Week of Oct 18th – Oct 22nd

Highlights for the week: 

• This is the last week before 2nd Progress Reports go out.  Please check your grades frequently in all of your classes to make sure you have everything turned in!
• Begin working with G-Docs  

Monday 18th:

- Review

1. Turn in forms for Google Apps
2. How to logon to your G-Apps account (use the same logon info you use when you start your computer)

- New

1. This video clip explains sonic booms (which happen when you break the speed of sound)
2. Please use your Gmail account to email me when you have completed a missing assignment or improved a grade!

- Do

1. Try to logon to your G-Apps account (use the same logon info you use when you start your computer).  If you can’t get to your account, please let me know using this form, and then go to step 6.
2. Go to your Gmail section and add your teachers to your contacts
3. Please send me a test email to let me know how your weekend went (bmercer@bastrop.isd.tenet.edu)
4. Go to your documents and try to open the Class Edit Document.  Then try the Group chat document (2nd Period only)… try to find out the names of the people in your group.
5. Learn how to create a new document (and share it with your teachers)
6. Use the project template which I gave you for your Space Glogs.  Please copy your 6 pictures and quotes over to the template! (Sorry for the inconvenience!)

- Through?

1. Check your grades for missing assignments or low grades and complete or update them. 
2. Please use either your email account or your Glog messages to let me know when you’ve completed or updated your assignments so that I will know to grade them again!

Tuesday 19th:

- Review

1. Try to logon to your G-Apps account (use the same logon info you use when you start your computer).  If you can’t get to your Gmail or Documents, please let me know using this form, so I can get your account repaired!

- New

1. Watch this short video explanation of Wolfram Alpha which explains how it is different from other search engines like Google or Bing.
2. There’s a copy of the video in my J-drive/bmercer/Today folder which must be opened with the Windows Media Player shortcut… copy both to your desktop (it’s called Wolfram Alpha in a Nutshell)

- Do  (There are 3 videos in my J-drive today folder which explain the steps below.  Each of the video files start with Oct19.  Copy them to your desktop along with the Quicktime shortcut (blue Q) and open them with Quicktime to make sure you can view them)

1. Open your OneNote Practice file (in your S-drive) and create a new page called ‘Wolfram Alpha’
2. Use Wolfram Alpha to answer the questions (type or copy/paste what you see in the search window).  Capture at least 2 blocks of your answers for each question on your new OneNote Wolfram Alpha page.  Watch the screencast for step 2 for an example of how to do this… it’s in the J-drive/bmercer/Today folder

• Size of Earth, Size of Mars (capture at least 2 blocks of information)
• temperature of Earth, temperature of Venus, temperature of Mars, temperature of Mercury (capture at least 2 blocks of information)
• mix blue green (capture the color and complementary colors for that combination)
• mix 2 other colors of your choice (capture the color and complementary colors for that combination)
• enter the date of your next birthday in this form October 19 2010 (capture the number of days until then and the anniversaries for that date)
• enter your first name (capture any 2 blocks of information)
• Houston TX Austin TX New York City NY Los Angeles CA (capture the Populations info)
• United States England Australia China (capture the map and life expectancy information)
• Choose one other topic from this list (capture at least 2 blocks of information)
• Publish your Wolfram Alpha page as a PDF file to your S-drive

- Through?

1. Check your grades for missing assignments or low grades and complete or update them. 
2. Complete your Space Glog (using the project template which I gave you!)

Wednesday 20th:

- Review

1. If you are on this list, you have not turned in your permission form.  Please turn this form in as soon as possible!  I have extra forms if you need them.  After school today I’ll be turning the list over to Administrators for action.

- New

1. Watch this clip on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. There’s a copy in my J-drive today folder if you would like to watch it again (or show others in another class).

- Do   (If you have not turned in your permission form or you are having problems with your account, you may not be able to the steps in this section, but these are graded assignments and must be made up!  Skip down to the ‘Through’ section and complete the items there.)

