Saturday, February 14, 2009

February 16-20














Is Mr. Benoy Delusional? No, he just had a birthday and is getting old.

It is now Benoy 53 - Mortality 0 -- for those who are keeping score.

For those of you new to my blogsite, it is intended to work alongside my website at: http://kbenoy.googlepages.com/

e-mail me at http://kbenoy@nvsd44.bc.ca/

Things that are static -- not requiring regular change -- will be posted on the website. This blogsite will have the changing material -- lesson plans and links to particular assignments. I will try to ensure that all assignments are made available on the Internet in this way. If something is underlined on the blog, it means that you can click on it to see a copy of the particular item -- this could be a pdf document, PowerPoint, music or a video.

Use this blog to see what is coming up each week. I will usually post it on Saturdays for the following week. If you are away, you can check up on what you are missing. There really is no reason for you not to know what is happening. If you do not have an Internet connection, you certainly know someone who does. If too ill to work while away, be sure to attach a note from home to any overdue work when you hand it in and I will most likely waive any late deduction.

If you can't read the PowerPoint material on your computer, download PowerPoint Viewer from Microsoft. It is free.

Sutherland has a license to access Discovery Education's United Streaming video collection. Students may download or stream videos from the collection by going to http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm . Use the passcode posted in the classroom and given to you on your course outline to register. If you have lost it, see me, or e-mail me, for this information. Students are licensed to include this content within their own creations.

My tutorial times are officially 2:55-3:15 every Monday and Friday. However, I am available most days before school, at noon and after school. Drop by or make an appointment if you need guaranteed time.

Social Studies 11 (Honours)

Your Geography textbook is also available online at http://www.design4effect.com/soc11/ . Though we will use some material from the other text, most will be from this e-text. Be aware that this text is now a few years old and many hyperlinks are broken. Rewriting is a massive job that I have not had time to take on yet.

The next test will cover chapters 2 & 3 together. This will likely be in another week or so.

Please note: I goofed in planning Tuesday when I originally posted this plan. This has been corrected below:

  • Monday, February 16 - Take up homework. Urbanization material from the chapter 2 PowerPoint. Video segment and questions on Shanghai, Changing China - Urbanization ). Look at Gapcast #2 - Urbanization. Also, watch A Slum Insight & questions -- complete this for homework if we cannot watch this in class. Do the Further Thought assignment #1-5, p. 46.
  • Tuesday, February 17 - Take up #1-5, p. 46.. Look at Gapcast #2 - Urbanization. Watch Hans Rosling's What Stops Population Growth. Begin Ch. 3 PowerPoint. Read pp. 54-55. Do #1-4, pp. 55-56.
  • Wednesday, February 18 - Take up #1-4, p. 56. Chapter 3 PowerPoint. Read pp. 57-61. Do #1-4(bootom) of p. 56 (Note: I goofed and did not have this in the initial posting for today when I put it up on Saturday.) #1-8, p. 61. Download Gapminder's World Chart 2006, which graphs national incomes and children dieing before the age of five. You should have a copy of this in your notes. Sidebar: Watch Hans Rosling's Chimpanzees Know Better, to see how countries and populations are and are not different around the world.
  • Thursday, February 19 - Take up homework. [Note: change of planVideo unavailable; it is missing in action and cannot be used. Instead, we backfilled with a very useful video that we would otherwise have missed -- Steward Brand's City Planet, which looks at how urbanization is affecting the world. - We did not see: Gwynne Dyer's Escaping From History, or do the assigned questions: 1) What are living conditions like in Mexico City? 2) Why are people abandoning the countryside? 3) What does Dyer believe must happen for the developing world to get their fair share of consumer goods?] Read pp. 62-64. Do #1-5, p. 64. Video sidebar: For a look at what Mexico is doing to sort out air pollution watch the World Resources Institute's "Retrofit Mexico City." (The link is to part 1). Only 3 1/2 minutes to spare? Watch the wonderful Karolinska professor, Hans Rosling, on why providing public services is essential to improving the world.
  • Friday, February 20 - District Professional Day. I suggest you use some time to work on your essay. Make sure you have a solid working thesis.

History 12

Essay #1 is a little over a week away, after the first unit ends -- my initial target date is Friday, February 27.

The plan for Topic 2 is now available - along with the questions for this unit.
Plenty of great documentary films are available on World War I. You can find a sampling of these on my
Topic #2 Googlevideo and Youtube Directory.

  • Monday, February 16 - Europe Before the Great War. Complete part 2, Causes of War; Reasons for Peace material (base notes).
  • Tuesday, February 17 - World War I; 1914-1916ish. (Base notes - section 1 & section 2).
  • Wednesday, February 18 - World War I; 1914-1916ish. (Base notes - section 1 & section 2).
  • Thursday, February 19 - World War I; 1916ish to 1917ish) (Base notes - 1916, 1917).
  • Friday, February 20 - District Professional Day. Use the time to work on your essays. Do not procrastinate; essay writing needs time and thought.

Comparative Civilizations 12

Your Greece package is to be handed in on Monday, February 23- We will start the next unit on Thursday the 19th, but this extra day delay gives you another weekend to tidy things up. Friday, February 20 is a District Professional Day. The unit test is still a couple of weeks away and it will cover all of the Ancient World, including: Egypt, Greece, Rome & Byzantium.

If you have some time, have a look at some of the online videos that I link to in my online video directory for Ancient Greece.