Monday, August 24, 2009

September 9-11




















Summer holidays have finished and a new school year begins.

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 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 8

We will begin with a Geography unit. Expect a unit test at the end of this, worth around 75 marks -- in about 3 or 4 weeks - it will be based on map reading and the use of your Canadian Oxford World Atlas. We will have a number of quizzes, worth 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 time 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 with at least 1 GB of space on it, and lined paper. Keep all of your materials, in order, in a section of a multi-course binder or in a smaller binder for this course only. Use section dividers between units and have a section in your binder for map work. You will need to save all of your notes to study from for the final exam at the end of the year, but you only need to have the current unit with you in class. I suggest that you keep your notes safe at home after completing each unit test.

Social Studies 11

The test for Ideologies/Parties/Elections is on __________. The mark breakdown is as follows: 30 multiple choice questions at one mark each; 10 identify the ideology of a statement questions at one mark each; four items to identify on a graphic element at one mark each; 5 definitions - write a sentence or two about terms or names that you are given - at two marks apiece; and two long answer questions from four options at six marks each. The test total is, therefore, out of 66 marks.


Social Studies 11H

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 -- 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.




History 12

Expect to write your first quiz on or about Tuesday, Thursday, September 16. The test is likely to have 15 multiple choice questions (1 mark each), 10 definitions, where I give you the definition and you provide the name or term (1 mark each), 5 definitions (2 marks each), and 1 essay (18 marks - 6 for composition and 2 x 6 for content). The total is, therefore 53 marks -- though I reserve the right to adjust the test, based on our progress in the first unit.

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 Tuesday, September 29..


  • Wednesday, September 9 -
Introduction. Expectations. Outline. Exam Specifications. Unit 1 Plan. Topic 1 questions. (World Map Blank 1914)
  • Thursday, September 10- Historiography and Historical Interpretation .
  • Friday, September 11 - Theories of History.
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