Memoir Cover Page
Let your imagination go wild as you design a cover page for your Heights Memoir in Glogster. You will also take a picture of yourself with Photobooth and insert it into your word processed memoir document.
Archive for the ‘Assignments 08-09’
Compliment Corner
Today is the day we will celebrate and share the Hand-Me-Down Project movies that you created. Leave a comment (complimentary, please) for each story on the author’s Compliment Corner page as you move around the lab listening to each story. Then visit Ms. Shapiro’s computer and add a comment about your thoughts on creating the project.
Adaptation Slideshow
Now that you have collected the information on your animal and how it adapts to its environment, you will organize it into a Powerpoint presentation which you will present to your classmates. We will learn how to add custom animations and slide transitions.
Life Cycle Of A Frog
You have been watching your frogs in the classroom grow and change. Today we will use KidPix to draw the life cycle of a frog.
To learn more about frogs visit All About Frogs.
Step Up Day Trading Cards
In June you will meet your new teacher for next year during Step Up Day. Let’s create a trading card so she can learn a little bit about you. Take a picture of yourself using the computer and Photobooth. Key in your introduction paragraph in Word. Head to Big Huge Labs Trading Cards and create your card, cutting and pasting your paragraph into the description area. We will save the card, insert it into Word, resize it, and make a duplicate (one for you and one for your teacher). Finally we will print the page with the two cards on card stock paper.
Animal Adaptation Research
Today you will use the websites below to gather information about your chosen animal for your PowerPoint presentation. Use the Research Guide to help you organize the information. You will need to collect three pictures for your slide show, too. Two pictures should be of your animal and one picture of its habitat.
Uses of Electricity In Our Daily Lives
Today we will use Kidspiration to create a graphic organizer of all the different ways we use electricity in our daily life.
Try this website at home.
Life Cycle of a Frog Slide Show
Your frogs have arrived! Today you will begin to create a KidPix slide show of their life cycle. You will draw each of the stages in a separate document and add music. Next, we will learn how to put the drawings together into a slide show.
To learn more about frogs visit All About Frogs
.
Crickets!
As part of the Ecosystems Unit you will be creating your own ecosystem, complete with animals and plants. Today we will draw, in detail, one of the animals that will be included in your ecosystem, the cricket.
Physical and Behavioral Adaptations
What is adaptation? How do animals adapt to their environment? Today you will watch a United Streaming video on adaptation as an introduction to your ecosystems unit. Answer the movie guide questions as you watch the movie.
Visit these websites for more information and games on adaptation:
Interdependence and Adaptation
Volcanoes!
To complement your Rocks and Minerals unit, we will explore how the inside of a volcano looks. Draw a cross section of a volcano in Kid Pix, then color and label each important feature.
If you are done early watch the Brainpop movie on volcanoes. After the movie click on FYI and read through the four topics. If time allows we will use the Activotes to take the quiz. Learn more about volcanoes by visiting the following websites.
Sarah Plain and Tall
Today you will key in your writing prompt to Sarah Plain and Tall in Word. Put a school heading in the header section, center a title, indent your paragraph and double space your work. Don’t forget to do a spelling and grammar check. Insert a relevant picture in the paragraph using a square wrap.
Visit the following websites for activities associated with the book.
Butterfly Life Cycle
Your caterpillars will be arriving soon! To enhance your study of the life cycle of the painted lady butterfly, we will use Kid Pix to draw the four stages of the butterfly’s life cycle.
Learn more about butterflies by visiting the websites below.
Exploring Area
Ms. O’Brien will review how to find the area of polygons using a Promethean flipchart and Brainpop. Click below to go to the Brainpop movie clip.
Use the following websites to play games and practice finding the area of a polygon.
Math Playground-Area and Perimeter
Fractions!
Today you will finish up your state slide. Once you are finished click on the link below to go to the That Quiz website to practice fraction identity, ordering, arithmetic, and inequality.
Let’s Learn About Frogs
Very soon you will be getting some tadpoles to observe in your classroom. Today we will watch two Brainpop movies about metamorphosis and amphibians. Fill out the activity sheet while you watch the movie called Amphibians. If you are done early, click on FYI then Trivia, Mother Nature, or Timeline to learn more about amphibians. We will come to the rug after viewing the movies and use the activotes to take a quiz on frogs. Click on the pictures below to view the movie clips.
To learn more about frogs visit:
Museum of Natural History: Frogs
Play frog games:
Science Jeopardy 2
Once your teacher has approved your questions and answers, you will enter the category and information into the jeopardy game template, copying and pasting from your Word document. Each group has a separate game. Remember to click the save button when you are done.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Math MCAS Practice
This week you will take the fifth grade math test that the state of Texas gives their students at the end of the year. The test will give you practice for your exam and will also let Mrs. Ross know about the areas in math she may need to review with you. The test is online and you can score it instantly. Click on the link below and enter your first name only. You may ignore questions that require you to measure items with a ruler.
