STAR Benchmarks & Ketchup (15/1-4)

Today you will be taking the STAR READING and MATH Benchmark Tests.  Please select the link (SEE LINKS OF INTEREST Below On The Left Of The Screen) for ONLINE ASSESSMENTS and follow it to the website for Renassaince Learning.  Select the STUDENT link and enter your personal information to access the site.  Your Username is the First Letter of your First Name and the First Four Letters of your Last Name. (JSMIT for John Smith as an example).  Your PASSWORD is "ABC".  Once logged in, please complete the READING TEST first and then the MATH TEST.  These tests are being taken each month to track your progress.  They should only take 20 minutes or so each, and they are very valuable to us to help us help you.

When you are finished with the STAR Exams, please finish your Facebook Historical Research Project!!

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS TO SEE IF YOU ARE READING THE WEBSITE:
PLEASE ADD A 2-3 PARAGRAPH "ABOUT ME" SECTION TO YOUR FACEBOOK PROJECT ON PAGE 2 OF YOUR PROJECT BEFORE SUBMITTING IT FOR A GRADE! (SEE PAGE 2 SAMPLE BELOW)

- Mr. S

MS WORD QUIZ I - (14/4)

Today you will be handed a paper that lists the instructions for the MS Word QUIZ I.  You must follow the instructions to the letter.  I have linked each of the documents below if you want to make up the quiz at a later date for a better grade.  Know that any quiz turned in after the date it was issued to the class (Today) will incur a late penalty.  The highest grade attainable on a late quiz is a 75.  This is to discourage students from copying and pasting the quiz others have created.  There are ways of finding authenticity, and if you are caught turning in someone else's work, you will recieve an automatic zero for the quiz.  You will also incur an automatic detention and a phone call home for academic dishonesty.  Please try your best.  I am very lenient and, as always, my goal is to teach you the right way to use these tools.  Here are the links for each class:

Arcadia

Cheyney

LaSalle

Temple

Widener

Have a great weekend and come in Monday ready to do your very best on the STAR Student Assessment Tests.  I understand that your 8th Grade teachers are now counting the Assessments as part of your grade if you show improvement.

Good Luck,

- Mr. S

MS Word HELP (14/3)

Anyone having trouble can always go to the www.microsoft.com/mac website and look for templates, help, tutorials, and even find the videos we are using in class to learn how to use the software.  Keep up the good work, and remember that the Facebook Historical Figure Project, the Help Wanted Advertisement about your Industry Field, and a Resume and Cover Letter will be due next week (Before the holiday break).

Good Luck

-Mr. S

More MS Word 2008 (14/2)

First, go to http://typingweb.com, and continue to work on the lesson with the HOME KEYS.  Move on through the lessons each day as you build your typing skills.  Make sure you use rest your fingers on the HOME KEYS (see below).  Try to use all of your fingers to type the keys and use your thumbs to hit the SPACE BAR.


Next, we will continue to work through the basic MS Word Lessons.  We will open new documents, work with text, and learn to save our work.  Don't forget to back up your work on Google Drive.

Use MICROSOFT website for more information and links to tutorials, help files, and templates.

Tomorrow we will be creating Letterhead and Business Cards for our new business.  Next week we are working on Resume's and Cover Letters, Letters of Recommendation, and finally a Research Report.

Good Luck!


- Mr. S

MS Word 2008 - Introduction (14/1)

Today we will begin our use of MS Word 2008.

The first thing you will do is open an email to me (hscribnercaa@gmail.com). Please go to the following website and take the typing test (1 minute, any topic you like, send your results in an email to me):
http://www.typingtest.com/

Next, go to http://typingweb.com, and create an account.  Go to START TYPING and begin the lesson with the HOME KEYS.

Then sit back and get ready to learn all about MS Word 2008!!

Here are the training videos we will be using for MS Word:

 WHAT'S NEW IN WORD 2008 (MAC)

MS WORD BASICS 2008 (MAC)

We will be working through these basics together to create documents in MS Word.  If you have questions, please ask right away.  Try to keep up and Good Luck!

