Course Overview

Philosophy: The Big Questions, Grade 11, Open, HZB3O

Course Description

Philosophy: The Big Questions provides students with an opportunity to discuss some of the great questions of our age such as: What defines good music? What is art? Is beauty really in the eyes of the beholder? Should the Bicentennial man be considered a person? What makes your life meaningful? Students develop inquiry and critical analysis skills, enabling them to tackle these and many other questions. This course develops students’ research and writing skills and assists them in becoming stronger logical thinkers. Philosophy: The Big Questions engages students’ interest and challenges them to think about the world in a new light.

Philosophy: The Big Questions is to be comprised of three (or more) units selected from the six outlined in this profile. The course requires that students examine three (or more) of the following questions: 1) What is a person?; 2) What is a meaningful life?; 3) What are good and evil?; 4) What is a just society?; 5) What is human knowledge?; 6) How do we know what is beautiful in art, music, and literature? Unlike other courses it is neither the strands nor the grouping of expectations that defines the units of study. Rather, the six questions define the units. Question one, “What is a person?” is central to all of the remaining questions and is consequently the focus of the first unit. Aside from addressing the question “What is a person?” Unit 1 provides students with a sound introduction to the study of philosophy, laying the foundations for philosophical inquiry. The remaining units are selected from units built around the remaining five questions. A unique feature of this course is that all of the overall and specific expectations are addressed in each of the units. Regardless of the fact that all expectations are addressed in each unit, it is necessary that a minimum of three units be covered so as to address three of six questions outlined.

Units: Titles and Times**

* Unit 1	What is a Person: An Introduction to the Study of Philosophy	35.5 hours
Unit 2	On Living A Meaningful Life	27 hours
Unit 3	On Being A Moral Person: Exploring Good and Evil	27 hours
Unit 4	In Search of a Just Society	27 hours
Unit 5	Understanding Human Knowledge	27 hours
Unit 6	The Search for Beauty	27 hours
Culminating Activity	A Philosophical Self-Portrait	20.5 hours

* This unit is fully developed in this Course Profile.

** Select two units from Units 2-6 (2 units x 27 hours = 54 hours).

Course Notes

Challenges of the Course

Philosophy: The Big Questions is of considerable relevance to all students regardless of ethnic or religious background, academic capabilities, or career goals because it applies creative and critical-thinking tools to fundamental questions about human nature; personal and social responsibilities; good and evil; the nature of human knowledge; social justice; how science, art, and religion are related; and other such issues. Philosophy trains students in critical and logical thinking, writing, and oral communication and acquaints them with principles underlying their own values and beliefs as well as those of others. Because of its relationship to fundamental issues affecting us all, philosophy has the potential to engage and enthrall all learners. For all students, philosophy can be a fun and worthwhile course for the following reasons.

· Students are able to apply metacognitive skills to explore their own beliefs and values.

· Students are able to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways, applying their dominant intelligences to creatively explore meaning.

· Students develop critical and logical thinking skills in reading, writing, and oral communication, allowing them to challenge existing ideas and integrate personally meaningful ideas into their own experiences.

Grade 11 Philosophy lays important foundations for students wishing to pursue Grade 12 Philosophy. The skills focus in Grade 11 is on classifying ideas (compare, contrast, strengths, weaknesses), with an emphasis on summarizing information and only a limited amount of higher order thinking, such as evaluating and defending ideas. This serves the needs of all students as it assists them in developing the skills needed to read for meaning, define terms, and classify ideas. Whether heading into the workplace after Grade 12 or to college or university, students will find these skills useful.

Philosophy: The Big Questions poses two significant yet potentially rewarding challenges to teachers. The first is that of introducing students to the often abstract study of philosophy. For most students, the study of philosophy is unlike anything else they have ever studied. Most often, by the time students reach Grade 11 they have grown accustomed to responding to questions for which they believe there are correct and incorrect answers. Seldom have they been encouraged to raise questions that have no easy answers or challenge the answers of others. Thus philosophy opens new doors and introduces new challenges. Among these challenges are the abilities to develop coherent, logical arguments and to critique the answers of others rather than to blindly accept someone else’s point of view. In part, this challenge is made easier by teenagers’ natural search for a personal identity and their subsequent desire to challenge authority and stake out and test their own values and beliefs. Teachers can take advantage of this blossoming intellectual curiosity by tapping into issues relevant to the lives of students. The six questions which drive this course can easily provide a connection to students’ lives and the study of philosophy.

The second and perhaps more difficult challenge posed by this course is the range of student that it could potentially draw. Essentially, the course needs to serve two distinct functions: prepare some students for future studies in philosophy while providing other students with a worthwhile introduction to philosophy in which they can experience success and derive some significant life-long learning.

Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment

For students to be engaged in what they are learning they must see a relevance to their lives and see themselves represented in the material presented. In the diverse classrooms of today, it is crucial that every effort be made to draw on readings, visual sources, and other learning aids that reflect a balance in gender, as well as religion, race, and regions of the world. Where possible, students should explore answers to the big questions of philosophy by examining the works of women as well as men, philosophies from the east and the west, and philosophies from diverse religious vantage points. As well, interdisciplinary considerations must be made to meet the expectations and to ensure optimal interest for students. Students should be encouraged to explore many of the questions raised through a variety of mediums including contemporary music, film, literature, and art.

Addressing Course Expectations

With just twenty-two specific expectations, all of which are general in nature, each unit addresses the majority of expectations as they relate to the pertinent question. A few of the specific expectations relate to students “doing” philosophy and are therefore inherent in the activities students complete. These expectations are explicitly addressed in Unit 1, as students learn about the nature of philosophy and the skills needed to be an effective philosopher. In the remaining units, the application of these skills is implicit in the evaluation activities but is not directly taught. Instead, these expectations are reflected in rubrics, which are used to assess and evaluate students’ ability to respond philosophically to fundamental questions. The expectations explicitly addressed in Unit 1 and implicitly applied throughout the course are:

· identify examples of fallacies in reasoning and writings from other subjects (OS1.03);

· correctly use the terminology of philosophical argumentation (IS1.01);

· illustrate common fallacies in reasoning (IS1.04).

