May 26, 2015

Blogging...the Final Frontier

Welcome back from your long weekend.  I hope you found some time to relax and enjoy the great weather.  I also hope you remembered Mr.Gauthier's request, and took a minute on Monday to remember all those who have made our freedom possible.  Although our week is short, our daily routine is "normal."   HOORAY!!
This week during class one you will be creating and publishing the best possible post you can muster up.  This is your opportunity to show me how much you have learned about blogging this year.  I will be asking you to follow the same procedure you always follow with one extra step.  Once you have successfully published your post, I would like you to print a copy and staple it to the rubric you have been given.  Don't forget to go to Google Classroom and complete the accompanying assignment.(It's turning in your blog URL!!)
Once you have finished this assessment, you will be working on a Digital Storytelling Guide.  I hope you enjoy exploring this new type of media.

~Mrs. White :0)

May 17, 2015

One More PARCC Week and We're Done......Hooray!

I don't know who will be more excited when PARCC testing has come to an end; students or teachers?!!!  I can't wait to have our regular schedule back....oh wait!  Memorial Day Weekend is next week which means only a four day week.  UGH!!!  Are we ever going to have a "normal" school week?!!  Oh well, let's make the best of it and do some cool stuff in the time we do have.
This week you will be showing me what you know in regard to commenting.  You will be taking you Commenting Assessment (most of you) during our second tech class this week.  I hope you have been reviewing your study guide and the BPS Guidelines.  If you have been, this assessment will be a piece of cake!
Well, what about our first class this week?  What will we be doing you ask?  We will be taking a look at digital storytelling.  When I looked at the responses from the Genius Hour Project Survey I was surprised to see so many students sharing the desire to continue working on their projects.  I also respect the number of you, almost equal, who do not want to continue with this project.  Our crazy schedule and loss of so many days derailed many of you and caused a loss of enthusiasm.  So I have come up with a compromise of sorts.  I will be introducing the concept of digital storytelling to all students.  After our introductory lessons you will have the choice of creating your own digital story or continuing with your Genius Hour Project.  I would like all of my students to be familiar with this form of media, but respect those of you who want to complete what you've started.
So here we go....digital storytelling.  I have an example of a digital story for you to watch.  I'm afraid my projector bulb has still not been replaced, so you will have to watch this individually at your workstations.  Please check out this digital story.  We will talk about the elements or parts of this story once you have finished. Please check out a post from my archive in which I talk about this digital story: Caught in the Crowd.

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May 14, 2015

Just a Little Bit of Craziness Today.....

Hello My Teen Techies,
    I will not be with you for class today as something has come up unexpectedly.  You will be having an assessment on commenting next week.  Please see the schedule at the bottom of this blog post for your testing date.  You should have received an email from me via Google Classroom letting you know to expect this assessment.
   You will be printing your "Study Guide" during this class.  Please listen carefully to your substitute as he/she will be reviewing the answers with you.  You will be using the handout I have placed next to your workstations to be successful today.  You will start off with Step #1 of this handout as soon as you have finished  reading this blog post.
   Reviewing the BPS Blogging and Commenting Guidelines and your printed document should have you more than prepared for this assessment. I will be sure to leave some time for a quick review at the end of our class one next week to answer any lingering questions you may still have.
   Please do a great job and make me proud!
Have a great weekend,
Mrs. White :0)

P.S.  ILT #'s 13 & 16 have a part two to their assignments today as they have longer classes.

Commenting Assessment Schedule

Monday, May 18th:  ILT#5
Wednesday, May 20th:  ILT#2 & ILT#3
Thursday, May 21st:  ILT#'s 4, 8, &12
Friday, May 22nd:  ILT#'s 7,9,11,13, & 16

***If you know you will be absent on your testing date, please make arrangements with me to take the assessment prior to that date.  

May 8, 2015

It's PARCC Time Again

Hello My Testing Taking Techies,
     It is one of those weeks which has been interrupted by PARCC testing and our schedule has once again changed.  This means you may have class once this week, you may have it twice, or not all all.  Class may be 30 minutes long, 40 minutes long, or 50 minutes long.  Therefore I have created a lesson which will not interfere with our classes next week if you should happen to miss tech this week.  YIKES...what a mouth full!!! Please be sure to read all of this post before starting.  You will be visiting Brain Pop and working with Media Literacy today.  This is such a fascinating topic!!  We are so influenced and easily swayed by media. Please use the Brain Pop Media Literacy Activity Lesson Guide I have created for you.  You will need to follow the four steps, in order, to be successful with today's class and meet my expectations.  You may use either your iPad or your computer workstation to complete this assignment.
      Please take a moment and read through the entire assignment (either on line using the link above, or the hard copy next to your workstation.)   Once you have read through the entire assignment, you may begin.  Please write neatly and be sure to include your name and  ILT# on the top of the worksheet. You will need to turn in this worksheet at the end of class.
Have a super day and a great week if I don't see you again!!
Fondly,
 Mrs. White :0)


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May 5, 2015

Let the Comments Continue

During class today you will be working on another commenting lesson. Please read every word of this blog post carefully before starting the lesson.  I have created a document with many resources to help with this assignment.  This document, Commenting Lesson Resources, can be found as a hard copy next to your workstations, and in the assignment for today which is located in Google Classroom.  You will also find the list of questions you will be answering for this assignment in the same two places.

You will need to answer all ten questions using complete sentences.  DO NOT SIMPLY COPY AND PASTE your answers from the resources.  I expect you to use your own words when creating answers.  It is always a good idea to "kick back" words from the questions in your responses.  You will be reviewing and correcting this document together at the end of class.  This will give you the opportunity to make edits and ensure you have the correct responses for the questions.  This document will become a study guide for you to print and use at a later date as a study guide, so you want to be sure to have accurate information.  DO NOT turn in this assignment until you have made all of the corrections.

I believe you have all of the information you will need. I will not be in our lab on Wednesday with my four classes.  Please do a great job for the substitute.  He is expecting great things from you, as am I!
(**You know there is to be no game playing, video watching, or music listening going on during class.)

Alright, you may now go to Google Classroom, log in and begin this assignment!
Have a super day!
  ~Mrs. White :) 

May 1, 2015

ISTE Student Survey

Believe it or not, it is time to take the post survey in regard to technology at our school.  If you remember correctly you took an ISTE Student Survey in the fall.  When you took that survey I told you to be prepared to retake it in the spring.  I would like you to take your time and read the questions carefully.  I'll bet you have seem some changes since the fall.  Please be sure to think about what you have been doing in your classes when you are reading the questions and the choices for responses.
If you have any questions, please be sure to ask me; not a neighbor.  Thanks again for helping us out with this valuable information.
Link to Survey:  ISTE Student Survey

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If you should finish the survey before class ends, check out this video on Commenting.