Day 13: Handouts, classwork, and homework

*Note (1): Underlined words are links to downloadable pages.
*Note (2): Please be prepared for a possible pop quiz at the beginning of each class. It will be based on material presented in the previous class. *Note (3): Blog details are subject to change.

Social Studies 8

Unit I - Roman Empire review (terms, concepts) activity

Unit 1 test

Read pp. 96 - 100 Answer questions on p. 100: 2 - 7

Continue Byzantine empire preview, connection to chapter 1, video clips

Homework: Questions on p. 100: 2 - 7, due Feb. 19

Social Studies 11

Hand in 13 steps cartoon

Review questions p. 240:2 & 3

Complete Legislative Branch video with viewguide

Classwork - look at the Parliament of Canada website. Download, read and study from the Guide to the House of Commons. Set-up of Parliament handout. Handout – “On the Job With a Member of Parliament.” Read Senate – Pros and cons of present setup (Be sure to look at the Senate material at Mapleleafweb). Handout – newspaper article. Essay Writing. There will be an essay question on what shall be done with the Canadian Senate on the next unit test.

Role of the Senate in ParliamentWhat is the Senate? What does it do?Canada’s Bicameral ParliamentCanada has a bicameral parliamentary system, meaning that there are two legislative bodies or chambers. The first of these is the House of Commons, which is made up of elected officials called Members of Parliament (or MPs). The second legislative body is called the Senate, which is constituted by appointed members called Senators.For more information on Canada’s Parliament:Mapleleafweb: Canada’s Parliamentary Government

Discuss the following:Chamber of Sober Second Thought This, however, raises the question: why does Canada have two legislative bodies to review and approve government legislation? The ideal of democracy was cautiously accepted in the 1860s when the Canadian colonies negotiated Confederation. The primary worry was that the democratic participation of "regular citizens" in government would be detrimental to good government and policy making. As such, the Fathers of Confederation decided to provide an appointed body, the Senate, which would exercise “sober second thought” in the legislative process.Why did the Fathers of Confederation worry? Was it a legitimate worry?

Routine Revising Chamber
Another role of the Senate, not explicitly provided for in the Constitution, is to act as a non-ideological, routine revising chamber that picks up flaws in legislation that have avoided notice during a bill’s passage through the House of Commons. Accordingly, the Senate might highlight confusing ideas or language in legislation, or raise questions about potential loopholes that may reduce the effectiveness of a particular law.Handout – newspaper article.Look at the Monarchist League of Canada and the Canadian Monarchist Online websites for arguments supporting the monarch; see Citizens for a Canadian Republic for arguments against retaining the monarchy. There has also been an active debate in Australia and New Zealand on this topic. Web searches would yield useful information.

In-class. Look at various cabinet ministries of the Federal Government.

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/cabinet.asp

Yes Minister video

Homework #1: Prepare a list of all the cabinet ministers of the Canadian federal government, which shows the names of the ministers and the name of their portfolio (department) . You may copy information from the internet. Due Feb. 19