Microsoft Excel review; FA12?

As a reminder, if you have definitions for Week 9 vocab (that's this week) you need to make sure to post your definitions to the wiki spaces page no later than tonight to get credit.  If you need help please see me.

Today we are going to review in Microsoft Excel.  It's been almost two weeks since you've done anything with Excel so my guess is most of you have forgotten many of the things we covered before Thanksgiving.  If we get done with our review we will take a look at what you need to know in order to complete FA12, which is also completed using Excel.

Crossword Puzzle 1-5; Keypad

There is no vocab list for this week.  However, next week will be vocab list #6, and if you still have not yet posted definitions on the Wiki spaces page then you have plenty of time to get that completed.  When you post your definitions, you MUST make sure you put your name in parentheses, and you also must make sure that you save once you get done.  After saving check to see if your definitions are on the website - if not, then it is likely someone else is on the website and you'll have to enter them again.  Keep trying until they are on the page after you've saved.

One note as we continue with our formatting activities for this week...many of you are not including a greeting (it can be as simple as "Mr. Pardoe", but it MUST include the name of the person you are sending the email to) and/or a body (it can be as easy as "Here is my FA4") when you are sending emails.  This causes you to lose a point every time you do not include it in your email - and these are easy points to get.  Make a note to yourself to remember to include this when you are sending me assignments through your email.

I will be handing out Crossword Puzzle 1-5; this will cover vocab words from lists 1-5 and will be due Friday.  As always, if you get it done early and want to hand it in before Friday that is perfectly ok.  This is homework - we will not be working on this in class.

We will start today with learning the keypad.  When we practice with the keypad we are going to use Microsoft Excel, so before we start learning the keypad I want to introduce you to Excel.  With the keypad, there is a homerow just as there is with the alphanumeric part of the keyboard, so we'll cover that first.  After that we will begin learning the keypad.

Wikispaces account; Learn Left Shift key and period

Today we will cover how to use your Wikispaces account.  This will be how you post your vocab definitions online.  Any online wiki allows users to change the content of the website; for our class wiki the only people who can change the content are the people in the class - no one else will have access to the wiki.  It is for this reason that using Wikipedia should be used with caution - you can never be sure that the person who edited the website is an expert in the area they posted about online.

After covering how to use the Wikispaces website we will learn the Left Shift key (L4) and the period (R3).

Tuesday half day

With only half a day of school today we will enjoy our time in class with "Word-it" riddles.  You may work with a partner.

Remember that if you have not yet posted definitions for your vocab words on Wiki spaces that you need to get that completed by tonight.

First week of vocab; Learn the I and the R

As a reminder, we do have a vocab quiz at the end of this week.  Just so you know, the vocab quizzes will be online, and we'll make sure that you are able to get into your account later this week.  Again, remember that each quiz is worth 10 points; but also remember that each quiz has at least 11 questions, so if you are able to answer all questions correctly you will receive at least 1 extra credit point.  There isn't any one question that is the extra credit question - each question carries the same weight.  So, you could alternatively look at this as you can miss one question and still get 10/10 on the quiz.

Those of you who are responsible for posting vocab definitions on the wikispaces page need to have that done by Wednesday, August 28.

Also, you will now have passes if you need to leave the room to go to your locker or to the restroom.  You will get 4 exits for the entire semester (that's 4 between now and December).  The ones you don't use will be added to your grade at the end of the semester as extra credit points.  So, as an example, if you use 1 exit pass this semester you will receive 3 extra credit points at the end of the semester.

Today we are going to go back to Word and learn the I (R2) and the R (L1).  Hopefully, by the end of this week, we will have at least 14 of the 26 letters of the alphabet learned.

There is an interesting infographic at this website: Internet infographic      Let's take a look!

Wikispaces; learn I and the R

Today we are going to make sure everyone's got their Wikispaces account and that it is active, and we'll also cover how to log into and edit the Wikispaces page.  Remember, this is where your definitions will need to be posted for the vocabulary review.

After covering that we will add the I and R keys to what we have already learned on the keyboard.

Week 9 vocab (Multimedia/Graphics #1); podcasting; completing work

One of the vocab words for this week is PODCAST.  You will be creating a podcast using the website called VOCAROO.  I will be showing you today how you can create a very simple podcast; you will be doing this on your own OUTSIDE OF CLASS TIME!!! This is due on Friday, May 10 - that's 3 weeks from now to give you plenty of time to complete this project.  However, I highly recommend that you get this done as soon as you can...if you wait until later you will forget and/or not get it done.

