Friday, September 23, 2011

September 26-30






















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/.
Expect a unit test around Friday of next week (September 30), worth around 75 marks. 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.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.

Course outlines are posted in the material for the first class this semester - go to the Wednesday, September 7 posting.

Social Studies 8

National Geographic has some nice overview PowerPoints for this unit. See Map Elements and Map Skills.

We will complete the Geography unit this week. Be sure to get help for anything that gave you trouble. The unit test will be on Monday, October 3. Expect it to be
around 75 marks. You need to memorize some important information for the exam, but mostly it will involve answering questions using your Canadian Oxford School Atlas 7th edition. All material that we have covered so far, and will cover this week, is fair game for the test.

Social Studies 11

We just finished a unit, so the next test is now a few weeks away. I will post the date and the exam breakdown as we get closer to it. The next unit test will be on the Legislative/Executive/Judicial branches and will be similar in size to our last test.

No text-book can possibly be completely up to date, so keep current by using reliable websites.Be sure to look at the Parliament of Canada website. Download, read and study from the Guide to the House of Commons.

  • Monday, September 26 - Take up #1-3 in the sidebar on p. 233. Reminder of the physical layout of Parliament. Video - Government in Canada; Citizenship in Action; Our National Parliament; the Inside Story and questions. Discuss the job of a Member of Parliament - within and outside the House of Commons. Go online to read On the Job With a Member of Parliament). Read 226-231. Do #1-3, p. 231.
  • Tuesday, September 27 - Take up homework, #1-3, p. 233. Introduction to 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. Introduction to Essay Writing. Read pp. 47-54 in Red Government text. Do #1-4, p. 48 and #1-5 and 7 on p. 54. For homework, come up with a three column table listing: reasons to keep the Senate as it is; reasons to change it; reasons why we should get rid of it. If you have time at the end of the class, discuss it with people around you.
  • Wednesday, September 28 - Introduction to the executive branch. Role of the Queen, Governor General and Prime Minister. Read “Constitutional Monarchy” on p. 222-224 & "The GovernorGeneral" 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; seeCitizens 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.
  • Thursday, September 29 - 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.
  • Friday, September 30 - Take up #1-4, p. 240 and hand in the Cabinet assignment. Lobbying & Pressure Groups. Look at the list of institutionalized groups on p. 259 (Click here for an online list of federal lobby groups - interest groups and social movements). Explain what lobbying is and look at the activities of several lobby groups -- also describe Pressure Groups and their purpose. Divide into groups (with printed - or online --background information) Each group is to come up with a poster to make their group's case to the public. Poster Assignment - on a regular size sheet of paper -- 8 1/" by 11" is fine (due Monday) . Read pp. 258-267. Do #1-2, p. 264. Do #1-3, p. 267.
History 12

Essay #1 is due on Friday of this week.

Your next exam is approaching. If you compare the original plan with what you see below, you can see that I think we will be a little ahead of plan and should, therefore, be able to plug in some video material before the unit test. It is still my intention to test on Tuesday, October 5. Expect the unit test to be structured roughly as follows: 60
multiple choice items. (1 mark each), 10 map items (1 mark each), 5 definitions and names (I give you the term and you define it or say why the person is important - valued at 2 marks each), and 2 long answer questions (10 marks each). The total value of the test is, therefore, likely to be 100 marks.

The standard explanations of the origins of World War I are outlined in Origins of World War I - Part 1 and Part 2, or, try this 50 minute video World War I; To Arms 1914 -- then look at the rest of the series if you want to gain some real expertise. Watch Yale University Professor John Merriman's lecture on the Origins of World War I. He also has lectures posted on other aspects of modern history that a Google search would quickly lead you to. World War I film footage is in black and white and this "colours" our view of the conflict. Computer technology has allowed original film to be colourized. Watch World War I in Colour to see it as it has not been seen before (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7). Each film is about 40-50 minutes long.

Here is a blank Map of Europe right after World War I. Neatly label the countries and submit it with your Topic #2 questions (10 marks).

I now have the PowerPoint for World War I available online, click here.