Unit Overviews

Unit 1: What is a Person: An Introduction to the Study of Philosophy

Unit Description

Philosophy has been called wisdom without answers. Its traditional role has been to shine the light of analysis on questions that mathematics and science cannot address, questions that centre on the nature of personhood and the relationship of that person with the world. That role is no less important today. Secondary school students reflect on these profound questions daily and need a vehicle for their intellectual journey. The course is designed to give their contemplations a focus, a vocabulary, and a context.

This unit addresses the central question of the course, What is a Person? Because the concept of personhood deals with our nature and how we interact with the world, this unit necessarily provides direct links to the other big questions of the course and thus serves as an introduction to the remainder of the course content. The inevitable overlapping of content complements and reinforces student understanding and provides a clear awareness of the interconnectedness of all the subject disciplines in his/her curriculum. In this way, the teacher and student are able to make informed choices when selecting remaining units of the course, planning projects, and selecting areas of interest for further study.

Unit 1 also introduces the tools of inquiry that students use throughout the course; tools include:

· careful reading of texts (ISV.04);

· dialogue and Socratic questioning (ISV.05);

· the uses of language - clearly written and oral explanations (IS3.02);

· the use of specialized vocabulary (IS1.01);

· the abuses of language - illustrate common fallacies in reasoning (IS1.04);

· dichotomies - conceptual opposites (PQ1.03);

· the topoi, the classical method of analysis using increasingly divergent questions.

Throughout this unit, students are involved in activities that they will add to their Philosopher’s Journal. This journal is one of the course culminating activities.

Unit Culminating Activity: A Philosophical Self-Portrait

For the culminating activity, each student is required to construct a philosophical self-portrait in a variety of media in which they are comfortable and present it to the class. This document/object is a snapshot of the student’s sense of self at the end of this unit and is used again for comparative purposes at the end of the course to show areas of growth and change, and may be included as part of the Philosopher’s Journal.

Unit Overview Chart

Activity	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	PQV.01, ISV.01 PQV.02, PQ1.05, EL1.03, OS1.01, IS1.02, ELV.02, ISV.02, ISV.03, OSV.01, IS3.01, IS2.01, IS2.02, IS3.02	Thinking/Inquiry	What are the component parts of a person?
2	ISV.03, IS3.01	Application	What is a self?
3	PQV.01, PQ1.02, ISV.03, IS1.01	Knowledge/Understanding	Are the mind and the body the same thing or are they separate and distinct?
4	PQV.02, PQ1.05, PTV.02, PT1.03, OSV.02, OS1.03	Communication	Is there a soul and, if so, what is it? Can a soul exist after the body has died?
5	PQV.02, PQ1.02, ISV.02, IS1.04	Application	Is a person a part of or separate from their environment?
6	PTV.01, PT1.01	Knowledge/Understanding	Can machines and animals be persons?
7	ISV.05, IS3.01, ISV.02, IS2.01	Communication	How do non-Western traditions address these questions?
8	PQV.02, PQ1.03, ELV.01, EL1.01, ELV.02, EL1.02, ISV.O1, IS1.03, ISV.04, IS3.02, ISV.01, IS2.02	Thinking/Inquiry Application Knowledge/Understanding Communication	Unit Culminating Activity: A Philosophical Self-Portrait

Unit 2: On Living a Meaningful Life

Unit Description

In this unit students explore what makes a life meaningful by studying various philosophical theories and reflecting on their own values and beliefs. The unit begins with a discussion based on Socrates' quotation “The unexamined life is not worth living.” This quotation provides justification for examining our own lives and the lives of those whom we admire. Individually and in groups, students define and redefine their characterization of a meaningful life throughout the unit. Students also explore freewill versus determinism in order to explore the question, “Do we have the ability to alter our lives to make them meaningful?” Students should examine a variety of multicultural secondary sources in order to improve their research and inquiry skills. The unit culminating activity is a visual essay that provides a personal response to the question, “What is a meaningful life?” Throughout this unit, students are involved in activities that they will add to their Philosopher’s Journal.

Unit Culminating Activity: Visual Essay

The culminating activity for the unit is a visual essay that is captured on videotape. Students create their own explanation for the unit question, “What is a meaningful life?” Their results are then recorded in various ways, such as skits, interviews, poetry readings, or a performance of a short story. Groups of three or four students record their ideas on videotape and play the tape for the class. Each group should be comprised of students with strengths in different multiple intelligence areas. Each student should be responsible for one particular facet of the visual essay in order to ensure accountability. If video cameras are not available in the school, this activity may be adapted by using an audio tape recording.

Unit Overview Chart

Activity	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	ISV.05, IS3.01, ISV.02, IS2.01, IS1.02	Communication	Why should we examine our lives?
2	ISV.03, IS3.01	Application	Who do you admire? What does this reveal about your perception of a meaningful life?
3	PTV.01, PT1.01, ELV.02, EL1.03, OSV.01, OS1.01	Thinking/Inquiry	What are the conditions for our lives to reach ultimate success?
4	PTV.01, PT1.01, ISV.03, IS1.04	Knowledge/ Understanding	What is happiness and how can it be attained?
5	PQV.02, PQ1.02, ISV.02, IS1.04	Application	Can a life of self-indulgence be meaningful?
6	PTV.02, PT1.03, OSV.02, OS1.03	Communication	Do we have an obligation to help others?
7	PQV.02, PQ1.04, OSV.02, OS1.03	Knowledge/ Understanding	Are our lives predetermined?
8	PQV.02, PQ1.05	Thinking/Inquiry	Do we create our own meaning?
Unit Culminating Activity	PQV.02, PQ1.03, ELV.01, EL1.01, ELV.02, EL1.02, ISV.05, IS1.03, ISV.04, IS3.02, ISV.01, IS2.02	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Visual Essay: What is a meaningful life?

