Tuesday, September 30, 2008

September 30


I gave you back the results of your Chapter 3-4 Quiz today, as well as giving back your Part A In-Class Writing Assignments, and your Chapter 5 Key Terms and Questions. I gave you about 50 minutes to prepare and study for the Unit 1 Final Exam, which is on Thursday, October 2nd. I posted the study guide for the Unit 1 Final Exam on the blog yesterday, here is the study guide. You should be reviewing Unit 1 material tonight and tomorrow night, adding content to the wiki is not a bad way of reviewing either, so please have a look at the Collaborative Notes section of the wiki.


You wrote your Unit 1 Part A In-Class Writing Assignment today in class, you were given 10 minutes to brainstorm in small groups, and then 45 minutes to write your analysis of the three sources. I gave you back your Chapter 4 Key Terms and Questions today, as well as your French Revolution DBA Assignments. By and large, I think most of you did quite well on the DBA. I gave you the Unit 2 Worksheet, and I told you to start adding to your glossary by adding the Chapter 5 Key Terms to it. I didn't assign these key terms for homework. You have more review to do tonight, as you have your Chapter 3-4 Test on Thursday, October 3rd. The study guide for this quiz is below. If you want to find the Unit 1 Final Exam study guide please click on the link here, and then scroll down the page.

This quiz will be on Thursday, October 2nd. It will consist of a matching section (10 key concepts) and a short answer section.

  • make sure that you study the PowerPoint presentation "Contending Loyalties" (I have posted this on the wiki, look for it under Unit 1 Presentations)
  • make sure that you have read Chapters 3 and 4 (it is all testable material)
  • know the key concepts from Chapters 3 and 4 (please see the Unit 1 Worksheet for these or look on the wiki for the definitions)
  • study your answers to the Chapter 3 and 4 questions from the Unit 1 Worksheet (all could potentially be on the quiz)

Monday, September 29, 2008

September 29


I collected your "Bend It Like Beckham" film study booklets at the beginning of class (you get homework check marks for this, and I mark it too). I also collected your Chapter 5 Key Terms and Questions, which you will get back tomorrow. Most of the period was spent writing your first Part A In-Class Writing Assignments. You will be writing more of these as the semester progresses. Please remember that you have your Unit 1 Final Exam this Thursday, October 2nd. The study guide is below.


Unit 1 Final Exam will be Thursday, October 2nd. The format for the exam is entirely multiple choice. It will consist of 55 multiple choice questions, 60-65% of the questions will be "source-based" questions, while the remainder will be simply knowledge and comprehension style questions. In other words, the source-based questions will use political cartoons, timelines, a chart or diagram, a graph, a reading, a photo or a map, and you will have answer questions related to that source. The source-based questions will be difficult to prepare for. You must have a firm grasp of the concepts and key terms that were introduced in Unit 1, because that will allow you to apply the knowledge that you have to answer the multiple choice questions.

Please study your key terms from Chapters 1-5, and the topics covered in that unit.
1. Key Terms/Key Concepts in Unit 1:

  • globalization
  • pluralistic society
  • transnationals
  • society
  • “the global village”
  • United Nations
  • G-8
  • La Francophonie
  • NATO
  • individual identity
  • collective identity
  • traditions
  • minority group
  • official bilingualism
  • universalization of pop culture
  • hybridization
  • media transnationals
  • media consolidation
  • CBC/SRC
  • Official Languages Act
  • CRTC
  • Canadian Content (CanCon)
  • homogenization
  • monoculture
  • assimilation
  • marginalization
  • accommodation
  • secularism
  • integration
  • cosmopolitan
  • acculturation
  • cultural revitalization
  • Charter of Rights and Freedoms

2. Know your case studies extremely well!
3. Be able to apply key concepts! (see comments above)
4. Please review the "Challenges and Opportunities of Globalization" PowerPoint (it's on the wiki under Unit 1 Presentations)



