Calculus and Vectors

Course Code:MCV4U

Course Description

This course expands on the students’ prior knowledge of functions and their growing awareness of change rates. Students will solve problems involving geometric and algebraic representations of vectors, as well as representations of lines and planes in three dimensions; they will broaden their understanding of rates of change to include the derivatives of polynomial, sinusoidal, exponential, rational, and radical functions; and they will apply these concepts and skills to the modeling of real-world relationships. Students will also improve their understanding of the mathematical procedures required for senior mathematics success. This course is designed for students interested in professions in science, engineering, economics, and some sectors of business, as well as those who will need to take a university-level calculus, linear algebra, or physics course.

Department: Mathematics

Course Type: University

Grade: 12

Credit Value: 1.0

Prerequisite: MHF4U, Advanced Functions, Grade 12, University (may be taken concurrently)

Course Developer: Canadian Global School

Development Date: 2021

Course Outline

Calculus and Vectors MCV4U - Total Hours (110 Hours)

Unit One: Introduction to Derivatives (26 Hours)

In this unit students will deal with rates of change problems and the limit concept. To further investigate the concept of a limit, the unit briefly looks at the relationship between a secant line and a tangent line to a curve. To this point in the course students have been given a fixed point and have been asked to find the tangent slope at that value, in this section of the unit students will determine a tangent slope function similar to what they had done with a secant slope function. Sketching the graph of a derivative function is the final skill and topic

Unit Two: Applications of Derivatives (27Hours)

During this unit students will look at each of these types of problems individually: Pythagorean Theorem Problems (these include ladder and intersection problems), Volume Problems (these usually involve a 3-D shape being filled or emptied), Through Problems, Shadow problems and General Rate Problems.

Unit Three: Intro to Vectors (27 Hours)

There are four main topics pursued in this initial unit of the course. These topics are: an introduction to vectors and scalars, vector properties, vector operations and plane figure properties.

Unit Four: Lines and Planes (27Hours)

This unit begins with students determining the vector, parametric and symmetric equations of lines in R2 and R3 . Students will also determine the vector, parametric, symmetric and scalar equations of planes in 3-space. Students will also learn the intersections of lines in 3-space and the intersections of a line and a plane in 3-space. Students will learn to determine the intersections of two or three planes by setting up and solving a system of linear equations in three unknowns. Students will also define the terms related to matrices while adding, subtracting, and multiplying them. Students will solve systems of linear equations involving up to three unknowns, using row reduction of matrices, with and without the aid of technology and interpreting row reduction of matrices as the creation of new linear systems equivalent to the original constitute the final two new topics of this important unit.

Exam/CPT

Final Exam 30%  3 hours

Final Exam: The final assessment task is a proctored three hours exam worth 30% of the student’s final mark. 

Resources required by the student: 

  • A scanner, smartphone camera, or similar device to upload handwritten or hand-drawn work.
  • Laptop and/or personal computer (preferably with Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as a web browser)
  • Access to video recording and handwritten work scanning (mobile phone, tablet, iPad, webcams)
  • Stable internet connection
  • A non-programmable, non-graphing, scientific calculator.

Resources provided by Canadian Global School 

  • Access to Google Suites or Microsoft Education for word processing software and presentation software. (The school will distribute accounts to students).
  • Supplemental Readings
  • Tutorial Videos / Instructions through Screencast 
  • Solution Videos
  • Gizmos, Labster, Mathletics, GeoGebra, Padlet  (The school will distribute accounts to students)

Note: This course is entirely online and does not require or rely on any textbook.

MCV4U Calculus and Vectors, Grade 12 University Preparation

 

Overall Expectations:

By the end of this course, students will:

  • demonstrate an understanding of rate of change by making connections between average rate of change over an interval and instantaneous rate of change at a point, using the slopes of secants and tangents and the concept of the limit;
  • graph the derivatives of polynomial, sinusoidal, and exponential functions, and make connections between the numeric, graphical, and algebraic representations of a function and its derivative;
  • verify graphically and algebraically the rules for determining derivatives; apply these rules to determine the derivatives of polynomial, sinusoidal, exponential, rational, and radical functions, and simple combinations of functions; and solve related problems.

