December 2, 2015 - LAST CLASS 44 minutes
Make-up Time & Checking Grades: Since this is our last full class all students had 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 for full credit. All students were asked to log into the HAC and check their grades for this class. The few students who could not log in to check their grades were reminded, one more time, that they have to talk to their parents about getting their email address registered in the system. Closure to Computer Class:Students were reminded that computers are constantly changing and that they have 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. Students were also reminded that this was their only required computer class here at Council Rock and that should they wish to learn more about computer technology they should look carefully at the High School Program Planning Guide for the many elective classes that incorporate computer skills. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.6.8.M, 15.2.8.E) Technology Current Event Video: For our last current event this year we watched a TED Presentation by Gary Kovacs, the CEO of Mozilla, about how internet users are tracked. He demonstrated how many companies were following him and his daughter when they were online during a typical day. During the presentation he demonstrated how a free download for Firefox called Collusion (now called Lightbeam) can be used to find out who is tracking you online. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.4.8.A, 15.5.8.J, 15.9.8.L, 15.9.8.M) November 30, 2015 91 minutes Network Outage: Unfortunately many students were unable to log in due to a network server issue. Biography of Bill Gates Video:During the network outage we watched a video about Bill Gates. The video talked about his parents, his childhood and his education as well as the development of the Microsoft Corporation that we are all familiar with. During the video students answered questions which they turned in afterwards. Google Earth Tour Quiz: As a follow-up to our previous tour on Google Earth students were challenged to list everywhere they had gone and what they had seen on their tour of the 3 dimensional visual imagery in Google Earth last class. This activity helped to demonstrate the effectiveness of using 3D spatial references, such as the virtual environment of Google Earth, to augment memory. QUIZ: Where I went on Google Earth (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.4.8.A, 15.6.8.M)  Technology Current Event Video:  We finished class today with a video that describes how rich Bill Gates is.  They used the known value of his assets and simple interest calculations to explain how much money he makes in various different ways. November 23, 2015 44 minutes* Internet Moment: Today we explored Google Earth and discussed how a 3 dimensional virtual environment can be used to augment human memory. We started by discussing what spatial memory is and how it is used to make modern video games so engaging. Students were then introduced to the memory palace or method of loci as an effective way to use 3 dimensional visual imagery to help a person remember large amounts of information. We then went to Google Earth and began a tour of the earth, the sky, Mars and the moon. The whole class followed a specific list of locations. Next class all students will take a quiz to see how much of the Google Earth tour they can recall. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.4.8.A, 15.6.8.M)  First Aid Posters: All students had time today to work on this project and print a rough draft in black and white. Each student will have a chance to review their rough draft with the teacher before printing their final draft in full color. Click here to enlarge the project description. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.3.8.A, 15.3.8.B, 15.3.8.E, 15.3.8.H, 15.3.8.S, 15.3.8.X, 15.4.8.B) Technology Current Event Video:  We finished class today with a short video from "Stuff to Blow Your Mind" about Constructing a Memory Palace. * Class time was shorter today due to the half day schedule November 19, 2015 104 minutes Internet Safety Assembly Followup: As a followup to today's Internet Safety presentation by FBI Internet Specialist Cerena Coughlin, all students were asked to take a few minutes and search for themselves and their classmates on Google.  We then use Microsoft Office 365 to collaborate on a PowerPoint show that included some of the pictures that we found.   First Aid Posters: All students had time today to work on this project and print a rough draft in black and white. Each student had a chance to review their rough draft with the teacher before printing their final draft in full color. Click here to enlarge the project description. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.3.8.A, 15.3.8.B, 15.3.8.E, 15.3.8.H, 15.3.8.S, 15.3.8.X, 15.4.8.B) Technology Current Event Video:  As a follow-up to the think before you post presentation we watched a short video from Kim Komando about some of the negative consequences that have happened from posting photos without thinking first. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.2.8.H, 15.2.8.L, 15.6.8.M, 15.3.8.T, 15.3.8.T, 15.3.5.V, 15.3.8.Q, 15.5.8.J, 15.6.8.M, 15.8.8.J) (ISTE Standards: 1d, 2c, 3c, 4a, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 6b) November 17, 2015 91 minutes* Review the Blogging Activity:  Students had time today to review the blog entries that they made for the Russian students last class.  We used Google Maps to learn more about the City of Moscow Secondary School with Advanced Study of Foreign Languages, Number 1302. Unfortunately their school webpage is blocked at our school so we couldn't view it.  Students were shown the Children's Internet Protection Act and we discussed that the puzzle of censorship is not just deciding what to censor but deciding when to stop censoring. Internet Moment:  Everyone went to http://geoguessr.com/ and had some time to try this online geography game that uses Google Street View pictures.  