Monday, December 11. 2023

Today's schedule is ABCD

A 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), along with Intoxication, while tomorrow we'll look at Insane Automatism, and Battered Woman Syndrome. Later this week, 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.
 

 

B Block Human Geography - Time to work on your questions from last week:

• 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? 
• Complete the chart describing the origins and branches of the major universalizing religions (Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism)
• Give three explanations for the diffusion of Christianity.  Identify the type of diffusion of each explanation. 
• Give three ways in which Islam spread. 
• What does the term diaspora mean in the context of the migration patterns of Jews? 

We'll look at the video I posted on Friday's post to help.

C/D Blocks Social and Environmental Sciences - This afternoon we'll watch the documentary "A Plastic Ocean"...from the movie guide

In the center of the Pacific Ocean gyre our researchers found more plastic than plankton. A Plastic Ocean documents the newest science, proving how plastics, once they enter the oceans, break up into small particulates that enter the food chain where they attract toxins like a magnet. These toxins are stored in seafood’s fatty tissues, and are eventually consumed by us. 

I posted this last week, however 10-20 million tonnes of plastic ends up in our oceans every year, according to a report released by the Worldwatch Institute in 2015. The estimated number of plastic particles currently floating around in world’s oceans is 5.25 trillion. According to Greenpeace’s report Plastic Debris in the World’s Oceans:

At least 267 different species are known to have suffered from entanglement or ingestion of marine debris including seabirds, turtles, seals, sea lions, whales, and fish. The scale of contamination of the marine environment by plastic debris is vast. It is found floating in all the world’s oceans, everywhere from polar regions to the equator.

You have a question sheet to work on while we watch the movie and after I hope to have a conversation with you around these talking points/questions

1. What scene from the film most personally affected you? Why?
2. How do toxins that fish ingest get into us?
3. What are some long-term and Bridge solutions to the plastic and toxin problem in our oceans?
4. What are some ways we can galvanize our community to solve our plastic pollution problem? (i.e. call representatives, letter writing campaign, Plastic Free Pledges etc.)
5. How can we reduce our plastic use here at Vanier?
6. What can we do personally? 
7. How can we creatively and effectively spread this message?

From the Canadian Plastic Oceans site, here is a list of organizations in British Columbia combating plastic pollution in the oceans. Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, developed advanced technologies to rid the oceans of plastic

Today's Fit...casual week