered at WPGA are Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics 2, and Physics C. Possible pathways to specific AP science courses are:

   

  AP Biology

  • Prerequisite: Life Sciences 11 at WPGA.
  • Corequisite: Anatomy and Physiology 12.

  AP Chemistry

  • Prerequisite: Chemistry 11 at WPGA.
  • Prerequisite: Chemistry 12.

  AP Environmental Science

  • Prerequisite: one of Chemistry 11, Life Sciences 11, Physics 11, or Geology 12

  AP Physics C (Mechanics and E&M)

  • Prerequisite: Physics 11 at WPGA & AP Physics 2/Physics 12.
  • Corequisite: Calculus 12 or AP Calculus

  AP courses with low enrollment may not be offered in a particular year. Students in AP courses can write the College Board Exam in May at a cost of $153.