The Home Stretch

The Red Sox open at Fenway Park this week.  It just doesn't seem possible!!!!  Have you ever been to a game at Fenway?  I know it is an old park and there are many other beautiful ones out there, but I think Fenway is very special!  Do you know all of the history of Fenway?  If you have never been to a game at Fenway, you definitely need to add it to your "bucket list."   GO SOX!!

This is your last week to work on your spring projects.  If you stick to your task assignment sheets, you will have no problem getting this done and turned in on time.  I will share the instructions for turning in this assignment in class.  We will start off class by visiting a "wall" in Padlet where you will answer a question which will give me some feedback.  I will share the QR code with you as you enter class.  Have a super week!  I can't wait to see your finished products!!!

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Tips for Your Projects

Memes are very fun to create.  We see them everywhere.  Have you ever created one?  There are so many sites and apps out there.  I have created one related to your spring projects.  I'm sure you've seen this little guy before.  Take a look at it below the tips I've included.

Tip #1:  Completing Your Storyboard:
When creating a presentation you should always take the time to create a storyboard first.  I have included copies of blank storyboards in all of your folders.  If you need more, please ask.  You don't want to waste time being a perfectionist with your drawings and text.  You are making basic notes, rough drafting, in each slide box on the template.  Draw stick figures or simply write what you will use as your "key words" in your "query."
**Be sure to include a title slide (which should have the group members first names) and a Resource or Bibliography slide (this is where you will copy and paste from your EasyBib project library and add any image citations.)
Don't worry about backgrounds, fonts, colors, and transitions.  You will sit as a group on the due date to finalize these items.

Tip #2:
Text before images!!!  Your words are the most important part of this presentation.  You need to convey your solution or answer to your audience.

Tip #3:
Limit your text on each slide.  Text should be large enough for your audience to read from a distance (like the tables in our cafeteria.)  You can use bullets to emphasize points.  Slides do not need to be written in complete sentences, but audience must understand your points.

Tip #4:
Work together and communicate with one another (yelling and bossing around are not effective ways to communicate.)

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First Big Meeting

Well the calendar says April, but the weather feels more like February.   The forecast for the beginning of this week is a bit frigid.  Have you ever wondered about how often is snows in the spring in our area?  The Old Farmer's Almanac has a way for you to get that information. I was quite surprised by some of the information.  You may be too!  We have been talking about the many layers of community in our lives.  I saw this story over the weekend and it reminded me of our discussion.  See how one local business involved another local community.

Your long awaited group assignments have been made and will be announced during class one this week.  Take a moment to view the presentation I created to summarize your project.  Please remember we are treating this assignment the same way you would experience an assignment from your boss in the real world.  You wouldn't whine to your boss about who you have been told to work with in a group, so don't whine to me (I'm the boss!!!)  I have created some documents which have been designed to keep you on task and productive.  You will only have four class meetings to get this job done so you need to stay focused and on task. These projects must be completed before we leave for April Vacation.

By the way, if you are doing School Bell Schedule you may want to check out this source.

**On that note; if you are absent this week you must contact me before your next class so I can put you in touch with your group members.  They will fill you in on your task and the date of its completion.

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Project Prep Proceeds

I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend.  I spent most of mine driving with my daughter from Tennessee. She is home for a quick visit so it was nice to get the extra time with her and Tallululah (her golden retriever) in the car.  Any guesses as to how long it takes to drive from Nashville to Cape Cod?

Before we start class today we need to do something for our school community.  Mrs. Finnemore and the Yearbook Club would like us to take the 2016 Pop Culture Survey.  The results will appear in the yearbook this spring.  Please answer the questions honestly and be sure to submit it when you have finished.

After completing this survey, please check you email on your iPad (or workstation.) There is an important announcement in Google Classroom everyone must read!!  After you have read the announcement you will start with the work listed below.

This week you will continuing "prepping" for your first group meeting.  You need to ready so you will be a productive and effective group member.  You will be taking notes, searching for more sources, and taking more notes.  Keep your question in mind, and more importantly keep thinking of a possible solution or answer.   You will need to print out your research if you took digital notes. (Don't worry, I will hang on to the hard copy for your!!)

Once you have finished your research, you will do a quick Spring Cleaning of Your Digital Life .  Please use the resource I have left at your workstation or open the link above.

The final task of the week is to explore and select a "mind mapping" tool.  I have a couple of app options and Google Drawing.  Mind mapping is a very cool way to make your thinking visible.  This will be another piece your will bring to your first team meeting along with your research.

Project Based Learning.....Here We Come!!!

Happy Spring?!!  The weather doesn't seem to agree with the calendar.  Oh well, I guess if we look back a year, we would see over a foot of snow on the ground.  So I guess we shouldn't complain.  Why does Spring begin on a Sunday in March anyway?  The Farmer's Almanac shares a great explanation of this change of seasons.  Be sure to take a look.

This week we will bring together all of the skills we have been working on over the past month.  You will select a project to work on.  You will find the choices and other necessary resources in a book I have created for you.  I have left a hard copy of instructions for downloading this book into your iBooks library.  Please follow them carefully and let me know if you have any questions.  I cannot wait to see the end results of your work!!

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Grinding Out Citations

I know this is going to be a tough week; adjusting to the time change.  UGH!!  It is a little bit of a bummer to wake up and have it be dark.(sad face emoji)  The flip side is how light it is at night now!(hands in the air emoji)   Here are fun facts about Daylight Savings.
We will continue with our EasyBib Activity in Google Classroom.  I have been struggling with a way to make you understand how much simpler it is to use EasyBib than to be hand writing out citations.  I figured it out.  I am going to make you hand write out a citation.
You will end the week by creating and publishing a new blog post.  The final twist is you will be doing a self-evaluation of your blog.  As you can see, our week is very full.   We can get through this together.
  ~Mrs. White :)