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

Veteran's Day & I9 Followup (10/1)

Today you will be given a chance to email your Veterans Day Interview Summary to me.  Please open your GMail and COMPOSE a new email to me (hscribnercaa@gmail.com).  Type your interview summary into the body of the email, and use your (LAST NAME) VETERAN SUMMARY for a Subject.  When you are finished, please hit SEND.  I should be able to review your summaries quickly.  Hopefully you were able to understand the meaning of Selfless Service and a little bit about what it means to live in the United States and serve in the Military.  Thanks in advance for your effort with this project.  It means a lot to me.

If you have not completed the Inspiration9 projects, you may use the balance of the time to finish them.  Please make sure you EXPORT your projects as PDF Documents (See Under FILE Header) to the Desktop.  When they are there, Open GMail and ATTACH the PDF's to a new email to me.  I will print your project in color, grade them, and return them as quickly as possible.

Finally,  we will be starting our final unit for the marking period.  We will discuss Digital Photography in class.  Part of the lesson will be a PowerPoint Presentation about the cameras we have to use here (Nikon Coolpix L24).  We will discuss the history of photography, how to use equipment, vocabulary, and how to compose basic pictures.  We will be creating Photo Collage pages, and designing an Artistic Photography Publication in Apple IWork Pages.  More information on specific projects will be in tomorrow's post.

Good Luck!

-Mr. S

Veterans Day Remembrance (9/4)

As you finish up your Inspiration9 projects for the week, please take a few minutes to watch the Veteran's Day Video (CLICK HERE).  There will be a homework assignment for the weekend regarding this holiday.  See below for details.

Please open your Weebly.com websites and complete a Journal Entry for today on HABIT #3 - FIRST THINGS FIRST.  Describe what the video and conversation yesterday meant to you personally and how you will be "putting the Big Rocks" first in your life.

Finally, you may use the rest of class to get caught up on work that is due.  I will be printing and reviewing your Inspiration9 work today and I will try to post it in class as soon as I can.

Enjoy your weekend!

- Mr. S


HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT for Veterans Day 2012:

Please talk to a veteran that you know.  Find a relative or friend that has served our country in the armed forces and interview them.  Find out when and where they served.  Write a one-page summary of the interview.  Make sure to include how long they served, why they joined, what was the hardest and easiest part of their service, and what they feel about others serving.    Try to include a picture of the person in uniform if possible.  Please email this interview to me so I can print them and post them.  End your summary with how you feel about service in the armed forces and why it is important to serve your country in any capacity.

Thanks for your input on this project.

- Mr. S

Inspiration9 (Continued) & Habit #3 (9/3)

Today you will start by viewing the Habit #3 Video (Covey - 7 Habits Training - First Things First)  Make sure you complete the third question on your 7 Habits worksheet and rewrite Habit #3 in your own words.  When that is completed, you may continue to work on your Inspiration9 projects.  You must save each project (Venn Diagram, City Exploration Research Project, Timeline & Family Tree) as a PDF (FILE, EXPORT TO PDF) on the desktop.  Then open your GMAIL account and COMPOSE a new email to me.  ATTACH your PDF drawings to the email and add your name to the SUBJECT LINE.  Hit SEND to send the email to me and turn in your work.  I will print your submission, grade it, and post it in class.  These are very creative and I appreciate all of your efforts.

Thanks,

- Mr. S

Inspiration9 Family Tree & Timeline (9/2)

Today you will continue to design graphic organizers on Inspiration9.  Please recreate a Personal Timeline and Family Tree from your Guidance sessions in a digital format.  You must create these from scratch.  Include all of the items from your worksheets in your Guidance folder.  Make sure you include extended family (Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters, Etc.)  See the sample below for some more clarity.  Good Luck!

- Mr. S

Inspiration9 - City Research Project (9/1)

City Exploration Research Graphic Diagram.

Over the next two days you will create a web for a city in the United States. Click on the picture above to see my example.  You will be assigned a city today.  You  will be responsible for creating an identical web to the one described.  Please include the following data:

City Facts:  Year Founded, Longitude, Latitude, Population, Area, Time Zone, and Mayor's Name.
Also include major industries, professional sports teams, colleges, historical places, museums, and weather information.  Each place you list will need to have a link to the website that corresponds to it.  Weather can link to any local news station, but other links must be the official sites for those places, not some other site or advertisement.  You can use all of my formatting, or create your own diagrams.  You must include the same headings and topics.  You must also use different colors for each section.  If you have any questions, just ask or email me a question.  This project is worth 100 points toward your Marking Period grade.  Good Luck!!  Mr. S

GRADING RUBRIC

5 pts - USA Symbol/Name Connection
           Title Block:  Student Name, ID#, Class (College), City Exploration Project, Date
5 pts - STATE Symbol - (If Available)
10 pts - At Least Two Colleges
10 pts - At Least Two Industries
10 pts - Two Companies Per Industry
10 pts - Information Box
10 pts - At Least Two Museums
10 pts - At Least Two Professional / Amatuer Sports
10 pts - Weather Information\
10 pts - Overall Neatness, Completeness, Spelling and Layout
10 pts - WebLink Bibliography Included in Email
             Bibliography Box must include links for every site you use.
_____

100 points Total Score

Politics, Testing, Catch Up (8/3)

Use today to work on projects for your Political Campaigns.  In addition, please complete the STAR Reading and Math Tests as outlined in yesterday's post.  Finally, you can work on the VENN Diagram for Wednesday.  Keep up the good work in my room!  Have a great weekend!

- Mr. S

Political Fun And Benchmarks (8/2)

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 VENN Diagram in Inspiration9 from yesterday.  You may also work on anything you need to create for the General Elections on Monday!

- Mr. S