January 11-15

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 as 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.

Sutherland has a license to access Discovery Education's United Streaming video collection. Students may download or stream videos from the collection by goingtohttp://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm. Use the passcode posted in the classroom. Please note that since renewing our licence, our starting access code for new users has changed and is no longer what was given on your course outline. 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 50% hold-back imposed on their supplies budget. As a result, I shall be handing out far fewer paper handouts in class. 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.

Social Studies 8

The term will end very soon, and we still have a fair amount to cover. We will move quickly, studying this material in less depth.

You may see several different spellings of words in the India and China units. This is because there are often two or more ways to write foreign words in English. If the sound is the same, the names or words probably are, even if the spellings differ.

• Monday, January 11 - Take up #1-5, p. 28. Watch the rest of What the Ancients did For Us; India - part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6. Read pp. 112-116. Do #1-6, p. 116.
• Tuesday, January 12 - Take up homework. Video on Akbar the Great - sorry, this is a video tape that is not available on the Internet. Why is Akbar considered one of the great figures in world history? If not in class -- or if you would like to learn more, watch Michael Wood's documentary: The Story of India, part 27, part 28. You might also consider watching this 30 minute summary of the Mughal Empire. Read pp. 28-31. Do #1-5, p. 31.
• Wednesday, January 13 - Take up homework. Watch Three Teachings - an introduction to Chinese culture and its roots in Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Why is it possible for people to believe in all three teachings at the same time? What do each of these belief systems focus on? Map Assignment: South and East Asia - 10 marks, due next class. Read pp. 31-36. Do #1-6, p. 36.
  
• Thursday, January 14 - Hand in maps. Take up homework. Video -- sorry this is unavailable on the Internet - on Shih Huang Ti (the Chi'in First Emperor). 1. How was the emperor able to unify China? 2. Why is he generally seen as an evil figure in history? 3. What great building project did he create? 4. How did he try to become immortal? Watch this film, Shih Huang Di as a substitute or to learn more. Read pp. 117-121. Do #1-5, p. 121.
• Friday, January 15 - Take up homework. Watch What the Ancients Did for Us; the Chinese part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6 (or watch in one part if you have Veoh installed on your computer). What great contributions did the Chinese give to the world. If we do not finish seeing this video, you are expected to do so for homework. Read pp. 121-123. Do #1-5, p. 123. Optional: Watch New Frontier; China During the T'ang Dynasty, part 1, part 2, part 3; also New Frontier; China During the Song Dynasty, part 1, part 2, part 3. A short amateur video on footbinding is also interesting.

Social Studies 11

I will run an additional optional class after school on Thursday after school - starting at 3:10 pm, on how to prepare for the Provincial exam. I expect it to run for between one hour and an hour and a half. This will either be in my room or upstairs in the media room in the Science wing (if more space is needed).

Expect a test on chapters 1-3 on or about Thursday, January 14. The mark breakdown is as follows: 65 multiple choice questions (1 mark each) and 2 from a choice of 10 long answer questions (6 marks each). The total value of the test is, therefore, 78 marks. 30 flash cards will earn you 5 bonus marks.

• Monday, January 11 - Take up #1-4, pp. 55-56. Chapter 3 PowerPoint. Read pp. 57-61. Do #1-8, p. 61.
• Tuesday, January 12 - Take up homework. Watch Hans Rosling's Chimpanzees Know Better, to see how countries and populations are and are not different around the world. Ch. 3 PowerPoint - be sure to do so yourself for homework if we cannot do so in class. Read pp. 61-70. Do #1-5, p. 64 and #1-2, p. 70.
• Wednesday, January 13 - Take up homework. Watch Gwynne Dyer's Escaping From History, & do the following questions: 1) What are living conditions like in Mexico City? 2) Why are people abandoning the countryside? 3) What does Dyer believe must happen for the developing world to get their fair share of consumer goods? Read pp. 70-73. Do #1-8, p. 73 and 1, 2, 5 and 7, p. 74 in "Further Thought."
• Thursday, January 14 - Unit Test, Chapters 1-3 of Geography. Read pp. 83-87. Do #1-3, p. 84, #1-4, p. 85, #1-2, p. 86 and #1-3, p. 87. Exam Prep. Session After School Today.
• Friday, January 15 - Take up homework. PowerPoint for Chapter 4. Read pp. 88-93. Do #1-4, p. 89, #1-5, p. 91 and #1-5, p. 93.

