10 Facts about Me assignment

Several of you did not post your definitions to the wikispaces page - not a good start.  DON'T FORGET!  TOMORROW IS YOUR FIRST VOCAB QUIZ - BE READY!

To begin today you need to open Word and review from yesterday with the M and the X.  Again, make sure you are using the correct fingers!

After completing your warmup you are going to start working on your first in-class assignment.  The assignment is an email assignment that is very simple.  You will be sending me this email, and in the email you will write down 10 facts about yourself.  However, each fact has to be related to the number that it is next to.  If you watch this video it will explain what you are to do:



Again, here are the steps you need to complete EVERYTIME you send an email:

1.  type in the correct email (usually the two biggest mistakes people make are misspelling the email, or typing in the wrong domain name - for example .org instead of .com)
2.  always, always, always include a subject line! (this tells the reader why you are sending the email)
3.  type the name of the person you are sending the email to at the top of the message box
4.  type in your message
5.  type in your name (if you have a signature this is taken care of - 4th hour we'll have to take care of creating a signature when I return because I think I forgot to show you how to do this) 

The message part of your email will include 10 facts about you.  To reiterate, you need to include 10 facts about yourself that I wouldn't know about you otherwise.  In other words, you CAN'T include "I hav e 10 toes" for fact #10, or "I have 2 hands" for fact #2, or "I have 1 mother", and so on.  These are all facts that I already know - you must include facts that I wouldn't know about you just by looking at you.  Here is a small example:

1. I have one sister
2. I have been to Great America-Chicago twice
3. I have 3 kids
4. I have been to Lake of the Ozarks 4 times.

When you are done you will email me your assignment.  My email is dpardoe@dist228.org.    

New keys M and X Wednesday

Today we are going to move forward with learning the keys on the keyboard.   Believe it or not we only will have 4 letters left to learn after today.  We are making progress!!

Today the two keys we learn will be the M (R1 finger) and the X (L3).  These are both awkward reaches - the M because you really have to move your index finger towards your palm and little finger; the X because you are keying with your ring finger, which is difficult enough as is, but now you have to move it down and towards your palm.

The best way to overcome the difficulties of these reaches is to make sure you are using good technique!  Make sure you are ALWAYS!! using the correct fingers - no matter how fast or slow you may be.

And...surgery went well.  I am still sore but I am now on the road to recovery!

Pop quiz; New keys

****REMINDER**** - ALL VOCAB WORDS SHOULD BE POSTED ON THE WIKI PAGE BY TONIGHT!! IF NOT, YOU DO NOT RECEIVE GRADED CREDIT.

To start the day you will be having a pop quiz over things that we have covered in class.  This will again be a short quiz.

After completing the quiz, you will be reviewing keys we have already learned.  Once we are done reviewing, we will add 2 new keys to what we have already learned.  They will be the B and Y (I know some of you have already learned these keys, but you are going to learn them "again").  To key the B you use your L1 finger (this is the longest reach for any of the letter keys...and YES!!!, you use your LEFT INDEX finger).  The Y is keyed with the R1 finger.

First vocab quiz week; signatures in Google

This Friday you will be taking your first vocab quiz.  As with any class it will probably take you one quiz to get acclimated to how I ask questions and how to prepare for our quizzes.

Our quizzes are taken online, and can only be taken here at school.  If you miss a quiz you must come into the room to retake the quiz - therefore makeups can only be done before school, during homeroom, at lunch recess or after school (unless we happen to find some extra time in class to complete it - but you'll need my approval to do that).

In order to take the quizzes online you must have an account at the website that houses the quizzes.  The name of that website is Classmarker - the website is www.classmarker.com.  My suggestion is that you go to that website and bookmark it so you don't have to remember the website.  The nice thing about this website is that it grades your quizzes immediately - therefore as soon as you submit your quiz you will know exactly what your grade is.  However, you will not know which questions you missed because I don't want 3rd hour students telling 7th hour students the answers to the questions.

The login procedures here will be fairly easy...your login will be your first name and the first 3 letters of your last name (and some people may have a number that they will have to include after their last name).  There are no spaces to your username.   The password is congo and then the hour you have Computer Applications (for example, 3rd hour's password is congo3).

I want everyone to log into Classmarker, Google, and also your Wikispaces account.  The Wikispaces pages for each class can now be accessed by clicking on your class hour on the Vocabulary page.  That will take you to your class' Wikispaces page, but you will still need to log into your account so that you can access the Wiki and then edit the page with your definitions.

I will be gone the rest of this week and possibly next Monday for a minor surgery so I want to make sure that everyone is capable of accessing their accounts.  Mrs. Glazier will be here and can help, but I want to try to get any problems out of the way today.

While I am gone my expectation is that you will be on your best behavior.  It's hard enough with as many people as there are in here, but for someone who is coming into the room from the outside it is even more difficult.  Please help to make Mrs. Glazier's week enjoyable.

