Saturday, May 28, 2011

May 30 to June 3


























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

My regrets to those who hoped that the Social Studies trip to France and England in 2012 would work. Not enough people confirmed interest. We will look into the possibility of arranging something the next year.

Things that are static -- not requiring regular change -- can be found at my website:http://sites.google.com/site/kbenoy/.

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

You have a big research assignment underway. If you do not have the handouts. Click for them here: Part 1, Part 2. Unfortunately the library is fully booked this week. I will give you an extra week to complete the assignment because I can't give you any more library time. The assignment is now due on Monday, June 6.

You can expect a unit test on the Middle Ages this week -- on Thursday, June 2 -- though we will start the next unit on Tuesday. Expect the mark breakdown to be as follows: 50 multiple choice questions ( 1 mark each) and 4 long answer questions from a choice of 7 possibilities (6 marks each). The test total is, therefore, out of 74 marks. At least 35 flash cards will be needed to earn the full 5 bonus marks available.
  • Monday, May 30 - Curriculum Implementation Day. Work on your Medieval projects.
  • Tuesday, May 31 - Hand in your Black Death Assignment. We are booked into the library for work on your Medieval assignment. This is due next Monday.
  • Wednesday, June 1 - Take up #1-6, p. 84. Look at Hosford Atlas, "Agents of Change" pp. 45-47. Watch The Western Tradition; Episode 23; the Late Middle Ages. (You will need to register to access this site, but don't worry -- it is American public television and you will not be pestered with junk mail after doing so). While watching, answer the following question: What changes were happening to life in the late Middle Ages? why? Introduction to the "Babylonian Captivity" when there were multiple popes at one time. Read pp. 87-92. Do #1-7, p. 92.
  • Thursday, June 2 - Unit Test on the Middle Ages -- all of chapters 3 & 4. Read pp. 134-138. Do #1-7, p. 138.
  • Friday, June 3 - Take up #1-7, p. 138. Introduction to the Italian Renaissance. Watch:The Medici -- Godfathers of the Renaissance; Birth of a Dynasty. 1. How did the Medici come to dominate Florence? 2. How did they help bring about a flowering of interest in ancient learning and modern art and architecture? 3. What was the relationship between artists and patrons in Florence during the renaissance? 4. How did Brunelleschi change Western art? 5) How did Cosimo bring knowledge from the outside world to Florence? Read pp. 139-143. do #1-5, p. 143.

Social Studies 11

We are just starting the Geography unit and I intend to test a couple of chapters together -- to save class time. Expect chapters 1-3 to be tested together -- this is a couple of weeks away.

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.

Provincial exams are just around the corner. Now is a good time to begin preparing. See mySocial Studies 11 Website for course material and PowerPoints. Link from here to my Study Skills Page. See the Provincial Exam Essay Marking Guide to see how essay questions are assessed on the exam. See past provincial exams here.

  • Monday, May 30 - Curriculum Implementation Day. No Classes.
  • Tuesday, May 31 - Take up homework. PowerPoint - continued. Watch Hans Rosling'sWhat Stops Population Growth. Doom and gloom video. Read pp. 37-41. Do #1-6, p. 39 & #1-6, pp. 41-42. Sidebar: Doom and gloom text at DieOff.Org - read p. 15, an excerpt from William Catton's Overshoot; The Ecological Base of Revolutionary Change. Read a brief synopsis of Boserup's ideas from York University. Julian Simon was another writer who felt population growth is a good thing. Part of his book Population Matters: People, Resources, Environment, and Immigration is available online.
  • Wednesday, June 1 - Take up #1-6, p. 39 & #1-6, pp. 41-42. Urbanization material onPowerPoint. Video segment andquestions on Shanghai, Changing China - Urbanization ). Look atGapcast #2 - Urbanization. Read pp. 42-45. Do #1-5, p. 45. Do the Further Thought assignment #1-5, p. 46.
  • Thursday, June 2 - Take up homework. Stewart Brand's City Planet and questions. Read pp. 54-55. Do #1-4, pp. 55-56.
  • Friday, June 3 - Take up #1-4, pp. 55-56. Chapter 3 PowerPoint. Read pp. 57-61. Do #1-8, p. 61.

History 12

Topic #5 & 6 Plan.

Topic #5 & 6 questions.Essay #3.

