Friday, May 28, 2010

May 31 to June 4



Those of you new to my blogsite, it is intended to work alongside my website at: http://sites.google.com/site/kbenoy/

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.


Cool tech tip for Google searches. Did you know that Google allows you to search in a mind-map format -- with the standard search still showing in a sidebar on the right. Here is a quick introduction to Google's "Wonder Wheel" search.

Sutherland has a license to access Discovery Education's United Streaming video collection.

Students may download or stream videos from the collection by going tohttp://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm . Use the passcode posted in the classroom. 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 a hold-back imposed on our supplies budget. As a result, I shall be handing out far fewer paper handouts in class than in the past. 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. Help me save money for the school and also preserve forests by using online material as much as possible. With less than $900 left in our paper budget for the remainder of the year, you know we need to conserve.

Unpaid Advertisement!

Sutherland's Cancer Awareness Club is participating in the North Shore Relay 2010 at Mahon Park on Saturday, June 12, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The deadline for signing up is May 15. $15 for youth (code NSYOUTH2010) and $35 for adults. For more information or questions, contact Ms. Matsubuchi, or Tamsyn, nothshorerelay@bc.cancer.ca or 1.604.815.3329 or 604 985 8585.

History 12

Essay 3 is due the end of the first week in June -- or the questions to #62. The one you do not hand in on Friday is due on the following Monday.

Here is the Topic 5 & 6 Plan.

Here are the Topic 5 & 6 Questions.

Save trees and school money by using the online versions. I will print copies for you, if you ask, but stick to the digital if at all possible.

Do not expect a unit test on the Cold War, though I will collect up to question #62 near the end of the term (see above). I want you all to have a very clear idea of your class mark before you go into the final examination as this is needed to decide logically on whether you should write the in-class exam (20% value) or the provincial exam (40% value).

Ordinarily I suggest your default setting should be the provincial exam. If you are college or university bound, they tend to take the better of your class mark (including the in-class final) or your composite (after povincial exam) mark. A 40% exam obviously allows greater movement -- up or down -- and they will not worry about a reduction in their calculation (unless, of course, you fail the course!). If there is danger of failing on a bad day -- if your class mark is under 55% -- you should write the in-class test, rather than the provincial. If you are under 50%, write the provincial as it has the greatest potential for raising your mark. In the end it is your decision. Make up your mind and live with it. I will need to know your decision at least a week before the final to ensure that I run off sufficient numbers of in-class test papers. Both final exams have exactly the same level of difficulty as I model the in-class final on the provincial exam, using questions from the same test bank.


Comparative Civilizations 12


We began the second Renaissance unit a week ago, Friday -
The Hero as Artist
. We followed that with two very short units on the Reformation and Mannerism. Because of Grad Weekend, I will had nothing due until the end of this week. However, the Hero package will be due on Friday, June 4, even though we moved on to the Reformation and Mannerism last week. These two packages will be due the following week on Wednesday, June 9.

We will test the Renaissance to the Reformation to Mannerism on Friday of next week - June 11. There will be no unit test on the Baroque material -- our final unit. Instead, this material will be tested just on the final exam -- held the last two days of classes.

The unit test will have the following mark breakdown: 20 Slide Identification - identify the art work and artist (40 marks); 45 multiple choice questions (45 marks) and 3 from a choice of 6 long answer questions (18 marks). The total value of the test is, therefore, 101 marks.

Please note that I've made a change in the order of the work this week because I have a medical appointment on Thursday, so it would be easier to run a video than have the sub handle presentations on artists, given my complex combination of overheads and computer files.

Social Studies 11

Rather than use valuable class time to test segments of the Government section, I will give one large -- multiple choice -- test on the 2nd from last day of classes. We may not be quiete finished by then, but you need to know your mark before going into the provincial exam, so I will mark the test and post the results the following day. Your mark will not be lower than the posted mark -- though it could be higher if more work is submitted later.

I will publish the mark breakdown on this blog when we are closer to testing day.

  • Monday, May 31 - Take up the Practice with Ideologies worksheet. from ideologies to political parties – national parties in Canada. Read Counterpoints pp. 255-258. Do #3 & 4, p. 258. For homework over the last weekend, you took an online quiz to identify your political viewpoint. To see which Canadian political party comes closest to your views (2005 comparison - according to this organization), link here and see if this is what you expected. Interested in pursuing this further? Try some more tests -- mostly American -- to see where you stand.
  • Tuesday, June 1 - Take up homework. Placing parties on the political spectrum. PowerPoint. BC & Canadian political parties. Read Counterpoints pp. 249-258. Do #1-5, p. 253, #4, p. 258 & sidebar #1-3, p. 257. Read sidebar in Counterpoints pp. 256-257. Do #1-3, p. 257. Read Government pp. 88-97. Do #4, p. 97. Research Canadian federal political parties. Essay Assignment - due Monday, June 7: 24 marks (1 x 6 composition & 3 x 6 content) Which political party would you support in the next federal election? Why? Find political party information at Elections Canada's registered political parties page. Be sure to include a proper bibliography at the end of your essay.
  • Wednesday, June 2 - Take up homework. Elections lesson - handout. For homework -- say which election system you like best and why?
  • Thursday, June 3 - Video & questions on Parliament (sorry, not available online). On the board -- go over the set-up of the House of Commons. Show the seating arrangement for government and opposition members, the placement of the Speaker, the placement of the mace of state and the public galleries. The Senate - show how the Senate chamber is configured. Go over the passage of a bill - handout. Read pp. 226-233 in Counterpoints. Do #1-3, p. 231 & #1-4 in the sidebar, p. 233.
  • Friday, June 4 - The Senate. The role of the Queen/Governor General and Prime Minister. Read “Constitutional Monarchy” on p. 222-224 & "The Governor General" on p. 234. Homework: A) Should the Senate be abolished, changed or left as it is? B) 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.