Avatar & Blabberize (20/1)

Create and Avatar & Blabberize

Good Morning Class!!

Spend some time finding out what an Avatar is....Write 1-2  paragraphs on what an Avatar is and how it is used online.  Use the website below to create your own avatar and show it to me before class ends today!

http://www.voki.com/create.php


Next....

Create a Blabberize project.  Take any picture of your historical figure (Facebook Project) and add some text (A Famous Quote) and have fun with this...

Email me the link to your Blabberize Project and post both to your website....

Have Fun With This,

Mr. S

EDMODO Start Up

All:

In addition to completing assignments for the 2nd Marking Period.  Please use a few minutes to sign up for, and connect to, our new collaboration tool:  EDMODO

Everyone will go to http://www.edmodo.com (Click Here) and create a personal EDMODO Page.  Use the group code:  kgfvkm

You will be joining our online collaboration tool.

RULES FOR USE

1.  This is for education purposes only.  ALL Posts and Responses will be monitored.  Anyone abusing the privilege of using this site for any reason will be written up according to School District of Philadelphia rules and regulations.

2.  All items are public and cannot be considered private.  I reserve the right to moderate, censor, or delete content.

3.  This will be the primary tool for completing quizzes and other information for the remainder of the year.  Use it to collaborate with students in other classes on projects.  Good Luck!!

ComicLife Biography Project - MLK DAY (18/4 - 19/1)

Ok Everyone,

Today you will choose an African-American Historical figure from my list and create a 1 page comic book page about that person's biography.   Include where they are from, what significant contributions they have made, and why they are a prominent historical figure.  Your page must include when and where they were born, some reference to where they lived, and where they are now.  I encourage you to create your page with some "flow" to it.  You must collect pictures to go with your story and then use ComicLife to create the comic book pages.  We will work on one together in class today and your story is due by the end of class tomorrow (your next class day). No two projects can be on the same person.

Use these websites to choose a historical figure:

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/bhmbios1.html

http://history1900s.about.com/od/people/tp/famousafricanamericans.htm

I found the first sample to the right online.  The sample below was created by me this morning in about 10 minutes.  Take your time and use the whole page please.

You will be graded on the following basis:

30 points - Accuracy of Historical Facts
20 points - Grammar and Spelling
20 points - Creativity and Layout
30 points - Turning it in completely and on time.

Good Luck and Have Fun!!  Final Projects should be submitted in JPEG(image) and PDF(adobe) format by emailing me at my school address.  I will compile them and you will see them all next Wednesday and try to print them in color to display them.  Get to work!!

When you are finished, I will review it for accuracy and return a copy if you need to make changes.  If there are no changes and you are finished, you may begin working on any additional work you have to finish for the 2nd Marking Period.  My grades close at 4pm on January 29th, 2013.

Mr. S

Resume & Cover Letter II (18/3)

Today you will be working on completing your Resume and Cover Letter.  Please follow the instructions listed on the original post for this project (CLICK HERE) .  Below are some additional resources and examples to help you:

Resume Online Resources (ReadWriteThink.org)  - These are some websites that might help you out.

Resume Planning Worksheet - This is the worksheet I am passing out in class to help you organize your thoughts before you start writing.

There are samples of what you should be creating below.  Please keep in mind the importance of using ACTION WORDS in your statements on your resume.

RESUME & COVER LETTER QUIZ:

1.  What is a resume?

2.  Why do you need one?

3.  List at least three (3) parts of a resume:
  a.

  b.

  c.

4.  How would you customize/tailor a cover letter?

5.  Explain what you learned during this lesson (2-3 Sentences):

6.  What is your dream job?  What experience and education will you need to get that job?
 

Resume Action Words

This is a beginning list of action words often used in resumes to provide potential employers with a clear and specific impression of what resume writers have done and what they can do.  As you continue your research on what makes a professional resume, add your own additional action words that you find to the section below. You will use these when drafting your own resume:

Adapted, Advanced, Advised, Assisted, Built, Chaired, Coached, Collected, Communicated, Coordinated, Conducted, Constructed, Created, Delivered, Designed, Displayed, Drafted, Encouraged, Established, Explained, Facilitated, Fashioned, Generated, Identified, Informed, Inspected, Installed, Instructed, Interpreted, Located, Made, Maintained, Monitored, Organized, Oversaw, Participated, Planned, Presented, Programmed, Promoted, Provided, Raised, Recorded, Researched, Reviewed, Revised, Selected, Shaped, Supervised, Taught, Tested, Tracked, Trained, Updated, Worked, Wrote

You may use any MS WORD Template you wish as a start.  Here is the link to the help wanted advertisement used in the example for Joe Smith (Crossroads Student):  HELP WANTED AD LINK  You may even create a simple resume like the one below:

 

 Once you have created your Resume and Cover Letter, please email me the PDF files for credit.  Thanks!