We started in on Unit 2 material today, we looked at the Causes of World War I. I delivered a presentation/lecture on this topic, and then showed a short video on the "Doomed Dynasties" of Europe. Keep in mind that the three absolute monarchies of Europe that were featured in the film, the Romanov Dynasty in Russia (led by Tsar Nicholas II), the Hohenzollern Dynasty in Germany (led by Kaiser Wilhelm II) and the Hapsburg Dynasty in Austria-Hungary (led by Franz Joseph II) do not survive after the war. Tomorrow, you have your first Part A In-Class Writing Assignment. The three sources will all connect to one of the major themes that we've studied so far. I would look at big concepts like the differences between nation, nation-state and nationalism, understandings of nation, the differences between ethnic and civic nationalism, factors in the development of French nationalism (in other words, causes of the French Revolution), Napoleon's contributions to French nationalism, and the various contending loyalties: nationalist and non-nationalist contending loyalties.



One week from today, you will be writing your Unit 1 Final Exam. It is 75 multiple choice questions. Make sure that you have read Chapters 1-4 in Exploring Nationalism. Please make sure that you know the key concepts from Unit 1 (see below). Also review the PowerPoint presentations that you should have in your notes. They are also on the wiki under Unit 1 Presentations. These are the presentations that you should review:

1. Nation and Identity
2. The French Revolution
3. The Napoleonic Era
4. Contending Loyalties

Know the key concepts from the Unit 1 Worksheet (a lot of them have been defined on the wiki by your classmates, check under Unit 1 Key Terms). If you know the key concepts you'll be able apply them to test.

  • nation
  • nation-state
  • nationalism
  • patriotism
  • self-determination
  • sovereignty
  • sovereign
  • civic nation
  • civic nationalism
  • ethnic nationalism
  • collective consciousness
  • French Revolution
  • Estates-General
  • Louis XVI
  • First Estate
  • Second Estate
  • Third Estate
  • cahiers de doléances
  • Ancien Régime
  • bourgeoisie
  • feudal system
  • philosophes
  • Declaration of the Rights of Man
  • National Assembly
  • Tennis Court Oath
  • constitutional monarchy
  • Jacobins
  • Girondins
  • National Convention
  • levée en masse
  • Robespierre
  • Danton
  • Marat
  • Reign of Terror
  • Napoleon
  • Napoleonic Code
  • Continental System
  • contending loyalties
  • cultural pluralism
  • reasonable accommodation
  • sovereignists
  • federalists
  • royal commission
  • expressions of nationalism
  • non-nationalist loyalty
  • alienation
  • segregation

Friday, September 26, 2008

September 26


You wrote your Chapter 3-4 Quiz today, which took most of the period. You have your "Bend It Like Beckham" booklet due on Monday, as well as your Chapter 5 Key Terms and Questions. You will also write your Unit 1 Part A In-Class Writing Assignment on Monday, September 29th. Please check your e-mail, I've sent you an invite to contribute to a VoiceThread that allows you to analyze some sources, much like you would for your Part A writing assignment on Monday.


We looked at a case of modern ethnic nationalism today with the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, we will be talking about this case study in far greater detail in Unit 2. We'll be starting Unit 2 material on Monday. Please remember that you have your Part A In-Class Writing Assignment on Tuesday, September 30th. You also have your Chapter 3-4 Quiz on Thursday, October 2nd. The following week, on Monday, October 6th you have your Unit 1 Final Exam.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

September 25


For most of today's class I went over how to write a Part A In-Class Writing Assignment that requires you to analysis and interpret three sources. I've posted the notes that I wrote on the board into the wiki, look for it under Part A In-Class Writing Assignments. I gave you some upcoming important dates as well today (please see below). You have a Chapter 3-4 Quiz next Thursday (October 2nd), I'm posting the study guide below.


This quiz will be on Thursday, October 2nd. It will consist of a matching section (10key concepts) and a short answer section.

