Contemporary issues & Historical Thinking: Viola Desmond, Treaties, Wajahat Ali, photos, Lava walk in Math, & class election results

As the last of the History tests are completed, I thought it might be a good time to review some recent items in the news that would fall under one or more of the concepts we have been studying this term.

Historical Significance:  Viola Desmond

https://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/banknoteable/

https://globalnews.ca/news/3114108/bank-of-canada-set-to-announce-first-canadian-woman-on-front-of-banknote/

Historical Significance:  Treaties Recognition Week

Ontario Regional Chief, Isadore Day of is from Serpent Lake First Nation (http://serpentriverfn.ca/ & https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1K7B11z9VczN8_4azuhFglhEIlfU&hl=en&ll=46.165424751731734%2C-82.442070776197&z=11) and he was on Metro Morning on CBC Radio this morning.  The show is not up and posted on the Internet, but you can hear him explain what a Treaty is:
http://www.chiefs-of-ontario.org/node/1468

This is one of the topics on the Grade 7 list and it should also be on the Grade list.  If you find this interesting, please consider pursuing it.  A good starting point could be the Wikipedia page on the numbered treaties in Canada:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbered_Treaties#List_of_Numbered_Treaties

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbered_Treaties#/media/File:Numbered-Treaties-Map.svg

Historical Perspective:  Wajahat Ali, Lawyer, Writer, Playwright

https://twitter.com/wajahatali

We talked earlier in the year about the dangers of Stereotypes.  When unfortunate incidents of violence happen in the world, namely Terrorism, some may be quick to associate these acts with Islam.   

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.4386031/why-this-man-wants-to-take-the-words-allahu-akbar-back-from-terrorists-1.4386048

Perhaps if we can all think differently about the Stereotypes, we can prevent some of the hatred and hurt in the world.

https://londonhatecrimeblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/the-pyramid-of-hate/

Images, with short commentary: History Inquiry

In the following short photos, I demonstrated to the class what an initial brainstorm may look like.

The following photo is a blurred photo of a pair of Grade 8 girls who will be looking at Residential Schools in Canada.  I did not want to have it in focus because I did not want their ideas borrowed.  You can see how they have the main idea in the middle and have created a series of questions around their topic.   I will comment further on this in subsequent History classes.

Kit Kat Math:

In an attempt to review a question on Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions (they seem so important, so I capitalized them), I brought in 4 Kit Kat bars to demonstrate how 9/4 is equal to 2 1/4 chocolate bars.  I think we were so excited about the prospect of eating them that I forgot to take a picture of the bars before cutting them up into serving portions for the class.

 To recap:  2 and 1/4 chocolate bars, when separated, works out to nice "fingers" of Kit Kat Bars.  Four fingers makes 1 Kit Kat bar.

 Halloween photo:

Mr. P illustration, by Anny:

Today we did the Math test, which was postponed from Friday.  To review, we played this game which reviewed the concept of Prime Factorization.  It was called Lava Walk and the students played it in their Gym quads (groups).  A member of a squad was provided with a Composite Number and they had to safely cross the stream of lava and collect all of the prime numbers associated with that number.

In this case, the student did the Prime Factorization for 48, I believe, and gave me the following cards:  2, 2, 2, 2, 3.  When those numbers are multiplied, the answer equals 48.  If it is a different number, I will make the needed changes

2017-2018 Class reps:

Mahima, Anny, Efaz
Unfortunately, 2  ballots were spoiled, which may have altered the final tally.  The 3rd and 4th place were separated by 1 votes!