What a Week for America.....Past, Present and Future!

This week is power packed.....so much going on in our country; past, present and future!!!  What am I talking about?  We had Monday off from school to honor a leader from our past; Martin Luther King Jr.  Dr. King left an amazing legacy for our country.  If you would like more information about what you can do to carry on his legacy check out this site.   As for the future, Friday marks an important day in our country's history.  On Friday, January 20th President Obama will hand the reins of our country over to President Elect Trump.  This has always been a very special day in our country; jam packed with traditions.  You can learn more about past inaugurations at this U.S. Presidential Inagurations created for students.
As you know, you will have an assessment this week.  This test will take place during class two.  For some of you it will be your only class this week.  Be sure to look over your study guide before the exam.  Once you have completed your assessment, please use this resource to clean up and manage the work side of your digital life.
In addition to the assessment we will work on trying to tie up all the loose ends of your blogs. Please use the checklist I have left at each of your computers to work through this process.  I will model some of these steps for you.
  Have a super week and be sure to check out the history in the making!!!!
    ~Mrs. White  :)

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What Does Your Signature Say About You?

We have been talking about emails and communication.  That got me thinking about signatures.  I started to do a little bit of research; okay more like exploration, about signatures.  My first thought was about the expression, "Write your John Hancock on the line."  I mean I know who John Hancock is, but why him?  Why not one of the other founding fathers?  I came across this very interesting article, John Hancock.  Check it out.  I then started to think about my signature.  What does my signature say about me?  Have you ever thought about this?  I found this interesting video and wanted to share it with you.  In this day and age our signatures are more often of the digital form.  Is there a way to make your digital signature more creative and personal?  The answer is "YES!"  Today you are going to work on doing just that.  We will continue our "Email Etiquette Lesson" from earlier.  I have inserted a step.  Let's call it Step 3- Part 2.  This resource will give you all the information you need.  Have fun!

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A Short Week

I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend.  The middle was most definitely soggy.  I bet we got almost an inch of rain!!  At least the rain was sandwiched between two sunny days.  So why weren't we in school on Monday anyway?  The answer is we were off for Columbus Day!  Go in to the History Channel's Vault episodes to find out more about this special day.  We are going to work very hard in this shortened week.  I hope you are ready!!

During Class #1 this week we will pick up where we left off before the iPad roll.  You will start working on perfecting your email skills.  Let's start by taking a look at a quick video review.  You will then go to Google Classroom to find the assignment for the rest of class.  I think you should be able to get it all done in one session if you work efficiently.

During Class #2 (for some of you the only class this week) you will complete your iPad assessment.  Once you have finished the assessment, you will have the opportunity to be creative and make your Google avatar.  Please follow the instructions and use the resources I have shared with you in this Google Doc.

Assessment Link

At the end of the week we will all do a great big collective, "Phew!!!" for a job well done!!
   ~Mrs. White :)

Blog Collection Form

During class two you will be working on ISTE standard #2:  Communication and Collaboration.  This is you last opportunity to get your blogs ready for their final assessment.  Please be sure to take the time to check over all aspects of your blog carefully.  Use the rubric I have provided and the two resources on the back side of it.  You will need to complete the "student" column and turn it in before I will assess it.
You will also need to give me your blog URL as the final piece of this assignment.  Please use the Blog Collection Form to complete this step.  **It is very important for you to use the URL of the "View of your Blog", not your dashboard!!!

ILT 2 Blog Collection Form
ILT 3 Blog Collection Form
ILT 4 Blog Collection Form
ILT 5 Blog Collection Form
ILT 7 Blog Collection Form
ILT 8 Blog Collection Form
ILT 9 Blog Collection Form
ILT 11 Blog Collection Form
ILT 12 Blog Collection Form
ILT 13 Blog Collection Form
ILT 14 Blog Collection Form

While I Am Out.....

Today you will be in the very capable hands of Mrs. Diggins.  She should have instructed you all to read my blog post before doing anything else.  Whether this is class number one or two, you will work on the second draft of your blog during the second half of class.  My "Wednesday/Friday" kiddos will work on your Mobile Learning Assessment Study Guide during the first half of class.  Mrs. Diggins will go over this with you to be sure you have the correct answers to study for your test on Friday.  My "Monday/Wednesday" kiddos (a.k.a. ILT #3) will start off class with a Kahoot review, and then turn to your iPads, go to your Google Classroom app, and get the link for your assessment which you will take on your iPads.  Please take your time and do your best.  Read the assignment and instructions carefully before beginning.
During the second half of this class you will create the second draft of your first blog post. This time it will be digital.   Mrs. Diggins will give you back your first draft with my feedback.  You will open your Google Drive, create a new doc, title it "First Blog Post," and begin keyboarding your second draft.  This should take you the rest of your class time.  Please take the time you have been given to make changes to your first draft and use the resources I shared with you last week.  They can be found in your Workstation Resource Folders.  Before starting, please take a look at the general comments and observations I have shared below.