Google Accounts and Wikispaces pages

Today we are going to double check and make sure that our Google accounts are active and working.  Additionally, you should have an email from Wikispaces regarding being signed up for a new Wikispaces page - we will be logging into that account as well so we can make sure that you can access this page for the vocab.

Google - you will not be allowed to chat during class time.  This is a violation of the computer lab policy and you will suffer consequences if you are seen talking with someone else on chat in Google.  If you don't know how to chat, then you don't have to worry about this!

Continue creating Google accounts; Learn B & Y

3rd and 4th hours will be learning the W and Right Shift keys.

6th and 7th hours will be creating their Google accounts.  Depending on how many people we have create accounts in these 2 classes we may be able to have 8th hour create their accounts, but it will be doubtful.

If it is not possible, 8th hour will be learning to key the B (L1) and the Y (R1).

Setting up Google accounts; Learn W and Right shift key

Today, during 3rd and 4th hours, we will begin our process of creating a Google account.  I will need to have from you, once you have created your account, your Gmail account and password.  I do this not to invade your privacy, but instead to alleviate having to recreate accounts in case you forget your password information.

For those not creating accounts we will learn 2 new keys today.  They are the W (L3) and the Right Shift Key (R4).

U & C (new keys); vocabulary and wikis; creating Google accounts

Today we have several things to accomplish.  We are going to start by discussing the vocabulary and how it works in class.  I will show you using 3rd hours' example that is posted on the blog (I don't have any other classes done at the moment).

However, in order to complete this as necessary you are going to need a Google account.  We will be working on that tomorrow through Friday.  You will need a cell phone, or the cell phone of a friend, in order to receive a text message and verify your information.  So, if you have a cell phone we will be using it in class one day this week to get signed up in Google (keep it in your locker - I'll let you know when you can go and get it).

We also will be learning 2 new keys today - the C (L2) and the U (R1).

End of Week #2

We have covered a lot of territory in the couple of weeks we have been in class.  Today we are going to use as a practice day - there will be no learning of new keys.

To start, what I want you to do is pick 2 lines from each of pages 5-9 (excluding sections 2E and 3F) and type them in Word.

Once you have completed these 10 lines, then you need to go to the Sense Language website listed on the Website Resources page on the blog.  Once you get to the website you will need to click on "Keyboarding Tutorials".  Next, click on "Lessons".  Please do each of the first 5 lessons listed here.

If you get done with these and there is still time left in class, you can choose any of the practice websites listed on the Website Resources page.  BUT!!, you must keep your speed skin on the keyboard and you must be on one of the Website Resource practice sites.

If you would rather practice by typing something out of the book, then you are welcome to go back to Word and type lines from the book.

Shift and period; bookmarking

In my class you are allowed 4 exits for the semester.  These can be used whenever needed, but you are only going to get 4 of these to use.  If you do not use these, at the end of the semester the ones you have not used will be counted as extra credit.  When you want to use one, this is the process you should go through:

1. Grab a sheet from the countertop
2. Come ask me to go to the restroom/locker
3. Take the sheet with you (it will act as your hall pass)
4. Bring the sheet back and put in the gray tray

Believe it or not we have already learned 15 of the 26 letter keys (over half).  We are making good progress - let's keep it up!!

The two new keys for today will be not be letter keys.  The Left Shift Key (L4) and the period (R4) will be learned today.  

Reminders/suggestions; N and G

A couple of things to keep in mind as you are keying:

1. Your forearms should not be resting on your thighs.  If they are you have to be slumped over to do that, and therefore you are not sitting up straight.
2. Keeping your keyboard at the edge of the countertop helps to keep your forearms, wrists, and palms off of the countertop - which you should not be doing.
3. The speedskins slide around slightly - sorry, but there's nothing that can be done about it.  Do your best even though the speed skin may move slightly.
4. When you are keying you want to stay in a "rhythm".  You have probably noticed that when I read through a line it's very rhythmical - this is to help you learn the keys in a way that will help you stay in that rhythm once you key on your own.  The best way to key is to keep a steady pace for long periods of time rather than type 4 or 5 letters, then pause, then type 4 or 5 letters, pause again, and continually repeat this process.

The new keys for today include the N (R1) and the G (L1).  These should be fairly easy as you will be using the index fingers on each hand to type these keys.

New keys O and T

Today we will add the O and the T to our arsenal of keying expertise.  The O will be the most difficult as you will be using your right ring finger (R3); the T (L1) should be fairly easy despite being one of the two keys on the keyboard that doesn't follow the "normal" techniques based on the offset of the keys on the keyboard.

2 new keys; technique sheet

I will be passing out a technique sheet at the beginning of the hour.  This was embedded on the blog on Friday's blogpost and we discussed this during our short class period on Friday.  When you get yours make sure to put your first and last name at the top.

We also will be learning 2 new keys today - the I (R2) and the R (L1).  

The theme for this week is "Perfect practice makes perfect".  