Unit 3: On Being a Moral Person: Exploring Good and Evil

Unit Description

What are good and evil? In this unit, students explore the terms good and evil and are challenged with various ethical dilemmas. Students analyse various methods of determining right from wrong (religion, the legal system, utilitarianism, and the categorical imperative – (Activities 5 and 6) in order to challenge or justify their own response. Ethical relativism and ethical scepticism are also studied (Activities 7 and 8). Whenever possible, the application of theories to current issues should occur. Throughout the unit, students are involved in activities that they will add to their multiple intelligence folder (Philosopher’s Journal course culminating activity). The unit culminating activity challenges students to apply the knowledge learned in this unit to a contemporary ethical dilemma and present their findings in a bulletin board display with visuals and written information.

Unit Culminating Activity: Bulletin Board Display

The culminating activity for this unit involves students applying various philosophical theories to contemporary ethical dilemmas. In groups of three, students create a large bulletin board display, with text and visuals that clearly illustrates the ethical dilemma. The bulletin board should be divided into three panels. Each student is responsible for the overall design and for one panel. Each student should explain his/her own panel in a short presentation to the class, ensuring that each member is contributing an equal amount to the group effort. All of the terms and theories learned in this unit should be used to create a detailed analysis of the issue. A five-minute presentation accompanies the board.

Unit Overview Chart

Activity	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	ISV.05, IS3.01, ISV.02, IS2.01, IS1.02	Communication	Can we define good and evil or are they defined by our religious beliefs?
2	PTV.01, PT1.01, ISV.03, IS1.01	Knowledge/ Understanding	What is human nature?
3	ISV.03, IS3.01	Application	Moral dilemmas: What would you do in a particular situation?
4	PTV.02, PT1.02, ELV.02, EL1.03, OSV.01, OS1.01	Thinking/Inquiry	Is the individual the only legitimate judge of ethics?
5	PTV.02, PT1.03, OSV.02, OS1.02	Communication	Does religion or the legal system provide acceptable standards for right and wrong?
6	PQV.02, PQ1.04, OSV.02, OS1.03	Knowledge/ Understanding	Should we determine the ethical character of an action based on the act itself or the results of the action?
7	PQV.02, PQ1.05	Thinking/Inquiry	Are morals relative to an individual culture?
8	PQV.02, PQ1.02, ISV.02, IS1.04	Application	Are there any acts that are definitively right or wrong?
Unit Culminating Activity	PQV.02, PQ1.03, ELV.01, EL1.01, ELV.02, EL1.02, ISV.05, IS1.03, ISV.04, IS3.02, ISV.01, IS2.02	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Bulletin Board: Applying Philosophy to Contemporary Ethical Issues

Unit 4: In Search of a Just Society

Unit Description

In this unit, students explore and question past and existing types of governments in order to develop a personal response to the question, “What is a just society?” Students may have previous knowledge of ideas presented within this unit from their Grade 10 Civics course. The unit begins with a study of the need for government and moves to uncovering the various forms of government and the philosophies behind them. Secondary sources should be used to uncover the ideas expressed by such philosophers as Karl Marx, Thomas Hobbes, Plato, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Students then apply their knowledge to pursue questions that deal with their rights and responsibilities within a society (e.g., What obligations do we have to address racial or gender inequalities?). Whenever possible, links to current issues should be made. The unit culminating activity is a debate on a contemporary issue that deals with the question, “How can we reconcile the rights of the individual with the rights of the collective?” A suitable topic would be the rights of an individual to smoke versus the collective rights of others to breathe clean air. In this activity, students are given the opportunity to practise and apply their research and inquiry skills.

Throughout this unit, students are involved in activities that they will add to their Philosopher’s Journal.

Unit Culminating Activity: Symposium – What is a just society?

The culminating activity for the unit is a debate on a contemporary issue that deals with controversial issues in our own society relating to the unit question, “What is a just society?” Students should be involved in determining the resolution for debates. Students should be in groups of eight (four affirmative and four opposing) for each issue. Several issues should be debated in order to maintain the interest level of the class. Ample time should be given to research for the debate. Before the debate, the rules of debating must be stressed (e.g., You should not speak while someone is talking). While the eight students are debating their specific issue, the rest of the class should listen to the arguments presented by both sides and prepare a suitable question for the debating panel. Student judges can be used to comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the debating teams.

Unit Overview Chart

Activity	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	ISV.05, IS3.01, ISV.02, IS2.01	Communication	Is there such a thing as a natural law?
2	PTV.02, PT1.02, ELV.02, EL1.03, OSV.01, OS1.01	Thinking/Inquiry	What is the justification for the existence of any form of government?
3	PTV.01, PT1.01, ISV.03, IS1.01	Knowledge/ Understanding	What are the various forms of government?
4	ISV.03, IS3.01	Application	What are our rights and responsibilities to others and ourselves?
5	PQV.02, PQ1.05	Thinking/Inquiry	What constitutes equality or fairness?
6	PQV.02, PQ1.04, OSV.02, OS1.03	Knowledge/ Understanding	How should goods and services produced in our society be distributed?
7	PQV.01, PQ1.02	Knowledge/ Understanding	What should be the limits of government authority over its citizens?
8	PTV.02, PT1.03, OSV.02, OS1.02	Communication	What should be the limits of a citizen’s obligation to obey the government?
9	PQV.02, PQ1.02, ISV.02, IS1.04	Application	What obligations do we have to address racial or gender inequalities?
10	ELV.01, EL1.01	Application	What factors help determine whether a government is just?
Unit Culminating Activity	PQV.02, PQ1.01, ELV.01, ELV.02, EL1.02, OS1.02, ISV.01, ISV.03, ISV.05, IS1.02, IS1.04, IS2.01, IS3.01	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Symposium: What is a just society?

