Friday, April 1, 2011

History 12: Friday, 1 April

Today, we examined a secondary source from 1923 that commented on the Weimar Republic.  Next, we watched the first part of a short documentary on the early years of the Republic and the rise of the Nazis.  We then debriefed the Demarco questions from pp 80-84.  Finally, we reviewed most of the worksheet (Ex. #7).

For homework, please read the rest of the Demarco chapter (pp 84-92).  Boys be ready to speak to the even questions, girls to the odd.  Bon fin semaine!

En 11: Friday, 1 Apr

Today I returned your Garrison Mentality essays and expressed some of my concerns over the apparent level of commitment to preparation and attention to detail.  I truly care about your success and I want you to care too.  Please remember that if your are not achieving the level of success you desire, unless you change something, the results will likely continue to be the same.  This was not an easy topic but not a single student came to me for assistance or clarification.  I hope that I was clear that I have confidence in your ability to succeed and that I am not satisfied with mediocre effort: I give you my best and I hope for the same from you.

We discussed "The Elephant" questions and worksheet and I re-explained the concepts of allegory and satire.  Next, we looked at topic sentences and blending quotations.  I also gave an example of how to use the final line from the story as a closer in your paragraph: "they no longer believe in elephants" = We should count ourselves fortunate that we don't live in a state where we "no longer [are able to] believe in 'elephants'."  Note: because in this instance "elephant" is used at a metaphor for all such government "lies" it has be separated, inside the larger quotation, using single quotation marks.

HOMEWORK
Please ensure you have a well-edited two-page double-spaced response to the worksheet paragraph prompt ready to be handed-in next class (Wednesday).  FROM NOW ON, ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE WRITTEN IN INK IF YOU WISH ME TO MARK THEM - SORRY, PENCIL IS OFTEN JUST TOO DIFFICULT TO EASILY READ.

En 12: Friday, 1 April

Today we took time to answer some questions on the blog about my questioning techniques in class and the utility of questioning in school in general.

We also took time for people who had still not responded to all of the inquiry questions from the 1984 blogging assignment to get that done.

Finally, we read "Touching Bottom" and answered the "response" questions.  We will need to do some sort of assessment for the short story unit next week, and then it's on to Hamlet.  Have a nice weekend - Sunday is supposed to be sunny - yippee.

PLEASE COMMENT ON THIS POST WITH AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU THINK WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF A GOOD OPEN-ENDED INQUIRY QUESTION FOR ANY OF THE SHORT STORIES WE'VE READ.

En 12: Friday, 1 April

Please comment:

3. Have you noticed a difference in the types of questions being asked of you in English and or History?

En 12: Friday 1 April

Please comment:

2. What is the value of teachers using inquiry questions?

En 12: Friday, 1 April

Please comment:

1. What makes a good question?

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Hist 12: Thursday, 31 March

Today we began our study of Germany and the rise of fascism.  We discussed the nature of Germany at the introduction of the Wiemar Republic and looked at some study questions to focus our attention on the problems that the new government (under Ebert) faced.  We also viewed a PPT on the three "putsches:" Sparticus, Kapp,  and Munich (Beer Hall).

For homework please complete Ex #7
Also, read Demarco pp 80-85 (girls be ready to speak to the odd-numbered questions, boys speak to the even).

SS11: Thursday, 31 March


Today we reviewed post-war Canadian autonomy in preparation for our test on Tuesday.  The test will have all of the usual parts: vocab identification, place main events on a timeline, true/false, multiple choice, short answer, paragraph answer.

En 12: Thurs, 31 March




Today we discussed the last two stories.  Tomorrow we'll read "Touching Bottom." 

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

En 12: Wednesday, 29 March

Today we read Steinbeck's "Chrysanthemums" and answered the "response" questions.  Tomorrow we'll discuss the stories from Tues and Wed and then read "Touching Bottom."  We'll do a writing assignment on the stories we've read and then start Hamlet.

Hist 12: Wednesday, 29 March

Today we all found out who hadn't completed all of their reading - Mr. Marshall set a bad example.  We spent the class reviewing the rest of the DeMarco chapter on Mussolini.  Tomorrow we'll look at the rise of Hitler and the Nazis.

En 11: Wednesday, 30 March

Today we discussed the "liberation" of Poland by the Red Army at the end of the Second World War.  We then discussed life behind the Iron Curtain.  We also discussed the satire of Jonathan Swift and Rick Mercer.  This led to our reading of "The Elephant" which is satyrical and allegorical.  We completed a worksheet that included the response questions #1 a-d.  We will do the paragraph at the bottom of the worksheet another day.

SS11: Tuesday, 29 March

Today we did a practice test on the UN.  Rememeber that your UN paragraphs are due next class.  You should address Cda's role in the creation of the UN, the organization of the UN, the role of the UN (name a few organizations as examples), look at how the UN enforces its resolutions and finally look at the history of peacekeeping and its changing nature.

Next we watched a documentary on the Battle of Kapyong of April, 1951.  This month is the 60th anniversary of this remarkable action by a small group of Canadians against an overwhelming Chinese force.  While it was a one-day action, it ranks among the most notable battles for Canadians in the twentieth century.  How does it differ from the actions of Cdns in other UN missions?  Is it peacekeeping?

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

En 12: Notes from Tues, 29 March

Today we had a PPT discussion on the Vietnam war experience for America, and then read the (long) short story "On the Rainy River."  Please complete the response questions - #1a - e.  I suggest you pay particular attention to the theme of conflict.

Hist 12: Notes from Tuesday 29 March

Today we did an activity to highlight the characteristics of a totalitarian state.  Then we wrote statements that included key terms from those characteristics.  We concluded the activity by identifying with asterisks the three terms we thought were the most important for the implementation for a totalitarian government.

Next, we debriefed Exercises 1 - 2.  I was sad to learn that some of you did not complete your homework.  Remember we all have a responsibility to be able to fully participate in discussions.

For homework, please read DeMarco pp 69-79.  Be ready to discuss the exercise questions tomorrow.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Hist 12: Notes from Monday, 28 March

Today, I discussed a PPT presentation on the rise of fascism in Italy - actually it wasn't much of a discussion since most of you were still on spring break - or so it seemed.  I gave two hand-outs: one was a timeline for you to complete, and the other was a summary of key terms with quotations from Mussolini.

For homework, please complete Ex. #1, 2, and 5.  Also, read DeMarco pp 67-69 and do Exercise #1 a-f (point form is fine, but be ready to discuss the answers in class tomorrow).

En 12: Notes from Monday, 28 March

Today, we read "The Return" (pp 44-50) and discussed the elements of fiction that seemed the most pronounced, namely, setting, character, figurative language and at the end, symbolism. 

Please answer the "Response" questions 1a-e at the end of the story (your answers may be brief and in point form).

Also, please create an inquiry question that is linked thematically to the story. For example, "What happens when our hopes are not realized?"  Next, write a one-page, double-spaced paragraph response to your question, ensuring that you make some connection to the story (ie. quotations for support).

En 11: Notes from Monday, 28 March

Today we wrote our essays on the garrison mentality, a unit we worked on for the two weeks prior to spring break.