Social Studies 11 Honours

There will not be any further tests this semester. However, the remaining material remains fair game for the final exam.

I will run an additional optional class after school on Thursday after school - starting at 3:10 pm, on how to prepare for the Provincial exam. I expect it to run for between one hour and an hour and a half. This will either be in my room or upstairs in the media room in the Science wing (if more space is needed).

• Monday, January 11 - Take up #1-3, p. 231(blue text). Review of House of Commons - How a Bill Becomes a Law. The Senate – Pros and cons of present setup (Be sure to look at the Senate material at Mapleleafweb). Essay Writing. There will be an essay question on what shall be done with the Canadian Senate on the next unit test. Review handout - How a Bill becomes a Law.Video - Government in Canada; Citizenship in Action; Our National Parliament; the Inside Story and questions. Read pp. 47-54 in RedGovernment text. Do #1-4, p. 48 and #1-5 and 7 on p. 54.
• Tuesday, January 12 - Take up homework. Introduction to the executive branch. 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.
• Wednesday, January 13 - Take up homework. Discuss the role of the PM., Cabinet & the bureaucracy. Watch Yes, Minister episode. Read pp. 234-240. Do #1-4, p. 240. Assignment: Value 5 marks, Identify by name each member of the federal (national) cabinet and their department. This is an assignment, not a homework check, so accuracy is part of the mark. It must be handwritten.
• Thursday, January 14 - Take up homework. Overview of the Judiciary - PowerPoint - go to the section on the Judiciary. Read pp. 270-275. Do #1-3, p. 275. Exam Prep. Session After School Today.
• Friday, January 15 - Take up homework. Take up homework, #1-3, p. 275. Video’s on the court system. Comparison of Adversarial vs. Inquisitorial court systems. 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.

History 12

Remember, the final set of topic questions -- up to #62 are due on Monday, January11. I will also need final confirmation of whether you will be writing the Provincial or School final exam by January 15 - a sign-up sheet will be circulated.

Because of the lack of time remaining to cover all of the remaining material, I have decided to cancel the final (in-class) essay. Spend your time preparing for the final exam.Link to any grade 12 ministry exam material from here. Look at all of the material here. The more comfortable you are with the exam and its composition, the better you will do. Be sure to write the sample exams. Note: Many past exams can be found here.

• Monday, January 11 - Complete European post-war resurgence (base notes), possibly, begin the material on post-war Japan (base notes).
• Tuesday, January 12 - Eastern Europe Since Khruschev (base notes). Listen to Soviet era music - example 1, example 2, example 3, example 4.
• Wednesday, January 13 - Eastern Europe Since Khruschev (base notes). Listen to this version of the national anthem -- or this 1991 Rock version (cheesy).
• Thursday, January 14 - The Collapse of Communism and beyond (base notes). Lube's rock version of the Russian anthem (click here for atechno 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, Lube music videoset to scenes from Apocalyptica (Russian film of Afghan war).
• Friday, January 15 - Maoist and post-Maoist China (base notes). At home, watch the History Channel video Mao Declassified, which deals with the Cultural Revolution. Music videos give an interesting insight into Maoist culture. Watch Song of Dragon River I link to the first part).

January 4-8

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 as 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.

Sutherland has a license to access Discovery Education's United Streaming video collection. Students may download or stream videos from the collection by goingtohttp://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm. Use the passcode posted in the classroom. Please note that since renewing our licence, our starting access code for new users has changed and is no longer what was given on your course outline. 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 50% hold-back imposed on their supplies budget. As a result, I shall be handing out far fewer paper handouts in class. 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.