My Reflections on Your First Drafts

Overall, these were the BEST first drafts I have ever seen!!!  I am very impressed.  I do have some observations I would like to share with you.  Many of you are using very simply structured sentences; subject-predicate.  Please try to vary your sentences to make your post more interesting to read.  Many of you are asking for comments and feedback.  You are not wording your requests properly.  You do not want or need to bring up the quality of your reader's comments.  Don't predict they will make rude or inappropriate comments.  We will address this if it happens.  Try asking for feedback in this way,  "I welcome and appreciate feedback.  Please feel free to comment below."  You are not making blogs, but writing posts. Please be sure to check your blogging guidelines.  Many of you are not using correct grammar and spelling.  Frequent offenders:  "going to" is correct, "gonna" is not.  Got it?!!   One last thought.  Many of you ended your posts abruptly.  I would like you to try to think of a "sign off" you will use at the end of each of your posts. Kind of like your "signature move."   Try to think of something fun and interesting you would say naturally.  You have plenty of time to experiment before locking in your "sign off."

Yesterday Google Drive was acting up in both Firefox and Chrome.  If you are unable to load your Drive in one browser, try another.  You also have the option of keyboarding the second draft of your post on your iPads.  Please work hard, take the time to think, and get the job done.  We have a deadline!!!

See you next class!!   ~Mrs. White :)

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)

Let's Wrap This Up and Move Forward

Welcome back!  I hope you had a great vacation.  The Boston Marathon was very exciting.  Unfortunately no Americans took first place, but all of the athletes did a great job.  I had a "staycation" and got a lot of yard work done.  I also did a lot of planning for the rest of the school year, but don't want to solidify those plans until I get some feedback from all of you.

So what does this week bring for my technology students?....Feedback and assessment are on the docket.  Do you remember the 21st Century Skills Assessment you took before break?  Well, we found out we need to have students take both parts before we can receive any data.  So....you will be taking part two during class one.  Please go to Learning.com and using the log in information I have left at your workstations.  Again, I will be asking you to do your best and remind you of the importance of this data.  You will not be seeing this score, but your work does make a difference.  Catching up and getting this assessment done will most likely take most of Class one.

During class you will be giving me more feedback.  Due to our crazy winter, the schedule of our Genius Hour Project has gone out the window.  So I have created a survey to get some information from you to help plan the rest of our school year.  Please take your time with this.  You can find this survey as an assignment in Google Classroom.  Please be sure to submit the survey/assignment.

Once you have completed this survey, I am giving you the rest of this class to get yourself caught up and organized.  Please use the May Clean Up/Catch Up Checklist to accomplish this task.  Mid term report cards will be going home soon and I need to get grades in to X2.  Any work not completed and turned in by the end of this week will be a "0" and there will be no opportunity for make ups; this is your make up opportunity so take full advantage!!

Helping Me Out....

What a gorgeous weekend!  It actually felt like Spring.  I hope you all got outside in the sunshine on Sunday.  What fun outdoor activities did you partake in this weekend?  You can check out this article on "Eight Ways to 'Spring' Out of Winter on Cape Cod."  Let's hope this weather is the new trend.  Other definite signs of Spring....Opening Day at Fenway Park (April 13th), The 119th Boston Marathon (April 20th), and of course the opening of so many ice cream shops!!

This week you will be helping me out by testing out a new assessment.  We would like to use this assessment with our technology students next year, but want to see how your perform and how you feel about it.  You will not be receiving a grade for this assessment, but I would really like you to try your hardest on it.  The other technology teachers and I will take a look at the results, analyze the data, and determine whether or not we think it is a good assessment.  I will also be asking for your thoughts about it during class #2.  I have provided you with the log in information at each of your workstations.  You will need to go to Learning.com to sign in and take the assessment.  Again, this will not be a content grade for you, but I am asking you to take it seriously, keep your eyes on your own device, and try your hardest.

You will also be completing your Blog Design Assessment Part 2 assignment this week.  You will find all of the details in Google Classroom.  You will be given all of class #2 this week to get this done and turned in.
**To add the "Feedly" subscription button to your blog please use this link:  Feedly

If you should have time left at the end of either class this week, I would like you to create and publish a new blog post.  It has been a while since we have been able to find class time to write one.  It can be about anything you'd like.

Have a super week!  I know it will be hard to focus with the warmer weather and April Vacation so close, but I know you can do it!!!

~Mrs. White

Review and New

We have a shortened week of school due to our extra day off or long weekend.  This extra day was given to us so we could honor an American hero, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  What did you do to remember this great man?  ABC News shared 5 Ways to Honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.  You may want to check them out.

As for the rest of this short week, it will be jam packed!  We will start off where we ended last week.  For some of you that will mean finishing up your second part of the Genius Hour Brainstorming Guide.  For most of you it will mean setting up your book for this project.  I have given created the first assignment in Google Classroom to share the details for the Book Creator set up of this resource for your projects.  Please go to my class in Google Classroom and find this assignment.  If you were have not yet "joined" our ILT classes, you will have the chance to do so today.

