Farewell!

I can't believe our time together in Socials 10 is at an end. I have loved and learned every minute working with you all. Your humour, creativity, insight and kindness has made each day a joy. Thank you for all of your hard work.

I wish each and every one of you fulfillment and wild peculiar joy as you set out on your next journey, your next bright, bright horizon.

p.s. remember back to your own Kindergarten years; see how far you've come!

Week 17: What to Expect

Monday, June. 10th:

"Strange Fruit" - Warning: Sensitive Historical Images

* What is Canada's dark history?
* Exploring the closing door to immigration: Komagatu Maru Affair
* Can we ever find justice for the wrongs committed in history? 

Tuesday, June. 11th:

* Laurier Era Quiz

* Class exploration of Vancouver Anti-Asian Riot of 1907

* Work with friends to complete Blackline Masters 

* Practice Final Exam questions

Wednesday, June. 12th:

* Final Exam Practice Quiz

* Create own Final Exam Review Board Game

* We play Monday. Final Exam Tuesday

Thursday, June. 13th:

* Final Exam practice quiz

* Create Final Exam Board Game

Friday, June. 14th:

* Final Exam practice quiz

* Finish Final Exam Board Game

* Board Game due Monday. Final Exam Tuesday.

Have a Fantastic Weekend. Study in the sun!

Week 16: What to Expect

Monday, June. 3rd:
* Prepare your Heritage Project presentation in Library

Tuesday, June. 4th:
* Final classes on Heritage Project presentation in C127
* Complete all finishing touches to your presentation: visuals? speech practiced and timed? editing your iMovie?
* Complete your bibliography
* Hand in all research package notes and properly formatted bibliography

Wednesday and Thursday June. 5th & 6th:
* Present your Heritage Project to the class

Friday June. 7th:

* Women's rights in early 20th century
* Independently read Horizons pg: 276-282. Complete graphic organizer on women's and First Nations' rights
* Key content quiz Tuesday before lunch. Study!

Family Heritage Webquest

As you endeavor to unearth your family's history through interviews and print, also use these genealogy  sites:

• Rootsweb Engine: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi. This site allows you to search existing family trees
• Rootsweb Research Tools: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/. This is the free portion of ancestry.com
• The Canadian Letters and Images Project: http://www.canadianletters.ca/. Online archive of the Canadian War experience
• Family Search: https://www.familysearch.org/. Free family history and genealogy records
• Canada GenWeb: http://www.canadagenweb.org/. Gateway to free Canadian genealogy. Check out the provincial links.
• Genealogy.com: http://genforum.genealogy.com/surnames/. Surnames forum
• Library and Archives Canada: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/022/index-e.html. Genealogy and Family History

The Heritage Project criteria, with sample interview questions and important explanations can be found here.

Week 15: What to Expect

Monday, May. 27th: Professional Development Day. Students not in session.

Tuesday, May. 28th:
* Design interview questions and begin research for Family Heritage Project
* Use the prepared web resources available through this class blog, as well as the library's prepared print resources and more to help you dive into your own history
* See the project criteria here
* Before lunch we are in the library, after lunch we are in C127 across the hall

Wednesday, May. 29th:
* Class use interviewed information to help guide Family Tree and genealogy research in C127

Thursday, May. 30th & Friday, May. 31st:
* Dig deeper into Family Heritage Project in the library
* Explore significant Canadian and world history that connects and is significant to your family's story
* Document sources for bibliography
* Begin planning how to present to the class next Wednesday

Week 14: What to Expect

Monday, May. 20th: Victoria Day! Enjoy your long weekend!

Tuesday, May. 21st:
* Complete your in-class essay explaining the causes and significance of the Northwest Rebellion
* Open-book. Use your expertly prepared outline, arguments, and evidence.
* Edit, self-evaluate and submit.

Wednesday, May. 22nd:

* How well do you know Vancouver history? Test your know-how
* Some Vancouver history: the Oppenheimers, Gassy Jack Deighten
* Read p. 234-236. Work with your friends through key events in our past.

Early Stanley Park, 1911 and the planting of Shakespeare Tree

Gassy Jack Deighten, the Father of Gas Town

Thursday, May. 23rd:
* Think-Pair-Share: What issues have divided French and English Canada? Are they reconciled now?
* Class explore Laurier's conflicts and compromises
* Independently judge the choices made, predict what they mean for Canada as a whole and for specific groups

Friday, May. 24th:
* pop-quiz :)
* The Arrival. Shaun Tan's wordless masterpiece on the immigration experience

* Laurier Boom and immigration
* Independently analyze push and pull factors of Canada's early 20th century immigration

Week 13: What to Expect

Mon., May 13th:
* Challenge your friends' Northwest know-how. Conquer a friend's quiz
* The Pacific Scandal and McDonald's National Policy
* Class explore political cartoons
* Quiz Wednesday. Study, study, study

Tues. May, 14th:
* Create your own Political Cartoon on the Pacific Scandal
* Play with proportion, exaggeration, symbolism, scathing sarcasm, shadow and light.
* Quiz tomorrow: Study, study, study!

