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May 30, 2014 
91 minutes

Internet Moment:  As an example of how to use the the internet to learn independently we went to DrCalculator.com to learn some basic money concepts and vocabulary.  Students experimented with the compounding calculator to learn about interest rates and did an activity to see how much money they could save up for their graduation.  We also experimented with the Loan Calculator to see real costs of borrowing money for a car. The effect of a good credit score was also explained.  Finally we used the Cost of Living Calculator to experiment with the  effects of inflation over time by comparing the current cost of a school lunch to what their parents and grandparents might have paid.  Students were then given some time to explore other calculators on their own. Students were also reminded that they will have and opportunity to learn more about money if they take the Personal Finance Class at our high school.  (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.6.8.B, 15.6.8.F, 15.6.8.G, 15.6.8.H,15.6.8.J, 15.6.8.K, 15.6.8.Q)

Work on Day PowerPoint Shows:  All students had time to work on the slide shows that we started last class.  Students were shown how to access and use the Slide Master and how to turn words and images into hyperlinks to the internet so 6th graders could find more information on their own. Students were also introduced to using action settings and internal hyperlinks by taking a survey that was made in PowerPoint.  The computer term "infinite loop" was also introduced as part of this demonstration. Click here to enlarge the project description.(PA-BCIT Standards: 15.2.5.M, 15.2.5.L, 15.3.8.A, 15.3.8.E, 15.3.8.G, 15.3.8.H, 15.4.8.G, 15.4.8.K, 15.3.8.X, 15.3.8.S, 15.3.8.U)

Technology Current Event Video:  To finish class today we watched a short video that explained inflation and the importance of investing.

May 28, 2014
104 minutes


PowerPoint Introduction: Almost all students identified that they had suffered through some bad PowerPoint presentations in the past.  As a catharsis activity we made a list of all the bad & ugly things our students have seen in PowerPoint. We then prepared a short list of good things to do in PowerPoint. View a sample T-chart here.     

A Day At School PowerPoint Presentation:  Students started a 6-9 slide show about a topic that they are all experts at, being 7th graders at Newtown Middle School.  These shows are made for 6th graders who will be transitioning to our school next September.  Students were shown how to access the background templates in MS PowerPoint 2010 and how to find additional backgrounds on the internet.  Most students have made 6-9 slides with titles and text on each slide. Today students were shown how to collect old yearbook photos from the S: drive for their shows and how to use Google Images to find free images that they could even use for commercial purposes.  Students were also shown how to drag and drop a slide from one PowerPoint show to another.  Click here to enlarge the project description.  (PA-BCIT Standards:  15.2.5.M, 15.2.5.L, 15.3.8.A, 15.3.8.E, 15.3.8.G, 15.3.8.H, 15.4.8.G, 15.4.8.K, 15.3.8.X, 15.3.8.S, 15.3.8.U)

Office Yoga Break:  During long classes like this one students are always reminded to take breaks and get exercise.  Students shouldn't spend more than 30-40 minutes in front of a computer without taking a break.  As part of our break today we practiced a simple office yoga stretch for your shoulders and back.  After the break everyone had a chance to get up and walk around.

Check Grades:  Since we are near the halfway point in this class students were asked to log into the Home Access Center and check their computer class grades.  Students were also reminded that if they could not log in their parents could go to the HAC and create a student account. 

Technology Current Events Video:  We watched a video from OnGuardOnline.gov about protecting your personal information online.

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May 23, 2014
44 minutes

Internet Moment: Students had a chance to explore PlaneFinder.net which is an online resource that displays the locations of all the commercial airliners in the world. This website is an example of what it possible when huge amounts of publicly available data is presented in an easy to understand interactive website.  We also discussed how the information about airline locations is collected by a government agency, the Federal Aviation Administration, and is therefore in the public domain.  (PA BCIT Standards:  15.3.5.V, 15.4.8.A, 15.6.5.L)

Finish Gettysburg Address Project:  All students had time to finish, print and turn in the project we started last class.  Click here to enlarge project description. (PA-BCIT Standards:  15.3.8.A, 15.3.8.B, 15.3.8.E, 15.4.5.G, 15.9.8.M)

Technology Current Event Video:  We a video from TechnoBuffalo.com about some of the new gadgets that were being displayed at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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May 21, 2014
91 minutes*

Internet Moment:  Today we explored some of the features in Google Maps.  Students were shown how to find our school and view satellite and aerial photos of their neighborhoods.  We also used the street views and how the Google Maps cars work was explained.  We then went to Las Vegas, Nevada and use the directions feature to get directions to Zion National Park. We also traveled to Singapore and students were shown how to check live traffic data.  Viewing live weather data was also demonstrated and then all students had some time to explore the world on their own. (PA-BCIT: 15.6.8.M, 15.4.8.A)

Finish Internet Treasure Hunt:  Students finished using Word to make a simple webpage today. This project checks for internet searching skills, inserting and editing hyperlinks and introduces web based collaboration through the use of email, instant messaging and/or network resources. Students finished this project by adding a table, inserting images, turning the images and text into hyperlinks and formatting a table. Students were shown the various "save as" options in Word and how to save their project as a single file webpage in word. Students then displayed their finished webpages in Internet Explorer and we did a gallery walk activity so everyone could get up, move around and share each other's work.  Click here to enlarge the project description. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.3.8.E, 15.4.5.G, 15.3.8.U, 15.4.8.D)

