Winter Break

Great job, 7A! Hope you all have a restful break and I'll see you in 2015!

Artifact Assignment

So let's recap the expectations of the assignment.

You are to choose FIVE artifacts from the founding of Quebec in 1608 to the Upper and Lower Canadian rebellions in 1837. These artifacts can represent the Voyageurs, the Filles du Roi, The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, The Battle of Detroit, Sir Isaac Brock, Louis Joseph-Papineau (just to name a few). 

You can choose anything of significance.

Remember, the what you're choosing however are artifacts. So these five objects must represent the historical subject you're talking about. What do I mean? Think about it:

• A cannonball could represent an artifact from the War of 1812

• Beaver pelt could represent an artifact from the Voyageurs or Coureur des bois

• A hankerchief could be an artifact representing the tears you cried when you found out a cousin had passed away during the the 7 Years War.

How will you know you're successful?

• When you've chosen five strong topics 
• You've chosen artifacts that best represent them (e.g., chosing a banana to represent the War of 1812 is a poor choice!)
• That you've accurately described the topic and the history that it represents
• That you've clearly and successfully communicated your ideas
• That you've identified the significance (why is, say, the fur trade something that's important to know in Canadian history?

Before the Break...

7s: 

The winter break is fast approaching and we have a number of assignments on the go.

To begin with, your letter to the government is coming due next week. I'll be collecting them next Thursday, December 18th.

Similarly, your political cartoon is also coming due. That will also be collected on Thursday, December 18th as well. 

Lastly, your history presentation is also coming due. That will be collected next Monday, December 15th. 

Please keep track of your assignments before they're due!
 

Holiday Food Drive

Please continue bringing in non-perishable food donations for our Holiday Food Drive!

Well done!

Thanks for the great work on your writing assignments and on the math test today. Keep it up, 7A!

VoiceThread Feedback

Hey 7s:

Keep an eye out on your VT accounts as I will have completed giving you your feedback by tonight. You'll need it for your assignments!

Welcome, parents!

Welcome to this year's Student Led Conferences!

Student-Led Conferences

Student-Led Conferences will take place this Thursday evening and Friday mornings (November 13th and November 14th, respectively). All parents/guardians are encouraged to attend. Here's how to sign up:

1. Go to school-bookings.net
2. Enter the code MVL7D
3. Enter your information in the boxes under Step 1
4. Select my name (Mr. Charalambous) from the drop down menu under Step 2
5. Select the times that work best for you and click GO!

Anti-Bullying PSA

Please remember to keep in mind the following:

• realistic harassment scenarios
• places to go for help
• appropriate media techniques
• communicating the message/purpose clearly
• make sure that it's catching your attention
• clear target audience
• clear that you put your best effort into it

BORC Visit

This is a reminder to all 7A students that tomorrow we will be visiting BORC for the day. Please make sure that you are dressed appropriately for the weather (it will be cold) bring boots as I'm sure it will be a bit muddy and make sure you have a litter-less lunch as well. 

War of 1812 Presentations

War of 1812 Presentations

Mrs. Filippelli has shared with us some incredibly valuable online resources (that have also been shared on your Google Drives).

Don't forget that you need to tell us...

• Who are the the key characters from your battle

• What was its significance in our understanding of the War of 1812

• What were the intended and unintended consequences of the battle

• Include at least two primary resources and your analysis of them

• i.e., what does the primary resource tell us about the event? Are there missing voices?

• What is the impact of the event?

Comparisons of maps from 1812 to present day

historicacanada.ca - War of 1812 timeline

historicacanada.ca - videos of significant events/people

ourontario.ca - images, images, images - mostly primary resources

eighteentwelve.ca - extensive information for each battle

Permission Forms

Don't forget to bring in your technology waiver forms and your permission forms for BORC! Please bring those in as soon as possible!

New France & BNA

New France

1608 - Founding of Quebec (the beginnings of New France). You need to know:

• fille du roi
• jesuits (missionaries)
• les habitants
• fur trade
• voyageurs
• coureur des bois
• deportation of the Acadians

1756-1763 - Seven Years War

• Battle of the Plains of Abraham
• Treaty of Paris

BNA

1774:

• Quebec Act
• American Revolution (1776)
• Loyalist Migration (1780s)
• Constitutional Act (1791)

The Constitutional Act

When the Loyalists arrived in "Quebec" they shocked by many of the differences that existed between New France and the Thirteen Colonies (the United States). The French operated under the seigneurial system where it was leased from the government (the Loyalists were used to owning the land); Roman Catholics were legally required to pay a tenth of their income to the church (the Loyalists did not); and there were no elections in Quebec (the Loyalists were used to electing representatives).

Because they were so upset at these differences, the British agreed to change the system of government and law in Quebec and created the Constitutional Act in 1791 which split Canada into two parts: Upper (the English speaking part) and Lower Canada (the French). In addition it:

• created a lieutenant-governor for each Canada
• landholders were in Lower Canada could hold land under the seigneurial or the freehold system. In Upper Canada they could own the land
• people who owned property could elect their representatives

For the first time, Canada became English speaking and it changed the country forever.

 

New France and BNA

In about a week's time, we will be having our first unit test on New France and BNA. I've taken the opportunity to list some of the terms and big ideas that we've explored in class. Make sure you check Drop Box for any of the readings that you may have missed. I've been uploading all our information there as well. The following terms are limited to the knowledge component of the test. The big ideas will ask you to make connections between the past and the present, immigration and how Canada has developed a dual identity.