Overall Expectations:

By the end of this course, students will

  • Make connections, graphically and algebraically, between the key features of a function and its first and second derivatives, and use the connections in curve sketching;
  • Solve problems, including optimization problems, that require the use of the concepts and procedures associated with the
    derivative, including problems arising from real-world applications and involving the development of mathematical models.

Overall Expectations:
By the end of this course, students will

  • demonstrate an understanding of
    vectors in two-space and three-space by representing them algebraically and geometrically and by recognizing their applications;
  • perform operations on vectors in two- space and three-space, and use the properties of these operations to solve problems, including those arising from real-world applications; 3. distinguish between the geometric representations of a single linear equation or a system of two linear equations in two-space and three-space, and determine different geometric configurations of lines and planes in three-space; 4. represent lines and planes using scalar

Strategies for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Performance

Our assessment and evaluation theory is based on the Growing Success document from the Ministry of Education, and we believe that this is in the best interests of students. We want to construct assessment in a way that allows us to collect and display evidence of learning in a variety of methods, gradually passing over responsibility to students, and giving students multiple and varied opportunities to reflect on their learning and receive thorough feedback.

Growing Success reflects the Ministry’s vision for assessment and evaluation processes, including their purpose and structure. To ensure the finest assessment and evaluation methods and procedures, Canadian Global School  teachers must follow seven essential principles. Assessments and evaluations of Canadian Global School :

Assessments and evaluations of Canadian Global School :

  • are equitable, transparent, and fair to all students
  • assist all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning the language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit
  • are carefully planned to relate to curriculum expectations and learning goals, as well as, to the greatest extent possible, to all students’ interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences;
  • are clearly communicated to students and parents at the start of the course, as well as at other points throughout the school year or course

are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over time to provide students with multiple opportunities to demonstrate the full scope of their learning
develop students’ self-assessment skills so that they can evaluate their own learning, set specific goals, and plan the next steps for their learning

For a full explanation, please refer to Growing Success.

There are three forms of assessment that will be used throughout this course:
fun

Assessment for learning will directly influence student learning by reinforcing the connections between assessment and instruction, and provide ongoing feedback to the student. Assessment for learning occurs as part of the daily teaching process and helps teachers form a clear picture of the needs of the students because students are encouraged to be more active in their learning and associated assessment. Teachers gather this information to shape their teaching environment.

Assessment for learning is:

  • Ongoing
  • Is tied to learning outcomes
  • Provides information that structures the teachers’ planning and instruction
  • Allows teachers to provide immediate and descriptive feedback that will guide student learning

The purpose of assessment for learning is to create self-regulated and lifelong learners.

Learning
Creativity
Fun
Play

Assessment as learning is the use of a task or an activity to allow students the opportunity to use assessment to further their own learning. Self and peer assessments allow students to reflect on their own learning and identify areas of strength and need. These tasks offer students the chance to set their own personal goals and advocate for their own learning.

The purpose of assessment as learning is to enable students to monitor their own progress towards achieving their learning goals.

Creativity
Learning
Play
Fun

Assessment of learning will occur at or near the end of a period of learning; this summary is used to make judgements about the quality of student learning using established criteria, to assign a value to represent that quality and to communicate information about achievement to students and parents.

Evidence of student achievement for evaluation is collected over time from three different sources – observations, conversations, and student products. Using multiple sources of evidence will increase the reliability and validity of the evaluation of student learning.

Learning
Creativity
Fun
Play

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Using a variety of instructional strategies, the teacher will provide numerous opportunities for students to develop skills of inquiry, problem solving, and communication as they investigate and learn fundamental concepts. The integration of critical thinking and critical inquiry skills will provide a powerful tool for reasoning and problem solving, and is reflected in a meaningful blend of both process and content.

