April 18

Social 10

We finished watching "The Corporation" today in class. I finally gave back your WTO charts, and your Chapter 11 Key Terms and Questions. Also, I handed out your next project sheet, this one is a Transnational Corporation Dossier Assignment. We will be drawing lots on Monday to see which TNC you will be able to research. The TNC Dossier Assignment will be due on Monday, May 5th. I also announced today that you will have your Chapter 10-11 Quiz next Thursday, I'm posting the study guide below.

Chapter 10-11 Quiz Study Guide:

This quiz has a matching section and a short answer section. Please make sure that you review Chapters 10 and 11. Please review your answers to questions/activities from your Unit 3 worksheet, as well as the key terms (from Chapter 10-11 and from the PowerPoint presentations). Please review the following two PowerPoint presentations:
1. "Foundations of Economic Globalization"
2. "Expansion of Economic Globalization"

You should know these key terms really well:

• Bretton Woods Agreement
• international monetary system
• fixed exchange rate
• gold standard
• floating exchange rate
• World Bank
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• centrally planned economy
• free market economy
• recession
• John Maynard Keynes
• Friedrich Hayek
• Milton Friedman
• totalitarian
• General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
• tariff
• World Trade Organization (WTO)
• Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

You should also be able to answer the following questions:

• What is economic globalization?
• How did 20th century world events shape contemporary economic globalization?
• What factors laid the foundations of contemporary global economics?
• What were the major global institutions that were created at the Bretton Woods Agreement?
• What are the major differences between the ideas of John Maynard Keynes and Friedrich Hayek?
• What factors contribute to expanding globalization?
• How do international agreements and organizations contribute to expanding globalization?
• How do transnational corporations contribute to expanding globalization?
• How do communication technologies contribute to expanding globalization?
• What are the benefits of the WTO system?
• What are some criticisms of the WTO?

Social 33

I gave you a few readings on the end of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles, and the League of Nations. We'll be continuing these themes next week as well as getting into the rise of Hitler in Nazi Germany.

April 16

Social 10

We finished watching "Life + Debt" today, and then we started watching "The Corporation". We'll continue watching "The Corporation" tomorrow. I also gave you back your Unit 2 Final Exam results.

Social 33

I started doing Topic B material today, I delivered a presentation that was meant to be a review of the Causes of WWI. I will send this presentation to you today, so please check your e-mail and let me know if you don't get this presentation. We also started watching "One Day of War", and we'll finish it tomorrow.

April 15

Social 33

You wrote your Economic Systems Unit Final today, and you will get the results of this test and others that you have written in the last two classes. We will continue our study of Topic B tomorrow.

Social 10

We started watching "Life + Debt" today in class, we'll finish it tomorrow. There is still time to write a post for your group's blog and to comment on someone else's posting. I'll be checking your blogs tomorrow morning.

April 14

Social 10

You wrote your Unit 2 Final Exam today for most of the period. If you finished early, you should have worked on your Chapter 11 Key Terms and Questions, which are due tomorrow. Also due tomorrow is your WTO chart in which you must make point form chart with the arguments in favor of and against the WTO. Please use the WTO website itself to complete this as well, in particular: Ten Common Misunderstandings about the WTO. You will get the results of your Unit 2 Final Exam tomorrow.

Social 33

You wrote your Economic Systems Test today, which covered the market economy, the mixed economy, and writing assignment covered the command economy. You will be writing your Economic Systems Unit Final tomorrow in class, it is 50 multiple choice questions. Once you were finished your test today, you were to study for this unit final. Here is the study guide once again.

April 11

Social 10

I gave you a handout today on the World Trade Organization, this is testable material so please make sure that you are really well-versed with this material. You must go to the following part of the World Trade Organization's website in order to complete your chart (which is for homework, for Tuesday): Ten Common Misunderstandings about the WTO. At this website, you will find criticisms of the WTO, and the WTO's response to these criticisms. What you need to do is make a chart listing off the arguments against the WTO and arguments in favor of the WTO. Also, your Chapter 11 Key Terms and Questions will be due on Tuesday. Your Unit 2 Final Exam is on Monday, April 14th. I posted the study guide on the blog again yesterday, so please check there for the study guide. Please make sure that you post to your group blog prior to Monday! Thanks!

Social 33

We played a review game today which covered our economic systems unit. I will be sending this PowerPoint presentation to you by e-mail. Please study for these exams (you have one on Monday, and one on Tuesday). The study guides are posted below.

Study Guide for Economic Systems Tests:

Next week, you will be writing a couple of tests covering the Economic Systems unit that we have been working on. I've decided to combine the study guide into one, however, please realize that there are two tests:

• Economic Systems Unit Quiz (fill in the blanks format) + a writing assignment from a past Diploma Exam, this quiz is on Monday, April 14th
• Economic Systems Unit Final (multiple choice questions) is on Tuesday, April 15th

The following study guide covers both tests:

1. Market Economy

• synonyms for a Market Economy
• Economic Values associated with Market Economy
• Advantages/Disadvantages of a Market Economy
• Adam Smith
• Invisible Hand
• Business Cycle (booms, busts, depression, recession, recovery)
• Law of supply and Demand (effect on price; equilibrium)
• Characteristics of a Market Economy
• Basic Economic Questions (what are the basic economic questions? how does a market economy 'answer' them?)
• USA (model example, please see Ch. 8-9 in A Changing World)
• FDR and the New Deal
• the Great Depression
• Means of Production (examples)
• Economic Individualism
• Competition
• Monopoly
• Private Ownership
• Profit Motive
• Consumer Sovereignty

2. Command Economy

• synonyms for a Command Economy
• Economic Values associated with a Command Economy
• Advantages/Disadvantages of a Command Economy
• Basic Economic Questions (what are they? how does a Command economy 'answer' them?)
• Karl Marx (Das Kapital and The Communist Manifesto)
• Characteristics of a Command Economy
• Structure of the Soviet Economy
• "storming"
• the second economy
• Central Planning of Production in the Soviet Union
• Gosplan
• top-down decision making in Soviet economy
• Economic Planning in the USSR (booklet)
• Lenin
• Stalin
• Five Year Plans
• collective farms
• Stalin and Modernization
• collectivization
• Gorbachev and his economic reforms
• Perestroika
• Glasnost
• please see Chapters 10-11 in A Changing World

3. Mixed Economy

• Economic Values associated with a Mixed Economy
• Characteristics of a Mixed Economy
• Advantages/Disadvantages of a Mixed Economy
• Monetary Policy
• Fiscal Policy
• Basic Economic Questions (what are they? how does a mixed economy 'answer' them?)
• privatization
• Utopian socialism
• Louis Blanc
• Robert Owen
• Business Cycle
• John Maynard Keynes
• Keynesian Economics
• tax incentives
• government subsidies
• please see Chapter 12 in A Changing World
• case studies (Canada-Ch. 14 and Sweden- Ch. 13 in A Changing World)

April 10

Social 33

Today was a day where you could get work completed that you hadn't finished off in the semester and get full homework check credit for it. You also have a homework assignment for tonight: you must e-mail me 10 review questions from our Economic Systems Unit before 9 p.m. tonight in order to get full homework check credit. We will be playing a review game tomorrow. Please review for your upcoming tests and unit final. You have an Economic Systems Test on Monday (fill-in-blank and short answer questions, plus a writing assignment). You also have your Economic Systems Unit Final (50 multiple choice questions) on Tuesday. Study! I will post study guides for these exams in tomorrow's post.

Social 10

I delivered a presentation today that corresponds with your Chapter 11 material. I will send you "The Expansion of Economic Globalization" this afternoon, so please check your e-mail and print it off. Please remember to post to your group's blog and make a comment on someone else's posting. Also, you could be doing a review for your Unit 2 Final Exam, which is on Monday, April 14th. Here is the study guide.

