Grade 7 is a fully semestered program. All students take:

Computer Science

Computer Science 7

This course is intended to give students hands on computer experience that focuses on the use of a computer as a tool for learning. Students will become aware of the “every day” use of computers through an in-depth analysis and exploration of computers in society. The course will be structured to expose students to the basics of computers without getting into in-depth technical studies. Students will learn how to use a computer through exposure to various computer software applications, including effective research tools on the Internet. The course is designed to build student confidence in using a computer, while developing keyboarding skills at an early age and skills, which are reflective of common uses of computers in today’s society.

English Literature

English Literature 7

This course will involve creative writing, introduction to essay writing, short story and poetry reading, reading response activities, public speaking, handwriting, and journal writing. This course is designed to help students build basic language skills so as to enable them to express their feelings and opinions coherently both in formal and creative writing and in oral presentation. Students will also examine the various media works and the techniques used in them, and create media works.

French

French 7

Students will build their knowledge of spoken French through listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. The ability to speak and read French will prepare students for their role as engaged citizens in Canada’s bilingual and multicultural communities. (Prerequisite: French 6)

Geography

Geography 7

In this course students will explore opportunities and challenges presented by the physical environment and the ways in which people around the world have responded to them. They will develop an understanding of patterns in Earth’s physicals features and of the physical processes and human activities that create and change these features. Building on their knowledge of natural resources, students will study the extraction/harvesting and use of these resources on a global scale. They will examine the relationship between Earth’s physical features and the distribution and use of natural resources while exploring ways of preserving global resources. In this grade, students will be introduced to the geographic inquiry process and to the concepts of geographic thinking. They will apply the concept of geographic perspective while investigating the impact of natural events and human activities on the physical environment and also various effects of natural resource extraction/harvesting and use. Students will continue to develop their spatial skills, extracting and analysing information from a variety of sources, including different types of maps and graphs, photographs and digital representations, and geographic information systems (GIS).

Global Issues and Citizenship

Global Issues and Citizenship 7

This course introduces students to a range of topics surrounding issues of local and global concern. Course material will be examined through an integrated arts and humanities lens, with a focus on discussion and activity. The goal of this course is to increase student awareness of world issues, building a foundation upon which students can talk about and act upon their growing knowledge and understanding of a changing global environment. Topics include extinction, indigenous peoples, civil rights and social media.

History

History 7

This course has students examining social, political, economic, and legal changes in Canada between 1713 and 1850. They will explore the experiences of and challenges facing different groups in Canada during this period, and will compare them to the experiences of present-day Canadians. In this grade, students will be introduced to the historical inquiry process and will apply it to investigate different perspectives on issues in eighteenth- and early nineteenth- century Canada, including issues associated with the shift in power from France to Britain. Students will learn about various groups that existed in colonial Canada and how they were affected by the conflicts and changes that characterized this period. They will begin to apply the concepts of historical thinking to their study of Canadian history, leading to deeper and more meaningful explorations of life in colonial Canada. Students will also develop their ability to gather and critically analyse evidence from primary sources in order to form their own conclusions about historical issues and events.

Mathematics

The study of Mathematics in Grades 7 and 8 includes five areas: Number Sense and Numeration, Measurement, Geometry and Spatial Sense, Patterning and Algebra, and Data Management and Probability.

Mathematics 7

In this course students will work with decimals, fractions, and integers; find squares and square roots; divide whole numbers by simple fractions and decimals; add and subtract simple fractions and integers; multiply and divide decimal numbers by whole numbers; apply order of operations in expressions with brackets; relate fractions, decimals, and percents; solve problems involving whole-number percents and unit rates. Students will convert between metric units; calculate the area of various quadrilaterals; determine the volume and surface areas of prisms; construct parallel, perpendicular, and intersecting lines; sort and classify triangles and quadrilaterals by geometric properties; construct angle bisectors and perpendicular bisectors; investigate relationships among congruent shapes; compare similar and congruent shapes; perform and describe dilatations; tile a plane and plot points in all four quadrants. Students will model real-life relationships involving constant rates graphically and algebraically; translate phrases, using algebraic expressions and solve linear equations. Finally, students will collect, organize and display data; use measures of central tendency to compare sets of data; investigate real-world applications of probability and determine the theoretical probability of two independent events. (Prerequisite: Mathematics 6)

Physical and Health Education

The underlying goals of the Physical and Health Education program at Metro Prep are to:

• improve overall fitness and motor development;
• increase motivation to be physically active; and
• provide an enjoyable, successful experience in exercise and sport.

Physical and Health Education 7

This course will provide each student with the basic skills to actively participate in various sports as well as provide health lessons designed to increase the student’s knowledge, awareness and understanding of many contemporary issues and topics.

The health units include: Healthy Eating (relate healthy eating practices and active living to body images and self-esteem); Personal Safety and Injury Prevention (safe use of computers, cell phones, types of and impact of harassment and social/verbal bullying); Human Development and Sexual Health (reproduction, STIs); Substance Use, Addictions, and Related Behaviours (linkages between mental health and problematic substance abuse; preoccupation with body image and athletic performance and substance abuse; social and personal problems related to drug use and addictive behaviours).

The physical education unit includes fundamental movement skills and active participation in such activities as basketball, floor hockey, soccer, baseball and volleyball.

Science and Technology

Science and Technology 7

This course is organized into four strands, the major areas of knowledge and skills in the curriculum. In grade seven the four strands with combined topics are:

• Understanding Life Systems: Interactions in the Environment
• Understanding Matter and Energy: Pure Substances and Mixtures
• Understanding Structures and Mechanisms: Form and Function
• Understanding Earth and Space Systems: Heat in the Environment

Visual Arts

Visual Arts 7

The objective of this course is to develop practical facility in the techniques of drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and information design. Students will produce two- and three-dimensional works of art that communicate a variety of ideas. They will identify the principles of design and use them when producing and responding to works of art. Art history will focus on artists and artistic periods that interest the students.

Writing Skills

Writing Skills 7

The aim of this course is to provide the means that will enable the student to understand the process of writing. The student will learn to apply conventions of language in order to express ideas, feelings, and information clearly and precisely. Listening and speaking skills will also develop as the student learns to communicate more freely using bias-free language. The student will know how to direct questions and talk through ideas to clarify thinking, promote reflection, and generate ideas for written work. Spelling, grammar and composition are consistently interwoven over a five-day cycle to help the student reach his/her potential in English language skills.