Math MCAS Practice
This week you will take the fourth grade math test that the state of Texas gives their students at the end of the year. The test will give you practice for your exam and will also let Mrs. Happnie know about the areas in math she may need to review with you. The test is online and you can score it instantly. Click on the link below and enter your first name only. You may ignore questions that require you to measure items with a ruler.
Animal Slide Show
Today you will begin to create an Animal PowerPoint slideshow based upon the information you collected during your research sessions in the lab.
Hand-Me-Down Stories
Today we will continue to work on the Hand-Me-Down Story.
1. All pictures should be placed in iPhoto and merged into one event.
2. Completed your storyboard today, if you have not done so.
3. Open iMovie HD and create a title for your story in the editing section.
Compare and Contrast Planets
Today you will use a Kidspiration template to compare and contrast the planet you researched with Earth.
Jeopardy Game
Today you will research your assigned science topic and create five questions and answers that will be used in several class Jeopardy game boards. These games will help you review for the science MCAS test. Use Brainpop and Brainpop, Jr. for information about your topic, then type your questions and answers into a Word document. We will create the game boards at Jeopardy Labs.
MCAS Science Practice
This week you will take the fifth grade science test that the state of Texas gives their students at the end of the year. The test will give you practice for your exam and will also let Mrs. Ross know about the areas in science she may need to review with you. The test is online and you can score it instantly. Click on the link below and enter your first name only.
Planet Slide Show
You’ve done your research and now you are ready to put it all together in a PowerPoint slide show. You will learn how to search for and download pictures from the NASA website, add custom animations, and transitions to create a show to present to your class.
Planet Postcard
This week you will begin to create a giant postcard based upon the planet that you have been researching. We will use two slides in Powerpoint for your postcard. You will find two pictures for Slide 1, the outside of the card. For Slide 2, the reverse side of the card, you will insert an image for a postage stamp from the planet and write a friendly letter incorporating some of the facts that you researched. We will print the slides and gluestick them to card stock creating an 8.5″x11″ postcard.
Math MCAS Practice
This week you will take the fifth grade math test that the state of Texas gives their students at the end of the year. The test will give you practice for your exam and will also let Mrs. Alves know about the areas in math she may need to review with you. The test is online and you can score it instantly. Click on the link below and enter your first name only. You may ignore questions that require you to measure items with a ruler.
Cool Country Postcards
This week you will begin to create a giant postcard based upon the cool country that you have been researching. We will use two slides in Powerpoint for your postcard. You will find a flag and a map of the country for the Slide 1, the outside of the card. For Slide 2, the reverse side of the card, you will insert an image of a postage stamp from the country and write a friendly letter incorporating some of the fast facts that you researched. We will print the slides and gluestick them to card stock creating an 8.5″x11″ postcard.
Find the map and flag by clicking below.
State Report Project
Today you will spend most of the period gathering information for your State Report. Use the following websites to help you. You may also use the World Book located in your applications folder.
During the last fifteen minutes of the class use the following websites to practice your knowledge of state capitals and locations. Use the games at home to help you study for your test!
Animal Research
Today you will visit the Enchanted Learning website to begin the research for your animal report. At the website you will click on the letter that is the beginning letter of your animal. Write your notes on the research guide that your teacher has given you. Click below to get started.
Try this website at home to create your own original animal at Build Yourself Wild!
Weather Around The World
Today you will use Google Earth to travel the globe in search of weather information for the four different cities below, plus one additional city of your choice. Record the information while you are retrieving it on the Excel spreadsheet template. Use the F3 key to toggle between windows. After all the information is collected, you will learn how to create a bar graph of the temperatures of the cities.
Grammar Gremlin
Today we will gather around the whiteboard to review the parts of speech with the Grammar Gremlin. We will also use the activotes today.
At your workstation you may visit the following websites to get practice with the different parts of speech and how to use them. If you don’t get to them all in the lab, try them at home!
Solar System Research
Today you will use the websites Astronomy for Kids, Zoom Astronomy, and Star Child to begin collecting information about Earth. Next week you will continue your research on your planet. You may also watch the Brainpop movie clip for your planet. Click on the pictures below to go to the websites.
Famous Bay Staters
Today you will use the websites below to start your research on a famous Bay Stater.
Famous People From Massachusetts
Weather Predicting and Reporting
You will use the activities in the website below to help you better understand reporting and predicting weather. In the first activity, you will use common weather symbols to create a weather map to report the weather. In the next activity, you will use temperature, precipitation, and cloud coverage to predict the weather in various regions.
The Rock Family
Today you will finish exploring the Annenberg Rock Cycle website. When you are done, use the Inspiration document named Rock Family, located in the group folder, to create a graphic organizer of specific examples of different types of rocks. The pictures of the rocks are located in the libraries under science. If you get stuck use the website on the template (where it says Need Help? Click here) to help you.
Plight of the Polar Bear Wiki Research
Today you will begin research on your assigned topic for the Plight of the Polar Bear wiki. The research guides are in the group folder. Use the resources on the guide sheets and in the resource section of the wiki.
