Social Studies and Renaissance
The primary goal of Social Studies education is to give students the knowledge, skills, and competencies to be active, informed citizens who are able to think critically. The course will help students to build critical-thinking skills and deepen content-area knowledge across the five strands of social studies: history, culture and society, civics and government, geography, and economics.
The Renaissance was a special time in European history that took place from the 14th to the 17th century. The word “Renaissance” means “rebirth” because there were immense changes in the areas of education, science, art, literature, music and more. We will learn what caused The Renaissance to happen and why it still matters today. We will study important figures from the Renaissance including Leonardo da Vinci, Copernicus and Machiavelli. This course will prepare students for further study of European history, including The Age of Enlightenment and The Industrial Revolution.
World History
World History is a year long program. Utilizing a full year, students will learn about Ancient Times, the Middle Ages, the Early Modern Era, and the Modern Age. Each period of history will take students on a journey. The Ancient Times will take students from the earliest nomads to the last Roman Empire; the Middle Ages from the fall of Rome to the rise of the Renaissance; the Early Modern Era from Elizabeth to the first Forty-Niners; and the Modern Age from Victoria’s Empire to the end of the USSR.
Students will study the cultural, economic, political, and social developments that have shaped the world from ancient times to the present. The class will challenge students to see connections between different countries and cultures in order to understand the bigger picture of world history.
This course is part of a long-term plan to prepare students for the Advanced Placement (AP) History Exams, including AP World History, AP European History and AP United States History. This course is geared towards World History, so that students can have a framework for understanding more specific periods of history in the future. We recommend students take European History and United States History after the completion of this course. These courses taken together will help prepare students for the AP History Exams and give them a competitive edge in high school and university.
American History
American History Part I: Founding the New Nation
American History Part I will focus on colonization to the Civil War. It will cover the first five units of the AP test: (1) 1491-1607; (2) 1607-1754; (3) 1754-1800; (4) 1800-1848; (5) 1844-1877. This will set the stage for students to understand the United States in the modern world.
Students will analyze texts, visual sources, and other historical evidence in order to understand and express historical arguments. The course will include weekly homework in order to test students and keep them thinking, and a summative evaluation to assess student learning.
American History Part II: USA in the Modern World
American History Part II will focus on Reconstruction to the end of the Cold War. It will cover the last four units of the AP test: (1) 1865-1898; (2) 1890-1945; (3) 1945-1980; (4) 1980-Present. Students will learn about how the developments in this period shaped the world we live in today. This will provide a foundation for further studies in history.
Students will analyze texts, visual sources, and other historical evidence in order to understand and express historical arguments. The course will include weekly homework in order to test students and keep them thinking, and a summative evaluation to assess student learning.
Canadian History
Canadian History Part I: Canada the British Colony
Canadian History Part I will focus on colonization to Confederation. It will cover major periods of Canadian history from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century. This will set the stage for students to understand Canada in the modern world.
Students will analyze texts, visual sources, and other historical evidence in order to understand and express historical arguments. The course will include weekly homework in order to test students and keep them thinking, and a summative evaluation to assess student learning.
Canadian History Part II: The Dominion of Canada
Canadian History Part II will focus on World War I to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It will cover major periods of Canadian history from the twentieth century to the twenty-first century. Students will learn about how the developments in this period shaped the world we live in today. This will provide a foundation for further studies in history.
Students will analyze texts, visual sources, and other historical evidence in order to understand and express historical arguments. The course will include weekly homework in order to test students and keep them thinking, and a summative evaluation to assess student learning.
Classics in Social Studies
Classics in Social Studies will explore the most significant texts in the history of the world. The course will start with a focus on the Western canon, but will later expand to include important texts from around the world.
The texts will be chosen from well-recognized collections including Harvard Classics, Great Books of the Western World by Encyclopedia Britannica, and the Core Curriculum of Columbia University. Selection will be based on each text's contribution to history, politics, science, economics, and philosophy. They will also be chosen based on how often they are taught at high school and in Classics departments at the university level. Students will be taught the meaning of each text as both a product of its time and as something we can still learn from today. When the texts are too challenging for students to read from, adapted versions will be provided.
Following a method of reading pioneered by Mortimer J. Adler, students will first become familiar with the structure and purpose of the text, then learn how the author constructs their arguments, and finally how to critique the text based on the soundness of its ideas. This is called the Structure-Proposition-Evaluation (SPE) method. Classics can be difficult to learn by oneself, but with the help of an experienced teacher, new worlds will open up.