  • study the PowerPoint presentation "Contending Loyalties" (I have posted this on the wiki, look for it under Unit 1 Presentations)
  • make sure that you have read Chapters 3 and 4 (it is all testable material)
  • know the key concepts from Chapters 3 and 4 (please see the Unit 1 Worksheet for these or look on the wiki for the definitions)
  • study your answers to the Chapter 3 and 4 questions from the Unit 1 Worksheet (all could potentially be on the quiz)


  • Unit 1 Part A In-Class Writing Assignment is on Tuesday, September 30th
  • Chapters 3-4 Quiz is on Thursday, October 2nd
  • Unit 1 Final Exam is on Monday, October 6th (75 multiple choice questions)


We finished watching "Bend It Like Beckham" today in class. You must hand in the film study sheet that goes with the film on Monday, September 29th. Also on Monday, you have your Chapter 5 Key Terms and Questions due. You also have your Unit 1 Part A In-Class Writing Assignment on the 29th. I have sent you an invite to contribute to a VoiceThread that will give you some practice in analyzing sources. It's linked into the wiki, so it will update automatically in the wiki (look for it under Part A In-Class Writing Assignments). Speaking of the wiki, I've added some topic pages under Collaborative Notes that need to be filled in, if you're feeling ambitious, you could help out your classmates by contributing your notes and ideas. Please remember that you have your Chapter 3-4 Quiz tomorrow. Please click on this link for the study guide.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

September 24


I finished the presentation on "Contending Loyalties" in class today. I also took in your Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions. Your homework assignment tonight is to complete the Chapter 4 Key Terms and Questions.


I took in your Chapter 4 Key Terms and Questions at the beginning of class today. We continued watching "Bend it Like Beckham" and working on the film study that goes with the film. Please remember that you have your Chapter 3-4 Quiz this Friday, please remember to study!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

September 23


Please add me as an author on your blogs. I need to be able to post questions on your group blogs. I still have about 4 group blogs that need to add me as an author. I went through a presentation today that covers Chapters 4 and 5 in the textbook. I've posted this presentation to the wiki under Unit 1 Presentations. We then started watching "Bend it Like Beckham" at the end of class. We'll continue watching it tomorrow in class, and hopefully finish it. Your Chapter 4 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow. Please remember that you also have your Chapter 3-4 Quiz on Friday, so start studying! Also, please add some more content to the wiki. We need to keep up with our glossary of key concepts, and also the wiki needs work in the area of collaborative notes. In the Collaborative Notes section on the wiki, you could be creating pages to help others understand differences between concepts (as an example). I will be rating your participation on the wiki at the end of the semester, please make sure that you participate and contribute to this resource that could be a tremendous review tool at the end of the semester.


I basically went through part of a presentation entitled "Contending Loyalties" today. I'll continue with this tomorrow, and I'll get into non-nationalist loyalties tomorrow. Please read Chapter 3 tonight, as well as complete the Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions for homework. I'll do a homework check on it tomorrow.

Monday, September 22, 2008

September 22


I collected your Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions at the beginning of class (they were due today). I gave you back your Global Connections essays, and gave you the results of the Chapter 1-2 Quiz that you wrote on Friday. Please remember that you have a Chapter 3-4 Quiz this Friday, September 26th. The study guide has been posted here on the blog, and is also on the wiki under Study Guides. We then went to the Blenheim Room to complete the D2L Web Awareness activity. If you don't complete the quiz in this D2L shell (get 100% on the quiz), your account may be frozen at the school. Make sure that you have completed this task, you will need access to the school network this semester and next semester! Also, I had you set up group blogs as well today. From time to time, you will be required to do pieces of writing on your group blogs. Tonight, I'd like you to do a first post (every group member must post on your blog) on this question: Is globalization beneficial or detrimental to the world's cultures? Please keep in mind that this isn't a question that requires you to take a firm stand, you may see globalization's benefits as well as its problems in your response. Also, I'd like to be added as an author to your blogs. I made a mistake in class when I said that you should add me as a reader. From time to time, I will need to be able to post on your blogs. So please add me as an author! Thanks!


You handed in your French Revolution DBA Assignments at the beginning of class today. If you didn't hand it in today, I will deduct 10% off of your DBA. You also wrote your Chapter 1-2 Test today, which took most of the period.