April 9

Social 10

We finished off "China Rises: Getting Rich" today, and then we revisited some of the dilemmas of global trade that we looked at on Monday. I have posted an assignment on your group blogs related to these scenarios. Please post on your group blogs tonight, and let's get the online debate going! You also have Chapter 10 questions due tomorrow as well. Please remember that your Unit 2 Final Exam has been moved to Monday, April 14th. Here is the study guide again.

Unit 2 Final Exam Study Guide:

This final exam is entirely multiple choice format. There are 57 multiple choice questions. This Unit 2 Final Exam will be on Thursday, April 10th. Please make sure that you study your key terms from Unit 2 (Chapters 6-9), as well as the three PowerPoint presentations from this unit:

• "Historical Globalization and Imperialism"
• "Legacies of Historical Globalization"
• "Legacies of Historical Globalization in Canada"
  

Key Concepts from Unit 2:

• world views
• historical globalization
• cultural contact
• depopulation
• the Silk Road
• international trade
• mercantilism
• capitalism
• free market
• entrepreneurs
• Adam Smith
• exploitation
• communism
• industrialization
• Industrial Revolution
• cottage industries
• imperialism
• "new" imperialism
• "old" imperialism
• colony
• protectorate
• sphere of influence
• paternalistic
• Confederation
• residential schools
• the Oka crisis
• First Nations Policing Policy
• legacy
• ethnocentrism
• Eurocentrism
• Scramble for Africa
• Leopold II
• migration
• displacement
• British East India Company
• Queen Elizabeth I
• the Raj
• Mohandas Gandhi
• swadeshi
• deindustrialization
• colonization
• the Hundred Associates
• Hudson’s Bay Company
• Rupert’s Land
• North West Company
• Seven Years’ War
• Proclamation of 1763
• Quebec Act of 1774
• the Numbered Treaties
• the Indian Act
• Status Indian
• Non-Status Indian
• multiculturalism
• specific claims
• comprehensive claims
  
  

Social 33

We did our usual review of economics at the beginning of class today, but we also did some more work at Keynesian economics, monetary and fiscal policy and what a government should do (according to Keynes) in times of economic booms and busts. I gave you some homework tonight: you must complete the "Benefits of Economic Systems" booklet for tomorrow. I'll will be doing a homework check on it.

April 8

Social 33

We did our usual review of what we've studied so far in our Economic Systems Unit at the beginning of class today. Next, I gave you a couple of handouts related to democratic socialism in Sweden. We then moved on to our next case study of Canada. I assigned the following questions from A Changing World Chapter 14: Q 1-5, Q8.

Social 10

I talked a little bit today about your Unit 2 Part A in-class writing assignments (I returned them)and some missed opportunities in the analysis of these three sources. Marks on this writing assignment dropped a little as compared to the Unit 1 writing assignment, which makes sense because it was a more challenging writing assignment. We then moved back into Unit 3 work by watching a video called "China Rises: Getting Rich" and completing a video study as you watched the film. We'll finish this video tomorrow. I have also moved the Unit 2 Final Exam to Monday, April 14th, so you can write it when we're back in R4.

April 7

Social 10

Today was our first class of the week in the Admiralty Room. Given some of the restrictions of this space, I've decided to postpone your Unit 2 Final Exam until Monday, April 14th when we're back in R4. I collected your Chapter 10 Key Terms at the beginning of class today. We then looked at some "Dilemmas of Global Trade", and we'll be discussing some of the other scenarios in the coming days. We also watched a video on "Global Economic Issues". You should be reviewing for your Unit 2 Final Exam tonight.

Social 33

We did some review of economics that we've covered so far in Theme II (Economic Systems). We then looked at Keynesian economics and what impact it would have on the business cycle, as well as fiscal and monetary policy. I assigned Chapter 13 (Sweden) Q1, Q3-9 from A Changing World as homework tonight. I also did a homework check on the Chapter 12 worksheet questions, which were due today.

April 4

Social 10

I gave you the Unit 3 organizational web and worksheet today. Your Chapter 10 Key Terms are due on Monday, April 7th. You have a Unit 2 Final Exam that you could be studying for this weekend, here is a link to the study guide (scroll down to find it).

Social 33

We continued our look at economic systems today, by starting to examine the mixed economy. I gave you a couple of handouts, one on the "Characteristics of the Mixed Economy" and other one was a worksheet with questions that corresponded to Chapter 12 in A Changing World. All of the questions from this worksheet are due on Monday.

April 3

Social 33

We watched a short video called "Stalin and Russia's Modernization" at the beginning of class today. I then gave you a booklet called "Economic Planning in the USSR" which is due tomorrow; you had most of class period to finish this, so hopefully you have no homework tonight.

Social 10

I was able to finish the presentation "Foundations of Economic Globalization" which I started on Tuesday. I will be sending this presentation to you tonight. If you haven't already read Chapter 10 in Perspectives on Globalization, you probably should tonight, it will help you to understand the presentation even more.

Please print this presentation off tonight, with 4 slides per page. Also, please remember that you should print the following slide off on a piece of paper of its own (full size).

Unit 2 Final Exam Study Guide:

This final exam is entirely multiple choice format. There are 57 multiple choice questions. This Unit 2 Final Exam will be on Thursday, April 10th. Please make sure that you study your key terms from Unit 2 (Chapters 6-9), as well as the three PowerPoint presentations from this unit:

• "Historical Globalization and Imperialism"
• "Legacies of Historical Globalization"
• "Legacies of Historical Globalization in Canada"
  

Key Concepts from Unit 2:

• world views
• historical globalization
• cultural contact
• depopulation
• the Silk Road
• international trade
• mercantilism
• capitalism
• free market
• entrepreneurs
• Adam Smith
• exploitation
• communism
• industrialization
• Industrial Revolution
• cottage industries
• imperialism
• "new" imperialism
• "old" imperialism
• colony
• protectorate
• sphere of influence
• paternalistic
• Confederation
• residential schools
• the Oka crisis
• First Nations Policing Policy
• legacy
• ethnocentrism
• Eurocentrism
• Scramble for Africa
• Leopold II
• migration
• displacement
• British East India Company
• Queen Elizabeth I
• the Raj
• Mohandas Gandhi
• swadeshi
• deindustrialization
• colonization
• the Hundred Associates
• Hudson’s Bay Company
• Rupert’s Land
• North West Company
• Seven Years’ War
• Proclamation of 1763
• Quebec Act of 1774
• the Numbered Treaties
• the Indian Act
• Status Indian
• Non-Status Indian
• multiculturalism
• specific claims
• comprehensive claims
  
  

April 2

Social 10

For most of the period you wrote your Unit 2 Part A Writing Assignment. I'll try to mark these as quickly as possible, but it is unlikely that you will get these back this week, hopefully mid-week, next week. You should read Chapter 10 from your textbook Perspectives on Globalization in preparation for Unit 3. Your Unit 2 Final Exam is next Thursday (April 10th), and it is all multiple choice. A study guide for this unit final will be posted on blog next week.

Social 33

We did a brief review of some of the economic concepts that we have covered so far, including: the economic spectrum, economic values, the basic economic questions, and advantages and disadvantages of the command economy. We then looked at Marx's view of history and capitalism, then we looked at the structure of the Soviet economy. Finally, we ended with a GOSPLAN simulation and discussed some of the decisions that we made during the simulation.

April 1

Social 33

We spent most of the period in the Blenheim Room playing a couple of computer games to reinforce the ideas and concepts related to the stock market crash of 1929, and the laws of supply and demand in a market economy. We'll be continuing with the command economy tomorrow in class.