The instructions for completing the podcast are as follows:

1. You will use the Vocaroo website to create your podcast, and you will need to make sure that the computer you use has a functioning microphone (all of the computers here at school in the labs and the library have functioning microphones).  
2. The podcast will be you reciting a famous historical speech.  You can choose any speech you want from one of the 3 following websites:
1. Famous quotes
2. American Rhetoric
3. History Place Speeches
3. The podcast ONLY needs to be 1 minute in length; therefore, depending on the speech you choose, you may not have to read the entire speech.
4. After creating the podcast you will embed your podcast on your blog (you will need to give it a proper title).  To do that, click on "HTML Code" at the bottom of the yellow box when you are done with your podcast (shown below).  Copy that information (the HTML code), and then you need to open your blog and create a new post.  In the new post you must click on the "HTML" button BEFORE! you paste the HTML code from Vocaroo!  Once you have this completed you can publish your podcast.
   
5. Once your podcast has been embedded on your blog you will need to send me an email with a link to your blog so I can listen to and grade your podcast.  Please make sure that you include a proper subject line for the email.

For today work on whatever needs to get done (yes that includes vocabulary definitions - if you want to post your definitions to the wiki page you can do that today).  If you have nothing to work on for me you either need a book to read or homework from another class to work on - you will be busy with one of these 2 things the entire hour.

"House cleaning items"; Learn Caps lock and ?

There are several things that have come up recently that need to be taken care of so we make sure we are all on the same page.

WIKI'S:

If you can't get into the Wikispaces page at home, you should be making it a priority to come see me the following morning ASAP!  If you are telling me that your password is not working, you are not typing in your username or your password correctly.  I can't help you with your password other than to say that you need to make sure that you type it in correctly.  However, there is a way to reset your password.  If you look at the image below, this is the sign in screen once you get to the wikispaces page.  To reset your password, type in your username or email, then below the password click on "Forget your password?" (as seen below).

This will send an email to your Gmail account asking you to click on a link and reset your password.  My suggestion is that you follow this procedure if you are unable to get into your Wiki account.

ABSENCES/MAKE UP WORK:

You are responsible for finding out what you missed and then making up the work that you missed while you were absent.  One advantage you have in my class is that you can read the blog from home to find out what we did in class.  It may not always say when an assignment will be due, but by watching what is posted on the blog you will have a pretty good idea of what you missed in class if you are gone.

Additionally, when you fail to submit an assignment when it is due, whether you are sick, on vacation, or for some other reason, your grade in Skyward will be a 0 when I post grades for that assignment.  This does not mean that you cannot still earn full credit - I enter a 0 so that it motivates you to get your assignments done sooner, and so that I don't have to go back and enter a 0 later for those that don't turn the assignment in.

If you are in Band or Choir and have assessments, you are responsible for everything you miss the last 15 minutes of class.  If we have an assignment that is due at the end of a period and you leave before you get yours done you will need to find some other time to complete that assignment; you should turn that assignment in the very next day.  Choosing to be in Band or Choir requires sacrificing class time on your part, but you don't get extra time to complete assignments if you are in Band or Choir like you do if you are sick.

Keying:

Start with typing Lesson 7D, lines 1-10 on page 16 once.  After completing this, move to page 17 and learn the Caps Lock key (L4 - next to the A) and the Question Mark (Left Shift + R4).  

The Caps Lock key is used to type a series of capital letters.  A series means several in a row - if you look in the book you will see what I mean.  You should NOT use the Caps Lock key to type a single capital letter - that's what the shift keys are for.  

The question mark should complete a sentence that is asking a question, and you need to space twice after the question mark.

To learn these 2 new keys I want you to type Lesson 8B, lines 1-6 twice, page 17.

When you get done with this I would like you to go to the following website and practice your speed tests.  This is similar to what we did yesterday in terms of practicing to see how fast you type.  The website is here:  Speed test

Review P and V; Learn Q and comma

**REMINDER**

If you are responsible for posting definitions for week 2 you need to have that done by the end of the day on Tuesday (end of day meaning midnight...but don't stay up until midnight to get it done!).  Check the vocabulary page if you are not sure if it is your week. 

To start today we need to review all of the keys that we've learned so far.  Turn to page 14 in your book and with your Speed Skins on your keyboard type lines 1-10 from Lesson 6E in Microsoft Word.  When you complete those 10 lines begin typing the 6 lines in Lesson 6F in Word.

After our daily warmup, we will be learning the Q (L4) and the comma (R2).  These may be slightly difficult, as the reaches to both are a little awkward.  Concentrate on using your good technique to make the keying easier.

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!

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).