Wed. May, 15th:
* Chapter 5 key content quiz
* Dumont claimed he knew they would be beaten, he knew they would perish. So why rebel?

* Class read pg. 192-197: Explore the rebellion and complete graphic organizer of cause, event and consequence

Thurs. May, 16th:
* Riel documentary film

Fri. May, 17th:
* Complete outline of arguments for Tuesday's in-class essay on the Northwest Rebellion
* Be ready to write in class (and edit) on Tuesday!

Have a Fabulous Long Weekend!

Week 12: What to Expect

Mon. May. 6th:
* Share of Propaganda creations
* Class read pg: 170-176.
* The Metis flee Manitoba after fighting so hard for its creation, why?
* Peers define key terms and collaboratively answer core questions

Tues. May. 7th:
* Primary versus secondary sources examination
* Class analyse 2 viewpoints of Cypress Hills Massacre
* Partners create scripted new report. Sharing Thursday

Wed. May. 8th:
* Partners finish Cypress Hills Massacre new report: Due tomorrow

Thurs. May. 9th:
* First Nations poetry. Their voices, past and present
* Class explore Canadian treaties with the First Nations bands.



Fri. May. 10th:

* Modern politics

* Class explore current political ideologies, platforms, promises in C126

* Discuss, debate and consider your own voice: Choose for yourself and place your vote in Matheson's provincial election

Week 11: What to Expect

Mon. April. 29th:
* Write your Sale of Rupert's Land editorial. Be scathing, be persuasive, bring your chosen person to life!
* Peer edit and revise your editorial. Due tomorrow
* Quiz tomorrow on the Northwest. Study class notes, documents & Chapter 4

Tues. April. 30th:
* Quiz on the Northwest
* The Red River Rebellion: Class explore the causes, events and outcomes
* Documentary on the Red River Rebellion: History's Rebels

Wed. May. 1st:
* Gallery Walk exploring Louis Riel

* Class explore propaganda techniques
* Create your own propaganda. Will you portray Riel as savior or threat?

Thurs. May 2nd:
* Complete your impressive propaganda posters. Due Monday

Have a spectacular long weekend!

Week 10: What to Expect

Mon. April, 22nd:
* Chapter 2 Test
* Show what you know and take your time with the multiple choice and written response

Tues. April, 23rd:

*Fur trading companies, fur trader life
* Class read pg 130-134
* Create Venn diagram on Hudson's Bay Company vs. North West Company: Which would you work for? Why?
* Class vote on which company is better
* Independent read pg. 135-142. Complete graphic organizer. What impact did the fur trade have on First Nations communities?
Class debate: The fur trade could not have existed without the First Nations peoples.

Wed. April. 24th:
* Painting analysis
* Why was the bison hunt so important to Metis culture? How did the rules of the hunt help shape Metis society?
* Class read Red River Settlement: pg. 143-146
* Expert groups form and teach class

Thurs. April, 25th:

* George Simpson: What sort of man do you think he was? Why?
* HBC & NWC merge
* Create a quiz for your friends. Go ahead, be merciless!

Fri. April, 26th:
* Complete your friend's quiz
* Hudson's Bay Company buys Rupert's Land.
* Class explore the controversy: Create your own editorial on the matter. Be passionate. Be vocal!
* Editorial continued in class Monday, peer-edited and handed in.

Have a Fabulous Weekend!

Week 9: What to Expect

Monday, April. 15th:
* Political parties of our past: How they steered the ship towards Confederation
* Partner and small group work on factors that lead to Confederation questions
* See the Canadian Confederation website

Tuesday, April. 16th:
* Confederation Role-Play
* Create your colony: Will you be Canada East? prince Edward Island?
* Organize what your colony wants and why
* Will you settle for Confederation? Will you push for annexation?

Wednesday, April. 17th:
* Prepare for Confederation Role-Play: Hosted tomorrow

Thursday, April. 18th:
* Confederation Conference
* Overhead Present
* Colony debate
* Colonies vote

* Was Confederation achieved?


Friday, April. 19th:
* Confederation practice quiz
* Class explore "the conferences to the British North America Act"
* Partners and individualy complete Chapter test review
* Chapter 2 Test (on Victorian Life and Confederation) on Monday. Be Ready

Have a Fantastic Weekend in the Sun!!!