-Mr. S

Work Aware/Help Wanted Assignment Example

For this assignment you were to COMPOSE and email to me.  Topic Assignments are at the bottom of this post.  In the SUBJECT LINE you are to put the following:  HELP WANTED ASSIGNMENT / INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH (Industry)

In the body of the email you should have the following items before SENDING:

1.  Describe some type of technology (hardware or software) that is used by someone who has a job in the Industry that was assigned to you.  Describe what the technology is, how it works, and who would use it.  You must also specify where you found your information. (Cite a source)  Describe how the technology, device or other type of equipment or software helps make the job easier and how it was different 20-40 years ago in the same industry.  Be specific.

2.  List three types of jobs in the Industry you were assigned.  Describe the Job Requirements of each job and what training you might need to have to hold the job.  Include the Salary Range information for a person with these jobs.

3.  Finally,  create a Help Wanted Advertisement for a job in the Industry you were assigned.  Use the template from the post prior to this and make sure to eliminate the parenthesis as you enter your information as they are only there to guide you.  Attention to detail, neatness, and creativity will be critical.

Here is an example of what your email should look like:

TO:  hescribnercaa@gmail.com

SUBJECT:  HELP WANTED ASSIGNMENT / INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH (Education)

1.  Technology Requirement
SmartBoards are now used in many classrooms across the country.  In the last 10-15 years they have replaced standard chalk boards and white boards.  SmartBoards and similar products offer a computer-based interactive resource for teachers to make lessons "come to life!"  Students can interact with video and audio supported presentations and work at the board.  They can also be a tremendous help for the teacher to work interactively on problems and grammar exercises. "Students of all ages love the SMART Board because it is interactive and interlinked with computer software"  according to an article on wikibooks.org.

(http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Technology_Integration_In_K12_Education/SmartBoards_vs_White_Boards_in_the_Elementary_Classroom)

2.  Jobs and Descriptions
Educational Administrator:  Principal/Asst. Principal of a school.  Usually the person in charge of running the school and deciding what the budget is spent on during a given year.  Approx. $80k per year salary.

Teacher:  Usually in charge of the specific instruction to a group of students at a school.  Must be able to utilize many instructional tools and technologies.  Approx.  $45k per year salary to start.

Teaching Coach:  In charge of managing training for a school district.  Makes sure that people in both administration and teaching are up to date on training, best practices, and other technology advancements in the industry.

2.  Help Wanted Advertisement School District of Philadelphia,  Crossroads at Elverson
Position:  Technology Teacher
Salary:  $45k per year to start
Start Date:  Immediately
Must be able to use both Windows and Apple based computers.  Must be proficient with MS Office, Google Applications, Online Applications, Basic Programming, Graphic Design and other software.  Must have good Classroom Management skills and be confident and interested in helping students achieve in a high academic standards environment.  Must be willing to work long hours and stay for Parent-Teacher conferences.  Experience with SmartBoards is a plus.

Please possess a Bachelor's Degree, PA State Teaching Certification, and include any additional training or classwork you have completed.  Special skills are public speaking, organization and paperwork management, and the ability to control over one hundred students in a crowded lunch room.


This is where you save your work, pat yourself on the back for following directions, and hit SEND to submit your project to me for a grade.  Good Luck!          -Mr S. 

TOPIC ASSIGNMENTS:  The computer/seat number you are assigned to corresponds with the following topic/industry that you are responsible for:

1. Advertising & Marketing
2. Airlines, Hotel & Travel
3. Apparel, Textiles & Fashion
4. Automobiles & Trucks
5. Banking
6. Biotechnical
7. Careers & Employment 
8. Cell Telephone
9. Chemical, Coatings & Plastics
10. Computer Support
11. Consulting, Outsourcing & Offshoring
12. Construction
13. E-Commerce & Internet
14. Energy, Utilities, Oil & Gas
15. Engineering, Research & Developing
16. Entertainment & Media
17. Food, Beverage & Tobacco
18. Health Care & Pharmaceutical
19. Investments & Securities (Financial)
20. Retailing
21. Sports Industry
22. Telecommunications, Wireless Communication
23. Transportation
24. Military              

Technology In The Workplace (13/3)

Today we will be viewing the video "Technology In The Workplace".  When you are finished we will discuss the video and how technology has changed the way we work.  I will pass out random examples of industries that are effected by changing technology.  Your task is to identify a specific technology in your field and send me the link by email.  Explain in the body of your email what the technology is, how you found it, and how it has changed over the last 20-40 years.  Be creative and specific.