1. Logon to your Google Apps account, go to Gmail and add your teachers email addresses to your contacts. The format for email addresses is first initial last name @bastrop.isd.tenet.edu, so my email address is bmercer@bastrop.isd.tenet.edu.
2. Create a Group called My Teachers and add your teachers email addresses to your new group
3. Compose a new email to your My Teachers group and paste this phrase in the email (with your first and last name added where the blank is): Hi!  My name is _____ and I’m testing my new gmail account by sending you this email.  Please reply to let me know you have received this.  Thank you!
4. Create a new document and replace the  ‘Untitled Document’ words at the top with your First and Last Name.
5. Click on the share button and add my email address bmercer@bastrop.isd.tenet.edu
6. Copy the information from your logon file (in your S-drive) to this new document.  If you don’t have a logon file, add your Glogster Logon information.
7. Open your Group Chat document and find the names of the students in your group.  Practice using this document to communicate.  Remember, everything you type in any of your Google Applications is recorded, so do not type anything you wouldn’t want school officials to see!

- Through?

1. Complete the Wolfram Alpha assignment from yesterday.  The videos which explain how to do this are in this folder:  Jdrive/Today/Screencasts (Daily)/Oct19 Tues
2. Check your grades for missing assignments or low grades and complete or update them.
3. Complete your Space Glog (using the project template which I gave you!)

Thursday 21st:  

- Review

1. Turn in forms for Google Apps (check this list for missing forms) 
2. How to logon to your G-Apps account (use the same logon info you use when you start your computer)

- New

1. Check your gmail!
2. View photos from the Paris Auto Show and notice how many electric and hybrid vehicles there are.

- Do   (First, please complete steps 1-5 from yesterday if you haven’t already done so!)

1. Open your Calendar and add an event ‘Check grades for missing assignments’ to Fri 22nd.
2. Copy ‘End of 2PR’ to your calendar from the Calendars page on the BMS Website 
3. Open your Group Chat document and find the names of the students in your group.  Practice using this document to communicate.  Remember, everything you type in any of your Google Applications is recorded, so do not type anything you wouldn’t want school officials to see!
4. Open your Practice OneNote file in your S-drive, go to your Wolfram Alpha Page, and publish it as a PDF file to your S-drive

- Through?

1. View this Marvels in Engineering Slideshow
2. Copy the ‘Drift with the Supercars’ video clip from the Jdrive/bmercer/Today folder to your desktop and watch it
3. Tomorrow is the last day of the 2nd Progress Reporting period, which means we are 1/4 of the way through the school year!  Please check your grades in all classes to make sure you have completed everything in ALL of your classes!

Friday 22nd:   (2nd Progress Reporting Period ends today!)

- Review

1. Test your logon to your G-Apps account (use the same logon info you use when you start your computer)
2. If it works, please make sure you complete the assignments from the last 2 days using Gmail and Google Docs!
3. Check for a calendar reminder (Gmail) that today is the last day of the 2nd PR grading period.

- New

1. Watch this TED talk on Origami

- Do  (There are no ‘step’ videos today)

1. Create a Prezi Education Account here using your new Gmail address for use later on
2. View Prezi Just for Fun Demo… we will be starting Prezi next week if everything goes well with your Prezi accounts
3. Add the dates for the end of the 2nd 6 weeks, end of 3rd Progress Reports and End of 3rd 6 weeks to your calendar.  Use the dates from the Calendars page on the BMS Website
4. Create a fun Halloween Glog for next week’s Red Ribbon Week (use appropriate photos only… if you have any doubts or have to ask, it isn’t appropriate!).  Best Glogs will be published on the web for the entire campus to see.  Top 10 will be printed and posted on the wall outside of the classroom.
5. There’s a short video clip in J-drive/bmercer/today on a 950lb pumpkin.  If you would like to watch it, copy it to your desktop and open it with Windows Media Player.

- Through?

1. Check out this pumpkin carving slideshow.  View a tutorial on how to make your own here!
2. Today is the last day of the 2nd Progress Reporting period.  Please check your grades to make sure you have completed everything in ALL of your classes!

Additional Information:

• Prezis

Week of Oct 11th – Oct 15th

Highlights for the week: 

• Begin introducing Gmail and Google Docs.  It is critical that you turn in your Google Applications permission form in order to participate! 

