HOMEPAGE > Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11, University/College Preparation (CLU3M)

Course Title : Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11, University/College Preparation, (CLU3M)
Course Name : Understanding Canadian Law
Course Code : CLU3M
Grade : 11
Course Type : University/College Preparation
Credit Value : 1.0
Prerequisite : Canadian History Since World War I, Grade 11, Academic or Applied
Curriculum Policy Document: Canadian and World Studies, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, 2015 (Revised)

Course Developer:

USCA Academy

Department:

Canadian and World Studies

Development Date:

March 2020

Course Description

This course explores Canadian law, with a focus on legal issues that are relevant to the lives of people in Canada. Students will gain an understanding of laws relating to rights and freedoms in   Canada; our legal system; and family, contract, employment, tort, and criminal law. Students will develop legal reasoning skills and will apply the concepts of legal thinking and the legal studies inquiry process when investigating a range of legal issues and formulating and communicating informed opinions about them.

 

Overall Curriculum Expectations

The course has five strands. Instruction and learning related to the expectations in strand A are to be interwoven with instruction and learning related to expectations from the other four strands. Strand A must not be seen as independent of the other strands. Student achievement of the expectations in strand A is to be assessed and evaluated throughout the course.

A1. The Inquiry Process in Legal Studies: use the legal studies inquiry process and the concepts of legal thinking when investigating law and legal issues

A2. Developing Transferable Skills: apply in everyday contexts skills developed through the study of law, and identify careers in which a background in law might be an asset.

B1. Legal Principles: explain the role and importance of law and the fundamental principles of justice in Canada.

B2. Legal Heritage: demonstrate an understanding of early laws and legal systems and their relationship to the Canadian legal system.

B3. Legal Roles and Responsibilities: analyze the role and function of individuals, groups, and governments in Canadian law.

B4. Development of Law: analyze and describe how various social, scientific, and technological factors have influenced and continue to influence the development of Canadian law.

C1. Human Rights: explain the legal significance of the Canadian Bill of Right, the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the Canadian Human Rights Act.

C2. Development of Human Rights Law: analyse how various factors have influenced and continue to influence the development of human rights law in Ontario and Canada.

C3. Protecting Rights and Freedoms: analyse the relationship between the formal, legal recognition of rights and freedoms in Canada and how those rights are interpreted and protected in practice.

C4. Legal Limitations of Human Rights: analyse situations in which it may be appropriate to limit rights and freedoms in Canada and explain the arguments for and against such limitations.

D1. Introduction to Tort Law: analyse the legal foundations of tort law; the factors influencing its development; and the role of individuals, governments, and courts in its processes.

D2. Introduction to Family Law: analyse the legal foundations of family law; the factors influencing its development; and the role of individuals, governments, and courts in its processes.

D3. Introduction to Employment Law: analyse the legal foundations of employment law; the factors influencing its development; and the roles of individuals, governments and courts in its processes.

D4. Introduction to Contract Law: analyse the legal foundations of contract law; the factors influencing its development; and the roles of individuals, groups, and the courts in its processes.

E1. Foundations of Criminal Law: explain the foundational concepts of criminal law and their legal significance.

E2. Legal Processes and Procedures: describe the structures and key roles and processes of the Canadian criminal justice system and explain key interrelationships among them.

E3. Criminal Justice System: assess the ability of the Canadian criminal justice system to provide.

Outline of Course Content

Unit

Titles and Descriptions

Time

Unit 1

Legal Foundations

In this unit, students will think about why society requires laws, the different divisions of law within our legal system, and how law has developed through Canadian history, and the various changes that have resulted from social and cultural factors.

21 hours

Unit 2

Rights and Freedoms

 In this unit, students will learn about the legal definition of human rights and how this definition has changed and developed throughout history. Students will also learn about the protections and limitations provided under Canadian law and develop informed opinions about their own rights.

24 hours

Unit 3

Criminal Law

 In this unit, students will learn about criminal law and its significance in Canadian law and society as a whole. They will learn about the processes of the criminal justice system and think critically about the punishments handed down by the court system. They will think critically and develop opinions about justice and Canadian criminal law.

24 hours

Unit 4

Civil Law

 In this unit, students will learn about civil law and the factors that differentiate it from criminal law. They will learn about the functions and processes of family, labour, and contract law, and how the Canadian legal system regulates the law in more personal cases.

24 hours

Unit 5

Culminating Essay

The overall goal of this unit is for students to bring together their skills and knowledge learned throughout this course to write a well-argued, MLA-style, academic essay on an individually-selected topic through independent research. Students will choose their own topic and form their thesis and form their arguments based on the content of this course. They are encouraged to consider the historical, cultural, political, and sociological contexts of their issue while maintaining a legal perspective.

