Thoughts and Viruses Podcast Outline and Rubric

Your podcast is due Monday March 5th 

Drawing on the various lectures and activities you have encountered in this mini-inquiry unit, respond to the following syntheses question in podcast form:

What are the two most significant reasons why a thought or virus has a revolutionary impact on people and the world?

To consider this question begin by examining Malcolm Gladwell's thesis that three elements exist as to why a thought or virus becomes contagious. A summary can be found here. Once you have chosen the two factors you think are most significant, provide supporting evidence from examples from both thoughts and viruses you have researched or learned about to support your answer.

In this way your podcast would address 4 out of the 6 quadrants below:

	Viruses examples:	Social movements/trends examples:
Law of the few (most  viruses/ideas/trends are  spread by a small,  influential, social, and well connected individuals
Stickiness Factor (some  messages/ideas/viruses have an incredible ability to stick and possess  staying power
The power of context  (small changes in the  environment can have a big impact)

A 4 would reflect the following criteria:

	4
Statement/ Position /4	Author provides a clear statement in relation to the question.
Explanation /4	Explanation strongly develops the two key reasons why trends and viruses become contagious and explanation is based on the note-taking/research you have done. Only important information is included.
Supporting Details /4	Support enhances key ideas with facts and specific details from credible sources. It gives strength to the explanation.
Examples drawn from both domains /4	To support each of the two reasons why a trend/social movement or virus becomes contagious the author provides examples of both thoughts and viruses.

February 29th Update

Thursday, March 1st viruses and trend/social movement posters (or prezi) are due

Here is the rubric we will use to evaluate your work. The question you must respond to are listed below.

Poster Rubric 

Criteria	1	2	3	4
Creativity	- Minimal effort is evident.  Poster is dull, bland, and/or boring to look at; - Does not catch the attention of viewer. 1 point	- Some effort is shown.  Needs to make effective use of space and colours - It is enough to hold attention of the viewer.  2 points	- Effort is evident; colours are used.  A good poster is created.  - Will sustain the attention of the viewer. 3 points	- Wow factor!  A lot of effort is put into creating the poster; very effective use of colours; - It is interesting, engaging and visually stimulating 4 points
Research Content and Literacy	·  Minimal content presented; does not meet most or all requirements. ·  No use of resources 2 points	·  Content is vague and/or lacks some details required of the assignment. ·  One resource used 4 points	·  Content meets most of the requirements and contains general information. 1 question may be missing or 2 inadequately answered. ·  More than one resource present; sources may be cited. 6 points	·  Content is accurate, specific, comprehensive and well researched. There are responses to all the questions. ·  Excellent use of resources; and all sources cited. 8 points

A reminder regarding the questions on the social movement or trend poster (or prezi):

1. Photo (picture/diagram/logo)
2. Description (alias; a brief description of the movement, trend and its goals)
3. Social Media’s  m.o. (police jargon; where the social movement started and the trigger/event/action that sparked the movement)
4. How this movement spread (by which means did these ideas spread i.e.; social media channels, rallies, etc.)
5. What groups in society were most responsible for this movement spreading
6. Rate of spread (how long did it take for this movement to reach a critical mass where it became a genuine movement)
7. Duration of the spread (how long has/did this movement sustain a critical mass needed to impact society)
8. Number of individuals affected – use international or national statistics
9. Most effective method used to increase its spread
10. How significant has the impact of this movement been in realizing the goals of its founders

Term Three Electives: Read Carefully

Grade 7-9

February 22, 2012
RE: NEW ELECTIVE AND FINE ARTS SIGN UP PROCEDURES
 Dear Parents of grade 6-9 students;

 In order to create a more efficient elective sign up process, a new registration system will be implemented for Term 3.  Elective sign up will now take place through the ‘Family Zone’ of the CSS website at:http://fz.calgaryscienceschool.com/myhome/familyoptions.asp 

Students in grade 6 will select one of the four electives offered and one fine arts course (either Drama/Dance or Art, as Band is compulsory for all grade 6 students) from the options provided. Grades 7 to 9 students may select one of the twelve electives and one of the three fine arts courses listed.  You may preview the course descriptions prior to the sign up launch by visiting the link above.  Each course has a maximum number of students permitted and will reject attempts to register once the capacity has been reached.  If this occurs, students must then choose another elective or fine arts course .  Unless otherwise indicated, students are not to sign up for an elective they have already taken this year.  It is understood that within this ‘first come-first served’ system, not all students will get their first choice, however as many of the elective offerings are repeated from year to year, students will receive preferred courses over time. Elective and fine arts registration for Term 3 will open at 6 pm on Thursday March 1, 2012.  Parents are encouraged to participate in the selection of elective and fine arts courses through this process in order to be aware of the optional courses being taken.

