History 12: Notes from Friday, 18 March

We saw the best documentary today and I returned the Russia unit tests.

English 12: Friday, 18 March

Due to a lack of clientele, English 12 was postponed.  I guess we've decided that we've earned a longer break than the Ministry of Education deems appropriate.

SS 11: Notes from Friday, 18 March

Today we reviewed how to organize a paragraph for a history prompt - I gave an example for Canada and WW2 and we did a prewrite organization chart for Canada and the UN.  Please write a two-page, double-spaced paragraph for the following prompt:

DISCUSS CANADA'S ROLE IN THE UN FROM 1945 TO 2011. 


You may give more attention to one area than the others, but your coverage should be comprehensive and address the four aspects of the UN that we discussed in class.  Please remember that facts without connections and "so-whats" are not, of themselves,  adequate.

This assignment will be due on Thursday, 31 March.  Enjoy your break but get ready to turn up the heat as we race to finish the course in time to be able to review prior to the final exam :)

En 12: Thursday, 17 March

Amanda was the only student in class today, so she had a catch-up day.

En 11: Notes from Thursday, 17 March

Well, I guess you guys have the luck of the Irish, because by the time I discussed ways to approach your learning in general and your writing in specific and then outlined strategies to start your essay, the class was over.  We did have the chance to look at Khoya's thesis statement and then I gave an example of how to begin a paragraph discussing the literal application of the garrison mentality.

After class, Liz asked me to expand on the g.m. further.  I said that just because the g.m. may exist in Canadian literature does not mean that other people in other cultures can't also feel isolated.  Nor does it mean that all Canadians in every piece of literature have this fear.  All it suggests is that because of who we are and how we got here, and because of where we live, we Canadians often exhibit this phenomenon.  Does that mean that a Russian could feel it - yes.  Does it mean that Russians feel it - maybe.  In other words, our having it does not preclude other cultures from also having it. 

Finally, you'll note that I have added an observation that James Gray (who studied this topic last year) made when he saw our notes on the board.  I found it very interesting.  Does it support the g.m. for the digital genration?

En 12: Notes from Wednesday, 16 March

Only Brianna made it to class today, and since she was absent on Tuesday, she used it as a catch-up day.

SS11: Notes from Wednesday, 16 March

Today, we reviewed the establishment of the UN after the Second World War.  We also discussed the evolution of the types of missions Canadians have participated in during "peacekeeping" operations.  We were introduced to the idea of "peacemaking" and asked questions about how our present involvement in Afghanistan should continue and how future missions should be chosen.  In all of this, remember that we are examining this issue in terms of Canadian autonomy.  For example, why did we participate in the Afghan "war" but not the Iraq war?  Were the correct decisions made?  This is a very controversial issue, but as Canadians who will soon have the right (responsibility?) to vote, I think you must make yourself aware of these types of issues in order to elect representatives who will influence governmental policy in ways that are congruent with your desires and values.

Hist 12: Notes from Wed-Thurs, 16-17 March

With so many students away, we completed worksheets from the upcoming unit on the rise of fascism.

History 12: Tuesday, 15 March

Today, we wrote the Russia 1905-1941 test (actually, I only included questions up to about 1938).  It was a long one but we're right on schedule for June.

En 12: NOTES FROM TUESDAY, 15 MARCH

Today we read "Transients in Arcadia" and answered the "Response" question (#1).  We also read a magazine article on Vancouver as Lotus Land.  Please write a paragraph in response to one of the synthesis topics,  for homework.  If you were absent today, you'll have to get the handout when you return to class.

En 11-2: Notes from Tuesday, 15 March

Today, we discussed the four stories we've been reading in terms of the garrison mentality.  Please look at the sample thesis statements from the other class' blog post  and come to our next class with your own statement.  We will be starting to write the essay on Thursday.

En 11-1

We discussed the garrison mentality today and examined how the stories we read might fit into it.  On Thursday, we will write our essays.

English 12: Notes from Monday, 14 March

Today we read "The Shining Houses" by Alice Munro.  Please read it and answer question 1 a-f.

SS 11: Notes from Monday, 14 March

Today we discussed the creation of the UN and Canada's role in it.  Please complete the second worksheet in the package - you may choose to do the next two.  We will finish the peacekeeper section of the UN PPT next class.

I have posted the PPT to Slideshare.

History 12: Notes from Monday, 14 March

Today we discussed Stalin and the process he employed to implement collectivization and the five year plans - sorry, I put the notes on the whiteboard.  We also looked at two handouts and were reminded that we must be cautious about how we accept statistical information reported from a totalitarian state (any state?).

We ended up with a look at the structure of Russian classes and the evolution of the names of the secret police under the Tsar and then the Bolsheviks.

We looked at the structure of tomorrow's exam.  You can expect the following:

a) a timeline with key events
b) a fill-in-the-blank summary of events associated with the revolutions
c) give the what and so-what of vocab terms
d) multiple-choice questions
e) one short paragraph question associated with a graphic source
f) one long paragraph question (from a choice of two topics)

I have posted the political groups PPT slides you made to Slideshare.

En 11: check-in

Remember that last week we read the short stories associated with the "garrison mentality" worksheet and did the four or five questions ("response question - #1a-d") from each story.  I need you to come to class with that done in order for you to be able to participate in Tuesday's writing assignment - please be responsible.

SS 11: check-in

On Thursday we continued to discuss the Cold War era after we did a short quiz.  The results from the quiz were for the most part not inspiring.  I recognize that we're all ready for a rest, but we've got three classes this week and we can't afford to coast.  I will likely give a Cold War test on Friday (that's better than having it after the break, believe me).

English 12: check-in

We completed the 1984 unit on Friday when we finished watching the movie.  Many of you are missing writing assignments.  We will be starting our short fiction unit on Monday; those of you who are leaving early can take the assignments for Wed - Fri and complete them when you return from your trip.

History 12: Check-in

Okay, so I really missed this one - no post since Wednesday and you've got a test on Tuesday.  On Monday we will finish covering Stalin regarding collectivization and the purges.  We also need to remind ourselves of the notion of "Socialism in One Country" but be aware of the place of the USSR in the world at large.

If you have your worksheets complete and you've read the rest of DeMarco on Stalin I'll be happy.  We'll be doing a summarizing activity to get all the details structured in an easy-to-study table.