Vocab posted to Wikispaces; Internet Safety

If you are responsible for posting vocab definitions to the Wikispaces webpage you must have that done by tonight!  I will be grading those tomorrow morning so make sure that you get this done if this applies to you.

If you are the vocabulary leader for Week 3 you should be passing out the vocabulary words to your group members sometime today.  This gives your group members an entire week to find a working definition for the word(s) that you give them.

Today you will be working on your Internet Safety movie.  These will need to be completed by the end of class tomorrow.  At this point just save your movie - DON'T PUBLISH YET!  Once we create a blog I will show you how you can post your movie on your blog.

Below is a video that will help you create your blog.  DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL YOU ARE DONE WITH YOUR XTRANORMAL MOVIE!!  Once that has been completed you need to create a blog - the video below will help you to get that objective done.  If you have questions, or have problems setting up your blog please let me know so I can help.

In addition, here are 2 links that may also help you get your blog up and running:
Blogger instructions
About.com instructions to create a blog

Finish Wiki; New keys; review

Today we are going to get everyone on the same page.  We have some who still have not gotten their accounts setup on the class wiki, so for those we will get that done.

There has been one change on the vocab list!! (sorry)  Change processor to modem.  The best definition can be found here:  Tech Terms

Others will be learning new keys (some of the classes still have not yet learned the O and the T).  To type the O use your R3 finger; the T is the L1 finger.

If your class has accomplished all of the above today we will be reviewing and practicing the keys we have learned so far.

In looking forward...we will be starting out Internet Safety project tomorrow.  This will be a project that you will work with a partner on (you can choose your partner).  If we have an odd number of students in the room we will have 1 group with 3 people (if there are problems with creating groups I will decide the groups).  This project will take roughly 2 weeks to complete, and we will use class time to complete the project.  2 weeks is more than enough time to get this done IF you work hard during class.

Posting on a Wiki page

Technique sheets - will be handed out and you will need to sign.  Please enter your first and last name at the top, then hand back to the end of the row.

Today we are going to go back to our wiki page and learn how to enter a definition on the Wiki for all to read and use for review.  Each hour's wiki page is as follows:

amazon3.wikispaces.com
amazon4.wikispaces.com
amazon6th.wikispaces.com
amazon7th.wikispaces.com
amazon8.wikispaces.com

Remember, you can also get to your respective wiki page by clicking on your hour (i.e. "3rd Hour") above the spreadsheet on the vocabulary page (the spreadsheet has the X's on it).

If you are the leader for this week, please make sure that your group members have the words that they are responsible to define before they leave class today!!

We will learn 2 new keys today - the O (R3) and the T (L1).

Wikispaces & Vocabulary

Today we are going to work on getting everything set up for our vocabulary lists and quizzes.  This is important because next week is our first vocabulary quiz.

All of the vocabulary lists are included on the blog so if you need to know which words are going to be used for which week you can refer to the information on the Vocabulary page on the blog (gmscomputerapps.blogspot.com/p/vocabulary.html).  The list of vocab words is at the very bottom of the page.

The way vocabulary works in here is probably much different than what you are used to.  Each of you will be responsible for defining words on 3 different occasions (or weeks).  How many words you are required to define depends on how many others are responsible for the same week.  For example, some weeks in some classes there are 12 words and 6 people defining words - that means that each person would have 2 words to define.  But there are also weeks where there are 12 words and 7 people; in this scenario 5 people would have to define 2 words and 2 people would define 1 word.

Also, on the vocabulary page on the blog is a list of each student in each class.  The classes are listed in order, and next to your name you will find 3 X's that represent the weeks you are responsible for defining words (as was described in the last paragraph).  If you have an X that is highlighted in yellow, that means that you are responsible for dividing up the words amongst your group members for that week.  YOU MUST TELL YOUR GROUP MEMBERS WHICH WORDS THEY ARE TO DEFINE AT LEAST ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE!!

Vocab word definitions should be posted on the Wiki no later than Tuesday night.  Group leaders - this means that you should tell your group members their word(s) by Tuesday of the week before you're definitions are due.  

The definitions you post should have something to do with computers.  Additionally, the definitions should be easy to understand.  If you read it and it doesn't make any sense, then other people probably will not understand it either.  There are plenty of websites that you can use to get a good, quality definition from.  Here are several (these are also posted on the vocabulary page so you can go there to use these when it is your turn to define a word):

http://www.techterms.com/
http://pc.net/glossary/
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon.htm
http://www.mhhe.com/business/buscom/gregg/docs/appd.pdf
http://www.math.utah.edu/~wisnia/glossary.html#m

If you need help...that's why I'm here.  Ask me if you're not sure what the definition means or are not sure what part of the definition you found is most important for everyone else to understand.  