Descriptive Writing
Today you will key in your descriptive writing paragraph in Word. We will review placing a school heading in the Header area, alignment and spacing, changing fonts, first line indent, spellcheck and how to add a picture to our document.
How Much TV Do You Watch?
Today you will create a line graph in Excel using the data you collected over the last six days on the number of hours spent watching TV.
Digital Poetry Anthology
Today you will use Powerpoint to compile the poetry which you have written this year into a digital anthology. Use one slide per poem, including the type of poetry it represents in the heading. Create a slide for the title page and an About The Author slide containing your picture. Choose a background that goes well with each slide, and be creative with your presentation. Also, the slide show should advance on a click with the same transition between each slide.
Acrostic Poem
Today you will create an acrostic poem about yourself, using strong adjectives, in Powerpoint. Choose a vertical Word Art for your name. Use a text box for the adjective. You and a partner will work on taking a picture of your profile in Photobooth. You will insert the picture into your Powerpoint slide and use the drawing tools to trace around your profile. Choose your favorite colors for the fill and drop a shadow on the object.
Tour the Continents
Today you will learn how to use the placemark feature in Google Earth. Select a pushpin for each of the seven continents and then run a tour of your travels.
Try this game at home:
Letter to Our Penpals
Today you will create a custom heading for your pen pal letter which you will key into Word. You will learn to use the drawing tools to create shapes and then create a text box with our school address in it. Below are a few examples.
Magnetic Strength and Washers
Today you will use Excel to create a column graph from the data obtained in your first science experiment in the Magnets and Motors unit.
Writing Prompt
You will key your writing prompt in Word today. Add a heading to your page and center a title. Indent your paragraph and double space your work. Spell check and add a picture, using a square wrap.
The Rock Cycle
Today you will visit the Annenberg Rock Cycle website to learn about the different kinds of rocks and how they are formed. Use this Research Guide to take good notes. Your notes will help you with the activities and quizzes at the site. Click on the picture below to access the site. Try these activities at home- Rocks and Soil, Rocks and Solids.
Seasonal Happenings Wiki
Using the Research Guides provided to you by Mrs. Leary, you will begin to investigate your topic for the wiki, utilizing the Internet Resources page on the wiki. The wiki is currently private so you will need to enter your regular user name and password to gain access. Clicking on the picture below will take you to the login page.
Introduction To Google Earth
To enhance your studies of continents and rivers, we will explore Google Earth. We will fly around the globe, visiting key sites as we learn to navigate in a 3-D environment.
Going Green
Room 217 has made a conscious effort to reduce the amount of trash they generate from their school snacks. Today we will graph the results of your monthly data in Excel.
Skittles Graph
Today you will learn how to use Excel to create a table, column chart and pie chart from your Skittles data.
About The Author Page
Today you will key in your About The Author blurb for your stories. We will insert the picture that you took last week and also learn how to use Word Art.
Letter To Our Penpals
Today you will learn how to create a custom letterhead using the drawing tools and borders in Word. Amaze your pen pals from East Elementary with your creativity! Below are a few examples.
World Maths Day!
March 4 is World Maths Day and tens of thousands of students around the globe will be competing in mental math heats to break the record for number of correct answers. Classes have signed up for half hour time slots in the lab to give it their best. Students may spend five minutes creating an avatar at the site prior to playing the games. Good luck!
Mapping the World With T-Shirts
Today you will learn how to use Excel to organize and graph the results of the class survey on the country of origin of your t-shirts. If you are done early, open Google Earth, then locate and put a placemark on all of the countries.
Letter to President Obama Voicethread
Today we will work in your classroom using Voicethread to record your letter to President Obama. Learn more about the White House and President Obama by visiting White House 101.
Smile for the Camera!
Today you will learn how to use Photobooth to take a picture of yourself for the About The Author page of your stories. When you are done taking your picture, practice your keyboarding skills in Type To Learn.
Animal Slide Show
Today you will learn how to create a slide show in Powerpoint from the research information that you collected.
Chinese Voicethread
Today you will create an avatar at the Reasonably Clever site. You will take a selected screenshot of it and save it for use in the Fruit Voicethread that you will complete in Chinese with Mrs. Zhao.
Animal Slide Show
Today we will make your Massachusetts animal research come alive by creating a PowerPoint slide that includes a picture of your animal, the sound that your animal makes, and YOU narrating five facts about your animal. Mrs. Stewart and I will combine all the slides into one presentation to share with classmates and parents.
Living In the White House
What would it be like if you lived in the White House? Today you will key in your writing assignment on this topic in Word. When you are finished, find a picture of the White House and add it to your document.
For more information about life in the White House click below.
The Water Cycle Slideshow
Today you will begin working on a KidPix slideshow of the water cycle. You will create a title page, and four more pages for each of the parts of the water cycle. After you are finished with the drawings, you will narrate each slide by using the Record a Sound function. Finally, you will put it all together in the Slideshow portion of KidPix adding transitions between the slides.
Water Cycle from Maddy Shapiro on Vimeo.