  • Communicating: This course provides students with several opportunities to convey their knowledge, both orally and in writing. Students will use discussion boards to discuss what they’ve learned, produce reports that tie what they’ve studied to real-world applications, and make presentations to demonstrate comprehension of some ideas.
  • Selecting Tools and Computational Strategies: This course demonstrates how to utilize 3D graphing software to solve issues and introduces students to technology that can improve problem solving faster and more precisely.
  • Connecting: Through assignments, examples, and practice problems, students will connect ideas gained in this course to real-world applications of Vectors and Calculus
  • Reflecting: The reflective process is modeled in this course. The course shows proper communication by using examples and practice exercises to explain intermediate phases and reflect on solutions to see if they make sense in the given context.
  • Representing: The course models various ways to demonstrate understanding, poses questions that require students to use different representations as they work at each level of conceptual development – concrete, visual, or symbolic – and gives individual students the time they need to solidify their understanding at each conceptual stage through the use of examples, practice problems, and solution videos.
  • Self-Assessment: Students receive immediate feedback and can self-assess their grasp of ideas through the use of interactive activities (e.g. multiple choice quizzes, hangman, puzzle activities).
  • Feedback: Through constant communication with the instructor, timely feedback and encouragement was given.

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The Final Grade

Percentage of Final Mark Categories of Mark Breakdown
70% Assessments of Learning Tasks Throughout the Term
30% Final Written Examination And/Or RST

A student’s final grade is reflective of their most recent and most consistent level of achievement.

The balance of the weighting of the categories of the achievement chart throughout the course is:

Calculus and Vectors Knowledge Inquiry/Thinking Communication Application
100% 25 25 25 25

The Report Card

Student achievement will be communicated formally to students via an official report card. Report cards are issued at the midterm point in the course, as well as upon completion of the course. Each report card will focus on two distinct, but related aspects of student achievement.

First, the achievement of curriculum expectations is reported as a percentage grade. Additionally, the course median is reported as a percentage. The teacher will also provide written comments concerning the student’s strengths, areas for improvement, and next steps. Second, the learning skills are reported as a Needs Improvement, Satisfactory, Good and Excellent. The report card also indicates whether an OSSD credit has been earned.

Upon completion of a course, Canadian Global School  will send a copy of the report card back to the student’s home school (if in Ontario) where the course will be added to the ongoing list of courses on the student’s Ontario Student Transcript. The report card will also be sent to the student’s home address.

Program Planning Considerations for Online Courses

Cheating and Plagiarism

Canadian Global School  commits to having policies for assessments that minimize the risk of cheating. We also commit to begin each course with refresher learning on academic integrity.

In the event of incidences of academic dishonesty, the student, Academic Director (and, in the case of students under 18, their parents) will be notified of the occurrence, of the consequence, and of the potential consequences of subsequent incidents.

Improper Citation
Grades 11 and 12

  • First Instance: A warning and an opportunity to redo the piece.
  • Subsequent Instance: An opportunity to redo the piece to a maximum grade of 75%.

Unaccredited Paraphrasing
Grade 11 and 12

  • First Instance: An opportunity to redo the piece to a maximum grade of 75%.
  • Subsequent Instance: An opportunity to redo the piece to a maximum grade of 50%.

Unaccredited Verbatim
Grades 11 and 12

  • First Instance: An opportunity to redo the piece to a maximum grade of 50%.
  • Subsequent Instance: A grade of zero. No opportunity to resubmit.

Full Plagiarism
Grade 11 and 12

  • First Instance: A grade of zero. No opportunity to resubmit.
  • Subsequent Instance: A grade zero. No opportunity to resubmit.

Instructional Approaches

Teachers will use a variety of instructional strategies to help students become independent, strategic and successful learners. The key to student success is effective, accessible instruction. When planning this course of instruction, the teacher will identify the main concept and skills of the course, consider the context in which students will apply their learning and determine the students’ learning goals. The instructional program for this course will be well planned and will support students in reaching their optimal level of challenge for learning, while directly teaching the skills that are required for success.

Understanding student strengths and needs will enable the teacher to plan effective instruction and meaningful assessments. Throughout this course the teacher will continually observe and assess the students’ readiness to learn, their interests, and their preferred learning styles and individual learning needs.