IHBB Competition Preparation
Prerequisite: World History
Recommended: European, American, Canadian
The goal of this course is to train students for the International History Bee and Bowl (IHBB). The IHBB are two history quiz competitions in English which are held around the world. The Bee is for individual students; the Bowl is for teams. Both the Bee and the Bowl feature a buzzer system (as on certain quiz shows) and comprehensive, paragraph-length questions that emphasize critical thinking and long-term knowledge of important topics on all fields and eras of history.
Students will practice quick recall of historical facts: names, places, events, and dates. We will work on activities to help recall information and participate in practice competitions. The goal is to simulate the competition experience.
Shakespeare
Intro to the Life and Works of Sir William Shakespeare’ is a year long program. Utilizing a full year, students will master the Shakespearean texts selected from the Canadian and US curriculum.
Students will practice: advanced reading, critical thinking, analytical thinking, academic discussion, and academic discourse. The course will not only match but exceed the curriculum testing requirements, giving students a thorough, complete, immersive, and focused experience with some of the most foundational works of Sir William Shakespeare. Students will also engage with biographical information about Shakespeare in order to understand the time period in which he lived. This background knowledge about the author will allow students an advanced and expanded capacity to interpret Shakespeare’s works in terms of context and perspective.
Students will gain thorough knowledge of the plot, setting, and characters in each play. They will understand the themes and symbols as both particular (to Shakespeare’s time) and as universal (for all time). They will become skilled in their ability to read and understand Shakespeare. They will learn about how Shakespeare has influenced artists and thinkers for centuries. Students can choose from a number of plays including: Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, Hamlet, and Othello.
Creative Writing
Course design
Have fun writing short essays and short stories, while learning different tools to brainstorm, write clearly, use details, add facts, and structure writing. This class combines the principals of creative writing (expression, entertainment, and voice) with the skills needed for essay writing (topic sentence, strong introductions, facts and details, clear structure, etc). We will follow the common core writing standards for each grade level to give students the tools to improve their grades in school. Each class will be tailored to the students interests. For example, young students might enjoy writing an “Instruction Guide for Caring for Unicorns” and older students who like science fiction would write “A How-To Guide for Time Travel.” This class is perfect for reluctant writers and for those who enjoy writing.
WRITING TO INFORM
Writing HOW-TO essays
Writing INSTRUCTION essays
Writing EXPLANATORY fictional essays
Writing EXPLANATORY research essay
Writing INFORMATIONAL essays
WRITING STORIES & NARRATIVES
Writing CHARACTERS Writing DIALOGUE
Writing POINT OF VIEW Writing GENRES REVISING AND EDITING
Academic Writing
Expressing oneself in formal edited English is an essential academic skill, and for many people, a significant challenge. Good writing requires accurate grammar, a broad range of lexical resources, logical structures, and effective use of rhetorical devices.
Academic Writing course includes multiple courses suiting the needs of students at different levels. Through the process, students will learn the essentials of academic writing and be familiar with all processes and techniques needed for successful academic writing at the various academic levels, and gain a step ahead of peers.
First Steps in Academic Writing
First Steps in Academic Writing is a high-beginning course for English language learners in academic settings. Students are guided through the writing process to produce well organized clearly developed paragraphs. Simple explanations are supported by clear examples to help students through typical rough spots, and numerous practices help students assimilate each skill.
Academic Writing
A comprehensive sentence and paragraph structure course designed for intermediate level English language learners. It presents academic writing in a straight-forward manner, using a step by step approach. Clear relevant models illustrate each step, and varied practices reinforce each lesson.
Sentence Combining 1 Sentence Combining 2 (High Intermediate) second semester
Essential Skills for University Students (Advanced)
Writing, Reading, Grammar & Vocabulary
The course focuses on the complete writing and oral package associated with the BC Provincial Government guidelines for grade-specific writing, while incorporating many components to help a student to be an effective communicator using their writing and speaking skills.
The courses will train students on five critical skills in language learning, i.e. writing, viewing, reading, listening, and speaking. Students will learn to :
- become effective listeners to learn and effective note-takers to remember;
- retain information to understand what they read
- identify the purpose of writing
- communicate their comprehension of the school work by presentation and in writing
- Speaking is an extension of the writing skill, turning a written preparation into an oral presentation
For High School students, the course will focus on composing any school-related forms of writing, writing essays, in-class writing, professional style writing. The effective written communication includes:
- Knowledge of the topic, including research skills
- Organizing information skills
- Writing skills, which include: Grammar; Vocabulary; Creativity; Focus; Persuasiveness; Presentation; and Logical, critical and analytical thinking
- Motivation and confidence
AP English
AP English Language and Composition/AP English Literature and Composition
Pre-AP: Learning about Literature
Learning about Literature is a course for English language learners who want to study literature and applied grammar. Students are guided through short stories, novels, and poems with a focus on elements of literary analysis including plot, narrative structure, character development, and literary devices. As we investigate each text, we will also investigate its grammar, sentence structure and use of poetic language -- in this way, we learn English grammar in context.