Word Logo Project:  To get more familiar with the drawing and graphics tools in Word students were asked to create a unique logo as if they were starting their own business.  A slideshow of corporate, athletic and national logos was presented to help students understand what a logo was and what visual communication and graphic arts is all about.  Students shared their completed logos with the class in a gallery walk activity.  Click here to view the project description.  (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.4.5.G, 15.9.2.I)

Final Word Project:  The overall goal of teaching Word in computer class is to make sure that when students have an idea for a project they are able to make it in word and print it so it looks just the way they imagined it.  For the final Word project students are supplied with a specifically laid out version of the Gettysburg Address and they have to make one that looks just like it.  The concept of public domain vs. copyright protected was also discussed. Everyone will have time to finish this project next class.  Click here to enlarge project description. (PA-BCIT Standards:  15.3.8.A, 15.3.8.B, 15.3.8.E, 15.4.5.G, 15.9.8.M)

Technology Current Event Video:  We were unable to have a technology current event video in class today.

* Our computer class was moved to the Tech Lab today due to the PA Keystone Tests

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May 19, 2014
104 minutes

Internet Moment:  Students were shown Weather.gov (the 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 satellite images and Doppler radar for the whole United States.  Students were also shown how to access the hourly weather graphs for our area to get precipitation predictions.  We also discussed how federal government publications, such as the NWS website, can not be copyrighted and are therefore in the public domain.  Students were reminded that the NWS is the original source for most of the weather information they receive on the internet, TV, and their phones. This website was also used as an example of "unbiased" information on the internet.  Students were also told how predicting the weather motivated early computer pioneers.  Finally, students were shown an old video about how early computers  were used to predict the weather.  (PA BCIT Standards: 15.3.5.V, 15.4.8.A, 15.6.5.L)

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May 15, 2014
44 minutes

Class Blog:  Students were shown TodayInComputerClass.com and told that they can check here anytime to review what work was done in class.  We also discussed what a web log or blog was, how blogs developed into microblogs like Twitter and now mobile phone based apps like Instagram.  This website is the blog or web log for our class. Students were also told that their parents will be sent an email with a link to this website so they can also review what we are doing in computer  class each day.

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May 13, 2014
91 minutes

Internet Moment:  Google News - Students were shown how to use this popular news aggregator to find current event stories and how to search the news for topics that interest them or might be required for another subject area.  Students were also shown how they can change the top news stories to other countries.  (PA-BCIT Standards:  15.3.8.G, 15.6.5.L)

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May 9, 2014
104 minutes

Introduction to Basic Computer Skills Class: Basic rules and classroom procedures were explained.  Students were specifically reminded that because technology is constantly changing they should get into the habit of helping each other out and demonstrating the ability to learn new computer skills through experimentation.  All students reported that they had helped an adult with computer skills.  They were reminded that they also need to get used to helping each other with technology. (PA-BCIT Standard 15.2.5.L, 15.3.8.C, 15.3.8.D, 15.3.5.M, 15.8.5.C)

Log On & Explore:  All students were given time to explore the start menu and the various programs available to them at school. 

MS Paint Project:  Students were shown how to open and use MS paint to make a simple drawing.  Students then shared their drawings using various district network resources and basic skills such as saving to a network drive and using drag & drop.  The best use of the H: & X: drives was also explained. (PA BCIT Standard: 15.4.8.F)

Break:  Students are always reminded to not spend too much time working on computers and to take breaks every 30-40 minutes.  For our break today we conducted a probability experiment about matching birthdays that you can read about here.  Everyone was asked to get up and find the other person in the room who shared their birthday.  

Setting up Student Passwords:  All students were given some suggestions to help them develop good passwords.  Some suggested good password practices were:  Come up with a collection of passwords to rotate through instead of just one, make a pass phrase instead of a password, mix number, letters and symbols together.   Student passwords must fit the following parameters:   

1. Include upper case letters
2. Include lower case letters
3. Include numbers
4. Include symbols/punctuation
   * Note that 3 of the 4 options are required.

(PA-BCIT Standard:  15.4.8.F)

Computer Class Survey:  All students take a computer class survey.  The results of this survey are used to guide the instruction for the class.  You can view the survey to the right.  Click to enlarge.  We then used the survey as the outline for the following presentation.  

Introduction to Computer Class Presentation: This presentation was a follow up to the survey and covered basic computer concepts everyone should be familiar with such as:

• Apple vs. PC formats
• Origins of Microsoft & Windows
• Internet connection speeds (dial-up, DSL, cable and fios)
• The accusations that Microsoft became a monopoly by the late 1990's
• Online safety, predators, scams & identity theft (be smart online)

Technology Current Event:  Most classes end with a current event video.  Today's video was inspired by an original presentation created by a high school teacher in Colorado, Karl Fisch.  Here is a link to his blog:  THE FISCHBOWL for more information.  (PA-BCIT Standard: 15.4.8.A)

Did You Know 3.0 ‎(2012 Update)‎