Week 8: What to Expect

Mon. April. 8th:
* Victorian Era Quiz: Show what you know
* Victorian Invention Sell-Off: Showcase your infomercial. May the best sell win!
* Work on Chapter 2 Review sheet: Unit Exam Mon. April. 22nd

Tues, April. 9th-Thurs, April. 11th:
* Gangs of New York

* Contrast Hollywood's depiction of Victorian Era to our investigation of history
* Complete film analysis and hand in

Fri, April. 12th:
* Confederation: The birth of Canada
* What differences between the colonies would prevent a union?
* Why would some colonies favour a union? Which colonies? How would they benefit from Confederation?
* Horizons: pg. 76-79. Complete graphic organizer and questions outlining the reasons leading to Confederation. Very Important

Have a Spectacular Weekend!!!

Week 7: What to Expect

Tues. April. 2nd:
* Gallery Walk of the Victorian Era

* What were their values? How are they different and similar to us today?

* Partner exploration of First Nations' interactions with British Colonists in early Canada: Who were the Alginkians, Mokawks and Ojibwa? How did their lives change? What remained the same? Who assimilated? Who protested?

Wed. April. 3rd:
* Scientific and Medical advancement: What have been the biggest breakthroughs in our time?
* Science and Medicine jigsaw: Become an expert on one aspect of medical history, meet with your firends and teach each other

* Class competition: Show what you know!

Thurs, April. 4th:

* Leisure and Travel in the Victorian Era: How would newspapers be revolutionary?

* Sarah Bernhart, the biggest star of the times: compare to our starlets. Is she like Kim Kardashian? Lady Gaga?

* Play Parlour Games! No phones, no technology, back to the 1800s for entertainment.

Fri, April. 5th:

* Practice Victorian Era Quiz: What do you know? What do you need to work on?

* Groups explore inventions of the Victorian era: Persuasive sell-off Monday! What was the greatest invention of the times? Convince us.

* STUDY!!! Victorian Era Quiz Monday

Week 6: What to Expect

Monday, March. 11th:
* Create Immigration Journal
* Quiz on early Canada tomorrow

Tuesday, March. 12th:
* Complete Immigration Journal. Peer conference and edit.
* Quiz on Early Canada, all class information on land and power, oligarchy, immigration (text pg. 10-32).
* Why would upper and lower Canada rebel against the government?
* Class explore causes that lead to rebellion

Wednesday, March. 13th:
* Events and results of the Rebellions
* Lord Durham's Report, his recommendations, and the Act of Union 1841
* Unit Test Friday: Complete review and study

Thursday, March. 14th:
* Practice quiz
* Complete independent review
* Class jeopardy review

Friday. March. 15th:
* Early Canada and Rebellions Test

Hope you soak up the sun, fun and freedom! Have a great Spring Break

Week 5: What to Expect

Mon. March. 4th:
* Ball Toss Review: What do you know? What do you need to learn?
* Class guided read of the issue of land and power in early Canada
* Complete Cornell notes of your own on main ideas and significant details.

Tues. March. 5th:
* Groups create skit to showcase the lives of the different power groups in early Canada
* Present skit and group slogan
* Explore immigration to Canada: African-Americans fleeing slavery & those who came in coffin ships

* Immigration Journal introduced. Brainstorm and consider the perspective you'll take: in-class created Monday March. 11th

Wed. March 6th, 7th & 8th:
* Class Film Analysis of Amistad

Based on a true story, Amistad is the saga of a failed mutiny on board a Spanish slave ship and the trial that followed. In the summer of 1839, fifty-three African captives, led by Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), broke free and took over the slave ship Amistad. Captured off the eastern seaboard after failing in a desperate attempt to sail home, they find themselves strangers in a strange land and at the mercy of the American justice system. Fighting for the Africans are abolitionist Theodore Joadson (Morgan Freeman) and young lawyer Roger Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey). However, seeking re-election, President Martin Van Buren (Nigel Hawthorne) is willing to sacrifice the Africans to appease the pro-slavery South. The case takes on historic proportions when former President John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins) comes out of retirement to take the Africans' cause all the way to the United States Supreme Court in a trial that challenges the very foundation of the American legal system.

* Study for Early Canada quiz Tuesday March. 12th and unit test next Friday!!!

Week 4: What to Expect

Monday February. 25th:
* Class analysis of Blood Diamond
* Record arguments on Geography written final: Evaluate the symbiotic relationship between people and place. In-Class Essay Thursday

Tuesday and Wednesday February. 26th & 27th:

* Class complete film analysis of Blood Diamond

* Complete Essay outline and select evidence from Last Call at the Oasis, Horizons text, class debate on oil sands, and Blood Diamond. Writing in-class tomorrow. Be expertly prepared!

Thursday. February. 28th:

* In-class essay. Use your outline and hand-in by end of class

Friday, March. 1st:

* Class dive into exploration of early Canada: what was life like? How did families survive? 