Social 10

I tied up some loose ends in our study of Unit 2, and I gave you a booklet to read on First Nations people in Canadian history. We started Unit 3 today briefly, by starting a presentation called "The Foundations of Economic Globalization". I didn't finish this presentation, hopefully, I will be able to finish it on Thursday. I also collected your Chapter 9 Key Terms and Questions today. Please remember the upcoming important dates:

• Unit 2 Part A In-Class Writing Assignment is tomorrow (April 2nd)
• Unit 2 Final Exam is on Thursday, April 10th (a study guide will be posted on the blog this Thursday)

March 31

Welcome back from holidays!

Social 10

We had a little talk today about plagiarism and how to avoid it. I will be sending you a PowerPoint presentation on how to avoid plagiarism in the future later on this afternoon. You should always be careful not to simply copy and paste something that you find on the Internet into your assignments and projects, this is a classic example of plagiarism. I gave you back your Imperialism Research Projects today, so that is why we talked about plagiarism because there were instance(s) of plagiarized project(s). We finished watching "Where the Spirit Lives" today, and I decided to not give you the quiz that goes with this film due to so many missing students on the last day of class before the Spring Break. You do have homework tonight, it is finishing off the last bit of textbook work in Unit 2, you must complete the Chapter 9 Key Terms and Questions for homework check marks tomorrow.

Upcoming Important Dates for Social 10 Students:

• Chapter 9 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow (April 1st)
• Unit 2 In-class writing assignment (Part A-style question with 3 sources) is on Wednesday, April 2nd
• Unit 2 Final Exam is on Thursday, April 10th

Social 33

We did a brief review of economic systems that we have covered so far this semester. We looked at the economic spectrum, the types of economic systems, the economic values associated with these systems, advantages and disadvantages of the market economy, the business cycle and describing the economy in the various stages of the business cycle. I then gave you a couple of handouts, one on the characteristics of the command economy (this handout includes advantages and disadvantages of the command economy), and the other handout was a booklet on the structure of the Soviet economy. I also gave you some reading to do out of A Changing World: Chapter 11 "Getting it Straight" questions 1-7 are due tomorrow.

March 20

Social 33

For most of the period you wrote your Political Systems Unit Final. I also collected your USA in the 1920s and 1930s booklets today as well for a homework check mark. I hope that you enjoy your holiday. See you on March 31st!

Social 10

We went through a few items related to the numbered treaties today. I gave you an excerpt called "Education is our Buffalo". We also started watching a film about the residential school system in Canada called "Where the Spirit Lives". We'll be finishing this movie up after Spring Break. I collected your Imperialism Research Project today as well. If you didn't hand this project in today please know that you will be deducted 10% a day. If you hand it in on Monday, March 31st I will deduct 30% from your mark on the project. Hopefully, you all handed it in on time. If you didn't hand it in during class time today, you can send it to me by e-mail. I tend to send you an e-mail back saying that I received the project. Please enjoy your Spring Break! No homework!!

March 19

Social 10

We finished watching "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" today in class. If you missed today's class, you will be excused from writing the quiz that went along with the film. I gave you back the results of the Chapter 7 Quiz today as well. If you missed class today, I'll try to find time tomorrow to show you the results of this quiz. Please remember that your Imperialism Research Project is due tomorrow.

Social 33

We watched a short video on "FDR and the New Deal" and then you had the remainder of class time to work on the USA in the 1920s and 1930s booklet. This booklet is due tomorrow for a homework check, so hopefully you finished it in class. Please remember that your Political Systems Unit Final is tomorrow. It consists of 50 multiple choice questions, please study! The study guide is below.

Political Systems Unit Final Study Guide:

• characteristics of democracies
• types of democracies
• advantages/disadvantages of democracies
• advantages/disadvantages of direct democracy
• advantages/disadvantages of representative democracy
• be able to draw upon case studies/examples (Canada, USA)
• understand other key concepts like first past the post, rep by pop, and proportional representation
• understand the political spectrum and related concepts (for example, values associated with liberals, radicals, conservatives etc.)
• types of dictatorships
• characteristics of dictatorships (key ingredients/"recipe for a dictatorship")
• techniques of dictatorships
• advantages/disadvantages of a dictatorship
• the individual's role in a dictatorship
• similarities and differences between a dictatorship and a democracy
• be able to draw upon case studies/examples (fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Stalin's USSR)
• techniques of dictatorship used by Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin
  

March 18

Social 33

We watched a film on "The Great Depression" in class today. This video provided you with some information about not only economic conditions in the United States during the Great Depression, but also some interesting bits about social conditions as well. One thing that you should definitely know about the recovery from the Great Depression was that Franklin D. Roosevelt (or simply FDR) put in to place "the New Deal". FDR won the 1932 Presidential election (three years into the Depression), FDR's plan was get money back into Americans' pockets, so his New Deal was a series of job creation programs and agencies that gave Americans employment. If people have jobs, they will spend money, and if consumer confidence is high (or growing) you can spend your way out of a Depression. Ultimately it was probably not the New Deal that pulled the United States completely out of the Depression (more likely it's the U.S. entry in WWII that does this) it does help get Americans working again. The New Deal agencies are sometimes referred to as an "alphabet soup" because each one had an acronym, for example the WPA (Works Progress Administration), the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), the NRA (National Recovery Agency) and the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) to name just a few. I also gave you a booklet on the USA in the 1920s and 1930s, which will be due on Thursday. This booklet was not assigned as homework as you'll get about an hour's worth of class time tomorrow to work on it. Your "homework assignment" tonight is to study and review the entire Political Systems unit, as you have a unit final on it on Thursday, March 20th. This unit final is all multiple choice (55 questions), here is a hyperlink to the study guide (please scroll down to find it).

FDR in 1933, in one of his "fireside chat" radio broadcasts.

Social 10

You wrote your Chapter 7 Quiz for much of today's class. When you finished you were asked to read Chapter 9 in your textbook. We'll be finishing "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" tomorrow in class, and then you'll write a quiz on the film. Please remember that your Imperialism Research Project is due on Thursday, March 20th.

March 17

Social 10

Most of today's class was spent watching the film "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee". When we finish this film you will be writing a quiz on it, so please make sure that you pay attention during the film. Tomorrow you will write your Chapter 7 Quiz. Please make sure that you know the material from Chapter 7 as well as the "Historical Globalization and Imperialism" presentation. Here is the study guide for this quiz (please scroll down to find it). Please remember that your Imperialism Research Project is due on Thursday. Please check your e-mail, I have sent you the marking guide for this project. Yes, you do have cite your references properly, and yes, you do have to cite the images that you use for the illustrated timeline.

Social 33

I collected your Market Economy chart/worksheet at the beginning of class today. Most of the period was spent writing your Dictatorship Unit Final. Please remember that you have another unit final on Thursday, March 20th, and it is on our entire Political Systems Unit. Here is the study guide, please scroll down to find it.

March 14

Social 10

I finished off the presentation/lecture on the "Legacies of Historical Globalization in Canada". I will be sending this presentation to you this afternoon. Also, we started watching a film called "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" which we will be continuing next week. Please remember that there are a couple of important dates coming up next week, you have your Chapter 7 Quiz on Tuesday, March 18th. Here is the study guide for this quiz. Also, your Imperialism Research Project is due on Thursday, March 20th (if you are handing in a PowerPoint presentation or a movie, please make sure that we won't have any problems handing it in, it's probably best to burn it to a CD-R). I will be sending the rubric for the Imperialism Project today as well, please make sure that you refer to this rubric as you create the project.