In addition to the link and explanation above, you will also have to take the technology survey below in class.  If you are not in class the day we do this, please copy and paste the survey below into an email.il.  Answer the questions on the survey as honestly and completely as you can.

Finally,  please find and paste the links to three (3) different jobs in your industry in the email.  Specifically note the type of technology someone who applies for these jobs need to know about, or be proficient at.  Once you have read them, you should be able to create (wow, actually make one up) a Help Wanted Advertisement for a new job in your industry.  Be specific and use the format below.  Good Luck!!

- Mr. S

HELP WANTED ADVERTISEMENT FORMAT

Company Name (Make One Up If Necessary)
Job Title (Job You Are Hiring For)
Start Date (Today)
Salary Range (Pay Should Be The Same As Similar Job Online)
Job Summary (4-5 Sentences Specific To Describing Job and Technology Required)
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required
Any Special Requirements

Note:  Make sure you copy and paste the format above into an email and mark the Subject Line with your last name and Help Wanted Assignment.


Technology Survey (If you did not finish it in class)

On a scale of 1-10, how technologically savvy do you consider yourself?

What age did you first use a computer?

How old are you?

How many jobs have you had?

What is your impression of the level of technology (1-10) used at the following jobs:

  Biotechnology Researcher

  Farmer

  Sales Representative (Manufacturing)

  Grocery Clerk

  Manager, Wendy's

  Achitect

  Secretary

  Middle School Teacher

Name three careers you are interested in:
1.

2.

3.

How many computer languages can you name?
1.

2.

3.

Thanks for taking my survey.  Ask me about the results sometime!!

-  Mr. S

Benchmark & Facebook Project Review (13/1 & 2)

Today you will be completing Benchmark Testing for the School District of Philadelphia.  Use you Student ID# and your personal password to login to the SDP WEBSITE.  Once there, please double-click the button for STUDENTNET and proceed to log into the testing site for ACUITY on the left-hand side of the screen.  Please complete both the Language Arts and Math Benchmark Tests.  Once completed, I will record your score before you log out of the test.  You are then free to work on First In Math with your login and password (See Me If You Do Not Have It!), or your Facebook Historical Project.

Here is the GRADING RUBRIC for the FACEBOOK Project:

You must have the following items:

1. Your name on the top of the page (Parenthesis Behind Historical Person's Name)
2.  Pick a historically significant day in the person's life.
3. Information Bars Timely and Accurate For The Period
4. At least six (6) friends from the same period.
5. Basic Information Accurate and Complete
6. Address, Phone, and other items accurate and complete
7. Six items posted on WALL.  At least two from someone else of that time period.
8. Timeline from Birth to Death (If Applicable).  Must include at least six major events.  Bonus Points for more than 10 events.
9. Bibliography with at least five sources.  NOT Wikipedia, NOT Google.  Items must be correctly referenced.

Grading will be as follows:

• All Items Above     -     20 points
• About Me Section  -     10 points  (Historically Accurate Facts)
• Profile Information  -     10 points  (Accurate)
• Groups and Friends  -   10 points  (Timely)
• Pictures and Aesthetics  -  10 points  (Extra for 10 or more)
• Creativity        -    20 points (Topics, Conversations, Post Information)
• Organization & Layout  - 10 points (Appropriate Background and Styles)
• Overall Quality of Work - 10 points (Complete Timeline and Bibliography)

 You should know that your Historical Figure will also be the topic of a Written Report when we work on Word over the next few weeks.  The information you find will be used again for that report.