Note that the due date for Essay #3 is any time this week.Up to question #42 is due at the end of next week.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

May 23-27



























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

My regrets to those who hoped that the Social Studies trip to France and England in 2012 would work. Not enough people confirmed interest. We will look into the possibility of arranging something the next year.

Things that are static -- not requiring regular change -- can be found at my website: http://sites.google.com/site/kbenoy/.

You will be glad to know that now I have a prep. block, I am once again updating my website.

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

You have a big research assignment that was just handed out. I will go over it in detail in classes this week. If you do not have the handouts. Click for them here: Part 1, Part 2. Unfortunately the library is fully booked this week. I will give you an extra week to complete the assignment because I can't give you any more library time. The assignment is now due on Monday, June 6.

You can expect a unit test on the Middle Ages next week -- probably Thursday, June 3. Expect the mark breakdown to be as follows: 50 multiple choice questions ( 1 mark each) and 4 long answer questions from a choice of 7 possibilities (6 marks each). The test total is, therefore, out of 74 marks. At least 35 flash cards will be needed to earn the full 5 bonus marks available.




  • Monday, May 23 - Victoria Day Holiday. No school today. Do take some time to work on your Medieval research assignment.

  • Tuesday, May 24 - Hand in the crusade map assignment. Finish the video from last class if we did not do so. Introduction to the "Growth of Royal Power in England and France." Video clip; WilliamI of England. 1) Why did William of Normandy invade England? 2) How were 7,000 Normans able to control 2 million Anglo-Saxons? 3) How did this change life for England's inhabitants? Mr. Zoller's Video Podcasts; the Magna Carta. Questions: 1) How did English Kings after the Norman conquest centralize power in the King's hands. 2) How did Magna Carta change this? Sidebar on Magna Carta in Patterns of Civilization, p. 80 & handout questions for homework - pick up a paper copy after school if you cannot access online.

  • Wednesday, May 25 - Take up Magna Carta homework. Video: Battle of Agincourt and questions - a) What weapon helped the English win here? b) What does this tell us about how warfare is changing toward the end of the end of the Middle Ages? Introduce unification of France. Look at map on p. 81 of Patterns of Civilization. Land was added to the Royal domain because nobles were decimated by the Hundred Years War (which we will study more later) - and having their land revert to the King, and the development of a distinctly French & English nationalism (See this summary of the end of the Hundred Years War) and French Kings gained much control over the Church in France. Read p. 77-81. Do #1-6, p. 81.

  • Thursday, May 27 - Watch Part 5 of The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain(Click here for the full documentary, almost 2 hours.). Questions: 1) What happens to the reconquered people of Granada after the Christian reconquest? Read pp. 85-87. Do #1-6, p. 87. Interested in the Inquisition? Try these two documentaries: Secret Files of the Inquisition; Part 1, and Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. And now for something completely different -- Monty Python's "Spanish Inquisition."

  • Friday, May 28 - Take up #1-6, p. 87. Introduction to the Plague. Page 42 of Hosford Atlas. Pint Size History; the Black Death. Watch History's Turning Points; 1347 AD; The Black Death. 1. Where did the Plague originate? 3) What did Medieval Europeans think caused the disease? What really caused it? 4) How did the Plague spread throughout Europe? 5) How did Medieval people deal with the disease? 6. What were the lasting effects of the Plague? Interested in the Black Death -- watch the History of Britain; King Death (1 hour). We will watch just a 10 minute excerpt from the video.Assignment: Imagine that you are a witness to the Plague. Write an account of its coming and its effects. 10 marks. Due Tuesday. Read pp. 82-84. Do #1-6, p. 84.
Social Studies 11

We are just starting the Geography unit and I intend to test a couple of chapters together -- to save class time. Expect chapters 1-3 to be tested together -- this is a couple of weeks away.

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.

Provincial exams are just around the corner. Now is a good time to begin preparing. See my Social Studies 11 Website for course material and PowerPoints. Link from here to my Study Skills Page. See the Provincial Exam Essay Marking Guide to see how essay questions are assessed on the exam. See past provincial exams here.






  • Monday, May 23 - This is the Victoria Day Holiday. Classes are not in session. Catch up on any work that you have missed or begin preparing for the final exam -- it will be here sooner than you think.