Monday 11th:

- Review

1. Look in your S-drive folder and make sure there’s a folder in there named this exactly: screencasts
2. Make sure you turn in your Google Applications permission form!  There was another copy attached to your 1st 6 weeks grades.  That form must be turned in for you to get a school email account and to be able to use many of the new features offered by Google for Education!

- New

1. Checkout the new Student Submitted Links sections on the right-side panel near the top.  Those links will help you to search for colleges for your Glogs.
2. As a class, watch this iPad light painting YouTube clip
3. Today we will introduce 2 quote search tools and 1 new wordmapping tool called Visuwords.

- Do

1. Use one of the 2 new Quotes Tools (new in the tools section) to find 3 positive quotes that you like.  (Try searching terms like change, growth, education, family, happiness, attitude)
2. Send me your 3 quotes using the Questions or Comments Form.  You can enter all 3 in one form.
3. Use Visuwords (also in the key sites/Words section) to create a visual wordmap of the term ‘Browse’.  Click ‘Fill Browser with scalable Visuwords’ to see a larger version which you can zoom into.   There’s a How-to video clip on Visuwords in my J-drive/Screencasts folder to show you how to use this tool if you need it.
4. Open your OneNote Practice file (in your S-drive) and capture your Visuwords wordmap of the term ‘browse’ on a new page called ‘Visuwords’.
5. Create 2 other Visuwords wordmaps (you choose the words) and add them to your 1N (OneNote) page.

- Through?

1. Make sure you have added the new folder in your s-drive called screencasts and drag all of your screencasts (sc1, sc2, sc3, sc4) into that folder.
2. Complete the screencast of your College Glog and save it in your S-drive screencasts folder as sc5.  In your screencast must say and show these 3 things: 1) the name of your college or university, 2) the city and state where it is located and 3) at least one detail of what your Glog looks like.
3. Logon to your Google Apps account and see if you can get to your Gmail or Google Docs pages.
4. Check out these free educational game sites and send me your recommendations using the Share Websites Form.

Tuesday 12th:

- Review

1. Questions on Quotes or Visuwords assignments?

- New

1. View this clip on The Internet of Things by IBM, which shows how devices are being connected together to provide information and improve efficiency.
2. Open and use Google Sky
3. View IW demo file

- Do

1. Make a new folder in your S-drive called Interwrite.
2. Copy the Sky IW file from my J-drive/Today folder into your new Interwrite folder.
3. Open Google Earth and switch to Sky by clicking on the planet at the top.
4. Open the Sky IW file and follow the directions.  Make sure you have the advanced toolbar (with the camera) loaded.
5. Be sure to save your Sky IW file when you’ve finished!

- Through?

1. Browse Google Moon and Mars (try Fly Along Mars Tour)
2. View the Google Sky Website
3. Watch this Marine Life slideshow (an MSNBC slideshow. Details: The Census of Marine Life has issued its final report on the 10-year effort to document the diversity of the world's oceans. More than 2,700 scientists cataloged 28 million observations of new species as well as old favorites.
4. Check out these free educational game sites and send me your recommendations using the Share Websites Form.

Wednesday 13th:

- Review

1. How to delete unwanted slides and add new pages in Interwrite (J-drive/bmercer/today/Screencasts)
2. View list of students who have turned in Google Apps permission forms.  If you are not on the list, please turn in a form!  If you think you’ve turned on in already, but you’re not on the list, let me know and I’ll check on it for you).

- New

1. Watch this Project Natal (Microsoft Kinect) demo of interactive technologies
2. Watch Google Mars tour (there’s a copy in my J-drive today folder if you would like to see it again later)
3. View the Google Sky Website and the Chandra Observatory catalogue of exploding stars (for those who like space imagery especially)

- Do  (I’ve added screencast demos for each of these steps in my J-drive/today folder… if you need to hear the instructions again for any of the steps, use those clips to help you!)

1. Copy the SkyTour kmz file from my J-drive/Today folder to your desktop and open it.  When Google Earth opens, be sure to put it in ‘Sky’ mode.
2. Open the Sky file in your S-drive/Interwrite folder and add a new ‘last page’
3. Change the new page background color to the color of your choice (anything but white)
4. There are 8 stops in the SkyTour.  Capture an image from each of the 8 stops and put them on the new Interwrite last page (step 2 above)
5. Copy the Mars in Google Earth video clip (2 minute clip) from my J-drive/Today folder to your desktop and then open it.
6. Explore some of the features of Google Mars which you saw in the clip.
7. Use the comment form to tell me what you liked best and what you liked least about our visits to Google Sky or Google Mars

- Through?

