Wednesday, November 30, 2016

November 30

I went through the "recipe for success" for writing WRA II Essays. You'll be writing the Unit 2 WRA II Essay on Monday (December 5th). You'll be writing your Chapter 7-8 Test tomorrow, please see the study guide below.  Don't forget that your Unit 2 dossier research project is due on December 6th.

Please note the following upcoming key dates: 


  • Chapter 7-8 Test is on Thursday, December 1st (the study guide is below, scroll down to find it)
  • Unit 2 WRA II is on Monday, December 5th
  • Unit 2 Dossier Assignment is due on Tuesday, December 6th
  • Unit 2 Final Exam is on Monday, December 12th 



This test is on Thursday, December 1st. It will consist of 20-24 key terms in a matching section, and 3-4 short answer questions. Please study the following PowerPoint presentations:

  • "The Holocaust"
  • "8 Stages of Genocide" 
  • "Contemporary Examples of Genocide"

Please study the following notes packages/film study packages:

  • 36 Questions About The Holocaust
  • Turning Points in History: The Atomic Bomb (film notes)
  • White Light/Black Rain (film notes)
  • Shake Hands with the Devil (film notes + package)
  • Unit 2 Worksheet (chapter questions for Chapter 7 and 8)
  • make sure that you have read Chapters 7 and 8!

1. Please study the following key concepts/key people/key events:

  • crimes against humanity
  • genocide
  • war crimes
  • the Holocaust
  • ethnic cleansing
  • lebensraum
  • Weimar Republic
  • Final Solution
  • decolonization
  • successor state
  • self-determination
  • Wansee Conference
  • Nuremberg Trials
  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • Jawaharlal Nehru (1st PM of India)
  • Mohammed Ali Jinnah (1st leader of Pakistan)
  • home rule (desire for self-government for India)
  • Hutu
  • Tutsi
  • Romeo Dallaire
  • Manhattan Project
  • Hiroshima
  • Nagasaki
  • Robert Oppenheimer
  • FDR
  • Harry Truman
  • Potsdam Conference
  • Slobodan Milosevic

2. You should be able to answer any of the questions from the Unit 2 worksheet from Chapter 7 and 8.



We watched a documentary from the BBC 20th Century History series, the episode was called "Stalin and the Modernization of the USSR". I continued with the "Joseph Stalin and the USSR" PowerPoint, but you'll have to go through the rest of the lecture. Please keep on the look out in your e-mail inboxes for links to a series of Google Docs. Some of you will be able to edit the documents, whereas others you will only be able to view them. The Google Docs will require you to do some reading from the Authoritarian States textbook on Hitler and Stalin. 

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

November 29

I did my introductory lesson for essay writing today, with the emphasis being the difference between argumentation and evidence. You'll be writing the Unit 2 WRA II Essay one week from today (December 5th). I did a homework check on "Shake Hands with the Devil" and the Chapter 8 Key Terms and Questions. Don't forget that your Unit 2 dossier research project is due one weekend from today (December 6th)

Please note the following upcoming key dates: 


  • Chapter 7-8 Test is on Thursday, December 1st (the study guide is below, scroll down to find it)
  • Unit 2 WRA II is on Monday, December 5th
  • Unit 2 Dossier Assignment is due on Tuesday, December 6th
  • Unit 2 Final Exam is on Monday, December 12th 



This test is on Thursday, December 1st. It will consist of 20-24 key terms in a matching section, and 3-4 short answer questions. Please study the following PowerPoint presentations:

  • "The Holocaust"
  • "8 Stages of Genocide" 
  • "Contemporary Examples of Genocide"

Please study the following notes packages/film study packages:

  • 36 Questions About The Holocaust
  • Turning Points in History: The Atomic Bomb (film notes)
  • White Light/Black Rain (film notes)
  • Shake Hands with the Devil (film notes + package)
  • Unit 2 Worksheet (chapter questions for Chapter 7 and 8)
  • make sure that you have read Chapters 7 and 8!