Winter Diamante
Place a heading on your page and then key in your winter diamante. Create a snowflake at Make-A-Flake and insert it into your poem, behind the text. You can scan your pictures for the Hand-Me-Down story today, too.
The Water Cycle
Today you will use KidPix to create a scientific drawing of the water cycle. Visit these websites at home to learn more about the water cycle.
Drippy the Raindrop: The Land of Ice and Snow
States of Matter
Today you will use KidPix to draw a picture of how molecules act in the three states of matter.
Try these websites at home:
Landform Slideshow
Today you will begin work on your Landform Powerpoint slideshow. You will be using Google Earth, Powerpoint, and the two Internet sites below for the project. You may choose three landforms to include in your show. Each slide must include a picture of the landform from Google Earth, a textbox identifying the location and name of the particular landform, and a sound button which includes your recording of the definition of the landform form. Create a title page using Word Art for the title and your name. I have created a sample of one slide below.
Websites for Project:
Types of Land
Landform Glossary
Cut, Copy, and Paste
Cut, Copy, and Paste are powerful commands for editing your work in any application. Today we will learn how these important functions work, and then practice using them to edit a Word document.
Figurative Language Minibook
We will use the drawing component of Appleworks to create a minibook of six types of figurative language: simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and hyperbole. Use one page for each. Give a definition, an example, and add a mini picture to the page. Create a colorful front cover with a title and your name.
Use the following website to help you complete your book.
Circuits and Switches
Today we will work up in the classroom and use the new whiteboard for the first time. Your teacher and I will co-teach an interactive lesson on circuits, switches, and resistance.
Try these interactive websites at home:
Digital Storytelling: The Hand-Me-Down Story Project
We will begin to get organized for the big Hand-Me-Down Story Project. You have completed the first step of interviewing your family members to gather information about a story that is often retold at family events. The next steps include:
- Use Inspiration software to create a graphic organizer that will help you write the actual story.
- Collect pictures and scan them into the computer.
- Write the story in Word.
- Storyboard the story for iMovie
- Narrate the story in iMovie, arranging words, pictures, and music into a heartfelt tale.
Type to Learn, Jr.
While formal instruction in keyboarding with proper fingering techniques will begin in third grade, Type to Learn, Jr. is a great introduction to the keyboard for younger students. We will create a user account today and complete a series of lessons. Practice at home with Dance Mat Typing.
Doorways to Learning
Do you know who Janus was? He was the two headed Roman god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings and endings. Today you will create a three page Doorways to Learning Book in Word. On the left inside page you will create a bulleted list of ten things that you learned in 2008. On the right inside page you will bullet a list of ten things that you want to learn in 2009. Create a title page for the front that is attractive and includes a picture of Janus. You will use your book to establish goals for the coming year. For this project, you will learn page orientation, how to change your margins, how to create columns and column breaks, and how to create a bulleted list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus_(mythology)
Contractions
We will work at the whiteboard today to learn about contractions and do some fun activities. Then we will use the activotes to take a quiz on contractions.
Here are some activities to try at home.
Animal Research
Today you will visit the Enchanted Learning website to begin the research for your animal report. At the website you will click on the letter that is the beginning letter of your animal. Write your notes on the cards in the pocket folder that Mrs. Stewart has given you. Click below to get started.
A Complete Circuit
You have a battery, copper wire, and a light bulb. Can you make a complete circuit? Use Kid Pix to draw the parts of a light bulb and then arrange a wire (or two) and a battery to illustrate a complete circuit. Label the parts of the bulb, the components of the circuit, and the critical contact points.
Visit the site below for interactive activities about electricity.
Volcanoes!
To complement your Rocks and Minerals unit, we will explore how the inside of a volcano looks. Draw a cross section of a volcano in Kid Pix, then color and label each important feature.
Learn more about volcanoes by visiting the following websites.
If I Were An Animal
Today you will use Word to key in your writing piece, If I Were An Animal. Please use the Header for a school heading and Alignment and Spacing to center the title. After a Spellcheck and Font changes, visit Build Yourself Wild by clicking on the picture below, and create a unique animal. You will learn how to take a screenshot of the picture and add it to your document.
Self-Portraits
We will review the drawing tools in KidPix, so we can draw a self-portrait in preparation for our Voicethread project.
After School Snack Graph
We will learn how to use Excel to create a spreadsheet and a bar and circle graph of the survey on after-school snacks. We will also learn how to use the Sum Function and how to format the spreadsheet and graphs.
Penguin Glyphs
As part of our participation the in Winter Wonderland Wiki Project you will create a penguin glyph in PowerPoint using a template that can be found here and in the group folder. The legend will be provided to you by your teacher. You will print out your penguin, and when you return to your classroom, you will write a paragraph about it.
Here are some sites to explore to learn more about penguins.
Nat’l Geographic Creature Feature
Winter Poems
We will put your new keyboarding skills to work today by keying in your Winter Poem. First, we will learn how to put a school heading on your page using the Header portion of Word. You will learn how to center a title, use the spelling and grammar check, edit the font, and add a picture. You will create a snowflake at Make-A-Flake and insert it into your poem, behind the text.
