And the Survey Says.....

This week we will take a look at the Social Media Survey you completed recently.  I have created a Google Presentation to share these results with you.  The best way to view this is to click on "present" in the top right corner.  Make sure to view it from the beginning.  Please take a few silent moments to review this presentation;  Social Media Survey Results.  We will discuss them shortly.  Once you have taken a look at the presentation, I would like you to write down the most surprising statistic on the note card you were given.  I will collect these and we will have an informal discussion about the results and your comments.  This will be a time for you to share your thoughts not only about the survey, but about social media in general.  This topic can be a bit sensitive and sometimes uncomfortable for some students.  I know you will all bring the necessary levels of maturity and respect to our conversation today.    At the end of class I will return your note card and ask you to use the other side for your "Ticket to Leave."  I would like to know which statistic shared today is the most alarming to you.  I hope you will learn something from our discussion as I am sure I will.
Some of you will not be having a second class this week.  Those of you who do will be working on Unit 2, Lesson #1- "My Media" in your Common Sense Media eText.  You will complete the entire lesson (there is only one activity.)  You will be using your iPad for this.
Every student will be taking some time to self assess your blog using the Blog Design Rubric.  You will staple you completed Blog Checklist to the rubric and turn them in to me.  I will begin the process of reviewing your blogs and getting you a final grade and some feedback.  Please be patient with me as I have hundreds to go through.  

What Role Does Social Media Play in Your Life?

The role of social media in your lives will be our topic of discussion for the next few classes.  I hope our classes will make you think a lot and help you to make wise choices.  Please read this post carefully as resources and instructions for both classes are included.

**Reminder to all students:  This Friday, May 23rd, is the last day to submit incomplete work or retakes.  As of this Friday all incompletes become "0's"!!!!  Do not turn in any make-up or retake work to a substitute!  Be sure to give rubrics and any other papers directly to me and me only!!!

During class #1 this week, you will be diving right in to the social media activity we spoke about last week.  If you were in class and downloaded the Digital Literacy & Citizenship Workbook last week, you will be using the Social Media Activity resource during your first class this week.  Please be sure to read this resource carefully as you will find instructions for setting up the "submitting your work" component of this eText.  **Please be sure to use the correct email address for me; it is sharing (whitek@mybps.us) not my email.

If you were not in class last week to download the Digital Literacy & Citizenship Workbook, you will need to use the "downloading" resource to take care of this.  Unfortunately it will take most of class for the workbook to download.  While your workbook is downloading you will work on the second activity for this week; the class two assignment.

During class #2 this week you will first finish editing and sharing your podcast.  The resource for sharing your podcast is in your yellow Workstation Resource folder.  Once this task has been completed, or if you finished it up last week, you will move on to working on your blog.  I have created the Blog Checklist you asked for last week.  You will be given a copy of this checklist; so be sure to use it.  Remember, I will be assessing your blogs for your final grade, using the Blog Design Rubric, starting the first week of June.  This does not leave much time for your to get it ready.  I will be collecting your checklist once you have completed it.  Once your blog is "assessment ready" you should create and publish a new post.  Be sure to have a classmate edit your post before publishing it.  I need to see at least 4 new posts before the end of the year!!

**I have my class on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.  I will be in school, but not in our lab.  You will be having a substitute and I expect your best behavior and most effective effort.  Everything you need is in the blog post and in your Workstation Resource folders.  Please make good choices and get your work done. A summary of your class assignments is below:

• Use the Social Media Activity resource to complete the first unit in your Digital Literacy & Citizenship Workbook.  
• If you were absent last week and did not download the workbook use the download resource to get the eText.  You will not be able to complete the activity today as the book will not be there for you to use so you will then move on to the next activities.
• Finish editing your podcast and then share it.  (The resource for this is in your Workstation Resource folder.)
• Ask substitute for a Blog Checklist and begin working on your blog; getting it ready to be assessed.
•   I will be collecting your checklist once you have completed it. Please don not turn it in to the substitute.  I will get it from you during our next class together.  **You my want to use some of these blogs on your blogrolls (blog lists):  List of Blogs
• Create and publish a new blog post.  (Be sure to have a classmate edit it before you publish it.)

**You should not be watching videos (unless they are instructional or you are getting resources for your blog posts) or playing games on your iPads.  You have plenty of  work to get done!!

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Finishing Up Those Podcasts

This week you will finish editing your podcasts and share them with me.  If you remember our conversation from last week, I will not be requiring you to post your podcast on your blog.  I respect that many of you were uncomfortable doing this. Instead, you will need to share your podcast with me by putting it in a folder I have shared with you.  Use this document, "How to Share Your Podcast." I have also put directions for this procedure in the yellow "Workstation Resources" folders.  I will help you with this process if you need it, so please be sure to ask.  **Please be sure to review the Podcast Rubric before sharing your project.