1. Try Google Moon (and at home you can watch this YouTube explanation of Google Moon)
2. View the Google Sky Website and the Chandra Observatory catalogue of exploding stars
3. Watch this Marine Life slideshow (an MSNBC slideshow. Details: The Census of Marine Life has issued its final report on the 10-year effort to document the diversity of the world's oceans. More than 2,700 scientists cataloged 28 million observations of new species as well as old favorites.
4. Check out these free educational game sites and send me your recommendations using the Share Websites Form.

Thursday 14th:  

- Review

1. View list of students who have turned in Google Apps permission forms.  If you are not on the list, please turn in a form!  If you think you’ve turned on in already, but you’re not on the list, let me know and I’ll check on it for you).
2. Yesterday Step 7 results

- New

1. Watch Thrust SSC clip
2. Watch 1000MPH car development clip

- Do

1. View list of students who have turned in Google Apps permission forms.  If you are not on the list, please turn in a form!  If you think you’ve turned on in already, but you’re not on the list, let me know and I’ll check on it for you).
2. Complete Step 7 from yesterday (those with 2 or 3 checkmarks may skip this!)
3. Take this Quiz on Interwrite
4. Begin working on a Space Glog with your favorite images from Google Sky, your Sky Interwrite file (in your S-drive), or using images from the Google Sky Website or the Chandra Observatory catalogue of exploding stars.

- Through?

1. Watch this Marine Life slideshow (an MSNBC slideshow. Details: The Census of Marine Life has issued its final report on the 10-year effort to document the diversity of the world's oceans. More than 2,700 scientists cataloged 28 million observations of new species as well as old favorites.
2. Check out these free educational game sites and send me your recommendations using the Share Websites Form.

Friday 15th:  

- Review

1. View list of students who have not turned in Google Apps permission forms.  If you are on the list, please turn in a form! 

- New

1. Learning from Sherman the Shark
2. Chrome Speed Test
3. The making of Chrome Speed Test
4. Explore Google Moon

- Do

1. Watch the clips in the New section as a class
2. Complete Space Glogs

- Through?

1. Explore Google Moon
2. Check out these free educational game sites and send me your recommendations using the Share Websites Form.

Additional Information:

• Prezis

Week of Oct 4th – Oct 8th

Highlights for the week: 

• Hopefully this week we will begin working with our Google Apps accounts which involves our new student email and collaborative documents capabilities.  We will also begin our 2nd 6 weeks grading period.
• Wednesday will be an early release day.  You can find the early release bell schedule in the right side panel of this blog in the Bell Schedules section.

Monday 4th:

- Review

• 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
• Creating a Glog: remember to use your student ID (lunch code) as your user name and the password from your logon file in your s-drive (which you open with Word)

- New

1. Create a Glog of your favorite College, University, Trade School, Distance Learning Campus, or other learning institution or practice.  Check out these example Glogs from USC, UT, and Penn State University. Click on the ‘College Glogs’ text in our showcase Prezi to view the new Glogs (click on the images to go to the Glogs).

- Do (numbers 2 & 3 will be the 1st graded events of the 2nd 6 weeks)

1. Complete your kmz local and extreme places tours
2. Create your own kmz tour with at least 5 places
3. 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)
4. Work on your College Glog

      4th Period Robotics Class

1. We will not be building today!
2. Watch this TED talk on how the 6th sense device was developed on your laptop
3. The remainder of the class you may spend on your laptops

- Through?

• Check your grades and complete any missing assignments
• Improve your Glogs
• Explore other Google Earth tours here
• Add links to cool tours or other sites here

Tuesday 5th:

- Review

1. Last chance to complete missing work and raise your 1st 6 weeks grades!
2. View updated College Glogs here. (Click on the word Glog on each poster to go directly to the Glogs for sounds and animations)

- New

1. View this Glog on bullying (post a comment here on whether or not you feel that bullying is a problem on campus and why)
2. View this demo on our school address
3. Attempt to logon to your Google Apps account here (using your computer logon info)

- Do

1. Check your grades and complete any missing assignments
2. If you have a Google Apps account, send an email to me (at this address bmercer@bastrop.isd.tenet.edu) that says your email works
3. Complete your GE kmz tour of 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)

- Through?

