Monday, February 25. 2019

Today's schedule is A-AG-BCD

A Block Physical Geography - Today you can finish up the week 4 questions from the Geosystems text on earthquake measurement, soil conditions that amplify earthquakes, liquefaction, and the seismic gap concept (14, 15, 16, & 19 from p. 412). To help:





How Liquefaction Made Mud Flow 'Like Waves' in Indonesia's Earthquake Disaster

B Block Human Geography - Today we'll continue examining the key issue "Why Do Countries Face Obstacles to Development"? Developing countries do not have access to the funds necessary to fund development, so they obtain financial support from developed countries. Finance comes from two main sources: direct investment by transnational corporations and loans from banks and international organizations. To promote the international trade development model (for development investment by transnational corporations), countries representing 97 percent of world trade established the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995 (there are 164 member countries as of 29 July 2016). Commerce in which products are made and traded according to standards that protect workers and small businesses in developing countries is considered fair trade. The fair-trade movement is an alternative vision of the international trade approach which attempts to increase the prices that are paid to producers in LDCs. Fair trade also tries to eliminate the very low wages and extremely poor working conditions for workers in LDCs

Two UN agencies, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, provide loans to LDCs to develop. An alternative source of loans for would-be business owners in developing countries is microfinance. Microfinance is the provision of a small loan to individuals and small businesses that are unable to get a loan from commercial banks

You'll have some questions to finish up the week 4 package for me.

C Block Criminology - Today your journal / blog entry is to answer the following:

Now that you know about trends in crime and what violence is in relation to age, gender and class...

Do you think that school is one of the most dangerous places for young people in society today?

Broaden your scope a little and do not necessarily focus on Vanier for this question. Think about other Canadian, British Columbian or Comox Valley high schools and generalize your response a bit. Don't forget that you'll need to find a story to back up your point of view here (either one about how little crime exists in schools or one that demonstrates that schools are somewhat dangerous places). More info to help:

RCMP: School Violence
Stats Can Youth Offending in Canada
Youth Crime In Canada which states:

• In 2006, 1 in 10 youth crimes were committed on school property
• Crimes at school include bullying and violence
• Assaults are particularly common representing about 30% of all violations committed by youth on school property. Uttering threats constituted another 8%
• Nearly 20% of crimes committed at school were drug offences, whereas 5% of youth crimes committed elsewhere were drug-related. Youth drug offences taking place on school grounds usually involved the possession (78%) or trafficking of cannabis (10%)

And to help with last week's blog check out this TIME article Girls in the U.K. Report Being 'Fetishized' and Sexually Harassed in Their School Uniforms

D Block Law -  I'm pushing the date for your test back to Wednesday this week. Today we'll talk about the methods of enforcing rights guaranteed under the Charter (section 52 of the Constitution Act and Section 24 of the Charter). We'll look at the differences between "strike down", "read down" and "read in". Finally I'd like to revisit Aboriginal principles of justice in Canada.

I'd like you to look at the issue section "Should Aboriginal Peoples have their own system of Justice" on pages 106-07 in AAL and I'd like you to partner up with another student in the class. Your pairing should discuss questions 1-4 on page 107 and then be prepared to share with the class. We'll then do the same for questions 5 & 6 from the unit review on pages 108-09 of AAL

At a basic level of understanding, the concept of justice is understood differently by Indigenous peoples. For most Indigenous peoples, the traditional method of addressing wrongs committed against community members involved restoring or healing relationships rather than punishing the offender. The offender and victim(s) would discuss the harm caused by the offense. The offender would be expected to understand the consequences and take responsibility for the harm, and together, they would discuss appropriate ways to make amends. 

Justice is not seen as a separate domain from community life that needs to be overseen and administered by experts (such as police, lawyers, judges. etc.), rather it must be integrated into daily living. Most disputes should be resolved in the community, among the families of those affected, and guided by elders.

The roots of restorative justice models stem from traditional Indigenous methods of conflict resolution which rely on community involvement and the implementation of holistic solutions Restorative justice focuses on holding the offender accountable in a meaningful way, rather than simply imposing punishment. 