This week you will be asked to review the Blog Design Rubric you were given mid way through the year. As we discussed, this will be your last "big" content grade of the year.  It is basically your "final" as we have been working on blogging for most of the year.  I am sure it has been a while since you have taken a look at this rubric.  You may have time during your second class to start getting your blog assessment ready.  Please be sure to go through each criteria of the rubric carefully.  I have noticed many of my students' blogs need some work to do well when measured against the rubric. In addition, I will be creating a checklist to help you with specifics.  I hope to have it ready for you next week.  If you need help please be sure to check out the "Blogging Resources" page on this blog.

During class two this week you will be completing the "Social Media Survey," and getting ready to for some work on a social media activity I have created for you. We will be using the data from the survey for discussions in future classes.  It is anonymous.  Please read it carefully and take it independently.  Do not speak with your classmates while completing it. Be sure to submit it when you are done.
Once you have finished the survey you will need to get ready for a Social Media activity we will be working on next week. You will need to download a book in iBooks for this activity.  It is going to take at least the whole class to download the iBook.   I am having you do this today so your are all set next week.  Please follow these directions, Downloading iBook for Social Media Activity, carefully.
Once you have started the download of the iBook you will need to work on the agenda items on the board.
You will need to finish editing your podcast.  Please be sure to check the Podcast Rubric when you think you are finished with it.  Then you will need to share your podcast with me.  Both the rubric and instructions for sharing the podcast are located on top of your Workstation Resource folder.
If you should finish with these two items before the end of class you should start working on getting your blogs ready to be assessed.  Everyone has work to do on his/her blog.  No one should be playing games, watching videos, or listening to music.  The only exception would be if you are looking for some help on your blog.  Instructional/informational videos are permitted and encouraged.  You may also create and publish a   new blog post.  I am expecting at least four new posts before the end of the school year!

**I will not be in school on Thursday.  Mr.Carme will be in our lab and I expect my students to do a good job.  

Please be aware our sixth graders will be taking their Math MCAS on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.  Be sure to keep our hallways quiet; giving them a great testing atmosphere.  If you should ride in with a 6th grader on the bus be sure to give them a smile and wish them luck.  You could make a difference in someone's day!!!

  Have a super week!!

Attention All Students.....Important Grade Information

This is an important post for all of my students.  I have posted your grades in X2 and your midterm progress reports will be going home with you on Friday.  I have spent the past two weeks reviewing timelines, blogs, and other work.  Many of my students did a great job on their timeline projects; however, many of my students did not meet my expectations.  You were given three weeks to work on this project and you created the rubric.  You were asked to assess your own work and told I would not be "grading" these projects right away so you would have time to continue working on them.  Most of you did not take advantage of this and did not do any more work on your timelines.  Over 80% of you did not include the most important date, March 4th (the day all grade 7 students received iPads), on your timelines. Many of you did not check to see if the link you shared with me on the Google form was correct and when I tried to look at your project was taken to a log in or an error page; not your project!  It is your responsibility to check your links!  Many of you will see "INC" for your timeline grade.  This "INC" will become a "0" on May 23rd if you have not submitted an improved project.
Please do not be misled by your current grade.  The "INC" does not get averaged in with your other content grades.  You may have what "seems" to be a great grade right now.  Please be forewarned that great grade will plummet when the INC becomes a 0.  For example, if you received a "95" and an "INC" on your progress report and do not re-submit an improved project or turn in a missing project, that "95" will become a "63" on May 23rd.

Please be sure to follow the directions below if you would like to re-submit your timeline project.

If you would like to improve your grade on your Timeline project or received an "INC" and need to receive a grade other than a "0" you will need to complete and submit the "Re-submission and Retake Form for Midterm Progress Grades."  In addition you will need to give me back your original rubric; the one I returned with your original feedback.  I WILL NOT look at a project if I don't have your originally graded rubric.  If you have any questions, please be sure to ask me this week.  Do not wait until the last day of the deadline!!

Keep On Podcasting

Welcome to another crazy school week.  I will be seeing some of my students twice and some of them once.   When you are in class this week you will be working on your podcast.  Many of you are in the "production" phase of this project and need to make your recording.  Some of you are in "post-production" and ready to edit.  Our goal is to have all podcasts recorded by Friday.  Remember I am not expecting perfection!   This is your first time creating this type of media and it would be unrealistic to expect it to be perfect; plus perfection is for fairy tales not life!!!  Just do your best and you will meet my expectations.

Before you get started, I would like you to cast your vote for this year's Google Doodle.  Thanks to Tadeo for sharing this annual event with me.  You can cast your ballot at Doodle 4 Google.  Be sure to cast a vote for each grade group ( a total of 5 votes!)  Voting will close on Friday, May 9th.

I am working on getting your timeline and script feedback to you.  Please be patient with me as I have hundreds of projects to explore.  I am also going to be looking at your blogs.

Your teachers have you prepared for your MCAS so take a breath, use all of those effective effort strategies, and you will do just fine.