1. Please study the following key concepts/key people/key events:

  • crimes against humanity
  • genocide
  • war crimes
  • the Holocaust
  • ethnic cleansing
  • lebensraum
  • Weimar Republic
  • Final Solution
  • decolonization
  • successor state
  • self-determination
  • Wansee Conference
  • Nuremberg Trials
  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • Jawaharlal Nehru (1st PM of India)
  • Mohammed Ali Jinnah (1st leader of Pakistan)
  • home rule (desire for self-government for India)
  • Hutu
  • Tutsi
  • Romeo Dallaire
  • Manhattan Project
  • Hiroshima
  • Nagasaki
  • Robert Oppenheimer
  • FDR
  • Harry Truman
  • Potsdam Conference
  • Slobodan Milosevic

2. You should be able to answer any of the questions from the Unit 2 worksheet from Chapter 7 and 8.



We watched an A & E Biography called "Joseph Stalin: Red Terror" today. I also showed you your marks on yesterday's test.



Monday, November 28, 2016

November 28

You wrote your Unit 2 WRA I today in class. For the next two classes I will teach you how to write the WRA II position papers. You'll be writing the Unit 2 WRA II Essay one week from today (December 5th).

Please note the following upcoming key dates: 


  • "Shake Hands with the Devil" post-viewing questions are due on November 29th (originally, they were due today, November 28th, but I forgot to take them in with my Period 1 class)
  • Chapter 7-8 Test is on Thursday, December 1st (the study guide is below, scroll down to find it)
  • Unit 2 WRA II is on Monday, December 5th
  • Unit 2 Final Exam is on Monday, December 12th 



This test is on Thursday, December 1st. It will consist of 20-24 key terms in a matching section, and 3-4 short answer questions. Please study the following PowerPoint presentations:

  • "The Holocaust"
  • "8 Stages of Genocide" 
  • "Contemporary Examples of Genocide"

Please study the following notes packages/film study packages:

  • 36 Questions About The Holocaust
  • Turning Points in History: The Atomic Bomb (film notes)
  • White Light/Black Rain (film notes)
  • Shake Hands with the Devil (film notes + package)
  • Unit 2 Worksheet (chapter questions for Chapter 7 and 8)
  • make sure that you have read Chapters 7 and 8!

1. Please study the following key concepts/key people/key events:

  • crimes against humanity
  • genocide
  • war crimes
  • the Holocaust
  • ethnic cleansing
  • lebensraum
  • Weimar Republic
  • Final Solution
  • decolonization
  • successor state
  • self-determination
  • Wansee Conference
  • Nuremberg Trials
  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • Jawaharlal Nehru (1st PM of India)
  • Mohammed Ali Jinnah (1st leader of Pakistan)
  • home rule (desire for self-government for India)
  • Hutu
  • Tutsi
  • Romeo Dallaire
  • Manhattan Project
  • Hiroshima
  • Nagasaki
  • Robert Oppenheimer
  • FDR
  • Harry Truman
  • Potsdam Conference
  • Slobodan Milosevic

2. You should be able to answer any of the questions from the Unit 2 worksheet from Chapter 7 and 8.



You handed in your USA-Canada Comparative Government Assignment today. You also took most of the period to write your Political Systems Test. I should be able to give you the results of this test tomorrow in class (please remind me). We'll be continuing our investigation of Joseph Stalin and the USSR tomorrow. Please print off a hard copy of the PowerPoint lecture "Joseph Stalin and the USSR" and bring it to class.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

November 24


We covered the issue of national self-determination today by looking at the issue of Kosovo independence. We talked about what it takes to be classified as an independent nation-state (recognition by other nation-states, internationally recognized and respected territory/borders, a sovereign government). You had the remainder of class time to work on your "Shake Hands with the Devil" post-viewing questions (due Monday) or your Chapter 8 Key Terms and Questions (due Tuesday). Please check out the important dates below, and the study guide for the Chapter 7-8 Test.