Maddie had the highest score in our class, over 19,000 points. FIRST AID PROJECT DIRECTIONS: Technology Current Event Video:  We finished class today with a video from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation about recent advances in biotechnology and the possibilities for 3D printing body parts in the future. * Several students were late to class today due to the American Math Competition Test November 13, 2015 104 minutes   Finish Basic HTML:  Last class we started a computer coding activity by creating a website in basic HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). We finished typing the HTML into Notepad to create a simple webpage. We then made adjustments to this page that included adding a background color, change the font color, font style, insert images and add a hyperlink. All students also had some time to experiment with adding JavaScript from DynamicDrive.com. Click here to enlarge the project description.(PA-BCIT Standards: 15.3.8.S, 15.4.8.H) 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. For our break today we practiced a simple office yoga stretch for your sides. Student Blogging Activity: Our students prepared a one paragraph blog post reply for Ms. Chernaya's English language students at the City of Moscow Secondary School with Advanced Study of Foreign Languages, Number 1302. Mrs. Chernaya's English Language students are practicing their writing skills by blogging and they will be reading our student's comments and replying to them.  You can view the comments here. In this activity our students are demonstrating appropriate internet communication skills and paragraph writing skills by commenting on their blog entries. Students were shown how to open their Microsoft Office 365 accounts and we used the online version of MS Word as a resource to help with spelling and grammar.  Students were reminded that whenever they post anything online they should make an effort to make sure it will reflect positively on them. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.3.8.G, 15.3.8.M, 15.4.5.A, 15.4.8.B) Technology Current Event Video: We finished class today with a short video from How Stuff Works about Tim Berners-Lee and the invention of the World Wide Web. In the video they talk about his upbringing and described how he developed HTML. They also evaluate the impact that the World Wide Web has had on the world. Students were reminded that all the technology that they experience was created be people just like themselves. November 12, 2015 91 minutes Internet Moment: Today we explored NewsMap.jp which is a graphical interpretation of the top news stories on Google News.  It was created by Marcos Weskamp, a self described software architect. He was also part of the team that founded Flipboard which seeks to bring the design experience of magazines to web and tablet technology.  As part of this activity we discussed the important relationship between internet technology and design.  (PA BCIT Standards: 15.2.8.B, 15.2.8.C, 15.2.8.D, 15.2.8.E)  Hour of Code:  Today our class participated in the Hour of Code. We started by viewing the source code for this webpage.  Students were told that this code, a mixture of HTML and JavaScript, was the list of specific instructions that tell your web browser how to display the webpage.  We then watched the tutorial video below to introduce the online coding activity.  Students then went to the online Blockly Star Wars Tutorial to write JavaScript.  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 thigh.      Technology Current Event Video: Unfortunately we ran out of time for a video today. November 11, 2015 44 minutes Internet Moment:  We spent some time today exploring the features in Google Flights. Students could search for commercial flights using a simple map interface which also Full Page Ads:  All students had time to work on this project today. Completed projects will be printed in full color using the color printer in the back of the room.  Click here to enlarge the project description. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.3.8.A, 15.3.8.B, 15.3.8.E, 15.4.8.D, 15.4.8.G, 15.9.8.A) Technology Current Event Video:  We finished class today with a short video from Generation Challenge in which they demonstrate several technologies that might be developed from 2019-2050.  (PA-BCIT Standard: 15.4.8.A) November 9, 2015 67 minutes*  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 back.  Technology Current Event Video:  We finished class today with a video from the BBC in which Hans Rosling describes how Gapminder.org can be used to identify trends and misconceptions by looking at the data.  (PA-BCIT Standards:  15.7.8.A, 15.7.8.F, 15.7.8.H, 15.7.8.L) * Class time was shorter today due to our Veterans Day Assembly November 5, 2015 104 minutes   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. For our break today we practiced a simple office yoga stretch for your sides. Check Your Grades: All students were asked to log into the Home Access Center and check their grades. Students can accessed their own grades using their regular district login and password. All students should be able to login and check their grades routinely.  (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.4.5.A, 15.4.8.F) (ISTE Standards: 5a, 5c, 4c, 6a) Technology Current Event Video:  We finished class today with a logo design video from Przemyslaw Jakub Wolosaczonek, a graphic designer in London, England. November 2, 2015 44 minutes  Technology Current Event Video:  We finished class today with a short video from Art Heroes that reviews the basic principles of design:  balance, alignment, emphasis, proportion, movement, pattern, contrast, unity. October 29, 2015 91 minutes Internet Moment: Today we looked at two online resources for fonts. DaFont.com offers over 27,000 fonts that are either freeware, shareware, demo versions or in the public domain. These fonts can be downloaded and installed but students were also shown how they can use the Snipping Tool to get images of the fonts they might like. Students were also shown how they could make their own font using a website like YourFonts.com. (PA-BCIT Standards: 15.3.8.E, 15.6.5.M, 15.4.5.A)  Finish Font Guide: Students had time to finish the project we started last class. Everyone printed the completed project.