  • Tuesday, May 24 - Take up #1-5, p. 11. Complete any of the Chapter 1 PowerPoint that was not finished last day. Read pp. 12-16. Do #1-9, p. 16 & #1-4, pp. 16-17.

  • Wednesday, May 25 - Take up homework. Begin watching Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. Do these questions while watching the film. Read pp. 17-22. Do #1-2, p. 17, #1-4, p. 21, & #1-2, p. 22.

  • Thursday, May 26 - Take up homework. Complete watching An Inconvenient Truth. Take up the questions. Read pp. 29-31. Do #1-3, p. 31 & the second set of #1-3, p. 31.

  • Friday, May 27 - Take up homework. PowerPoint - Population and Demographics. (Introduction to demography and population growth. Population pyramids. Using the data on p. 46, construct population pyramids for these countries. Read pp. 31-37. Do #2, p. 36 - but use 2011 data from US Census Bureau's International Data Base - Click on the year 2011 and Canada, Now click on the population pyramid tab. Copy the pyramid to your notes and answer#2 on p. 37. (Now do the same to get population pyramids from Japan and Nigeria in 2011). Video sidebar: If numbers interest you, watch professor Malcolm S. Forbes, Arithmetic, Population and Energy.
History 12


Topic #5 & 6 Plan.

Topic #5 & 6 questions.


Essay #3.

Note that the due date for Essay #3 is the last week in May.

Up to question #42 is due at the end of the first week in June.




  • Monday, May 23 - Victoria Day Holiday. No classes in session. Be sure to use this time to get some work done and to begin thinking about preparation for the final exam. Late May and Early June are busy times and it is easy to lose focus at a vital time in the year.

  • Tuesday, May 24 - Begin British & French Decolonization in Africa & Asia (base notes). Following up on the Nuclear War and Deterrence material -- You absolutely must see the CNN Cold War series film Star Wars.

  • Wednesday, May 25 - Continue British & French Decolonization (base notes). Begin Indochina & Vietnam (base notes). Watch the first part of a video on Kwame Nkrumah -- which gives a 4 minute background to African decolonization.

  • Thursday, May 26 - Continue Indochina & Vietnam (base notes). Watch Episode 11 of CNN/BBC's The Cold War - Vietnam; 1954-1968.

  • Friday, May 27 - Vietnam (base notes). Complete video from last class. Additional Vietnam War AV -- Possibly from The 10,000 Day War series.


Friday, May 13, 2011

May 16-20

























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

Those of you looking for information on the possible 2012 Easter trip to France and England for present grade 10 & 11 students, go to the trip blog at:
http://sutherlandsocialstudies2012trip.blogspot.com/

Things that are static -- not requiring regular change -- can be found at my website: http://sites.google.com/site/kbenoy/.

You will be glad to know that now I have a prep. block, I am once again updating my website.

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

Mr. Nann's blog is at: http://nannsocials.blogspot.com/ Any of the work you did with him can be found here. If you are missing assignments, this is where to find them.


We are still a couple of weeks or so away from our next unit test -- which will cover all of the Middle Ages (chapters 3, 4 & 5).


