Week of Sept 27th – Oct 1st

Highlights for the week: 

• Begin the last week of our 1st grading period (which means we are 1/3 of the way through the semester courses already).  Please check your grades all week for missing assignments and complete them!

Monday 27th:

- Today we will collect our Google Applications accounts permissions forms.  Then we’ll test our ability access to a photo collage maker and create 3 different collages for use with Glogster (or other tech apps).  Our collages should be saved to a new page in our 1N practice page called ‘photo collages’.  Then we will browse the district student portal for images, sounds and videos (3 of each to download and save to our practice notebook Portal page) to use with our tech applications.  Please check your grades online for assignments marked with zeros.  Those marked with ‘*’ have not been graded yet.  Here are some links you may need:

1. Photovisi (collage maker)
2. BISD portal
3. Try SweetSearch for students for sounds & clips for your Glogs

Tuesday 28th:

- Today we will discuss the new Graded Assignments List on the right side-panel of this blog.  We will collect more Google Applications accounts permissions forms (remember, this is now an extra credit assignment that will replace a zero!).  Then we will create a screencast for our favorite teacher/subject showing some of the things we’ve made or ideas for how to use the tools we’ve learned in our classes and save them in our s-drives as sc4.  We’ll also continue our Photovisi collages and portal downloads (and put them in a new folder in our s-drives called ‘Portal’).  Remember to check for and complete any missing assignments for the 1st 6 weeks.

1. Screencast-o-matic
2. Photovisi (collage maker)
3. BISD portal
4. Try this headlines game

Wednesday 29th:

- There’s a teachers meeting after school today so you won’t be able to meet with me to get help after school until tomorrow!

- Today we will collect more Google Applications accounts permissions forms (remember, this is now an extra credit assignment that will replace a zero!).

- Create a pictures folder in your s-drive and make 2 folders inside of it (one called sand sculpture and one called nature)

- View the following links for Photovisi collage ideas.  Capture your photos with IW (InterWrite) or OneNote and save your images as indicated below:

1. View collage of face image (Prezi link) (Flickr link)
2. World Sand Sculpture Championship (save captures to sand sculpture folder)
3. Life is Earth (save captures to nature folder)
4. Use images from your folders to make your Photovisi collages.  Save your sand sculpture collage to the sand sculpture folder and your nature collage to the nature folder
5. Test Wordnik
6. Complete missing assignments

Thursday 30th:  

- Review: you should be able to

• Create or rename a folder in your S-drive
• Capture images using IW, 1N, or ‘save file/target as’
• Move images from 1N into your S-drive

- New:

1. Use kmz files in Google Earth (view demos and learn how to create and save a kmz file)

- Do:

1. Copy the folder called ‘Google Earth’ from my J-drive/today folder into your S-drive folder
2. Capture 5 images from GE local places into IW GE1 file
3. Capture 10 images from GE extreme series into IW GE1 file
4. Create and save your own kmz file and capture 5 images into IW GE1 file

- Through?  If you’re finished with today’s activities, you may do the following:

• Help someone with today’s activities!  (You learn more by teaching than just by doing, and knowledge is power!)
• Complete work from earlier classes this week
• Explore other Google Earth tours here
• Add links to cool tours or other sites here

Friday 1st:  

- Review: you should be able to

• Open and follow a kmz file in Google Earth
• Use IW to capture images on the current page
• Use IW with GE even thought there are some software conflicts

- New (for some of you, this is not new)

1. Create your own kmz (Google Tour) and save it as Tour1 in your S-drive/Google Earth/kmz folder

- Do

1. Turn in your extra credit form!  This form must be turned in for you to receive an email account and to participate in other online learning experiences.  Check your grades to see if you have received credit for it.
2. Complete your kmz local and extreme places tours
3. Create your own kmz tour with at least 5 places
4. Complete your GE1 IW assignment (to capture 5 images on each screen green, blue and orange) from each of the 3 kmz files (one of which you make)
5. Create a Glog of your favorite College, University, Trade School, Distance Learning Campus, or other learning institution or practice

- Through?

• Check your grades
• Improve your Glogs
• Complete work from earlier classes this week
• Explore other Google Earth tours here
• Add links to cool tours or other sites here

Additional Information:

• Prezis

Week of Sep 20th – Sep 24th

Highlights for the week: 

• Continue our food Glogs and screencasting practice and later on in the week, introduce InterWrite Workspace.