Please note the following upcoming key dates: 

  • Chapter 7 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow
  • Unit 2 WRA I is on Monday, November 28th
  • "Shake Hands with the Devil" post-viewing questions are due on November 28th
  • Chapter 7-8 Test is on Thursday, December 1st (the study guide will be posted this Thursday)
  • Unit 2 WRA II is on Monday, December 5th
  • Unit 2 Final Exam is on Monday, December 12th 



This test is on Thursday, December 1st. It will consist of 20-24 key terms in a matching section, and 3-4 short answer questions. Please study the following PowerPoint presentations:

  • "The Holocaust"
  • "8 Stages of Genocide" 
  • "Contemporary Examples of Genocide"

Please study the following notes packages/film study packages:

  • 36 Questions About The Holocaust
  • Turning Points in History: The Atomic Bomb (film notes)
  • White Light/Black Rain (film notes)
  • Shake Hands with the Devil (film notes + package)
  • Unit 2 Worksheet (chapter questions for Chapter 7 and 8)
  • make sure that you have read Chapters 7 and 8!

1. Please study the following key concepts/key people/key events:

  • crimes against humanity
  • genocide
  • war crimes
  • the Holocaust
  • ethnic cleansing
  • lebensraum
  • Weimar Republic
  • Final Solution
  • decolonization
  • successor state
  • self-determination
  • Wansee Conference
  • Nuremberg Trials
  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • Jawaharlal Nehru (1st PM of India)
  • Mohammed Ali Jinnah (1st leader of Pakistan)
  • home rule (desire for self-government for India)
  • Hutu
  • Tutsi
  • Romeo Dallaire
  • Manhattan Project
  • Hiroshima
  • Nagasaki
  • Robert Oppenheimer
  • FDR
  • Harry Truman
  • Potsdam Conference
  • Slobodan Milosevic

2. You should be able to answer any of the questions from the Unit 2 worksheet from Chapter 7 and 8.



After your current events quiz today, we continued our examination of the "Joseph Stalin and the USSR" lecture. Please remember that you have your USA-Canada Comparative Government Assignment due on Monday. You're also writing your Political Systems Test on Monday, November 28th (please see the study guide below).



This test is multiple choice format, with 55 questions. Please review the PowerPoint "Types of Political Systems". If you remember, I went through the democratic systems featured in this presentation (USA and Canada), but told you to study the non-democratic systems on your own. You're responsible for both democratic and non-democratic systems for this test.  

You're responsible for understanding the following key terms:


  • authoritarianism
  • consensus decision-making
  • direct democracy
  • military dictatorship
  • oligarchy
  • one-party state
  • party solidarity
  • representations by population
  • proportional representation
  • representative democracy
  • responsible government
  • democracy
  • single-member constituency (first past the post)
  • the Senate (Canada)
  • the House of Commons
  • the House of Representatives
  • the Senate (USA)




Please review the following as well: 
  • Democratic Systems (handout notes)
  • Non-Democratic Systems (handout notes)
  • Structure of Canadian Government
  • Structure of American Government
  • similarities/differences between the parliamentary system and presidential system
  • types of dictatorships
  • techniques of dictatorships
  • authoritarian systems
  • proportional representation concept
  • first past the post system
  • review political and economic spectrum grid

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

November 23


We finished off "Shake Hands with the Devil" today. The post-viewing questions are due on Monday, November 28th (you don't have to do the pre-viewing questions). You had the remainder of class time to work on your Chapter 7 Key Terms and Questions, which are due tomorrow (November 24th).

Please note the following upcoming key dates: 

  • Chapter 7 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow
  • Unit 2 WRA I is on Monday, November 28th
  • "Shake Hands with the Devil" post-viewing questions are due on November 28th
  • Chapter 7-8 Test is on Thursday, December 1st (the study guide will be posted this Thursday)
  • Unit 2 WRA II is on Monday, December 5th
  • Unit 2 Final Exam is on Monday, December 12th 



I started a PowerPoint lecture today called "Joseph Stalin and the USSR", a copy of this lecture is on the IB 20 wiki under "Dictatorships". You also got your textbooks for this unit. I'll keep chipping away at this massive presentation tomorrow after you write the current events quiz. Please remember that you have your USA-Canada Comparative Government Assignment due on Monday, November 28th.