You have a big research assignment that was just handed out. I will go over it in detail in classes this week. If you do not have the handouts. Click for them here: Part 1, Part 2. We will start having some class time for this next week -- when we've covered more background information in class.
  • Monday, May 16 - Library Block -- Ms. Clark will introduce you to BibMe -- a bilbliography programme that you will find useful as long as you are in school. The rest of the time will be used to work on your Medieval Research Project.
  • Tuesday, May 17 - Introduction to the Crusades. Watch Terry Jones' The Crusades; Pilgrims in Arms. Questions: 1) What started the First Crusade? 2) What did crusader knights hope to gain? 3) Why did peasants join the crusade? 4) Why were Jews persecuted in Medieval Europe? 5) How did the "Peoples' Crusade" end? 6) What was the relationship between the crusaders and the Byzantines? Read pp. 69-74. Do #1-6, p. 74. We will not get a chance to watch his following two documentaries, but if you can, be sure to watch them yourself: Jerusalem, Jihad, and Destruction. I'd love to screen all of these in class, but they take too long. A great documentary on the Crusades is The Crescent and the Cross (1 hour 30 minutes).
  • Wednesday, May 18 - Take up #1-6, p. 74. Complete Terry Jones' The Crusades; Pilgrims in Arms. Questions: 1) What started the First Crusade? 2) What did crusader knights hope to gain? 3) Why did peasants join the crusade? 4) Why were Jews persecuted in Medieval Europe? 5) How did the "Peoples' Crusade" end? 6) What was the relationship between the crusaders and the Byzantines? Watch Episode 2: Jerusalem, and do the questions on the 2nd screen: 1) What equipment did a night on the first crusade take with him? 2) What hazards did crusaders face and was it likely that a crusader would survive the 1st Crusade? 3) Why did Baldwin leave the main crusader group to go to Edessa? 4) How were fortified cities attacked by the crusaders? 5) What happened at Marat? 6) Did Christians in Jerusalem need rescuing? Explain. 7) How did the Crusader's treat the inhabitants of Jerusalem when they took the city? Work on your reports.
  • Thursday, May 19 - Library Block -- research for your Medieval Research Project.
  • Friday, May 20 - Complete Jerusalem video, if not completed in class and take up the questions (See Wednesday). Video: Christianity; A History; The Crusades. Why does the word "crusade" upset Muslims in the Middle East? Do western leaders today seem to understand this view? Go online and read the Hosford Atlas Crusades material, pp. 27-28. Crusades Map Assignment, due next class; 10 marks.
Social Studies 11

We have almost finished the post-WW2 unit. Expect the next unit test to be this week on Thursday.

The test will be arranged roughly as follows:
43 multiple choice questions (1 mark each), 5 definitions (2 marks each) and a choice of 3 from 5 choices (6 marks each). The test is, therefore, out of 71 marks. 30 flash cards are needed to earn 5 marks.

  • Monday, May 16 - Take up homework. Begin PowerPoint: "Land Claims and the Indian Act." Read pp. 201-207. Do #1-5, p. 204 and 1-5, p. 206.
  • Tuesday, May 17 - Take up homework. Watch video segments from Canada; A Peoples' History - the following episodes: "Taking Back the Past" and "Land and Nation" and questions. PowerPoint on Land Claims & the Indian Act. Anything we are unable to complete in class, you will need to view on your own. Read pp. 208-216. Do the sidebar on p. 211 & #1-2, p. 213 and #2-6, p. 216.
  • Wednesday, May 18 - Complete PowerPoint and any other material not finished on Land Claims and native issues. Study for the unit test next class.
  • Thursday, May 19 - Unit Test on Post-1945 Canada. Sign out Geography text The 21st Century World. Read pp. 6-11. Do #1-5, p. 11.
  • Friday, May 20 - Take up #1-5, p. 11. Introduce Geography portion of the course. PowerPoint for Ch. 1 - Geography. Read pp. 12-16. Do #1-9, p. 16 & #1-4, pp. 16-17.

History 12

Topic #4 Plan. Topic #4 Questions. Essay #3.

Note that the due date for Essay #3 is the last week in May.

Up to question #42 is due at the end of the first week in June.

  • Monday, May 16 - The Middle East to 1956 (base notes). Video clip from the 20th Century History series - if available. Watch the BBC documentary The Birth of Israel. For those really interested in the Middle East - try The 50 Years War; Israel and the Arabs (chunked into 29 parts, I just link to the Youtube directory for its parts). There is a nice BBC documentary on the 1956 war - The Other Side Of Suez 1956 (part 1, part 2, part 3).
  • Tuesday, May 17 - Complete the Middle East to 1956. If time, begin video Mr. Kennedy & Mr. Khrushchev (sorry, not available online). If time, Begin the Cuban Missile Crisis (base notes). Be sure to watch CNN's Cold War; Episode 10; Cuba 1959-1962. Thirteen Days is a decent Hollywood treatment of the crisis, though it is a little loose in dealing with people and events -- not enough to worry about messing up your knowledge for the final exam though.
  • Wednesday, May 18 - The Cuban Missile Crisis (base notes). If you have almost two hours available, get in the mood for Wednesday's lecture on nuclear war by viewing Threads, a British docudrama from the 1980s about a nuclear war -- banned from British TV at the time, it is a highly praised production that gives a frightening, but important view of what such a war might be like. For a straight-forward documentary 0n what would happen to a city hit by a nuclear bomb, watch Nuclear War; A Guide to Armageddon - this links to the first episode, go to the sidebar to link to the other segments. You might also look at Defcon 2 - Cuban Missile Crisis (Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6).
  • Thursday, May 19 - Complete The Cuban Missile Crisis (base notes). Deterrence & Nuclear War (base notes) PowerPoint.. See Robert McNamara's comments on nuclear war.
  • Friday, May 20 - Complete material on Deterrence & Nuclear War. PowerPoint.Watch CNN's Cold War; M.A.D. (If time) Begin British & French Decolonization in Africa & Asia (base notes). At home, watch the next video in the Cold War series dealing with nuclear weapons: The Cold War; Star Wars 1980-1988.

