Friday, February 28. 2014

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

A Block Social Studies 11 - Today I have the library booked for you to continue working on your political party assignment. Remember you need to create a party, a platform, a logo, a slogan and a campaign that will convince people to vote for your party. Don't forget that the campaign begins on Wednesday, March 5^th and lasts until the official day of voting which is Monday, March 10^th. Do not break campaign rules and try to post links or put up posters until Wednesday and although you may know some of the people who are coming in to watch your speeches and vote, I do not want you to lobby them before the campaign begins - that would break election laws and you really don't want to pay fines - that would bankrupt your party before it even gets a chance to get going. You'll have Monday in the library as well. If you need a video camera for campaign ads then you should sign one out of the library today. If you need help, ask.

B Block Geography 12 - Yesterday we looked at earthquakes and the seismic gap concept (focusing on Izmit Turkey in 1999). Today....Oh today we look at Tsunamis and the west coast of North America. We'll watch sections of the Discovery Channel documentary "America's Tsunami: Are we Next?" You will have two questions to work on tonight in your week four package:

How do Tsunami’s work? from p.11 & Why can tsunamis cause such damage and devastation? What are some characteristics of the wave that factor into how much damage it could cause? How do coastal or shoreline features factor into the extent of damage? What role could a warning system play? How effective would a warning system be for the west coast of Vancouver Island? Why?
You can find more information at:
PBS documentary "The Wave that Shook the World"
PEP Tsunami Preparedness website

D Block Social Studies 10 - Today you'll present your physiogeographic regions of Canada assignment to the class. I look forward to seeing what you've discovered about the physical and cultural geography of our country. Remember you only have five to six minutes to present so be prompt and prepared. Deal with the facts and wow us with what you know. Best of luck.

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.

Wednesday, February 26. 2014

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

B Block Geography 12 - Today we'll begin the class by working on the Juan de Fuca and Geothermal energy questions that we ended the day off with yesterday. I'll show you some information on geothermal energy plants and you'll get some time to work on the assignment. After, we'll finish watching the National Geographic Amazing Planet DVD that we started yesterday. When the video is finished, you'll work on your Day 15 assignment (define anticline & syncline, and work on questions 4 - 5 from page 412 in your Geosystems text). You will also have the opportunity to work on your Juan de Fuca plate and Geothermal energy questions as well. For help with the geothermal energy check out:
USGS Other Energy Sources (Geothermal)
Canadian Geothermal Energy Association
US Energy Information Agency Energy Kids Geothermal


A Block Social Studies 11 - Today we'll be looking at elections in Canada (including the 2011 Federal election ) specifically focusing on political ideology and the parties that follow specific ideologies. A political ideology deals with goals (how society should work) and methods (how to reach the goals). We'll look at the major political parties in Canada: Liberal, Conservative, New Democratic, Green, and Bloc Quebecois. Well see what their platforms (goals and methods) were/are.

When you look through the platforms and try to select a party that most represents your beliefs. You'll need to explain why you would choose that party if you were eligible to vote today.




A GREAT website is Apathy is Boring. From the website...Youth in Canada are disengaged from politics and the numbers from the last federal elections show it. In order to facilitate the debate, we use the Facts section of the website to provide Canadian youth with a valuable source of information about Canadian politics and the vocabulary that goes along with it

You'll have time to work on yesterday's questions from class: 1, 2, 3, and 4 on page 253 along with 1, 2 and 4 on page 258 of your Counterpoints textbook today. For help on why you should vote see:
Elections Canada Young Voters Site
Elections Canada Electoral System explanation
Compulsory voting in Australia explanation
Electoral Reform in BC First Past the Post or STV
About.com First Past the Post vs Proportional Representation
Historical record of Canadian Voter turnout
2011 Election Results CBC

D Block Social Studies 10 - Today is Day two in the Library for work on our Physiographic Regions of Canada project. Check out yesterday's blog entry for more information. Please use your time wisely as you only have today and tomorrow in the library...after that if you need computer time it will have to be on your own.

Tuesday, February 25. 2014

I hope you all had a restful extra day off with the snow day yesterday. Today's schedule is: C-AG-D-A-B

D Block Social Studies 10 - Today we're off to the Library for the first day of work on our Physiographic Regions of Canada project. The assignment sheet can be found in the K Drive on the computers at school (K:\Mr. A. Young\Social Studies 10) and it's titled "ss10 physio proj.pdf". Here is what the intro states:

It will be your job to research and present information on each one of the six physiographic regions of Canada but the format of your presentation is entirely up to you. You may choose from one of the following: A graphic informational poster; a trip diary/journal with photos; a web page or blog; a power point presentation in front of the class; a children’s book; or even an interpretive dance like the opening ceremony of the Olympics - but not that long and it absolutely must have jazzy hands in it. My point is you can choose whatever format you feel works best for you as long as you show the required information. So, what is that information?

1. Location & Landscape (where is it, what does it look like, and how was it formed)
   
2. Weather & Climate (what is the climate like, how does the climate affect the region, and what kind of cool weather stuff goes on there)
   
3. Flora & Fauna (what ecosystems or ecozones are there in each region and identify the main plants and animals that live in each region…are any endangered? Why?)
   
4. Natural Resources & Food (identify the renewable and non-renewable resources that are abundant and extracted in each region and identify the foods and farming done in each region)
   
5. Urban Development & Cities (Where do people live in these areas? How much of Canada’s population lives there – population density?)

Take a read through the sheet - it's got web sites to use and we have three days in the lab to research information and begin to piece it together in some presentation format. Ask questions and good luck.

A Block Social Studies 11 - Today we'll talk about the ways you can influence government, focusing on elections and voting. We'll look at representation by population, the first past the post system, and the concept of proportional representation. You'll need to work on 1, 2, 3, and 4 on page 253 along with 1 and 2 on page 258 of your Counterpoints textbook today. For help on why you should vote see:
Elections Canada Young Voters Site
Elections Canada Electoral System explanation
Compulsory voting in Australia explanation
Electoral Reform in BC First Past the Post or STV
About.com First Past the Post vs Proportional Representation
Historical record of Canadian Voter turnout
2011 Election Results CBC

There will be two members of parliament representing the Comox Valley after the next federal election, now the Electoral Boundaries Commission has decided to draw a line through our Regional District.

Comox and Electoral Areas B and C will remain with the North Island, while Courtenay, Cumberland and Area A will join a new 'Courtenay-Alberni' riding.

B Block Geography 12 -  Today in class you’ll look at tectonics and plate boundaries. You’ll have to take down a few notes on divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries along with hot spots and then you'll need to work on two questions on geothermal energy and the effects of the Juan de Fuca plate and ridge just off our shores.


For more on Plate Tectonics check out:

Earth Floor: Plate Tectonics
UCal Berkeley Plate Tectonics animated Gifs
NASA: Our Restless Planet animation library
Plate Tectonics Earth View
Plate Tectonics animations - University of Kentucky
UCAR - University of Michigan - Plate Tectonics
Essentials of Geology textbook Plate Tectonics animations