(PA-BCIT Standards: 15.3.8.E, 15.4.8.G, 15.4.2.K, 15.3.8.X) 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 stretch for you neck. Online Collaboration Activity: Today our students participated in a video conference with English language students in Indonesia and Greece. Mrs. Palupi's student in Pekalongan, Indonesia prepared a paragraph in English about his morning activities.  He typed it in a shared Google Doc so our students could read it.  Students from our class and Ms. Papakalousi's class at the Winners Education English Language School in Athens, Greece then helped him improve his work by asking him questions and typing edited sentences to him via skype.  After the activity we all played a game of Pictionary.  (PA-BCIT: 15.2.8.H, 15.3.8.K, 15.3.8.M, 15.7.8.I, 15.7.8.J, 15.3.8.E, 15.3.8.M, 15.3.8.S, 15.3.8.U, 15.3.12.W, 15.3.8.X, 15.4.8.D)  Technology Current Event Video: We watched part of a TED Presentation by John Maeda, the President of the Rhode Island School of Design. In the video he talked about how he became a graphic designer and how he used technology. He also did a presentation about content & form that demonstrated the use different of different fonts to convey meaning. Students were encouraged to watched the rest of the video on their own. (PA BCIT Standard: 15.4.8.A, 15.8.8.K, 15.9.8.A) October 27, 2015 104 minutes Internet Moment: Students explored PhotoSynth.net today which is an online service from Microsoft that used their Silverlight technology. It allows you to "knit" digital photos together to make large 360 degree images that you can pan and zoom into. We also looked at the NMS Mosaic Project as an example of this technology from (PA BCIT Standards: 15.6.8.M)  Office Yoga Break: Students are always reminded to not spend too much time sitting in front of computers. Breaks should be taken at least every 30-40 minutes. For our break today we practiced a simple yoga stretch for your neck.  NMS Ski & Boarding Club Logo Designs:  The students in this class also designed possible logos for the new Ski & Board club at our school.  Some samples of their ideas are posted below.   Font Conference Video:  As a follow-up to the Font Presentation we watched a short video from College Humor about a fictitious "Font Conference": October 23, 2015 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. Typing Test: All students took a typing test using TypingTest.com. Each student had 10 minutes to take the 1 minute test multiple times. Their best adjusted speed was recorded and graphed in an Excel spreadsheet. The average typing speed for this class was: 40.1 WPM Click here for more information about typing speeds at Newtown Middle School. We also reviewed the graph below:   Online Typing Activities: As a follow up to the typing test we looked at the typing speeds for the whole 8th grade in Excel and looked at graphs of past speeds for NMS students. Students were then given some time to find at least 3 online typing activities (tutorials or games) that they enjoyed. They were to then add these typing activities to their favorites or bookmarks list so they could go back and practice their typing skills in class when they finished their projects.Technology Current Event Video:  We finished class today with a short video demonstrating smart phone keyboard technology. October 21, 2015 91 minutes Internet Moment: Students were asked to compare three popular news aggregator websites: Google News, Bing News and Yahoo. We looked at their home pages, their features and their overall appearance. Though the results were split, a plurality of our students said they preferred Google News when looking for current events online. (PA BCIT Standards: 15.3.8.E, 15.6.5.L) Finish MLA Paragraph: All students had time to finish the typing and formatting project that we started last class.  Everyone had a chance to print out and turn in this project today.  Click here to enlarge the project description.  (PA-B.C.I.T. Standards: 15.3.5.A, 15.3.8.A)  Introduction to Computer Class Presentation: This presentation was a follow up to the survey we reviewed some basic computer concepts everyone should be familiar with such as:
Technology Current Event Video:  We finished this presentation with a short CBS News video about the growth of identity theft among children.  (PA BCIT Standards:  15.6.8.M) October 19, 2015 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 but they were reminded that it's important to also get used to helping each other. 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 
 Pixlr.com Project: Students were shown how to use the online photo editor pixlr.com to edit a photograph. We also discussed professional digital photo editing with Adobe PhotoShop. (PA BCIT Standards: 15.4.8.F, 15.4.5.G) Unfortunately we ran out of time to complete this project. Next class students will share their modified photos using various district network resources and demonstrated basic skills such as drag & drop. The best use of the H:, S: & X: drives will also be explained.  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 will be conducting a probability experiment about matching birthdays that you can read about here.  Everyone will be asked to get up and find the other person in the room who shares their birthday. Computer Class Survey: All students will 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. The survey will also be used as the outline for a presentation next class. Student Technology Use Surveys: All students were asked to take and online survey about their use of technology. After the survey students were given some time to explore the results from previous Technology Use Surveys at Newtown Middle School.  Technology Current Event Video:  At then end of most computer classes we watch a current event video about emerging trends in technology. Today's video was inspired by a presentation that was created by a high school teacher in Colorado, Mr. Karl Fisch. This 2014 revision of the presentation was created by Jose Esteves, a professor of Information Systems at the IE Business School in Spain.   |
