Because this is the first week of Winter MAP Testing and the schedules are switched all around, we will keep things relatively simple. Concentrate on doing any late work and then it's all coding - all day! I have put a ton of resources in the Agenda for students 1-5.
Students To Lead Speed Geeking
This afternoon some of my Grade 3-5 students will be leading our Elementary staff's Wednesday afternoon Professional Development, which takes the form of Speed Geeking once per month. I am so proud of them! The idea came one of my favorite bloggers and inspirers, Langwitches. I can't wait to see how the students do and how teachers like it. UPDATE: Here is a video of the session. Our students did such an amazing job. The teachers learned some things and were impressed by the students' poise, understanding, and humor. They exceeded my expectations and had a lot of fun doing it.
Weeks 18 and 19
There have been some technical glitches in the last couple of weeks so I was delayed in posting the Agendas. Here they are!
Week 17: Let's Keep Coding!
You will see that in Week 17 we will finish up a few things from 2015 and continue our Hour of Code And More activities.
Agenda 16 Winter (Break) Is Coming
What’s Happening This Week
First Grade: NETS-S 1: Let’s Start Hour of Code!
Second Grade: (First we'll learn how to type your poem in Word from your homeroom class and then we'll learn how to save it on your USB.) If there's time: NETS-S 1 Let’s Finish the Book Trailers Unit before Winter Break. By now you should have written down your book, your setting, your characters, etc.
Third Grade: NETS 1: Let’s get finish these Digital Stories before Winter Break.
Fourth Grade: NETS 6 Making Surveys in Google Docs and analyzing the results before Winter Break. By now you should know how to get into your Google Account and get to Google Forms.
Fifth Grade: CONTINUE HOUR OF CODE ACTIVITIES (WHICH WILL DEFINITELY LAST MORE THAN AN HOUR). New Vocabulary You Must Learn This Week re: Code
- EVENT: something that triggers a specific action in the browser or game, like a mouse click or an arrow key. The code is addEvent();
- moveUp();
- moveForward();
- moveRight();
- moveLeft();
- moveDown();
New ESOL Education Professional Development Site
I was happy to see that my presentation made it to the front page! It doesn't mean anything yet it was a fun little thrill for me.
Hour of Code Week(s)
Hour of Code is here! Grade 1-5 will be studying programming for a few weeks in I.T. Specials, not just for one hour. Here are some words you must learn as we begin the unit:
code - (v) to write code, or to write instructions for a computer. (n) a set of instructions in a computer program in which letters, digits, etc. are represented as binary numbers
debugging - (v) finding and fixing problems in your algorithm or program.
program - (n) an algorithm that has been coded into a language that can be run by a machine (a binary language, meaning it is based on using only 1 and 0).
algorithm - (n) a set of instructions, procedures, steps, or a formula to solve a problem.
computer science - (noun) the science th at deals with methods of:
- processing information in digital computers,
- the design of computer hardware or software, and
- the applications of computers.
AISA will be celebrating Hour of Code at lots of different times in December and January. Watch for it in your IT and content classrooms.
Agenda 15 can be found at ow.ly/Vwb4L.
Week 14 - National Day and Remembrance Day
I only saw my Sunday and Monday classes this week because of the holidays so we used it as Reprieve Week — meaning students could work on any late work that was incomplete from Trimester 1. Those who had finished their work had their choice of school-appropriate learning games and activities.
Agenda 13 - National Day Celebrations on Thursday
[Click to Expand National Day Notice]
Happy American Thanksgiving on Thursday! Trimester 1 Ends This Week.
If you didn’t finish your Friendship or Ouch Story last week, finish it for homework. The web site addresses for the story forms are in Agenda 12 and 13 on the portal or below on the home page.
Don’t know how to find copyright-free images for your projects? Here’s how to do that and save them to your own USB stick (MPG4 Video). Speakers are optional.
First Grade: NETS-S 1: MAKE IT! Use tech to make new things to show what I know. We are continuing in ANIMAPS and SCRIBBLEMAPS — we will make Home Tours around Abu Dhabi. Where will you will visit in Abu on your map tour. Do you know your home address?
Second Grade: NETS-S 1: MAKE IT! Use tech to make new things to show what I know. We continue the Book Trailers Unit this week. By now you should have chosen a book.
Third Grade: NETS 1-MAKE IT! Let’s get back to making our digital stories. We have to practice Story Maps/Mountains and begin to outline our plots/
Photo Credit http://orig10.deviantart.net/27ef/f/2011/294/6/a/united_arab_emirates_by_678_0710-d4dh4kc.jpg
Fourth Grade: NETS-S 6 Use it, NETS-S Solve it: Making Surveys in Google Docs and analyzing the results.This means you need a Google Account so I’ll show you how to make one.
Fifth Grade: 9 Elements/NETS Standard 5. Bring Your iPad to class! PRESENTING Projects that we didn’t see last week. Standard 2: Use Different Technologies to Communicate and Work With Others. This will require you to know your Office 365 password and the password for your Google account.
Agenda 12
On November 16 and 17 I will be absent because I am attending an Ed Tech Seminar in Dubai.
What’s Happening in Week 12
First Grade: NETS-S 1: MAKE IT! Use tech to make new things to show what I know. We are continuing in ANIMAPS and SCRIBBLEMAPS — we will make Home Tours around Abu Dhabi. Decide this week where you will visit in Abu on your map tour. Do you know your home address?
Second Grade: NETS-S 1: MAKE IT! Use tech to make new things to show what I know. We continue the Book Trailers Unit this week. By now you should have chosen a book.
Third Grade: NETS-S 6 Use it! I can show how technology works: Complete Showbie & Puppet Pals 2 by request from your homeroom teachers, then in 1-2 weeks we’ll be back to NETS 1-MAKE IT!
