This course examines the relationship between Christ and contemporary culture. It aims to help students deepen their Catholic faith and apply Christian teachings to their lives. Key areas of study include scripture, creed, morality, prayer, sacraments, and family life. Assessment is based on formative evaluations throughout the course and summative evaluations such as an exam, essay, and final service project. The course uses various teaching strategies like group work, discussion, and experiential learning to engage students.

1. St. Jean de Brebeuf CHS Course Information Sheet 2010-2011
Course Title: Course Code: Instructional time: 110 hours Prerequisite: None Teacher Name:
Christ and Culture HRE20
Title of Textbook: Replacement Cost: Faith Formation Co-curricular Activity: $25.00
Christ and Culture, CCCB $45.00 Includes facility, facilitation, lunch, transportation
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course examines the relationship between the person and message of Christ and the dominant attitudes of contemporary culture. Central to this
course is the sacramental nature of Jesus and through His incarnation, the sacramentality of the Catholic Church, persons, and all of creation. Beginning
with students’ own life experiences, seen in light of the Gospel narratives, students acquire a deeper and more systematic knowledge of Christ, his
message, and his Church. Connections between the Church and contemporary culture are explored in terms of what it means to be a responsible
adolescent developing as a member of a Catholic, Christian community while living within the context of a secular society. In the Family Life Education
strand, students explore a variety of topics related to the themes of person-hood, interpersonal relationships, and sexuality. Students have the
opportunity to experience first-hand the call and response to Christian Community Service.
CONNECTION TO OUR CATHOLIC FAITH
The fundamental premise of this course is that both teacher and students are discerning believers formed in the Catholic faith tradition, intent on participating in the
transformation of society. Understanding that the students operate from, and yearn to deepen their spirituality, this course encourages students to articulate Catholic
beliefs, and to continue to journey as reflective, creative thinkers. By raising important questions about their faith, this course leads students to a deeper understanding
of their relationship with God and neighbour. The students are called to be caring family members and responsible citizens who respect and understand the history,
cultural heritage, and pluralism of today’s contemporary society.
Strand/
Overall Expectations/Unit Description By the end of this course, students will:
Unit Titles
• identify the four Gospels as the heart of the Christian Scriptures and the primary source
of knowledge about Jesus (CCC §125);
Scripture • recognize the Gospels as testimonies of faith in Jesus and an invitation to grow toward
wholeness by living as his faithful disciples;
• develop appropriate skills for interpreting Scripture through a harmony of the methods
of exegesis and the guidance of the Teaching Authority of the Church;
• explain the “good news” of the Gospel story as a way to know God’s saving love for humanity.
• recognize that there is an absolute truth and God is its source (CCC §2465-2470);
Profession • demonstrate a profound respect for the dignity and mystery of the human person, as both blessed and broken (CCC §356-412), created,
loved and redeemed by God (CCC §599-618, 651-655);
of Faith • demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Church in God’s plan for salvation (CCC §770-776);
• identify various ways in which the Church expresses itself as the “people of God” (CCC §781-786);
• demonstrate an understanding of the main creedal forms of the Catholic Church (Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, baptismal liturgy).
• demonstrate an understanding of the importance of social justice by applying the teachings of Jesus to their own culture and own life
situations (CCC §1928-1942);
Christian • demonstrate how justice is a demand of natural law (CCC §1954-1960);
Moral • recognize that justice is an essential ingredient in the liberation of human beings and a key expression of Christian love;
Development • demonstrate a knowledge of the social teachings of the Church (CCC §2419-2425);
• use the preferential option for the poor as the criterion for analysing social injustice issues (CCC §2443-2449).
• recognize the spiritual and sacramental dimension implicit in human experience and the created world;
• explain the meaning and role of Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick in the life of a Christian;
Prayer and • demonstrate a knowledge of the various purposes of prayer (CCC §2623-2643);
Sacramental • identify and assess the value of both personal and communal prayer within Christianity;
Life • identify and describe the role and history of the sacraments in the life of Catholics with special emphasis on the sacraments of Eucharist
(CCC §1322-1405) and Anointing of the Sick (CCC §1499-1525).
• demonstrate an understanding of the sacredness of the human person, body and spirit (CCC §2258-2262), from conception until natural
Family Life death (CCC §2268-2283);
• recognize and explore the meaning of integrity and belonging in human life;
• describe the stages of cognitive and affective development throughout the life span;
• understand the family life cycle;
• examine healthy patterns of relating with a focus on friendship, intimacy, sexuality and communication.