Social Studies 8

The term will end very soon, and we still have a fair amount to cover. We will move quickly, studying this material in less depth.

There will be a short test on the Renaissance and Reformation on Friday, even though we will move on to the next unit earlier in the week. This should allow students to study more for it and to work beyond the bell if more time is needed. We will write the test in the 2nd half of the class. Expect 25 multiple choice questions (worth 1 mark each) and one paragraph question (worth 6 marks). Flash cards are valued at 3 marks on this unit.

• Monday, January 4 - Reminder of Renaissance & Reformation test on Friday. Introduction to the Reformation. Video - The Protestant Reformation; Part 1 and Part 2. While watching, answer the following: 1. Why did the Roman Catholic Church face criticism in the 14th century? 2. How did the Church deal with critics? 2. Why were ideas spreading quickly during Luther's life? 3. Why did Luther criticize the Church? 4. How did he escape punishment by the Church? 5. What other reformers brought change to Europe? What did they believe? Read pages 147-150. Do #1-5, p. 150. If you are interested in the reformation and have a little time, watch one or more of the following BBC documentaries (1 hour each) The Protestant Revolution; Part 1; The Politics of Belief, The protestant Revolution; Part 2; The Godly Family, The Protestant Revolution; Part 3; A Reformation of the Mind, and The Protestant Reformation; Part 4; No Rest for the Wicked.
• Tuesday, January 5 - Take up homework. Video: Christianity - A History; Part 5; the Reformation. 1. How did the Reformation result in conflict in Europe? 2. How is the division of Christianity still evident in the world today? Read pp. 150-154. Do #1-6, p. 154.
• Wednesday, January 6 - Take up homework. Introduction to Indian civilization. Video: Legacy; Empire of the Spirit and questions. Read pp. 18-22. Do #1-5, p. 22.
• Thursday, January 7 - Take up homework. Introduction to Hinduism & Buddhism. PowerPoint on Hinduism and Buddhism. If time, we may see some video resources from the school library. Read pp. 22-26. Do #1-7, p. 26. For a very nice summary of world religions, see the PowerPoint Religious Realms from the University of Texas.
• Friday, January 8 - Take up homework. Watch What the Ancients did For Us, part 1 and part 2. Make a list of ancient Indian contributions to our world. Quiz on the Renaissance and Reformation. Read pp. 26-28. Do #1-5, p. 28.

Social Studies 11

Family History/Immigration assignments are due this week -- any time up to and including Friday. See December blogs for links.

Expect a test on chapters 1-3 on or about Thursday, January 14. I will post the mark breakdown on next weekend's blog update.

• Monday, January 4 - Hand in An Inconvenient Truth assignment. Complete ch. 1 PowerPoint. Begin Ch. 2 PowerPoint. Read pp. 29-31. Do both #1-3 on p. 31.
• Tuesday, January 5 - Take up homework. Continue Ch. 2 PowerPoint - Population & Demographics. (Introduction to demography and population growth. Population pyramids. Using the data on p. 46, construct population pyramids for these countries. Read pp. 31-37. Do #2, p. 36 - but use 2006 data from US Census Bureau's International Data Base - Canada Population pyramid, #1-2, p. 37 (Click on the following for a Nigeria population pyramid and a Japan population pyramid) Please note: The IDB has changed how it displays data. You will need to plug in the country name and date for each country -- then click on the population pyramid tab at the top of the page to access the population pyramid for each country -- It used to be easier to directly access the pyramid pages. Video sidebar: If numbers interest you, watch professor Malcolm S. Forbes, Arithmetic, Population and Energy.
• Wednesday, January 6 - Take up homework. PowerPoint - continued. Population theories – Malthus, Catton, Boserup & Demographic transition model. Watch Hans Rosling's What Stops Population Growth. Read pp. 37-41. Do #1-6, p. 39 & #1-6, pp. 41-42. Sidebars: Doom and gloom video, Doom and gloom text at DieOff.Org - read p. 15, an excerpt from William Catton's Overshoot; The Ecological Base of Revolutionary Change. Read a brief synopsis of Boserup's ideas from York University. Julian Simon was another writer who felt population growth is a good thing. Part of his book Population Matters: People, Resources, Environment, and Immigration is available online.
• Thursday, January 7 - Take up homework. Urbanization material on PowerPoint. Video segment andquestions on Shanghai, Changing China - Urbanization ). Look atGapcast #2 - Urbanization. Read pp. 42-45. Do #1-5, p. 45. Do the Further Thought assignment #1-5, p. 46.
• Friday, January 8 - Take up homework. Stewart Brand's City Planet and questions. Read pp. 54-55. Do #1-4, pp. 55-56.

