Week of Sep 26th–Sep 30th

Highlights for the week:

• This is the last week of the 1st 6 weeks, so please make sure all assignments are completed by Friday in all of your classes!

Monday 26th:

- Part 1) Review

1. View Week 4 Reflections
2. Check the tracking spreadsheet to see if you have uploaded your MySumo.jpg file to your Gdocs 103 folder. Remember, the file should be saved as a JPEG file type!
3. Check your Gmail and Gdocs 103 folder using Firefox

- Part 2) New

1. View student examples slideshow for Open House
2. Download and view part of a Screencast from the Help Collection in Gdocs
3. View How to create a Wordle from a block of text
   • Explore menu options
   • View word counts
   • View custom color schemes

- Part 3) Do

1. Complete and upload your MySumo collection
2. Explore this Top 100 Speeches website to find the text for a Wordle
3. Create a Wordle from part (or all) of a speech
4. Capture it in IW and save it to your S-drive as ‘Wordmaps’
5. Create a fun Wordle using appropriate words of your choosing and save it to your IW Wordmaps collection
6. View this example of a Wordmaps collection

- Part 4) Through?

1. Make a Sphere or a cube in SumoPaint out of one one of your Wordles and save it to your Wordmaps IW file

Tuesday 27th:

- Part 1) Review

1. Check your Gmail (in Firefox) for a copy of a message which I sent to all teachers about what we will learn to do today
2. View this Wikipedia article on Rainbows. Click on each of the 7 colors and see if you can find the hex color code for each color (we will need these codes for today)

- Part 2) New

1. Use the Advanced Wordle page to create a Rainbow Wordle
2. How to create a Custom Wordle creator spreadsheet in Google Docs
3. Use the Color Scheme Designer to get hex codes for your custom Wordles

- Part 3) Do

1. Create a Custom Wordle creator spreadsheet in Google Docs
2. Use the Advanced Wordle page to create a Rainbow Wordle
3. Make another advanced Wordle using your own words, weights and colors
   • Get the color codes for the colors you like from the Color Scheme Designer
4. Add both Wordles (the Rainbow Wordle and your personal custom Wordle) to your IW Wordmaps file in your S-drive
5. Your IW Wordmaps file should look something like this after today’s work

- Part 4) Through?

1. Explore this site for creating Rainbow Birthday Cakes

Wednesday 28th:

- Part 1) Review

1. Check your Gmail for a message which I sent to all teachers this morning
2. View this list of emotions and find some that you feel for today’s Wordle
3. Explore this site at home sometime (video demo today) www.wefeelfine.org

- Part 2) New

1. View a demo of the site ‘We feel fine’
2. View these spreadsheet functions which might help you with your assignment
   • the Concatenate function as another way to combine cells
   • how to copy and paste a block of cells
3. View these advanced Wordle functions
   • how to make Wordles with phrases
   • change the background color
4. How to use the Color Scheme Designer Color lists tab to copy color codes

- Part 3) Do

1. Create a Wordle with the following questions and your own answers.  Add a few other words as highlights and change the background color of your Wordle.
   • How are you feeling today?
   • (add your own answer in a shade of the same color)
   • What's your favorite time of the day?
   • (add your own answer in a shade of the same color)
2. Add your Wordle to your IW Wordmaps file on your S-drive

- Part 4) Through?

1. Add Sumopaint effects to your Wordmaps (like in the Gmail from part 1 above)

Thursday 29th:

- Part 1) Review

1. Check your Gmail for 2 messages which I sent earlier this morning
2. Check the 103 Student (demo) folder to see examples of everything that should be in your 103 folder by the end of this week
3. We will be using Internet Explorer for everything we do on the web today!

- Part 2) New

1. View Tagxedo Demo (work through example together using 308 Today)

- Part 3) Do

1. Create a Tagxedo image map of your own and add it to your IW collection
2. Complete your IW Wordmaps collection (read your Gmail about what it should have and where to save and upload it for grading!).  It should look like this:

- Part 4) Through?

1. Experiment more with Tagxedo!
2. Check the 103 Student (demo) folder to see examples of everything that should be in your 103 folder by the end of this week

Friday 30th: Last Day of the 1st 6 Weeks!