2. Unit Titles Teaching and Learning Strategies
Unit 1: To Be Human Is…?
Critical to any process of meaningful learning in Religious Education are the following:
Unit 2: Who Has Culture?  Content relevant to the student’s life experience
 Learning activities that engage the interest and imagination of the learner
Unit 3: The God Question  Learning opportunities that link new concepts, ideas, and skills to previous knowledge
Unit 4: Relating to Oneself: Who Am I?
 Time to reflect on new ideas and concepts, both individually and as a group
 Relevant connections to assist the assimilation of new knowledge, attitudes and skills into
the student’s learning
Unit 5: Relating to the Other: The Voice of the Other in Me
 Activities that challenge students t o construct new knowledge
 Ways to assess and evaluate the student’s growth and development
Unit 6: Relating to Civil Society: Living Together in Solidarity
Unit 7: Relating to Church: We Are the Church
Unit 8: Relating to the World: Disciples and Witnesses
Unit 9: Celebrating Christ in Our Culture
Instructional strategies: modeled, shared and guided instruction, cooperative group learning, accountable talk, independent application and
consolidation, experiential learning, inquiry-based learning, robust thinking (critical analysis and reflection).
Assessment and Evaluation Breakdown
Formative Evaluation - 70% Summative Evaluations - 30%
Based on a variety of FORMATIVE evaluations conducted Based on a final evaluation in the form of an examination, performance product,
throughout the course. This portion of the grade reflects essay, and/or other method of evaluation suitable to the course content and
the student’s most consistent level of achievement administered towards the end of the course.
throughout the course, although special consideration is (Program, Planning and Assessment: The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 to 12, p.15).
given to more recent evidence of achievement.
Culminating Performance Task(s) – 10%
Knowledge/Understanding - 20% Final Christian Service and Retreat Reflection – 5%
Thinking - 20%
Communication - 10% Exam – 15%
Application - 20%
Assessment and Evaluation Strategies Employed in the Course: classroom presentations, conferences, essays, response journals, demonstratio
interviews, learning logs, quizzes, tests, and exams, observations, performance tasks, portfolios, question and answers, self-assessment.
Assessment and Evaluation Tools: Checklists, exemplars, rating scales, rubrics, metacognition, self and peer assessment, anecdotal notes.
Focus on Learning Skills:
Responsibility Organization Independent Work Collaboration Initiative Self-Regulation
 Fulfils  Devises  Independently  Accepts various roles  Looks for and  Sets own
responsibilities and monitors, assesses, and an equitable acts on new individual goals
and commitments follows a and revises plans share of work in a ideas and and monitors
within the plan and to complete tasks group opportunities progress towards
learning process for and meet goals.  Responds positively for learning. achieving them.
environment. completin  Uses class time to the ideas, opinions,  Demonstrate  Seeks
 Completes and g work appropriately to values, and traditions s the clarification or
submits class and tasks. complete tasks. of capacity for assistance when
work, homework,  Establishe  Follows others. innovation needed.
and assignments s priorities instructions with and a  Assesses and
according to and  Builds healthy peer- willingness
minimal to-peer relationships reflects critically
agreed-upon manages supervision. to take risks. on own
timelines. time to through personal  Demonstrate
and strengths, needs,
 Takes complete s curiosity and interests.
responsibility for tasks and media-assisted and interest
and manages own achieve interactions. in learning.  Identifies
behaviour. goals.  Works with others to  Approaches learning
 Identifies, resolve conflicts and new tasks opportunities,
gathers, build consensus to with a choices, and
evaluates, achieve group goals. positive strategies to meet
and uses  Shares information, attitude. personal needs and
informatio resources, and achieve goals.
expertise, and  Recognizes  Perseveres and
n, and
technolog promotes critical makes an effort
thinking to solve problems and makeadvocates when responding
y, and appropriatel
resources decisions. to challenges.
y for the
to rights of self
complete and
tasks. others

3. N.B. Additional Information Found in Student’s School Agenda/Board Policy:
Lates, Absences and Missed Assignments follow the YCDSB Assessment & Evaluation Guidelines, in compliance with the Ministry of
Education Policy on Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting.
NB: PARENTS/GUARDIANS ARE REQUESTED TO DISCUSS PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT WITH THEIR DAUGHTER/SON ON A
REGULAR BASIS. CONSULT UNIT TESTS, ASSIGNMENTS AND MARK UPDATES REGULARLY.
CHECK STUDENT AGENDA FOR ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION POLICIES, MID-SEMESTER REPORTING AND PARENT-TEACHER
INTERVIEWS.
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I have read and reviewed the information on this sheet with my daughter/son, __________________________________
Student Signature Parent/Guardian Signature Date