From Bringing Balance to the Scales of Justice

Websites to help your discussion:
Why does the Canadian justice system treat aboriginal people as if they’re all the same?
UBC Indigenous Foundations Aboriginal Rights
Overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in B.C. corrections system rising, says Statistics Canada report
Indigenous Justice Strategy Programs Province of BC

Bringing Balance to the Scales of Justice

Aboriginal Concepts of Justice

Aboriginal Justice Systems

Aboriginal Restorative Justice Remedies

Friday, February 22. 2019

Today's schedule is ABCD

A Block Physical Geography - Today we shift our focus (ha ha...see what I did there? pun intended) to earthquakes. We'll look at some video of the aftermath of the Izmit Turkey 1999 Mw 7.4 earthquake along the North Anatolian fault. We'll also look at the Loma Prieta (San Fracisco) 1989 Mw 6.9 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 Latest Earthquakes map from the USGS or the science of earthquakes from the USGS or Earthquakes Canada or BC Public Safety Earthquakes



B Block Human Geography - today we'll start to examine the key issue "Why Do Countries Face Obstacles to Development"? Developing countries are confronted with two fundamental obstacles in attempting to stimulate more rapid development:

1. Adopting policies that successfully promote development and
2. Finding funds to pay for development.

Developing countries can choose one of two models to promote development...self-sufficiency or international trade. In the self-sufficiency model, countries encourage domestic production of goods, discourage foreign ownership of businesses and resources, and protect their businesses from international competition. The idea is that this will promote all parts of the economy, leading to jobs and development. The International Trade Path sees the sale of raw materials, food, or manufactured products in the world market bringing funds into a country than can be used to finance development.

You'll need to complete the chart in the week 4 package with notes from the text on the two different models of development.





C Block Criminology - Today we will focus on the roots of violent crime. Where does violence come from (personal traits, ineffective families, evolutionary factors, exposure to violence, cultural values, substance abuse, and firearm availability)?

I would like you brainstorm a list of all the entertainment you can think of that is based in violence. Think of video games (HALO), television programs (CSI), books (30 Days of Night comics), movies (Saw), music (ONYX, Biggie, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer), sports (MMA, WWE), and other forms of entertainment. You'll get into two large groups and on chart paper I'll have you list out your top 10 most violent forms of entertainment (be specific). We'll share our lists and ask, "Why is violence entertaining"? To end the class I'll have you work on the following:

1. What is the attraction of violent films and video games?
2. Is there more violent imagery in media now as opposed to the past (think graphic, realistic visceral)? Why / Why not?
3. What kinds of people are drawn to violent imagery and what kind of violent images draw them to that form of entertainment?
4. What is “morbid curiosity”?
5. Are there any equally satisfying substitutions for violent entertainment?
6. What draws our attention to violent media events (news) that are not intended to entertain?

Check out the BBC Podcast "The Why Factor" that asks the question "Why are we so drawn to violent entertainment?" From the BBC...

Why are we so drawn to violent entertainment? Violent films, video games and stories are very popular, as were brutal gladiatorial Roman contests and gory 14th Century jousts. What explains this enduring attraction to violence? Helena Merriman talks to the Mexican director of Heli, a professor of fairy tales and joins one of London’s most gruesome serial killer tours to answer this week’s question.

D Block Law - Today we'll examine the collective rights of Canada's Aboriginal/First Nations people. We'll talk about the significance of the Calder v. Attorney-General of British Columbia, 1973 decision. From the Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements Project:

The decision in Calder v Attorney-General of British Columbia was handed down by the Supreme Court of Canada on 31 January 1973. It is often credited with having provided the impetus for the overhauling of the land claims negotiation process in Canada. The case was initiated in 1968 by the Nisga'a Tribal Council against the Government of British Columbia. It failed both at trial and in the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal's finding in recognising the possible existence of Aboriginal rights to land and resources, but was equally divided on the issue of whether the Nisga'a retained title. The decision prompted the federal government to develop new policy to address Aboriginal land claims. In 1976 Canada commenced negotiations with the Nisga'a Tribal Council. British Columbia did not join the negotiations until 1990. The Nisga'a Final Agreement was concluded in 1999 and implemented by legislation in 2000.

