Monday, September 27, 2010

Finishing up work on latitude, longitude, and time zones. Will be engaged in an activity during the nextclass that works to ensure that students understand time zones especially. Students have to know what latitude, longitude are and how time zones work. The learning outcome they need to understand is that location and time are important elements in a world that is shrinking due to improvements in transportation and communication.

Students had a number of activities to hand in last Friday and I have received most of them. The work handed in was quite well done. Will be in touch with students from whom I did not receive work later this week.

How Well do I Know Canada??

As previously mentioned the first 3-4 weeks will be devoted to ensuring that students have a basic understanding of the nation of Canada especially from a geographical perspective. Today we spent the class going over the provinces/territories and the respective capital cities. In addition we looked at the various regions into which we can divide the country such as Atlantic Canada, Central Canada, the West(Prairies/Pacific) and the North. This is information students MUST know. During the next two classes I will be absent attending Administrator's meetings in Gander. During my absence there will be plenty of work for students to work on based on information we have discussed in class and pages 12 -23 in their textbook. This work has to be handed to me in Friday's class, September 24, 2010. I will not accept late work unless there is a valid reason for such. Have a good week. Will update again on Friday.

Here We Go!!

We have now had about 5 classes in Canadian Geography and we starting to move through our first unit where we are basically trying to help students develop a firm understanding of Canada in terms of its size, challenges, benefits, and what it means to them. Students should read through Unit 1 (pages 3 - 23 by the end of week 3 (September 24). In the last week have been asked to complete two activities; one was to create a poster that highlighted what Canada means to them. Some of the work handed in was great and demonstrated some thought and effort. A second activity required them to work with the largest 10 countries in the world. they had to determine a number of squares for each country and colour it on a chart. The point is to help them realize the variation in sizes of countries and that 10 countries occupy almost half of the earth's land mass while the remaining 175-180 countries make up the remainder. Today's class saw us brainstorm the benefits and challenges presented by Canada's physical size which ranks it second in the world while having a population of about 33 million. Students should be able to write a short essay on that topic if and when required.

Students must make sure all assignments are completed or credit obviously will not be received.

Welcome to Canadian Geography 1202. I am looking forward to working with the Level I students to obtain their Canada Studies credits towards their high school graduation. Below is the outline I gave to students during the first class outlined the course and the evaluation scheme. During the first couple of weeks we will be working to make sure that everyone has a good understanding of some of the necessary items students should know such as the basic geography and demography of Canada. We will be learning about Canada within its borders as well as in respect to the rest of the world. That is a key concept for the year - Canada is a nation that is impacted by and impacts other nations of the world. No nation can exist in isolation. Looking forward to a great year.

Course overview and evaluation

Welcome to Canadian Geography 1202. I know we will have an enjoyable year learning about various aspects of Canada from a geographical perspective. Below you will find the four areas or
“understandings” which we will be focusing on during the year. The understandings promoted in Canadian Geography 1202 may be grouped according to four themes:

The Natural Environment (Understandings 2.1.1, 2.1.2, and 2.1.3)
The student of Canadian Geography 1202 will examine the vast, physically diverse, and northern character of Canada. These characteristics have an impact upon life in Canada, whether it is felt in the types of land activities which are carried on, or reflected in the distribution of population.

Natural Resources (Understandings 2.1.4 and 2.1.5)
Canada has a vast storehouse of resources for the responsible use of Canadians. These resources
are neither limitless nor evenly distributed, however, and what is a resource depends upon the
needs and wants of Canadians, their attitudes, and the types of extractive technologies available.
Resource utilization requires responsible but difficult choices since they affect the quality of life of Canadians.

The New Economy (Understandings 2.1.6, 2.1.7, 2.1.8, and 2.1.9)
Canada, like any other developed nation, has experienced a series of economic evolutions. Early
in its development, Canada's economy was primarily driven by the extraction of cheap resources, to be replaced during this century by the processing of resources through the use of cheap energy. Given recent economic restructuring, Canada's economy is becoming more service-oriented. In response to the need for the immediate access to knowledge, the economy is now driven by the rapid exchange of information and the production of technologies related to it. This trend has an impact on life in Canada, whether it is where Canadians live, or the quality of life of our cities, towns and villages.

Connections (Understandings 2.1.10 and 2.1.11)
Given Canada's vastness and the economic shift toward knowledge-based activity, the rapid
movement of people, goods, and information is fundamental to the country's economic health.
Modern linkages are beginning to minimize the impact of distance and location as they make it
possible for Canadians to interact with each other quickly and effectively. Canadians also
recognize that modern linkages make Canada a part of a complex and interconnected world
community. More than ever, Canada is subject to international economic, political and cultural
influences, and yet has its own contribution to make to the well-being of other countries.

Proposed Evaluation Scheme
Unit/Chapter Tests 20%
Mid Term 20%
Final 30%
Projects/Assignments 30%

Textbook Resource: Contact Canada

Work Hard and enjoy the year. I am always available within reason for extra assistance.