Friday, September 19, 2008

September 19


You wrote your Chapter 1-2 Quiz for most of the period. If you finished up early, you had an opportunity to work on your Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions, which are due on Monday. You have your Chapter 3-4 Quiz on Friday, September 26th. Please see the study guide below. Have a great weekend!

  • Know the key terms from Chapter 3-4
  • Be able to answer the Questions for Inquiry in Chapters 3-4 (they appear on p.49, p.53, p.58, p.73, p.80)
  • Know relevant case studies from Chapters 3-4: the Francophones, the Aborigines and the Lubicon, as well as other relevant examples related to assimilation, marginalization, accommodation and integration


The French Revolution DBA Assignment is on the wiki. Check under Unit 1 Assignments.
We finished our discussion about the causes of the French Revolution (a nice review), and then we watched a little bit of History Bites (the French Revolution and Napoleon). You have your DBA Assignment on the French Revolution due on Monday (please make sure that you work on parts of this assignment each night, by now, you should be on Part C). This assignment will probably take you at least 4 hours to complete, so don't leave it all to Sunday night, especially since you also have your Chapter 1-2 Test on Monday. I've posted the study guide again below.

This test will be on Monday, September 22nd. The test has a matching section and a short answer section.

  • Make sure that you have read both Chapter 1-2 from your textbook Exploring Nationalism
  • Study Chapter 1-2 Key Terms from the Unit 1 Worksheet
  • Study your answers to the questions from the Unit 1 Worksheet for Chapter 1-2
  • Study the presentations: "Nation and Identity" (Chapter 1 material + supplementary material), "Shaping Nationalism: The French Revolution" (Chapter 2 material + supplementary material), and "The Napoleonic Age" (Chapter 2 material + supplementary material)


Thursday, September 18, 2008

September 18


We looked at expressions of nationalism today, and we also ranked five factors that contributed to the French Revolution from most significant to least significant. We will be discussing your opinions tomorrow. Please don't forget to study for your Chapter 1-2 Test, which is on Monday.


I collected your Illustrated Concept Map Assignments today at the beginning of class. It looks like most of you completed this assignment on time. We talked about advantages and disadvantages of media transnationals. We also talked about the CRTC, CAVCO, CanCon, CBC/SRC today, as well as cultural protectionism. I gave you lots of class time to work on your Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions (which are due on Monday). You have your Chapter 1-2 Quiz tomorrow, I hope that you're studying!!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

September 17


We watched a short video on Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, which is part of the Turning Points of History series. I then finished my presentation on the Napoleonic Era and the Congress of Vienna. I will be sending this presentation out in the next few days after I make some modifications to it. I also gave you an assignment today that is due on Monday, it's a DBA (Document Based Analysis) Assignment on the French Revolution. There are 4 parts to this DBA: What is the Third Estate?, Cahiers de doleances from the District of Dourdon, the Declaration of the Rights of Man, and La Marseillaise. You also have your Chapter 1-2 Test on Monday (here's the study guide, scroll down to find it), so you should do a little bit of the DBA each night, break up into parts. Please don't try to do it all in one night, your work will suffer as a result.


I went through profiles of four media transnationals today: AOL Time Warner, Viacom, The Walt Disney Company, and News Corporation. I will send the you notes on these media TNCs later tonight. We had a question and answer period on the Illustrated Concept Map assignment which is due tomorrow. I gave you some time to do your Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions in class as well, they will be due on Monday. You have your Chapter 1-2 Quiz on Friday (make sure that you're on time!), here's the study guide.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

September 16


We finished watching "Whale Rider" today in class, and had a brief discussion about the film. I will be starting Chapter 3 material tomorrow. You will be given class time tomorrow to work on the Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions, so don't worry about that tonight. You should use tonight to work on your Illustrated Concept Map Assignment, it's due on Thursday. On Friday, you have your Chapter 1-2 Quiz (please study!). Here is the study guide for this quiz.


I started a presentation today on the Napoleonic Era, which I'll finish tomorrow in class. Tomorrow, we'll be watching a video on Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 and picking up where we left in the Napoleonic Era, namely with the Congress of Vienna. It might be a good idea to start reviewing material from Chapter 1-2, since you have a quiz on Monday on this material. Here is a link to the study guide.