Unit 5: Understanding Human Knowledge

Unit Description

Grade 11 students are increasingly confident about using their knowledge - their intellectual capital. In this unit, students investigate what knowledge is and where it comes from. There is no doubt that we learn through the experience of our five senses, but is there knowledge we acquire by reason alone? And if this is so, where does this knowledge and reason come from? This is the essence of the empiricism-rationalism debate. In medieval Europe, people sincerely believed that the Earth was flat. Does this mean that knowledge can be false? How do we test for truth? “What is human knowledge?”

Significant connections are made with other units in the course because this topic invites questions regarding personhood, ethics, and religion. How can we know, for instance, if our life is meaningful? Students are asked to consider their relationship as knowers with the world, the known. Throughout this unit, students are involved in activities that they can add to their Philosopher’s Journal (course culminating activity).

Unit Culminating Activity: An Interview with Philosophers

This activity takes the form of a television or studio interview. In groups of four, students, in the roles of philosophers such as Hume and Kant (interviewer/moderator and videographer), prepare and present a twenty-minute interview for the class. Guided by the moderator, the philosopher must defend his/her own position and critique the other’s position on the dichotomy of empiricism and rationalism. The program is interrupted once by a commercial message created by the videographer. The subject of the spot is suitably philosophical in the area of theory of knowledge and is an opportunity for the use of humour and/or irony.

Unit Overview Chart

Activity	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	ISV.05, IS1.02, IS3.01, ISV.02, IS2.01	Communication	What do we mean when we say we know something?
2	PQV.02, PT1.04, OSV.02, OS1.03	Knowledge/ Understanding	Is “justified, truth belief” an adequate definition of knowledge?
3	PTV.02, PT1.02, ELV.02, OSV.01	Thinking/Inquiry	Is knowledge learned, innate, or both?
4	ISV.03, 1S3.01	Application	How can we test the validity of knowledge?
5	PQV.02, PQ1.02, ISV.02, IS1.04	Application	How can true be tested?
6	PTV.01, PT1.01, ISV.03, IS1.04	Knowledge/ Understanding	Can knowledge be false?
7	PQV.02, PQ1.05, EL1.03, OS1.01	Thinking/Inquiry	How can we know that the world as we experience it, is the world as it is?
8	PTV.02, PT1.03, OSV.02, OS1.0S	Communication	Is there knowledge that humans cannot know?
Unit Culminating Activity	PQV.0S, PQ1.03, ELV.01, EL1.01, ELV.02, EL1.02, ISV.01, IS1.03, ISV.04, IS3.02, ISV.01, IS2.02	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Television interview with David Hume and Immanuel Kant

Unit 6: The Search for Beauty

Unit Description

“How do we know what is beautiful?” As any conversation among them will show, students have very strong opinions about the arts, especially music, television, fashion, and movies. This unit gives students the opportunity to explore the nature of beauty and art in a disciplined and thorough manner. It enables them to frame their ideas and articulate their likes and dislikes in more meaningful, unambiguous, analytic language. Key connections are made between aesthetics, ethics, and theory of knowledge. For instance, Tolstoy felt that for art to be great, it had to contain a moral dimension. In his view, music, from Beethoven to the Beatles, doesn’t qualify! Theorists and artists from Plato to Keats have argued that beauty is somehow related to truth and goodness. Other issues that are raised have to do with objectivity and subjectivity, and whether or not art has intrinsic value and meaning. Throughout this unit, students are involved in activities that they will add to their Philosopher’s Journal.

Unit Culminating Activity: A Curated Art Show

The culminating activity for this unit is a titled, student-curated show of six artworks that is a personal statement of that student’s aesthetic. Six of these art forms must be represented: music, visual art, movies, dance, drama, and the written word (poetry and narrative). In a presentation of about thirty minutes, each student describes the significance of each selection in terms of an issue that has been raised during the unit. There must be a clearly stated underlying aesthetic theory, concept, or principle that unifies all of the works in the show. Original artworks, videos, slides, reproductions, recordings, short dramatic readings, recitations, movement, graffiti, etc., can be used. A written summary of the presentation is submitted. This activity lays the foundation for the second course culminating activity: The Philosophical Café.

Unit Overview Chart

Activity	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	PTV.02, PT1.03, OSV.02, OS1.02, IS1.02	Communication	What is beauty?
2	PTV.02, PT1.02, EL1.03, OS1.01	Thinking/Inquiry	Is there an innate, absolute standard of beauty?
3	PQV.02, PQ1.02, ISV.02, IS1.04	Application	Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?
4	PTV.01, PT1.01, ISV.03, IS1.01	Knowledge/ Understanding	Is beauty a form of truth?
5	ISV.03, IS3.01	Application	Does beauty contain an ethical dimension?
6	ISV.05, IS3.01, ISV.02, IS2.01	Communication	What is art?
7	PQV.02, PQ1.04, OSV.02, OS1.03	Knowledge/ Understanding	Does art have a purpose?
8	PQV.02, PQ1.05, ELV.02, OSV.01	Thinking/Inquiry	Does art mean anything?
Unit Culminating Activity	PVQ.02, PQ1.03, ELV.01, EL1.01, ELV.02, EL1.02, ISV.01, IS1.03, ISV.04, IS3.02, ISV.01, IS2.02	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	A Curated Art Show

