High School Science

Since Science plays such a large role in our lives, it is a basic part of every student's education. The Alberta Curriculum emphasizes six themes throughout Junior and Senior high school: energy, matter, change, systems, diversity, and equilibrium. These themes form the link between different Science disciplines and courses.

Science students must master factual information, laboratory and research skills, and information processing skills appropriate to their grade level and subject area. In addition, they must understand and use the six themes to connect individual topics with big ideas and to explain how Science, technology, and social issues relate to each other.

CHHS has well-equipped Science labs with good-quality equipment. Students are expected to handle the equipment responsibly and to pay for any breakages or damage. No general caution or materials fee is charged for science courses.

SCIENCE 14

Science 14 is intended to meet the needs of students who typically have experienced difficulty in the sciences in junior high. The goals of the course are to provide the student with a basic knowledge of the Natural Sciences, an understanding of the nature of science and the relationships which exist between science, technology and society. The Science 14 course includes units in areas of investigation of matter, energy & matter in living systems, energy transfer technologies, matter and energy in the environment.

SCIENCE 24

Entry: 50% from Science 14

Goals of this course are the same as those of Science 14. The course includes units in the areas of disease defense, energy consumption, materials we use and safe transportation, with elective topics in weather, geology or nutrition.

SCIENCE 14, 24 COMBINED

This course is an opportunity for students to obtain all necessary science credits to graduate in 1 semester. Students work at a slightly faster pace to complete both science 14 and 24 material, weaved together into 6 units, focusing on chemistry, energy, the human body, cells and genetics, motions and ecology. Students receive their full 10 credits for both classes upon completion. This offering is new as of 2023 and has so far been quite successful for all students.

SCIENCE 10

Science 10 is the prerequisite for Science 20, Biology 20, Chemistry 20 and Physics 20

Unit 1: Energy from the Sun - focuses on the role of radiant energy from the sun in sustaining life and driving weather systems on earth.
Unit 2: Matter and Energy in Living Systems - the processes by which matter and energy are exchanged between living systems and their environment are studied, and change is illustrated by the growth of living organisms
Unit 3: Matter and Energy in Chemical Change - investigates the changes in matter and energy that occur during chemical reactions.
Unit 4: Energy and Change - examines different forms of energy and the principles that govern energy transformations.

SCIENCE 20

Recommended Entry: 60% from Science 10

Science 20 consists of four units of study:

Unit A: Chemical Changes - examines properties of aqueous solutions, oxidation and reduction chemistry, and properties of hydrocarbons.
Unit B: Change in Motion - focuses on motion, momentum and collisions of objects.
Unit C: The Changing Earth - examines geological phenomena, the theory of plate tectonics, and the fossil record to explain current environmental systems and life forms.
Unit D: Change in Living Systems - focuses on energy flow through the biosphere and the relationships among abiotic and biotic compounds.

SCIENCE 30

Recommended Entry: 60% from Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Science 20

The major science themes developed in this course are energy and systems. Science 30 consists of four units of study:

Unit A: Living Systems Respond to Their Environment - examines the circulatory and immune systems and their interactions with external factors.
Unit B: Chemistry in the Environment - focuses on the sources of chemical compounds and their effects on the environment.
Unit C: Electromagnetic Energy - examines the properties of electrical energy and relevant technologies found in scientific industries.
Unit D: Energy and the Environment - examines the variety of energy sources and societal issues that arise from the need to balance global energy demands.

This course is subject to a provincial diploma exam which determines 30% of the final mark.

BIOLOGY 20

Recommended Entry: 60% from Science 10

Biology 20 consists of four units of study:

Unit A: Energy and Matter in the Biosphere - the flow of energy and the cycling of matter is examined in relation to the biogeochemical cycles.
Unit B: Ecosystems and Population Change - the biotic and abiotic characteristics of ecosystems are studied in relation to populations and the process of natural selection.
Unit C: Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration - students look at the process of converting sunlight into glucose in the process of photosynthesis and the conversion of carbohydrates into usable energy in the process of cellular respiration.
Unit D: Human Systems - the exchange of energy and matter in humans" systems is examined through study of gas exchange, circulation, digestion, excretion and muscle systems.