After, we'll talk about the LGBT community in Canada and the Civil Marriage Act (which legalized same-sex marriage in Canada on July 20, 2005) and finally we'll take a closer look at Human Rights and how they are enforced in Canada.

To finish, I'll have you work on: Questions 1-4 on page 94:

1. Explain the difference between civil rights and human rights.
2. How do prejudice and stereotyping lead to discrimination?
3. Explain the difference between a complainant and a respondent.
4. What is the difference between intentional and unintentional discrimination?
Questions 4 & 5 from page 97
4. Explain the concept of a poisoned work environment. Provide an example.
5. Explain the difference between accommodation and undue hardship.
AND Question 5 from page 104
5. What types of remedies are available under human rights law?

For more on the BC Human Rights Code look at the Attorney General's Human Rights Protection site. For more on the Canadian Human Rights Act see the Canadian Department of Justice site. For more on Human Rights in Canada see the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Thursday, February 21. 2019

Today's schedule is DCBA

D Block Law - This is the last day that I have the library booked for you to work on your Human Rights poster (which is due next Monday February 25th, 2019 - of note this is also the date of your first test in Law). I have poster paper for you and I'll give you the paper once I've seen your ideas (a rough sketch). Remember you need to create a visually appealing Human Rights Campaign Poster that addresses the human rights violation by incorporating key information (What is happening? Where is it taking place? What rights are being violated? Who is having their rights violated? Why are their rights being violated?) as well as pictures, symbols, and colours. Your poster should seek to draw the attention of the public through the balanced combination of text and visuals in a creative, yet educational manner! If you are looking at children's rights then check out the UN Declaration on the rights of the Child.

FYI: Next Tuesday (February 26th) is your introductory unit final test in Law. The unit test will cover the first three chapters of the All About Law text and will have: 15 True/False questions; 15 Multiple Choice questions; 15 Matching questions; and 3 Short Answer questions. You should be fluent in the following topics:

Substantive and Procedural Law
Divisions of Public and Private Law (Criminal, Constitutional and Administrative for Public and Tort, Family, Contract, Property and Labour for Private)
Case Law (precedent) and Statute Law
Understanding Case Citations (R v. Person....Person v. Person)
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Section 1 Reasonable Limits, Section 2 Fundamental Freedoms, Section 6 Mobility Rights, Sections 7-14 Legal Rights, Section 15 Equality Rights and Section 33 Notwithstanding Clause)
Charter changes (Read in, Read down and Strike down) and Solutions (Remedies)
Discrimination and Human Rights
Human Rights issues for women (pay equity, employment equity, unintentional or adverse effect discrimination - poisoned work environments)
Human Rights issues for Canada's Indigenous populations (Calder and Delgamuukw decisions)

C Block Criminology - Today we will focus on the roots of violent crime. So what is violence? The World Health Organization defines it as

“The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal development or deprivation.” 

Now we know what crime is, so violent crime would be an act of force or power against a person or a group which results in injury, death or harm that society sees as repugnant and codifies as illegal behaviour. Okay so why does it happen? Time magazine asked that in 1993

It's tempting to make excuses for violence. The mugger came from a broken home and was trying to lift himself out of poverty. The wife beater was himself abused as a child. The juvenile murderer was exposed to Motley Crue records and Terminator movies. But do environmental factors wholly account for the seven-year-old child who tortures frogs? The teenager who knifes a teacher? The employee who slaughters workmates with an AK-47? Can society's ills really be responsible for all the savagery that is sweeping America? Or could some people be predisposed to violence by their genes?

Today we grapple with those questions. Where does violence and violent crime come from? We'll look at personal traits, ineffective families, evolutionary factors, exposure to violence, cultural values, substance abuse, and firearm availability to see if they are factors that lead to violent crime in Canada.