- Part 1) Review

1. Logon to your Google Docs and check your 103 Student folder to make sure you have these files uploaded to it:

- Part 2) New

1. Complete the reflection form for this week!

- Part 3) Do

1. Please complete any missing assignments for this class!
2. View assorted video clips

- Part 4) Through?

1. Try making your name in words using Gzaas to IW to Paint to Tagxedo!  Here’s an example which I sent to all BMS teachers this morning:

Open House Mon Sep 26th

Links for this evening’s presentation:

• My Profile (Google Plus)
• BMS Website
  • Welcome (Photovisi)
  • Announcements (Gzaas)
  • Calendar (Google Apps – not a link)
  • Core Departments (SumoPaint)
  • Location Map (Google Maps)
  • Student Showcase (Current Robotics Prezi)
  • TAKS Vocabulary
    • Slideshow
    • Glog Template example
    • My Glogster Profile Page
• Tour of 308 Today (this Blog)
  • Open House Screencast (Screencast-o-matic)
  • Screencast Help Section (student logon required)
• Student Works Slideshow– make your own by creating a public Picasa folder, adding images, and sharing the link to the auto-slideshow

Week of Sep 19th–Sep 23rd

Highlights for the week:

• This week we will begin using Google Docs to save your work online (so you can access it from any Internet Connection)

Monday 19th:

- Part 1) Review

1. Check your Gmail for an invitation to a Gdocs folder named 103 and your first name
2. Review the weekly reflections from last week.  Check for your name and if you haven’t completed it, please click here to do so!
3. As a class, view What is a Web Browser
4. Robotics Class: View the images at this link

- Part 2) New

1. View Google Docs overview clip and Google Docs in Plain English Clip
2. Watch How to Upload a File into Gdocs

- Part 3) Do

1. Complete the following steps to upload your IW Thinking Map file (view my example here) to your Google Docs 103 folder
   • open the Paint application
   • open your IW Thinking Map file and make any changes you like
   • use the camera tool to capture your thinking map
   • click to select, cut and paste it into paint
   • save it as ThinkMap1 in your S-drive
   • upload ThinkMap1 into your Google Docs 103 folder
2. Watch the SumoPaint Intro Video
3. View these example of a SumoPaint Image on our website and in Prezi:
   • http://www.bastrop.isd.tenet.edu/school/bastrop-middle-school/Core_departments
   • http://prezi.com/2zjxkwplj-bf/customize-prezis/
4. Go to http://www.sumopaint.com/home/ and experiment with it.  If you create something you like, use IW to capture and save it.

----- Robotics

1. Arrange the images into the correct groups in the Robotics Prezi
2. Breakdown recorded creations
3. Create a tower using the materials you have (design it to breakdown easily into your white storage bin)
   • Create the tallest tower you can or
   • Create the best looking tower you can for our image collection

- Part 4) Through?

1. View these MSNBC user submitted travel photos

Tuesday 20th:

- Part 1) Review

1. Logon to Gmail, click on Documents and check to make sure you have uploaded ThinkMap1 to your 103 folder

- Part 2) New

1. View this tracking spreadsheet to see if you have uploaded your ThinkMap1 file to the correct place so I can grade it.  Remember, the file should be saved as a JPEG file type
2. Explore more tools and layers in SumoPaint

- Part 3) Do

1. Complete ThinkMap1 and upload it to your Gdocs 103 folder
2. Open IW and capture the following SumoPaint creations (use IE to open SumoPaint).  Save your IW file as Sumo to your S-drive so we can continue working on it
   • A Symmetrical Shape (help demo video)
   • A sphere (help demo video)
   • An ice cube (help demo video)
   • Shapes and Gradients (help demo video)

- Part 4) Through?

1. View these tiger cub images

Wednesday 21st:

- Part 1) Review

1. Check the tracking spreadsheet to see if you have uploaded your ThinkMap1 file to the correct place so I can grade it. Remember, the file should be saved as a JPEG file type!
2. Check your Gmail in FireFox
3. Remember: to use SumoPaint you must use Internet Explorer

- Part 2) New (view video tutorials on your own in the Gdocs Help Collection!)