If you do not have Internet access to complete the sign up procedure, please contact Phil Butterfield at 403-282-2890 ext. 116 to make alternative arrangements for course selection. Please direct any inquiries or comments concerning this new process to phil.b@calgaryscienceschool.com.

Thank you,
Phil Butterfield
Assistant Principal

Introduction to Digital Photography and Scrapbooking – Mrs. Nelson (max. 25)

In this elective, students will learn the basic functions of a digital camera. We will discuss composition techniques used to give pictures an artistic touch. Once students have taken some photos, they will use software such as iPhoto or Fireworks to make basic changes to their photos. Students will learn some of the techniques used in Scrapbooking in order to create a Scrapbook of their best photos.

Foods and Nutrition  - Mr. Scott (max. 24)

Would you like to know more about healthy eating and how to prepare nutritious foods?  Then this elective is for you.  With an increased emphasis on health and diet these days, we will take an in-depth look at the Canada Food Guide and design snacks and easy-to-prepare foods around it.

Weird Science - Mr. Hoyt-Hallett  (max. 30)

Weird Science was designed to allow inquisitive CSS students to explore the fun and fascinating side of chemical reactions in a safe and educational way. Students were given the opportunity to research, design, and perfect their own experiments in the lab, while making sure they had a deeper scientific appreciation for what each experiment was all about. The term will culminate with each group presenting their experiments to the class and explaining the scientific principles upon which they are based. 

Game Design – Mr. Kutcher (max. 32)

Flash is a powerful tool allowing designers to create interactive animations, movies, and websites without delving too deeply into programming. For those interested in the artistic aspects of Flash we will look at various techniques to bring life and vitality to your animations.  For those more interested in Flash’s potential as a game platform, we will dig into Flash’s programming language and create some prototype games along the way.

This class in Flash is geared for a variety of skill levels so whether you have never turned on the program or are already an experienced Flash user, you will find someone willing to help you. So, turn on those computers and get creative. Let Flash bring your imagination to life.

Paper Crafts – Mrs. Leland (max. 30)

Many cultures have for years created various works of art using paper.  Folding, cutting, twisting, and shaping of paper has been a recognized pastime in cultures around the world.  Come and explore the various paper arts and create beautiful works of your own.  We will be exploring Origami or Chinese paper folding; Kiragami or Japanese paper cutting, Quilling or shaping pictures and words with paper strips and torn tissue art.

UCreate – Ms. Pereverzoff (max. 25)

Have you ever had a creative or innovative idea for a product or business? Have you ever looked for an app online and realized that it just didn’t exist? Have you ever said to yourself, “This idea would make me millions!!!!”?

From the fashion industry to the sports and electronic gaming industry, there is money to be made. But how to these ideas turn into money???   Well, if any of these thoughts have ever crossed your mind, than this elective is for you!! In this elective, you will have the opportunity to create a product, business, and/or app from the ground up. You will start with an idea, and work your way to a finished product that you will market to potential investors. If you enjoy thinking outside the box and have ever wondered how ideas are shaped into successful business ventures, sign up today!

Outdoor Education Elective – Mr. Cadman (max. 25)

There are three goals in this elective:

One: build hard skills that will allow participants to go into the outdoors with increased skill and confidence. These skills will be developed by direct involvement in activities such as shelter building, fire starting, climbing, cycling and bike maintenance.

Two: to develop in participants a growing sense of ecological/environmental stewardship.

As part of this elective you will choose an Action Project that you will plan, implement and execute in our school or greater community over the course of the term. 

Three: provide students with an opportunity to experience outdoor leadership and build on soft skill that will hopefully see participants becoming confident and capable outdoor trip leaders in the future. Students will have the opportunity to teach fellow students and lead others in scenario or on short outdoor excursions.

Four: Get outside, and love it!

