Monday, March 8. 2021

Today's classes are:

9:15 - 11:50 A Block Physical Geography

12:30 - 3:05 D Block Legal Studies

A Block Physical Geography - Today we're looking at water. The USGS diagram to the left shows the distribution of water on the planet and explains the amount of water available for "human use". You'll note that there is precious little water available for 7 billion people. Then consider that the flora and fauna of the biosphere require water as well and you can see the importance of water to all forms of life on the planet. We'll look at the properties of water in its three phases and then you'll need to sketch a diagram of the hydrologic cycle (page 253 in Geosystems). Next you'll need to define: condensation, evaporation, transpiration, precipitation, sublimation, percolation, and aquifer. Lastly you'll need to complete questions 1 from page 278, along with questions 16, & 18 from page 280 all in your Geosystems text. To help look at the United States Geological Survey Water Cycle website

We'll also be looking at streams and drainage basins. You'll need to work on a few definitions, a diagram, and questions 10, 11, and 12 from page 481 in your Geosystems textbook. The Canadian Atlas online has a great section on drainage basins .


In order to understand streams we'll watch a Bill Nye the Science Guy episode on the topic - Rivers & Streams (#209). Splash down a rapid river with Bill Nye the Science Guy and explore how ecosystems work and why they are important to our environment. From waterfalls and dams, to the depths of the Grand Canyon, this is one wet and wild ride. This week's music video showcases the Talking Headwaters singing "Take Me to the River

D Block Legal Studies - Today we will begin our look at criminal law defenses focusing on Alibi (disputing the Actus Reus) and automatism (disputing the Mens Rea), Intoxication, Insane Automatism, and Battered Woman Syndrome. After we look at automatism as a defense, we'll also look at the "excusable conduct" defenses of self-defence, necessity, duress, ignorance of the law, entrapment, legal duty and provocation. We'll go over your handout that has some really good notes to help you with defenses. We'll review the Kenneth Parks homicidal somnambulism case (sleepwalking murder R. v. Parks, 1992).

In the 2013 movie "Side Effects" Emily Taylor, despite being reunited with her husband from prison, becomes severely depressed with emotional episodes and suicide attempts. Her psychiatrist, Jonathan Banks, after conferring with her previous doctor, eventually prescribes an experimental new medication called Ablixa. The plot thickens when the side effects of the drug lead to Emily killing her husband in a "sleepwalking" state.
 

 

To end the day, we'll watch a Law and Order episode from season 20 called Shotgun. A small businessman in Spanish Harlem becomes a hero after shooting three armed robbers. However, the investigation later discovers that there are holes in his story and that it may not have been a case of self-defense. This is tangentially connected to Canada's citizen's arrest law changes "The Lucky Moose Bill"

Changes to citizen's arrest

What You Need to Know About Making a Citizen's Arrest