Social 33

I did a review of the business cycle at the beginning of class. I showed you a video on the Great Depression called "Boom or Bust", and then I gave you a worksheet on the characteristics of the market economy. This worksheet/chart is due on Monday, but hopefully you finished it in class. Don't forget that you have two big tests coming up next week: the Dictatorship Unit Final (March 17th) and the Political Systems Final (March 20th). Here are the study guides. Hopefully, you study and review our entire Political Systems unit over the weekend.

March 12

Social 10

I did a homework check on the last presentation that I did in class, which was "Historical Globalization and Imperialism". You were to have printed it off by now, so I thought that I would see how many of you had. If you didn't get full homework check credit for this, don't fear, you can get partial marks if you print it off tonight and bring it to class tomorrow. That presentation is really important because it is a supplement for the Chapter 7 material. Please remember that you have a Chapter 7 Quiz on Tuesday, March 18th, here is the study guide.
In today's class I went through another presentation/lecture called "Legacies of Historical Globalization". I will be sending this presentation out to you this afternoon, it would be smart to print it off and add it to your notes. You have some homework tonight: Chapter 8 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow. Please make sure that you read the appropriate sections of Chapter 8. Please avoid just hunting for the answers and not reading the material. This pays off on tests. I can always tell when a student doesn't read the chapter material as opposed to a student who has done the required reading. The student that has read the material has more to draw from and doesn't write in generalities.

Social 33

I had you hand in your Dictator Assignment and Dictatorship Internet Assignment at the beginning of class today. If you didn't get it in today, please know that you will be deducted 10% for each day that the assignment is late. We also did some review of some economic concepts that we have covered already. I tend to do this when I teach Theme II: Economic Systems in Social 33. Repetition helps you learn these concepts and ideas, so please be ready for a quick review every day. I also introduced a new concept today, and that was economic values associated with the various economic systems, and how the market economy would answer the basic economic questions. I gave you a handout on the market economy that you need to learn really well, especially the characteristics and the advantages and disadvantages of the market economy. We then watched a video called "Capitalism", which was awesome. Don't forget that you have two tests coming up, here are the study guides for your Dictatorship Unit Final (March 17th) and your Political Systems Unit Final (March 20th).

March 11

Social 33

We started Theme II in Topic A today by looking at Economic Systems. We have finished Theme I, except for writing some unit finals. If there is any material in Political Systems (Democracies and Dictatorships) that you're unsure about, just come and see me. I gave you a few handouts today about economic systems, basic economic questions, means of production, scarcity, and the three basic economic systems that we'll be looking at, namely, market economy, command economy and mixed economy. All of these economic systems have different values associated with them, and all answer the basic economic questions differently, as we'll see. You do have some homework tonight (if you didn't finish the textbook work from A Changing World in class), yo must do Q1-6 in Getting it Straight and Q2 and Q5 from the Getting Organized sections in Chapter 7 in A Changing World. Don't forget that your Dictator Assignment and Dictatorship Internet Assignment is due tomorrow. Here is a hyperlink to the study guides for both the Dictatorship Unit Final and the Political Systems Final Exam.

Social 10

Most of today's class was spent in the library doing research on the Imperialism Research Project. Most of you now have selected a country to study. This project is due on Thursday, March 20th. This project could be organized as a written report (please put it in a duotang if you opt for this format), a PowerPoint presentation, or as a movie. Last semester, students were only allowed to do this as a written report, so I don't have any PowerPoint or movie examples to show you. I will show you how people organized their reports though. You have a Chapter 7 Quiz next Tuesday, so please use the study guide below to help you with your preparations for this test.

Chapter 7 Quiz Study Guide:

This quiz will have three sections: a matching section, a multiple choice section, and a short answer section

1. Key Terms for Chapter 7 Quiz:

• historical globalization
• the Silk Road
• international trade
• the Columbian exchange (the grand exchange)
• mercantilism
• capitalism
• free market
• Adam Smith
• entrepreneur
• communism
• industrialization
• the Industrial Revolution
• cottage industries
• cottage system
• physiocrats
• exploitation
• imperialism
• Eurocentrism
• ethnocentrism
• European imperialism
• "old" imperialism
• "new" imperialism
• colony
• protectorate
• sphere of influence

2. Study the Questions for Inquiry from Chapter 7 (be able to answer these questions using case studies and examples that we have covered in class):

• What were the beginnings of global trading networks?
• What values are associated with capitalism?
• Whose values did industrialization effect?
• Why did England industrialize before other European powers?
• What were some of the effects of the Industrial Revolution?
• In what ways did imperialism benefit one people over another?
  

March 10

Social 10

Most of today's class was disrupted by registration for Grade 11 next year. When most people returned to class we drew lots and picked countries for the Imperialism Research Project. Tomorrow's class will be spent mostly in the library, starting the research process on the country that you have selected. For those of you that missed class today, don't worry, there are still countries to pick from. Just another gentle reminder: many of you still need to post to your group's blog and make a comment on a classmate's posting. Both the blog post and the comment must be on the Bhutan article from this month's National Geographic. Please go to your group's blog for the hyperlink and the question to be answered.

Social 33

I gave you some more notes on Soviet history, from Stalin to Gorbachev. We then watched a few videos from the CBC News in Review on the fall of communism in the Soviet Union. I then gave you a handout on the structure of the Soviet government. You have a couple of tests coming up next week: the Dictatorship Final Exam on March 17th and your Political Systems Unit Final on March 20th.

Dictatorship Unit Final Study Guide:

Dictatorship Unit Final is on Monday, March 17th. It is multiple choice and will have a writing assignment as well.

• types of dictatorships
• characteristics of dictatorships (key ingredients/"recipe for a dictatorship")
• techniques of dictatorships
• advantages/disadvantages of a dictatorship
• the individual's role in a dictatorship
• similarities and differences between a dictatorship and a democracy
• be able to draw upon case studies/examples (fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Stalin's USSR)
• techniques of dictatorship used by Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin

Political Systems Unit Final Study Guide:

Political Systems Unit Final is on Thursday, March 20th. It consists of 50 multiple choice questions.

• characteristics of democracies
• types of democracies
• advantages/disadvantages of democracies
• advantages/disadvantages of direct democracy
• advantages/disadvantages of representative democracy
• be able to draw upon case studies/examples (Canada, USA)
• understand other key concepts like first past the post, rep by pop, and proportional representation
• understand the political spectrum and related concepts (for example, values associated with liberals, radicals, conservatives etc.)
• understand all concepts listed off above for the Dictatorship Unit Final Study Guide
  

March 7

Social 10

I did a homework check on your Chapter 7 Key Terms and Questions at the beginning of class. We watched "Tools of Exploitation" today in class, as you were watching this video you were to complete a video viewing guide sheet. I also gave most of you back your Unit 1 Part A In-Class Writing Assignments. Overall, I was pretty pleased with the results of this written assignment. There is still room for improvement though. This weekend might be a good time to complete the reading from the National Geographic magazine that I posted a hyperlink to on your group blogs. You must read the article, your response should be 'substantial' (at least two paragraphs) on the question that I posted on your blogs. You must also post a comment on someone else's post, either from your own group blog, or from another group's blog (they will have to add you as a reader). Have a great weekend!

Social 33

I collected the booklet "Lenin and his Heirs" as a homework check at the beginning of class. We then watched an A&E Biography on Joseph Stalin for most of the rest of the period. Have a great weekend!

March 6

Social 33

I went through some Russian and Soviet history today in preparation for an assignment that I gave you in class. The assignment was a booklet called "Lenin and His Heirs", this entire booklet is due tomorrow. I also collected your Political Cartoon Analysis Assignments. If you didn't hand this in today, you will lose 10% per day that it is late, get them in as soon as possible!