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Critical to the success of the Grade 11 Philosophy course is the use of a variety of teaching/learning strategies, which address a variety of learning styles and intelligences. This is an ideal course for teachers to draw on music, poetry, works of art, literature, cartoons, and movies to capture students’ interest in the subject matter. By using a variety of mediums, students are engaged and challenged at some point in the course. Furthermore, the nature of philosophy demands that teachers surrender much of the exploration of ideas to students. Although students are exposed to the ideas of a variety of philosophers, these ideas must act as a springboard for students to explore their own beliefs and values as opposed to being the correct answers to philosophical questions. It is recommended that students read about the ideas of some of the great philosophers rather than attempt to read primary sources. To be truly engaged in their learning and ultimately successful in the study of philosophy, students should interact with the material rather than be receptacles for information passed on by the teacher. Students need to actively discuss, debate, and challenge ideas; have an opportunity to record their thoughts; and have a variety of ways to demonstrate their learning. This entails allowing students to demonstrate their learning through drawings, poetry, cartoons, oral debates, discussions, etc.

Some of the planning considerations for the course are:

· While this course does not require students to read difficult primary sources, it does require that they understand what some of the major philosophers and/or philosophical movements have said on selected topics.

· Students need to develop the skills to critically analyse and assess arguments, compare philosophical approaches, and succinctly summarize arguments.

· Students must be able to make interdisciplinary connections (i.e., science, art, and literature) and identify fallacies in reasoning in writings from various subjects.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

Grade 11 Philosophy: The Big Questions is designed around the use of learning portfolios to monitor and support student progress. For each unit, students are required to complete a number of activities, which are designed to demonstrate their success at meeting the course expectations. Each activity is supported by a lesson, which introduces key concepts to students and provides the necessary scaffolding to help ensure optimum success for all students. As students complete each activity, they receive formative assessment from peers, parents, and/or the teacher, which assists them in addressing areas of weaknesses and polishing their work. Students place each completed activity in a portfolio. Each of these activities is linked to a specific area of the Achievement Chart to ensure that all four areas are assessed and evaluated. Towards the end of each unit, students submit a selection of their best work representing each area of the Achievement Chart. By allowing students to submit selections of their work, they are encouraged to take risks without fear of failure. To ensure that students successfully meet all the course expectations, they should be required to complete each of the activities in the unit before being allowed to select their best work. Students who do not complete all activities should be required to submit all their work and have their grade based on all unit activities. This encourages students to attempt all activities and not selectively ignore activities.

Seventy per cent of the grade will be based on assessments and evaluations conducted throughout the course. Thirty per cent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation in the form of an examination, performance, essay, and/or other method of evaluation.

Culminating Activities

In addition to the series of activities completed in each unit, students are required to complete a unit culminating activity, which demonstrates their success at meeting the expectations. These culminating activities draw on the work completed during the unit and are assessed and evaluated in all four areas of the Achievement Chart. Suggested culminating activities for each of the units:

Unit 1 -	A Philosophical Self-Portrait
Unit 2 -	Visual Essay
Unit 3 -	Bulletin Board Display
Unit 4 -	Symposium – What is a just society?
Unit 5 -	An Interview with David Hume and Immanuel Kant
Unit 6 -	A Curated Art Show

Note: Each of the Culminating Activities listed above work well with several of the Units. Teachers can build a course around the units as outlined or interchange culminating activities and units to tailor the course for their class.

The Final Evaluation

For the purpose of a final evaluation, the following two activities are suggested. Both of the final evaluation activities (Philosophical Café and Philosopher’s Journal) should be clearly explained to students at the outset of the course and they should be encouraged and provided opportunities throughout the course to work towards completing the final evaluations.

1. Hosting a Philosophical Café (student handout)

Description of the Task

During the European Enlightenment of the 18^th Century, those who made public issues matters of private concern came to be known as intellectuals. Gathering in cafés and salons, these men and women discussed wide-ranging topics in which they applied reason and logic in the pursuit of truth, justice, and ultimately, the perfect society. As the new millennium begins and we are faced with an increasingly fast-paced society in which individuals are feeling isolated and disempowered, there has been a rebirth of this phenomena.

In this performance task, students, in groups of five or six, design and create a table display in which one medium per student is used to generate discussion of a philosophical nature. The focus of this discussion must be based on a central philosophical theme. The primary purpose of this performance task is to test the student’s ability to philosophize in a logical manner. This performance task is open to the community, as guests are invited to participate in the symposium and to offer their evaluation of students’ work. As this is a café, student groups may provide refreshments to visitors typical of a café setting and consistent with the philosophical focus. Groups can either provide the refreshments free or charge a nominal fee to cover their costs.

To prepare for and complete this task, each group must:

· select a philosophical theme on which to base the cafe (see list below);

· generate a list of 8-10 second order questions that could be addressed at their café;

· assign individual responsibility for a specific medium for each student;

· prepare and host the café, paying attention to the following:

Layout:

· comfortable and inviting providing for ease of discussion

· central theme highlighted through the effective use of the various medium

· one second-order question must be highlighted and displayed alongside each of the mediums

· aesthetically appealing

Refreshments

· reflective of central theme

· served in an appealing manner

· allow for discussion while partaking in refreshments

Coordination of Discussion

· maintain focus on central theme

· thought-provoking questions raised through use of mediums

· able to engage visitors in philosophical discourse

Organization

· careful planning allows for smooth running of all facets of the café, including food service, discussion, and explanations of mediums

· prepare a user-friendly evaluation form for assessment of the philosophical café. This evaluation must be completed by a minimum of ten people.

To prepare for and complete this task each individual must:

· select a specific medium to present/display at the philosophical café (see list below);

· prepare and submit a description of the medium selected, which includes an explanation of philosophical relevance of the selection. The description/explanation is to be a minimum of one-page and a maximum of two-pages in length;

· prepare and submit six to eight second-order questions which specifically relate to their selection;

· actively participate in the hosting of the café as outlined above;

· prepare and submit a personal reflection on the experience of planning and hosting a philosophical café. The reflection should comment on the following:

· the highs and lows of working cooperatively with classmates;

· the café preparation as an effective/ineffective application of learning;

· the degree of success of the café;

· suggestions for personal growth;

· suggestions which could help to improve the performance task for future classes.

