Friday, January 30, 2009

February 2-6

























For those of you new to my blogsite, it is intended to work alongside my website at: http://kbenoy.googlepages.com/

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

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 really 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.

Sutherland has a license to access Discovery Education's United Streaming video collection. Students may download or stream videos from the collection by going to http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm . Use the passcode posted in the classroom and given to you on your course outline to register. If you have lost it, see me, or e-mail me, for this information. Students are licensed to include this content within their own creations.

My tutorial times are officially 2:55-3:15 every Monday and Friday. However, I am available most days before school, at noon and after school. Drop by or make an appointment if you need guaranteed time.

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 yet.

Expect a chapter 1 quiz next Monday, February 9. 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.

  • Monday, February 2 - Introduction and Expectations. Course Outline. Text assigned. Essay Writing Workshop handout. Pre-read parts 1 & 2.

  • Tuesday, February 3 - Text sign out. Final Exam - Table of Specifications. Essay workshop material -- Parts 1 & 2. Begin PowerPoint for chapter 1. Do Essay Workshop Part 2 assignment. Video sidebar: For an excellent treatment of how technology is changing our world, see Tom Friedman's address at MIT, following up on his book, The World is Flat.

  • Wednesday, February 4 - Essay workshop material taken up, Part 3 addressed. Homework taken up. Continue PowerPoint (Chapter 1) . If time, we will begin watching Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth and questions. (Note: If this has been seen repeatedly by many in the class, I will move to an alternate video and update this blog.) Read pp.7-16. Do #1-5, p. 11#1-9, p. 16 and #1-4, p. 17.

  • Thursday, February 5 - Take up homework. Continue An Inconvenient Truth. Read pp. 17-22. Do #1-2, p. 17. #1-4, p. 21. (Have the assignment for Essay Workshop Part 3 completed for Tuesday. Video sidebar: For an alternative view, see The Great Global Warming Swindle. (You will need to do a video search for following segments.) You might also be interested in a follow up to this, a follow-up debate, starting with this episode (link to the following segments from the sidebar).

  • Friday, February 6 - Finish An Inconvenient Truth. Geography essay assigned. This will involve library and Internet research. Read p. 22 and do the "Further Thought questions, #1-2, on p. 22. Prepare for the Chapter 1 Quiz on Monday. Have the Part 3 assignment from the Essay Writing W0rkshop prepared for next Monday. Video sidebar: This year's United Nations Human Devlopment Report takes as its over-arching theme Climate Change. You will find the report's accompanying video interesting (choose your download speed and language).

History 12

Expect to write your first quiz on or about Tuesday, February10. All topic #1 work is due by 4:30 p.m. on this day. Essay #1 is a couple of weeks after the first unit ends -- my initial target date is Friday, February 27.

Comparative Civilizations 12

Expect to hand in this package next week -- probably Thursday or Friday. Click on my Egypt Video Directory to find links to online video resources on this Ancient land.

The Egypt package will be due on Wednesday, February 11 -- though we will start the next package on Tuesday, February 10.

Expect a unit test on the Ancient World at the end of February. I will post a breakdown of test marks on this blog as we get closer to test day.

  • Monday, February 2 -
Introduction. Expectations. Handouts: Course Outline, Why Study Art. Principles of Design. Terms. Intro to Civilization. If you get the chance, watch the 51 minute video by Michael Wood - Legacy; Origins of Civilization on Iraq.
  • Tuesday, February 3 - Art Analysis format and example. Egypt Package Assigned. Video – Legacy; Egypt; The Habit of Civilization. Work on package.

  • Wednesday, February 4 - Episode 2 – The Western Tradition (register with PBS - free -- to access this and many other videos.) Introduction to Ancient Egypt handout. Work on package. Work on the Egypt package.

  • Thursday, February 5 - Introduction to Architecture. Ancient Egyptian Architecture Powerpoint and Handout. Work on package.

  • Friday, February 6 - Egyptian Sculpture Powerpoint presentation. Work on package.
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