Monday, September 15, 2008

September 15


I collected your Chapter 2 Key Terms and Questions at the beginning of class. We began our film study of "Whale Rider" today, we'll finish this film tomorrow, and we'll discuss it as well. Please have a look on the wiki under Unit 1 Assignments for the marking guide for the Illustrated Concept Map. It is really important that you know how you are being assessed on this assignment.

For most of the class period we watched the Biography film "Napoleon: The Glory of France", as you took notes on a timeline of Napoleon's life. I uploaded the French Revolution presentation to the wiki this morning, look for it under Unit 1 Presentations. We'll be continuing to look at the Napoleonic Age tomorrow. We'll be looking at Napoleon's domestic and foreign policy tomorrow, and his disastrous Russian campaign on Wednesday. Please see the study guide for the Chapter 1-2 Quiz, which is next Monday.


This test will be on Monday, September 22nd. The test has a matching section and a short answer section.

  • Make sure that you have read both Chapter 1-2 from your textbook Exploring Nationalism
  • Study Chapter 1-2 Key Terms from the Unit 1 Worksheet
  • Study your answers to the questions from the Unit 1 Worksheet for Chapter 1-2
  • Study the presentations: "Nation and Identity" (Chapter 1 material + supplementary material), "Shaping Nationalism: The French Revolution" (Chapter 2 material + supplementary material), and "The Napoleonic Age" (Chapter 2 material + supplementary material)

Friday, September 12, 2008

September 12


You wrote your World Geography Test at the beginning of class today, which took about 30 minutes. I gave you the remainder of class time to read Chapter 2 in Perspectives on Globalization and to complete the Chapter 2 Key Terms and Questions (which are due on Monday), so hopefully you don't have that for homework. Please don't forget that you have your Illustrated Concept Map Assignment due on Thursday, September 18th, so this is the only weekend that you'll have to work on it. I would expect you to get most of the work completed on it this weekend, so budget your time! I've put up some examples around the classroom, so have a look. I've posted the assignment itself on the wiki, under Unit 1 Assignments, as well as the rubric, so please have a look at the rubric. It is VERY important to know how you are being assessed on this assignment.


You wrote your World Geography Test today. We then finished watching the History Channel video on the French Revolution. I think that the video should help pull your understanding of the causes and events of the French Revolution a little better. I want to point again that I have put a timeline of the French Revolution on the wiki, you can find a link to it under Collaborative Notes. We'll be starting our examination of Napoleon Bonaparte's impact on European history next week. On Monday, I will post a study guide on the blog for your Chapter 1-2 Quiz (which is on the following Monday, September 22nd).

Thursday, September 11, 2008

September 11


I did a homework check on the Chapter 2 Key Terms and Questions at the beginning of class today. I'll do a homework check on the "Nation and Identity" presentation tomorrow when we have a little more time on our hands. We started watching a History Channel video on the French Revolution. We'll finish this video tomorrow after you write your World Geography Test. Please check the study guide found in the September 8 post. Play some geography review games tonight! Please check the Collaborative Notes section of the wiki, I've added a timeline of key events in the French Revolution, which may be helpful to you.


I did a homework check on your first writing assignment in which you wrote about your global connections. I gave you time to work on your Chapter 2 Key Terms and Questions which are due on Monday, September 15th. Please study for your World Geography Test tomorrow. You will have your Chapter 1-2 Quiz next Friday. Please see the study guide below.

1. Study your Chapter 1 and 2 Key Terms

2. Review the case studies from the textbook in Chapters 1 and 2, specifically the Metis, the Francophones, the Hmong, and the Maori

3. Be prepared to answer any of the "Questions for Inquiry" from Chapters 1 and 2 (they are on the following pages: p.9, p.14, p.20, p.29, p.35, p.39):

  • How does globalization affect economic aspects of people's lives?
  • How does globalization affect social aspects of people's lives?
  • How does globalization affect political aspects of people's lives?
  • What is the difference between individual and collective identity?
  • What is the relationship between identity and language?
  • How does cultural exchange shape people's identities?