Contractions
We will work at the whiteboard today to learn about contractions. You will also finish your Winter Wonderland picture and print it out. If there is time we will use the activotes to take a quiz on contractions.
Here are some activities to try at home.
Tutpup
Today you will create a unique identity on the site, Tutpup, using our classroom code. We will work on learning math facts by competing with other students around the world in timed heats. You may use your registration information at home to play afterschool. Click on the picture below to head to the site.
Introduction to Word
We will put your new keyboarding skills to work today by keying in one of your writing prompts. First, we will learn how to put a school heading on your page using the Header portion of Word. We will learn how to Center a title, use the First Line Indent, and Line Spacing to double space. Next week we will learn how to use Spelling and Grammar check and format your fonts. Finally we will learn to add a picture to your document.
Contractions
We will work at the whiteboard today to learn about contractions. You will also finish your Seasons graph and print it out. If there is time we will use the activotes to take a quiz on contractions.
Here are some activities to try at home.
Contractions
We will work at the whiteboard today to learn about contractions. You will also finish your Cultural Heritage graph and print it out. If there is time we will use the activotes to take a quiz on contractions.
Here are some activities to try at home.
Penguin Mini Math Book
We will create a Penguin Mini Math Book in Powerpoint as the January activity for The Winter Wonderland Wiki project.
Winter Wonderland
As participants of the Winter Wonderland Wiki Project, we will create a winter picture in Kidpix. After we complete our pictures, we will record the class singing a winter themed song in GarageBand. We will mash the two together into a Web 2.0 application, and then place the final product on our project wikispace pages.
Try these sites at home!
Cinquain Poems
Today you will use PowerPoint to key in your cinquain poem. These poems will be used to create a class VoiceThread. Use a different Word Art style for each line of your poem, trying to match the form to your words. You may choose a very subtle background for your poem, one that does not distract from the Word Art style. Finally, you will create an avatar to represent YOU on the VoiceThread!
O’ Canada
We will begin your new unit on Canada and Mexico exploring several United Streaming videos about Canada. Use the webpages on the local hard drive to view them.
Additional resources to explore at home.
Canada For Kids
Enchanted Learning-Canada’s Geography
Time For Kids-Canada
National Geographic Kids
The World Factbook
Games
Sheppard Geography Games
Canada’s Treasure Trek
Quia Canada Game
Quia Rags to Riches
My Special Place
Today you will key your descriptive writing piece, My Special Place, into Word. You will learn how to set up a school heading in the Header area and download and insert a picture from the Microsoft Office website.
Favorite Season Graph
We will use The Graph Club to create a table, bar graph, and circle graph of your survey results for the class’ favorite seasons. Include at least two interpretations of the graph in the notes area.
Visit these sites to learn about the four seasons.
Cultural Heritage Graph
Today you will take the results of your Cultural Heritage Survey and create a spreadsheet and bar graph in Excel. You can download the template by clicking below or look in the Ms. Jones Group folder for it. Include at least two interpretations of the graph in the box in the lower right corner.
If I Were An Animal
Today you will use Word to key in your writing piece, If I Were An Animal. We’ll learn how to use the Header for a school heading and Alignment and Spacing. You will download and insert a picture of the animal that you chose to write about.
When you are finished, visit the websites below.
Massachusetts Map
Since you have been studying all about Massachusetts, it landforms, bodies of water, and major cities, today we will create a map in KidPix, complete with a legend and a compass rose.
Want to learn more about our great state? Visit the websites below.
An Important Person In My Life
Today you will put your newly acquired keyboarding skills to work! I will introduce Microsoft Word so that you can publish your paragraphs. You will learn how to use the Header, Alignment and Spacing, First Line Indent, Spelling and Grammar check, and how to format the font. Next week we will learn how to download and add a picture from the Microsoft website and print our finished work.
Stream of Consciousness Poem
Grab your lasso and rope in your tessellation creation from last week. Copy and paste it into a Word document. Place a heading on the Header portion of your page, and then let your thoughts roll onto the page, developing a stream of consciousness poem about the tessellation.
Uses of Electricity In Our Daily Life
Today we will use Kidspiration to create a graphic organizer of all the different ways we use electricity in our daily life.
Try this website at home.
Tutpup
Today you will create a unique identity on the site, Tutpup, using our classroom code. We will work on learning math facts by competing with other students around the world in timed heats. You may use your registration information at home to play afterschool. Click on the picture below to head to the site.
Simple Machines
Today we will look at the movie clips from Brainpop on Simple Machines. When you are done, we will head to the whiteboard for some interactive activities, and a quiz using the activotes.
Try these games at home!
Weather Reporting And Predicting
You will use the activities in the website below to help you better understand reporting and predicting weather. In the first activity, you will use common weather symbols to create a weather map to report the weather. In the next activity, you will use temperature, precipitation, and cloud coverage to predict the weather in various regions.
