Today in Computer Class
Newtown Middle School  -  Council Rock School District
 

8-C.5

Internet Moment:  Students tried using FreeRice.com which is an online vocabulary game that claims to donate 10 grains of rice to needy people for every correct answer.  After having time to use the site students were asked if the site is bogus or real.  We then did an activity to demonstrate how to research the validity of websites by independently verifying the facts.  Students also had a chance to explore snopes.com as an example of a website where they verify internet rumors.

Make-up Time:  Since this is our last class all students have time to make up any work they may have missed.  All projects were handed back and students could submit anything they missed or re-submit a project that they hadn't finished.

Closure to Computer Class:  Students were reminded that computers are constantly changing and that they had to learn to adjust to new programs, new hardware and new ways of using technology all the time.  We are all constantly learning to adapt to new technology.  They were also reminded of the wide variety of computer and technology classes that are available to them as electives at the high school.

GOOD LUCK AT THE HIGH SCHOOL!

Thursday - April 19, 2012

Internet Moment:  We explored Google Moon and Google Mars on the internet today.

Finish First Aid Posters:  Students printed rough drafts to review with their teacher and then printed their final product in full color.

Technology Current Event Video:  We watched a video about a new Samsung products that were displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show this year.

Wednesday - April 18, 2012

Continued Working on First Aid Posters:  Students continued working on their final Publisher project.  Some students printed out a rough draft to review with the teacher and a few students finished and printed out their final draft in full color.  Students were also shown how to use skype and screen sharing to help each other out.

Internet Moment:  Today we tried using some virtual piano websites as an example of an online music resource.  Students had a few minutes to play some music.

Technology Current Event Video:  We started watching a video about earthquake simulations from ABC News.

* Class time was shortened today due to the PSSA testing.

Thursday - April 12, 2012

Internet Moment:  Today we explored Google Sketchup which is a great example of a free CAD program.  CAD, or computer aided design/drafting, has become very common across many fields and students should have some knowledge of what 3D designing looks and feels like on a computer.  Though it is available at school, Google Sketchup is a free download that students can download at home so they can continue to learn more about this important skill on their own.

Start First Aid Posters:  This is the final 8th grade project in MS Publisher.  Students are to use all the skills they have learned in Publisher to create a series of three first aid posters that share a graphical theme that they created.  Information and pictures can be used from the internet but all resources must be correctly cited on each poster using the correct MLA Works Cited Format.  Students were instructed on how to use easybib.com to help them create their works cited.  This is a cross-curricular project so students may submit their finished first aid posters to their Health Teachers for extra credit.  Click here to enlarge the project description.

Office Yoga Break:  Spending too much time at a computer isn't healthy.  Students are always reminded to take breaks and get exercise.  As part of our break today we practiced a Yoga neck stretch.

Technology Current Event Video:  In keeping with the First Aid and cross-curricular Health Class theme, we watched a video from TED about a new Virtual Dissection Table presented by Jack Choi.

Wednesday - April 11, 2012

Internet Moment:  Students were introduced to Type With Me as a possible resource for online collaboration projects.  We logged on as a class and students had a chance to use the main screen and chat feature.  Type With Me is only one example of an "etherpad".  More information about similar web-based collaboration tools here.

Finished Full Page Ad Project:  Students finished and turned in their Ad Projects.

Technology Current Event Video:  We watched a video about Skype Interview Tips.

Today's class was particularly short due to the Go for the Greens Assembly this morning

Tuesday - April 10, 2012

Internet Moment:  Student watched a presentation about how VOIP and webcams are combined to make video chatting possible. Streaming video from the internet was demonstrated and we watched live video from Cocoa Beach in Florida.  The increased use of security cameras was discussed and we also discussed privacy rights and exactly where people should not be video recorded.  We also visited EarthCam.com to view some online webcams from all around the world.

Continue Full Page Ad Project:  Students continued to work on the Full Page Ad Project in MS Publisher.  Many students finished their project and printed their project in full color.

Technology Current Event Video:  We watched a video from WSJ Online about the new trend for companies to conduct their interviews online and the need for developing good camera skills.

Seeking Work?  Ready Your Webcam

Wednesday - March 28, 2012

Internet Moment:  We explored various features in Google Earth which is a free download.  Students were shown how to gather information about a city or town, check the weather all around the world, explore under the ocean, view historic aerial photos from WWII, see 3D terrain and buildings, and explore the surface of the Moon and Mars.  After 10 minutes students were asked to close Google Earth and type up a paragraph describing where they went and what they saw.

Continue Full Page Ad Project:  Students continued to work on the Full Page Ad Project in MS Publisher.  This project will be printed in full color next class.

Formal Video Interviewing Using Skype:  Four volunteer students interviewed some student-teachers at the Audenshaw School in Manchester, England.  Before the interview we discussed the differences between web chatting with friends or relatives and participating in a formal video conference.  Students also prepared their questions in advance as a class.  During the interview four students spoke to the student-teacher in England and the responses from England were on the SMARTBoard for the entire class to view (see above).  Click here for Skype Interview Tips.