Fourth Grade: NETS-S 5-Protect it! I can be safe, legal and honest with tech. Let’s correct our Digital Passport Packets together. Begin new unit: Making Surveys in Google Docs and analyzing the results. This means you need a Google Account so I’ll show you how to make one a NEW way.
Fifth Grade: 9 Elements/NETS Standard 5. Bring Your iPad to class! PRESENTING Partner Projects! Then we will start a new unit this week for Standard 2: Use Different Technologies to Communicate and Work With Others. This will require you to know your Office 365 password and we’ll revisit your Google account.
Week 11 - 3 Weeks Left In Trimester
AGENDA FOR WEEK 11
GOOD NEWS ALERT RE: GOOGLE APPS ACCOUNTS: Don’t worry about setting up your own accounts. Mr. Kashan from I.T. and I have come up with a better solution. See me for the user names and passwords! :)
First Grade: NETS-S 1: MAKE IT! Use tech to make new things to show what I know. We are continuing in ScribbleMaps and Animaps — we will make Home Tours.
Second Grade: NETS-S 1: MAKE IT! Use tech to make new things to show what I know. We continue the Book Trailers Unit this week.
Third Grade: NETS-S 6: Intro to Showbie & Puppet Pals 2 by request from your homeroom teachers, then in 2 weeks we’ll be back to NETS 1-MAKE IT! Using Technology to Make a Picture Book. We will make a Plot Plan and Story Map first.
Fourth Grade: NETS-S 5: Collect Digital Passport Packets except for Thursday’s class (they get one more week because their packets were delayed in printing office). Begin new unit: Making Surveys in Google Docs and analyzing the results. This means you need a Google Account so I’ll show you how to make one.
Fifth Grade: Due BY END OF CLASS THIS WEEK — Partner Project: 9 Elements/NETS Standard 5. Bring Your iPad to class! We will start a new unit next week for Standard 2: Use Different Technologies to Communicate and Work With Others. This will require you to know your Office 365 password and your Google account password from last year. We will sort that out together.
Happy November! It's Week 10 in I.T. Class
(Some of you have not had class ten times yet due to holidays, etc. Feel free to ask your homeroom teacher for a catch-up session during my planning periods.)
- First Grade: NETS-S 1: MAKE IT! Use tech to make new things to show what I know. Google Maps Home Tours
- Second Grade: NETS-S 1: MAKE IT! Use tech to make new things to show what I know. We start the Book Trailers Unit this week. Book Trailer Planning Sheet Book Trailer Rubric
- Third Grade: Using Technology to Make a Storybook
- Fourth Grade: Finish Digital Passport Modules and Grade Your Packets.
- Fifth Grade: Continuing Team Project: 9 Elements/ISTE Standard 5. Bring Your iPad to class!
How to Get Copyright-Free Multimedia for Your Projects
You’ll Be Needing Sounds, Videos and Images for Your Projects, so Look at this Copyright-Free Help Packet. Ask me if you have any questions and I’ll be glad to help.
Week 9 Happenings
Thank for your patience while I was sick this past week. Isn’t Mrs. Judy an awesome substitute teacher? Hopefully we can schedule some catch-up times for the Wednesday/Thursday classes who have missed due to short weeks, holidays, etc.
- First Grade: Bring a small stuffed animal to class if you wish, it’s optional. We will try again to play Sid’s Safety Game the animals can help us.
- Second Grade: Assessment: Surf Swell Comics (Stories) About Web Safety are DUE.
- Third Grade: Study the Cyberbullying and Online Safety sections of Professor Garfield’s Infinite Learning Lab for a summative assessment.
- Fourth Grade: Continue Digital Passport Modules. HOMEWORK: Re-play any modules if you didn’t pass with at least 60%. Mr. Wolger’s class will have an extra session on Wednesday morning at 8:50 in addition to their regular class.
- Fifth Grade: Team Project: 9 Elements/ISTE Standard 5. In class we will work on our projects.
FINISHED WITH YOUR WORK EARLY? TRY THESE:
- Privacy Pirates
- Play in desktop browser (CHROME) This game requires Flash Player.
- Download app from iTunes for iPhone / iPad
- My Online Neighborhood - watch
- Co-Co’s AdverSmarts: What’s Up With All That Online Advertising?
- Play in desktop browser (CHROME) This game requires Flash Player.
- Download app from iTunes for iPad
Agenda Week 8
Week 8 Agenda (Image is not linked)
We will be concentrating on catching up the classes that have missed days due to holidays, assemblies, early release, etc.
What’s happening this week in IT?
(Sunday is Early Release Schedule and Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, October 22)
First Grade: Bring a small stuffed animal to class, please. We will play Sid’s Safety Game if there is time and the animals will help us.
Second Grade: Assessing Surf Swell Comics About Web Safety/Play Booker’s Computer.
Third Grade: Finish Professor Garfield’s Infinite Learning Lab Quizzes (Part 1,
Cyberbullying/Part 2, Online Safety. HOMEWORK: If you have not finished Cyberbullying and its quiz, catch up at home. Study the Cyberbullying and Online Safety sections of Professor Garfield’s Infinite Learning Lab for a summative assessment.
Fourth Grade: Continue Digital Passport Modules. Do “Cyberbullying- EVOLVE” this week. HOMEWORK: re-play “Twalkers” and “Privacy Share Jumper” modules if you didn’t pass with at least 60%.
Fifth Grade: Team Project: 9 Elements/ISTE Standard 5. Finish research Mini-Lesson about Keywords. HOMEWORK: FIND AT LEAST 3 EXAMPLES ABOUT YOUR TOPIC using what you learned about research. In class we will work on our projects.