This test is multiple choice format, with 55 questions. Please review the PowerPoint "Types of Political Systems". If you remember, I went through the democratic systems featured in this presentation (USA and Canada), but told you to study the non-democratic systems on your own. You're responsible for both democratic and non-democratic systems for this test.  

You're responsible for understanding the following key terms:


  • authoritarianism
  • consensus decision-making
  • direct democracy
  • military dictatorship
  • oligarchy
  • one-party state
  • party solidarity
  • representations by population
  • proportional representation
  • representative democracy
  • responsible government
  • democracy
  • single-member constituency (first past the post)
  • the Senate (Canada)
  • the House of Commons
  • the House of Representatives
  • the Senate (USA)




Please review the following as well: 
  • Democratic Systems (handout notes)
  • Non-Democratic Systems (handout notes)
  • Structure of Canadian Government
  • Structure of American Government
  • similarities/differences between the parliamentary system and presidential system
  • types of dictatorships
  • techniques of dictatorships
  • authoritarian systems
  • proportional representation concept
  • first past the post system
  • review political and economic spectrum 

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

November 22


We didn't quite finish watching "Shake Hands with the Devil" today, so we'll finish it up tomorrow. After we finish watching the film tomorrow, you will get the remainder of class time to work on your Chapter 7 Key Terms and Questions. Your Chapter 7 Key Terms and Questions are due on Thursday

Please note the following upcoming key dates:

  • Unit 2 WRA I is on Monday, November 28th
  • Chapter 7-8 Test is on Thursday, December 1st (the study guide will be posted this Thursday)
  • Unit 2 WRA II is on Monday, December 5th
  • Unit 2 Final Exam is on Monday, December 12th 




I did a quick review of the 20th century political spectrum (you should review the 19th century political spectrum and each spot's position on change), and the economic spectrum. You should review the economic-political grid tonight on your own. I also reviewed the principles of collectivism and the principles of individualism (principles of liberalism). I went through the basic economic problem facing all societies (scarcity), the basic economic systems (command economy, mixed economy, and market economy), the basic economic questions (WHAT, HOW, FOR WHOM), and basic economic values (GESSEF) for each economic system. You needed this economic groundwork laid down so we can start discussing the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin. We're starting our Authoritarian States unit tomorrow, which you will have to review in Grade 12 for your IB exams, specifically Paper 2.

Monday, November 21, 2016

November 21


We finished off the CNN documentary "Scream Bloody Murder" today. We then started our film study of "Shake Hands with the Devil". We will hopefully be able to finish off this movie in tomorrow's class. Your Chapter 7 Key Terms and Questions are due on Wednesday, November 23rd.


I are responsible for going through the rest of the "Types of Political Systems" PowerPoint. You can find this on the IB 20 wiki under the Democracies unit. I went through the democratic systems section last week, but you need to go through the non-democratic systems section of this lecture. I went through a handout today on non-democratic systems (dictatorships, single-party states). I also gave you a handout on totalitarianism. You also have a comparative government assignment due on week from today. You will also be writing a Social 30-1 style on democratic systems on November 28th, this test will be entirely multiple choice format with past Alberta Social 30-1 Diploma Exam questions.

Friday, November 18, 2016

November 18


We started a film study of a CNN documentary called "Scream Bloody Murder", which we will finish on Monday. We'll be moving on to our examination of the Rwandan Genocide. Please remember that your Unit 2 Dossier Assignments are due on December 6th. This would be a great weekend to get some research/work done on this assignment.




I started off with your long overdue current events quiz today. Your next current events quiz will be on November 24th because there's a PD Day on Friday, November 25th. I started a PowerPoint lecture on the "Types of Political Systems" which provides an overview of both democratic and non-democratic systems. I'll start in on the non-democratic systems on Monday.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

November 17


We finished off "White Light/Black Rain" today, and then I moved on to the "Eight Stages of Genocide". You will have to finish off the rest of this PowerPoint on your own time. You can find the presentation on the Social 20-1 wiki under "Unit 2 Presentations". Tomorrow, I will show you a documentary of genocides in the 20th and 21st centuries called "Scream Bloody Murder".