Final Exam

14 hours

3 hours

 

Total

110 hours

Assessment Plan
CLU3M

POC O/F/A
P = Product O = Assessment OF Learning
O = Observation F = Assessment FOR Learning
C = Conversation A = Assessment AS Learning

Unit number

Assessment

O/F/A

Expectations

POC

K

25%

T

25%

C

25%

A

25%

Term Work 70%

1.

News Report Assignment

O

A1.1,B1.1, B1.2, B3.1

P

25

25

25

25

 

Unit 1 Test

O

B1.1, B2.1, B2.2, B3.1

P

25

25

25

25

 

Total

     

50

50

50

150

                 

2.

Group Discussion

F

 

O/C

       
 

Rights and Freedoms Assignment

O

C1.1, C1.2, C2.1

P

25

25

25

25

 

Unit 2 Test

O

A1.1, A2.2,C1.1,C1.3, C2.1, C2.2

P

25

25

25

25

 

Total

     

50

50

50

50

                 

3.

 Criminal Law Assignment

O/F/A

E2.1, E2.2, E3.2

P

25

25

25

25

 

Unit 3 Test

O

E1.1, E2.1,E3.2, E4.3

P

25

25

25

25

 

Total

     

50

50

50

50

                 

4.

Civil Law Assignment

O/F/A

D1.1, D3,.2, D4.1

P

25

25

25

25

 

Unit 4 Test

O

D1.1, D2.1, D3.3, D4.2

P

25

25

25

25

         

50

50

50

50

5.

Review Discussion

F/A

All strands

O/C

       
 

Cumulative Essay (15%)

Final Exam (15%)

Observation/Conversation

O

O

A 1., A1.2, A1.3, A1.6

A,B,C,D,E-all strands

P

P/O/C

25

25

5

25

25

5

25

25

5

25

25

5

 

Total

     

55

55

55

55

                 

Total Marks (Assessment of Learning only)

255

255

255

255

     

Category Weighting

25%

25%

25%

25%

Effective instruction is key to student success. To provide effective instruction, teachers need to consider what they want students to learn, how they will know whether students have learned it, how they will design instruction to promote the learning, and how they will respond to students who are not making progress.

When planning what students will learn, teachers identify the main concepts and skills described in the curriculum expectations, consider the contexts in which students will apply the learning, and determine students’ learning goals.

Instructional approaches should be informed by the findings of current research on instructional practices that have proved effective in the classroom. For example, research has provided compelling evidence about the benefits of the explicit teaching of strategies that can help students develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Strategies such as “compare and contrast” (e.g., through Venn diagrams and comparison matrices) and the use of analogy give students opportunities to examine concepts in ways that help them see what the concepts are and what they are not. Although such strategies are simple to use, teaching them explicitly is important in order to ensure that all students use them effectively.

A well-planned instructional program should always be at the student’s level, but it should also push the student towards his or her optimal level of challenge for learning, while providing the support and anticipating and directly teaching the skills that are required for success.

An understanding of students’ strengths and needs, as well as of their backgrounds and life experiences, can help teachers plan effective instruction and assessment. Teachers continually build their awareness of students’ learning strengths and needs by observing and assessing their readiness to learn, their interests, and their learning styles and preferences. As teachers develop and deepen their understanding of individual students, they can respond more effectively to the students’ needs by differentiating instructional approaches – adjusting the method or pace of instruction, using different types of resources, allowing a wider choice of topics, even adjusting the learning environment, if appropriate, to suit the way their students learn and how they are best able to demonstrate their learning. Unless students have an Individual Education Plan with modified curriculum expectations, what they learn continues to be guided by the curriculum expectations and remains the same for all students.

Effective lesson design involves several important elements. Teachers engage studentsin a lesson by activating their prior learning and experiences, clarifying the purpose for learning, and making connections to contexts that will help them see the relevance and usefulness of what they are learning. Teachers select instructional strategies to effectively introduce concepts, and consider how they will scaffold instruction in ways that will best meet the needs of their students. At the same time, they consider when and how to check students’ understanding and to assess their progress towards achieving their learning goals. Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills and to consolidate and reflect on their learning. A three-part lesson design (e.g., “Minds On, Action, and Consolidation”) is often used to structure these elements.

Instruction in Grade 11 and 12 Canadian and world studies should help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need in order to achieve the curriculum expectations and to be able to think critically throughout their lives about issues related to economics, geography, history, law, and politics. Effective instruction motivates students and instils positive habits of mind, such as curiosity and open-mindedness; a willingness to think, question, challenge, and be challenged; and an awareness of the value of listening or reading closely and communicating clearly. To be effective, instruction must be based on the belief that all students can be successful and that learning in Canadian and world studies is important and valuable for all students.