Two 2x4’s – Mr. McWilliam (max. 20)

 Students will use their creativity and engineering skills to create something from two 2x4 pieces of wood. Where necessary, students will be given 1x4 if they plan to rip the 2x4 vertically. 2x2, 1x2 and 1x3 are also available should a student project require it to save on difficult cuts. A plan will be presented showing the wood required, cuts, fasteners and finishing. The final product will be up to the students, but all will participate in the planning, drafting, and creation of the final product. Students will need to create a model of their wood-working piece using computer software (Google Sketchup likely). It will need to be realistic and consideration to the available tools and fasteners must be evident before fabrication. Students will also attend an orientation on the workshop tools available. Once fabricated students may use a finish or polish to complete the work.

First Aid – Mr. Cheng (max. 20)

Upon successful completion of the standard first aid course, students will be provided with a certificate of proficiency.  Among the skills to be taught are the ABC's of emergency care, how to safely survey a scene, and give students confidence in acting in emergency situations.  This hands on approach will give students practical experience in basic first aid.

Film and Lit Studies – Monsters (max. 50)

This term in Film and Lit Studies we will study the idea of monsters! Where do they come from? Where and in what context do they fit in history? What is their purpose? Why do they affect us the way they do? Monsters, by their very nature are scary, so there will be a few frightening moments this term. As you can see by our film list, however, we are not studying extreme horror, and Mr. Sonico and Miss Groeller always preview content beforehand to ensure suitability for the class. In addition to the questions and topics listed above, we will also be examining how the filmmakers and writers create a suspenseful and frightening film.  You will also have the opportunity to create your very own monster, and explain why it is monstrous in today’s society. A complete list of movies that may be viewed in this course is available on Mr. Sonico’s website: http://ksonico.blogspot.com/.

Get Dramatically Made Up -  Mrs. Waite (max. 30)

Curious about how they made that nasty cut on your favorite tv show? Wondering how they made humans look so much like animals in that movie?  Have a fantastic character in mind but no idea of how to make her come to life?  Come Get Dramatically made up and learn the technical side of the fantastic: film and stage makeup basics, bruises and cuts, beards and hair, working with wax, prosthetics and fantasy makeup.  Share your skills with the school through photography and tableaux!  Examples of theatrical make up may be viewed at Mrs. Waites blog at http://sites.google.com/site/grade9homepage/mrs-waite-s-blog

Spanish/Aztecs Worldviews in Conflict

Over the course of the next few weeks through an exploration of the conflict between the Spanish and Aztecs we will come to gain a greater appreciation of how intercultural contact affects the worldviews of societies.

Some of the specific questions we will address are as follows. To help you better understanding each of these questions, I have provided some sub questions along with a series of supporting resources. At the end of this unit there will be a in class assignment to evaluate your understanding of the questions below.


An outline of the 7 Elements of worldview
Clues for identifying worldview

• What were the key elements of the Aztec worldview prior to contact with the Spanish?
• We will explore this question through first examining primary source documents and images. 
• Additionally, we will use the documentary Engineering an Empire: The Aztecs to address this question. The series can be found in these links part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5. 

What key elements of Spain's worldview led to the desire to expand the Spanish Empire?

• We will explore this question through first examining primary source documents and images. 
• I will provide a powerpoint presentation on how trade shifted from east to west at this time. 

• How did the Aztec civilization's worldview influence the Aztecs' choices, decisions, and customs?
• To help us address this question we will view the BBC documentary Heroes and Villains: Hernan Cortez. This series can be found in these links: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6. Beware there are some graphic scenes in this documentary. Cortez's conquest of the Aztecs was violent and brutal.

• In what ways did factors such as technology and disease contribute to the dominance of the Spanish over the Aztec civilization?
• To explore this question we will use the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs to see if Jared Diamond's thesis holds true concerning how it was possible for a relatively small group of Europeans to conquer the "New World".  This series starts here: part 1.

• To what extent were the divergent worldviews of the Spanish and Aztecs factors in the dominance of one nation over another?
• To explore this question we will use our knowledge to date to consider the puzzle as to why Montezuma was so willing to let Cortez into Tenochtitlan and why the Aztecs allowed Montezuma to be held hostage within the main temple for so long without attacking the Spanish.  