4. Make sure that you can answer the questions from the Unit 1 Worksheet for these chapters.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

September 10


I finished the presentation on the French Revolution today, I will be sending it out later tonight, so please check your e-mail. Please print off the "Nation and Identity" PowerPoint, I will be doing a homework check on it tomorrow. For homework, you are to do all of the Chapter 2 Key Terms and Questions tonight. The only key terms you don't have to do from Chapter 2 tonight are the last three on the list, which are part of the Napoleonic Era, which we have yet to get to in class. You have a World Geography Test on Friday, so please study. I posted the study guide on the blog yesterday, so please have a look at it. I'll put some links to some geography game sites below, so use them to help prepare for Friday's test.


I collected your Global Connections Map Assignment at the beginning of class today. I also gave you some time to do a peer edit of a classmates 1st draft of their informative essay. Some of you had an entire first draft completed, whereas other just had the first paragraph complete. The good copy of this essay is due tomorrow. I have sent you the rubric already, the rubric is also on the wiki. Please remember that you have your World Geography Test on Friday, I gave you the study guide in class yesterday, so if you missed class you need to get that from a classmate.

I know that I went over this in class, but I thought that I would put up some images that show you how to get on the wiki.

1. Go to pbwiki.com and click Log In



2. Enter the name of the wiki


3. Log on to the wiki (this picture is from the Social 10-1 wiki) by entering the username and password that I gave you in class.


Tuesday, September 09, 2008

September 9


I went through the study for your World Geography Test (please check out the geography games links below), which will be happening on Friday, September 12th. This test will be strictly identification of countries on a map of the world. I gave you a list of countries and told you to know where certain world capitals and capital cities were located. If you missed class today, you need to get these notes from a classmate since it's a fairly lengthy list of countries to put on the blog. Here's what the test will look like: you will have a map of the world split into two parts (front and back of the test sheet), the countries will be numbered off, on a sheet of loose leaf you'll write down your answers (identify the countries and cities). Please remember that your Global Connections Map is due tomorrow. Today, I also gave you your first writing assignment, you are to do a rough draft of your first paragraph tonight. If you do a rough draft of the entire informative essay for tomorrow's peer editing session that would be great. Please respond back to my original e-mail message (some of you haven't done this yet). I'll be sending out a rubric for this writing assignment by e-mail tonight, so check your e-mail. Remember the focus of this informative essay is "What are my effects on the world?" You should be examining the social, economic, political and environmental impacts that you have on the world, and positive and negative impacts that you may be having on the world. Here's a link to an article about the connection between the PS2 and coltan (I mentioned this in class. Something to think about. As consumers, are we always completely aware of what's going into the products that we buy? Also, here's a link to an article on Chiquita.




I continued moving through my presentation on the French Revolution. Today, we looked at some causes of the French Revolution (your textbook refers to these as factors that contributed to French nationalism). Tomorrow I'll probably finish off that presentation by looking at the Key Events of the French Revolution. I gave you some class time to go work on the Chapter 2 Key Concepts (you'll be able to work on them tomorrow as well). You will have a World Geography Test on Friday, please see the study guide below. I'm also posting some links to some geography games as well.


This test will take place on Friday, September 12th. It is simply a country identification test. You will be given a world map with certain countries identified and you need to be able to write out what country it is. Here are the countries that may appear on the test:

  • any of the EU countries (there are 27 countries in the EU, a map of the EU is in your textbook on page 265)
  • any of the NATO countries (there's some overlap here with the EU, but not all EU countries are members of NATO)
  • any of the G8 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom
  • full members of MERCOSUR: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and other associate members or countries that are achieving membership in MERCOSUR, such as: Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador
  • to ask you to know ALL of the countries in the African Union would be cruel, so we'll focus on countries that came up last year or will likely be in the news this year: Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Zimbabwe
  • other very important countries that will be in the news this year, or that we'll be talking about, or get mentioned in your textbook: Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica, Serbia, Georgia, China,
    India, Myanmar, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq,
    Israel
  • **BIG HINT: if a country is a member of a few of these international organizations then there's a STRONG possibility that they will be on the test!!**



