Saturday, January 29, 2011

January 31 - February 4

























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

Things that are static -- not requiring regular change -- can be found at my website:http://sites.google.com/site/kbenoy/However, I'm afraid I do not update this regularly. I spend most of my time keeping the blog up to date.

This blogsite will have all of the changing material -- lesson plans and links to assignments. I will try to ensure that all assignments are posted here.If you see something underlined, it means that you can click on the item to have it appear. I will do this for all pdf documents, PowerPoints, videos, and even some music.

Social Studies 8

We will begin with a Geography unit. Expect a unit test at the end of this, worth around 75 marks. This will be in roughly 3 weeks. It will be based on map reading and the use of Canadian Oxford World Atlas (7th edition). We will also have a number of quizzes worth from 5-30 marks throughout the unit. You will not always be warned ahead of time about quizzes -- so it is important to keep up.

If you are struggling, be sure to see me outside of class for extra help!

You will need the following material for the Geography unit: a ruler, pens, pencils, and coloured pencils, erasers, whiteout, a portable computer storage device (USB key, with at least 1 GB of space on it -- which you can use in all of your other classes too), and lined paper.

Keep all of your material in order in either a section of a bigger binder, with work from other courses, or a smaller Social Studies binder. The choice is yours. You should also have section dividers to separate units. Keep all work to study from for the final exam at the end of the course. After unit tests, you can take this work out and leave it safe at home if you do not want to keep carrying it around -- just don't lose it.

National Geographic has some nice overview PowerPoints for this unit. See Map Elements and Map Skills.
  • Monday, January 31 - Introduction and Expectations. Course Outline. Texts assigned. Map Rules rubric. Canada Political Map Assignment (10 marks and due next class). I neglected to sign out atlasses to you yesterday. Most should have been able to find a good reference map as they are easy to locate, but to be fair, I will take maps on Wednesday without them being considered late. Sorry about the glitch.
  • Tuesday, February 1 - Complete the text book sign-out. Hand in map assignment. Mind Map (Explained in class and not for marks.) Block 1 - complete up to #15 on the Atlas worksheet.
  • Wednesday, February 2 - Country memorization game. Take up #1-15 on the Atlas Worksheet. Complete the rest of the questions for next class.
  • Thursday, February 3 - Take up homework (the Atlas worksheet) -- If your teacher collects it in class it will be marked out of 3 marks, based on completion. Do your best, even if you have errors you can still earn 3/3. Video -Types of Maps and Map Projections. Look at Geographical Essentials text, pp. 4-7 - "Map Outlines." The Basic ingredients of all maps - Outlines, Direction, Colour & Symbols (and a key or legend, Scale. If time - Mind Map of North Vancouver (10 minutes). See pages 56,57 & 58 in Geographical Essentials. Note: This class lost 15 minutes at the end because of report card distribution. The work previously set for homework will now be started on Friday. Scale Worksheet - complete to #8 for homework. If you have trouble grasping how scale works, get the basics from this BBC elementary school level site on the subject. A really nice advanced summary can be found at this National Resources Canada site.
  • Friday, February 4 - Warm-up activity - Countries list contest. Scale review -- look at pages 55-59 and 62 in Geographical Essentials. Scale Worksheet. Complete this for homework. If it is collected, it will be marked out of 3 for completion).

Social Studies 11

This class has the honour of working with our UBC student teacher, Mr. Nann. He will be with us for about half of the term and will begin work with this class on day 2. I will be in and out of the class, but I am always available for extra help, before school, at noon (except Wednesdays) and after school. Take advantage of the extra help available this semester!

Mr. Nann's blogsite is at: http://nannsocials.blogspot.com/

For the rest of this week's material and until Mr. Nann completes his work with us, you need to go to his blogsite.


History 12

Our first unit is an introduction to History and the Writing of History.

Be aware, this is a lecture course. Because almost all students who sign up for this course are university or college bound, I have structured the course in this way to help you make the transition to post-secondary studies easier. Class work will be done entirely outside of class time. I will give you a plan at the start of each unit, which sets out a suggestion about when you should complete what. You may handle this differently if your personal timetable requires that you rearrange the work. However, the due dates are clearly set down. If they present problems for you, I need to know ahead of time and will likely arrange an extension, if the circumstances warrant doing so.

You must be sure to visit The History Guide for excellent background material supporting this course.

Expect to write your first quiz on or about Tuesday, January 8. There will likely be 15 multiple choice questions (1 mark each), 10 definitions -- where I give you the definition and you give me the term or name (1 mark each), 5 definitions -- where I give you the term or name and you provide the definition or why the person is important (2 marks each), and one essay (worth 18 marks - with 6 for composition and 2x6 for content). The test will most likely be out of 53 marks.

All Topic #1 work is due by 4:30 p.m. on the day of the test. Essay #1 is due a couple of weeks later.

If you get the chance, take 76 minutes to watch a panel of historians talk about History's Value Today.