Grade 8 Renaissance Interdisciplinary unit: How are thoughts and viruses alike?

A full outline of this inquiry unit including the specific assignments can be found here at the Thoughts and Viruses Interdisciplinary Unit Blog.

In this inquiry unit, taking place in the afternoons over the next five days, all grade 8 students will be exposed to a number of lectures, tasks, and activities to help you to think deeply about the following questions:

1. How do viruses and thoughts spread in similar ways?

2. In what ways do the spread of ideas and viruses revolutionize/change the world?

At the end of the unit, you will be asked to hand in a journal documenting your notes around these two questions.

Using multiple examples from the various things you have learned in the lectures, presentations, and your own research, you will also be asked to respond in podcast form to the following 'throughline' question:

What are the two most significant reasons why a thought or virus has a revolutionary impact on people and the world?

To help you respond to these questions, we have organized a number of lectures and activities to aid you in your work.

Wednesday, February 22nd: Trip to Mount Royal to take part in four different presentations by University professors focussing on these questions.

Thursday, February 23rd

Thursday, February 23rd: Grade 8 wide simulation of infection (Mr. Cheng)

Individual class follow up discussion using this TedTalk lecture as a prompt.

Biological and Social Movement Contagion assignments introduced. Grade 8's work in groups of two to complete the two different assignments. Due Thursday, March 1st. 

Friday, February 24th: All grade 8's watch Contagion down in the IAC. Bring your own popcorn!

Homeroom breakout sessions, mind mapping out the conditions and chain of events that allow the virus to spread so rapidly and have the impact it had. 

Monday, February 27th: Mr. Scott and Miss Couillard present 50 at a time on the ideas behind Malcolm Gladwell's: The Tipping Point. How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. 

Tuesday, February 28th: Cafe and discussion forum with Scientists from Mount Royal.

Thursday, March 1st: Biological and Social Movement Contagion assignments due

Monday, March 5th: Podcast reflection due on the 'throughline' question:

What are the two most significant reasons why a thought or virus has a revolutionary impact on people and the world? Provide multiple examples, supporting facts and details to support your response.  

Magazine Rubric Final Assessment

Magazine Rubric /56

As we have been working on the magazine for a month now, this will form a major part of your Term 2 report card mark. The writing, which now has mostly been assessed, will go towards your Communication and Inquiry mark. Your ability to apply the principles of good design will make up a large part of your knowledge and skills mark this term. 

Each page will receive a mark out of 4 and will be evaluated based on the following elements of good design (this slide show provides examples of each):

·      Creativity/Boldness: your ability to create a page that is original and innovative. To achieve this find inspiration from real magazines and the many examples we have looked at.   

·      Grouping: your ability to not clump things all together and create clear separation among different elements within your page including images, text, and negative space.   

·      Fonts/Readability: The purpose of fonts is to both grab the readers attention, while also ensuring the text is readable. If you have dark fonts on a dark background then you will lose marks here. Draw on dafont to get more creative titles.

·      Vividness and choice of images: ensure to choose images that are at least 300 dpi. Images should be well chosen and vivid. 

Cover           /8	The magazine cover includes all required elements: title, image, multiple cover lines, date, price, and barcode. The page is visually dynamic and professionally rendered.	The magazine cover is missing one of the required elements: title, picture of student, 4 articles headlines, date, price, and barcode. The page is interesting and creative.	Multiple required elements are missing and the page lacks interest and creative appeal.
Each 2 page spread is out of 8	The two-page spread is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and quality of images. The page is creative and bold with a clear sense of grouping among elements; all text is readable and visually appealing.	The two-page spread is attractive in terms of design, layout and quality of images. At least two elements of good design are clearly present, but one element, whether boldness/creativity, grouping, fonts/readability, may be missing.	The two-page spread is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy. Only minimal attention has been paid to the elements of good design. Rearranging the elements on the page would produce a better layout.

Examples of a 4:

Current Events Assignment

Grade Eight Current Events Assignment
Presentations start Monday, February 13th

Talking to the Text Assignment 1: Due Monday February 13th 
Presentations start Monday February 13th-15th  


Being an active global citizen is a key part of social studies, and an important way that we can make positive changes in our world.  In order to be consciously aware of what shapes our worldview we need to understand and have an informed opinion on current events.