- Mr. S

Resume & Cover Letter (18/2)

Finally, we are at one of the most important lesson topics of the year.  Your resume and cover letter will be a living document.  That means that it will evolve and change over the course of your life depending on your experience, education, interests and job history.  All of these experiences will be added in a one-page summary of what you will bring to the table for a future employer.  Other organizations will also need to see a resume. RESUME & COVER LETTER QUIZ TOMORROW!!

1. Resume (DEFINITION): 

Dictionary.com

re·su·me

² [rez-oo-mey, rez-oo-mey] Show IPA

noun

résumé.

ré·su·mé

[rez-oo-mey, rez-oo-mey] Show IPA

noun

1.

a summing up; summary.

2.

a brief written account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience, as that prepared by an applicant for a job.

Also, resume, re·su·mé.

Origin:
1795–1805;  < French,  noun use of past participle of résumer  to resume, sum up 

VISUAL THESARUS

2. Why Do You Need One?

 STYLE / CONTENT / SIZE

3. Resume Breakdown:

 VIDEO - "The Quick Resume & Cover Letter Video"
  

4. Resume Builder 

WEBSITE - READWRITETHINK.ORG Resume Builder

5. Cover Letter

Tailor IT!

6.  JOB SEARCH

Monster.com / Philly.com / Careerbuilder.com 

PRACTICAL EXERCISE:
1.  Using one of the websites above (Or any other website you like), find a job you are interested in.
1a. Email the link for the job to the instructor. (Copy& Paste Link into body of email).
2.  Create a resume for yourself using the Resume Builder on ReadWriteThink.org (PDF file)
3.  Re-Type or Cut&Paste your resume into MS WORD.  You may use any template you like as a guide.
4.  Create a Cover Letter for your RESUME for the job you have chosen.
5.  Save your Resume & Cover Letter as PDF files and email them to your instructor.

Grading Rubric:
10 pts - Emailed Link To Job to Instructor
10 pts - Resume Builder (ReadWriteThink.org) PDF file
50 pts - Resume (MS Word PDF File) 
     05 pts - Title Block
     05 pts - Objective
     10 pts - Experience/Work History
     10 pts - Education
     10 pts - Other Skills / Additional Information
     10 pts - Grammar, Spelling, Layout
30 pts - Cover Letter (Proper Format, Layout, Grammar, Spelling)

This is one of the most important assignments you can learn to create.  Good Luck!!

- Mr. S

College Inquiry Project II Rubric (18/1)

You should be finishing your College Inquiry Project - Part II about a college or university of your choice.  I am posting a sample below of the college I completed as a reference.  Please send it to me in the following format:

 

When you have completed the assignment, email it to me with the following

SUBJECT LINE:  (Your Last Name) College Project II - (Name of College or School)

Good Luck,

- Mr. S

College Inquiry Quiz

Everyone,

Below are the questions for the College Inquiry Quiz (Please Copy&Paste into an email and submit them for credit if you missed these days):

1.  Name:
2.  College:
3.  What or who is your college mascot?  What are the colors of your school?
4.  What is another name for an undergraduate degree and how many years does it take to get?
5.  What does "tuition" mean and approximately how much is the tuition at your school?
6.  Tell me two clubs that your college offers:
7.  What is "work study"?
8.  Tell me what you need to do to KEEP a sports scholarship:
9.  Tell me two different things that the mymajor.com quiz asks for:
10.  Tell me two activities that you can do off of your campus:

Good Luck!

- Mr. S

College Inquiry Project Part II

Now that you have completed your research about the college you will visit, and you have finished the presentations and taken the quiz, here is the final part of the assignment:

You must now pick a college of your choice to research.  You will submit a 1-2 page summary of the college (Not Cut & Paste From A Website).  You must include at least 2 paragraphs with an overall introduction to the college or university.  You may Cut & Paste that from the main website.  See the example in the next post online.  Here is the other criteria you need to include:

College Name
College Address
Major Area of Study you would be interested in.
Sport you are interested in participating in.
Fraternity/Sorority you might belong too.
Extra-curricular activity you might be in.
What dorm you would be in during your freshman year.
How much the school costs (Credit Hour/$)
The name of the Sports Mascot
Name 2 places to eat.
Name 3 things to do around campus
Name 3 things to do off-campus
List the phone number for the following people:

• Dean of Students
• School Police
• Dining Facility
• Sports Complex
• Main Campus Phone Number

Once finished, put all the information in an email and send it to me for credit.  This project is due before the end of the marking period.  Good Luck!!