1. Watch this TED talk on how the 6th sense device was developed on your laptop
2. Complete or improve your college Glog

Wednesday 6th: This is an early release day.  Here’s the bell schedule.

- Review

1. How to use the comments form (for the Bullying Glog feedback)

- New

1. After the quiz, we will try a new link to get to your new Gmail accounts

- Do

1. Take this Quiz (Use your First and Last name in the top window, and your lunch code for ID)
2. View results of Bullying Glog comments here (includes a copy of the bell schedule for today in case the other links don’t work for you)
3. Try this link to access your Gmail account

- Through?

1. Continue improving your college Glogs (6th period: Kenneth use so3j9 + lunch code and 7th period: Zach use s10c3 + lunch code)
2. Watch this TED talk on how the 6th sense device was developed on your laptop

Thursday 7th:  

- Review

1. Discuss quiz questions

- New

1. Try this link to access your Gmail account
2. If the link works, compose an email to bmercer@bastrop.isd.tenet.edu

- Do

1. Retake or complete quiz
2. Add an email contact
3. Create and share a G-Doc

- Through?

1. Continue improving your college Glogs

Friday 8th:  

- Review

1. There were a couple of problems with the quiz we took yesterday, so everyone who took that quiz will receive full credit as a participation grade.  However, it is still possible to receive a zero if you do not take that quiz!
2. View this Prezi on our quiz questions and discuss any of the questions which you are uncertain about. 
3. We will be using screencast-o-matic today and taking a brief quiz on how to use it with today’s assignment.
4. View an example screencast in the J-drive/bmercer/Today folder called sc5 demo which demonstrates what you are to record today.

- New

1. Read the next section (Do) and then take this Quiz on using Screencast-o-matic and what to do with it today.  Your quiz will be scored immediately and you will see your grade as well as the correct answers to the questions right after you take it.  You may take the quiz repeatedly to receive a higher grade if you choose to.

- Do

1. Make a new folder in your s-drive called screencasts and drag all of your screencasts (sc1, sc2, sc3, sc4) into that folder.
2. Create a new screencast of your College Glog and save it in your S-drive screencasts folder as sc5.  In your screencast must say and show these 3 things: 1) the name of your college or university, 2) the city and state where it is located and 3) at least one detail of what your Glog looks like.
3. There’s a link to Screencast-o-matic in the Tools section of this Blog
4. You must set your screencast resolution to 800x600
5. Remember, there is an example screencast in the J-drive/bmercer/Today folder called sc5 which you may look at to help you!
6. Although your College Glog will not be graded (because they all look good to me!), your screencast recording of it will!

- Through?

1. View our updated College Glogs Prezi which has 15 new College Glogs added to it.
2. Complete or improve your own college Glog.
3. Take the Review Quiz on Using 308 Today if you haven’t already done so.
4. Retake today’s quiz if you didn’t pass it.
5. Watch a Tammet Video clip (as a class)

Additional Information:

• Prezis

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

Week of Aug 30th – Sep 3rd

Highlights for the week: 

• Plans for the Week (Spreadsheet)
• This weekend is Labor Day weekend and there will be no school next Monday!

Monday 30th:

Today we will take the True Colors Online Assessment.  You can read more about this assessment here.  If you have trouble understanding any of the words in this activity, use the Longman Online Dictionary to help you!  Once you have completed the activity, use the form (#2 below) to enter your results.  Then please watch the 2 short TED talks (#4 & 5 below).

1. True Colors 5 question quiz
2. True Colors results form
3. Longman Online Dictionary
4. Watch this amazing 12-year-old’s 8min speech “What adults can learn from kids”
5. Watch the story of this 14-year-old’s desire to learn and help his family “How I harnessed the wind”

Tuesday 31st:

Today we will complete the True Colors Online Assessment, introduce the OneNote Program and look at the features of StudyStack using the Power Words Study Stack.  Robotics classes will begin kit inventories today as well.