Social Studies 11 Honours

Family History/Immigration assignments due this week -- any time up until and including Friday.

The test for Ideologies/Parties/Elections is on Friday, January 8. The mark breakdown is as follows: 31 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 67 marks. 5 bonus marks will be given for a minimum of 30 well-constructed flash cards -- Please give names and terms only on the front side, not questions!

• Monday, January 4 - Quick review of ideologies & parties. Party organization. As part of your homework, you must go to Elections Canada's pages entitled I Can Vote, with information for young and first time voters. Answer these questions. Read pages 109-115 in the red Government text and answer questions #1-3 & 5, p. 115. Optional: Click here to go to a list of all of the political parties, with links to their webpages.
• Tuesday, January 5 - Take up homework. Elections in Canada (Including handout) – The first-by-the-post system. (If time; proportional representation too). Read Government pp. 88-97. Do #4, p. 97. Research Canadian federal political parties. Which party would you support in the next federal election? Why? Find political party information at Elections Canada's registered political parties page.
• Wednesday, January 6 - Take up homework. Take up #1-3, p. 257 & #4, p. 97. Elections lesson (handout) – day 2. Various voting systems. BCSTVanimation. Assignment: What electoral system do you feel is best? Why? (due Friday. About 1 page).
• Note: No reminder of the test was given on Wednesday in class - though it was posted here, so I have decided to postpone the test until Friday. Homework each day remains the same, but the lesson is swapped from Friday to Thursday and the test from Thursday to Friday.
• Thursday, January 7 - Unit Test - Ideologies to Elections. Look at the Parliament of Canada website. Download, read and study from the Guide to the House of Commons. Read pp. 231-233 sidebar. Do #1-3 in the sidebar on p. 233.
• Friday, January 8 - Take up homework. Introduction to Parliament - focus on the House of Commons. Filmstrip & note-taking. Discuss the role of a member of Parliament. Online Handout – The Work of MPs (See also On the Job With a Member of Parliament) and questions. Read 226-231. Do #1-3, p. 231.

History 12

Remember, the final set of topic questions -- up to #62 are due on Monday, January11. I will also need final confirmation of whether you will be writing the Provincial or School final exam by January 15 - a sign-up sheet will be circulated.

Because of the lack of time remaining to cover all of the remaining material, I have decided to cancel the final (in-class) essay. Spend your time preparing for the final exam. Link to any grade 12 ministry exam material from here. Look at all of the material here. The more comfortable you are with the exam and its composition, the better you will do. Be sure to write the sample exams. Note: Many past exams can be found here.

