Week of Aug 29th–Sep 2nd

Highlights for the week:

  • This week we will introduce a new browser (FireFox 6.0) which should help with access to Google Applications until the new filter goes into effect on Thursday

Monday 29th:

- Part 1) Review

  1. Campus map – ‘How to open your locker’ demo video

- Part 2) New

  1. BISD calendar for the year added to top right
  2. Introduce the FireFox 6.0 browser
  3. Create a shortcut to 308 Today in FireFox 

- Part 3) Do

  1. Review and complete the Behavior Contract Form using FireFox
  2. Setup Interwrite Workspace (IW) Customized Toolbar
  3. Practice using the IW tools to capture your desktop, draw shapes, add text, etc.
  4. Use IW to create a Thinking Map about you and the things that are important to you (see demo in class)

----- Robotics

  1. Review and complete the Behavior Contract Form using FireFox
  2. Assign groups
  3. Assign, brand and begin assembling kits
  4. Breakdown previous builds

- Part 4) Through?

  1. View these Hurricane Irene images
  2. Check your email in FireFox

    Tuesday 30th:

    - Part 1) Review

    1. Saving a file to your S-drive
      • Open My Computer (symbol at the bottom left of your screen)
      • Double-click on your lunch code
      • Make a new folder called ‘103’
      • Save your files for this class in your 103 folder until we can upload everything to Google Docs next week
    2. Complete our 1st graded event (the Behavior Contract Form) if you haven’t already!
    3. Remember, we will be using FireFox this week!

    - Part 2) New

    1. Learn how to use Screencast-o-matic

    - Part 3) Do

    1. Continue working on your Thinking Map using IW
    2. Add a second page to your Thinking Map and add the following to the new page (view example in class)
      • Make something in Flamepainter, use the camera tool to capture an image and add it to your new page
      • Add an image from the Hurricane Irene Photos (in part 4 from Yesterday)
      • Decorate the border of page 2 with a variety of shapes with different colors and fills
      • Save your project to your s-drive as ‘iw1’

    - Part 4) Through?

    1. Complete our 1st graded event (the Behavior Contract Form) if you haven’t already!
    2. View these images of the world at night

      Wednesday 31st:

      - Part 1) Review

      1. Complete our 1st graded event (the Behavior Contract Form) if you haven’t already!
      2. Remember to use the Firefox browser this week!
      3. Watch this screencast review and discuss any questions you have about using IW
        • How to add text
        • How to create Oval shapes
        • How to add images to the correct page
      4. Review how to create a screencast using Screencast-o-matic

      - Part 2) New

      1. How to create a custom Gzaas with a shadow and a launcher to say Thank you!

      - Part 3) Do

      1. Create a Thankyou Gzaas for someone who has done something nice for you
      2. Use this form to send me the link (this is a graded event!)
      3. Continue working on your IW pages 1&2
      4. Make a screencast which explains page 1 of your IW project (about what’s important to you)

      - Part 4) Through?

      1. Checkout 2011’s top underwater photos on MSNBC

        Thursday 1st:

        - Part 1) Review

        1. Explore the student-created Thank You Gzaas at this link 
        2. If you don’t see your name in the list above, please create a Gzaas and use this form to send me the link so you will get credit for your assignment!

        - Part 2) New

        1. We should be using a new filter starting today, so there may be some issues with access to familiar links!

        - Part 3) Do

        1. Watch a demo of the True Colors Survey and form
        2. Use Internet Explorer to complete the True Colors Survey
        3. PLEASE REMEMBER your colors and scores (numbers above the bars) and use Firefox to enter them in this form so I can collect the results
        4. Complete your IW Map if you haven’t already done so!  It should look something like this example

        - Part 4) Through?

        1. View these Hubble Space Telescope Images

          Friday 2nd:  Holiday Monday!  See you all on Tuesday of next week :)

          - Part 1) Review

          1. View the True Colors of your classmates here and see what the colors mean here
          2. Please add your True Color to you’re the top of your IW map (like this example)!
          3. Checkout the latest Gzaas Thank You Messages (highlighted in green)

          - Part 2) New

          1. Please complete the Week 2 Reflections Form (watch brief sceencast)

          - Part 3) Do

          1. Review the assignments for this week and complete any missing work from this list
          2. Watch Rain & Khan Academy clips

          - Part 4) Through?

          1. Check out the Media Shows from this Week!

          Week of Aug 22nd–Aug 26th

          Highlights for the week:

          • Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year!
          • This week is all about 1) getting you oriented to the campus policies and procedures and 2) getting you connected to your accounts and key resources

          Monday 22nd:

          - Part 1) Review

          1. 308 Today classroom blog
          2. BMS Website homepage

          - Part 2) New

          1. Introductions
          2. Seating assignments
          3. Classroom Behavior contract

          - Part 3) Do

          1. Attempt to logon to your computer

          - Part 4) Through?

