Apr 18-22

Spring break is here...I hope all of you have a rejuvenating time off.

Kindergarten: We had a bit of a failure this week.  We tried to find our work from last week, open it, then add some stamps as menu items.  Unfortunately, by the time we opened their work and talked about the stamps, we had run out of time...hopefully we can finish it up and print it out after the break.

1st Grade: The students finished up their four slides about the day in the life of a 1st grader.  The added text and graphics, making sure to have a clearly defined subject for each slide.  Next week, we will put the slides together into a Kid Pix slide show.

2nd Grade: We continued typing instruction this week.  The students learned about the keys associated with the index finger.  We talked about striking the keys and returning  to the home row.  We also talked about the no pass line.  The students practiced on their paper keyboards then typing in Appleworks on the computers.

3rd Grade: The students ran the spell checker on their work and printed it out.  We talked about the spell checker only being a system of dictionary verification and not a grammar or word usage checker.
Homework:

4th Grade: We put some of the finishing touches on our brochures.  The students printed them out the week prior but there were some errors on their work, so I went through their work with them individually.  We didn’t finish, so we will work on these after the break.
Homework:

5th Grade: We began an introduction to presentation materials.  We talked using multiple slides in a slide show to supplement a topic that you are teaching us about.  We talked about the presentation should not overwhelm the audience or draw all of their attention.  We talked about the rule of seven and conservation when using graphics.  We talked about the methods for putting clipart, text, and drawings into their slides and how to make multiple slides.
Homework:

6th Grade: We discussed and defined Spreadsheets.  We covered columns vs. rows, cells, entering data, sorting data, functions, customizing column/row width/height, and changes to font size, color, shape, etc.  
Homework:

7th Grade: We talked about adding voiceover to the movie.  Students recorded their commentary or sounds effects in iMovie and manipulated it.  We also talked about problems people were having with other parts of the assignment.
Homework: Add voiceover and finish reviewing the movie.

8th Grade: We continued to film the movie.  The students will probably have to stay after school during the day of the in-service to finish up filming.
Homework:

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at matt@wornickjds.org

Have a great weekend!!!

===================================
Matt Harris
Director of Technology
Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Apr 11-15

Warning....Warning....Warning...Projects ending ahead...

Our students have done such a great job on these projects...keep an eye on the pupil’s express because I will be announcing where to find these finished projects.  Great job...

Kindergarten: We started a small project this week.  The students began creating a menu in Kid Pix.  They are using stamps to designate food items, typing tool for title and prices, and the paint bucket to fill in the background.  I saved their work for them this week...next week we will open their work, finish it, and print it.

1st Grade: We began our last project in Kid Pix this week.  Last year, the 1st created a single Kid Pix document, split into four sections, about the day in a life of a 1st grader.  When they finished, we invited the Kindergarteners and they showed their work to them.  This year the students are creating a slide show.  They will have to create four individual documents, save them, then insert them into a Kid Pix slide show.  We will finish this next week before Pesach.

2nd Grade: We began typing instruction this week.  We talked about the benefits of proper typing technique and how to sit correctly when typing.  Students should sit with good ergonomic position, back straight, but relaxed, feet on the floor, back on the back of the chair, elbows and shoulders relaxed, and wrists and elbows relaxed.  We called this typing position.  We then began filling out paper keyboards by coloring the home row keys blue.  The students practiced typing home row keys on the paper keyboard and on the laptop.

3rd Grade: The students continued typing their two paragraphs.  Next week, we will talk about spell checking and printing.
Homework:

4th Grade: The students finished their brochures and printed them.  They turned out wonderfully.  We talked about printing: choosing a printer, number of copies, and printing back to back.  I will cut the brochures to size and have them available to see next week.
Homework:

5th Grade: The students finished their web pages.  They turned out quite well.  It is quite a feat for 5th graders to be able to publish items on the Internet all their own.  Their sense of style and form has really impressed me...look at next week’s pupil’s express for a link to all the student’s sites.  I would also ask your child what the URL is to their site.
Homework:

6th Grade: The students finished their web pages.  They turned out quite well.  It is quite a feat for 5th graders to be able to publish items on the Internet all their own.  Their sense of style and form has really impressed me...look at next week’s pupil’s express for a link to all the student’s sites.  I would also ask your child what the URL is to their site.
Homework:

7th Grade: We continued working on the iMovie project.  We talked about adding titles and credits to the project.  We also talked about adding transitions between photos.  Next week, we will add voice-over narration.
Homework: Add titles and transitions.