1. Explore the shared Gdoc Public View collection
   • Staff Gmail List
   • Examples of work
   • Explore the help folder for SC help videos
2. Learn how to create a Gmail group called My Teachers
3. View how to share something you’ve created with another teacher, student or group (or get it added to the Public View collection)
4. View the SumoPaint Transform Wheel video

- Part 3) Do

1. Create a Gmail group called My Teachers using this list of Staff Gmail Addresses
2. Try the SumoPaint Transform Wheel and add it to your IW Sumo collection
3. Try SumoPaint other brushes and effects and add an example to your IW Sumo collection
4. Complete and upload ThinkMap1 as a JPEG file to your Gdocs 103 folder if you haven’t already done so!

- Part 4) Through?

1. View these World’s Freakiest Animals Images

Thursday 22nd:

- Part 1) Review

1. Check the tracking spreadsheet to see if you have uploaded your ThinkMap1 file to the correct place so I can grade it. Remember, the file should be saved as a JPEG file type!
2. Check your Gmail in FireFox
3. Remember: to use SumoPaint you must use Internet Explorer

- Part 2) New

1. Resources folder and downloading images
2. Image effects in SumoPaint
3. Make a screencast of your favorite sumo effect to teach others what you know

- Part 3) Do

1. Upload an image to SumoPaint
2. Experiment with effects
3. Capture an effect to add to your IW Sumo collection
4. Complete your Sumo Collection
   • Use the camera tool to capture your entire collection
   • Cut it from IW and paste it into paint
   • Save it as a JPEG with the name MySumo
   • Upload it into your Gdocs 103 folder to be graded
5. Make a screencast of how to make your favorite SumoPaint and save it as an flv file with the name SumoHow2 

- Part 4) Through?

1. View these Giant Crystals from a cave in Mexico

Friday 23rd:

- Part 1) Review

1. Check the tracking spreadsheet to see if you have uploaded your ThinkMap1 file to the correct place so I can grade it. Remember, the file should be saved as a JPEG file type!
2. Check your Gmail in FireFox
3. Remember: to use SumoPaint you must use Internet Explorer

- Part 2) New

1. View screencast review (MySumo IW to Paint to 103 Folder review) of how to save and upload your MySumo collection (there’s a copy in the Gdocs Help folder if you need it)
2. Please complete the Week 4 Reflections Form (which is a graded assignment) and please use 3 complete sentences for the last 2 questions to get full credit for them!
3. Special requests for Art Collages from Ms. Parsneau and Scientists or Scientific instruments from Ms. Miles:

   How about some on famous artists and their work?
   Right now I could use one on collages of Henri Matisse.  I could use one on castles, Andy warhol's pop art, art of Seuss, etc.   …and from Ms. Miles: Famous scientists would always be a good one for us... or science instruments...

- Part 3) Do

1. Complete your Sumo Collection
   • Use the camera tool to capture your entire collection
   • Cut it from IW and paste it into paint
   • Save it as a JPEG with the name MySumo
   • Upload it into your Gdocs 103 folder to be graded
2. View assorted video clips

- Part 4) Through?

1. Check out the Media Shows from this Week!
   • MSNBC user submitted travel photos
   • Tiger cub images
   • World’s Freakiest Animals Images
   • Giant Crystals from a cave in Mexico

Week of Sep 12th-Sep16th

Highlights for the week:

• It’s great to have you all back with us!!!
• The early release day originally scheduled for Wed Sep 14th has been cancelled.  That day will be a regular full-length day of classes.

Monday 12th:

- Part 1) Review

1. View the Week 2 reflections form results here
2. Review how to logon to your Gmail account.  Send me an email about any topic of your choice.
3. Review how to logon to check your grades (and then logon and check them!)

- Part 2) New

1. View the Graded Assignments List on the right side panel of this Blog.  Click the ‘look for your name here’ link and if your name is missing from any of the assignments, please complete them!
2. Try this 3D sketch program.  Send me an email with a link if you make something cool that you would like to share!

- Part 3) Do

1. Use anything of the following to create and share what’s on your mind
   • Gzaas
   • InterWrite
   • Flamepainter

- Part 4) Through?