• Monday, January 4 - Vietnam (base notes). You must watch the CNN Cold War episode, Vietnam 1954-1968 (Episode 11). On your own, watch Dien Bien Phu - a film of a little under 1 hour, on the decisive battle leading to France's withdrawal from Vietnam and the rest of Indo-China. Hearts and Minds is a documentary dealing with the importance of the importance of winning support for the war in order to successfully fight it. Vietnam; The Last Battle looks at the collapse of the South and the end of the conflict. Take 7 minutes to watch Last Word; Dith Pran - the subject of the stunning 1984 film The Killing Fields, which told the story of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. For a right-wing view of the Vietnam War, that opposes the interpretations of America's PBS history of the war (Vienam; a Television History -see episode 1 online - introducing the series, but mainly dealing with the French) currently the mainstream view, watch the Charlton Heston narrated Vietnam War; the Real History. This is a "cold-warrior" viewpoint.
• Tuesday, January 5 - Indroduction - music video A Walk in the Light Green (I Was Only 19). Vietnam War lecture material concluded (base notes). Video (as much as we can see in the time remaining): CNN Cold War episode, Vietnam 1954-1968 (Episode 11). Please watch the remainder if we are unable to see all of this in class. You MUST also watch one other episode from the series to see how the Vietnam war ended - Cold War - Detente (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5) - available on Youtube.
• Wednesday, January 6 - The USA (domestic) Since 1945 (base notes). Note: look at Britain's SchoolHistory's revision material for this topic. Look at Susan Pojer's PowerPoint on 1950's America. Watch this short video (7 minutes) with images and protest songs (mostly Bob Dylan) about the civil rights movement. Watch the 11 minute video of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. See other Civil Rights videos at the PBS site - Eyes on the Prize. Link back for other material.
• Thursday, January 7 - USA (domestic) Since 1945 - continued.
• Friday, January 8 - 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.

December 19-January 4

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 as 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.

Sutherland has a license to access Discovery Education's United Streaming video collection. Students may download or stream videos from the collection by goingtohttp://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm. Use the passcode posted in the classroom. Please note that since renewing our licence, our starting access code for new users has changed and is no longer what was given on your course outline. 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 50% hold-back imposed on their supplies budget. As a result, I shall be handing out far fewer paper handouts in class. 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.

Classes are not in session until January 4 -- however, any students with missing assignments should be completing them to submit when we return.

Social Studies 11 and Social Studies 11 Honours both have the "Immigration/Family History Assignment" due the Friday of the week we return to classes (With additional options forInternational and First Nations students). Pedigree sheet. Map blank -- click to a resource on my Social Studies 11 History web page to locate an appropriate blank map to work with.

Social Studies 11 also has to complete watching Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. Your job while watching this film is to: 1) Identify Gore's thesis in this film. 2) List the evidence he cites to prove his thesis. 3) Explain why Gore convinced you or did not convince you that we must take immediate action to deal with climate change. You will hand in your notes on the Monday when we return from the Christmas break -- they will be evaluated out of 10 marks for content (parts 1 & 2) and thoughtfulness (part 3).

Happy New Year to overyone.

December 14-18

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 as 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.

Sutherland has a license to access Discovery Education's United Streaming video collection. Students may download or stream videos from the collection by goingtohttp://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm. Use the passcode posted in the classroom. Please note that since renewing our licence, our starting access code for new users has changed and is no longer what was given on your course outline. 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 50% hold-back imposed on their supplies budget. As a result, I shall be handing out far fewer paper handouts in class. 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.

Social Studies 8

The next test on the Renaissance and Reformation will not be until after Christmas. I will post the week plan for the first week back during the Christmas holidays -- probably after Christmas itself.

• Monday, December 14 - Take up #1-5, p. 143. Introduction to Medieval Art -- Perspective. Video clip from The Story of Maths (Episode 3 - part 1 of 5 - just the first 3 minutes) - BBC Renaissance & the Frontiers of Space, then James Burke's The Day the Universe Changed; Point of View. Video: Sister Wendy's The Story of Painting. Homework: Pick one Renaissance painting and explain why you either really like it or really dislike it. If you do not have access to the Internet or to art history books, you could choose one from p.p. 134, 138, 140, 141, or 142 of Patterns of Civilization II. You might like the short video on Renaissance art History from historyofpainters.com. Interested in drawing or painting? Watch The Illusion of Depth to learn how to use a variety of techniques to show depth in a two dimensional image..
  