8th Grade: We continued to film the movie.  The project is going real well.  We are going to have to do some filming during the week next week outside of class, but it is my goal to get the filming done before Pesach.  A preview of the movie may be coming soon.
Homework:

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at matt@wornickjds.org

Have a great weekend!!!

===================================
Matt Harris
Director of Technology
Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

TYPING LOGS DUE!!!

Typing logs are due this week for grades 3-8.


If you have any questions, feel free to email me at matt@wornickjds.org

Have a great weekend!!!

===================================
Matt Harris
Director of Technology
Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School

Mar 28-Apr 1

It came off.  The hair is gone.  RIP.

Just kidding...it was an amazing experience.  The two boys did a great job, had a great time.  The whole process is somewhat of a blur in memory right now, but you what stands out?  The roar from the students when my hair finally came off.  It may not have been in reality, but in mind it was deafening.

Now, in real life, I have new hair cut...Thank you so much to Pam, Madeline, and Judy for the free cut and Molly at Trio....and I have gotten good reviews from the students and staff.

This has been a once in a lifetime experience and I feel very lucky to get to share it with such a wonderful community like ours.

Kindergarten: I gave the students a challenge.  They had to draw the cubbies in their room using any tool they wanted to on Kid Pix.  I made sure to note for them the important features of the cubbies...8 columns, 4 rows with the top row being larger than the rest.  After they worked for a few minutes, I gave them some suggestions on how to create it easily.  Those who were able to create it were asked to fill their cubbies.

1st Grade: 1A – Since they were ahead of the other class, we created a new document for the covers of their penguin folders for Mr. Decker.  The imported one of their downloaded images into a new Kid Pix document, then added a title and wrote their name.  They saved their work on their own.
1B – The students started over with their collages.  They created new documents in Kid Pix then imported their pictures one by one.  We talked about importing via the file menu, then waiting for the pointer to change to the hand before you move the picture.  We also talked about the undo function and how it will only go back one step.

2nd Grade: They created new documents in Kid Pix then imported their pictures one by one.  We talked about importing via the file menu, then waiting for the pointer to change to the hand before you move the picture or waiting for the arrows before you resize the picture.  We also talked about the undo function and how it will only go back one step.  The students added a title and began working on a paragraph about their pictures.

3rd Grade: The students visited their bookmarked websites and took notes on the information found there.  Next week, we will put that information into 2 paragraphs in Appleworks.
Homework: Typing logs due next week.

4th Grade: We talked about line spacing and justification.  The students adjusted the line spacing, font size, and picture size in their brochures to make sure their brochures were the appropriate length.  Next week we will add a title page and print.  Look for them to come home next week.
Homework: Typing logs due next week.

5th Grade: The students continued work on their web pages.  I worked with them individually to make sure we used all the design elements we have learned effectively.  Soon, they will roll out their work for the whole school to see and they will make one more page on their own without help.
Homework: Typing logs due next week.

6th Grade: The students continued work on their web pages.  I worked with them individually to make sure we used all the design elements we have learned effectively.  Soon, they will roll out their work for the whole school to see and they will make one more page on their own without help.
Homework: Typing logs due next week.

7th Grade: We talked about the i iMovie, iPhoto, and iTunes...it stands for interconnected (or so I understand) because all of those applications work together, near seamlessly.  The students imported their downloaded images into a new album in iPhoto.  Then they opened iMovie and created a new project.  I showed how iMovie and iPhoto were interconnected by going to images section of iMovie and showing them that their newly imported photos were showing up in iMovie as well.  We then talked about the Ken Burns effect and moving images into the timeline.  Students were given free time to play with iMovie and ask questions.
Homework: 1. Typing logs due next week.
2. Finish putting pictures into the timeline in iMovie.

8th Grade:  We talked about the importance and process of creating storyboards.  I showed them two examples of storyboarding from real movies.  They then re-worked the storyboards they did for homework.  I worked with them as a group and we took notes on the final sequence our movie would take.  I then worked with them individually on their specific scenes.
Homework: 1. Typing logs due next week.
2. Finish working on your storyboard and script for the movie.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at matt@wornickjds.org

Have a great weekend!!!

===================================
Matt Harris
Director of Technology
Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School