Students’ views of and attitudes towards Canadian and world studies can have a significant effect on their achievement of expectations. When students believe that these subjects simply represent a body of preordained knowledge about certain topics, they may question the relevance of their studies or may not approach their investigations with an open and inquiring mind. Students must be given opportunities to see that inquiry is not just about finding what others have found, and that they can use the inquiry process not only to uncover knowledge but also to construct understandings and develop their own positions on issues. Learning should be seen as a process in which students monitor and reflect on the development of their knowledge and understandings.

Assessment is a systematic process of collecting information or evidence about student learning. Evaluation is the judgment we make about the assessments of student learning based on established criteria. The purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. This means that judgments of student performance must be criterion-referenced so that feedback can be given that includes clearly expressed next steps for improvement.

The assessment will be based on the following processes that take place in the classroom:

Assessment FOR Learning

Assessment AS Learning

Assessment OF Learning

During this process the teacher seeks information from the students in order to decide where the learners are and where they need to go.

During this process the teacher fosters the capacity of the students and establishes individual goals for success with each one of them.

During this process the teacher reports student’s results in accordance to established criteria to inform how well students are learning.

Conversation

Conversation

Conversation

Classroom discussion Self-evaluation

Peer assessment

 Classroom discussion Small group discussion Post-lab conferences  Presentations of research Debates

Observation

Observation Observation

Drama workshops (taking direction)

Steps in problem solving

 Group discussions

Presentations

Group Presentations

Student Products

Student Products

Student Products

Reflection journals (to be kept throughout the duration of the course)

Check Lists

Success Criteria

Practice sheets Socrative quizzes

Projects

Poster presentations Tests

In Class Presentations

Tools of varying complexity are used by the teacher to facilitate this. For the more complex evaluations, the criteria are incorporated into a rubric where levels of performance for each criterion are stated in language that can be understood by students.

Strategy

Purpose

Who

Assessment Tool

Self Assessment Quizzes

Diagnostic

Self/Teacher

Marking scheme

Homework check

Diagnostic

Self/Teacher

Checklist

Teacher/Student Conferencing

Assessment

Self/Teacher

Anecdotal records

Investigations

Assessment

Self/Teacher

Checklist

Problem Solving

Evaluation

Teacher

Marking scheme

Unit Tests

Evaluation

Teacher

Marking scheme

Final Exam

Evaluation

Teacher

Checklist

Assessment is embedded within the instructional process throughout each unit rather than being an isolated event at the end. Often, the learning and assessment tasks are the same, with formative assessment provided throughout the unit. In every case, the desired demonstration of learning is articulated clearly and the learning activity is planned to make that demonstration possible. This process of beginning with the end in mind helps to keep focus on the expectations of the course as stated in the course guideline. The evaluations are expressed as a percentage based upon the levels of achievement.

The evaluation of this course is based on the four Ministry of Education achievement categories of knowledge and understanding (25%), thinking (25%), communication (25%), and application (25%). . The evaluation for this course is based on the student’s achievement of curriculum expectations and the demonstrated skills required for effective learning.The percentage grade represents the quality of the student’s overall achievement of the expectations for the course and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline.A credit is granted and recorded for this course if the student’s grade is 50% or higher. The final grade for this course will be determined as follows:

  • 70% of the grade will be based upon evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade will reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration will be given to more recent evidence of achievement.
  • 30% of the grade will be based on final summative evaluation administered at or towards the end of the course. This evaluation will be based on evidence from one or a combination of the following: an examination, a performance, an essay, and/or another method of evaluation suitable to the course content. The final evaluation allows the student an opportunity to demonstrate comprehensive achievement of the overall expectations for the course.

Resources: All About Law: Exploring the Canadian Legal System, Sixth Edition © 2010

For the teachers who are planning a program in Social Science Education take into account several important areas. The areas of concern to all teachers that are outlined in the policy document of Ontario Ministry of Education, include the following:

  • teaching approaches
  • types of secondary school courses
  • education for exceptional students
  • the role of technology in the curriculum
  • English as a second language (ESL) and English literacy development (ELD)
  • career education
  • cooperative education and other workplace experiences
  • health and safety in mathematics

It is important to ensure that all students, especially those with special education needs, are provided with the learning opportunities and supports they require to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to succeed in a rapidly changing society. The context of special education and the provision of special education programs and services for exceptional students in Ontario are constantly evolving. Provisions included in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code have driven some of these changes. Others have resulted from the evolution and sharing of best practices related to the teaching and assessment of students with special educational needs. Accommodations (instructional, environmental or assessment) allow the student with special education needs access to the curriculum without changes to the course curriculum expectations.

Environmental education teaches students about how the planet’s physical and biological systems work, and how we can create a more sustainable future. Good curriculum design following the resource document. This ensures that the student will have opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, perspectives and practices needed to become an environmentally literate citizen. The online course should provide opportunities for each student to address environmental issues in their home, in their local community, or even at the global level.