Review

With shortened hours today we are only going to review what we have learned so far.  Again, today's focus is on using the correct fingers on the correct keys.  However, you also need to continue to work on using the other proper techniques that we have discussed in class.  All of those techniques are listed on the following technique sheet, which is what I will use to grade you when it comes time to be graded on technique.  This can also be found on the Website Resources page of the blog.

techniquesheet

Work to improve

As I mentioned yesterday, the harder you work today at doing things correctly the easier it will be tomorrow.  You are going to be frustrated...it's not going to be easy...but if you work the techniques correctly now you will be much better later.

As you work on our exercises today concentrate hard on using the correct fingers.  Forget about making mistakes (oops...I just made one while typing this!), don't worry about keying fast - just concentrate on making sure you are using the correct fingers on the correct keys.

The other techniques will help you to make small differences.  But, small differences now will add up to be large differences later.

Page 4 - all lines once
Page 5 - learn the H (R1) and the E (L2)

Home row method

You are going to be learning how to key using the Home Row method and touch typing technique.  What the Home Row method means is that everything you do will be based on the home row and where your fingers rest on the home row.  Additionally, a touch typing technique requires that you use your physical senses (in other words the feeling in your fingers) to key rather than visual senses.  What this means is that through practice you will be able to key without looking at the keyboard.

In order to be able to do that at a proficient level you to fight through the urge to constantly look at your keyboard.  This will probably be a "weird sensation" - you are used to using your visual senses to help you accomplish what you do on a daily basis.  But, with practice, it is possible (we'll use an example in class).  

Today we will begin learning the keyboard.  We start with the home row - it will be important that you "master" the home row because everything else on the keyboard will flow from the home row.

Day 2

We will finish covering the Computer Network policy today.

After that is done we will start with learning of the keyboard.  If you missed what I said yesterday, there is really only one way to learn to key, and you will be learning it here in class.  Literally millions (maybe billions) of people have learned the "Home Row" method of keying.  

To give you a little history...the keyboard that you are using is called the QWERTY keyboard.  It has been in existence for over 125 years (created in 1875) and is by far and away the most commonly used keyboard.  There is another keyboard layout (it is called the DVORAK keyboard), but it has not been in existence as long as the QWERTY keyboard, and it is not as popular in its use.

Learning to key is a skill - just like playing an instrument or playing a sport - and therefore it takes practice, and lots of it, to become good at it.  My goal is to help you get better, but I can't help you get better if you don't TRY to get better yourself.  In other words, you have to make an effort to improve - it doesn't just happen. 

Today we will start with the home row and learn to use the keys on the home row as well as how to arrange our work station.

Welcome back!

Welcome back!  I hope your Christmas break was refreshing and enjoyable!

Welcome to Computer Applications!  Today we are going to talk about a variety of introductory items that are important for this class.  There are going to be many applications of computers and computer knowledge that you are going to learn this semester.  Some are going to be very challenging, others are going to be fun, but most importantly all of you are going to walk out of this class at the end of May with a trunkful of knowledge.

To give you an idea of what you will be learning and doing this semester, here is a list of some of the things that we will be doing this semester:

1. Learn to key using the correct fingers on the correct keys
2. Learn to format documents in Microsoft Word
3. Create a blog
4. Create an email account in Google (if you already have one, you're one step ahead of the game!)
5. Learn how to correctly send emails
6. Learn Internet Safety
7. Create a podcast
8. Learn over 100 words associated with computers
9. Learn how computer programmers think
10. Use a wiki page

There will undoubtedly be other things that we will accomplish, but this list should give you an idea of the variety of things that we do in here.

You should have a thumb/flash/USB drive that you will be using in this class (those in Design & Tech will also be using it in that class...don't lose it!).  This will be something that you will not need right away, but eventually it will be an important part of the class.

For today, we are going to start with learning about the room and the computer.  

I also want to let you know that you will be having regular vocabulary quizzes in here.  There are 10 lists of words that will be covered.  Those lists include topics like The Internet, Software, Hardware, Multimedia/Graphics, and others.  More on this later (there will not be a vocab list this week or next week).  You may also have regular pop quizzes - if you are paying attention in class these should not be difficult to complete.

For this class, I grade on a point basis which means each assignment is given a point value.  For example, an assignment may be worth 10 points.  If you get 8 points on the assignment in Skyward I'm going to enter 8.  For those of you who prefer percentages - sorry, I just have never entered my grades that way.  If you want to figure out your percentage you can take the number of points you get on an assignment and divide by the number of points possible (8/10 = 80%, a C).  Here is the breakdown for the First Quarter:

Technique = 15% of your overall grade

Assignments = 50%

Quizzes = 30%

Timed writing (some call this a speed test) = 5% 

These are "guesstimates" - they may change slightly by the time the end of the quarter rolls around, but you should be able to use these as a guideline.

Ok, let's get started with Computer Applications!

To begin with we are going to look at the Computer Lab use agreement that you have agreed to (probably without your knowledge).  It can be located here (go to page 17).

This is an important document as it explains what your responsibilities are as a student and it also protects the school.  More than likely your parents agreed to all of these policies on your behalf - what that means is that you are required to follow these rules in order to be able to use the computer you are going to be sitting in front of in this class.