Technology Current Event:  To finish class we watched a video about Paying for Identity Theft protection for kids.

Tuesday - March 27, 2012

Internet Moment:  Today we started class with a tour of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia and other museums worldwide courtesy the GoogleArtProject.com while enjoying some music by Antonio Vivaldi on Grooveshark.com.  This was a demonstration of how the same technology that was used in Google Maps Street View could be used inside buildings.

Finished Basic HTML:  Students finished their simple webpage in HTML by adding some JavaScript from DynamicDrive.com and using embed to insert a video or game into their page.  In another class we will edit this page using MS FrontPage.

Office Yoga Break:  Since we were doing a lot of typing today we discussed what Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is and how typing, texting, and computer gaming can cause it.  Students also had a chance to practice a Yoga Stretch for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as part of our break today.

Start Full page Ad Project:  Today students started a classic graphic design project to help them continue to develop their own sense of design and their skills in MS Publisher.  Each student selected a full page, full color magazine advertisement to recreate in MS Publisher.  The student version of the ad must advertize something different than the original but it should look very similar to the original.  Click here to enlarge the project description.  We did not finish this project.

Technology Current Event Video:  We watched Blaise Aguera y Arcas demonstrate augmented reality mapping technology from Microsoft at TED.  This was a demonstration of what might be the next step beyond the Google Art Project that was demonstrated earlier.

Blaise Aguera y Arcas demos augmented-reality maps

Monday - March 26, 2012

Internet Moment:  To give students some insight into what college is like they explored Open Courseware at MIT and the Open Courseware Consortium which includes colleges and universities all around the world.  After a brief presentation about college vocabulary (including different academic degrees, majors and what a syllabus is) student were given time to explore the websites.  This was also an opportunity for them to see what online instruction might look like.

Started Basic HTML:  Students learned about computer coding by creating a website in basic HTML (Hypertext Markup Language).  Students were also introduced to what a webinar is.  AnyMeeting.com was used to project the teacher's desktop to the student's screen and the use of webcams in  a webinar was also demonstrated.  Students typed the HTML into notepad to create a simple webpage that included a background color, font color, fonts style, inserting pictures and creating hyperlinks.  The use of hexadecimal numbers to create colors was also explained.  Click here to enlarge the project description.

Technology Current Event:  High School Robotics competition in Seattle, Washington.  Students build robots that can shoot baskets.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Tuesday - March 20, 2012

Internet Moment:  We explored some of the features in Google Maps.  We toured Newtown, found directions for traveling via car, bike, public transportation and walking, and we toured Singapore using street level pictures.  Students also had some time to explore the world on their own.

Finished Publisher Brochures:  Most students finished the project that we started last class.  In remaking the computer class brochure students had a chance to further develop their own sense of design by adjusting a template that was available in the program.  Click here to enlarge the project description. 

Technology Current Event:  Last year all students watched this TED Video about Sixth Sense Technology coming out of the MIT Media Lab.  As a follow up 8th graders watched this new video:

Pranav Mistry's Sixth-Sense & Microsoft's Productivity Future Vision
 

Monday - March 19, 2012

Finish Publisher Font Guide Project:  After a presentation about the origins of fonts, the two main categories for fonts and the best used for each category students proceeded to make a Font Guide in MS Publisher.  The final student project should look just like the original.  Click here to enlarge the project description.  All students finished this project.

Start Publisher Brochure Project:  Students take an existing brochure for computer class and recreate it in Publisher 2010 using a premade template as a starting point.   Students also practiced their typing by re-typing the text.  Click here to enlarge the project description.  Just started this project.

Office Yoga:  During the long periods we always take a short break where students can get up and move around some.  For today's break we practiced some "Office Yoga".  Students are encouraged to ALWAYS take breaks from computers, the internet, gaming systems and TV watching.

Internet Moment:  Students were shown Weather.gov (National Weather Service) as an example of a huge online database that's full of real-time and archived information.  We checked our local weather and spent a few minutes checking the weather, satellite images and Doppler radar from locations throughout the United States.

Technology Current Event:  An 8 minute excerpt from a TED Talk by Juan Enriquez concerning recent developments in biology, robotics, technology and their possible combination in the future.

Juan Enriquez Shares Mind Boggling Science

 

Friday - March 16, 2012

Internet Moment:  Boolean Searching using +, -, and "" - In this activity students were shown how they can narrow an internet search.  Click here for an example of the search techniques.  Students then used the search techniques to find something they would like to buy on Google Shopping.

Start Publisher Logo Project:  After an introduction to MS Publisher and a description of why learning basic graphic design skills is important in communication your ideas effectively, we started our first project.  Students got familiar with Publisher 2010 by making a simple logo.  Click here to enlarge the project description.