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 :)

Tools of the Trade

Did you get to see the amazing moon on Friday night?  What a glorious spectacle!!!  That moon was called the Harvest Moon.  Check out this interesting video about the calendar year of full moons.  There are so many "myths" surrounding full moons.  Here is a link to "Ten Common Moon Myths."

This week we will make sure you are able to access all of your school/professional accounts or the "tools of the trade."    You will use a resource I have created and shared with you in Google Classroom.
It is important for you to know all of your usernames and passwords.  It is also important for you to keep your digital life organized.  You will be given an opportunity to do some cleaning out and organizing this week.  Please make the most of this time.

The second part of our week will be dedicated to the art of emailing; another tool.  Creating professional emails is very different from texting or even creating personal emails.  I will share a document in Google Classroom.  This document has links to many resources for you to use when you create school or professional emails.  You will need to add all of your teachers to your GMail contacts.  Please use this resource.

Have a great week!
  ~Mrs. White :)  

Wrapping Up Your Projects

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We only have one class together this week before we take our "break!"  I know it will be hard, but you need to remain focused.  You have a job to finish and the production line needs to be running at full capacity to get this done.  As soon as you report for your shift, you will find you materials and resources all set up in a work space.  The lab is yours; no need to ask for permission!  Just get what you need and get going.  Please remember the importance of this job!  You need to give correct information to your audience (students in our school.)  We don't want anyone getting in to trouble because they were given inaccurate or incomplete information on your poster.   I know I can count on your!!

Please be sure to make good decisions in your social/personal technological lives during vacation.  Remember the protocol:

Do NOT use your school Apple ID on your personal stuff. (those cool tech presents you got for gifts)

            

Do NOT use your school Google account (@mybps.me) to create social accounts like Instagram, Snapchat, etc...

Have a super holiday season with your family and friends.

See you in 2016!!

You Have Mail.....

   What an amazing weekend!!!  It felt more like "summer" than "fall!"  I am sad to say it was probably the end of our warm weather for quite a while.  I hope you all were able to take advantage of it and were outside for at least some of the weekend.
   We are moving along with getting our Student Apple ID's created.  Your families should be receiving an email from Apple.  Those of you who are 13 will be creating you accounts in school with me this week.
    This seems like a great time to review emails and proper email etiquette.  You will need to use an email from Apple next week.  So get ready to learn the way to send a "professionalish" email.  This is a skill you will be using for the rest of your school career and life!!  I have created a resource which you will find in your workstation resource folders, but it is also available for you to access on line!
Check it out:  Parts of an Email Resource.
    Have a super first full week of FALL!

Email Etiquette

Emailing has become almost as antiquated as "snail mail" in the eyes of students.  There are so many other ways young people communicate today, texting, snapchatting, and instagramming, to name a few.  It is so important for students to understand how to create and send an appropriate email and regular letter as well.  During class my students will take a look at email, and learn the proper way to communicate via this technology.  They will send and receive emails and hopefully walk away being able to show anyone who asks what a good email looks like.  For those of you who still aren't too sure, check out "12 tips for better email etiquette" or "Email Etiquette for Students."
I want to know how students have used email in the past.  We will start off by going to a "wall" on Padlet (formerly Wallwisher).

Image Source:  http://blog.rivaliq.com/5-ways-for-e-commerce-companies-to-integrate-email-and-facebook-marketing/

Our First Full Week

 Ready or not; we are off and running!!!  We will have an official full week of school.  I was so pleased with how ready my students are for school this year.  I cannot wait to share all of the exciting technology developments happening in our school this year.  Your "Passion WORDLES" will soon be decorating our lab.  Yes, "our lab."  Remember, we are in this to learn together.  This week you will log in to your Google accounts and create contacts for all of your teachers.  You will have an emailing and a sharing address for each.  I know this may seem confusing, but once I model it for you it will be piece of cake!  You will need this Grade 7 Teacher Directory to help you accomplish this task.  

Email Etiquette

Using your school Google accounts or "Schoogle" accounts is going to open a whole new world to you!  We will start out by looking at the correct way to write an email.  You have to remember this is not texting your friends.  When you email your teachers you are using your "professional" side of your technological worlds.  An email is set up the same way as a "friendly letter."  You will need to be sure to include a subject line.  Make sure you are using complete and correct spelling.  The word "you" is NOT spelled "u"!!!  You will send a practice email to me.  I will be giving you a resource; a diagram of an email.  Please be sure to keep it in a safe place (your binder or folder). Email will be an effective way to communicate with your teachers.  Much of the business world functions via emails.  This is an important life skill.

Here is a link to Eddie and the Banana Websites