We do not have enough time to watch enough video material in class. I will post material for you to see on the blog and highly recommend that you watch as much as possible.








Saturday, September 17, 2011

September 19-23














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/.
Expect a unit test around Friday of next week (September 30), worth around 75 marks. 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.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.

Course outlines are posted in the material for the first class this semester - go to the Wednesday, September 7 posting.

Social Studies 8

National Geographic has some nice overview PowerPoints for this unit. See Map Elements and Map Skills.
  • Monday, September 19 - Take up any problems with military grid. Take up the Letter/Number Grid Worksheet. Weather permitting, we will take a "Super Benoy Field Trip" to complete a Sutherland School Map assignment. Value: 10 marks, due in two classes. If the weather does not cooperate we will move on to Tuesday class material and, hopefully, complete this assignment when weather cooperates.
  • Tuesday, September 20 - Take up any problems with the Sutherland School Map -- if we were able to go outside on Tuesday. Latitude introduction. Geographical Essentials, pp. 32-35. Key lines of latitude and why we have seasons -- see the video Geography Seasons for this. Introduction video to Latitude and Longitude - with questions. Note: you need to login to Discovery Education's streaming video site to do this. Mr. Benoy posts the access code in the classroom -- though this is a paid service the school may not be able to afford much longer. Complete the Latitude #1 worksheet for homework.
  • Wednesday, September 21 - Hand in your map of Sutherland. Take up Latitude #1 sheet. Short quiz on important lines of latitude. Review and more background on Latitude. Watch Kim Shaw's Latitude & Longitude video. Complete Latitude #2.
  • Thursday, September 22 - Memory game - a variations on the countries list game. Watch GEG-103-OL: Latitude and Longitude. (If this video is a bit difficult for you, watch the following quick videos at home: What Causes the Seasons on Earth, Absolute vs Relative Location and Latitude & Longitude.) Demonstration of latitude and longitude using Google Earth. Complete the Longitude worksheet for next class.
  • Friday, September 23 - Good news for you. This is a professional day, so I go to school and you stay home. Go over things that gave you trouble. Our unit test is coming up at the end of next week.
Social Studies 11

Expect your first unit test on Ideologies/Parties/Elections to be during the last class this week - Thursday, September 22. The mark breakdown is most likely to be as follows: 30 multiple choice question (1 mark each); 10 statements - you identify the ideology of the speaker - 1 mark each (sorry, I forgot to mention this in class Wednesday!); 4 items to label on a diagram (1 mark each); 5 definitions - you write a sentence or two about each term or name (2 marks each); 2 long answer questions from a choice of 4 options (6 marks each). The test should, therefore, be out of about 66 marks. Bonus marks can be earned for creating flash cards. On this test, the total value of the exam is over 50 marks, so it is possible to earn up to 5 bonus marks. You need to complete at least 25 flash cards to do so.
  • Monday, September 19 - Take up I Can Vote and #1-3 & 5, p. 115. Elections handout. Elections in Canada – The first-by-the-post system. (If time; proportional representation too). Read Government pp. 88-97. Do #4, p. 97. Research Canadian federal political parties. Which party would you support in the next federal election? Why? About a half page or so of writing is needed to adequately answer this question. Value: 10 marks, due Tuesday (next class). Find political party information at Elections Canada's registered political parties page.
  • Tuesday, September 20 - Take up #1-3, p. 257 & #4, p. 97. Elections lesson – day 2. Various voting systems. BCSTV animation. Assignment: What electoral system do you feel is best? Why? (due Friday. About 1 page).
  • Wednesday, September 21 - Hand in Political Parties research. Note: We are beginning the next unit today and this material will not be on tomorrow's test. We are doing so to test on the day indicated in earlier blog-posts. I will explain my flash card bonus mark policy today. Begin Legislative Branch - focus on the House of Commons. Be sure to look at the Parliament of Canada website. Download, read and study from the Guide to the House of Commons. Read pp. 231-233 sidebar. Do #1-3 in the sidebar on p. 233. Study for the test next class.
  • Thursday, September 22 - Unit test on Ideologies, Political Parties and Elections -- the material we have studied since classes commenced. Complete the homework from Wednesday for Monday.
  • Friday, September 23 - Professional day, so classes are not in session. Use this time to catch up on any missed assignments.
History 12

