Monday, February 23. 2015

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

B Block Social Studies 11 - Yesterday we looked at the Legislative Branch of Canada's government. Remember that even though we did not discuss the Senate in detail, the Senate plays an important role in the leadership of this country - just not as pronounced as the executive headed by the Prime Minister. Today I'd like to begin a discussion on the qualities of leadership. In essence I want you to think about people who you would follow and describe what makes a good leader. Try to avoid confusing leadership with success and popularity. So with a partner brainstorm a list of people who you think make good leaders and identify the qualities or traits of leadership that you admire or think are important and when we're finished going over your ideas work on the following questions:

1. What are your top five qualities of leadership? Explain them with examples to help.
2. How can leaders motivate people to follow them and get people to be involved in social issues
3. What is the worst fault a leader can have? Why?
4. Can you be a good leader but not be a good communicator? Why or why not?
5. Why is it important to have a good leader as the Prime Minister of Canada?  

Fortune Magazine World's Greatest Leaders
Forbes Magazine Top 10 Qualities of Leadership
Foreign Policy Magazine 2014 Leading Global Thinkers

C Block Geography 12 - Today we'll finish our introduction to topographic maps that we started on Friday and then we'll work on the Prince Rupert topographic map from the Canadian Landscape (pages 20 - 23 & click on the map). I'll need you to work on questions 1, 2, 3, 4 a & b, 5, 7 a,b,d & e, and 9 a & b. Use Google Earth or Google Maps to help you with this assignment and if you have a problem or question you should post a comment on this blog entry or e-mail me at my school address.

You'll have tomorrow's class to work through this assignment as well. Here are a few webpages to help:
Natural Resources Canada Toporama
Reading Topographic Maps
Mount Union College Reading Topo Maps
United States Geological Survey Reading Topo Maps
Idaho State University Interpreting Topo Maps
National Wildfire Coordinating Group Reading Topographic maps pdf
Natural Resources & Water Queensland Australia Interpreting Topo Maps pdf
How Stuff Works Reading a Topographic Map
How to Read Topographical Maps

D Block Criminology 12 - Today we will be in the library working on our second journal / blog entry. I would like you to tell me what you think about crime trends here in Canada / B.C. Specifically, I want you to tell me what you think about drug related crime. Violent and property crime patterns are generally decreasing however the one area that is on the rise is drug possession, trafficking, importing, and exporting (specifically possession of marijuana - up 4% since 2002 - and cocaine - up 19% since 2002 see Stats Can CSI here).

In addition to this Stats Can states, "British Columbia has consistently had a relatively high rate of police-reported drug offences. Regardless of the type of drug or the type of offence, the rates of drug crime in British Columbia have been among the highest in Canada for 30 years. In 2007, the total drug crime rate in this province (654 incidents per 100,000 population) was more than double the rate in Saskatchewan, the next highest province. In accordance with the province as a whole, relatively high rates of drug offences are found in the census metropolitan areas (CMA) of Vancouver, Victoria and Abbotsford. Along with Trois-Rivières and Gatineau, these cities have reported the highest rates in Canada for the past five years. The rates in Vancouver and Victoria have been among the highest in the country since 1991".

So....Today you will need to write your thoughts on the following: Why has British Columbia consistently had high rates of police reported drug offences? Use what you've learned about crime theories and your own thoughts on crime theories to answer why. Once you've done this, then find an article about a recent drug crime here in B.C., make a link to the news article on your blogsite and then write how crime theories explain the crime (Look at this news about a 30 kilogram cocaine bust off Vancouver Island or this news about six people arrested in Saanich for 26 litres of GHB gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid a date-rape drug, 100 grams of crystal meth, four ounces of heroin, 16 grams of marijuana and $20,000 cash). Don't forget excellent crime news websites are the CANOE CNews Crime site...or the Toronto Star Crime site...or  Global News Crime site...or the Huffington Post Canada Crime site...or the Vancouver Sun Crime Blog