March 15-19

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

Please note: I am too busy to update this site right now and major revisions are needed now that GooglePages has been terminated and my work transferred to GoogleSites, which works differently.

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.

Cool tech tip for Google searches. Did you know that Google allows you to search in a mind-map format -- with the standard search still showing in a sidebar on the right. Here is a quick introduction toGoogle's "Wonder Wheel" search.

Sutherland has a license to access Discovery Education's United Streaming video collection. Students may download or stream videos from the collection by going tohttp://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm . Use the passcode posted in the classroom. I cannot post this online, but you can confirm the new number by looking at what is posted in the classroom.

Please note: North Vancouver schools have had a hold-back imposed on their supplies budget. As a result, I shall be handing out far fewer paper handouts in class than in the past. Fortunately it is all available here, online. Paper copies will be made available for many items only to those students who specifically request them because they have difficulty accessing online material. Help me save money for the school and also preserve forests by using online material as much as possible.

History 12

The Topic #3 Plan and Questions are also available.

Essay #2 is now posted. To save trees (and also save the school some money by reducing photocopy costs, I am now copying this material only if requested to do so. I am perfectly happy to provide you with paper copy, but even happier not to do so. Just ask -- no need to feel guilty.)

• Monday, March 15 - Complete From Lenin to Stalin (base notes) and do The Stalin Revolution; Industrialization & Collectivization (base notes). If you have an hour and a half, watch Stalin; Man of Steel , a critical treatment of the Soviet leader.
• Tuesday, March 16 -The Great Purge (base notes).
• Wednesday, March 17 - Complete The Great Purge (base notes) - includes a video clip on the Show Trials. Since we finished the Purge in record time -- I have a chance to give the lecture on Soviet foreign policy to 1939 (base notes) here. Video, probably Stalin and the Modernisation of Russia (sorry, unavailable on the Internet) or a substitution - which you could watch as optional enrichment if we do not use it: also Stalin and the Modernisation of Russia but not the same video. Other good supplemental videos include: Stalin; The Myth (Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5).
• Thursday, March 18 - Italy & Fascism (base notes). If you have time, watch Fascism in Colour: Mussolini in Power - with early colour (and colourized) footage.
• Friday, March 19 - Video: Make Germany Pay (Part 1, Part 2). Germany, France & Britain (maybe) in the 1920's (base notes).

Comparative Civilizations 12

The Rome & Byzantium Package is due Wednesday, when you also write the Ancient World Unit test. We will, however, begin the first Middle Ages Unit - Islamic Civilization - on Monday.

If you are interested in learning much more about Islam and have a couple of hours to spare, watch Islam; Empire of Faith, part 1 and part 2. This is really good and quite detailed. For a good, detailed, PBS documentary on the life of Muhammad, watch Muhammad; Legacy of a Prophet.

The mark breakdown for the unit test is as follows: 25 slide identification items, 25 multiple choice questions (1 mark each), 10 name the part on a diagram (1 mark each), 5 definitions (2 marks each), 1 essay (24 marks - 1 x 6 for composition and 3 x 6 for content). The total is, therefore, out of 94 marks. - there is a bonus possibility on the slide identification portion; there are three components for you to identify -- the creator, the name of the work, and the period that the work was completed in. Since the creator is often unknown in ancient works -- this part will be given as a bonus. Each component is worth 1/2 mark.

• Monday, March 15 -Islamic Civilizations Package introduced. Video: The World; A TV History; Islam. Handouts - basic beliefs of Islam . Also go to this University of Calgary site.) Be sure to visit the BBC's Religions & Ethics Site - Islam. Work on package.
• Tuesday, March 16 - Islamic Architecture PowerPoint. Work on package. If you have an hour and a half to spare, watch Paradise Found, a documentary on Islamic Architecture around the world.
• Wednesday, March 17 - Unit Test - The Ancient World. (See mark breakdown above.)
• Thursday, March 18 - Islamic Decorative Arts PowerPoint. Work on package. On your own time, watch Taj Mahal Mughals (8 minutes). Learn about the Mughal dynasty in The Mughals 1526-1707 (31 minutes) or The Mughals (91 minutes). Michael Woods The Story of India; Part 5; The Meeting of Two Oceans (59 minutes) is a terrific telling of the story of the Moslem age of domination in India - However, the video needs to be viewed from Veoh, which requires a download that interferes with the auto download feature of RealPlayer. This may be worth it if you like documentaries as Veoh carries many of them in full-length versions, unlike Youtube.
• Friday, March 19 -Video: What the Ancients Did for Us; The Islamic World.

Social Studies 11

Note: We have the pleasure of working with Mr. St. Laurent, a student teacher from UBC, this term. He completed his short first practicum in the Fall and is now with us for his long practicum. If the short practicum is anything to go by, you are in luck having him work with you.

I still have over-all responsibility for the class, but Mr. St. Laurent will do most of the teaching for the next couple of months. There is no shortage of extra help available to you between the two of us!

Find Mr. St. Laurent's lesson plans at:

http://mrstlaurent.blogspot.com/ .