Thursday, August 29, 2013

September 3-6


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

This blog provides lesson plans for each week.  Look ahead to see where we are going.  Look back to see what you might have missed. All assignments are provided here.  If anything is underlined, click on it to bring up the document or, in the case of videos, link to an online version of what was scheduled for seeing in class or as enrichment.  
So you just want to see photos of Sutherland activities? Click here to see my Picasa Albums. 

Things that are static -- not requiring regular change -- can be found at my website:http://sites.google.com/site/kbenoy/.  Admittedly, I do not update this site regularly, so there may be dead links.
Supplies needed for all class:

-A binder (I do not mind if it is also used for other classes, but if so you must have subject dividers to keep course work together). You could use duotangs for each unit if you wish. 
-Pens. 
-HB pencils (required for map-work and for any tests with multiple choice sections).
-Coloured pencils for map work.
-A USB drive for storing any computer work on (again, this can be used for other subjects too).
-Small index cards (or paper cut to index card size) for vocabulary flash cards.
-A functioning brain with room for expansion.

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.

  • Tuesday, September 3 - This is just a timetable walk-through, but I will take the opportunity to hand out a paper copy of the Course Outline for you to read overnight.
  • Wednesday, September 4 - Introduction and Expectations.  Texts assigned.  Map Rules Rubric handout.  Canada; Political; Map Assignment (10 marks, due next class) -- unless time runs out before we can assign it.
  • Thursday, September 5 - Complete text sign out, if not finished Tuesday.  Hand in map assignment, if given Tuesday.  Mind Map - explained in class and not for marks. Complete to #15 on the Atlas Worksheet. If the Canada; Political; Map Assignment (10 marks) was not assigned on Tuesday, it is assigned today and due Thursday.
  • Friday, September 5 - Country memorization game. Take up #1-15 of the Atlas Worksheet.  Complete the remainder of the questions for next class.
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 Wednesday, February 15 -- or thereabout. 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.

  • Tuesday, September 3 - This is just a short timetable walk-through.  However, I will take the opportunity to hand out a paper version of the Course Outline for you to read overnight.
  • Wednesday, September 4 - Outline and Expectations PowerPoints.    Final Exam table of specifications (link from here to additional exam material.  Handout: What is Government?  Complete the questions for next class.
  • Thursday, September 5 - Hand out textbooks.  Complete anything missed from yesterday's introduction. Take up answers to What is Government.  Discuss whether government is or is not necessary.  Introduction to the three branches of government -- Legislative, Executive and Judicial.  Read pp. 2-6 in the red Government text.  Do #1-4, p. 6 for homework.
  • Friday, September 6 - Take up #1-4, p. 6.  Introduction to ideologies.  Origin of the Political Spectrum - see this version as a line, and this version as a quadrant -- showing where Canadian political parties could be found in 2011.  Read pp. 7-15.  Do #1-5, p. 11 and #1-6, p. 15.  To identify your own ideology, take the online Political Compass Quiz.  Why not listen to some ideological tunes.  The Political Compass people have put together a links list to ideological music that you can click to from here.  Look elsewhere around this site if you are interested in politics.
Social Studies 11 Honours

This class has similarities and differences with regular Social Studies 11. Your tests will all be the same level of difficulty. You will not be penalized for taking the more challenging option. The key difference is that this section is geared for college and university bound students -- therefore we focus more intently on academic writing. We buy the time for this by moving a little more quickly through curricular material; this is generally not a problem because of the ability level of most of the class. We will cover the curriculum a little differently from regular Social Studies 11 because the Geography content lends itself well to student-generated writing topics.

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 and with retirement looming will leave to another generation to take on if they wish.

Expect a chapter 1 quiz next -- probably on Friday. The mark breakdown will be roughly as follows: 15 multiple choice questions (1 mark each) and 3 long answer questions from 5 options (6 marks each). The total will be out of around 33 marks. 3 bonus marks are available for completing flash cards.
  • Tuesday, September 3 - This is just a short timetable walk-through.  However, I will take the opportunity to hand out a paper version of the Course Outline for you to read overnight. 
  • Wednesday, September 4 - Outline and Expectations PowerPoints.    Final Exam table of specifications (link from here to additional exam material).  Texts assigned. Online Essay Writing Workshop handout (please request a written copy if you cannot easily access an online version at home or in class).  Pre-read parts 1 & 2 but leave the part 2 assignment for now.
  • Thursday, September 5 - Text sign out continues (if not finished last class).  Complete anything else not completed on Wednesday.  We will go over the Essay Writing Workshop material parts 1 & 2. Complete the Part 2 assignment for homework. PLEASE NOTE: We did not get anywhere near as far as I hoped.  So I have changed the assigned work for today and Friday too.
  • Friday, September 6 - Take up the Essay Workshop section 2 assignment.   Begin PowerPoint for chapter 1. Read pp. 6-16 of The 21st Century World text -- paper or online. Do #1-5, p. 11, #1-9 p. 16 and #1-4 pp. 16-17.  Video sidebar (I do not require you to watch this, but highly recommend that you do so:  Tom Friedman's MIT address - The World is Flat 3.0.

History 12

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 Thursday, September 12 -- we will confirm this date a little closer to test time. 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 2 x 6 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.

Click here for the plan for Topic #1.

Click here for Topic #1 work (Essay #1 can be found at the bottom of the back page).