I picked up where I left off yesterday, by going into greater detail on first past the post (FPTP) system and proportional representation (PR) by looking at the 2008 Canadian federal election and recasting it using the PR system. I then showed a video that summarized the Canadian political system quite succinctly.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

November 16


We started our film study of the HBO documentary "White Light/Black Rain" today. We'll be able to finish it off tomorrow.




I finished off the electoral college video with you today. I'll probably have to go back to the American system to teach you the formation of the American political parties at a later date, but I needed to move on to the Canadian political system today. We covered the Canadian government structure today, similar to what we did with the American government structure yesterday. We'll continue with the Canadian political system tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

November 15


You spent most of this class in the library doing preliminary research on your chosen topic for your Unit 2 Dossier Assignment. If you are in my Period 1 class, we had to spend some time drawing lots and drafting topics, but you still had some time to find some books in the library and get some work done today. This will be the only class period that you will get to work on this assignment. Your Unit 2 Dossier Assignments will be due on Tuesday, December 6th.

This should help Social 20-1 students who are working on their Unit 2 Dossier Assignments. Of course, if you use Chicago or MLA, the citations may look different. 



Most of you will probably use Google for your image search. Just type in your image search term. I typed in The Holocaust. 





A bunch of different images will pop up. Just click on one that you like. I clicked on the first image and a pop-up screen will show you the image more closely. 



Click on "View Image". In the address bar you will see a specific URL for the image. This is what you need for your image citation. It should end in either .jpg or .png. or .svg or some other file extension that indicates that it is an image file. 



If you're working in Microsoft Word, click on the References tab. You can select the Style of citation here (MLA, Chicago, APA, etc.). If you need to insert an in-tezt citation, you click on Insert Citation. If you want to start building a Bibliography, you can Insert Citation or Manage Sources



You'll get a pop-up dialogue box like the one pictured below. I filled in the fields for the image that I picked. There are also online citation machines available as well, such as EasyBib (http://www.easybib.com/)





We continued our examination of the different types of democratic systems today by looking at the presidential system in greater detail.

Monday, November 14, 2016

November 14


I showed you a video from the Turning Points of History on the atomic bomb building project. You should have taken notes on this topic while you watched the video. I also introduced you to the Unit 2 Research Project. If you're in my Period 1 class we didn't get to the topic draft, so we'll have to do that tomorrow. We're booked into the library tomorrow to do some preliminary research on your chosen topic. Period 1 and 4 class: please come to my class first tomorrow, and then we'll go down to the library together (Period 1 after we do the draft).


We finished off the BBC documentary "10 Questions About Democracy". These questions, plus your printed of political compass. I next talked about "Types of Democratic Systems" today, but didn't quite finish it.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

November 10


You would have watched a documentary on the Nuremberg Trials today in class. This wraps up our investigation of the Holocaust. We'll be doing the draw for the Unit 2 research project topics in Monday's class. There's no school tomorrow because of Remembrance Day.


You watched a BBC documentary today called "10 Questions About Democracy". As you watched this film you should have completed the answers to the questions in the booklet provided. You also have a homework assignment this long weekend: you must go to http://www.politicalcompass.org, and click on "take the test". I want you to print off your results and bring it to class on Monday, your result sheet will look like an economic-political grid. You also have to complete the individualism-collectivism booklet for homework due Monday. There's no school tomorrow because of Remembrance Day. 

Wednesday, November 09, 2016

November 9


You finished watching "Schindler's List" today, and had a discussion after the conclusion of the film.


You reviewed the political spectrums that you were taught yesterday, and then built upon those concepts by learning the economic-political grid. You also learned the principles of individualism and the principles of collectivism. You were given a booklet today that you have to complete for homework, due Monday, November 14th.

Tuesday, November 08, 2016

November 8


You continued watching "Schindler's List" today, you should be able to finish it off in tomorrow's class.


You were introduced to Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau today with the PowerPoint "Introducing Government". You also reviewed the 19th century political spectrum, and were taught the 20th century political spectrum. You should also go through the Ideology Notes.

Monday, November 07, 2016

November 7


We started our film study of "Schindler's List" today, and you'll continue watching it over the next few days.


