June 1-5

The Graduation Ceremony is over and my life can return to some a semblance of normalcy.

Thank you for your patience over the last couple of weeks.

As of Monday, there are 10 classes left (8 for C.Civ. 12 as your final exam is during the last two classes. Now is the time to begin preparing for the final examination.

1) Be sure all assignments are complete.
2) Start studying for the final.

Use this blogsite to see what work we will be doing and note homework assignments. I will give advance warning about tests here and inform you of their mark breakdown. Things 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. If something is underlined on the blog, it means that you can click on it to see a copy -- 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 is no reason for you not to know what is happening. If you do not have an Internet connection, you 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 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 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.

Social Studies 11 Honours

To save time, I will test "Government" as a single unit in, probably, the 2nd from last class. This will be a very big test with an extensive multiple-choice component. The subjective section of the exam will have to be shorter than usual to allow for this -- but you will need to study for subjective writing for the final exam in any case. A minimum of 50 flash cards will be needed to earn 5 bonus marks for this test. I will post the mark breakdown when I've written the test.

• Monday, June 1 - Reminder of Senate outline due Tuesday and political party essay due Wednesday. Discussion of Senate issues and past suggestions for reform. The role of the Queen/Governor General and Prime Minister. Read “Constitutional Monarchy” on p. 222-224 & "The Governor General" 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; see Citizens 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.
• Tuesday, June 2 - Hand in Senate essay outline. Take up homework. Discuss the role of the PM., Cabinet & the bureaucracy. Discuss lobbying -- how to influence the government to pass favourable laws. We will look at the background material for, but not do, the lobbying assignment. Read pp. 258-267. Do #1-2, p. 264. Do #1-3, p. 267.
• Wednesday, June 3 - Take up homework. Overview of the Judiciary - PowerPoint - go to the section on the Judiciary. Comparison of Adversarial and Inquisitorial systems. Read pp. 270-275. Do #1-3, p. 275.
  Thursday, June 4 - Take up homework. Video’s on the court system. Create a chart showing the hierarchy of BC courts. 2. Identify the positions of court officians and note the roles that they play. Read pp. 277-288. Do #1-3, p. 280, & 1 & 4, p. 288. Please bring your red Government text to class next day -- along with your blue text.
• Friday, June 5 - Take up homework. Introduce concept of Human rights – examine text p. 294. List what you expect fundamental rights to be in Canada - Think-Pair-Share. Use Government text p. 60 to list Schweitzer’s list of fundamental rights. Government text pp. 152-158. Examine the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - see PowerPoint; The Constitution. Summarize each of the key sections in your notes. Effect of passing the Charter on Canadian law -- all laws in Canada must conform unless passed using the notwithstanding clause or if they can withstand a challenge based on their being within reasonable limits. If we did not go over essay writing last class, we will do so today. Read pp. 292-312. Do #1, p. 297, #2-3 sidebar p. 303, #1 & 3, p. 304, #3, p. 308 & #2, p. 312.

History 12

The Plan for the final unit is available, as are the questions. Essay #3 is now overdue. We delayed the due date for the questions until this week. I expect them by Wednesday -- up to #50; this is reduced from the original requirement of #62. They will be marked out of 30. It is essential that you complete the rest of the questions to study for the final. I have to submit a year end class mark for you before the course is finished, so this is why I will not collect the remainder.

Remember, it is essential that you start preparing for the final exam -- whether you write the school or provincial exam, preparation is identical. The only real differnce is that the provincial has twice as much weight: 40% of your over-all mark if you take the Provincial and 20% if you take the school exam. The school exam will mirror the Provincial in layout and content. The best way to prepare for this exam is to actually write a previous exam. Link to any grade 12 minstry exam material from here or directly to the History page. Look at all of the material here - make sure you look at the table of specifications to see where the marks will be assigned. The key verbs used on the exam ensures you know what you are being asked to do, and the scoring criteria tells you what the markers are basing their marks on. The more comfortable you are witht the exam and its composition, the better you will do. Be sure to write the sample exams.

• Monday, June 1 - USA Domestic since 1945 (1980 or so today) - from base notes. Begin Economic Resurgence in Western Europe (base notes). Watch this short American video clip on America's reasons for launching the Marshall Plan (1 1/2 minutes). For a look at British 1980's cynicism about European cooperation, watch this 4 minute segment from Yes, Minister. The opposing view can be seen in this short pro-European Union animation (3 minute) made to explain the EU to the British public. Introductory video: European Union; 50 Years in 5 Minutes.
• Tuesday, June 2 - Complete Monday material if unfinished. Economic Resurgence in Japan (base notes).
• Wednesday, June 3 - Eastern Europe Since Khruschev (base notes). Listen to Soviet era music - example 1, example 2, example 3, example 4.
• Thursday, June 4 - Eastern Europe Since Khruschev (base notes). Listen to this version of the national anthem -- or this 1991 Rock version (cheesy).
• Friday, June 5 - The Collapse of Communism and beyond (base notes). Lube's rock version of the Russian anthem (click here for a techno version - or, more energetically mixed). Watch an NBC news summary of the 1991 Soviet coup attempt (under 8 minutes). If you have time, watch the CNN Cold War; Soldiers of God episode -- on the Soviet experience in Afghanistan -- topical given Canada's involvement there today. Charlie Rose's 1996 interview with Gorbachev is fascinating, dealing with his experiences and thoughts about Russia. Post Soviet Music videos: example 1, example 2, example 3, example 4, example 5, Lube music video set to scenes from Apocalyptica (Russian film of Afghan war).

Comparative Civilizations 12

The Mannerism and Reformation small packages should be handed in by Wednesday.

I have changed my mind again about testing. With so little time left, and not wanting to use three entire blocks for testing in the final week. We will have a Renaissance to Reformation test on Friday, June 5. Baroque material will be on the final exam and not a unit test.

The unit test will have the following mark breakdown: 20 Slide Identification - identify the art work and artist (40 marks); 45 multiple choice questions (45 marks) and 3 from a choice of 6 long answer questions (18 marks). The total value of the test is, therefore, 101 marks.

• Monday, June 1 - The final package is assigned - Grandeur & Obedience and the Light of Experience. Remember, your mini-units on Mannerism & the Reformation are due on Wednesday.
• Tuesday, June 2 - Two filmstrips: Grandeur and Obedience (see the full Kenneth Clark video online) and The Light of Experience (available online as a single upload at Youku - also available in chunks on Youtube). Work on packages.
• Wednesday, June 3 - Video: Art of the Western World; Realms of Light, on Baroque art. Work on packages. Mannerism & Reformation mini-packages due today.
• Thursday, June 4 - Bernini - Powerpoint. Work on final package. See Simon Schama's ThePower of Art; Bernini - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9. Note: Schama is a brilliant historian who also happens to love art. Study of Renaissance to Reformation test.
• Friday, June 5 - Renaissance to Reformation test.