USCA helps students to become environmentally responsible. The first goal is to promote learning about environmental issues and solutions. The second goal is to engage students in practicing and promoting environmental stewardship in their community. The third goal stresses the importance of the education system providing leadership by implementing and promoting responsible environmental practices so that all stakeholders become dedicated to living more sustainably. Environmental education teaches students about how the planet’s physical and biological systems work, and how we can create a more sustainable future.

USCA provides a number of strategies to address the needs of ESL/ELD students to accommodate the needs of students who require instruction in English as a second language or English literacy development. Our teacher considers it to be his or her responsibility to help students develop their ability to use the English language properly. Appropriate accommodations affecting the teaching, learning, and evaluation strategies in this course may be made in order to help students gain proficiency in English, since students taking English as a second language at the secondary level have limited time in which to develop this proficiency. School determines the student’s level of proficiency in the English Language upon registration. This information is communicated to the teacher of the course following the registration and the teacher then invokes a number of strategies and resources to support the student in the course.

Throughout their secondary school education, students will learn about the educational and career opportunities that are available to them; explore and evaluate a variety of those opportunities; relate what they learn in their courses to potential careers in a variety of fields; and learn to make appropriate educational and career choices. The skills, knowledge and creativity that students acquire through this course are essential for a wide range of careers. Being able to express oneself in a clear concise manner without ambiguity in a second language, would be an overall intention of this course, as it helps students prepare for success in their working lives.

By applying the skills they have developed, students will readily connect their classroom learning to real-life activities in the world in which they live. Cooperative education and other workplace experiences will broaden their knowledge of employment opportunities in a wide range of fields. In addition, students will increase their understanding of workplace practices and the nature of the employer-employee relationship. Teachers should maintain links with community-based businesses to ensure that students have access to hands-on experiences that will reinforce the knowledge they have gained in school.

Every student is entitled to learn in a safe, caring environment, free from violence and harassment. Students learn and achieve better in such environments. The safe and supportive social environment at UCSA is founded on healthy relationships between all people. Healthy relationships are based on respect, caring, empathy, trust, and dignity, and thrive in an environment in which diversity is honoured and accepted. Healthy relationships do not tolerate abusive, controlling, violent, bullying/harassing, or other inappropriate behaviours. To experience themselves as valued and connected members of an inclusive social environment, students need to be involved in healthy relationships with their peers, teachers, and other members.

Critical thinking is the process of thinking about ideas or situations in order to understand them fully, identify their implications, make a judgement, and/or guide decision making. Critical thinking includes skills such as questioning, predicting, analysing, synthesizing, examining opinions, identifying values and issues, detecting bias, and distinguishing between alternatives. Students who are taught these skills become critical thinkers who can move beyond superficial conclusions to a deeper understanding of the issues they are examining. They are able to engage in an inquiry process in which they explore complex and multifaceted issues, and questions for which there may be no clear-cut answers.

The school library program in USCA can help build and transform students’ knowledge in order to support lifelong learning in our information- and knowledge-based society. The school library program of these schools supports student success across the curriculum by encouraging students to read widely, teaching them to examine and read many forms of text for understanding and enjoyment, and helping them improve their research skills and effectively use information gathered through research. USCA teachers assist students in accessing a variety of online resources and collections (e.g., professional articles, image galleries, videos, databases). Teachers at USCA will also guide students through the concept of ownership of work and the importance of copyright in all forms of media.

Information literacy is the ability to access, select, gather, critically evaluate, and create information. Communication literacy refers to the ability to communicate information and to use the information obtained to solve problems and make decisions. Information and communications technologies are utilized by all Virtual High School students when the situation is appropriate within their online course. As a result, students will develop transferable skills through their experience with word processing, internet research, presentation software, and telecommunication tools, as would be expected in any other course or any business environment. Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, there are potential risks attached to its use. All students must be made aware of issues related to Internet privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred.

USCA provides varied opportunities for students to learn about ethical issues and to explore the role of ethics in both public and personal decision making. During the inquiry process, students may need to make ethical judgements when evaluating evidence and positions on various issues, and when drawing their own conclusions about issues, developments, and events. Teachers may need to help students in determining appropriate factors to consider when making such judgements. In addition, it is crucial that USCA teachers provide support and supervision to students throughout the inquiry process, ensuring that students engaged in an inquiry are aware of potential ethical concerns and address them in acceptable ways. Teachers will ensure that they thoroughly address the issue of plagiarism with students. In a digital world in which there is easy access to abundant information, it is very easy to copy the words of others and present them as one’s own. Students need to be reminded, even at the secondary level, of the ethical issues surrounding plagiarism, and the consequences of plagiarism should be clearly discussed before students engage in an inquiry. It is important to discuss not only dishonest plagiarism but also more negligent plagiarism instances.