Flex Nov 22 (three weeks before Desolation of Smaug comes out)

Yes, Hobbit Movie part 2... did I tell you that our class is booked in to see it? Last afternoon before Christmas break.

Today's seminar and flex are quite straightforward.

Seminar 1: those who have read 2 or more chapters of Into Thin Air

Seminar 2: those who have read less than that.

We will be "deconstructing" the novel study and developing ideas together for how to do a meaningful exploration of the book.

Flex (the time you are not in Seminar): Read! At least the first 2 chapters.  After that, please work on one of your two projects underway:

Expressing Landscapes (Geomorphology Wrap-up Assignment, went our in class yesterday), or GeoNarratives (long-term Project-Based Learning)

Alternately, read on your own, whatever book you have on the go for November, and respond to what you are writing (a version of which goes into your digital portfolio).

I sure enjoy reading the snippets of writing that many of you have placed in your digital portfolios.  It really helps me see high school and the "human drama" (you are teenagers, after all) in a new light.  Something terrible (wonderful?) happens when you get older -- you forget what it is like to experience the world with the raw emotions and malleability of adolescence.

Finally... accountability -- I take attendance for the flex by checking the comments below.  Leave a comment that indicates what you did today for or during flex.  This also helps me provide "formative" feedback for what you are learning.

Flex Nov 7/8 the one before Remembrance Day

You have two flex days coming up -- Thursday Nov 7th (backed with Seminar) and Friday Nov 8th (backed with Consultation).

FLEX -- for both Flex blocks, I'd like you to respond to the Remembrance Day prompt below, plus you may choose to work on one of the following:

1. update your portfolio (see below)
2. work on the GeoNarratives project
3. read the book you have on the go & respond to your reading

SEMINAR -- During Thursday's session, you will be showing the group and your teacher your Portfolio, which by now should include these required items:

• 5 images from your Geographic Themes Photo Essay 
• Topophilia piece -- your first or most memorable experience in Nature 
• Mass Wastage Case Study including creative account of the incident 
• Lheidl T’enneh research inquiry 
• reading journals -- should have read/responded to two books (one for Sep, one for Oct)

and should also include some of these optional items:

• samples (whole pieces or snapshots) from work you have done in class -- e.g. Geographic Issues research, Should We Colonize Mars?, Famous Geographer biography 
• other creative writing you have done, fiction or non-fiction 
• literary references to rivers, caves, ice, or glaciers 
• interesting links, objects found, observations, quotes, etc. that relate to our work and your interests 
• current events, news stories that relate to language, landscape, literature, or environment
• photos from one of our field trips, e.g. Ancient Forest

CONSULTATION -- On Friday, take a 5 minute break from what you are doing for Flex and come see your teacher in the classroom. Be prepared to talk about what you think you'd like to do for your GeoNarratives project and then we'll toss some ideas around about what shape this project might take.

REMEMBRANCE DAY -- two options -- choose one to think about and respond with a solid paragraph. Save this piece of writing to your portfolio and also leave it below as a comment. I will check these comments on the weekend as a way of knowing that you are paying attention to these "Flex" posts -- this is a course requirement and necessary if we want the class/seminar/flex model to go smoothly. Flex only makes sense if you use it to learn and work hard on the parts of our program that we talk about in class but do not work on directly in class. Choose between 1 or 2 (you can do both if you really want to).

1. I'm interested in some of the geographic connections you have to Remembrance Day. Think back to someone you know (could be a relative) who has been affected by war. Perhaps this person saw military action, was employed by the military, or was caught up in armed conflict. Describe the context and pay close attention to the "where." You may want to do some internet digging to get to know the place a bit more -- the town, area, region in which this person was involved or affected by war, and some of the background details about the conflict itself in that locale.  Here's a news article if you need something to get you thinking: http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/remembrance-day/

2. What do you think about White Poppies? I've written about this myself in 2010 and 2011 and 2012, but I'd like to hear what you think.  Here is a news article you can read to get you thinking about peace poppies: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/julian-fantino-calls-white-poppies-offensive-to-veterans-1.2417592

Flex Nov 1st the one after halloween

Hopefully you don't have too many Halloween regrets today -- somehow this strange Autumn ritual has morphed into a commercial spectacle and plastic-wrapped sugar-fest. Too much treat, not enough trick if you ask me. My only regret is that I didn't take a picture of the zombies down the street. One industrious parent convinced her teenage kids to produce very sophisticated undead get-ups and mill about the street to frighten the trick-or-treaters. My children (age 6 and 9) were thrilled!

Today, we have Seminar backed with Flex. For Seminar, be prepared to share the literary reference you found that relates to Rivers or Caves.  For Flex choose between past or future. Past: complete any of the portfolio items that are expected by now (mass wastage case study, Lheidl T'enneh research inquiry, reading journals). Future: take a good long look through the GeoNarratives handout I gave you in class a week or so ago (you can also see it here)-- start making notes as to how you see yourself doing this project and what kinds of questions you need to ask in order to get going.  Or, you can simply be "Present" in your reading -- read for an hour before or after Seminar.