Now I know it's about War but this Crash Course asks whether humanity is naturally war like (aka Violent)


B Block Human Geography - Today we'll look at the Key Issue "Why Is Energy Important for Development"? We'll examine renewable and non-renewable energy sources along with proven and potential energy reserves. Demand for energy comes from three principle types of consumption: businesses, homes, and transportation. China consumes 20 percent of the world’s energy, followed by the United States at 18 percent. Per-capita consumption of energy is three times higher in developed countries than developing countries. You'll have a few charts to fill out for me today and to help:




BC Sustainable Energy Association
Energy Alternatives
Clean Energy BC
Government of BC Electricity and Alternative Energy
Pembina Institute: Renewable and Energy Alternatives BC
Energy BC
Sierra Club BC Alternative Energy
Tyee Mapping BC's Clean Energy
Canadian Wind Energy Association BC
BC Geothermal Estimates
Canadian Geographic Energy IQ
BC Hydro Green Energy Study
Energy IQ Canadian Geographic


A Block Physical Geography - Today, you'll work on your Day 15 assignment (define anticline & syncline, and work on questions 4 - 5 from page 412 in your Geosystems text). We'll watch a bit of Geologic Journey to understand the craton of North America (focusing on the Torngat Mountains of Labrador) and to understand the Wrangellia Terrane (focusing on the Mg rich Karmutsen Formation that formed on the ocean basin 230 mya and arrived on the west coast of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii about 100 mya) along with folding (the Rockies). Sweet!

Wednesday, February 20. 2019

Today's schedule is BADC-L

9:05 am – 10:05 am Block - B
10:10 am – 11:10 am Block- A
11:10 am – 12:00 pm Lunch Break
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Block - D
1:05 pm – 2:05 pm Block- C
2:05 pm – 3:15 pm Personalized Learning

B Block Human Geography - Today we're back in the learning commons/library looking at the 2018 World Population Data (using both the PRB Interactive Map and the pdf data sheet) to see current trends and numbers in world population. Today is your last day to work on the web quest with questions in your week 3 work package to answer. You may work with a partner to find answers to the 17 questions but you all need to record answers. Use:

2018 World Population Data Map
2018 World Population Datasheet

Population Reference Bureau

For the last question you'll need to choose one of the following demographic variables using the World Population Data Sheet and create a choropleth map showing the distribution of that indicator on a world outline map. The PRB World Population Data map is an example of a Choropleth Map. Use it to help you create yours, just select the indicator you wish to create and it will make a choropleth map that you can recreate.

Infant Mortality
Birth Rate
Death Rate
Total Fertility Rate
Life Expectancy

A Block Physical Geography - Today we'll begin the class by working on the Juan de Fuca Plate 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. While you're working, we'll watch the National Geographic Amazing Planet DVD that we didn't finish. The video will help with the Juan de Fuca plate question because there are all three margins (convergent, divergent, and transform) around the plate. For help with the geothermal energy check out:

USGS Other Energy Sources (Geothermal)
Canadian Geothermal Energy Association
US Energy Information Agency Energy Kids Geothermal



D Block Law - Today we'll be back in the learning commons/library to continue research for our Human Rights poster (which is due next Wednesday - February 27th, 2019). I will have poster paper for you and I'll give you the paper once I've seen your ideas (a rough sketch). Remember you need to create a visually appealing Human Rights Campaign Poster that addresses the human rights violation by incorporating key information (What is happening? Where is it taking place? What rights are being violated? Who is having their rights violated? Why are their rights being violated?) as well as pictures, symbols, and colours. Your poster should seek to draw the attention of the public through the balanced combination of text and visuals in a creative, yet educational manner!
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Illustrated Universal Declaration of Human Rights 

Online Examples of Human Rights Posters:
"Women's Rights Are Human Rights" poster exhibition in Boston
The City College of New York’s Human Rights Forum
Stand Up 4 Human Rights
Poster For Tomorrow

C Block Criminology - Today you have time to complete last week's questions. Remember, read through the "Nature of Victimization" on pages 53-5 and 57-58  and "Theories of Victimization" dealing with Victim Precipitation, Lifestyle, and Routine Activities on pages 59-62 in the CRIM text. Your job will be to complete the following:

1. Briefly outline and explain the patterns we've identified in victimization (social ecology, household, personal characteristics and repeat victimization)
2. Explain and compare the three theories of crime victimization (as a comparison chart)

For more on victim assistance see:
BC Ministry of Justice Victim or Witness Services & Resources
Victim Link BC
National Office for Victims
Victim Services Corrections Canada
Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime

There is a good CBC article here on the costs associated with victims of violent crime.