1. Review the assignments which we have worked on for Progress Reports and complete any missing work from this list.  When you complete an assignment, please send me an email with the assignment number which you’ve completed! 
   • 1.1 Behavior Contract Form (look for your name here)
   • 1.2 Thankyou Gzaas Message (Form) (look for your name here)
   • 1.3 True Colors Survey (Form) (look for your name here)
   • 1.4 Week 2 Reflections Form (look for your name here)

Tuesday 13th: Last day of the 1st Progress Reporting Period

- Part 1) Review

1. Check your grades (Progress Reports are due today at 5pm!)
2. Check your Gmail
3. View these 3D sketch examples

- Part 2) New

1. Introduce Photovisi
   • Watch How-to video
   • View the Photovisi Collage Gallery to see some examples of collages
   • Make a folder in your S-drive called images
   • Find and save 5 clipart images from the Microsoft Clipart Gallery
   • Create and save a practice collage using your 5 saved images
   • Save your work as collage1 to your S-drive/images folder
2. Introduce Wolfram Alpha
   • Watch Wolfram Alpha overview clip
   • Watch Intro part1 clip
   • Use Wolfram Alpha to find your age in days
   • Try Goofram (Search Wolfram Alpha and Google at the same time)
   • View Wolfram Alpha examples

- Part 3) Do

1. Create a Photovisi practice collage
2. Explore the Wolfram Alpha examples by topic pages

- Part 4) Through?

1. View these PopSci images of the new World Trade Center complex which is under construction
2. Make your own Photovisi collage of photos you are interested in
3. Create and share a 3D sketch
4. Try some Wolfram Alpha Searches

Wednesday 14th: NOT an early release day anymore!

- Part 1) Review

1. Check your 1st Progress Report Grades
2. Try to download this demo collage to your desktop
3. If you haven’t already seen these, try to view these 3D sketch examples

- Part 2) New

1. View screencast demo of how to use IW and Paint to capture, decorate, crop and save images for collages (and to save your finished collage if you aren’t able to download them directly from Photovisi)
2. Find the ‘For Collages’ folder on the J-drive for some practice images to use with Photovisi or use the techniques from the screencast to capture and save your own

- Part 3) Do

1. Try again to create a 5 image Photovisi Collage using any images which you are able to upload
2. Use this form to find and send me the answers to a few questions using Wolfram Alpha

- Part 4) Through?

1. View images of Texas fires from MSNBC
2. Create and share a 3D sketch
3. Try more Wolfram Alpha Searches in areas you are interested in

Thursday 15th:

- Part 1) Review

1. Use this form to find and send me the answers to a few questions using Wolfram Alpha.  This is a graded event which most classes didn’t get to yesterday
2. (Test this function) - Use your Gmail account to send me an attachment of your favorite image in your images folder

- Part 2) New

1. View Student World Tour 1 clip
2. Watch screencast on how to use the Google Maps Locations List, IW and Paint to capture 5 favorite places and save to your images folder

- Part 3) Do

1. Use the Google Maps Locations List, IW and Paint to capture 5 favorite places and save to your images folder as ‘5places’
2. Complete yesterdays Photovisi collage of 5 things you like, name the file ‘5likes’ and save it in your S-drive images folder

-------- Robotics

1. View group assignments and images here
2. Complete living forms creations with photos this week!

- Part 4) Through?

1. Check out these animal tracks images from MSNBC

Friday 16th: Pep Rally Monday, September 19th during Den class

- Part 1) Review

1. Check for your name in this list to make sure you have completed the Wolfram Alpha Fact Finding form, and if you are not on the list or you need to post corrections, here’s a link to the form

- Part 2) New

1. Please complete the Week 3 Reflections Form (which is a graded assignment) and please use 3 complete sentences for the last 2 questions to get full credit for them!
2. Special request for Art Collages from Ms. Parsneau and Scientists or Scientific :

   How about some on famous artists and their work?
   Right now I could use one on collages of Henri Matisse.  I could use one on castles, Andy warhol's pop art, art of Seuss, etc.                                                                                   Famous scientists would always be a good one for us....or science instruments....

- Part 3) Do

1. Complete your Favorite Things Photovisi Collage (from Tuesday of this week)
2. Complete your 5places Paint Collage from yesterday
3. View assorted video clips

-------- Robotics

1. View advanced robotics video clip
2. Complete living forms creations with photos this week!

- Part 4) Through?

1. Check out the Media Shows from this Week!
   • PopSci images of the new World Trade Center complex
   • Animal tracks images from MSNBC

Week of Sep 5th–Sep 9th

Highlights for the week:

• Keep your head up Bastrop! (inspirational video clip)
• Due to our current situation, school has been cancelled for the rest of this week.  Classes should resume again on Monday.