Monday 20th:

- Today we will view new additions to our Student Showcase.  Then we will test a new Google Maps instant search toll and ‘walk down’ a Grand Canyon trail using Google Maps Street View. To get to the trail, paste these coordinates in Google Maps:  36.056914,-112.141491  Next, we will continue working on our Foods Glog and sc3 (a screencast of 3 places we would like to visit).  If you have completed those, you can work on an extra credit Glogster which covers a current topic from any of your core classes (like the last example from our showcase).  I’ll send your teachers a link to your Glog, and perhaps they will be willing to count it as a alternative assignment for any missing work you have, or as extra credit.

Here are some links you may need for today:

1. G-Maps Instant Search
2. Google Maps
3. Screencast-o-matic

Tuesday 21st:

- Today we will introduce InterWrite as a tool for drawing and creating screen captures.  Here are some things we will try:

1. Open your OneNote Practice file (in your s-drive) and add a new page called ‘IW’
2. Open InterWrite (which we will abbreviate ‘IW’) and follow the directions on how to build your gallery database
3. On a new page with a white background we will introduce the following using the rule of threes (3 different sizes, colors and shapes of each) text boxes, lines, arrows, pens, highlighters, shapes, and also the undo functions, erasers, and customizing your toolbar
4. On a new page with a black background we will introduce screen captures, Google Earth with coordinates and desktop captures
5. We will copy examples from our pages and add them to our OneNote/practice/IW page

Wednesday 22nd:

- Today we will browse some examples of Glogs created by other schools to help give us some ideas of things to try

1. Mckilloplibrary.edu.glogster
2. mrsparky.edu.glogster and mrsparky.edu.glogster2
3. pasola.edu.glogster

- Then we will create a new Glog called ‘Places’ using InterWrite (IW) to help us with collecting our map and location images and OneNote (1N) to help us store our images.  Use the links from Monday (at the top of this page) to help you collect images and record your screencast.  Your new Glog should contain the following:

1. 3 locations which you would like to visit
2. 1 map and 3 pictures from each location
3. 1 uploaded screencast of how you collected the information for 1 of your locations
4. Here’s an example with some ideas

Thursday 23rd:  

- Today we will discuss and handout the forms which you must return in order to get a District email account and have access to other services like the Google Calendar and Google Documents.  Then we’ll explore a Prezi on the world’s largest cruise ship.  We will also continue working on our places to visit Glog.

1. World’s Largest Cruise Ship
2. Link to Glogster Logon Screen

Friday 24th:  

- Today we will collect our Google Apps Accounts permissions forms (which must be turned in for you to get an email account!).  Then we will look at 2 presentation (slides and a video clip). Finally, we will complete our places Glogs.

1. Cool slideshow with space-related images (which might look good in a Glog!)
2. Amazing TED performance 
3. Complete our Places Glogs
4. Have a nice weekend!

Week of Sep 13th – Sep 17th

Highlights for the week: 

• Check grades and complete any missing assignments  for progress Reports which go out this week!
• Continue working with Glogster
• Pep Rally Tuesday during Den Time
• Early Release (1:50) on Wednesday.  All classes will be shortened 10min.

Monday 13th:

- Check PR grades online and complete missing assignments.  Ensure you have completed the following

1. Screencast 1: 1 min recording of creating a drawing in your OneNote Practice file on the Drawings page. The file must be named sc1 and saved in your s-drive folder to count!
2. Complete any missing online quizzes (1&2).  Use the links to the right to access the quizzes.  Use you first and last name as the user name, and your lunch code as the ID.
3. Adjust your old Glogster or create a new one to show you favorite foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Include at least 1 photo and 1 recipe for each meal!

