This week the students have worked primarily with spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. By the end of the week they should have finished a household budget, a business order form, grade averages and a basic database of employee information.
This week we have been working on spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. The students have created a twelve month budget and are now working on an order form, grade averages, and a database. We have also spent some time honing typing skills.
This week the students will be finishing the Internet Scavenger Hunts and their word processing projects. Midweek, we will be starting a unit on spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. This will include graphing, a household budget, an order form, grade averages and a simple database.
This week the students will continue to work on word processing projects. Most are finishing up their product flyers and are working on letter writing, a yard sale poster, or a time line. We will also spend some time practicing typing skills and will start developing Internet research skills with an Internet scavenger hunt.
This week the students in Mr. Davidson’s Vista Class have continued to work on word processing. Some students are finishing up their product fliers while others have started writing letters and creating posters.
This week we are continuing to work on word processing projects in Open Office Writer. On Tuesday we made Valentine Day cards in Microsoft Publisher. We will also start spending short periods of time practicing typing using WordWacker.
All of the students have finished designing their dream houses and are now working on word processing and basic layout design in Open Office. The students will learn how to construct two basic lay out design templates and then create a one page product advertisement based on one of the designs.
Think.com will be used at Kingswood Regional Middle School so that students can work on projects at home and at school. As the school year progresses more and more teachers will be adding students to the think.com roster. Parents can access student work by using their child’s user name and password.
Here is an overview of the computer projects in the computer class at Kingswood Regional Middle School.
Course Description-Computer Technology
Rick Davidson
Designing House plans in Paint- Fun way to introduce students to setting up folders, working with the hierarchy of working with computer folders and files. Saving properly.3-5 days
Word Processing (Open Office Writer) including basic layout for pamphlets, letters, and posters
Includes copying layouts and then creating content of their own with similar designs.
Up to four weeks
Periodic typing drills to expose students to the proper typing techniques.
Internet Scavenger Hunt1 to teach proper use of search techniques and using technology for note taking 3-4 days
Web Quest on the Andrea Doria and the Stockholm-to further the development of Internet search techniques. This may take up to a week but not every student will get to it.
Research Project-one week research project, bibliographies, research paper format-more advanced research techniques
Sim City-game simulation to encourage problem solving, expose students to non-violent yet engaging games-encourage reflection and to create a situation where students have to use their thinking skills to figure out the logic of the games. Learning how to use different programs requires the ability to figure out the logic of those programs. It is a very important skill. One week, but students are given time a various other times to work on their final city.
Greeting card-Introduction to desktop publishing- one day
Spreadsheets one and a half weeks
Basic graphs-measurements- one day
basic spreadsheet formulas-addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and auto sum
Create a business order form-multiplication and addition
Yearly household budget showing money earned, spent, balance, and a chart
Grade averages-average formula and chart
Employee data base- basic database concepts
Greeting Card- one day
Math game used periodically the last fifteen minutes of a class to reinforce basic math concepts in a fun way using technology.
Country Brochures-desktop publishing and research-one an half weeks
www.quizlab.com Quizzes I have created to reinforce technology vocabulary and computer safety-students take the quizzes repeatedly and receive immediate feedback. One day and then on going on their own time.
Internet Scavenger Hunt 2- research techniques reinforced-this time two to three days is usually enough.
Holiday Card and Poster-one to two days-desktop publishing
Extra credit-design a menu
Extra credit-use the Internet to make a decision about what car to buy, where to purchase it and how to finance it
Project, if time allows, plan a week’s vacation based on budget and distance limitations
Final Projects: (Four weeks-group work)
Students choose to make a short digital video, work with digital photography, or create a website-in groups students are exposed to skills necessary to complete individual and group projects.
Photo students critique photographs according to composition guidelines and produce a project proposal using skills already used in class. Students learn basic Adobe Photoshop techniques, take pictures and produce collages in Photoshop,
Video Students critique short videos in the advertising media using specific guidelines, create a pitch, then story board, script, shoot, and digitally edit a short fantasy advertisement.
Website students critique existing websites using specific guidelines, create a proposal, learn how to make websites, make three page websites and link them all together.
All groups need to plan their projects, as part of their proposals, using flow charts created in Inspiration.
During the final four week period,students must, in addition to their group projects, individually create a ten slide research PowerPoint type project using Open Office Impress.
They need to take the Quizlab quizzes for the last time for credit
Retype one of the word processing projects using a specific layout design
Recreate the first month of a yearly household budget
Internet Scavenger Hunt 3
Students may choose to complete any other projects they may not have completed during the class.
