New Wallwisher

Okay, wallwisher is working again!! Your new topic is on www.wallwisher.com/wall/socialstudies20

You must make at least 2 posts on the wall - one your own idea, one a response to somebody elses. The earlier you start writing, the more discussion that can be generated.

These need to be done by next Friday, November 26.

Rubric for Genocide Project

Hopefully, you have all looked at the rubric for this project. Since I have separated your marks differently this year, this project won't count as one project but will be split into two different bins, these being Unit II - National Interests and Skills Processes. The first two categories in your rubric will cover the information/knowledge part. This is out of 12 marks - 8 for the content and 4 for identifying the national interests. This will go into your Unit II bin. The rest of the assignment is out of 16 - 4 for links to nationalism, 4 for presentation, 4 for audiovisual effects and 4 for illiciting an emotional response. This will go into your Skills and Processes bin.

Remember, a lot of this course has to deal with skills and processes - this bin is worth a large chunk of your mark, so that is the section to work on and learn how to develop those skills.

In other news, as soon as I can get wallwisher working to change the question, I will do that and post the link here.

Working on the Internet...YAY!!

Finally, I have got this all put together and you guys can start doing schoolwork on the internet...WONDERFUL!! :) This year, since there were many problems with people being unable to create a google account, you will be using the blog as a spot to check up on things for class, but you won't actually be posting things on here. BUT you will be posting things on another site, which I will give you the address to so that you can go to and check it out...

So, we have been talking about contending loyalties lately and your questions revolves around whether or not they are good or bad for Canada. The website you are using is similar to Twitter in that you are just writing short answers to the question. You be required to put at least 2 "sticky notes" on each questions - one with your opinion and one as a response to somebody else's post. Your first 2 (minimal) posts will be due on MONDAY, OCTOBER 25. The website is at:

http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/socialstudies20

In other social news, you will probably have your Unit I/IV test the last week of October, probably the Wednesday or the Thursday. So start studying....You will also be starting your major project on genocides - yes, you will be expected to work on them on the week off in November.

Other than that, that is all the news I have for you..

Ms. Stuart :)

Rubric for Genocide Video

Here is the rubric for your movie. PLEASE read the rubric so you know what you need to include to get the best possible mark!! I will not be going through this in class, so you need to do it yourself. Just click on the picture and it will pop up in another window, big enough for you to read. If you are having problems, post or email me. See you in less than a week!

Marking Guide

Here is the marking guide for all of your blog postings. Each posting is out of 10. Click on it for a larger view.

Welcome to Social Studies 20 - Nationalism!!!

Okay, just a few quick things about this course and how this blogging thing will be working out. This blog is going to be like having your own homework page (hopefully) with a planned out time-line of when major things (essays, tests, projects) will be due. It is a different mode of communicating your ideas so that if you don't like to talk in class, I can still see that you are getting the material.

You will be assessed on the quality of your ideas. I will be putting a rubric up so that you can see what you will be marked on. I am going to try to have you do at least ONE posting every two weeks. Sometimes it will be more like a journal response posting where you describe your own understanding of something. Other times, you will have to do a bit of research and find other contemporary or historical examples of what we talk about in class. If you find another posting interesting, insightful or completely opposite to what you think, feel free to comment! It is like a class discussion without the class.

Another benefit to the blog is that this can help you with your essay writing. Sometimes it can be difficult to think of arguments or angles to look at certain issues, and this will help you be able to get other people's views. It can help you realize what you think which can help you formulate opinions on your essays. This is also a great resource for looking up examples not used in class and putting them in your writing, which usually looks really impressive (as long as they are applicable and truthful).

REMEMBER: this is a PUBLIC site, meaning that if anything derogatory, school inappropriate or bullying comments are made, there will be consequences. Just because you are not physically in the classroom does not give you the right to write things as if you are not. This is a paper trail and proof IF there is anything inappropriate written. That also goes with plagiarism - IT'S ILLEGAL - DON'T DO IT!! I want to know what you think and know!

It is not an option to participate in this blog, it is part of the course. If you miss your postings, you will get one chance to make it up, but after that you will receive no mark for it. I cannot read 160 posts at the end of the semester.

I hope your semester is great and that you learn to love nationalism as much as I do!! :)