AP English: Literary Analysis
Literary Analysis guides students through their chosen genre and introduces the framework for analyzing each type of literature at a sophisticated level. In addition to improving critical thinking skills, each course focusses on applied grammar -- analysing and learning the grammar in context. These are the foundational skills necessary to attempt the AP Literature and Composition Exam.
AP English: Rhetoric and Writing
This course focuses on non-fiction writing and analysis. We look at a variety of rhetorical texts from difference time periods and analyse how they function. Using these texts as our basis, students begin to emulate the skills of rhetorical writing by practicing sentence, paragraph, and finally essay length persuasive writing. Using a step-by-step approach, this course uses interesting, relevant models at each stage of the writing process. This course also practices oral speaking skills and requires an oral presentation done alone, or in pairs. This course covers the foundational principles required for the AP Language and Composition exam.
Level 1: Intro to Rhetoric (grades 9 - 10)
Level 2: Persuasive Writing (grades 10 - 11)
AP Exam Prep: Language and Composition
Full preparation for the AP exam including rhetorical situations, reasoning and organization of a text, and analysis of style. Using previous exams, we will practice synthesizing information and organizing an argument, analyzing language and style, and creating an original argument. Learn how to “read like a writer” and revise texts. This course teaches persuasive writing skills and the literary analysis skills necessary to succeed in both sections of the AP language and composition exam.
AP Exam Prep: Literature and Composition
Full preparation for the AP exam including analysis of poetry, prose and drama. Using previous exams, we will learn the terms of literary analysis and how to apply these concepts to any given text. This course covers all the genres that appear on the exam so the student can succeed in both the prose and poetry sections of the exam. The last 4 weeks of the course teach the literary analysis essay that composes 55% of the AP Exam (Section II). Students will have a chance to write a full draft essay and receive detailed individual feedback.
8 week course runs March and April of each year.
Exclusively for students attempting the AP exam in May of the current year.
University Writing Grade 11-12
This course prepares you for the most common types of essays and assignments you will encounter at university. These include the research essay, the expository essay, and the analytical essay. We will also practice writing lab reports, summaries, and short-response.
Writing for Real Life Grade 11 - 12
Learn how to write successful cover letters, resumes, emails, and personal essays. This course will cover all the types of writing that are required to successfully apply to a university of your choice, including writing samples and personal essays. We will also practice how to correspond professionally with future employers, including how to build your resume and phrase your cover letter.
Science 6-10
This course follows the BC Science curriculum and extends with applications related to each topic to widen the breadth of knowledge that students experience. Each term will have a new area of focus and extend on the previous course in terms of complexity and understanding.
The Science curriculum incorporates content from biology, chemistry, physics, and earth and space sciences. For Grade 5-7 science course, students will be expected to be able to question and predict events, plan and conduct experiments on their own at home after demonstrations, be able to process and analyze data and information to form logical conclusions in a lab setting, apply their knowledge and be innovative in their thinking, and communicate ideas thoroughly.
In upper level courses, the material grows to incorporate life anatomy and physiology, ecological science, geology, and specialized science. The educational program offers students the chance to build up the abilities, processes, perspectives, and logical scientific methods that allow them to seek after their own inquiries utilizing logical techniques. By gaining a gratefulness for the field of science, students can gain the ability to apply their insight in their regular day to day experiences or contribute to science in their future vocations.
Classic Science Reading
The books a person reads in his youth will directly affect his life. Kip Thorne grew his interest in Physics after reading George Gamow's From One to Infinity. He won the Nobel Prize in this subject and became a great physicist. When Mr. Yang Zhenning was in Junior High School, he enjoyed reading popular science books. As a result, he decided to study mathematics, physics, chemistry, and finally became an outstanding physicist! Generations of people have benefited from Gamow's writings.
The course will choose the classics of scientific literature, which offers accessible science to readers from all intellect levels. Students will discover interesting facts in each story, as these thought-provoking and inspirational. The more science knowledge students gain, the more it will stimulate new thoughts.
National Geographic
Course Design
The National Geographic Course series is a 13-week program that typically spans 3 months with a 1 1/2 hour of class instruction per week.
The course design is based on the newest forms of integrated learning; the first being STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) based learning with the integration of E/LA (English/Language Arts), Science, Social studies and Health. The second is 21st Century Skills model. Each of the 13 lessons offered through this course encompass the following combinations of skills, including critical thinking, creative thinking, collaborating, communicating, informational literacy, tech literacy, flexibility, initiative, social skills, productivity and leadership.
