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Monday, March 28, 2011

Election Time

ELECTION ON! Try Vote Compass




Many Social Studies students will remember trying politicalcompass.org to find out where they were on the "political spectrum" -- but were often left with questions about what it meant and how it related to Canadian politics. As you may know, Canadian voters are heading to an election on May 2. CBC News has made their own spectrum quiz -- http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadavotes2011/votecompass/. Try it and leave a comment regarding your results-- I'm interested to know if you are surprised by the results or not (e.g. did you end up matched up with a party you probably wouldn't vote for?). Also, why do you think people might vote for a party that doesn't match up with their beliefs?

Socials 11 in the News

Social Studies 11 is a course that deals with a great deal of history but is really more about what is happening in Canada and the world around us every day. To see evidence of this one really just has to open a newspaper on any given day and take account of the number of news items that directly relate to the themes we study in Social Studies 11.

Just to refresh your memory the themes of this course we have been studying fall into these categories:
  • Society and Identity: The 20th century has seen profound change in the social fabric of Canada that has made the search for a Canadian identity a vital issue for Canadians. In examining societalvissues, students gain understanding of the dynamic regional, cultural, and ethnic diversity of
  • Canadian society: By exploring these issues, students gain understanding of the forces that both shape and reflect the Canadian identity.
  • Autonomy and International Involvement: Canada has been shaped by significant historical events, both within the country and at a global level. By exploring Canada’s role in world events and examining Canada’s development as an autonomous nation, students come to understand Canada’s position and responsibilities in the international community.
  • Politics and Government: The study of politics and government builds on students’ prior understanding of government structures, preparing them with the skills, knowledge, and sense of efficacy to become informed and active citizens of Canada. This study will allow students to gain understanding of their Charter rights, political philosophies and parties, elections, and how to influence public policy.
  • Human Geography: Students develop understanding of the global issues that arise from the disparity in standards of living, how they affect our environment, and our response to the issues.
Your task is to review a variety of news sources and identify current event articles and issues that relate to the topics we have been studying for the last 5 months. The issue you select could be a local, provincial, national or world event as long as it fits into Your post must include the following:

  1. A link or reference to the article you have selected.
  2. A summary of the issue and the article.
  3. An explanation of how your selection ties into Social Studies 11 and its importance as a world or Canadian issue.
  4. 2 or 3 questions your article brings up for you that you would like to see answered in the future.
Many of the news links located on the sidebar of this blog are excellent starting points for your news search.