When you are finished with your project, you must save it as a PDF file and ATTACH it to an email to me at hscribnercaa@gmail.com.  I will review it and return it with changes before entering a final grade.  This project is due anytime this Marking Period.

Good Luck and Thanks for your continued good behavior.

-Mr. S

Benchmark Testing (12/3 & 4)

Today and tomorrow you will be completing your Benchmark Testing for Language Arts and Math.  Please go to the School District of Philadelphia LOGIN website.  (Click Here) Enter your STUDENT ID NUMBER and your personal PASSWORD. 

Thanks for your participation in this testing.

- Mr. S

Habit #4 - Think Win-Win (12/2)

Today you will be watching the video for Habit #4 (Covey) - Think Win-Win.  Please use a few minutes to discuss this habit with the class and then enter a 2-3 sentence reflection in your Weebly.com Journal.  If you missed class, the video is linked on the left side of the page here on the blog.  Thanks for your effort with this part of the class.

-Mr. S

Historical Facebook Page Research Project (12/2)

Today you will be learning how to do Online Research using the Internet.  Please click on this link (FB PP Page) and download the blank Facebook Page PPT.  You will choose a famous person from history and fill in the page completely.  You must add who they would have friended, who they would have blocked, and some of the posts they would have had on their wall.  This project is going to be due by Christmas. 

Make sure you fill in the pages completely.  I will keep a log of the people you are researching.  I would suggest you upload this document to Google Drive for safe keeping and continue to update it as possible.  I will post the list of students and the people they are working on.  Enjoy this project.  You must choose your person from BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TODAY (Click Here) If you are confused, you need to have all of the information for your Facebook page listed like the example below:

Try to have fun with this project!
Good Luck!

-  Mr. S

End Of The Marking Period (11/1,2,3 & 12/1)

Photo Collage Requirements are listed in the last post.  You must also add at least two photographs to our CAA Photo Collaboration Project (Artistic Photo Publication).  I will assign a team leader in each row to collect the pictures and create a 2-page layout in Apple IWork Pages for submission to the APP.

Everyone now has the tools to become digital citizens.  In our class you have done the following:

1. Created and Email Account
2. Learned to Use Google Gmail
3. Sent Files as Attachments to Emails
4. Created Online Documents with Google Drive
5. Investigated Personal Learning Style and Left/Right Brain Dominance
6. Created Digital Stories
7. Created Online LIVE Websites for EPortfolios
8. Learned about Internet Safety & Security
9. Created and Presented Autobiographies
10. Completed Online Assessments for Reading and Math
11. Investigated and Discussed the First Three Habits of the 7-Habits of Highly Effective People
12. Learned Garage Band Basics
13. Learned IMovie Basics
14. Learned to Save and Share Documents, Music, and Media Online
15. Learned to Collaborate with Partners and Teams
16. Practiced Journal Writing and Active Reflection
17. Created Timely Public Service Announcements
18. Participated in Political Races for Student Government
19. Created Artwork, Flyers, Speeches, and other Items For Political Race
20. Created Venn Diagrams with a Partner with Inspiration9
21. Researched and Created a Diagram about a major city in the United States
22. Created Personal Timelines and Family Trees for Guidance Class
23. Investigated Veteran's Day History and Meaning
24. Summarized and Interview with a Veteran and discussed the meaning of SERVICE.
25. Learned about Digital Photography and Photographic Composition
26. Created a Titled Photo Composition Collage
27. Collaborated on an artistic Photograph Publication

Wow!  What a mouthful!  For the final few days of the Marking Period you may finish your Digital Photography assignments.  When that is completed and turned in (See Above For Specifics), you may then work on any assignments you have not completed, or anything you would like to redo for a higher grade.  Some assignments will incur a penalty for lateness, but I will give partial credit to any attempt.  You may also do extra credit, with permission, by reviewing the EXTRA CREDIT LINK and completing the EXTRA CREDIT PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM.  You will only get credit if you are passing my class.  You cannot use EXTRA CREDIT to pass.  If completed, EXTRA CREDIT will improve your score one letter grade from where it is currently.  Have a great holiday weekend!  See you in the Second Marking Period for MS Word, Documents, Resume's, and other items until Christmas Break.