Thanksgiving Couplet Poems
Mrs. Leary will lead you in computer lab today as you use Microsoft Word to key in your Thanksgiving Couplet Poems. Remember to use a Header for your school heading, center your title with Alignment and Spacing, use Spelling and Grammar check, format the font, and add a picture.
Tessellations
Today you will use the paint tools in Appleworks paint to create an original tessellation. We will translate a square many times until we achieve a unique tessellation. This lesson is based on Suzanne Alejandre’s great work at the Math Forum.
Try these websites at home for fun activities with tessellations.
Amazing tessellations by artist M.C. Escher
Descriptive Paragraphs
Today you will put your newly acquired keyboarding skills to work! I will introduce Microsoft Word so that you can publish your descriptive paragraphs. You will learn how to use the Header, Alignment and Spacing, First Line Indent, Spelling and Grammar check, and how to format the font. Next week we will learn how to download and add a picture from the Microsoft website and print our finished work.
Origin Story 2
Your origin story is ready now for written publication. You have edited many times and scanned your drawing into the computer. We will use this story template to hold your story, thus creating a small book. Use your scanned image on your title page of the storybook.
Finally, we will record your reading of the story for voicethread, and use the avatar you created for your identity on the thread.
Thanksgiving Activities
Today you will watch the BrainPop, Jr. movie clip on Thanksgiving, and complete the Write About It activity. Next, we will come to the whiteboard, and I will introduce the Activotes to the class. Click on the picture below to get started.
Reading Response Friendly Letter
Today you will use Microsoft Word to write a reading response to your independent reading book. It will take the form of a friendly letter to Ms. O’Brien and focus on character traits. We will review how to set Tabs, use the First Line Indent, Line Spacing options, Spelling and Grammar check, and how to Insert a Picture from the Internet into your paragraph.
We will also discuss the Voicethread project that you will do with Mrs. Zhao.
Simple Machines
Today we will look at the movie clips from Brainpop on Simple Machines. When you are done, we will head to the whiteboard for some interactive activities, and a quiz using the activotes.
Try these games at home!
Thanksgiving Senses Poem
Today you will key in your Thanksgiving senses poem. We will learn how to use the Header, use Alignment and Spacing, format the font, spell and grammar check, add a picture and put a border on your page.
If you are done early, visit The First Thanksgiving.
Grammar Gremlin
Today we will gather around the whiteboard to review the parts of speech with the Grammar Gremlin. We will also use the activotes today.
At your workstation you may visit the following websites to get practice with the different parts of speech and how to use them. If you don’t get to them all in the lab, try them at home!
Pumpkin Point of View Paragraphs
Today you will key in your Pumpkin paragraphs that describe why or why not you should be chosen to be a Jack o’ lantern or Thanksgiving pie from the point of view of the pumpkin in the patch. Using Microsoft Word we will review how use a Header and Footer, First Line Indent, Alignment and Spacing, and Spell and Grammar check. We will also experiment with some of the drawing tools in Word to merge a picture of yourself with either a picture of a pie or Jack o’ lantern which you can then add to your writing piece.
Florida Penpal Letters
Today we will use Microsoft Word to key in your letter to your penpal in Florida. We will learn how to set tabs, format the font, indent a paragraph, double space, spell and grammar check, and add a picture.
What’s For Dinner?
Today we will gather at the whiteboard to review the food chain components and play the Food Chain Game.
At your workstation you will conduct research on the food chain of one of five animals. You will use Enchanted Learning’s website below to gather the information in the Food Chain Research document.
Next week you will take your research and organize it in Kidspiration.
Done early today? Try the following websites:
Classifying Paired Angles and Triangles
Today we will gather around the whiteboard to review how to classify and measure paired angles and triangles. At your workstation you will visit ThatQuiz. Click on Angles-Line-Levels 1 and 5. Next click on Angles-Triangles-Level 5.
Try these sites when you are done and at home.
Shapes-click on Full screen to play
Characteristics of a Scarecrow
You have drawn and cut out a scarecrow in your classroom and added much detail to it. Today we will use Kidspiration to create a graphic organizer of the inside and outside characteristics of your scarecrow to help you with writing your paragraph. Try to include a simile about each characteristic. If you are done early go to the Little Critter’s Scarecrow Game.
Massachusetts Map
Since you have been studying all about Massachusetts, it landforms, bodies of water, and major cities, today we will create a map in KidPix, complete with a legend and a compass rose.
Want to learn more about our great state? Visit the websites below.
Parts Of A Flower
Today we will gather around the whiteboard to quickly review the Life Cycle of A Plant. We will then use Kid Pix to draw a cross-section of a flower, labeling all the major parts.
If you are done early, then visit the website below.
What’s Your Angle?
Using a protractor can be tricky business. We will gather at the whiteboard to review the different kinds of angles, and then we will practice using the protractor tool to measure different angles at the board. At your work station you will visit ThatQuiz and Banana Hunt for individual practice. Looking for another game to play at home to estimate angles? Try Alien Angles or Angles.