Last week of work!

This week (which is our final week of class) we have 3 assignments that need to get completed.  The first one has already been given to you...last week I told you about the Edmodo discussion - it will be due Wednesday.  In case you forgot, here is the discussion prompt:

The year is 2032 (that's 20 years from now)...think of some sort of technology that you frequently use - how has that current technology changed?  Or what new technology, that we don't have now, is a part of our everyday life?  Post your response with an original answer before responding to at least 2 of your classmates.

In addition to that, you also will be having a vocab quiz on Friday over list #10 (Multimedia & Graphics, part 2).  If you are responsible this week for defining words on the Wikispaces page that should be done by tonight.

If you did not complete FA12 from Friday, that needs to be handed in today in order for it to not be considered late!

You are going to start today with 2 short videos. The first video will help to explain what a pixel is, and the second video will explain a bitmap image (you'll also learn about a vector image, but a vector image is not part of the vocab list for this week).

This video will help to explain what pixels are


This first video will help you to understand bitmap images


After watching the 2 videos, you'll be starting on the last project of the year, which is in Alice.  Your assignment in Alice is embedded below - this is a graded assignment!!  This is due Friday, so must be emailed to me no later than the end of class on Friday.

Alice project grading rubric

Final Alice project

Review numbers

To begin today we are going to review all of the numbers that we went through yesterday.

1. Start by typing 14B, lines 1-4 on p. 31 once.  
2. Then move to 14D, lines 1-8, p. 32 once.

If you get these done, there is a handout that you need to type (the handout is in a folder labeled "crazy facts" by the printer).  If you get this done, raise your hand and I will come look at what you have typed.  I will have something else for you to do.

Today will be one of the exception days - if you have not posted your definition to Wikispaces you need to do that in class today after you complete steps 1 and 2 above.  Confer with your group to make sure that there is not more than one person entering information at the same time.

Last letter key!

Several things for today:

1. If you haven't posted your definition to Wikispaces, you should have that done by tonight.
2. Your Edmodo assignment is due next Monday, but since you don't have school next Monday I would highly recommend that you get this completed as soon as possible.  If you wait until the last minute you will likely forget to do it.
3. Vocab - what does FAQ stand for, and what is it?

We will begin our keying today with a little practice.  On page 15, type 7B all lines once, and if you get that done type all lines on 7C once.

The last letter that we need to learn is the Z.  You will use your left little finger (L4) to type it - make sure to anchor on the F with your index finger so you don't lose your spot on homerow.  In addition, today you will learn the colon; it looks like this   :   It is on the same key as the semicolon (;), but you use the left shift key along with the semicolon key to type a colon. Also, you need to space twice after a colon (you only space once after a semicolon).   

If we have time you can practice using the following websites.

Foggies

Rainy

Barracuda

Blind assignment

Today we are going to do the blind assignment that we practiced last week.  This required you to close your book, cover your keyboard with your speedskin, and then click CTRL/F3 to move your document off of your screen so that you can't see it either.

Just as we did last week, we will go through a series of words that you will be expected to key in your Word document.  I will say each word, then spell it, then say it again and spell it again.  Once we are done, you will print out your document (this is one of the few assignments that will actually be printed out).

Before we start this assignment we will have some time to practice and review the keyboard.

Once we are done, I would like to go back to the same website that we used yesterday since we didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked on it.  Access the website here.

If you have not completed your definitions on the wikispaces vocab page you need to get that done.  I will be grading this tomorrow - if yours is not done you will not earn credit.

Formatting Activity 1

I will be handing out technique sheets for the next week today - you will again be graded over the next week on how well you follow the technique skills that are required in the class.

Vocabulary -
It's important that several things are happening for the vocab lists on Wikispaces:

1. You must have the definitions to your words posted by Wednesday night.
2. Make sure to put your name in parentheses after your definition
3. Your definition needs to be understandable - if it is too difficult for you to understand your classmates aren't going to understand it either.
4. If you are a weekly leader, please have your words divided up so that you can hand them out no later than on Monday of the week you are scheduled to define words.  This way your "teammates" can have their words defined by Wednesday.
5. If you are having trouble - see me.  That's what I'm here for.  I can't help you if you don't say something about what is wrong.  Come see me before school, or during homeroom, or during lunch recess if you need me to help.  Some of you had problems logging in - I can't possibly know that without you telling me, so you have to speak up.  

Today we are going to start on our first Formatting Activity.  I will go over with you some of the information you will need to know for the activity before we start, so there should be no one working on this assignment until I am done explaining what you need to know in Word.

Formatting Activity 1