1. True Colors 5 question quiz
2. True Colors results form
3. Longman Online Dictionary
4. Study Stack Power Words

Wednesday Sep 1st:

Today we will introduce Wolfram Alpha as a search tool and as a math homework helper.  We will also continue our exploration of OneNote by capturing some Wolfram Alpha search information and by viewing an online tutorials course.  The links you might need today are in the ‘Key Sites – Tools’ section to the right of this blog.

Thursday 2nd:  

Seating charts will go into effect starting next Tuesday.  You can request who you would like to sit by using this form or by sending a text to 512-703-0308 with your full name, your class period, 3 names you would like to sit by and 1 name you would not like to sit by.  I will try to honor these requests in the order in which they are received, but there are no guarantees!  If there are behavior issues involved you may be assigned a specific seat without regard for your request. 

Friday 3rd:  

Today we will demonstrate the following capabilities in our OneNote practice file :

1. Prove that we can draw a sample figure and one other figure on the drawings tab
2. Capture images of the Google Maps locations of at least 3 any 7 wonders from Wikipedia on the pictures tab
3. Create a table and insert the Power Words and definitions from Study Stack in the table
4. Copy and save 3 internet links on the Internet Links tab (one to 308 Today, one to our Plans for the Week page, and a 3rd link to a location of your choosing)
5. Type one question on the help tab

You can find a video tutorial called “Fri Sep 3rd” on how to do these things in the J-Drive/ BMercer/Today folder to help you complete these tasks.  When you find the tutorial, DRAG IT to your desktop before you try to open it or it will not play correctly!  By-the-way, I made a geometry name mistake when I recorded this… see if you can catch the mistake ;)

Additional Information:

• Prezis

Week of Aug 23rd – Aug 27th

Highlights for the week: 

• Welcome to the new 2010-2011 school year!
• Plans for the Week (Spreadsheet) 

Monday 23rd:

Today we will be working on some school start-up housekeeping chores and introducing some internet use policy information.  This will be my first year teaching technology applications (after many years of teaching science and other classes) and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to run a paperless classroom!

Tuesday 24th:

Today we will try to get all students logged on to their accounts, view information on EtherPad and practice using online forms for questions and comments.

Wednesday 25th:

The bell schedule for 8th grade will be different today due to a team assembly during 7th period.  Here’s a copy of the bell schedule for today.

Today we will test LanSchool, learn where to save work and find assignments on the school network drives, and work through the District Responsible Use Policy.  If you are having problems accessing the Plans for the Week, you can get to the RUP presentation through this link, and the RUP questions form through this link.

Thursday 26th:  

The bell schedule for 7th grade will be different today due to a team assembly during 7th period.  Here’s a copy of the bell schedule for today.

Today we will record a screencast on how to create a folder on your S-drive and try some advanced search techniques.  You might need this link to do your screencast if you can’t open the ‘Plans for the week’ spreadsheet.

Friday 27th:  

Today we will finish up some earlier work.  Here are some links you may need:

• Recipe results page
• Recipe input form

Additional Information:

• Prezis
• Current Topics Resources  

Week of May 31st – Jun 3rd

Highlights for the week: 

• Last week of school!
• Over the summer all student home folders will be deleted!   If there is anything in your home folder which you would like to keep, you will need to save it to disk, flashdrive or burn it to a CD.

Monday 31st: Links and Tasks (save files to your desktop before opening!)     

1. Holiday

Tuesday 1st: Links and Tasks (save files to your desktop before opening!)     

1. Continue Final Exam Review Rotation Activities
2. Our Final Benchmark will be this Wednesday, with makeup exams on Thursday 

Wednesday 2nd: Links and Tasks (save files to your desktop before opening!)      

1. Final benchmark exam

Thursday 3rd: Links and Tasks (save files to your desktop before opening!)      

1. Makeup benchmark exam
2. Last day of school

Friday 4th: Links and Tasks (save files to your desktop before opening!)     

1. Have a great summer! 

Additional Information:

• Prezis
• Current Topics Text Materials
  • Audio Glossary