Possible Themes for Cafés

Mediums for Display

What it Means to Be A Person

Morality/Ethics/Good and Evil

Happiness/A Meaningful Life

Justice

Aesthetics/Beauty

Symbols (e.g., yin-yang)

Painting/Prints/ Sculpture

Music/Poetry

Movie Clips

Puzzles

Quotations (from works of or non-fiction)

Video (created by students)

Evaluation

Sub-task	Group/Individual	Due Date
Second-order Questions Related to Theme	Group
Knowledge and Understanding Description/Explanation of Medium Selected	Individual
Thinking/Inquiry Second-order Questions Related to Medium Selected	Individual
Application Evaluation form	Group
Application/Knowledge and Understanding/Communication Hosting of Cafe	Group
Communication Personal Reflection	Individual

Note: Crucial to the success of any group project is individual accountability. In the case of the Philosophical Café, students are required to select and describe a medium and prepare questions. Individuals who do not complete these two steps could be removed from the group and given an individual assignment to replace the café. For example, students could be required to write an essay for the final evaluation rather than participating in the café.

2. The Philosopher’s Journal - A Multiple Intelligences Inquiry into Metacognition
(student handout)

Metacognition Defined: Technically speaking, metacognition is “the study of the mental processes by which knowledge and understanding is achieved.” In other words, it is learning about how we learn.

The Importance of Metacognition: Over the past couple of decades, there has been an explosion in research into how our brains work. The more we come to understand about the intricate workings of the brain the better equipped we are to become effective teachers and learners. It is, therefore, somewhat ironic that so little time is spent in the classroom having students explore and develop an understanding of their own learning processes. By being more informed about our own learning, we are better able to make wise choices in our educational planning, are able to channel our energies in more successful endeavours, and are able to identify and target our weaknesses. All people have some capability to learn. Often, failure in school is attributable to a failure to demonstrate what has been learned rather than the failure to learn. Perhaps if students were given a variety of means to demonstrate their learning, more students would enjoy more success. But then this would require that students know their strengths, and this brings us back to metacognition.

The MI Journal: Throughout this course, each student is required to maintain a multiple intelligences journal. Unlike traditional journals, which ask students to reflect through writing, this journal encourages students to express their reactions to a variety of issues or to summarize their impressions of events or ideas through a variety of means. You are encouraged to:

· write reflective journal entries which describe your feelings/reactions;

· write poetry to express your feelings/reactions;

· draw pictures to depict your feelings/reactions;

· prepare questions you might ask a famous philosopher regarding a particular issue/idea;

· write or adapt a song with lyrics to reflect your opinion about an issue/event;

· create and describe a dance, which reflects your feelings about an issue/event.

Your journal will reflect, in a very personal way, your views and reactions to issues addressed in this course. All students who make a sincere effort will enjoy much success in this aspect of the course. Take ownership over the journal; it reflects your view and your means of communicating your learning!

The Philosopher’s Journal - A Multiple Intelligences Inquiry into Metacognition
is evaluated as follows:

Knowledge and Understanding

Reflects the degree to which students demonstrate an awareness and understanding of important philosophers, concepts, and ideas relating to the questions addressed in the course and in the general study of philosophy.

Thinking/Inquiry

Reflects the degree to which students are able to critique philosophical ideas, raise pertinent questions, and conduct research into relevant philosophical questions.

Application

Reflects the level of success students demonstrate in being able to take philosophical concepts and apply them to their lives, other subject matters, and contemporary society in general.

Communication

Reflects the level of effectiveness by which students have expressed their views using a variety of mediums, including visual and written. Clarity and conciseness are important as is proper use of the English language in both spoken and written work.

Learning Skills

As with all courses under OSS, learning skills, including effort, punctuality, and absences, are recorded and reported on, but do not affect the student’s percentage grade. This issue is of particular significance in a course such as philosophy in which class discussion is an integral part of the course. Although students cannot be penalized for lates, skipping, etc., evaluation activities can be designed to take place during class that require students’ verbal input into discussions. As long as students have clearly been told that they will be evaluated on their participation in a particular debate, and have been shown how they will be evaluated, in-class discussions can be a part of a teacher’s evaluation practices. Although, to be fair to all types of learners, this approach to evaluation must be used in moderation. Teachers are encouraged to clearly explain the consequences for students of poor learning skills and the relationship between final grades and developing good learning skills. Below is a sample of how a debate/discussion checklist can be used to evaluate student participation. Note: Students should have ample opportunity to prepare and practise for any discussion that will be evaluated. They should be provided with the questions in advance and a copy of the checklist so that there are no surprises. Be sure to stress with students that they must be able to demonstrate an understanding of ideas, critique these ideas, and apply them to other areas to earn full marks. Teachers may wish to add a fourth column to evaluate Communication (the proper use of English).

Student Name

Knowledge and Understanding

# of correct and relevant references to philosophers/theories

Maximum of five statements

(5 x 2 = 10 marks)

Thinking/Inquiry

# of insightful critiques and/or assessments of relevant philosophical theories

Maximum of five critiques

(5 x 3 = 15 marks)

Application

# of relevant applications of theories to personal point of view or contemporary issues

Maximum of five applications of ideas

(5 x 3 = 15 marks)

Total Marks

(40 possible marks)

Accommodations

The course has been carefully crafted to meet the needs of a diversity of learners considering learning styles, multiple intelligences, and various religious and ethnic backgrounds. In addition, specific accommodations for students with exceptional learning needs have been suggested with each activity. Individual Education Plans for exceptional students provide teachers with specific learning strategies that work best with individual students. As well, the proficiency levels outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12, English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development, 1999 provide teachers and school administrators with a guide to receiving and accommodating these learners in the regular classroom.