• Tuesday, December 15 - Take up homework. We took much longer than expected yesterday and had some technical problems at the end. Consequently we will see yesternday's videos today. If time, we will look at the 3 Davids - Donatello's, Verrochio's and Michelangelo's. Note that realism in sculpture had a powerful effect on realism in painting. Read pp. 143-147. Do #1-4, p. 147.
• Wednesday, December 16 - Take up homework. Begin watching Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet (Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11, part 12, part 13, part 14, part 15 - sorry - the link to part 14 is not present). Romeo & Juliet Assignment. Due Friday - If we do not finish the video in class Thursday, we will complete it Friday and the assignment will become an in-class project, with the Friday lesson material dropped to allow time for completion).
• Thursday, December 17 - Watch Romeo & Juliet (see links in Wednesday, above) and assignment.
• Friday, December 18 - If we did not complete the movie last class, we will do so today and you will have this time to complete the Romeo & Juliet assignment. If we finished the film yesterday, the assignment is due today and we will move on to the following material: Filmstrip(s) from the National Geographic Renaissance series and play around with the Shakesperian Insult Kit.
  

Social Studies 11

The test on Post-War Canada is on Tuesday this week. The test will be arranged roughly as follows: 43 multiple choice questions (1 mark each), 5 definitions (2 marks each) and a choice of 3 from 5 choices (6 marks each). The test is, therefore, out of 71 marks. 30 flash cards are needed to earn 5 marks.

There is a major research assignment currently underway, the Family History - Immigration Assignment (With additional options for International and First Nations students.) Pedigree sheet. Map blank -- click to a resource on my Social Studies 11 History web page to locate an appropriate blank map to work with. The due date for this work is not until right after the Christmas holidays, to allow plenty of time for research and discussion with family members.)

We have just started the Geography portion of this course. We are using our in-house textbook, The 21st Century World. This book is available online at http://www.design4effect.com/soc11 . Click here to read chapter 1. It is a number of years since this was created, so I offer apologies in advance for dead links. Until a 36 hour day is available, I am unable to update it all unless I am offered significant help doing so.

To save precious class time, we will not test every chapter; chapters 1, 2 & 3, and 4 & 5 will be grouped into single tests after Christmas. I will post mark breakdowns after Christmas.

Read my Tips for Writing the Social Studies 11 Provincial Exam.

Over Christmas it is important to begin preparation for your Provincial Final Exam. Go to the Ministry website and look at the exam table of specifications, familiarize yourself with key exam terms, access past exams and answer keys, and look at the essay scoring criteria to see how your essays will be marked.

• Monday, December 14 - Complete the PowerPoint on Native Land Claims. Pick up Red Government text book. Sign out The Twenty-First Century World. Read pp. 6-11. Do #1-5, p. 11.
• Tuesday, December 15 - Unit Test on Canada since 1945.
• Wednesday, December 16 - Take up #1-5, p. 11. Introduce Geography portion of the course. PowerPoint for Ch. 1 - Geography. Read pp. 12-16. Do #1-9, p. 16 & #1-4, pp. 16-17.
  
• Thursday, December 17 - Complete to end of "Gloabal Warming" frames in One World PowerPoint. Begin watching Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. Your job while watching this film is to: 1) Identify Gore's thesis in this film. 2) List the evidence he cites to prove his thesis. 3) Explain why Gore convinced you or did not convince you that we must take immediate action to deal with climate change. You will hand in your notes on the Monday when we return from the Christmas break as we will still be watching the film on Friday -- they will be evaluated out of 10 marks for content (parts 1 & 2) and thoughtfulness (part 3). Read pp. 17-20. Do #1-2, p. 17 & #1-4, p. 21.
  
• Friday, December 18 - Take up homework. Complete watching An Inconvenient Truth. Complete Thursday's assignment for the Monday when we return.