I started a lecture today called "Forging the New Republic", you are responsible for learning the rest of the content that I wasn't able to get to in today's class. This PowerPoint/Google Slide presentation is on the IB 20 wiki under "Nation-Building and Challenges".

Friday, November 04, 2016

November 4


I finished off the PowerPoint lecture on the Holocaust today. I showed you a documentary called "Genocide" as well. We'll be doing a film study of "Schindler's List" starting on Monday.


You wrote a short current events quiz, and then we had our four options debate on the Haitian Revolution. We'll be shifting our attention back to America on Monday by looking at "Forging the New Republic" (you can find this presentation on the IB 20 wiki under Nation-Building and Challenges).

Thursday, November 03, 2016

November 3


We started our study of the Holocaust (this comes from two Greek words, hólos, "whole" and kaustós, "burnt"; the Holocaust is also sometimes called the Shoah, Hebrew for the catastrophe) today. I'll continue my lecture tomorrow, and try to show you part of a documentary too. We're starting our film study of "Schindler's List" on Monday.


You wrote your French Revolution and Napoleonic Age Test today. Please remember that you have a current events quiz tomorrow, and the four options debate for the Haitian Revolution.

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

November 2


We watched an excerpt from "Saving Private Ryan" today to cover the Normandy invasion. We'll begin our study of the Holocaust tomorrow.




You had another period in the Blenheim Room today to work on your IA, and it seemed like collectively you were more productive. Please remember that you have your French Revolution and Napoleonic Age Test tomorrow, please see the study guide below. On Friday, you'll write a current events quiz, and we'll have our four options debate on the Haitian Revolution. Please come to class on Friday ready to debate!






  • know the causes of the French Revolution (short term, long term, economic, political, social, intellectual)
  • know the structure of French society during the Old Regime
  • know Napoleon's domestic policy
  • know Napoleon's foreign policy (Continental System in particular)
  • know key battles in the Napoleonic Wars (results of the Battle of Trafalgar, Russian campaign, the Battle of Leipzig, and the Battle of Waterloo)
  • know chronology of key events in the French Revolution
  • know the chronology of key events in the Napoleonic Age
  • know the key players at the Congress of Vienna (country and representatives)
  • what were the major decisions of the Congress? what were the guiding principles at the Congress of Vienna
  • know the 19th century political spectrum (please see the graphic below; values and characteristics of the various positions on the spectrum; what groups are represented on the various positions on the spectrum?; what phases/accomplishments of the French Revolution are represented on the spectrum?)

Tuesday, November 01, 2016

November 1

Better late than never...



You wrote your Chapter 5-6 Test yesterday (I'm in the process of marking it, it will take me a while to get both classes marked), and today we watched "Blitzkrieg to the Bomb". Tomorrow, you'll be watching an excerpt from "Saving Private Ryan" since we're looking at the D-Day landing on the beaches of Normandy.


You had time to work on your IA today, hopefully you took advantage of it. We're booked into the Blenheim again tomorrow, but please come to my classroom and then we'll go down to the lab together. Please remember that you have your French Revolution and Napoleonic Age Test on Thursday. We're doing the current events quiz on Friday along with the four options debate on Saint Domingue (Haiti).



  • know the causes of the French Revolution (short term, long term, economic, political, social, intellectual)
  • know the structure of French society during the Old Regime
  • know Napoleon's domestic policy
  • know Napoleon's foreign policy (Continental System in particular)
  • know key battles in the Napoleonic Wars (results of the Battle of Trafalgar, Russian campaign, the Battle of Leipzig, and the Battle of Waterloo)
  • know chronology of key events in the French Revolution
  • know the chronology of key events in the Napoleonic Age
  • know the key players at the Congress of Vienna (country and representatives)
  • what were the major decisions of the Congress? what were the guiding principles at the Congress of Vienna
  • know the 19th century political spectrum (please see the graphic below; values and characteristics of the various positions on the spectrum; what groups are represented on the various positions on the spectrum?; what phases/accomplishments of the French Revolution are represented on the spectrum?)