Missionaries (Jesuits): Their role was to convert Aboriginals to Catholicism

Soldiers: They defended the colony from Aboriginal tribes and other European groups

Labourers and Fur Traders: They literally built New France and/or traded with Aboriginals for fur in exchange for European goods

Fille du Roi: They were poor and often orphaned women who were granted passage and a dowry by the king to marry and settle in New France

Seigneurs & Seigneuries

Seigneurs were granted "seigneuries" (plots of land) in New France. They used "habitants" to work the land much like the feudal system. Seigneuries were...

• beside a river
• long and narrow
• given common plots of land for social events

Les Habitants

Habitant families worked on the land owned by seigneurs. They had lots of responsibilities including:

• growing crops and raising animals to support themselves
• giving a portion of what they made to the seigneurs for rent
• Pay taxes to the church and the government

Voyageurs and Coureur des bois: Voyageurs were fur traders who traded European goods (weapons and metallic objects) with Aboriginal tribes in exchange for beaver pelts. Coureur des bois (runners of the woods) did the same but operated illegally.

Deportation of the Acadians: Acadians were French settlers living in modern day Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Maine who we're deported from their lands for not swearing an oath of allegiance to the King of England.

Seven Years War: Lasting from 1756 to 1763, this was fought between the English and the French for control over North America. The English eventually won, having fought the last big battle on the Plains of Abraham. New France was no more.

Quebec Act (1774): After conquering the French, the English granted them certain rights such as:

• representation in government
• guaranteed protection of French language and religion
• expanded the borders of Quebec

The French stayed loyal to the English because of this.

American Revolution (1776): Because of the 7 Years War, the British raised taxes on the American Colonies and this led to anger and resentment against the British. With the Quebec Act as well (signed in 1774) this also prevented the 13 Colonies from expanding further west. They fought the British and won.

Loyalists: There were Americans who were still loyal to the British and after the end of the war, the left the 13 colonies and went and settled in parts of Quebec and later, Upper Canada (Ontario) bringing with them the English language and customs forever changing Canada.

Tomorrow is Picture Day

This is just a friendly reminder that tomorrow is picture day! 

Curriculum Night

A friendly reminder that tomorrow is our curriculum night at Mackenzie Glen! 

VoiceThread feedback for your book jackets

Keep an eye out on your VT profiles as I've given most of you your feedback on them!

Toonie For Terry

This October 3rd, we will all be participating in the Terry Fox run! A "Toonie for Terry" donation on or before this date will be greatly appreciated. All money raised will be given to the Terry Fox Foundation to support cancer research. Don't forget, 7A!

VoiceThread Feedback for Data Management

I've given you feedback on VoiceThread for your data management quizzes. Make sure you log in and have a listen!

VoiceThread Feedback

Your VT feedback on "The Tower," has been given to you. Make sure you revisit the feedback and apply it to your next task.

Our Thinking Books!

Organizing Our Writing

We've been talking about how we can begin organizing our writing. I want you to begin by looking at these following examples from previous years. Consider the following: 

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of each organizer?
• Have you identified the main ideas?
• Can you access the information in a quick manner?
• Does it make sense to you?

Doing the Detective Work

I think we had a great start to this unit! Remember -- when you're identifying themes and deeper messages in literature, you need to be able to support your ideas with evidence (textual) and expand on your points (schema).

Mackenzie Glen P.S. "Weebly"

If for any reason you've misplaced another teacher's blog address, you can find them all on Mackenzie Glen's weebly site:

http://macgintermediate.weebly.com/

I strongly suggest that you add it to your favourites!

When Conducting a Survey, Consider...

1. How the question is asked

2. Who the question is asking

3. What the question is asking

This can have an impact on the results!

What is Literacy?

We had a really fantastic conversation on what literacy means. It's about communication -- being effective "senders" and "receivers" of information. We're going to teach you to use the tools to think. Not what to think, rather how to think.

And, perhaps more importantly, we need to see "literacy" as something that is happening outside our literacy blocks. Literacy is everywhere!

10 Step Process

How to upload to your online portfolio on VoiceThread:

1. Go to www.voicethread.com

2. At the top right hand corner click "sign in"

3. To upload to your profile hit the cog labeled "menu"

4. From there, click "edit"

5. Hit "upload" to upload a picture or word file from your computer

6. Then click "comment" to either record your voice or to comment

7. Hit the the microphone icon labeled "record"

8. Your computer will ask you if you should "allow" the microphone -- and you     should click "yes"

9. Save after recording

10. And log out!

Welcome, 7s!

I'm absolutely excited to welcome everyone back! In particular, I'm looking forward to another amazing year with the new grade 7s!

I'm sure you'll notice right away that it's a bit different being in intermediate -- lots of responsibility and accountability on your shoulders now. But at the same time, you've still got the same involved and caring teachers to help you along the way.

At any rate, I'd also like to take the opportunity to welcome you to our classblog! For the grade 8s reading this, you'll notice that the design is a bit different -- but it's pretty much all the same. Your information will be posted under 8A/8B History. Grade 7s: with this blog, you'll never forget what you had for homework. At the same time though, you'll never have an excuse as to why it's not complete! ;) Sorry!

Everything you'll need to know for Hist/Geo, Math and Language will be updated under the "Homework" tab. Periodically, the "Home" page will be updated with upcoming events and news that you or your parents might need to know. Speaking of which, yes, your parents will and do have access to this blog as well. 

So again, welcome to the 2014/2015 school year!