Saturday, January 09, 2010

January 11-15




















For those of you new to my blogsite, it is intended to work alongside my website at:http://sites.google.com/site/kbenoy/ Please note: I am too busy to update this site right now as major revisions are needed now that GooglePages has been terminated and my work transferred to GoogleSites, which works differently.

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 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 goingtohttp://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm. Use the passcode posted in the classroom. Please note that since renewing our licence, our starting access code for new users has changed and is no longer what was given on your course outline. I cannot post this online, but you can confirm the new number by looking at what is posted in the classroom.

Please note: North Vancouver schools have had a 50% hold-back imposed on their supplies budget. As a result, I shall be handing out far fewer paper handouts in class. Fortunately it is all available here, online. Paper copies will be made available for many items only to those students who specifically request them because they have difficulty accessing online material.

Social Studies 8

The term will end very soon, and we still have a fair amount to cover. We will move quickly, studying this material in less depth.

You may see several different spellings of words in the India and China units. This is because there are often two or more ways to write foreign words in English. If the sound is the same, the names or words probably are, even if the spellings differ.
  • Monday, January 11 - Take up #1-5, p. 28. Watch the rest of What the Ancients did For Us; India - part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6. Read pp. 112-116. Do #1-6, p. 116.
  • Tuesday, January 12 - Take up homework. Video on Akbar the Great - sorry, this is a video tape that is not available on the Internet. Why is Akbar considered one of the great figures in world history? If not in class -- or if you would like to learn more, watch Michael Wood's documentary: The Story of India, part 27, part 28. You might also consider watching this 30 minute summary of the Mughal Empire. Read pp. 28-31. Do #1-5, p. 31.
  • Wednesday, January 13 - Take up homework. Watch Three Teachings - an introduction to Chinese culture and its roots in Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Why is it possible for people to believe in all three teachings at the same time? What do each of these belief systems focus on? Map Assignment: South and East Asia - 10 marks, due next class. Read pp. 31-36. Do #1-6, p. 36.
  • Thursday, January 14 - Hand in maps. Take up homework. Video -- sorry this is unavailable on the Internet - on Shih Huang Ti (the Chi'in First Emperor). 1. How was the emperor able to unify China? 2. Why is he generally seen as an evil figure in history? 3. What great building project did he create? 4. How did he try to become immortal? Watch this film, Shih Huang Di as a substitute or to learn more. Read pp. 117-121. Do #1-5, p. 121.
  • Friday, January 15 - Take up homework. Watch What the Ancients Did for Us; the Chinese part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6 (or watch in one part if you have Veoh installed on your computer). What great contributions did the Chinese give to the world. If we do not finish seeing this video, you are expected to do so for homework. Read pp. 121-123. Do #1-5, p. 123. Optional: Watch New Frontier; China During the T'ang Dynasty, part 1, part 2, part 3; also New Frontier; China During the Song Dynasty, part 1, part 2, part 3. A short amateur video on footbinding is also interesting.
Social Studies 11

I will run an additional optional class after school on Thursday after school - starting at 3:10 pm, on how to prepare for the Provincial exam. I expect it to run for between one hour and an hour and a half. This will either be in my room or upstairs in the media room in the Science wing (if more space is needed).

Expect a test on chapters 1-3 on or about Thursday, January 14. The mark breakdown is as follows: 65 multiple choice questions (1 mark each) and 2 from a choice of 10 long answer questions (6 marks each). The total value of the test is, therefore, 78 marks. 30 flash cards will earn you 5 bonus marks.

  • Monday, January 11 - Take up #1-4, pp. 55-56. Chapter 3 PowerPoint. Read pp. 57-61. Do #1-8, p. 61.
  • Tuesday, January 12 - Take up homework. Watch Hans Rosling's Chimpanzees Know Better, to see how countries and populations are and are not different around the world. Ch. 3 PowerPoint - be sure to do so yourself for homework if we cannot do so in class. Read pp. 61-70. Do #1-5, p. 64 and #1-2, p. 70.
  • Wednesday, January 13 - Take up homework. Watch Gwynne Dyer's Escaping From History, & do the following 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. 70-73. Do #1-8, p. 73 and 1, 2, 5 and 7, p. 74 in "Further Thought."
  • Thursday, January 14 - Unit Test, Chapters 1-3 of Geography. Read pp. 83-87. Do #1-3, p. 84, #1-4, p. 85, #1-2, p. 86 and #1-3, p. 87. Exam Prep. Session After School Today.
  • Friday, January 15 - Take up homework. PowerPoint for Chapter 4. Read pp. 88-93. Do #1-4, p. 89, #1-5, p. 91 and #1-5, p. 93.

Social Studies 11 Honours

There will not be any further tests this semester. However, the remaining material remains fair game for the final exam.

I will run an additional optional class after school on Thursday after school - starting at 3:10 pm, on how to prepare for the Provincial exam. I expect it to run for between one hour and an hour and a half. This will either be in my room or upstairs in the media room in the Science wing (if more space is needed).

  • Monday, January 11 - Take up #1-3, p. 231(blue text). Review of House of Commons - How a Bill Becomes a Law. The Senate – Pros and cons of present setup (Be sure to look at the Senate material at Mapleleafweb). Essay Writing. There will be an essay question on what shall be done with the Canadian Senate on the next unit test. Review handout - How a Bill becomes a Law.Video - Government in Canada; Citizenship in Action; Our National Parliament; the Inside Story and questions. Read pp. 47-54 in RedGovernment text. Do #1-4, p. 48 and #1-5 and 7 on p. 54.
  • Tuesday, January 12 - Take up homework. Introduction to the executive branch. Role of the Queen, Governor General and Prime Minister. Read “Constitutional Monarchy” on p. 222-224 & "The Governor General" on p. 234. Identify points for and against getting rid of the Queen and Governor General. Should Canada become a Republic? Why or why not? Identify 3 reasons for and 3 reasons against doing so. Look at the Monarchist League of Canada and the Canadian Monarchist Online websites for arguments supporting the monarch; see Citizens for a Canadian Republic for arguments against retaining the monarchy. There has also been an active debate in Australia and New Zealand on this topic. Web searches would yield useful information.
  • Wednesday, January 13 - Take up homework. Discuss the role of the PM., Cabinet & the bureaucracy. Watch Yes, Minister episode. Read pp. 234-240. Do #1-4, p. 240. Assignment: Value 5 marks, Identify by name each member of the federal (national) cabinet and their department. This is an assignment, not a homework check, so accuracy is part of the mark. It must be handwritten.
  • Thursday, January 14 - Take up homework. Overview of the Judiciary - PowerPoint - go to the section on the Judiciary. Read pp. 270-275. Do #1-3, p. 275. Exam Prep. Session After School Today.
  • Friday, January 15 - Take up homework. Take up homework, #1-3, p. 275. Video’s on the court system. Comparison of Adversarial vs. Inquisitorial court systems. Read pp. 277-288. Do #1-3, p. 280, & 1 & 4, p. 288. Please bring your red Government text to class next day -- along with your blue text.
History 12

Remember, the final set of topic questions -- up to #62 are due on Monday, January11. I will also need final confirmation of whether you will be writing the Provincial or School final exam by January 15 - a sign-up sheet will be circulated.

Because of the lack of time remaining to cover all of the remaining material, I have decided to cancel the final (in-class) essay. Spend your time preparing for the final exam.Link to any grade 12 ministry exam material from here. Look at all of the material here. The more comfortable you are with the exam and its composition, the better you will do. Be sure to write the sample exams. Note: Many past exams can be found here.