-Mr. S

College Inquiry Project - (17/3-4)

Today you will begin with a discussion, video and Journal Entry about Habit #5 (Covey) - Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood.  (CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO)

When that is complete we will be introduced to a special project, designed by Mrs. Cohen, to help you gain a better understanding of the colleges you will visit this year.  Each class will investigate, in teams, information about the college they will visit.  The colleges included in this project are as follows:

Arcadia - Arcadia University (WEBSITE)
Cheyney - Cheyney University (WEBSITE)
LaSalle - Penn State - Abington (WEBSITE)
Temple - Chesnut Hill College (WEBSITE)
Widener - Widener University (WEBSITE)

You will be broken down into eight (8) research teams.  Each team will gather information about a specific aspect/topic of college life at the college listed above.  Today you will try to answer the questions outlined in the form online (CLICK HERE TO SEE FORM).

Please be thorough in your investigation of your topic.  During our Day IV this week each group will report out to the class.  You will need to take sufficient notes about your topic and the other presentations to complete a QUIZ on Day IV.  If you pay attention, the quiz should be easy.  In addition to the information about the college listed above, you will also have to investigate at least one more college on your own.  You will have to write a one-page description of the college in your own words and describe why you might want to attend it.  You may use any college, university or trade school you like.  This assignment is due before the end of the Second Marking Period.

Good Luck,

- Mr. S

MS Word - Class Letter Format Layout Guide

The approved letter format for any letter submitted in my class for credit is single-spaced, no larger than 12-font, Times New Roman, and should look like this (Do Not Include Parenthesis Item's In Your Letters):


January 1st, 2013 (Date of Letter)
(Blank Line)
(Blank Line)
Your Name
Your Street Address
Your City, State & Zip Code 
(Blank Line)
(Blank Line)
Send To (Company)
Attn:  Person Letter is To
Their Street Address
Their City, State & Zip Code
(Blank Line)
RE:  Topic of the Letter
(Blank Line)
(Blank Line)
Dear Person's Name/Sir/Madam (Salutation),
(Blank Line)
Introduction Paragraph (Body of Letter)
(Blank Line)
Supporting Paragraphs Separated By Blank Lines
(Blank Line)
Conclusion Paragraph & Thanks For Reviewing Letter
(Blank Line)
Sincerely, (Closing)
(Blank Line) (Signature Area)
(Blank Line)
(Blank Line)
Your Name
Your Title
Additional Contact Info (Email, Phone, Etc)         
   
 

Widener University Engineering Camp for Girls

Please follow the link provided below for more information about Engineering Camp for Girls in Grades 9-12 at Widener University.  The camp is sponsored by The Society of Women Engineers.  It will take place on Saturday, February 9th, 2013 on the Widener Main Campus in Chester, PA. More information is on the website provided.

ENGINEERING CAMP FOR GIRLS at WIDENER UNIVERSITY

Letter to the Editor Draft/Final Draft (17/1-2)

Today you will be working on your Letter to the Editor (MS Word).  Please remember to follow the directions listed on the previous posting (CLICK HERE TO SEE IT).  If you scan down below this posting there is an example of each step and the work you are to turn in at the end of the project tomorrow.  Day III and IV we will be working on a College Inquiry Research Project to help you get ready for your visit to the schools your work groups were named after.  Try to stay focused and on task for the rest of the week!!

LETTER TO THE EDITOR PROJECT QUIZ

1.  What is the definition of an OPINION?

2.  Why would someone write a Letter To The Editor?

3.  Write a 2-3 sentence summary of the article you picked (be specific about the topic and the author's opinion):

4.  How many articles did you review before you chose the article you summarized above?

5.  Explain your opinion about the article you chose and describe (2-3 sentences) what your Letter To The Editor was about (what was your opinion and why):

"You have to respect every person, no matter how miserable or rediculous he or she may be.  You should remember that in every person lives the same spirit which lives in us"
                                           - After Arthur Schopenhauer (A Calendar Of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy)

Have a great day!

-Mr. S

Letter to the Editor Sample Documents (16/2,3,4)

 Today you will be taking a short quiz on your Facebook Historical Research Project.  Please copy and paste the questions below into an email (if you are not in class to take the paper and pencil version of the quiz.  This is to see how much you remember from your research of the Historical Figure that was assigned to you.


Who is your historical figure?

Name three people on your historical figure’s “friend-list”.

   a.

   b.

   c.
Write 2-3 sentences about who your historical figure is/was:

Where did he/she live?  What period of history?

