Heights Technology Blog

Today you will use Powerpoint to create a slide of the state that you have researched. All of the slides will be put together into a class slideshow that will run at the State Fair.

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 your teacher 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.

Math Test

Your STEM Day Challenge is to build a boat that will hold at least 25 pennies without sinking. Below are resources to help you with the research portion of the design process.

Question: Why do boats float?

Information to Read

Ask Kids

Whyzz

Science with Me!

Information to Watch

Why boats float (created by two kids)

Why do things float?

BrainPop: Buoyancy

You’ve recorded your podcast and today it is time to generate a QR code for it, so that people at the art show can listen to it on their smart phones. Head to the website where the artcasts are stored. Copy and paste the URL from your webpage into a QR code generator , test the code with your iPads, and print the code. Pencil in your name on the printout, so Mrs. Mellman knows which one is yours. The code will be displayed on the artwork that is in the show.

Based on a project by Sylvia Tolisano we will be working on an art, ELA, and technology project over then next few weeks.

• After learning about Van Gogh’s chairs, from Mrs. Mellman in Art, you drew a chair that represented you and things important to you
• Next you will write a script with Mrs. Hanley describing your chairs and the choices you made
• We will type the script in Microsoft Word
• Then we will use Garageband to podcast the script
• Finally, we will create a QR code which will be posted on your picture at the Art Show for all to see and listen to

World Math Day is March 6! We will be competing all day long with tens of thousands of students around the globe who will be attempting to break the record for number of correct answers. Classes have signed up for 25 minute time slots in the lab to give it their best. Good luck!

Today we will begin our iPad Explain Everything Project on landforms and waterways in the United States. Show what you have learned by creating a movie of two landforms and two waterways in the U.S. Include a definition and title and use screencasting techniques to enhance your audio presentation.

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.

Circuits and Conductors

Changing Circuits

We will spend the next two computer periods completing the i-Ready Math and Reading tests.

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 website.

Volcano World

Today you will use Microsoft Word to write your persuasive writing assignment.

Today I will be in your classroom to help you learn about keeping safe online. We will use the Promethean board to do several activities and we’ll also watch a Brainpop movie to see how Tim and Moby keep safe online.

Our day has finally arrived for the Bugscope project! We will connect to the scanning electron microscope at the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign to examine the honey bee, an important plant pollinator. During our Bugscope session, we will control the microscope as we examine the insect at incredible magnifications. Have your questions ready because we will chat with the scientists during our session.

Today you will key in your Thanksgiving senses poem into Word. We will review 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.

Today we will learn how to use Microsoft Excel to graph your survey data. We will create a table, bar, and circle graph.

Today we will work in your classroom to learn how to handle, setup, and use laptops.

We will use the Word to type in your paragraph, which includes many verbs of steel. We will review how to set up a heading in the header, set tabs, alignment and spacing, first line indent, and spellcheck. We will also learn how to use the highlighter tool to highlight the verbs of steel.

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. If you are done early watch the Brainpop movie on immigration and take the graded quiz.

Welcome back to the Computer Lab. Today we will assign seats, review the rules of the lab, make sure everyone can log in, and review the dock and the Heights Technology Blog. We will also learn how to create a folder to store all of last year’s documents.