- Mr. S

Photo Collage (10/4)

Today you will be creating a Photo Collage with PIXLR.COM like the one above.  Please make sure that you leave a space on the collage for a "key" (Description or Title for each picture and how it corresponds to the assignment requirements. Also make sure that you upload and make all changes, editing or cropping decisions before starting the collage.  Have all seven pictures finished and saved to the desktop before beginning the collage.  The collage function on pixlr.com will not save work.  You start and complete the collage in one session.  See below for the photo topics. 

You will create the following photographs (each topic is YOUR interpretation of what that picture should be,  be creative and show me what you think represents each topic below) for this assignment:

1.  Architecture With Attitude

2.  Self-Portrait

3.  Blur Blur Blur

4.  Black and White

5.  Comic Book

6.  Food For Thought

7.  Micro-World

You must take all of the photographs yourself or find them online.  You may not just "Drag and Drop" photos into your project.  You must manipulate them with pixlr.com in some way.  Add a background, text, or effect to make them yours.  You can use cartoonize.net to change pics into cartoon mode.  Do not download the trial, just use the online version.  Your email should include a description of each picture in the format below:

Body Of Email (Sample):
Picture 1:  Architecture With Attitude:  Taken by me at Pyramids of Giza.  Overlayed picture of me at Pyrimids with picture of Sphynx to show size comparison.

Picture 2:  Self-Portrait:  Taken on the Subway from City Hall on the way to school in the reflection of the window.

Picture3:  Blur Blur Blur:  Taken on the train platform at City Hall (Subway) with Negative Mode on camera.

Picture 4:  Black & White:  Taken on corner of Broad and Dauphin of the building accross the street.  Cropped and added Sepia tone for old time look.

Picture 5:  ComicBook:  Taken of UCHS Cheerleaders last year and then used Cartoonize.net to change into cartoon look.

Picture 6:  Food For Thought:  Cupcake shot from Christmas last year.  Cropped with MS Office Preview.

Picture 7:  Micro-World:  Tear of Friend.  Face picture taken last year.  Cropped and Zoomed with MS Preview to show only the tear. 

You may copy and paste the above sample to keep formatting, but you must use your own information on each picture.

Thanks for being creative.

-Mr. S

PIXLR.COM (10/3))

Today we will be working online with pixlr.com.  This is a powerful website (CLICK HERE) to help you work with and manipulate digital photographs.  Please use the time today to explore this software using pictures from Google Images.  You will also be given time in class, after our preview of this software, to take pictures and start creating your Photo Collage.  Please keep in mind the information in the Digital Photography presentation (See Below Link To The Left).  Try to remember the basics of Composition that we discussed and the information on how our Nikon L24 digital cameras work.  I hope you enjoy this project.  We will be asking each row to choose a leader and create one to two page layouts for an artistic Photo Publication.

I hope you enjoy this project as we start to think about the Thanksgiving Holiday.

- Mr. S

Digital Photography (10/2)

Today we will be discussing a brief history of Digital Photography.  Watch the presentation (CLICK HERE) and fill in the questions below on a separate piece of paper:
_________________________________________________________________________________

Photography Training Worksheet

14 November 2012

NAME________________________________________    

College ________________________________________

1  Describe the difference between F-Stop, Shutter Speed, and Film Speed and how they effect pictures.

2  Describe two different types of LIGHT and how they effect pictures.

3  What are pixels and how do they “create” a picture digitally?

4  List four different settings for the Nikon cameras in the classroom and how you will use them:

On the back of this page, write a one-page essay on how you plan to complete the photo project outlined online.  You will need to take the following pictures:  Architecture with Attitude, Self-Portrait, Blur Blur Blur, Black & White, Comic Book, Food for Thought, and Micro-World.  

__________________________________________________________________________________

Tomorrow we will discuss the Photo Collage Project and the Artistic Photography Composition Project.

- Mr. S