Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Thursday, May 18th - Friday, May 19th. 2023

Okay families...as you know I'm off to Mount Saint Helens (our 15th time and first since 2019), so you will be with Ms. Lacourse for the next two days. Here's the plan... 

Thursday and Friday the schedule is DCBA 

D Block Physical Geography - On Thursday, We'll look at air pollution, specifically the anthropogenic additions to our atmosphere. We will look at the effects of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides on human health and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We'll also look at the Environment Canada Air Quality Index. 

For us in the Comox Valley PM2.5 pollution refers to very fine particulates - with a size generally less than 2.5 micrometres (µm). It is contained in pollution from gasoline and diesel vehicles as well as *woodsmoke* and industry. This microscopic material when breathed in can penetrate deep into the lungs and can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. This form of pollution is associated with health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer as well as diabetes and dementia. High levels of PM2.5 pollution can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks and other serious medical emergencies, and has a long term impact on lung function particularly in children.

Check out an article on CNN indicating that breathing in Delhi air is equivalent to smoking 44 cigarettes a day


Your questions are:
  1. Why are anthropogenic gases more significant to human health than are those produced from natural sources? (page 24 Geosystems Core text)
  2. How are sulphur impurities in fossil fuels related to the formation of acid in the atmosphere and acid deposition on the land? (pages 24-25 Geosystems Core text)
  3. Summarize the commitments Canada has made to improve air quality. (page 25 Geosystems Core text)
On Friday,  Today we'll begin looking at Albedo, energy distribution, and the greenhouse effect.

We'll also look at heat and temperature in the atmosphere. What is cold and hot? What makes you feel cold or hot? How does that impact you? How might temperature impact natural operating systems on Earth? What about human constructs…how are they affected by heat and cold and are we altering temperature patterns? Oymyakon, in Russia’s Yakutia region, has earned the reputation as the coldest permanently occupied human settlement in the world.


We'll understand the three temperature scales (Kelvin, Fahrenheit, and Celsius).


NASA has a good website (Earth Observatory Global Warming) that tries to explain the concept of climate change and global warming without a biased political viewpoint for or against the subject. Check it out. You could also look at the Hyper Physics website from the department of Physics and Astronomy at Georgia State University. We will pay more attention to global warming and climate change later on in the course (in June). 

Your questions are:
  1. List several types of surfaces and their albedo values. What determines the reflectivity of a surface? (p. 37 in Geosystems Core)
  2. Define the energy concepts of: Absorption; Diffuse Radiation; Conduction; Convection (p.35 in Geosystems Core)
  3. What are the similarities and differences between an actual green-house and the gaseous atmospheric greenhouse? Why is Earth's greenhouse changing? (pages 38-39 in Geosystems Core text)
  4. Generalize the pattern of global net radiation. How might this pattern drive the atmospheric weather machine? (pages 10-11, 40, 42-43 in Geosystems Core text)
  5. Explain the effect of altitude on air temperature. Why is air at higher altitudes lower in temperature? Why does it feel cooler standing in shadows at higher altitudes than at lower altitudes? (page 46 in Geosystems Core text)
  6. Explain the difference between marine and continental temperatures. Give geographical examples of each from the text: Canada, United States and Norway, and Russia. (pages 47-49 in Geosystems Core text)
  7. Describe and explain the extreme temperature range experienced in north– central Siberia between January and July. (page 53 in the Geosystems Core text)

C Block Human Geography - Thursday And Friday we'll move on to our next key question, "Why Do Religions Have Different Distributions?" Universalizing religions have diffused from specific places of origin (or hearths) to other regions of the world, while most ethnic religions have generally remained clustered in a defined area. Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism all originated in Asia and diffused the world over from there. So we'll try to find out how and why religions spread the way they do. To help:


Don't forget the three major universalizing religions of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism diffused from specific places of origin, or hearths, to other regions of the world, while most ethnic religions have generally remained clustered in a defined area. Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism all originated in Asia and diffused the world over from there. You'll have a chart to fill in and then some questions to answer about about the diffusion of Christianity and Islam...From Bridging World History (Annenberg Media)

Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam alike were proselytized by their followers, adapted to different cultural settings, and used to provide religious sanctions for rulers. Unlike Buddhism, however, both Christianity and Islam used military power to conquer and convert peoples and created their own governments. 
From its origins in sixth-century B.C.E. India, Buddhism was transmitted through central to east Asia by the beginning of the first millennium C.E. to become one of the great proselytizing, universal religions of world history. Emerging from the Sumerian and Judaic traditions of early West Asia, both Christianity and Islam were, by the close of the first millennium C.E., institutionalized universal religions with large populations of adherents in lands that stretched from northern Europe to North Africa and from the Mediterranean to East Africa and the Himalayas. As all three of these religions were introduced into different cultures and societies, they underwent significant adaptations to indigenous belief systems at the same time that they dramatically altered the religious ideals and values of peoples around the globe. 
All three early universal religions—Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam—were further expanded by those who held the reins of power in the areas where they took root. Although Buddhism interacted with political authority in various cultural settings, lending its sanction to some rulers, it did not become the engine of empire that Christianity, and especially Islam, did. Just as political forces shaped the growth and spread of these religions, so Christianity and Islam both played powerful roles in legitimizing political authority. 

Your questions are:
  1. How was Hinduism's origin different than universalizing religions? When did it originate?  Where did it originate?  What two ancient peoples’ beliefs blended to form Hinduism? 
  2. Complete the chart describing the origins and branches of the major universalizing religions (Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism)
  3. Give three explanations for the diffusion of Christianity.  Identify the type of diffusion of each explanation. 
  4. Give three ways in which Islam spread. 
  5. What does the term diaspora mean in the context of the migration patterns of Jews? 
B Block Criminology - Thursday we start with your Property/White Collar/Social Order Crime Quiz. After we'll once again look at Mass Media Theories and Media Literacy. Remember the elements of Media Literacy...Not only are media constructions (made by humans) but that the receiving audience interprets the meaning of the message themselves.



1. Media are constructions - Media products are created by individuals who make conscious and unconscious choices about what to include, what to leave out and how to present what is included. 

2. Audiences negotiate meaning - The meaning of any media product is not created solely by its producers but is, instead, a collaboration between them and the audience – which means that different audiences can take away different meanings from the same product. 

 3. Media have commercial implications - Most media production is a business and must, therefore, make a profit. In addition, media industries belong to a powerful network of corporations that exert influence on content and distribution.

4. Media have social and political implications - Media convey ideological messages about values, power and authority. In media literacy, what or who is absent may be more important than what or who is included. These messages may be the result of conscious decisions, but more often they are the result of unconscious biases and unquestioned assumptions – and they can have a significant influence on what we think and believe.

5. Each medium has a unique aesthetic form - The content of media depends in part on the nature of the medium. This includes the technical, commercial and storytelling demands of each medium: for instance, the interactive nature of video games leads to different forms of storytelling – and different demands on media creators – that are found in film and TV. 

So...What Is the Media? The media encompass all communications that transmit facts or information to citizens and includes the mass media in print and on the radio, television, and Internet. 



So, what are the types of Mass Media? include: Print media encompasses mass communication through printed material. It includes newspapers, magazines, booklets and brochures, house magazines, periodicals or newsletters, direct mailers, handbills or flyers, billboards, press releases, and books. Electronic media is the kind of media which requires the user to utilize an electric connection to access it. It is also known as 'Broadcast Media'. It includes television, radio, and new-age media like the Internet, computers, telephones, etc. With the advent of the Internet, we are now enjoying the benefits of high technology mass media, which is not only faster than the old school mass media, but also has a widespread range. Mobile phones, computers, and the Internet are often referred to as the New-age media. The Internet has opened up several new opportunities for mass communication which include e-mail, websites, podcasts, e-forums, e-books, blogging, streaming TV, and many others which are booming today. The Internet has also started social networking sites which have redefined mass communication all together. Apps/Sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Twitch and TikTok have made communication to the masses all the more entertaining, interesting, and easier.




