History Courses at the West
Grade 10: Grade 10 Civics and 20th Century Canadian History are mandatory courses at every highschool in Ontario. Civics is an open course that studies citizenship and government. It lasts for 1/2 a semester. 20th Century History can be taken at the Applied, Academic or Enriched level. It begins with World War I and ends with today. Select any of the courses in the sidebars to learn more and about special activities associated with the courses.
Grade 11 and 12:
Any senior history course is an elective (your choice - not mandatory).
Grade 11 Civilizations (mixed level, open to everyone) covers everything from the pyramids of Egypt through Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. It covers such topics as the murder of King Tut, what actually happened with the Spartans, the reality of Rome, a Roman military reenactment, the Middle Ages and a reenactment of the trial of Joan of Arc, and why people are so fascinated with Leonardo da Vinci. The course ends with workshops about Rome and the Middle Ages put on for the benefit of Grade 4 and 5 students.
Grade 11 American History (university level) covers everything from the natives and first settlers through to today. It emphasizes such topics as the multiple disappearances of the Roanoke colony, the Salem witchcraft trials, the Boston massacre and Independence, slavery, the American Civil War and the Wild West, the emerging superpower and the Cold War, the Civil Rights movement and racial politics today, and finishes with 9/11 and the aftermath. Students will have a partial role in the military re-enactments and will be re-enacting key events such as the Salem witchcraft trials. This course runs every other year.
Grade 12 Modern World History (university level) is a course designed to prepare you for university studies. We have weekly seminars and lectures that are the same as universities, except I'll teach you how to take lecture notes and participate in seminars. Likewise, we will hone your essay writing, research and exam skills. We will, of course, be both participating in the Norwood re-enactment and running our own re-enactments. Check out the re-enactment section of the web site for more details.