Social Studies 11 Honours

The unit test on the final History unit - Post-War Canada is Monday. The mark breakdown is as follows: 43 multiple choice questions (1 mark each), 5 definitions (2 marks each) and a choice of 3 from 5 choices (6 marks each). The test is, therefore, out of 71 marks. 30 flash cards are needed to earn 5 marks.

• Monday, December 14 - Unit Test on Post-War Canada. Complete the "Government" homework assigned on Friday: What is Government. Read pp. 2-6 in the Government text and do #1-4, p. 6.
  
• Tuesday, December 15 - Take up homework. Introduction to Ideologies. Origins and the Political Spectrum. Read pp. 7-15. Do #1-5, p. 11 & #1-6, pp. 15-16. To identify your own ideology, take the online Political Compass quiz.
• Wednesday, December 16 - Take up #1-5, p. 11 & #1-6, pp. 15-16 and the ideologies practice sheet. Survey of who took the Political Compass quiz - if you did not do this over the weekend, you must do so for Tuesday's class. Video clip. PowerPoint – “Ideologies”. Other ways to show political spectrum & Ideologies summary sheet. Practice with ideologies. Smith & Marx handout (online only due to paper restrictions). The following reading is completely optional: For an interesting American article on the difference between Lefties and Righties, see Patricia Cohen's New York Times Article: "Across the Great Divide; Investigating Links Between Personality and Politics."
  
• Thursday, December 17 - Take up homework. Lecture/discussion – from ideologies to political parties – national parties in Canada. Read Counterpoints pp. 255-258. Do #3 & 4, p. 258. For homework over the last weekend, you took an online quiz to identify your political viewpoint. To see which Canadian political party comes closest to your views (2005 comparison - according to this organization), link here and see if this is what you expected. Interested in pursuing this further? Try some more tests -- mostly American -- to see where you stand.
• Friday, December 18 - Take up homework. Placing parties on the political spectrum. Ideologies video. More practice with ideologies. . Read Government pp. 88-97. Do #4, p. 97.

History 12

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 difference is that the provincial has twice as much weight. Design and composition of the tests are virtually identical.

Link to any grade 12 ministry exam material from here. Look at all of the material here. The more comfortable you are with the exam and its composition, the better you will do. Be sure to write the sample exams over the Christmas Break.

Be sure to look at some of the documentaries listed in my Googlevideo and Youtube Cold War directory.

• Monday, December 14 - Begin video Mr. Kennedy & Mr. Khrushchev (sorry, not available online). If time, Begin the Cuban Missile Crisis (base notes). Be sure to watch CNN's Cold War; Episode 10; Cuba 1959-1962.
• Tuesday, December 15 - The Cuban Missile Crisis (base notes). If you have almost two hours available, get in the mood for Wednesday's lecture on nuclear war by viewing Threads, a British docudrama from the 1980s about a nuclear war -- banned from British TV at the time, it is a highly praised production that gives a frightening, but important view of what such a war might be like. For a straight-forward documentary 0n what would happen to a city hit by a nuclear bomb, watch Nuclear War; A Guide to Armageddon - this links to the first episode, go to the sidebar to link to the other segments. You might also look at Defcon 2 - Cuban Missile Crisis (Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6).
• Wednesday, December 16 - Deterrence & Nuclear War (base notes). See Robert McNamara's comments on nuclear war. Watch CNN's Cold War; M.A.D. to see terrific coverage of the nuclear conflict between 1960-1972.
• Thursday, December 17 - Complete material on Deterrence & Nuclear War. Begin British & French Decolonization in Africa & Asia (base notes).
• Friday, December 18 - Continue British & French Decolonization (base notes). Begin Indochina & Vietnam (base notes). Watch the first part of a video on Kwame Nkrumah -- which gives a 4 minute background to African decolonization. Watch the podcast of David Newsome of the University of Virginia on "The Imperial Mantle; Decolonization and the Third World" for excellent treatment of the subject by an extremely keen observer -- a talking head, but a clever one.