We'll look at the changes in media over the last century and try to answer the following:
  1. Think of three examples of traditional or new media. What are the advantages of each type of media? What are the disadvantages?
  2. Which of these types of media has been around the longest? Which is the most modern?
  3. How has the Internet affected the delivery of other types of media?
  4. Do you believe that new media are more successful than traditional forms? Why or why not?
Friday  I'd like to watch the Batman: The Animated Series Two Face (part 1) and  Two Face (Part II). These episodes provide an alternate origin story to Harvey Dent / Two Face than the movie The Dark Knight. There are Shakespearean and Gothic Horror overtones in the episodes. “Two-Face” is the first instance in the series where we see the origin of one of Batman’s villains as it is happening, providing a glimpse of the human before he becomes the monster (consider Mary Shelly's Frankenstein). Two-Face is one of Batman’s oldest foes, dating back to 1942. His origin in the comics is basically the same as what’s presented here, handsome district attorney, face scarred for life by a criminal, a mental breakdown and the release of a second violent personality obsessed with duality, justice, and chance. The Animated Series’ major addition to that story is that Harvey suffered from multiple personality disorder before the horrific scarring. When Harvey becomes Two-Face, it’s the climax of one man’s battle against his own self, a struggle which becomes laid bare for the whole world to see in gruesome fashion.

From Talking Comic Books... Perhaps the most standout moment in Two-Face Parts 1 & 2 is the reveal of Two-Face. Having been badly scarred and evoking Jack Nicholson’s Joker from Batman (1989), Dent screams for a mirror, before stumbling out from the Hospital room. As his fiancé walks towards him, lighting flashes behind him, before revealing his newly scarred visage to her. Like the Universal Monster movies of the 1930s, this sequence demonstrates the operatic monstrosity, the unleashed anger and, perhaps most of all, the tragedy that sits at the character’s core...Gothic literature at its core. Part One can be seen here or Here

The animated series was a sort of watershed for crime serial animation in that it was styled after a "film noir" format (a gritty and dark Hollywood genre of crime dramas from the 1940's and 1950's). This episode is almost 30 years old (yep from 1992) and is a brilliant example of a cartoon series taking its audience seriously. It provided gripping, intelligent, and compelling episodes that did not shy away from important issues and was adept at examining crime from a criminology perspective (It even won an Emmy award in 1993 for "Outstanding Animated Program - for the episode "Robin's Reckoning"). It is sophisticated, mature, artistic, and faithful to the Batman cannon. From DC Comics (although they may be biased) it really is important to note just how much of an impact Batman The Animated Series had on the world of animation itself. With shockingly mature and often heartbreaking storytelling that addressed issues such as death, identity, family, and more, the series showed viewers that a cartoon could tell stories just as impactful and poignant as any other medium.

from TV.com...Harvey Dent, campaigning for a re-election, vows to rid Gotham of Rupert Thorne's crime and corruption. The tables turn when Thorne gets a hold of Dent's psychological records and discovers his alternate personality the violent Big Bad Harv. Thorne attempts to blackmail the DA with this, and the following fight in Thorne's chemical plant hideout results in an explosion that scars the left side of Dent's body, despite Batman's attempts to save him.

So when we finish the episodes we'll try to make sense of what messages they try to pass on to its audience (remember it's children), what the episode says of crime and what mass media theory we can use to explain how the creators (Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski) and writers (Alan Burnett and Randy Rogel) presented their ideas.


A Block Legal Studies - Thursday and Friday you are in the Learning Commons to work on your criminal law legal memo project.  Remember, the purpose of the legal memorandum is to answer one or more legal questions in the context of a specific set of facts. It should contain a thorough analysis of the relevant law and provide a well-reasoned answer to the questions posed. So, you have the block this afternoon in the Learning Commons to work on them. 

Facts: Present an overview of the case/matter at hand. State the legal question(s) asked or the issue(s) considered in the memorandum. So, here you are basically stating what the criminal charges / constitutional rights issues are connected to the scenario you are writing about. Make sure to include details that are of importance to the specific issues presented. In doing this you are summarizing all legally relevant facts from the case as you understand them AND explain how they connect to the potential charges. So, what is/are the charge(s) and what are the facts that support that/those charge(s).