Social 10

I collected your Chapter 6 Key Terms and Questions at the beginning of class and returned them to you at the end of class. I also went through a presentation called "Historical Globalization and Imperialism". I will be sending this presentation to you later this afternoon, so please check your e-mail inboxes. If you don't receive this e-mail message please let me know. If I don't hear from you I assume that everything is fine. I assigned the Chapter 7 Key Terms and Questions for homework tonight, they are due tomorrow.

March 5

Social 10

We looked at a picture book today called The Rabbits as an introductory activity for Unit 2. Every time I go through this book with students, there are new observations. Looking at a book like The Rabbits, with all of its subtle details really helps to teach you to look at things carefully and critically in order to get meaning from the text. Your observations were outstanding. Your homework assignment tonight is to read Chapter 6 and complete the Chapter 6 Key Terms and Questions. I will be doing a homework check on this assignment tomorrow. I've double-checked the hyperlink that I posted on your group blogs yesterday, and it works. For whatever reason, the article on Bhutan was temporarily unavailable, so today the hyperlink should work. Check your blogs to see exactly what the assignment was.

Social 33

I went off on a bit of a rant of low voter turnout and voter apathy at the beginning of class. I meant every word of it. If young people don't vote, the issues that matter to you will be ignored, so when you come of age, please vote!
Next, I had you do a reading from the textbook A History of the Twentieth Century (pages 22-25), and do the following questions for homework: Q2 A-C on page 24, and Q3 A-E on page 25. Most of you finished this in class, but it is for homework. It is absolutely critical that you complete the Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment and hand it in on time in tomorrow's class. I have some flexibility for taking in late homework assignments. This assignment must be handed in on time, or 10% will be deducted for every day that it is late. If you need to find a cartoon or complete your analysis still please check your e-mail. I sent you a couple of things yesterday related to this assignment, one of which was an example of a cartoon analysis. Here are some useful hyperlinks to help you with this assignment:

• The Chronicle Herald (Halifax, Nova Scotia; Bruce MacKinnon)
• Calgary Sun (TAB)
• Patrick Corrigan Political Cartoons
• The Daily News (DeAdder)
• Aislin (The Montreal Gazette)
• Ottawa Sun (Dewar)
• Cartoon Link
• Brian Gable (Globe and Mail)
• MacKay Editorial Cartoons
• Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index
• Today's Best Cartoons

March 4

Social 33

We went over the results of the Alberta provincial election. Most of the period was spent watching the video "The Fatal Attraction of Adolf Hitler". Please remember that you have your Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment due on Thursday. I will try to remember to send out an example analysis today. You also got the results of your Democracy Unit Final back today.

Social 10

Most of the period was spent writing the Unit 1 Final Exam. Please check your blogs tonight. It would be a good idea to start working on your response to the Bhutan article, but first, you need to read the article. I've put a hyperlink to the article on your group's blog. We're starting Unit 2 tomorrow.

March 3

Social 10

We did a reading and a debate on whether globalization is beneficial or detrimental to cultures of the world. Please remember to study for your Unit 1 Final Exam tomorrow. Here is the study guide (scroll down to find it). Please remember that you need to add me as an author on your blog so that I put up a hyperlink to the National Geographic article that I want you to read and respond to. I will be putting the actual response question on my blog post on your various blogs. We'll also be looking at adding classmates to your reader's lists as well this week.

Social 33

We continued working our way through the dictatorship unit in class. If you missed today's class, you must get today's handouts. We'll be looking specifically at the rise of Adolf Hitler tomorrow in class by watching the video "The Fatal Attraction of Adolf Hitler".

February 29

Social 10

You wrote your Unit 1 Writing Assignment in class today. If you missed today's class, you need to have a parent give me a phone call to confirm that it was an excused absence. This writing assignment will count fairly heavily until we do more in-class writing assignments. The goal is to have you write these in-class writing assignments in preparation for the Part A of your final exam in June. You have your Unit 1 Final Exam on Tuesday, March 4th. It is 55 multiple choice questions. Here is the study guide (scroll down to find it). This is your weekend to prepare and review key concepts and case studies from Unit 1 (Chapters 1-5 material). You will get the results back from your Chapter 3-4 Quiz on Monday, I finished marking them today.

Social 33

You wrote your Democracy Unit Final today in class. I have marked the multiple choice section already, and so far, so good. Hopefully, I will be able to mark the writing assignments this weekend so you can get the results back for this important unit final. Please remember that you have your Political Cartoon Analysis Assignment due on Thursday. If you want to relax, this would be a good weekend to do it, since you have no other homework! Have a great weekend!

February 28

Social 33

I gave you an assignment today that is due next Thursday. It requires you to analyze a political cartoon and write an analysis of it. I gave you a handout with some information about how to analyze political cartoons as well. I will be sending you an example of an analysis of a political cartoon so you can see what my expectations might be for this assignment. You can, of course, find political cartoons in the local newspapers, but you can also find some online. Here are some great hyperlinks for finding political cartoons:

• The Chronicle Herald (Halifax, Nova Scotia; Bruce MacKinnon)
• Calgary Sun (TAB)
• Patrick Corrigan Political Cartoons
• The Daily News (DeAdder)
• Aislin (The Montreal Gazette)
• Ottawa Sun (Dewar)
• Cartoon Link
• Brian Gable (Globe and Mail)
• MacKay Editorial Cartoons
• Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index
• Today's Best Cartoons
  

I would select a contemporary political cartoon (nothing older than say 5 years), it will just make you job of analyzing the cartoon easier.
I also gave you a worksheet which is due tomorrow. You are to complete Activity 5 and 6 for homework, with your answers on a separate piece of paper. Please remember that your Democracy Unit Final is tomorrow, here is the study guide (scroll down to find it).

Social 10

You wrote your Chapter 3-4 Quiz today in class. I also collected your "Bend It Like Beckham" film studies. Your Chapter 5 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow. I will be taking them in for a homework check. Tomorrow, you will write an in-class assignment in which you will analyze three sources. This is practice for Part A that you will write in June (however, it will count for marks). You have your Unit 1 Final Exam next week, on Tuesday, March 4th. Here is the study guide (scroll down to find it).

February 27

Social 10

We finished watching "Bend It Like Beckham" today. Your "Bend It Like Beckham" film study booklet is due tomorrow. You have your Chapter 3-4 Quiz tomorrow, here is the study guide. You will write your Unit 1 Part A Writing Assignment (in class analysis of three sources) on Friday. I went through an example Part A today in class, and gave you a rubric for it.

Upcoming Important Dates for Social 10 Students:

• "Bend It Like Beckham" Film Study is due tomorrow
• Chapter 3-4 Quiz is tomorrow (February 28th)
• Unit 1 Part A Writing Assignment (in-class analysis of three sources)
• Unit 1 Final Exam is on Tuesday, March 4th
  

Unit 1 Final Exam Study Guide:

Unit 1 Final Exam will be Tuesday, March 4th. 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)

Social 33

I gave you a worksheet that compared fascism and communism. We also watched an A&E Biography Benito Mussolini for the remainder of the class. While watching the video you should have taken notes on the techniques of dictatorship used by Mussolini. Please remember that your Democracy Unit Final is on Friday, February 29th. Here is the study guide.

February 26

Social 33

We watched a video called "The Wave" today. while we were watching the video I asked you to take notes on the techniques of dictatorship that you saw in the film. I also collected your Activity 3 worksheets on dictatorships. You'll get these back tomorrow. You should be reviewing the Democracy Unit tonight, the Democracy Unit Final is on Friday, here is the study guide.