Friday, May 06, 2011

May 9-13




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

Those of you looking for information on the possible 2012 Easter trip to France and England for present grade 10 & 11 students, go to the trip blog at:
http://sutherlandsocialstudies2012trip.blogspot.com/

Things that are static -- not requiring regular change -- can be found at my website: http://sites.google.com/site/kbenoy/.

You will be glad to know that now I have a prep. block, I am once again updating my website.

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

Mr. Nann's blog is at: http://nannsocials.blogspot.com/ Any of the work you did with him can be found here. If you are missing assignments, this is where to find them.

We only just started a new unit, so our next test is quite a long way off. We will test all of the Middle Ages material together -- so this will involve chapters 3, 4 & 5. I expect it will be about 3-4 weeks from now -- this is just an estimate.

You have a big research assignment that was just handed out. I will go over it in detail in classes this week. If you do not have the handouts. Click for them here: Part 1, Part 2. We will start having some class time for this next week -- when we've covered more background information in class.

Social Studies 11

We tested last week, so another unit test will not come your way for another couple of weeks. I will post a mark breakdown when we are a little closer to it.

  • Monday, May 9 - Take up sidebar, #1-3, p. 155, #1-5, p. 156 & #2-4, p. 158. Material from Canada; A Peoples’ History; Comfort & Fear. ("Material from Canada; A People’s History (“A Question of Equality,” “A Changing Face,”and “The Computer Moves In” and questions). If time, PowerPoint Post 1945 Canada. Read pp. 160-172. Do #2-6, p. 167, & #1-5, p. 172.
  • Tuesday, May 10 - Take up homework. Material from Canada; A People’s History("Time for Change" & "Maitres Chez Nous" - questions). PowerPoint material not completed. Read pp. 172-187. Do #1-4, p. 176, #2-4, p. 182, and 2-5, p. 187.
  • Wednesday, May 11 - Take up homework. Complete any PowerPoint material not completed from Post 1945 Canada. Watch "Vive le Quebec Libre," "October Crisis", the "Choice" - questions. Read pp. 191- 194. Do #1,2, 4 & 5, p. 194,
  • Thursday, May 12 - Take up homework. Complete any of the video material not covered on Wednesday. PowerPoint The Quiet and Not-So-Quiet Revolution. Read pp. 194-200 and do #1,34 & 5, p. 197 and 1, 2 & 4, p. 200.
  • Friday, May 13 - Take up #1,34 & 5, p. 197 and 1, 2 & 4, p. 200. Watch the following segments of Canada; A People's History: "October Crisis", the "Choice," - questions and "Night of the Long Knives" - questions. Finish PowerPoint - The Quiet and Not-So-Quiet Revolution. Be sure to see anything we are unable to complete in class. Assignment: 10 marks, due Monday. Why do many Quebecers want and independent Quebec? Why has this not come about?
History 12

The unit test on Topic #4 is moved to Monday, May 9 -- We will start the next unit before then, but this ensures that everything is definitely covered before we test. Expect the following mark breakdown: 75 multiple choice questions (1 mark each) - this is slightly more than indicated in last-week's blog, 5 map items (1 mark each) and 2 from a choice of 4 long answer questions (10 marks each). The total is, therefore, out of 100 marks.

Do not expect all work to be marked overnight. Today is my wife`s birthday and I have commitments elsewhere! Hopefully the test will be done, however.

Topic #4 Plan. Topic #4 Questions. Essay #3.
We need to establish the due date for Essay #3 this week - expect it to be in late May.


Topic #5 & 6 Plan. Topic #5 & 6 questions.