Teachers will use differentiated instructional approaches such as:

  • adjusting the method or pace of instruction
  • using a variety of resources
  • allowing a wide choice of topics
  • adjusting the learning environment
  • scaffolding instruction

During this course, the teacher will provide multiple opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills and consolidate and reflect upon their learning.

Planning the Program for Students with Special Educational Needs

The teacher in this course is the key educator of students with special education needs. The teacher has a responsibility to help all students learn, and will work collaboratively with the guidance counselor, where appropriate, to achieve this goal. In planning this course, the teacher will pay particular attention to the following guidelines:

  • All students have the ability to succeed
  • Each student has his or her own unique patterns of learning
  • Successful instructional practices are founded on evidence-based research, tempered by experience
  • Universal design and differentiated instruction are effective and interconnected  means of meeting the learning or productivity needs of any group of students
  • Online teachers are the key educators for a student’s literacy and numeracy development
  • Online teachers need the support of the larger school community to create a learning environment that supports students with special education needs
  • Fairness is not sameness

The teacher will use the following strategies:

Students with Special Educational Needs
  • Extra time on tests and extended deadlines for major assessments
  • Complete tasks or present information in ways that cater to individual learning styles
  • Variety of teaching and learning strategies
  • Scaffolding
  • Break down (chunk) assignments
  • A computer for assessments and exams
  • Formula sheets, memory aids
  • oral and written instructions
  • Cue cards during instruction and Assessments
  • Graphic organizers
  • Specific strategies to enhance recall
  • Non-verbal cues and reminders to remain focused
  • Oral testing
  • Allow for sufficient response time
  • Experiential learning experiences so that students can make connections between curriculum and real-world examples
  • Conferencing
  • Prompting students through lessons and assessments
  • Refocusing strategies
  • Periodic breaks

Planning the Program for Students with English as a Second Language

In planning this course for students with linguistic backgrounds other than English, the teacher will create a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment that nurtures the students’ self-confidence while they are receiving course instruction. Most English language learners who have developed oral proficiency in everyday English will nevertheless require instructional scaffolding to meet curriculum expectations. The teacher will adapt the instructional program in order to facilitate the success of these students in their classes. Appropriate adaptations and strategies for this course will include:

Students with English as Second Language
  • Body language and non-verbal communication
  • Model expectations
  • Subject-specific dictionary
  • Cooperative learning
  • Concrete examples and materials
  • Avoid idioms
  • Bilingual Dictionaries
  • Buddy system
  • Peer tutors
  • Allow sufficient response time
  • Graphic organizers
  • Scaffolding
  • Story maps
  • Conferencing
  • Pre-writing strategies
  • Literature circle
  • Journal
  • Previewing course readings / texts
  • Materials that reflect cultural diversity
  • Free voluntary reading
  • Guided Reading
  • Guided Writing
  • Think Aloud
  • Whole-Class Response
  • Editing checklist

Supporting First Nations, Métis and Inuit Students

Canadian Global School  will promote active and engaged citizenship, which includes greater awareness of the distinct place and role of Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, and Inuit) peoples in our shared heritage and in the future in Ontario.
Canadian Global School  will:

  • increase the focus in school strategic planning to promote the voluntary, confidential self-identification of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students as a means to enhance the success and well-being of Aboriginal students and to help close the achievement gap
  • continue to identify and share practices and resources to help improve First Nation, Métis, and Inuit student achievement and close the achievement gap
  • increase the training in our schools to respond to the learning and cultural needs of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students
  • provide quality programs, services, and resources at our schools to support First Nation, Métis, and Inuit student
  • provide quality programs, services, and resources at our schools who support First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students to help create learning opportunities that support improved academic achievement and identify building
  • provide curriculum links that facilitates learning about contemporary and traditional First National, Métis, and Inuit cultures, histories, and perspectives among all students
  • develop awareness among teachers of the learning styles of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students and employ instructional methods designed to enhance the learning of all First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students
  • implement targeted learning strategies for effective oral communication and mastery of reading and writing
  • implement strategies for developing critical and creative thinking
  • provide access to a variety of accurate and reliable Aboriginal resources such as periodicals, books, software, and resources in other media, including materials in the main Aboriginal languages in schools with First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students
  • provide a supportive and safe environment for all First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students

