Career & Technology Foundations & Fine Arts Grade 8 2025 2026

Please see the tentative summaries of the possible complementary courses that may be offered in the 2024/2025 school year. Students will log on to PowerSchool to indicate their preferences.

Please note that course offerings are based on student interest and staffing availability - not all the courses may be offered next year and changes to some courses may take place in the fall.

Students are asked to select 6 courses. Of these 6, students will receive 4 for next year. ONLY French and Band are given priority. All other courses are randomly placed in a student’s schedule by our scheduling program.

NOTE: Band and French are full year courses and fill 2 spots each.

ART 8 - Course FEE $30 Tap into your creative side and let your imagination be your guide as you explore and enhance your artistic skills in grade 8 Art. No expertise required, just a positive, engaging attitude and a willingness to try your best. A variety of media such as pencil, ink pen, chalk, water colour, tempera paint and more will be used to create compositions. Possible projects include: one point perspective drawings, line drawings, painting with tempera, elements of art composition, silhouette watercolour paintings and three-dimensional sculptures. Students will also learn to critique their own work and use that process to strengthen their skills as an artist.

BAND (INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC) 8 - Course FEE/Instrument Rental $130 Course Fee/Instrument Rental $130 Join us for another fun-filled year of Band and continue playing a brass, woodwind, or percussion instrument with friends! We will continue where we left off in Grade 7 and learn more challenging music with more complex rhythms, harmonies, and melodies. If you did not take Band in grade 7, we still encourage you to join. We typically showcase our progress to a live audience for two evening performances at the end of each semester, and students may have an opportunity to take part in an optional out-of-area trip with associated costs!

COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY 8A The Howler - Students in CTF Communication Technology 8A will support the creation of the Howler and will be involved in school messaging via various social media, as well as digital, and print communications for special events, weekly or monthly communication, and important advertisements for our school.

COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY 8 - Discover and develop skills to use computers and other media to develop, refine, and relay a message in many ways. Students will explore communication principles and elements of graphic design. Students will use appropriate technologies to effectively communicate a message to connect, inform, entertain, or sell products.

DRAMA 8 - Course FEE $10 This course will expand and deepen the students’ skills as actors and is for those interested in developing and performing on stage. Students will explore how to create well-rounded characters, refine movement skills, and develop a versatile voice. Memorizing and performing scenes in front of others is a skill that is developed in this course. Students will explore theatrical forms such as mask, radio plays, theatre sports, and comedy scene work. Theatre history will be examined and the important role it has had in societies all over the world.

ENTERPRISE & INNOVATION 8 - This CTF course is a blend of the occupational areas of Enterprise & Innovation and Management & Marketing. Students will study the area of business that deals with the organization and management of a project, an undertaking, or an innovation. They will also learn the processes associated with promotion for the sale of their product or creative invention! This CTF course will encourage and allow students to explore their creative talents and awaken their entrepreneurial spirit.

ENVIRONMENTAL & OUTDOOR EDUCATION 8 - Course FEE $20 + Field Trips The focus of this course is to motivate students into exploring wilderness-based careers and opportunities through units and activities that are centered around outdoor recreation, conservation and sustainability. Students in grade 8 Outdoor Education will engage in a variety of units that may include Cross Country Skiing, Tarp Shelter Building, Campsite Cooking and Safety, Rock Climbing, Paper Making, Fly Fishing, Orienteering and Archery. Each unit is weather dependent and students are expected to dress appropriately for the weather. Field trips are a part of this course and are meant to supplement the learning that takes place in the classroom. Possible field trips may include indoor wall climbing and/or an overnight camping trip.

FASHION STUDIES 8 - Course FEE $30 In this course, beginner, intermediate or advanced students can learn and enhance their skills. Students will create their own path and select projects such as a stuffed animal, pillowcase, a pillow, or use a pattern to sew clothes such as PJ pants/shorts, tops, skirts, dresses, or fleeces. For students who prefer to knit, crochet, or learn about other types of textiles they can explore various types of fabrics and ways to work with them.

FOODS 8 - Course FEE $30 Students will learn kitchen safety, etiquette, and develop basic culinary skills. They will explore nutrition, look at the food cycle and discover some of the various careers in the food industry. After completing a kitchen safety orientation, students will begin to develop and refine their cooking abilities throughout the term.

FRENCH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE 8 Join us for a fun-filled year of French in which you will learn how to speak in conversational French, understand basic phrases and vocabulary, and write using correct grammar and syntax. This is a great opportunity to learn a valuable life-skill that can help your future employment prospects. In Grade 8, we look at the topics of Food, Animals, and Clothing, along with studying and celebrating various Francophone holidays. À bientôt!

GUITAR 8 - Course Fee $20 Guitar extends the creative avenues available for students to learn how to express themselves musically and make meaning from listening to music. Guitar is focused on the development of instrumental guitar technique, musicianship, making meaning through music, and understanding of theory for individuals and small ensembles. This curriculum is delineated in levels rather than grades to support students having multiple entry points to the study of music regardless of their prior experience. In this way, a grade 9 student may begin at level 1, or a highly experienced grade 7 student might start at level 5. This curriculum is flexible enough to support student learning at every point in their journey.

LEADERSHIP / SERVICE 8 In this course, students will have the opportunity to explore the meaning of leadership within a school context and gain skills that will prepare them for future success. Students enrolled in this course will participate in, lead, support, and create numerous leadership opportunities and school community service projects. This course encourages students to be confident, supportive, and positive members of our school community.

MUSIC 8 - Course FEE $10 This is a great semester-based music course if you love music but are not sure that you want to take Band, or if you love music so much that you want to be in both! In this class, we explore the fundamentals of music including rhythm, melody, and harmony through playing djembes and ukulele. We analyze and explore different musical genres and explore the art of song writing through both acoustic and electronic platforms such as GarageBand. At the end of the semester, you will get to work independently or as a mini band to pursue your favourite area of music further.

TOURISM 8 - Do you dream of traveling the world? Are you looking at beginning a career in one of the world’s fastest growing industries? In this course students will explore tourism on a national level by investigating people places and events around Canada and North America. How do people live differently in different parts of our country and our neighbors’, and what recreational and entertainment opportunities do they pursue? This course will focus on combining elements of business and travel/tourism. Students will gain a basic understanding of the tourism industry and the role of related career paths supporting it. Through various challenges and projects students will explore travel related interests by planning itineraries and researching the culture, cuisine, entertainment and history of various locations. This exploratory course will also support students in developing an appreciation for different cultures and utilize business elements, such as accounting, marketing, and management.

RECREATIONAL LEADERSHIP 8 - Course FEE $20 + Field Trips Recreational Leadership 8 is designed to advance students' understanding of the fundamentals of sports injuries, first aid, and the various careers within the sports medicine and athletics field. Students will work on learning techniques to assess athletic injuries, use of technology in sports injuries, and explore different sport injury case studies. Students will work on creating conditioning and training programs and look at nutrition and the role it plays in athletics. Additionally, the course will focus on developing leadership skills pertinent to athletics, including teamwork and communication when planning an athletic event, reflection on leadership, creating a career plan and long-term goal setting, and planning and leading school wide athletic events. Through a combination of theoretical learning and practical applications, students will be prepared to take on leadership roles in athletic settings and understand the importance of sports medicine in maintaining athlete health and performance.