SPRING BREEEAAAAAAKKKK!!!!

I can't really emphasize enough how super-excited I am about Spring Break! It's not that I don't just love marking for hours and hours each weekend, or prepping all my lessons every night, or spending my free time watching World War II videos, or reading new English essays, because I do love that ... I do!  And of course, I will miss the classes - truly - two weeks without your smiling faces will be tough. But, if I can get over that, I will enjoy sleeping in and cleaning my house and cooking some gourmet meals. I also plan to watch Schindler's List, the Pianist, and 13 Days. Don't forget that you need to watch some World War II movies as well for your Spring Break movie response assignment due April 4th. 

As for our class, should you have missed it, we covered a lot last day:

• we noted how Globe and Mail readers chose their cover of VE Day as the most memorable front page in their 170 year history; 
• we read an article and looked at some CNN footage about the Russian occupation of the Crimea and the possible economic sanctions being threatened by the G7 ( and Prime Minister Harper, who was speaking in Vancouver.) 
• you wrote down a list of Key Terms for studying the Cold War and
• we viewed a power point about the Cold War and tensions between the USSR and the US from 1945-1991.
• we also had great contributions from Tianna about Japanese Internment and Maddie about Anne Frank house. Great information, girls. Thank you so much!

I wish you all a Happy Spring Break! Yippee! Happy Dance!

On Discrimination and Intolerance

Last class, we had our quiz on some aspects of World War II. I will give a version 2 of that quiz on Thursday at lunch for those of you who were absent. 
We also discussed two events that were integral to World War II for Canada:

• the Holocaust and Hitler's plans for the "final solution", which had a resounding impact world wide
• and the internment of Japanese Canadians which had a legacy within Canada, resulting in a federal apology in 1988.

We did not get enough time to view the video I had planned to show, but it can be found here: Internment: Scar of the Great White North. 

I also handed out a Historical Movie Response Assignment for Spring Break, which is due on April 4th. Please be sure to get the hand out next class, if you were away. 
For homework you needed to read: pages 130-139 in Counterpoints. We are going to chill in the Cold War for a while. That's cool, don't you agree? 


“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”    Eli Wiesel

Note how these comments are similar to those made by Einstein in the post from February 28th. 

Student challenge: *If you can respond by commenting how the two writers pictured here were important and involved in the Holocaust, and what you can learn from reading these quotations, you will be rewarded in class! Just like Katie will be tomorrow for her great responses to the previous post. 

Please Welcome the One and Only Phoenix Morzgan!

Oops! I almost forgot to write this post because I was so mesmerized by studying Canadian History. Anyway, I did manage to check my name according to John Travolta (that's not Canadian or history, really). So, if Mounto doesn't work, and Marky Mark is taken, then I guess I could be dubbed Phoenix Morzgan. It really sounds like a magical name, don't you think?

Anyway, today we discussed Canada at war in the air - think RCAF; the sea - think Corvettes, and convoys, and "wolf packs" of u-boats! Then we talked about the Italian campaign in 1943-44; and then we moved on to D-Day in 1944; the highlights of Juno Beach, and the other four beaches where allied landings took place, and the progression of Canadian troops along the Atlantic wall and eventually into the Netherlands. 

I have been reading a good article about William Lyon Mackenzie King and his role as "Canada's weirdest prime minister." The author's words, not mine. Also, I have been watching videos again. Try looking at this video from the series called King and Country. It is a great explanation of the Canadians' role in the invasion of Normandy.  

Homework: Read about the impact of the war on Canada's economy. Page 122, I think. Prepare for a quiz next day. 

Socials 11; Rhymes with "Heaven"

Isn't that how you feel about this class? I do! 
I thought I would try to start writing some blog posts for our class in the hopes that it will make some of you even happier than you already are (Braedyn - is that even possible?). Plus, we can send the link to Hendrik, so he can follow along with the course! Anyway, I know some of you just can't get enough of learning about history, etc. and of course, we are in a rush to study up for the big provincial exam, so maybe if I put some good learnin' materials here, you can get even smarter than you already are. (Again, is that even possible?)

Let's do a test: if you know what any of the following are, please comment (appropriately, Cam and Kyle) with an answer. Here goes:

1. Operation Dynamo
2. Operation Jubilee
3. Operation Overlord
4. Operation Barbarossa

Finally, identify the people pictured below:

That's all for now folks! See you tomorrow with the marks done!

A Simple Sample

Blogging Pro D

Here is a photo of Einstein. I uploaded this because I love Einstein, and I was doing a little professional development session for some other teachers about blogging with a class. Here is a quote from Einstein: what does this make you think of that relates to our current studies; or anything from the whole course, actually? Please respond with a comment.

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.

Albert Einstein

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins143096.html#dIbJYQZefPCKM8fb.99