Write 2-3 sentences about what you learned by doing this project:

When you have completed the quiz, and successfully emailed it to me at hscribnercaa@gmail.com, you may continue to work on your Letter to the Editor project.  I have included a sample of what should be turned in for this project below.  Each picture is a step from the original directions.  I have chosen the following article to work with for my example Philly.Com Opinion Article (Click Here)

Article:  "Don't Set School Rules Based On Fear" by Bengston/Maranto (Philly.com Editorial)

STEP 1:  Read the articles about what makes a good "Letter To The Editor"

STEP 2:  Choose an opinion-based article on a topic you are interested in.

STEP 3:  Create a Summary of your article (SEE BELOW):

STEP 4:  Use your Summary to create a PERSUASION MAP (SEE BELOW):

Use your PERSUASION MAP to create a Letter to the Editor in the LETTER CREATOR

Retype your Letter to the Editor using our classroom format (discussed previously) in MS WORD

Email the letter to me at hscribnercaa@gmail.com in both MS Word (.docx) and Adobe (.pdf) format.

Good Luck,

-Mr. S

New Year's Resolutions & Reflections (16/1)

Happy New Year to Everyone!!

Welcome back to Crossroads!  I hope your Holiday Break was relaxing and peaceful, and that you were able to spend some time with family and friends in harmony.  Today you will create a journal entry (Weebly.com) that will help you to explain how you are going to be a better overall person this year.  We all try to make resolutions and keep them, but rarely to they turn into habits that last longer than a few weeks.  Please read the following article "New Year's Resolutions for Teens"  and open a new Journal Entry (Weebly) describing (2-3 Sentences Each) how you might set and keep at least two new Resolutions.  

NEW PROJECT:  Letter To The Editor

Today you will be introduced to "Letters To The Editor".  This project will help you to understand the meaning of the 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.

---

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

---

  
Think about an important issue in your world today.  Find an article online that has an opinion on this article.  You will use the following tools to complete your letters:

STEP 1:  Read "Write an Opinion Piece or a Letter to the Editor for Your Local Newspaper"

You must also read the following article from the New York Times about how to get your letter published:  NYTIMES ARTICLE (Click Here)


STEP 2:  Find An Article on an issue that is important to you online. Use the worksheet "Newspaper Article Summary Questions" to outline your article.  Turn in the Worksheet for credit.
(Email The Link to hscribnercaa@gmail.com)

STEP 3:  Use the following tools to help you outline the article and write the letter.

READWRITETHINK Persuasion Map
READWRITETHINK Letter Generator

STEP 4:  Review the following websites to understand how the media may influence the reporting of subjects and events. 

 ACLU ACTION CENTER    
 FAIR.ORG

STEP 5:  Re-Type the letter you created in the format we have been using in MS Word and SAVE it as a PDF in MS Word and save them as a PDF.  Email your PDF to me at the email above (Step 2)  In your email, include a two paragraph written explanation about why you chose the article and why this topic is important to you.

Your final email should include the link to the article, your Letter to the Editor, and your explanation.  I hope this project gets you thinking about something important and helps you to focus your opinions.

Enjoy!!

- Mr S

Grading RUBRIC

Deliverables (Items That Must Be Turned In): 

1.  Email with link to article must be addressed to hscribnercaa@gmail.com
     Subject:  Letter To The Editor Article
     Email Main Body:  (Paste the link to your article)

2.  Complete the Newspaper Article Summary Questions Worksheet about your article. 
     (Handwritten with your name on it)

3.  Final Emails should include the following items: 

     Persuasion Map (PDF),  Letter Creator (PDF),  MS Word "Letter to the Editor" (PDF and DOCX)
     Body of Email:  2-3 Paragraph Explanation of why you chose this article/topic and paste the link to article
     again for reference purposes.  MS Word letter must be in the class format (See Example Above), include
     proper formatting, date, address, topic, and greeting.  The letter must be no less than 11 font and include
     introduction paragraph, at least two supporting paragraphs, a conclusion paragraph and finish
     appropriately.  The letter must also contain proper grammar, spelling, capitalization and punctuation.

You will be graded using the following rubric:

10 pts - Initial Email with link to article.
15 pts - Newspaper Article Summary Worksheet (Handwritten)
15 pts - Persuasion Map (PDF)
05 pts - Letter Creator (PDF)
55 pts - MS Word "Letter To The Editor"
                5 pts - Both docx and pdf formats sent
                5 pts - Proper heading and addressing.
                20 pts - Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling, and Capitalization
                25 pts - Timely, Appropriate Theme, and Complete Content