The standard explanations of the origins of World War I are outlined in Origins of World War I - Part 1 and Part 2, or, try this 50 minute video World War I; To Arms 1914 -- then look at the rest of the series if you want to gain some real expertise. Watch Yale University Professor John Merriman's lecture on the Origins of World War I. He also has lectures posted on other aspects of modern history that a Google search would quickly lead you to. World War I film footage is in black and white and this "colours" our view of the conflict. Computer technology has allowed original film to be colourized. Watch World War I in Colour to see it as it has not been seen before (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7). Each film is about 40-50 minutes long.



  • Monday, September 19 - Begin Imperialism & Social DarwinismPowerPoint (base notes). Work on topic 2 questions. See what Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe has to say about Imperialism in Africa in this YouTube video.
  • Tuesday, September 20 - Europe Before World War I - the Alliance system. Begin looking at the nations of Europe before the War. Base notes. Work on Topic #2 Questions.
  • Wednesday September 21 - Continue with the nations of Europe before the war - finish Russia/France/Britain - base notes -- then continue with the Ottoman Empire/Germany & Italy - base notes.
  • Thursday, September 22 - Finish the countries of Europe before the war - concluding Ottoman Empire/Germany & Italy - base notes. If time, look at causes of the war and reasons for peace in 1914 - base notes.
  • Friday, September 23 - Professional Day - no classes. Use this time to work on your essay and questions. Be sure to look at some of the video material suggested for this week.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

September 12-16




















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/.

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.

Course outlines are posted in the material for the first class this semester - go to the Wednesday, September 7 posting.

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.

National Geographic has some nice overview PowerPoints for this unit. See Map Elements and Map Skills.

Social Studies 11

We will begin with the Government unit and start with the old red text to deal with ideologies. You will get the Counterpoints text, which we will use for most of the semester, once we get past ideologies -- which Counterpoints does not deal with well.

Expect your first unit test on Ideologies/Parties/Elections to be on Thursday, September 22. The mark breakdown is most likely to be as follows: 30 multiple choice question (1 mark each); 4 items to label on a diagram (1 mark each); 5 definitions - you write a sentence or two about each term or name (2 marks each); 2 long answer questions from a choice of 4 options (6 marks each). The test should, therefore, be out of about 66 marks.

  • Monday, September 12 - Origins of the Political Spectrum - including summary handout sheet. ( We did not get to the work within these parenthesis. Some of it moves to the next few days. PowerPoint – Ideologies”.Ideology identification practice. ) The following reading is completely optional: For an interesting American article on the difference between Lefties and Righties, see Patricia Cohen's New York Times Article: "Across the Great Divide; Investigating Links Between Personality and Politics."

  • Tuesday, September 13- Ideologies Identification homework. PowerPoint – Ideologies Video clip on ideologies - sorry, not available online. Other ways to show political spectrum. More practice with ideologies.
  • Wednesday, September 14 - Take up homework. Lecture/discussion – 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 (2008 comparison - according to this organization. Take a look at US national politics while you are here), 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.

  • Thursday, September 16 - 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.

  • Friday, September 15 - Take up #1-5, p. 253, #4, p. 258 & sidebar #1-3, p. 257. Review of party positions on the political spectrum and names of party leaders. Introduction to political party organizations. As part of your homework, you must go to Elections Canada's pages entitled I Can Vote, with information for young and first time voters. Answer these questions. Read pages 109-115 in the red Government text and answer questions #1-3 & 5, p. 115. Optional: Click here to go to a list of all of the political parties, with links to their web-pages.
History 12


Oops! -- I goofed in changing the order of things when I started the Themes and Topics Powerpoint on Friday. It makes sense to continue with it now and just relocate the Writing History Essays material to the end of unit one. Sorry about any inconvenience.

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 Wednesday, September 14 or Thursday, September 15 -- depending on our progress with class material. 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. The Topic #2 test will likely be around February 24.

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.