* Guided read of opening text: pg. 10-15

* In partners work through main ideas, new concepts and vocabulary

* Early Canada Review sheet given for end of unit evaluation

Week 3: What to Expect

Monday, February. 18th:
* Class review of longitude and latitude

Here's a Longitude and Latitude Song to help it all make sense!

* Class explore Climate and display through data. See the climate notes and video:

Tuesday February. 19th:

* Longitude Latitude practice

* Groups co-create climate graph of Canada's seasons: They'll be posted for your peers to see

* "Those with power draw the lines on the map": Class explore our cultural landscape

* Read text p.115-121 and complete graphic organizer

* Geography Quiz on key terms, Canada, longitude & latitude and climate Friday! Use the Geography Review Notes and start studying now!

Wednesday February. 20th:

* Class exploration of the Oil Sands in Alberta. It's a controversial issue, and tomorrow we'll host a class-wide debate on the issue

* Read both sides of this issue and make note of the reasons your side is right: Oil Sands Debatepedia

* Read with a purpose (information that strengthens your arguments and refutes your opponents')

* Meet with your groups to decide key arguments

Thursday February. 21st:

* Groups meet and decide best arguments

* Class Debate! May the best argument win

* Finish Geography Review: Quiz on terms and skills tomorrow!

Friday February 22nd:

* Geography Quiz

* Discuss and plan for Geography Final Response: Next Thursday, February 28th

Thanks for all your hard work this week. Enjoy your weekend!

Last Call at the Oasis

Now that we have explored our water crisis and the information presented in the documentary Last Call at the Oasis, it's your turn to share your "take-aways"

1.) What new specific information did you learn from this documentary? What was shocking, scary or thought provoking?

2.) What are your predictions and suggestions for the future?

Remember: Write in full thoughts, with specific reasons and details. Sign your name. Edit since this is a public forum, and read your peers' ideas. Respond to each other's ideas thoughtfully.

Week 2: What to Expect

Tuesday February 12th:
* Introducing S.P.E.R.M. G.: This is an essential mnemonic device to help you for thinking and writing in Socials
* Class creation and modelling of S.P.E.R.M.G:
Evaluate America's Influence on Canada
* What do you know, wonder and want to learn about our water resources?
* Class explore Last Call at the Oasis

Wednesday February 13th:
* Continue Last Call at the Oasis

Thursday February 14th:
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
* Class discuss and dissect Last Call at the Oasis
* Individually plan your own response for end of unit analysis of reciprocal relationship between place and people

Friday February 15th:
* Class notes and exploration of the importance of place
* In partners explore geographic regions of Canada
* Read pg. 99-103 of text and record ideas in graphic organizer

Have a Spectacular Weekend!

Week 1: What to Expect

Mon. Feb. 4th:
* Social Media: Be a Facebook Historian. What will historians of the future conclude about us?

* In-class and for homework: Go through your facebook, pinterest, twitter, etc. and record the patterns.
* Use the Facebook Historian record and guide

Tues. Feb. 5th:
* Create and share own Facebook Historian
* Canadian Identity: Class explore stereotypes, reality and create own definition of who and what we are

Weird Al Yancovich's "Canadian Idiot" music video

"Me Like Hockey!" by the Arrogant Worms

Wed. Feb. 6th:

* "We Are More" by Shane Koyczan. Class explore what he says we are. Do you agree? What is missing?

* With a partner create your own "Oh Canada." Parody or sincerity, it's your choice!

Thurs. Feb. 7th:

* Looking at Canada's physical landscape. How does it make us who we are?

* Complete a stunning, precise and accurate map of Canada

Fri. Feb. 8th: Professional Development Day. Students not in school

Have a wonderful long weekend! I'll see you all on Tuesday.

Did You Know?

Social Studies is about examining society, our past yes, but also our present and future. This is where we are starting, looking at our rapidly evolving local-global world. See the video below: "Did You Know?"

Food for Thought
Consider the facts presented to formulate your own opinions about the information (supported by evidence and careful consideration):

1.) What facts surprised you the most? Why? What facts do you think are especially significant? Why?
2.) What questions does this information raise in your mind?
3.) How has technology changed you and your life?
4.) How is technology changing our future (work, learning, communication, relationships, etc.)?
5.) Describe your perspective towards these changes. Are you an optimist or a pessimist, or both? Why? Explain.

Welcome!

I am so excited to meet and work with you! We will be diving into so many opportunities and experiences, through history, documentaries, inquiry projects, poetry, art, music, debate, creation, and of course challenges worthy of you all.

I look forward to learning and laughing with you as we embark on a wonderful semester together.

Class sites are listed in the top right corner. Use it for weekly agendas, important information, tools, practices, assignment help and enrichment of everything we do in our classes. I know we're going to have a powerful, successful semester, so lets get started!