There are a variety of strategies that can be used for students with special needs. Philosophy teachers are encouraged to work with the Special Education teacher to review students’ IEPs (Individual Education Plans) to decide the best course of action to assist them in meeting the expectations of the Grade 11 Philosophy course. The variety of learning strategies and student performance tasks provide teachers with some guidance, but each individual student’s program will require appropriate accommodations based on the assessment and suggestions included in the IEP.

Accommodations teachers should consider for students with learning disabilities are:

· assess student reading comprehension level as early as possible to ensure proper accommodations are made;

· allow for extra time to complete assignments;

· provide visual cues;

· provide ample scaffolding to assist students in generating and organizing ideas before completing tasks;

· provide a glossary of terms for reference;

· provide a vocabulary list to assist in the reading of assigned materials;

· model skills for students when they are expected to draw inferences, make conclusions, or assess the implications of case study material;

· make appropriate adjustments to performance tasks for students with visual impairments or with significant motor dysfunctions.

There are many enrichment opportunities for students who wish to explore interdisciplinary connections, issues, and philosophical thought in greater detail.

To ensure all students are able to be successful at meeting the expectations of the Philosophy course, it is strongly recommended that teachers use secondary sources to introduce and explain the ideas of philosophers. Generally, primary readings intimidate and overwhelm most students at the Grade 11 level. Gifted students may want to tackle some of the primary readings relating to issues be addressed in the course. Also, students need to be encouraged to respond to issues, ideas, and philosophies in a variety of ways, including written work, music, visual art, oral debate, and discussion. The use of the Multiple Intelligence-based Philosopher’s Journal is designed to help facilitate this. Teachers should use judicious and professional judgement when determining student success at meeting expectations. For instance, a student who demonstrates, through visual arts and discussion, a sound understanding of the issues, but is unable to express this understanding in written form, should be deemed to have met the expectations. Obviously, a balance of written and non-written work will need to be maintained but this balance does not have to be identical for all students, as long as they are meeting the expectations. Finally, in addition to the use of secondary sources, it is strongly recommended that teachers make use of popular media, such as music, movies, games, magazines, and newspapers, as vehicles into issues. By drawing on popular media, teachers can tap into the student’s world and explore profound and timeless issues grounded in student experiences.

OSS Considerations

This open course is outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, Social Sciences and Humanities, 2000. There is no pre-requisite as a requirement to taking the course. There are many opportunities for students to develop research and communication skills directly related to career exploration and the student exit plan outlined in Choices Into Action: Guidance and Career Education Program Policy For Ontario Elementary and Secondary Schools, 1999. This course also reflects the role of technology in learning. This course reflects the guidelines developed for assessment, evaluation, and reporting prescribed in Program Planning and Assessment. Students may use this course as a optional credit or an additional compulsory credit to meet diploma requirements.

Resources

Note: The URLs for the websites have been verified by the writers prior to publication. Given the frequency with which these designations change, teachers should always verify the websites prior to assigning them for student use.

Websites

www.oise.utoronto.ca/~hsphil/

Books

Presbey, Gail, et al. The Philosophical Quest: A Cultural Reader. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000.
ISBN 0-07-289867-4

Rosen, Stanley, ed. The Examined Life: A Tour of Western Philosophy. New York: Quality Paperback Book Club, 2000. ISBN 0-965-00902-5

Blackburn, S. The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy. New York: The Oxford University Press, 1994. ISBN 0-19-211694-0

Blackburn, S. Think. New York: The Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-965-025331

Hanley, Richard. The Metaphysics of Star Trek. New York: Basic, 1997. ISBN 0-465-04548-0

Hoff, Benjamin. The Dao of Pooh.

Honderich, Ted, ed. The Oxford Companion to Philosophy. New York: The Oxford University Press, 1995. ISBN 0-19-866132-0

Kessler, Gary. Voices of Wisdom: A Multicultural Reader. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2000.
ISBN 0-534-53572-0

Leiber, Justin. Can Machines and Animals Be Persons? A Dialogue. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1985.
ISBN 0-87220-002-7

Miller, E. Questions That Matter: An Invitation to Philosophy. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.
ISBN 0-07-042836-0

Mitchell, Helen B. The Roots of Wisdom: A Multicultural Reader, 2nd ed. Belmont, WA: Wadsworth, 1999. ISBN 0-534-54347-2

Popkin, R. and A. Stroll. Philosophy Made Simple. New York: Doubleday, 1993. ISBN 0-385-42533-3

Rachels, J. The Right Thing To Do. New York: Random House, 1989. ISBN 0-394-35831-7

Thompson, Mel. Teach Yourself Philosophy. Chicago: NTC Publishing Group, 1995.
ISBN 0-8442-3683-7

White, Thomas. Discovering Philosophy: Brief Edition. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1996.
ISBN 0-13-508003-7

Wolff, R. About Philosophy. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1995. ISBN 0-13-059155-6

Magazines

Philosophy Now. ISSN 0961-5970 – www.philosophynow.demon.co.uk

SKEPTIC. ISSN 1063-9330 – www.skeptic.com

Coded Expectations, Philosophy: The Big Questions, Grade 11, Open, HZB3O

Philosophical Questions

Overall Expectations

PQV.01 · describe precisely and clearly three (or more) of the big questions of philosophy;

PQV.02 · summarize their own or others’ answers to these questions, and give reasons in support of the answers.