Social 10

We continued watching "Bend It Like Beckham" today in class. We'll be finishing it off tomorrow. Please remember that you have your Chapter 3-4 Quiz on Thursday, the study guide is here. Tomorrow I will be teaching you how to write Part A of your Social 10-1 Final Exam by giving you an example. You will be writing one of these assignments in class on Friday. Also, if you haven't posted on your group blog, or haven't invited me to read it yet, please do so. I will be setting a deadline for this tomorrow in class.

February 25

Social 10

I went through a presentation to day that covered the Challenges and Opportunities of Globalization. This presentation corresponds to Chapters 4 and 5 in your textbook Perspectives on Globalization. As I went through this lecture, you were to take notes on the presentation on a concept web handout. If you missed today's class, you will need to get these notes from a classmate, I do not send this presentation out. We then started our film study of the film "Bend it Like Beckham". This film covers quite nicely a lot of the key concepts in Chapters 4 and 5. We'll hopefully be able to finish the film in class tomorrow. There are a few students and groups who have no invited me to view their blogs or have no posted to their group blog yet. Please do so in the next few days, I'll remind you of this tomorrow in class. For your first blog post, I will be doing a homework check on it very soon.

Upcoming Important Dates for Social 10 Students:

• Chapter 3-4 Quiz is on Thursday, February 28th (matching, short answer format; here is the study guide)
• Unit 1 Writing Assignment (in-class; analyze and interpret three sources) is on Friday, February 29th
  
  

Social 33

To start today's class I acted like a dictator to introduce our unit on dictatorships. I also gave some handouts on techniques of dictatorships and types of dictatorships. One of these handouts, Activity 3, is due tomorrow. Please don't forget that you have your Democracy Unit Final this Friday, here is the study guide.

February 22

Social 10

You wrote your Chapter 1-2 Quiz today in class, it took most of the period. I returned your Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions as well today. Please make sure that you post on your group blog, and send me an e-mail to invite me to read it. I have commented on some of the postings, but not all of them yet. I'll talk about this again on Monday. I assigned the Chapter 4 Key Terms and Questions for homework for Monday.

Upcoming Important Dates for Social 10 Students:

• Chapter 4 Key Terms and Questions due Monday, February 25th
• Chapter 3-4 Quiz is on Thursday, February 28th (matching, short answer format)
• Unit 1 Writing Assignment (in-class; analyze and interpret three sources) is on Friday, February 29th

Chapter 3-4 Quiz Study Guide:

• 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
  
  

Social 33

I covered two major concepts related to voting in democratic systems today: first past the post (FPTP) and proportional representation (PR). We also finished watching the Simpsons episode from yesterday's class. Please remember that you have your Democracy Unit Final next Friday, here is the study guide (copy and paste this into Word, and print it off, use this to focus your studying).

February 21

Social 33

You wrote your Democracy Quiz at the beginning of class today. I had you finish the reading that I gave you towards the end of class yesterday on different types of democratic systems. Next, I gave you time to do a reading on political groups and the media. At the end of class we watched a little bit of an episode of "The Simpsons". See you tomorrow!

Social 10

I collected your Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions at the beginning of class. You completed your web awareness activity today. Also, you set up a group blog. This took longer than expected, probably in part due to the location, it would have been better if we were in a computer lab. At any rate, I've received invitations to read a few blogs. Here are the groups/individuals that I've heard from so far:

• Gibson
• David B's group
• Rachel's group
• Dimitrije's group
• Jason

There are several groups and individuals that I haven't heard from yet. So if you're one of them, please send the invitation to read your blog again and then I'll update who I have heard from here on my blog. Your first post on your blog is due tomorrow, so please make sure that you post and invite me to read your blog as well. If you were not in class today, you might be able to join a group still, so don't set up a blog just yet.

Please remember that you have your Chapter 1-2 Quiz tomorrow, the study guide is here.

February 20

Social 10

I collected your Illustrated Concept Maps and Written Descriptions today at the beginning of class. I went through some notes on media transnationals (if you were away today, you'll need to get these notes from a classmate) and then I gave you the remainder of class time (about 35 minutes) to work on your Chapter 3 Key Terms and Questions, which are due tomorrow. Please don't forget that you have your Chapter 1-2 Quiz on Friday, here is the study guide.

Social 33

I gave you a reading comparing the American and Canadian political systems, and you were to complete a chart based on the reading. We went over the answers to the chart in class. I also gave you some other readings on the democratic forms of government as well today.

In studying for your Democracy Quiz, which is tomorrow, please use the study guide that I've put together for your Democracy Unit Final. Think of the Democracy Quiz as a tune-up for the unit final down the road.

Upcoming Important Dates

• Democracy Quiz is on Thursday, February 21st
• Democracy Unit Final is on Friday, February 29th
  
  
  

February 19

Social 33

I collected your Chapter 4 booklets again for a homework check on the American section, as well as taking in the Canadian Government Internet Reearch Assignment. I gave out some handouts on the American government system today, and I had you add some notes to these handouts as we went through them together. On Thursday (February 21st) you will have a short Democracy Quiz. On Friday, February 29th you will have your Democracy Unit Final. Here is the study guide for that unit final:

Democracy Unit Final Study Guide:

25 multiple choice questions (from past Diploma Exams) and 1 writing assignment
Key Concepts/Key People/Key Terms:

• Thomas Hobbes
• John Locke
• political spectrum
• radicals
• moderates
• liberals
• conservatives
• reactionaries
• absolute monarchy
• dictatorship
• democracy
• fascism
• communism
• anarchy
• rule by many
• rule by few/elites
• direct democracy
• representative democracy
• first past the post
• proportional representation
• universal suffrage
• majority rule
• minority rights
• Canadian Constitution
• Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• political parties
• media
• interest groups

2. Advantages/Disadvantages of Direct Democracy (ppt)
3. Advantages/Disadvantages of Representative Democracy (ppt)
4. Techniques/Characteristics of a Democracy (ppt)
5. Canadian Political System:(handouts)

• executive, legislative, judicial branches of government (roles)
• Prime Minister and Cabinet (which branch? what roles/responsibilities do they have?)
• Leader of the Official Opposition (roles/responsibilities)
• the Queen and the Governor General (roles/responsibilities)
• MPs in the House of Commons (roles/responsibilities)
• the House of Commons and the Senate (which is elected? which is appointed? what is the purpose of the Senate? which branch do they belong to?)

6. American Political System:(handouts)

• executive, legislative, judicial branches of government (roles)
• checks and balances in the U.S. system of government
• separation of powers
• President and Cabinet (which branch? what roles/responsibilities do they have?)
• the House of Representatives/Congressmen (roles/responsibilities)
• the Senate/Senators (roles/responsibilities)
• different terms in office, voting methods for President (4 yrs), House of Representatives (2 yrs), and the Senate (6 yrs) --WHY?

7. Political Spectrum (know it VERY well), print off Ideology notes from the blog (check under Social 33 links)

Social 10

We finished watching "Whale Rider" in class, and then we went through the film study questions together as a class. I went over some questions and concerns that you had about the Illustrated Concept Map Assignment and specific questions about the written description that should go along with the concept map. Tomorrow, we'll be talking a bit about media transnationals.

