Garibaldi Secondary

Mr. Ludeman

Social Justice 12 Course Outline

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men [and women] to do nothing. -Edmund Burke (1729-1797) It is hoped that students taking Social Justice 12 will achieve two things: 1. Awareness. It doesnt take much to figure out that there are a lot of problems in the world. Why is our planet such a mess? Why cant people just get along? Well spend much of the course raising our awareness of social injustice, figuring out where we each stand on the issues, and by the end of the course we will have a greater understanding of the reasons for social injustice. 2. Action. What can we as individuals do about all of the problems of the world? If we dont want to fall into the trap of apathy suggest by Edmund Burke, we must do something . . . but what? By taking this course, we will learn to become responsible agents of change and begin to make positive contributions toward a socially just world. Units of Study Introductions Big questions: From where do you get your beliefs? What are your core beliefs? What does it take to change the world? Topics include: course requirements, class introductions, change maker biography. Conflict and Forgiveness Big questions: Why dont we all get along? What can be done to increase international cooperation? What is the role of reconciliation in achieving peace? Topics include: case studies of several wars and/or genocides and a reading of Simon Wiesenthals The Sunflower Money: Social and the Environmental Implications Some big questions: Why do some people have more than others? Is this fair? What can be done to alleviate poverty? What is the impact of our economic system on the environment? Topics include: global and local poverty, labour rights, child labour, the food industry, the story of stuff. Identity and Human Rights Some big questions: What makes us different? Why does this divide us? How can we bridge those gaps?

Garibaldi Secondary

Mr. Ludeman

Topics include: racism, gender equality, LGBTQ issues, ageism, ableism Power and Protest Some big questions: Who has power in our society? What power do you have? How should power be used? Topics include: the law, government, and globalization. Students will create their own credo outlining their core beliefs. Action Some big question: What can you do to make a difference? Topics include: creating and implementing your own action plan, participating in several social justice events. Grading Homework - 25% Projects - 25% Learning Log - 25% Action Plan - 25%

Rubrics and specific written instructions will be provided whenever possible for majors project and assignments. Workload and types of activities You can expect to participate in many types of activities in this course, such as discussions and debates, role plays and presentations, essays and personal reflections. Currently, there is no textbook for this course, but photocopied reading will be assigned. Because there is no textbook, students will often be required to conduct research and report findings back to the class. There will be no tests or quizzes in this course. There will be a moderate amount of homework in this class, especially when projects are due. Expectations This is a student-centred course. That means that a great deal of responsibility is placed on the students. Besides the regular expectations for behaviour (respect learning atmosphere, stay on task, etc), students are expected to contribute to the learning community of the classroom. That means contributing in a meaningful and supportive way to discussions, and completing all assigned tasks on time. Seat warming that is, attend but not doing anything is not acceptable. Attendance/Lates Frequent or extended absences will make it very difficult to keep up with the requirements for this course. Please make every effort to book holidays during school breaks. It is your responsibility to find out what you missed when you are away. Please bring a note explaining any absences. Parents and administration will be notified of frequent unexcused lates or absences.

Garibaldi Secondary

Mr. Ludeman

Plagiarism/Cheating You are expected to complete all assignments on your own, unless otherwise directed by your teacher. It is expected that all parts of your work will be in your own words, that none of it will be copied from another source (such as a book, the internet, another student, etc.), unless used to support your own work, and properly documented. It is also expected that you will not knowingly let another student copy your work. Any student caught breaking these rules will receive zero on the assignment, and their parents and the administration will be notified. Teacher Availability I am available lunch hours and after school on most days, and you are encouraged to meet with me to discuss your individual needs and questions. Please take note of my contact information. Email is also the best way for parents to get in touch with me. Email: kyle_ludeman@sd42.ca School phone: 604.463.6287 (local 2002)