          1. Explore 308 Today and the BMS Website

            Tuesday 23rd:

            - Part 1) Review

            1. 308 Today Layout (with IW?)
            2. Classroom rules on the right side of this page
            3. General questions about the campus?

            - Part 2) New

            1. Try this link: http://gzaas.com/E49AQrd
            2. …and this link: https://plus.google.com/100805547775880131906/posts#100805547775880131906/posts
            3. Test access to this notepad: http://103.ietherpad.com/ep/pad/view/ro.CCkHPtU/rev.141

            - Part 3) Do

            1. Report any problems with logging on to your computer while we watch Clips 1&2 of the Daniel Tammet Video Series
            2. Introduce StudyStacks: http://www.studystack.com/studytable-291659

            - Part 4) Through?

            1. Test your logon to your Gmail account at the top right corner of this page (use the same logon information which you use when you start your computer)
            2. Test your logon to check your grades and review your student profile for correct information (use the same logon information which you use when you start your computer)
            3. Practice StudyStack Power Words

              Wednesday 24th:

              - Part 1) Review

              1. Please check your laptop for damages at the start of class and let me know immediately if you find anything (like missing keys for example).  Remember, laptops should not be moved from their locations in the classroom so that damages and repairs can be tracked!
              2. StudyStacks: http://www.studystack.com/studytable-291659  (this will be introduced for some classes)

              - Part 2) New

              1. Test your logon to your Gmail account at the top right corner of this page (use the same logon information which you use when you start your computer)
              2. Test your logon to check your grades and review your student profile for correct information (use the same logon information which you use when you start your computer)

              - Part 3) Do

              1. The following students (listed below by class period) now have accounts to logon to their computers (just ask me for your password during class):

                1    Keyun
                3    Bailey
                3    Drew
                7    Madison

              2. Report any problems with logging on to your computer while we watch Clips 3&4 of the Daniel Tammet Video Series (if your logon doesn’t work, try restarting your computer and logging on again)

              - Part 4) Through?

              1. Explore Gmail and your Student Access Site (where you check your grades) if you are able to logon to them
              2. Explore StudyStacks

                Thursday 25th:

                - Part 1) Review

                1. Please restart your computer before you logon today and Friday to reset the new filter!
                2. Test your logon to your Gmail account at the top right corner of this page (use the same logon information which you use when you start your computer). You may need to use the refresh button or the F5 key to get to your Gmail page.  If you can get to your Gmail, compose a Gmail to me with at least 1 complete sentence about how your day has gone so far.  My email address is bmercer@bisdtx.org

                - Part 2) New

                1. Introduce Flamepainter

                - Part 3) Do

                1. Report any problems with logging on to your computer (if your logon doesn’t work, try restarting your computer and logging on again)
                2. View the remaining clips of the Daniel Tammet Video Series
                3. View the Stephen Wiltshire clip

                - Part 4) Through?

                1. Practice with Flamepainter
                2. Explore StudyStacks ( try searching for a topic in the search window at the top or view this example search for Texas History StudyStacks )

                  Friday 26th:

                  - Part 1) Review

                  1. Please restart your computer before you logon today to reset the new filter!

                  - Part 2) New

                  1. Introduce Fluidfire and Fluidwater
                  2. Here’s a link to other ‘experiments
                  3. Try this shared notepad

                  - Part 3) Do

                  1. Read this message
                  2. CompLit classes will view the TED talk on the 6th Sense Device
                  3. Robotics class will watch the Education in America video clip series

                  - Part 4) Through?

                  1. Test your logons to Gmail and to Student Access
                  2. Send Gmail to a friend
                  3. Practice on the shared notepad
                  4. View the District Calendar for this year
                  5. Make a Pivot animation

                  Open House 2011-2012

                  Links for Today

                  u2-QR 

                  If you have a smartphone with a QR code scanner, you can scan the code above to get to the following links on your phone!  If you arrived here on your phone, click on the links below the balloons!

                  Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year!

                   

                  BMS Campus Floorplan  (map with room numbers etc.)
                  BISD Website  (Bastrop District Website)
                  BISD School Calendar (Official District Calendar for 2011-12)
                  BMS Website  (Campus Website)
                  BMS Public Calendar (Public calendar for campus related events)
                  BMS Staff Directory  (Linked list of teachers, rooms, courses and supply lists)
                  103 Lab Teacher’s Profile  (Mr. Mercer’s Google+ Public Profile)
                  Sign-in form  (…for this evening’s Open House)

                  Scroll down for a floorplan of this campus!