Thursday, February 27. 2014

The schedule for today is D-AG-C-B-A

D Block Social Studies 10 - Please use your time wisely as you only have today left in the library...this is the last day for work on your project...presentations are tomorrow in class. Work Hard and Good Luck.

B Block Geography 12 - Today we shift our focus (pun intended) to earthquakes. We'll look at some video of the aftermath of the Izmit Turkey 1999 Mw7.4 earthquake along the North Anatolian fault. We'll also look at the Loma Prieta (San Fracisco) 1989 Mw6.9 earthquake along the San Andreas fault. We'll try to compare the two and then take some notes down about the three types of faults. After, you'll have a series of questions to complete from the Geosystems text (14, 15, 16, & 19 from p. 412). Check out the cool interactive activity at National Geographic Forces of Nature or the Today in Earthquake History at the USGS. For more information check out the Digital Geology webpage on earthquakes.

A Block Social Studies 11 - Today we'll start with time to work on yesterday's questions: 1, 2, 3, and 4 on page 253 along with 1, 2 and 4 on page 258 of your Counterpoints textbook. After this, we'll begin work on our Elections Project...

Your job is to form a group of like-minded people who will be a new political party. As a group you will work together to build a party image, platform, speeches, campaigning materials, and run for election. This project is worth 50 marks (including group participation, campaign materials, and winning the election). Consider the following as the elections laws:

Each group must:

1. have at least three people
2. make a party name
3. make a party slogan, a logo, and craft a media brand

Work together to build a party platform that shows your beliefs and tells citizens why they should vote for you. This includes what you stand for in terms of:

• social issues (health, welfare, education, class,human rights)
• economic issues (trade, business, taxes, employment, spending)
• legal issues (law & order, crime, changes to existing laws, amendments)
• changes you want to make for what reason?
• other issues (take on controversial topics and make a stand! environmental? procedural? gun laws? abortion? capital punishment? discrimination? terrorism?)

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Your platform must be presented in paper and/or digital form (preferably printed pamphlets, business cards, flyers, direct mail (AKA junk mail) campaigns, but other media applications are also acceptable commercials on television, radio, or pop-up ads, social media campaigns, etc.). Having a talented artists or media guru might be helpful for this.

The campaign period for the purposes of this election will be from Wednesday, March 5^th until the official day of voting (Monday, March 10^th). Campaign materials must not appear before the start date and will be removed after voting. Campaign materials must be limited to the local environs not exceeding the riding (room 611). Each group must prepare for and participate in a formal campaign debate (modified style- give your speech & answer questions) for fellow classmates and surprise guests. Electing a well-spoken leader might be helpful for this.

ELECTION DAY is Monday, March 10^th. There is no advance poll or absentee ballot. First past the post wins. There is no proportional representation.

Use Apathy is Boring to help you with political ideology for your newly created political party.