Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Classroom Rules and Expectations


I think that I have very simple, straight-forward classroom rules and expectations. I will be discussing these in class, 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.
  • DO NOT go on 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 10-2).
  • 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.

Friday, June 11, 2010

June 11


I gave you back the results of the Comprehensive Final Exam and your marks heading into the Diploma Exam. I will have drop-in hours next week (except on Monday, I'm supervising English 30-1) if you have questions. You could also send me an e-mail if you have a question or post a comment in the discussion thread above. I am also offering a Diploma Exam Review Session on Wednesday, June 23 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. This will be a structured review to help you with Part B of your Diploma Exam.


We played a review game of Jeopardy today. I have sent this PowerPoint game to you by e-mail. If you have any exam-related questions next week, please come see me in my classroom (except on Monday the 14th, I'm supervising English 30-1). You could also send questions by e-mail (to my CBE mail account) or post a comment in the discussion thread above.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

June 10


You wrote Part A of your Final Exam in the Blenheim Room today. We'll be playing a game of Jeopardy tomorrow to review a little bit of the course material. I will give you your seat assignment for the Final Exam tomorrow.


You wrote your Comprehensive Final Exam today. You will find out the result tomorrow, and what impact it had on your mark.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

June 9


You broke into small groups today to brainstorm arguments and evidence related to a text-based source (similar to what you would encounter on an essay). After we brainstormed and recorded the ideas, I split you into two large groups, one arguing in favour of the perspective in the source and the other against it. In these larger groups you thwn had to decide what arguments you would develop and what group members would responsible for their development. Both classes put together an essay outline, which I have sent to you by e-mail. Have a look at it tonight. You have Part A of your Final Exam tomorrow. Please go directly to the Blenheim Room tomorrow morning.


We finished off formulating arguments and evidence for yesterday's economics-themed essay, and today we looked at a source that a more political theme to it. I broke you into five groups and each group was responsible for developing its own essay outline. I collected the outlines at the end of class, I will scan them and send them to you tonight. I have sent the economics-themed essay outline to you, so please look for it. You have your Social 30-1 Comprehensive Final Exam tomorrow. Be prepared!

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

June 8


I split you into small groups to brainstorm arguments and examples for an economics-themed essay. Of course the text-based source will be different on your Diploma Exam, but I think it's useful to get into positional thinking and generating arguments and potential evidence so that if you were given an essay with a similar theme you might be able to write on the subject. We'll finish this essay outline tomorrow, and then we'll move on to a political-themed essay outline tomorrow. Please remember that your Chapter 13-14 Study Guide Questions are due tomorrow, and that your Comprehensive Final is on Thursday.


I gave you some time to work on the multiple choice questions from Chapters 15 and 16 today. Hopefully, this two day exercise gives you a sense of what questions from Unit 4 might look like. I also gave you the Social 20-1 Final Exam Study Guide today.

Monday, June 07, 2010

June 7


We looked at the Social 30-1 curriculum/program of studies today to see what concepts were emphasized in the document. As I went through the curriculum, I asked you to write down certain key ideas. Here's a link to the Social 30-1 Program of Studies and a link to the Social 30-2 Program of Studies. I have sent you the 10 page study guide that I made up for Social 30-1 and 30-2, so please check your e-mail accounts. I'm also including a link to the Student Guides to Writing the Diploma Exam page on the Alberta Education website. Print off a copy of this guide for yourself. Also, once again, have a look at the Student Writing Samples for 30-1 and for Social 30-2. It should give you a better insight into expectations for Part A of the Diploma Exam. Please remember that your Chapter 12 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow, and your Chapter 13-14 Study Guide Questions are due on Wednesday. Your Comprehensive Final Exam is on Thursday, STUDY!!


I gave you back your Unit 3 Essays today. I also gave you feedback with regard to your Unit 2 Collaborative Inquiry Projects. I gave you some time to work on Unit 4 multiple choice questions with a partner. We'll work on Chapter 15 and 16 Questions tomorrow. I will be doing a homework check on Chapter 14-15 and Chapter 16 Key Terms and Questions as well as the "Regional Disparity" PowerPoint presentation. This is the last homework check of the semester.

Thursday, June 03, 2010

June 3


I went through a PowerPoint presentation on "Regional Disparity" today. I will be sending this presentation to your e-mail accounts later today. Please print this off and bring it to class on June 7th (Monday). Your Chapter 14-15 Questions are due on Tuesday, June 8th. Your Chapter 16 Key Terms and Questions are due on Tuesday, June 8th. No school tomorrow due to Graduation Ceremonies.


We looked at the issue of government surveillance and privacy issues today by watching a short video on video surveillance in Great Britain. I also gave you a BBC article on CCTV cameras and other forms of surveillance. I gave you the results of your Unit 3 Final Exam and a print off of all of your test results for the entire semester. I asked you to make a decision of what test score you want to cancel out with your Comprehensive Final Exam. Your Comprehensive Final is on Thursday, June 10th (it's 70 multiple choice questions). Your Chapter 12 Key Terms and Questions are due on Tuesday and your Chapter 13-14 Study Guide is due on Wednesday, June 9th.



"Have a Safe Grad!"

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

June 2


You wrote your Unit 3 Final Exam today. I will be doing a homework check on your "A History of French-English Relations" PowerPoint tomorrow, so please make sure that you have this printed off prior to class.


You wrote your Unit 3 Final Exam today. Your Comprehensive Final Exam is next Thursday (June 10th), you want to do well on this exam because it will be used to wipe out your lowest test result score this semester. You will get the results of the Unit 3 Final tomorrow in class, and I will have a print-out of all of your test results from this semester so you can make a decision as to which test score to replace.

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

June 1

Sorry for the later post tonight...


You had your Grad Ceremony Rehearsal today. Hopefully it went smoothly. Please make sure that you check the school website to check when your computer tutorial is scheduled. Tomorrow, you have your Unit 3 Final Exam. This is the second last test of the semester (your last test is the Comprehensive Final Exam). Please see the study guide for the Unit 3 Final Exam here.


I went through a PowerPoint presentation on French-English relations, which I will be sending this to you this evening. I did a homework check on your Chapter 13 Key Terms and Questions. Your Unit 3 Final Exam is tomorrow, please see the study guide here.