If you'd like, you may do this section in a chart, table, or diagram format, however, be concise and precise (be brief, clear, simple, and accurate). If there is some disagreement or uncertainty about the facts, you need to say so and state both sides. Break down each question into all relevant sub-issues (are there problems or issues with the charges or the situation?) and list issues and related sub-issues in a logical order.


You write the fact section so that someone unfamiliar with the matter will get a concise and complete picture of the facts used in your legal analysis and conclusion. You include enough background facts to present the case coherently. Review your facts to make sure that each one is Legally Relevant (ask yourself: Does this fact prove or disprove an element in the case?) and Gives Background (ask yourself: What's needed to paint the big picture? - These are the facts that tell your story). Organizing the facts chronologically is usually convenient and efficient.


Discussion: Describe the relevant law (e.g., legislation like the Criminal Code of Canada, the Controlled Drug and Substances Act of Canada, or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms) and commentary on the law (e.g., texts, encyclopedias, policy statements - these are the resources you are using to back up your opinions and facts of the case you are looking at...so who wrote them and what are their qualifications), then apply them to the facts of your case. 
  1. Analyse each issue separately. Show your reasoning, using a step-by-step approach.
  2. Address fairly any arguments on both sides of an issue.
  3. Identify any pertinent missing information and potentially outstanding issues.
  4. Anticipate what positions and counterarguments might be advanced by the opposing side (Give an opinion on the strengths and weaknesses of your position).
  5. Make any suitable recommendations about a course of action (most appropriate charge(s) and recommendations for penalties - along with your justification A.K.A. "Why" Present persuasively the best arguments based on any relevant legislation and common law principles. Show your reasoning.). 
So, in this section, 
  • Be creative.
  • Think strategically.
  • Focus on getting results. 
  • Reach a conclusion.
  • Ensure that it is supported by the law. 
When dealing with your discussion section, it presents the laws (such as legislation, cases, and others) and how they can be applied to the case to get a solution. There are two ways to write this information:

I.R.A.C. (Issue / Rule / Analysis / Conclusion).
C.I.R.A.C. (Conclusion / Issue / Rule / Analysis / Conclusion).

The most used is the second format, since it’s more comfortable to understand the order of events and is more persuasive since it presents the conclusion twice.

From Law Tutors...I.R.A.C means:

Issue - Begin with a short thesis sentence that briefly identifies the issue and the applicable rule and states a short answer. You should also mention, if applicable, the procedural posture of the case and the burdens and standards of proof.

Rule and Rule Explanation - Next, you should follow with a paragraph that states the rule, citing any cases or statutes upon which the rule is derived, setting out the elements and sub-elements of the rule, and clarifying how they relate to one another. You should also mention any rules of interpretation pertinent to the law you are applying. You should identify any undisputed issues and explain why they are not in dispute, then state the order in which the remaining issues will be discussed.

Application - After explaining the rule, you should compare the facts and the reasoning of the cases to the facts of your case, to the extent that the facts/rules in the cases are relevant.  You will need to analogize and distinguish the cases, showing why they are similar or different from the facts in your fact pattern to explain to the reader why he/she should follow one case precedent more than another. You will also want to address any counter-arguments that could be raised but why you believe they will not prevail.

Conclusion - For each issue or sub-issue, you should conclude as to how you think a court would likely rule on your facts.

Don't forget for your discussion section consider the principles of sentencing (deterrence, retribution, rehabilitation, resocialization, and segregation); the options for sentencing; along with considerations in sentencing; and finally sentencing, healing, and releasing circles. Try to identify the best choices among: absolute discharge, conditional discharge, probation, mitigating circumstances, aggravating circumstances, suspended sentence, concurrent sentence, consecutive sentence, intermittent sentence, indeterminate sentence. 

For help with writing feel free to go down the Rabbit Hole of the following sites:





Don't waste time, use your time today to drill down on the issues at hand
Posted by Geo Teacher at 11:34 PM

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