Tuesday, February 19. 2019

Today's schedule is CDAB

C Block Criminology - 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".

Of note, the 2017 BC Crime Report indicates that Drug offences reported by police in BC decreased by 9.9% in 2017, driven by a 16.8% decrease in cannabis offences and a 15.3% decrease in cocaine offences. Of note, heroin possession decreased by 7.1%, but its trafficking, production, or distribution increased by 4.8%. Other drug offences, which include ecstasy and the illicit use of prescription drugs such as fentanyl, increased by 13.8%.

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 35 kilogram cocaine bust off in the Kootenays 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 or this news about police seizing 55 kilograms of cocaine, 47 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and more than a kilogram of heroin in Surrey). 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 ...or the Vancouver Sun Crime Blog

D Block Law - Today we will venture off to the learning commons/library to begin work on our introductory unit major assignment that comes from the Toronto District School Board:

Human rights violations are a daily occurrence throughout the world. These violations take place in both the North and the South and affect the civil, economic, political, cultural, social, and equality rights of human beings. These violations are in direct opposition to the universal and inalienable rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Fortunately, organisations around the world work on protecting these rights, partly through education and awareness campaigns

Artists, both visual artists and musicians, often comment on human rights issues through their artwork. Assume the role of the Media Outreach Co-ordinator for a particular human rights organisation (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, etc.) and research a contemporary case of human rights violations somewhere in the world. Based on your research, create a Human Rights Campaign Poster that educates the greater public about the human rights violations and urges them to take action to end the abuse.

Remember...

• Human rights are the basic standards human beings need to live life with freedom and dignity. Human rights include fundamental civil and political rights, such as the right to free speech, to freedom of religion, and the right to participate in government. Human rights also include essential economic, social and cultural rights, such as the right to education, to work, and to healthcare.
  
• Human rights are the rights that all people have simply because they are human beings. Each of these rights are inalienable; they cannot be denied or taken away from any individual. They are also indivisible; all human rights are equally important and one right cannot be taken away because it is said to be less important than another.
  
• Finally, human rights are interdependent, all human rights are connected and you cannot guarantee one right without ensuring that other rights are protected.

So your task is to...

1. Choose a contemporary case of human rights violations, as well as an organisation that is working on ending the abuse.

2. Research your case study using the following websites: Amnesty International (click on campaigns); Human Rights Watch (click on Global Issues); Oneworld (click on In Depth then Human Rights); United for Human Rights; Youth For Human Rights or the BBC "I Have a Right to..." site and complete the following questions to help with your poster Case Study: What is happening? Where is it taking place? What rights are being violated? Who is having their rights violated? Why are their rights being violated?

3. Create a visually appealing Human Rights Campaign Poster that addresses the human rights violation by incorporating the key information from the questions in point 2 above (in point form) as well as pictures, symbols, and colours. Remember, your poster should seek to draw the attention of the public through the balanced combination of text and visuals in a creative, yet educational manner!

Some examples of Human Rights posters...

A Block Physical Geography - Today 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. While you're doing this we'll watch:



 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

B Block Human Geography - Today and tomorrow we're in the library looking at the 2018 World Population Data (using both the PRB Interactive Map and the pdf data sheet) to see current trends and numbers in world population. You have a webquest with questions in your week 3 work package to answer. You may work with a partner to find answers to the 17 questions but you all need to record answers. Use:

2018 World Population Data Map
2018 World Population Datasheet

Population Reference Bureau

For the last question you'll need to choose one of the following demographic variables using the World Population Data Sheet and create a choropleth map showing the distribution of that indicator on a world outline map. The PRB World Population Data map is an example of a Choropleth Map. Use it to help you create yours, just select the indicator you wish to create and it will make a choropleth map that you can recreate.

Infant Mortality
Birth Rate
Death Rate
Total Fertility Rate
Life Expectancy

The instructions are in the week 3 package but feel free to ask me in class today. Good luck!