Curriculum

Marine & Environmental Science: Course Code IDC4U

The three week program takes places on Vancouver Island, British Columbia at the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, 30 km west of Victoria. Our classroom is the Juan de Fuca Strait, an area of naturally nutrient rich waters. The program fulfills the requirements for secondary school programs and follows the curriculum for the approved Interdisciplinary Studies course: Marine and Environmental Science, IDC4U.

Pre-requisites for Ontario applicants are Grade 10 Science (Academic) and any university or university/college preparation course. Students from other provinces or the US and beyond should have completed Grade 10 Science courses and be enrolled in, or have completed Grade 11 or Grade 12 accredited courses. The completion of Grade 11 science courses is recommended for all applicants.

Our curriculum will include:

• The non-living oceanic environment
• Inhabitants of the ocean
• Sampling and testing
• Ecological relationships
• Career awareness and exploration
• Physical activity: underwater skills

Further topics will include aquaculture and breeding issues, fish and wildlife conservation, and the ocean's importance in the home and medical community. A pre-departure unit will be completed as part of this course.

"I got the chance to do things here I would never have done anywhere else!"

Excursions:

Excursions during the program typically include:

• Boat excursions to Race Rocks Ecological Reserve
• Tour of the Canadian Military's Fleet Diving Unit of the Pacific in Victoria
• Trip to the Institute of Ocean Sciences and the Ocean Discovery Centre in Sidney BC
• Tide pool studies in East Sooke Park
• Day trip to Victoria
• Boat trips to observe harbour seals in the wild
• Walk to nearby Matheson Lake for freshwater studies

Guest Speakers:

Career Seminar: