Wednesday, January 18. 2012

Today's schedule is B-A-D-C

B Block Geography 12 -Today we'll start by finishing the on line video called the Story of Stuff.


Remember this video connects to the topic of human consumption that we began looking at last week and to the case study for the final exam. Speaking of the case study...today we'll begin work on our final project for the year. You need to create your own case study question...On the Provincial Exam you have a case study (essay) that is worth 18 out of 93 marks (this means that one question is worth almost 20% of your final exam mark). There is no way to study for a topic, per say, because the topic changes from year to year. The case study is a skill based question; in essence it asks you to look at the Big Picture which really is what Geography is all about. The case study is divided into three sections:

The first question will always be asking you to describe and explain the physical environment of the subject area (which could be the North Sea, the Arctic, Indonesian rain forests, the Colorado River, Lake Baikal, etc..). In this you will need to look at the data they provide you and provide detailed information about the area in question.

The second question will always be asking you to assess or interpret the human impact on the subject area (which usually includes economic benefits and detractions, environmental and social impacts, etc...). In this you will need to make connections to the larger picture (e.g.: drilling for oil in the arctic has both local and global implications - oil spills, disruption of wildlife, global
warming).

The last question will always be about explaining the difficulties in coming up with solutions to the problems at hand or assessing the management of the area in question usually the competing environmental perspectives - economic gain versus environmental stewardship).

So, you to create a case study and then answer it too. You need to identify a location around the world from the following list: An Island or an Island Chain, a Lake, a River Basin, a Sea or a small Ocean, a Protected Land, a River Delta, a Desert, a small Country, an Aquifer (large), or any area where there is conflict between humans and the environment. You will need to gather and compile data and information about:

1. The physical environment of your chosen location (biomes, soils, & climate)
2. Human activities in your chosen location (economic, cultural, & social)
3. Identify the conflict & damage done to the environment by humans
4. Include a map of your chosen location

Once you have done this then you will need to write up the question (use the Ministry of Education’s format), compile the data on two sheets for students to use and then You'll need an answer key too because next week you will be sharing your case study with another student in the class and they'll have to answer it. Check out the Ministry of Education Exams site for examples of case studies (along with answers)

D Block Social Studies 11 - So yesterday we got caught up in a conversation about the history of human population and didn't get to the topics we needed to cover. Today we'll start with China's One Child policy. We'll work through questions 1-4 on the Reading a Graph activity on page 327 and questions 2 & 3 on page 331 in the Counterpoints textbook together as a class. This work (along with the information on page 328) will help you with your Population activity. After, we will take a look at population distribution, density, carrying capacity, and the limits to population growth (pages 332 - 337 in the text). You'll have the rest of the class to work on your population assignment (due Friday). Our next topic is living standards, poverty, debt, and health on a global scale.

C Block Law 9/10 - Today we'll quickly take a look at searches and then we'll focus our attention on the procedures associated with a criminal trial here in BC. We'll look at who is in the courtroom, what kind of evidence can be introduced and used and the stages of a trial. You'll get a few questions to look at today:

1. What is "Burden of Proof" in a criminal trial and who has it?
2. In your own words explain what "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" means
3. List the steps in selecting juries for trials and explain the role of a jury in a criminal trial
4. Which side (Crown or Defence) presents first in a criminal trial and why?
5. What is a "leading question"?
6. What is cross examination?
7. What is the difference between direct and circumstantial evidence?
8. Criminal Offences activity (in your package there is a page titled Criminal Offences and it asks you to match the categories of offences with the pictures on the page)
9. Criminal Defences activity (in your package there is a page titled Defences and it asks you to try to define the defences associated with the pictures on the page)