Weather Around The World
Today you will use Google Earth to travel the globe in search of weather information for the five different cities below, plus one additional city of your choice. Record the information while you are retrieving it on the Excel spreadsheet template. Use the F3 key to toggle between windows. After all the information is collected, you will learn how to create a bar graph of the temperatures of the cities.
Origin Story Project
The Origin Story explains how something in nature came to be; for example, how the tiger got its stripes. You have been working very hard in the classroom to create this story, and now it is time to work on getting it published on Voicethread. The Origin Story Project consists of four components.
1. Plan, write, edit, and key in your story.
2. Create an original work of art by hand to illustrate the story and scan it into the computer.
3. Create and save an avatar for your Voicethread identity.
4. Practice reading your story aloud with a partner and then record your story on Voicethread.
Favorite Fruit Survey Graph
Today we will use The Graph Club to create a bar and circle graph of the class survey about favorite fruits. Add at least two interpretations of the graph in the notes section.
Pumpkin Math
Today you will use a template in Powerpoint to create a Pumpkin Math Book. You will be sorting, regrouping, adding and writing two number models. You will choose one of your number models and write a number story about it in your classroom. Next week you will type your number story into your Pumpkin Math book and print your book. The template is in the group folder.
Self-Portrait
This week we will learn another verse to Our Computer song. We will also review the drawing tools in KidPix so that you can draw a picture of yourself for the class website. We will learn how to use the drawing tools, the paint bucket, the eraser, and the text tool.
Presidential Election
In preparation for the presidential elections, today we will be viewing some short videos about voting, primaries and caucuses, presidential elections, the electoral college, and political beliefs. Please take the online graded quiz associated with each of the first four videos. If you receive below 80% on the quiz, watch the video again and retake the quiz.
Electing A President In Plain English
Parts Of A Flower
Today we will gather around the whiteboard to quickly review the Life Cycle of A Plant. We will then use Kid Pix to draw a cross-section of a flower, labeling all the major parts.
If you are done early, then visit the website below.
Mealworm Maze
Today you will use a Kidspiration template to design a maze for your mealworm out of virtual base ten blocks. Later you will take your printed design back to the classroom, build the maze out of real base ten blocks, and allow your mealworm to run the maze in search of oatmeal. On your mark, get set, GO!
Weather Reporting and Predicting
You will use the activities in the website below to help you better understand reporting and predicting weather. In the first activity, you will use common weather symbols to create a weather map to report the weather. In the next activity, you will use temperature, precipitation, and cloud coverage to predict the weather in various regions.
Verbs of Steel Paragraph
Today you will key in your Verbs of Steel paragraph. First, we will review some formatting and editing functions in Microsoft Word that you will need to use for the paragraph. You will learn how to use Header and Footer, First Line Indent, Alignment and Spacing, Spelling and Grammar check, and how to change font style and size. You will also learn how to insert a picture into your document.
Time Capsule Letter 2
Today I will introduce you to our new interactive white board. We will review three parts of speech, the noun, the adjective, and the verb.
We will finish formatting the Time Capsule Letter and print it.
If I Were In Charge Of The World Poem
Today you will key in your poem, If I Were In Charge Of The World, based on the poem by Judith Viorst. We will review some of the formatting and editing techniques in Microsoft Word. We will learn how to change fonts and sizes, use Alignment and Spacing, Spelling and Grammar check, Insert a Picture from a file, and use Borders. We will use Photobooth to take a picture of yourself for the project. You will save your document as World, and print to the lab printer.
Self-Portrait 2
Today we will learn another verse of Our Computer Song. We will work on a mini-lesson on compound words at the new whiteboard. Finally, we will finish our self-portraits using KidPix, learning how to print, export our pictures into a JPEG format, and place the exported file into the Group folder. Go to the dock and click on the documents folder. Find your self-portrait document and double click it open.
Self-Portrait
This week we will learn another verse to Our Computer song. We will also review the drawing tools in KidPix. Next we will draw a self-portrait in preparation for our Voicethread project.
Personal Narrative
We will review formatting tools in Microsoft Word, so you can key in your personal narrative. You will learn how to use header and footer, tabs, alignment and spacing, first line indent and spelling and grammar check.
Landform Flipbook
Today you will begin work on your Landform Flip book. You will be using Google Earth, Powerpoint, and the two Internet sites below for the project. I will demonstrate how to create the book, but I also created the Voicethreads below so that you can review any procedures that you may have forgotten. You will need to create a folder in your documents folder named Landforms. This folder will store your pictures and Flipbook. It will also be helpful to use the F3 key to toggle between open windows.
Collect all of your pictures before moving on to the PowerPoint Presentation.
Introduction to Type To Learn
To complement your keyboarding lessons in the classroom, today we will learn how to use the software Type to Learn. We will be using keyboard covers to cover our hands. Your goal today is to complete lesson 1 in the software.