BIOLOGY 30

Recommended Entry: 60% from Biology 20

The major Science concepts developed in this course are change, diversity, equilibrium and systems. Biology 30 consists of four units of study:

Unit A: Nervous and Endocrine Systems - examines biological processes that mediate the interactions between humans and their environment to maintain homeostasis.
Unit B: Reproduction and Development - investigates the human reproductive system and how it relates to propagating and perpetuating the species. Focus is on reproduction, development and the influences of hormones.
Unit C: Cells Division, Genetics and Molecular Biology - examines cell division (mitosis and meiosis), chromosomes and inheritance, DNA, protein synthesis and genetics.
Unit D: Populations and Community Dynamics - examines population change over time through the study of population genetics and population growth. The focus is based on the interactions between individuals, populations and communities in the ecosystem.

This course is subject to a provincial diploma exam which determines 30% of the final mark.

CHEMISTRY 20

Recommended Entry: 60% from Science 10

Chemistry 20 consists of four units of study:

Unit A: The Diversity of Matter and Chemical Bonding - focuses on theories about bonding and structures of matter with regards to scientific models.
Unit B: Forms of Matter: Gases - expands on the nature of matter through the investigation of the properties and behaviours of gases.
Unit C: Matter as Solutions, Acids and Bases - dives into the nature of matter through an investigation of change in the context of solutions, acids and bases.
Unit D: Quantitative Relationships in Chemical Changes - explores quantitative relationships in the balanced chemical equation and uses mathematical principles to predict quantities of substances consumed or produced in a chemical reaction system.

CHEMISTRY 30

Recommended Entry: 60% from Chemistry 20

Chemistry 30 consists of four units of study:

Unit A: Thermochemical Changes - studies energy as it relates to chemical changes and quantifies the energy involved in thermochemical systems.
Unit B: Electrochemical Changes - examines electrochemical change and analyses the matter and energy changes within a system.
Unit C: Chemical Changes of Organic Compounds - investigates common organic compounds and describes their properties and reactions through technological applications.
Unit D: Chemical Equilibrium Focusing on Acid-Base Systems - expands on the idea of chemical change and equilibrium, then focuses on the quantitative treatment of reaction systems involving acid-base solutions.

This course is subject to a provincial diploma exam which determines 30% of the final mark.

PHYSICS 20

Recommended Entry: 60% from Science 10 and 60% in Math 10C

Physics 20 consists of four units of study:

Unit A: Kinematics - investigation of change in position and velocity of objects and systems.
Unit B: Dynamics - investigation of causes of change in the position and velocity of objects and systems in a study of dynamics and gravitation. The concept of fields is introduced in the explanation of gravitational effects.
Unit C: Circular Motion, Work and Energy - extended study of kinematics and dynamics to uniform circular motion and to mechanical energy, work and power.
Unit D: Oscillatory Motion and Mechanical Waves - investigation of simple harmonic motion and mechanical waves.

PHYSICS 30

Recommended Entry: 60% from Physics 20 and 60% in Math 20-1

The Diversity of Matter and Energy are the predominant themes of the Physics 30 course. Physics 30 consists of four units of study:

Unit A: Momentum and Impulse - Newton’s second law of motion is linked to the concepts of momentum and impulse.
Unit B: Forces and Fields - Students investigate electrical and magnetic forces and fields and their applications in technological devices.
Unit C: Electromagnetic Radiation - Students study the nature and characteristics of electromagnetic radiation using the wave and photon models of light.
Unit D: Atomic Physics - Students study the development and modifications of models of the structure of matter.

This course is subject to a provincial diploma exam which determines 30% of the final mark.