You will also be creating a second page on your blogs this week.  This "Genius Hour" page of your blog will be the space for your to record your progress.  I will ask you to create your first "post" on this page; sharing your initial thoughts about Genius Hour.

And of course, you will be taking your Blogging and Commenting Assessment this week.  Have not worries, you will have an opportunity to review with Kahoot It before taking the assessment.
                  ~Mrs. White :)

Music......at last!

Our schedule will be altered for the next two weeks due to MCAS, but we will keep moving forward!!  During our first class this week you will have an opportunity to review your ILT feedback in your X2 accounts.  Please be sure to take the time you will be given at the beginning of class to do this.  I will be coming around to answer and questions and give you the opportunity to share any work you have updated or completed.  I will be posting your grades at the end of the week; so this is your last chance to show "progress" since your progress reports.

You will also be using class #1 to finish up your timelines.  Be sure to check your work with the rubric.  I will be asking your to "grade" yourself using this rubric and will want a copy of how you think you did so I can compare it to my thoughts.  It will be interesting to see what you think.

During our second class this week (for some of you the only one) you will finally get the BIS iPad Playlist of music you have been waiting to hear.  You will use your Filr App to make this magic happen.  I will take you through the steps; so have no fear.  

Have a great week and use your Effective Effort strategies on Tuesday for your Long Composition.  It is important and I know you can do it!!!

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Finding Out What You Know

This week students in my classes will be taking their first assessment.  This is an opportunity to show me what you have learned so far this year.  We have spent time preparing for this assessment, and I think you will all be surprised at how well you will do.  You are really a very bright bunch of young men and women!!  Assessment #1 was created using a Google form.  It will only be available, accepting responses, during school hours.  Students will not be able to view or take this assessment from home.

I will not be in the lab for my students two days this week as I will be in "school" myself.  Mr. Frazier will be in the lab in my absence.  Please do a great job for him.  I have gone over my expectations with some of you, and know those of you whom I did not speak with will do an awesome job and make me proud.  

Please start off class by taking the assessment.  There is a link to the survey part of the assessment in the first paragraph of this post.  You will also be given a printed copy of an email to correct.  There are five errors on this email.  Please circle, and then correct each of these mistakes. The directions are written on top of the email.  Please be sure to read them carefully.

Once you have completed your assessment, you will begin working on a presentation.  You will create a presentation using either Glogster EDU or Google Presentation.  If you choose to use GlogsterEDU you can find some video tutorials at the bottom of the home page.  Please remember there is NO punctuation (no underscore) in your Glogster username (nickname).  Your password is the same as all of your other passwords.  If you are using Google Presentation don't forget to name or title your presentation before you begin.  There is a "help" tab for you to use to try to answer questions you may have.  In the help tab you will find this "Overview of Google Slides."  

What exactly is the presentation to be about?  You were given a copy of the Barnstable Public Schools Blogging and Commenting Guidelines last week.  We reviewed and discussed the Blogging Guidelines. You will create your presentation about these Blogging Guidelines.  Please do NOT simply retype the guidelines on to slides or in text boxes.  You will need to add extra information to explain each of these guidelines.  This extra information should be written in your own words.  This presentation will show me your level of understanding in regard to our Blogging Guidelines.  This will help me design my lessons over the next couple of weeks.  If you use any images from the Internet be sure to copy the URL of that image and paste it on the slide or in a text box with the image.  There is more information about using and saving images in the resource below.

I have created a more detailed resource for this project.  Please check it out!

Resources for Blogging Guideline Presentation

Please try to make your presentation fun and interesting!!  I want to be able to create a space where these presentations will "live" so students can use them as resources this year and in future years. 

Have fun!  I cannot wait to check out your work!

What is Blogging?

We will finally get started with our blogging unit this week.  Before we learn the parts of the blog, you will take a Blogging Pre-Assessment. This will give me a better idea of what my students know and don't know about blogs and blogging.
Now let's get started.  I created a special blog for us to use as a "teaching blog" or a resource.  You will all be given a copy of this blog and a word list.  You will try to label the blog.  Remember to use what you know to figure out what your don't know.  We will talk about these parts of a blog.  You will also be given a copy of the BPS Blogging and Commenting Guidelines.  Once you have reviewed these, you will be asked to evaluate a blog of your choice.
The best way for you to blog well is to read a lot of other blogs.  So lets get started!!  Check out some of the blogs on "Interesting Blogs and Resources."
By the way, you will be given an assessment next week.  This assessment will cover our acceptable use policy, parts of the computer, the Internet and intranet, and emails.  You have many resources to use to help you prepare.  We will take a little bit of class time to review.  You will get a copy of the "Study Guide" for this assessment during class.  Be sure to use your other resource to complete the guide.  If you have any questions be sure to check with me by the end of the week.  You will do well, so don't be nervous!!