 

Tuesday 14th:

- Today we will record our 2nd screencast on how to open the Logon information in our s-drive folders.  The screencast must be saved in your s-drive as sc2.  We will also introduce Wordle word maps and start our 2nd Glogster, which will be graded.  Here are some links you may need:

1. Screencast-o-matic
2. Create a Wordle (capture your Wordle and paste it in 1N-practice-pictures file, save with a user-code NOT your name or ID, and enter your code in the Wordle locator form)
3. Wordle locator form

Wednesday 15th:

- Today is an early release day (ends at 1:50) so all classes will be shortened considerably.  Here’s a link to the Early Release Bell Schedule.  The first activity today is to create and capture a word map (Wordle) on something food related (like an article on healthy eating or diet and exercise, or food preparation tips, etc).  That Wordle should be added to our second activity, which is to create a new Glogster with at least 1 image and 1 recipe for your favorite foods from breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The idea is that we will create a Glogster ‘cookbook’ with food ideas from all students in my Teach Apps classes which everyone will be able to browse in Glogster.  Here are some links you may need today:

1. Create a Wordle (capture your Wordle and paste it in 1N-practice-pictures file, save with a user-code NOT your name or ID, and enter your code in the Wordle locator form)
2. Wordle locator form

Thursday 16th:  

- Today we will complete our food Wordles and food Glogs which we started yesterday.  We’ll also learn how to update our Glogster Profile Pictures and scan food Glogs made by other students.  Post your 3 favorite food Glogs to your teacher.  As we complete Glogs, I will collect screenshots of them and add them to a Prezi like the one below for us to share with our campus and community.

- Robotics building projects can be viewed on this Prezi

Friday 17th:  

- Today you will tour some excellent Recipe Glog examples (which are on display for all to see) and make final adjustments to the rest of your Glogs.  You’ll also complete any missing assignments for Progress Reports (including quizzes).  Then you will watch some information on Google Search Stories and create your own search Story on 3 places you would like to visit using screencast-o-matic.  Please save your story as sc3 in your s-drive folders. Have a great weekend!

1. Recipe Glogs Prezi
2. Search Story Tutorial
3. Search Story example
4. Screencast-o-matic

Additional Information:

• Prezis

Week of Sep 6th – Sep 10th

Highlights for the week: 

• This week is the last full week before 1st Progress Reports go out!

Monday 6th:

- HOLIDAY

Tuesday 7th:

- We will be seeing some wet weather for a day or two as

Weather radar link

- Today we will take our first online quiz over some basic technology applications material.  The quiz has a built-in 15 minute time limit.

Link to online quiz

Here’s how you logon to take the quiz (directions in red below):

- We will also continue working on our practice OneNote assignment which will be graded according to the following guidelines (14 total points + 1 bonus point possible):

1. Drawing tab (4 points) – one point for each of the 3 shapes assigned and one point for the free-draw portion
2. Pictures tab (3 points) – one point for each of the 7 Wonders map captures
3. Vocabulary (3 points and 1 bonus point) – 2 points for a 2 column x12 row table and 1 point for 6 words and matching definitions in the table.  The bonus point can be earned for entering all 12 power words and definitions.
4. Internet links (3 points) – one point for each link entered
5. Help! (1 point) – one point for at least one question or comment entered

- In the BMercer/J-drive/Today folder, there will be a folder called ‘Practice OneNote (assignment videos)’ which contains how-to video clips for each section of this assignment!

Wednesday 8th:

- Today we will complete the following from previous classes:

1. Retake Tech Apps Quiz 1 (if necessary to raise your grade to passing)
2. Complete the OneNote Practice file (by opening it from your s-drive folder)
3. Complete 1min screencast on drawing 3 different shapes in OneNote. Each shape should have a different line thickness and color.  Remember to name your screencast sc1 and save it in your s-drive folder

- We will also introduce Google Translate and create a table of Power Word terms, definitions and translations in our 1N practice file (in the Help section).  You will need to open my j-drive/today folder and drag the file called Power Words Translation to your desktop to view the instructions on how to do this!

Thursday 9th:  

- Today we will review for and take our Power Words Quiz.  Then we will introduce Glogster (a fun electronic poster creator)!  Here are some links you may need:

1. Study Stack Review
2. Link to Power Words Quiz 
3. Glogster URL prefix

Friday 10th:  

- Today we will re-take our Power Words Quiz (optional to improve your grade).  Then we will distribute Glogster logon information and begin working with the Glogster service.  For today’s Glogster work, your theme will be “A Place (or places) I would like to visit”  Here are some links you may need:

1. Study Stack Review
2. Link to Power Words Quiz 
3. Glogster URL prefix

Additional Information:

• Prezis