The Role of Information and Communication Technology

ICT tools will be integrated into this course for whole-class instruction and for the design of curriculum units that contain varied approaches to learning in order to meet diverse needs and interests of the students in this class. At the beginning of this class, all students will be made aware of issues related to Internet privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred. ICT used in this course will include:

Information and Communication Technology
  • Websites
  • Online libraries
  • Archives
  • Public records
  • YouTube
  • Curriculum Digital Resources
  • Widgets
  • Online Graphing Calculator
  • Padlet
  • Mathletics
  • Screencastify
  • Laptop
  • iPads
  • DVDs
  • Digital Camera
  • Edsby
  • Gsuite
  • Office 365
  • Gizmos
  • Labster
  • Gradeslam
  • Mathspace

Literacy, Mathematical Literacy, and Inquiry Skills

At Canadian Global School  it is the responsibility of all of our teachers to explicitly teach literacy and inquiry skills. The following skills will be developed in each course delivered at Canadian Global
School :

Equity & Inclusive Education in the Learning Environment

At Canadian Global School  we embrace multiculturalism, human rights and diversity as fundamental values. Bullying, hate propaganda and cyber bullying, racism, religious intolerance, homophobia and gender-based violence are still evident in

Healthy Relationships in the learning Environment

At Canadian Global School  , every student is entitled to learn in a safe, respectful and caring environment, free from violence and harassment. The teacher will create a safe and supportive environment in the class by cultivating

Financial Literacy Connections

There is a growing recognition that the education system has a vital role to play in preparing young people to take their place as informed, engaged, and knowledgeable citizens in the global economy.

Environmental Education Connections

Although there are no specific environmental connections in this course, teachers will develop an environmental understanding fostered through

Ethics in the Learning Environment

At Canadian Global School  teachers provide varied opportunities for students to learn about ethical issues and to explore the role of ethics in decision making.

Cooperative education programs allow students to earn secondary school credits while completing a work placement in the community. These programs compliment students’ academic programs and are valuable for all students, whatever their post-secondary destination.

Cooperative education courses may be earned using this course as one of the related courses.

Central to the philosophy at Canadian Global School  is the focus on experiential learning. Planned learning experiences in the community, including job shadowing, field trips, and hands-on experiences will provide our students with opportunities to see the relevance of their classroom learning in a work setting, make connections between school and work, and explore a career of interest as they plan their pathways through secondary school and make postsecondary plans.


As part of every course, students must be made aware that health and safety in their learning environment are the responsibility of all participants – at home, at school, and in the workplace. Teachers will model safe practices at all times when communicating with students online.

Although Canadian Global School  does not have an official school library, students are encouraged to use e-books, local libraries, GALE resource archives and Curriculum Video Digital resources to develop important research and inquiry skills.

Promotion of Careers

The knowledge and skills students acquire in this course will be useful in helping students recognize the value of their education and applications to the world outside of school and identify possible careers, essential skills and work habits required to succeed. Students will learn how to connect their learning in asking questions and finding answers to employable skills.

During this course the teacher will:

  • ensure  that all students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed education and career/life choices;
  • Provide learning environment and online school-wide opportunities for this learning; and;
  • Engage parents and the broader community in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program, to support students in their learning
  • Use the four-step inquiry process linked to the four areas of learning
    • Knowing yourself – Who am I ?
    • Exploring opportunities – What are my opportunities?
    • Making decisions and setting goals – Who do I want to become?
    • Achieving goals and making transitions – What is my plan for achieving my goals?

The teacher will support students in this course in education and career/life planning by providing them with learning opportunities, filtered through the lens of the four inquiry questions, that allow them to apply subject-specific knowledge and skills to work-related situations; explore subject-related education and career/life options; and become competent, self-directed planners.