Monday, September 08, 2008

September 8


Please check your e-mail! I have sent you a message!
I did a homework check on your Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions at the beginning of class, and then you got this homework assignment back at the end of class. I also did a homework check on your 25 item chart that was also due today. I gave you an assignment that built upon this homework assignment the game of Global Bingo that we played last week. I'm putting instructions on the blog here (just in case you didn't get this written down in class):

Here are some reminder instructions for the map:

  • People on the map should be represented by circles, color the circles and make sure there is a number beside each circle
  • Make sure that you have colored and labelled the 25 different countries (color the entire country), these countries represent the 25 items that you found for homework and put into your chart
  • Make sure that you have labeled every country that you or a classmate has a connection to
  • Choose different colors to represent your different categories (food, clothing, electronics, entertainment)
  • Make sure that you have a detailed key on the back of your map (reproducing your 25 item chart's information with color codes for the different categories)
  • Make sure that you have a title for your map
  • Make sure that you have a simplified key on the front of your map (color code for the different categories, and people)
  • No border is necessary
  • No compass rose is necessary
  • You don't need to color the oceans or bodies of water (if you feel the need to color them, simply do a blue outline of the land masses that touch the major oceans and seas)
  • Don't forget to color ALL of a country (for example, Alaska is part of the USA and should be colored, don't forget to color the islands in the Arctic Ocean that are part of Canada if you have a connection to Canada)

I also gave you your access codes to the wiki. Hopefully, we have a few pages of content put up on the wiki tonight, and I'd like to see you add to the Unit 1 Key Terms and specifically the Chapter 1 Key Terms (put them in alphabetical order too). If I see that people aren't voluntarily using the wiki I might be more direct in asking people to contribute (i.e. making it a homework assignment). Your global connections maps are due on Wednesday. Please make sure that you follow the directions!




I did a homework check on the Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions at the beginning of class, if you didn't get this back, it was because I was pressed for time to keep both sections at the same point in my lecture. I'll be working through this lecture for a few days, so I won't be sending it out right away. Please read the following pages in your textbook: p. 43-47, 50, 52-53. This will prepare you for tomorrow's class. If you feel like moving on to working on the Chapter 2 Key Terms or Questions, please feel free to do so. Just know that I've added some key concepts that aren't in your textbook. I'd like to see some work done on the wiki tonight, some additions to the Glossary and Unit 1 Key Concepts, maybe also some collaborative notes on the differences between a nation, a nation-state and nationalism, for example.




When I send you presentations, here is what I recommend that you do: keep an electronic copy of the presentation, preferably in an appropriately named folder. Next you'll need to print it off. I recommend that you print off 4 slides per page. Here's how you do it. Open the presentation up in PowerPoint, then go under File and select Print. Then set things up like the picture below:

Friday, September 05, 2008

September 5


We played a little "Global Bingo" this morning, with prizes to be awarded on Monday. The point of this activity was for you to meet some of your classmates, and to start discovering our global connections. I will connect the bingo game to an assignment that we will be doing next week. You have a couple of homework assignments to do this weekend: first, you have to create a chart with 25 items from 25 different countries. These 25 items should be broken down into at least 5 categories: food, clothing, electronics, entertainment, household goods, if your item doesn't fit into any of these categories put it in the miscellaneous category. Try split your 25 items amongst these categories, in other words, don't have 25 different food items. Your second homework assignment comes from your Unit 1 Worksheet. You are to complete the Chapter 1 Key Terms and Question from the worksheet. Both of your homework assignments are due on Monday. See you Monday!
  • 25 Item Chart is due on Monday, September 8th
  • Chapter 1 Key Terms and Question is due on Monday, September 5th




I finished off the presentation "Nation and Identity" today in class. I will try to send this to you next week, or possibly this weekend, depending on whether I get enough e-mail responses back from you. I gave you the Unit 1 Worksheet today and I assigned the Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions for Monday.I'll let you know when your Geography Test is next week.

  • Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions are due on Monday, September 8th


Thursday, September 04, 2008

September 4


With both of my Social 20-1 classes today, I gave you a course outline, a unit organizer (with all four units of Social 20-1 laid out in a web), and an organizational web for Unit 1. I then started a presentation called "Nation and Identity" which I will be able to finish tomorrow. I also got your e-mail addresses today, so please check your e-mail, and respond back to my message. Please check your junk mail folder too, just in case my message ended up there. You should read Chapter 1 tonight, at least up to where I left off, right before the introduction of the concept of a civic nation. I'll try to remember to give you your access codes to the wiki tomorrow.


I gave you the course outline today in class, and then we went through an activity where we looked at different definitions of globalization. As you can see from this activity, the debate as to whether globalization is a beneficial or detrimental process in the world today is a very controversial topic. We also looked at some visual examples of items that have a connection to globalization. I also collected your e-mail addresses. I will be setting up the e-mail distribution list tomorrow during my prep. I have set up user accounts for you on the wiki, which I'll give to you tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll be playing some bingo!

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

September 3

For all of my classes today I did a self-introduction, talked about my classroom rules and expectations (see post below), as well as rules for posting on the blog. You also did an in-class assignment of writing a friendly letter to me, which you handed in before the end of the class. Please have a look around the blog, and read yesterday's post as well.

Monday, September 01, 2008

September 1

I thought that I would post some of my classroom rules and expectations of behavior on the blog this semester. Also, I will also write down some ground rules for using the blog this semester.

I think that I have very simple, straight-forward classroom rules and expectations. I will be discussing these in class tomorrow, but here's a quick recap:
  • Please be on-task during classroom time (visit later)
  • No cell phones (as per school policy); if your parents really need to get in touch with you, they should call the office. Please don't bring cell phones to class, or if you do, please remember to turn them off!
  • Please don't listen to music on MP3 players or iPods during class time, unless I have given you permission to do so.
  • Be polite. You should be listening during class lectures or when your classmates have questions to ask (you might have some of the same questions).
  • Be on time. If you are late, please enter the classroom quietly and apologize for being late. If the door is locked, I have started the lecture or there is a class presentation in progress; I will open the door and let you in as soon as possible.
  • Clean up after yourselves. Please don't leave garbage on the floor. I like my classroom fairly neat and tidy.
  • Don't bring junk food to class. Healthy snacks only. Or you could always wait until lunchtime.
  • You may chew gum in class on the following conditions: don't chew like a cow, I don't want to see the gum or hear you chewing it, that's just gross.
  • Late assignments: 10% is deducted for every day an assignment is late. If you have an excused absence, then there is some flexibility with this rule.
  • Please make sure that a parent or guardian calls the school to have absences excused. If you miss a test due to an unexcused absence you will be assigned a mark of "zero".
  • I will be contacting parent/guardians if you have unexcused absences.
  • Please adhere to the school's academic honesty policy which is on the back of your course outlines.
  • If you are going away on holidays (please do not schedule holidays during examination periods in January and June), please let me know in advance. I can prepare materials for you, let you know what you'll be missing, and even give you handouts in advance. This way you won't feel "lost" when you come back from holidays.

Here are some simple rules that I have established for using the blog, and some other informational items:
  • Please post on the blog anonymously.
  • If you feel the need to identify yourself, or clarify which grade you're in, please use your initials and your class and section (for example, K.G. in Social 20-2).
  • Some of you may have your own Blogger accounts. Please don't post on this blog using your Blogger ID, otherwise you may have people visiting your blog that you may not want to see what you're posting.
  • Please be courteous, polite and respectful when posting comments on the blog. Don't be rude to your classmates on the blog.
  • Please be patient with my response time.
  • Please post comments and questions on the blog prior to 10 p.m.
  • Between 6-8 p.m. I am usually not online.
  • Please do not post links to questionable materials.
  • Inappropriate comments will be deleted. Please don't do this, it's a waste of my time, I could be doing more productive things, like answering questions that you may have.