Crack The Code
Today you will work with a partner and visit the National Geographic website Crack The Code. It appears that thieves have stolen some very valuable maps. They fortunately dropped a scrap of paper behind with clues as to the location of the maps. However the clues are in code. Use your knowledge of latitude and longitude along with Google Earth to find the identity of eight cities. The discovery of the identity of all the cities will lead you to the maps. You may not use the Fly to Search, but must spin the globe to find the coordinates. Be sure to turn on the Google Earth grid in the View menu. Please take turns using the mouse. I will hand out a copy of the scrap paper with the clues. Use the back of the scrap paper to write down your answers. Good luck!
Internet Safety
Today we will explore ways to keep yourself safe on the Internet. Click on the picture below to take you to the iSafe website. Then click on watch video. After viewing the video we will regroup on the floor in front of the whiteboard to discuss what you have just seen.
Life Cycle of A Meal Worm
Today we will learn another verse of Our Computer song. Next, we will create the Life Cycle Of A Meal Worm drawing in KidPix. We will review how to use the pencil, circle, fill bucket, eraser, text tool and the undo guy.
Click on the Group folder (it says your teacher’s name) on your dock. Double click on the Meal Worm.kpx empty template and begin your drawing.
Ellis Island Tour
Today you will learn about Ellis Island, the place where over 12 million immigrants passed through in search of a better life. The Interactive Ellis Island Tour is rich in audio files and photographs. Use the document Ellis Island Tour to take notes while you read each web page carefully and click on the audio and photo links. Click on the picture of the Statue of Liberty to take you to the website.
Self Portrait 2
Today we will learn another verse of Our Computer Song. We will finish our self-portraits using KidPix, learning how to print, export our pictures into a JPEG format, and place the exported file into the Group folder. Go to the dock and click on the documents folder. Find your self-portrait document and double click it open.
Time Capsule Letter
Today we will work on the Time Capsule Project. First we will learn how to take a picture of ourselves using Photobooth. Next, we will review some formatting and editing tools in Microsoft Word. We will learn how to set a tab, indent a paragraph, format the font, and use the spelling and grammar check. Finally, we will learn how to add the picture you took in Photobooth to your document.
Internet Safety
Today we will begin to explore ways to keep yourself safe on the Internet. Click on the links below and watch the video clips. Use the handout and answer the questions for each video. We will regroup on the floor in front of the whiteboard to discuss your answers.
Internet Safety
Today we will review the answers to the Computer Parts handout. Next, we will begin to explore ways to keep yourself safe on the Internet. Click on the links below and watch the video clips. Use the handout and answer the questions for each video.
Bio Poem 2
Today you will learn how to use Photobooth to take a picture of yourself and how to insert that picture into your Bio Poem. You also will learn how to place a border around the page of a Word document. Finally you will print the finished product for Open House.
Bio Poem
Today we will review some of the formatting and editing features of Microsoft Word so that you can type the Bio Poem. We will focus on formatting fonts and spelling and grammar check. Please go to the dock, click on the icon for Word, and click Open to create a blank document in Word.
Self Portrait
This week we will learn another verse to Our Computer song. We will also review the drawing tools in KidPix. Next we will draw a self-portrait in preparation for our Voicethread project.
Week 2
Today we will set our homepage to the Heights Technology Blog and learn how to use it for assignments. We will also focus on reviewing the parts of the computer and their functions.
Use this Parts of a Computer file from www.computerlabkids.com to assess what you have learned.
Now see if you can remember where the keys on the keyboard are located.
Keyboard Challenge Cover your keyboard with your computer folder!
Week 2
Today we will focus on reviewing the parts of the computer and their functions.
Use this Parts of a Computer file from www.computerlabkids.com to assess what you have learned.
Now see if you can remember where the keys on the keyboard are located.
Keyboard Challenge Cover your keyboard with your computer folder!
Week 2
Today we are going to learn about the different parts of the computer by using the following online activities.
Now see if you can remember where the keys on the keyboard are located.
Keyboard Challenge Cover your keyboard with your computer folder!
Week 1
Today we will assign seats and learn how to log into the computers. We will also learn the first verse of Our Computer song.
Next we will practice using the mouse by visiting the website Bees and Honey. Click on the bee.
Click on the pumpkin for more mouse practice.
Week 1
Welcome to the computer lab! Today we will assign seats and learn how to log into the computers. We will also learn about the parts of the computer by visiting the following websites.
Week 1
Welcome back to the Computer Lab. Today we will assign seats, make sure everyone can log in, and review the applications on the dock. We will also learn how to create a folder to store all of last year’s documents. Finally, we will setup RealPlayer in preparation for the Immigration lessons.
Week 1
Welcome back to the Computer Lab. Today we will assign seats, make sure everyone can log in, and review the applications on the dock. We will also learn how to create a folder to store all of last year’s documents.
Week 1
Welcome to the computer lab. Today we will assign seats and learn how to log on to the computers. We will also learn Our Computer song.
Your first assignment is to read an animated storybook. When you finish reading the book, click on Story Songs and listen to the Metamorphosis song. Click on the book to begin.