Your job is to delve into the world of current events and share it with your peers in an effort to become informed, active global citizens.

Working with a partner, you are asked to choose one current event to focus on. To do this, working with a partner, identify one news article that covers this issue and then do a talking to the text engagement with the article. Once this is done, working together you are asked to do a short presentation to the class about your event.  Your presentation will include:

1.     Each group must identify a current event that is meaningful to you and our world, and then each partner must find one article that challenges you to think critically about this issue (include the SOURCE from which you found the event). The article should have words and ideas that force you to think about this issue in a deeper way. Pasting this article into a word document (you can also turn it into a pdf file), each partner is asked to engage the article using a talking to the text format focusing on: identifying new words and defining them, making connections to other things you have read or seen, and providing some images to go with the themes and events talked about in the article. 

*If the article is not cited, your work will be counted as INCOMPLETE.

2.         Using the knowledge you gained from the article, prepare a short presentation responding to the 5 W’s (who was involved, what happened, where did this take place, when did this happen, and why did these events take place) about your event. Conclude with a short response as to how is this event relevant for us here in Alberta and Canada in terms of how the event may impact or affect us.

This should not be a lengthy presentation. Include images for each area addressed and  limit the text (i.e., map of where the event occurred).

3.  Each group is asked to create two test questions that will become part of a short test on Wednesday, February 15th.
Starting Monday, February 13^th students will be asked to start the presentations.

Talking to the Text Assessment criteria (due February 13th)       /12

Using track changes within a word document or highlights within a pdf file, a 4 involves students:

• continually defining new and unfamiliar words in an ongoing way (at least 8-10 words)
• making ongoing deep and developed connections to other things they have read or seen in relation to ideas and thoughts presented in the article
• including at least five images that reflect events and ideas presented in the article    

Presentation Assessment Criteria /16:

The presentations will be marked based on your ability to clearly and knowledgeably present your issue to the class. Specifically, this will involve inclusion of the 5W’s, and how well you were able to address how this may affect and impact us here in Alberta today.  

A 4 involves:

• Presenters adeptly and thoroughly address the 5 W's in a clear and concise way, with specific examples to support their points. A vivid image is included for each area. The presenter does not rely on text from the slide and can communicate their event in a conversational way. 
• The explanation of how this event affects and impacts us here in Alberta and Canada is insightful and supported by precise details.

TOTAL: ___             / 16

Five Paragraph Essay

Your five paragraph essay is due by the end of the day Monday, February 6th in hard copy form. Please include a title and your name. This will make up a major part of your communication mark for the term. 
The complete magazine is due Friday, February 10th 

You will be graded using the following areas of the Grade 9 PAT Language Arts rubric at this link. See this post for an outline of how to write an essay. According to the Ministry of Education, this is an example of a 4. 

Content:

Excellent 

1. The student’s exploration of the topic is insightful and/or imaginative. 

Strategies: Develop your ideas and explain what you mean. Use transitions: 

Here we see that / This statement shows / Clearly, then, / We can conclude from this that / This tells us that / From this we can understand that

2. The ideas presented by the student are perceptive and/or carefully chosen.  
Strategies: Try to identify carefully chosen reasons why your book should be in the curriculum and articulate these in a creative and sophisticated way. 

3. Supporting details are precise and/or original. 
Strategies: These should be specific, and come in the form of quotes from your book or a reliable source. 

Organization:

Excellent 

1. The introduction is engaging and skillfully establishes a focus that is consistently sustained. Strategies: this link

2. Sentence beginnings are often varied. Strategies: this link

3. Transitions, either explicit or implicit, fluently connect events and/or details within sentences and/or between paragraphs. Strategies: this link

4. Closure is effective and related to the focus. Strategies: this link

Vocabulary:

Excellent  

1. Precise words and expressions are used to create vivid images and/or to enrich details. 

Strategies: Consciously add more descriptive, sophisticated language. Use powerful, more original verbs (walked-sauntered, worked-toiled). Adopt adverb- verb combinations (slowly sauntered; one must carefully consider). 

Mechanics:

Excellent 

1. The quality of the writing is enhanced because it is essentially error-free. 

2. Any errors that are present do not reduce clarity and/or do not interrupt the flow of the response. 

Strategies: Proof read and have a friend or peer look over your writing.