Upcoming Important Dates for Social 10 Students:

• Illustrated Concept Map Assignment is due tomorrow (February 20th)
• Chapter 1-2 Quiz is on February 22nd (here is the study guide)

February 13

Social 10

I gave you the results of your World Geography Test that you wrote yesterday. I collected and handed back your homework: the Chapter 2 Key Terms and Questions. We then started our film study of "Whale Rider" which we will finish on Tuesday. Please remember that you have your Illustrated Concept Map Assignment due on Wednesday, February 20th. Please check your e-mail because I am sending out the marking guide for this assignment. Also, on February 22nd you will write your Chapter 1-2 Quiz, here is the study guide for this quiz:

• Study your Chapter 1 and 2 Key Terms
• Review the case studies from the textbook in Chapters 1 and 2, specifically the Metis, the Francophones, the Hmong, and the Maori
• 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)
  

Social 33

I went over the structure of Canadian government at the beginning of class, and went through how a bill becomes a law, and gave you an assignment (Canadian Government Internet Assignment) that is due on Tuesday, February 19th. Also due on Tuesday, the American section of the Chapter 4 booklet (most of you have already finished this homework in class).

February 12

Social 33

You wrote your Introduction to Political Systems Test today in class. After you finished this test you were suposed to work on your Chapter 4 question booklet. The Canadian section of this booklet is due tomorrow in class. The American section is due on Tuesday, February 19th. If you finished the Canadian section off in class, then you have no homework. See you tomorrow.

Social 10

You wrote your World Geography Test today in class. I then gave you an assignment sheet for your first major project in 10-1: the Illustrated Concept Map. This project is due on Wednesday, February 20th. I gave you some time to work in small groups brainstroming the interconnections between the concepts that must appear on the concept map. I also did a homework check today on the Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions. Your Chapter 2 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow. If you have them finished: work on your Illustrated Concept Map Assignment...don't leave this until the last minute, work on it a bit every night!

February 11

Social 10

I collected your first writing assignment today at the beginning of class. If you didn't hand it in today it is now late and subject to a late penalty of 10% per day, that is of course unless you had an excused absence today. You have your World Geography Test tomorrow, so please make sure that you study for it (there are some helpful links on Friday's post to help study for this test). Also, your Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions will be due tomorrow, and your Chapter 2 Key Terms and Questions will be due on Wednesday as well.

Social 33

I went over a "Democracy" Powerpoint presentation in class today. I will be sending this presentation off to you tonight, so please make sure that you let me know if you don't receive it (check your junk mail folders too, just in case it ends up there). I gave you a handout on characteristics of a democracy that you took some notes on, and then I gave you the Chapter 4 booklet that you'll be working on tomorrow after you have completed the Introduction to Political Systems Test (please see the study guide here, scroll down to find the study guide).

February 8

Social 10

I gave you a little bit of time to have your rough drafts peer edited at the beginning of class. I also gave you a list of countries and major cities that will appear on your World Geogrpahy Test. For the remainder of class you should have been working on completing Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions from the Unit 1 Worksheet. Here are some good hyperlinks to geography games:

• How Well Do You Know Your World?
• Test Your Geography Knowledge
• Maps.com Online Games

Please see the list of important dates below.

Upcoming Important Dates for Social 10 Students:

• Writing Assignment: Global Connections is due on Monday, February 11th (good copy: either typed or printed in blue or black ink)
• World Geography Test is on Tuesday, February 12th
• Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions are due on Tuesday, February 12th
  
  

Social 33

You wrote your first Social 33 quiz today, and it was on Individualism and Collectivism. The results were very good. I gave you the remainder of class time to complete Chapter 3 Q2-7 from page 28 in the textbook A Changing World. These questions are due for homework on Monday, but it looked like most of you finished it in class. Please have a look at the upcoming importatn dates below, as well as the study guide for your test on Tuesday.

Introduction to Political Systems Test Study Guide:

1. Key Concepts/Key People:

• ideology
• government
• politics
• to govern
• economics
• individualism
• collectivism
• fascism
• conservatism
• liberalism
• radical
• conservative
• reactionary
• liberal
• absolute monarchy
• democratic socialism
• communism
• representative government
• Thomas Hobbes (ideas/beliefs)
• John Locke (ideas/beliefs)
• norms
• mores
• rule by few/elites (dictatorships)
• rule by many (democracies)

2. Political Spectrum:

• similarities/differences between groups
• values supported by each group (radical, liberal, conservative, reactionary)
• placement on spectrum of various groups
  

3. Forms of Government:

• advantages/disadvantages of each type of government that we have examined (absolute monarchy, democratic socialism, communism, representative government, fascism)
  

Test Format:
30 multiple choice questions
1 writing assignment (letter to the editor on a particular issue, information is given to help you write your letter)

Upcoming Important Dates for Social 33 Students:

• Chapter 3 Questions (Q 2-7 page 28) are due on Monday, February 11th


• Introduction to Political Systems Test (see study guide above) is on Tuesday, February 12th

February 7

Social 33

We went over some more concepts related to the political spectrum today. You worked with a partner trying to determine where to place radicals, liberals, conservatives and reactionaries on a spectrum. We also looked at similarities and differences between radicals and reactionaries, and between fascism and communism. You have two pieces of homework tonight.

• Go to Social 33 Links and double click on the hyperlink called Political Spectrum: Ideology Notes. Print off the PDF file that pops up.
• Go to http://www.politicalcompass.org/ and click on the hyperlink on the left-hand side of the website labeled "Take the Test". Take the survey, and print off the grid results. Bring this grid to class tomorrow, so we can share the results.

Social 10

We did some small group brainstorming about our positive and negative effects on the world, and the positive and negative effects that the world has on us. We shared our ideas as a class, and then I had you write an introductory paragraph on the following topic: "What are my effects on the world?" hopefully, you got this introductory paragraph peer edited. I'm setting aside a little time tomorrow for peer editing, so it's a good idea to write a roguh draft on this informative essay tonight so it can be edited by a peer tomorrow. Also tomorrow, I'll be giving you the study guide for the World Geography Test that you're writing on Tuesday, February 12th. Also, I'll be giving you some time to work on your Unit 1 Worksheet tomorrow.

February 6

Social 10

You had the entire period to work on your map, it is due tomorrow. Please make sure that you have it completed! 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 the 25 different countries (color the entire country), these countries represent the 25 items that you found for homework last night
• 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
• Make sure that you have a title for your map
• Make sure that you have a simplified key on the front of your map

Here is a useful hyperlink to an online atlas, it's called World Atlas.com , this website is useful if you know what continent the country that you're looking for is located. If you don't know the continent, there is also a "Find Any Country Here" hyperlink that will take you to a scroll down menu which would be useful. Have a look at the picture from the website below if you're not sure where the hyperlink is located. Happy country hunting!

Please make sure that you bring your copy of Perspectives on Globalization to class tomorrow.

Social 33

I talked a little bit about the origins of the political sprectrum today in class. We then watched a video called "Forms of Government: What's the Score?" and filled out a worksheet to go with it. This video introduced you to different forms of government that can be grouped into two broad categories: rule by many (democratic socialism, representative democracy) and rule by few (absolute monarchy, communism, and fascism). We'll be continuing to look at the political spectrum tomorrow. Please remember that you have homework tonight: Ideas About Political Organization (worksheet) is due tomorrow. Also, please remember that you have an Individualism and Collectivism Quiz on Friday.

February 5

Social 33

Today we moved on to looking at the concepts of individualism and collectivism. You will be having a quiz on this topic on Friday. I will be sending out the two presentations that we have done in class later on this afternoon, so please check your e-mail (possibly even in your junk mail folder if you have a Hotmail account). If you don't receive these presentations please send me an e-mail and I will send them out to you. You also have some homework from the textbook A Changing World which is due on Thursday, February 7th, so please make sure that you complete it.

Upcoming Important Dates for Social 33 Students:

• Ideas About Political Organization (worksheet) is due on Thursday, February 7th
• Individualism and Collectivism Quiz is on Friday, February 8th
  
  

Social 10

I gave you some organizational webs at the beginning of class to show you the scope and sequence of the course. Then we played a game of "Global Bingo" (with prizes to be awarded tomorrow). Your homework assignment is very simple tonight: create a two column chart (one column labeled "item" and one column labeled "country"), and find 25 items from your household from 25 different countries. The completed chart is your first homework assignment that will be checked for marks, which I will do tomorrow in class. I also gave you a list of upcoming important dates, which I will summarize below:

Upcoming Important Date for Social 10 Students:

• 25 items-25 different countries chart is due tomorrow (February 6th)
• World Geography Test is on Tuesday, February 12th
• Chapter 1-2 Quiz is on Friday, February 22nd
  

February 1

Social 10

For most of the class period we examined different definitions of globalization. As you could tell from this activity, there are many different perspectivs about globalization, and whether it is a beneficial or detrimental force in our world today. We also looked at some visual examples fo globalization and tried to make connections to globalization. Please make sure that you bring the textbook Perspectives on Globalization to class on Tuesday. Have a great long weekend!

Social 33

Today we started the looking at the effect of political and economic systems on your lives. We brainstormed a list of possible connections between your lives and politics and government and economics. I will be sending the presentation that we built together in class today after school. Next week we'll be looking at the concepts of individualism and collectivism and the political spectrum. I collected your letters of introduction at the end of class, if you didn't hand it in, please do so on Tuesday. Have a great long weekend!

January 31

Social 33

I went over some classroom rules and expectations in class today. I gave out a few handouts about the course itself, including an outline, and an organizational web for Topic A. I went over the format of the Diploma exam: it is a two-part diploma exam, with Part A consisting of four writing assignments worth 40 marks in total, and Part B which has 60 multiple choice questions on it. If you have questions in class, please ask, but you can also ask questions here on the blog, or send me a question by e-mail. You do have a homework assignment tonight: please write a letter of introduction to me. Please make sure that you organize your writing in a friendly letter format, covering the following topics: family, interests, hobbies, sports, favorite movies, favorite TV shows, and favorite music. These are just suggestions to get you started, if you can think of other topics to cover, please do so. You will hand in this assignment tomorrow at the begining of class. It can be typed if you choose, or hand written. It doesn't matter to me if it's double-spaced or not.

Social 10

I gave you a seating plan almost right away, this will help me to learn your names quickly. As soon as I know your names I'll let you change spots. I talked briefly about the course (I gave you a course outline), and I also talked about my classroom rules and expectations (I posted these rules on the blog yesterday, so have a look). You had an in-class writing assignment which was a friendly letter. You should have covered the following topics: what junior high school you went to, a little bit about your family, your hobbies, sports you like to play (or watch), favorite movies, favorite TV shows, favorite music. Don't worry, I don't mark these letters, I simply want to get to know you better, and see how well you can write.

January 30

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.

Classroom Rules/Expectations of Behavior:

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.
  
  

Posting on the Blog:

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 33-2).
• 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.
  

January 17

Social 10

Your final exam marks have been posted outside my classroom, along with the mark that will end up on your report card. I threw out a number of questions from your final exam, because they weren't up to my standards of good multiple choice questions (some were ambiguous, incorrect, had more than one answer) or didn't fare well on the item analysis (if a high percentage of you got a question wrong, it was eliminated). For Social 10-1, your class average on the multiple choice final that you wrote today was 73% and for Social 10-3, your class average was 70%. I don't e-mail students their test scores or anything like that, so you do have to come in and check the results for yourself. Once again, it was pleasure teaching all of you, and maybe our paths will cross again in the future, either in Social 20-1 or 30-1 or 30-2. If you have any questions about the test or your report card mark, you can come and see me on Monday (I'm not at the school tomorrow, I'm attending a CBE wide meeting on next year's Social 20-1 and 20-2 curriculum).

Social 20

Your final exam marks as well as your final course marks are posted outside my classroom, so please come in and check them out. Overall, I think your final exam went well. The class average was 75%, which is right about where it should be. I may teach some of you again in either Social 30 or 33, so our paths may cross again. If you have any questions about the final exam or your final course grade, please come and see me. It was a pleasure teaching you.

January 14

Social 10

We played a review game of Jeopardy in class today. I hope that you enjoyed it. I have sent it to your e-mail accounts, so please check your e-mail. Please study hard for your Social 10-1 Final Exam, which is on Thursday, from 9-11 a.m. I am at school tomorrow and Wednesday if you want to come and see me, ask questions or go over past unit finals or tests.

Social 20

You wrote a Topic B Practice Final exam in class, and then we went over it briefly. If you want to come in to ask questions or look over past unit finals, I'll be at school, in either R4 or Room 108, on Tuesday and Wednesday. I am not available in the morning of your final exam because I will be administering the Social 10 Final Exam. Study hard!

January 11

Social 10

We went over your Unit 2 and Unit 3 practice final exams. Hopefully, it was beneficial for you. Please remember that you have a homework assignment this weekend: please send me 10 Jeopardy questions and answers to my e-mail address. I will put them into my Jeopardy template, and then we can play a little review game on Monday. If I don't get enough questions we can't play, so send them as soon as possible!

Social 20

We went over the Social 20 Practice Final in class today. this exam counted for marks. On Monday, we'll be doing a Topic B Final Exam to prepare for your Final Exam on Thursday.

January 10

Social 20

You wrote your "practice" Social 20 Final today. This test will count for marks, but I will not be throwing out a previous test in favor of the results of this test. The class average needs to improve. We're going to discuss questions that you had problems with in class tomorrow. On Monday, you'll be writing an alternate Topic B Final Exam, so please review over the weekend. See you tomorrow!

Social 10

You wrote a Unit 3 practice exam today. We'll be going over your Unit 2 and Unit 3 exams tomorrow in class, as well as preparing for a review game that we will play on Monday.

January 9

Social 10

You wrote your Part A of your Final Exam today. We'll continue our review of the semester by finishing off the Unit 2 practice final tomorrow, and then move into Unit 3 review. Please study tonight!

Social 20

You finished writing your second Social 20 Practice Final today. Tomorrow, you'll be writing a practice final, but this time it's for marks. Please study tonight!

January 8

Social 10

I gave you back the practice Unit 1 Final Exam and we went over some "problematic" questions. I then had you do a Unit 2 practice test. You'll get the results of this practice test on Thursday. You will be writing your Part A of your final exam tomorrow. Please make sure that you are reviewing course material EVERY night. Take advantage of the review hints that I gave you as part of your Final Exam Study Guide. Try to anticipate possible topics for Part A of your exam.

Social 20

We went over some "difficult" questions from the Social 20 practice final that I gave you yesterday. You started working on another practice final with a partner today in class, and you'll finish that off tomorrow, and then we'll go over the answers in class. On Thursday, you'll be writing a 'practice final exam", but this time it will count for marks. This is a wake-up call for you to get out of holiday mode, and start studying for your final exam.

January 7

Social 10

We have started our review of the entire course, so it's now time to start reviewing EVERY night for your upcoming final exams. Please remember that you have Part A on Wednesday in which you'll be interpreting three sources and completing a written response. Please have a look at the study guide that I gave you in class today, it covers Part A and Part B on the Final Exam. Try to see if you can anticipate some possible topics that will be covered in Part A based on the study guide. You also wrote a practice Unit 1 Final Exam, so we'll be looking at the results of that tomorrow. STUDY every night for the Final Exam.

Social 20

You wrote a practice final exam today in class, we'll be looking at the results tomorrow in class and going over questions that you got wrong. You'll be doing lots of practice exams this week, so please start studying now, so you'll get more out of it! STUDY every night for the Final Exam!