Students will be introduced to a variety of currently relevant topics spanning areas of history, geography, biology, chemistry, environmental science and technology. They will be required to discuss the information provided though articles during class time and apply the concepts of critical and creative analysis and communicate the information in a manner that exhibits their comprehension and literacy of the material. Assignments that assess vocabulary, research and concept exploration will be provided to the students to measure their progress via formative, summative and performance means.
Singapore Math
Singapore Math
Singapore Math curriculum has been recognized worldwide for its excellence in producing students highly skilled in mathematics. Students in Singapore have ranked at the top in the world in mathematics on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in multiple years. Singapore Math curriculum aims to help students develop the necessary math concepts and process skills for everyday life and to provide students with the ability to formulate, apply, and solve problems.
Singapore math teaches students mathematical concepts in a three-stage learning process: concrete, pictorial, and abstract. Key math concepts are introduced and built-on to reinforce various mathematical ideas and thinking. The course will focus on three foundational areas that support the Singapore Math: Mental math, Problem solving, Computation taught by number sense and place value.
French (K-G12)
Based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and BC curriculum for French language and culture, the French class is designed for students from K-Grade 12, no matter whether they would like to take French as a second language, or to improvement academic achievement in French immersion school. The course will also refer to AP French, DELF and various activities.
Text books are based on the official French language program offered to students in France, is designed to help students learn French through interactive activities, interesting articles, and fun games. The exercises are clear, helpful, and effective. The books are organized using specific goals and tasks for students to complete through:
- Asking questions - the lessons encourage students to think on their own and ask questions about what they learning.
- Understanding – the questions are designed to help students better understand grammar concepts and learn new vocabulary.
- Practicing – an extensive number of exercises are available to help students put into practice what they have learned from the lessons.
British Parliamentary Style, English Debates
1. The British Parliamentary style
The British Parliamentary debating style is one of our greatest national exports. It is a major form of academic debate that originated in Liverpool in the mid 1800s, and has gained wide support in
university-level debate competitions in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and North and South America.
It is the official style of the World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC), the most prestigious university-level debating competition in the world. As a result of being the world standard, it is also used in regional and national major tournaments such as the Pan African Universities Debate Championship (PAUDC), Asian British Parliamentary (ABP) debating championship, and European Universities Debating Championship (EUDC). It is so popular that it is even used in non-English language tournaments such as the World Universities Debating Championship in Spanish and World Debating Championship in Portuguese Language.
2. The level of debate competitions
The World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) represents the pinnacle of English-language
secondary school debating across the globe. Founded in 1988, this two-week tournament sees teams from 50 to 60 countries go head to head to debate social, moral and political issues. Past competitions have been held everywhere from Turkey and Thailand to Singapore and Croatia, meaning the competition offers the opportunity for international travel and friendships as well as for rigorous intellectual development.
Great Writing
1) Course Description: The Great Writing Series uses clear explanations and extensive practical activities to help students write great sentences, paragraphs, and essays. Each book contains a wide variety of writing models in carefully selected rhetorical styles that provide practice in working with the writing process to develop a final piece of writing. Students should ideally order accompanying workbook for class.
2) 5 levels in total:
-Each level will take 1 school year approx 36 classes for completion (Fall, winter & spring)
-Students must register in fall and work all year through March before progressing to the next level.
-New students should ideally join at beginning of year or start in a new class with other new students not join existing classes as they need proper foundation.
4) Breakdown of each level:
Level 1: Great Sentences to Paragraphs
Through a series of 8 modules, students will master the art of well structured sentences both grammatically and stylistically.
Level 2: Great Paragraphs
Through a series of 10 modules, students will learn the learn how to construct good paragraphs perfecting grammar, composition and expression.
Level 3: Great Paragraphs to Essays
Through a series of 7 modules, students will be introduced to effective essay constructs.
Level 4: Great Essays
Through a series of 6 modules, students will be introduced to the different types of essays and master the art of essay writing in each form.
Level 5: Great Research
Through a series of 8 modules, students will learn how to develop a good essay and understand effective research methods as well as the proper formats of citing sources.
Math Contests (Grade 3-12)
2023 Math Contests
Competing in math competitions is one of many ways to demonstrate a student's intellectual capacity and commitment to the field. Fresh Minds will host several external math contests on campus or online, and organize preparation for those contests. Through practice and preparation, students will further strengthen their math skills, which will enhance their grades, AP exams, and standardized test scores.
Contests registration is open now. Below is the contests we will host from January to June 2021.
Name Grade level Test date
Math League (CNML) Grade 6/7/8 Feb. 28, 2023
Math League (CNML) Grade 4/5 Apr. 15, 2023
Math League (CNML) Algebra 1 Apr. 15, 2023
Gauss Grade 7-8 May 17, 2023