Specific Expectations

PQ1.01 – compare two or more answers to three (or more) of the big questions of philosophy;

PQ1.02 – give appropriate reasons for their own or others’ answers to three (or more) of the big questions of philosophy (e.g., What is happiness? Can a life of self-indulgence be meaningful?);

PQ1.03 – summarize some arguments for and against answers to three (or more) of the big questions of philosophy (e.g., arguments for and against the claim that morality is objective);

PQ1.04 – describe the strengths and weaknesses of the main arguments used to defend answers to three (or more) of the big questions of philosophy (e.g., arguments for and against the claim that science is the best way to know what really is);

PQ1.05 – compare philosophical approaches to some of the big questions with non-philosophical approaches (e.g., philosophy and religion regarding the question “Does God exist?”, philosophy and social sciences regarding the question “What is human nature?”).

Philosophical Theories

Overall Expectations

PTV.01 · summarize the ideas of some famous philosophers with respect to one or more of the big questions of philosophy;

PTV.02 · describe the strengths and weaknesses of the responses to some of the big questions of philosophy defended by some major philosophers or schools of philosophy.

Specific Expectations

PT1.01 – compare answers to some of the big questions by different philosophers (e.g., Mill and Kant about good and evil, Descartes and de Beauvoir about human nature);

PT1.02 – describe the differences in approach to three (or more) of the big questions of philosophy by some major philosophical schools (e.g., Thomism and existentialism regarding the meaning of life, rationalism and empiricism about human knowledge, feminism and libertarianism about social justice);

PT1.03 – describe important similarities and differences among some of the world’s philosophical traditions with regard to three (or more) of the big questions (e.g., Confucianism, Platonism, Buddhism, materialism).

Philosophy and Everyday Life

Overall Expectations

ELV.01 · relate the big questions of philosophy to their own experience, reports in the news media, and their society;

ELV.02 · demonstrate the application of philosophical theories and skills to jobs, occupations, and everyday life.

Specific Expectations

EL1.01 – describe what difference the answers people accept to three (or more) of the big questions of philosophy should make to their values, behaviour, and life plans;

EL1.02 – describe the strengths and weaknesses of alternative responses to questions of applied philosophy (e.g., What decisions, if any, should medical practitioners make for patients without the patients’ consent? What obligations, if any, do humans living in the present have to future generations and to the natural environment? What obligations, if any, do humans living in the present have to redress racial or gender inequalities inherited from the past?);

EL1.03 – apply philosophical skills such as precise writing and critical analysis to solve problems that arise in jobs and occupations (e.g., What obligations do employees have to the public, to their employers, and to themselves? When resources are scarce, how should decisions be made about their allocation?).

Applications of Philosophy to Other Subjects

Overall Expectations

OSV.01 · identify philosophical theories and presuppositions in natural science, history, art, social science and humanities, and other subjects;

OSV.02 · demonstrate how philosophical skills that are used to address the big questions of philosophy can be used effectively in other subjects.

Specific Expectations

OS1.01 – identify philosophical positions presupposed in some other disciplines (e.g., theories of knowledge in natural science, theories of the person in social science);

OS1.02 – contrast alternative philosophical viewpoints in controversies discussed in other subjects (e.g., over what is just in politics or society, what is a meaningful life in works of literature, what is beautiful in fashion or art);

OS1.03 – identify examples of fallacies in reasoning in writings from other subjects (e.g., sociology, psychology, political science).

Research and Inquiry Skills

Overall Expectations

ISV.01 · apply research and inquiry skills related to philosophy appropriately and effectively;

ISV.02 · evaluate some main philosophical arguments;

ISV.03 · formulate and defend a response of their own to one or more of the big questions of philosophy;

ISV.04 · effectively use a variety of print and electronic sources and telecommunications tools in research related to the big questions of philosophy;

ISV.05 · effectively communicate the results of their inquiries.

Specific Expectations

Using Reasoning Skills

IS1.01 – correctly use the terminology of philosophical argumentation (e.g., logical validity, begging the question, vagueness, argument from authority);

IS1.02 – define terms central to philosophical discussions of each of the big questions (e.g., personal identity, nihilism, moral realism, utilitarianism, scepticism, aesthetic subjectivism);

IS1.03 – identify the main conclusions of some philosophical positions regarding one or more of the big questions, and the arguments used to support them;

IS1.04 – illustrate common fallacies in reasoning (e.g., using ambiguous language to reach a conclusion, dismissing an argument because of who advanced it instead of evaluating its intrinsic merits).

Using Research Skills

IS2.01 – find overviews of a variety of philosophical concepts and theories by accessing such sources as encyclopaedias and surveys, and report on their findings;

IS2.02 – compile information related to the big questions of philosophy, using the Internet.

Using Communication Skills

IS3.01 – discuss their own views in philosophical exchanges in class with others;

IS3.02 – clearly explain their views and display their use of philosophical reasoning skills in short written papers, using accepted forms of documentation as required.

Unit 1 | Course Profiles Main Menu

Acknowledgments

Course Description

Units: Titles and Times**

Course Notes

Challenges of the Course

Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment

Addressing Course Expectations

Unit Overviews

Unit 1: What is a Person: An Introduction to the Study of Philosophy

Unit 2: On Living a Meaningful Life

Unit 3: On Being a Moral Person: Exploring Good and Evil

Unit 4: In Search of a Just Society

Unit 5: Understanding Human Knowledge

Unit 6: The Search for Beauty

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

Culminating Activities

The Final Evaluation

1. Hosting a Philosophical Café (student handout)

2. The Philosopher’s Journal - A Multiple Intelligences Inquiry into Metacognition (student handout)

Learning Skills

Accommodations

OSS Considerations

Resources

Philosophical Questions

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations

Philosophical Theories

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations

Philosophy and Everyday Life

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations

Applications of Philosophy to Other Subjects

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations

Research and Inquiry Skills

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations

2. The Philosopher’s Journal - A Multiple Intelligences Inquiry into Metacognition
(student handout)