Thursday, October 25, 2012

Edmodo sign up




Hello Class,

Most of you should be familiar with edmodo and how we can use it to communicate and keep track of our learning. We will be using edmodo in tech class to complete assignments, share resources and stay connected with each other's learning.

Each class has their own invite code. Use the code to join your appropriate group. For security reasons, I will provide you with these codes in class.  


8th grade girls:
Use this link to access the join page: http://www.edmodo.com/home#/join/9aef5679b97eae066678967049e9628f

8th grade boys use this link: http://www.edmodo.com/home#/join/d4b5199bb8c86be0d2d47b3317d20e10

7th grade girls click here: http://www.edmodo.com/home#/join/d0b23bdd3fac10870128ec208ac9a334

7th grade boys navigate to this url: http://www.edmodo.com/home#/join/61c00bd702e1b9805dc8f5e68d1fe57c


Once you go to Edmodo, you will see an assigment. follow the instructions from there.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Tech class- Mon/Wed Plans

Hello Middle schoolers.

As you know, Mr. Nieto is out Monday and Tuesday. You are expected to follow the same rules as when he is there. You will have the entire period to try all the following online learning activities. You can spend as much time as you want on any of them. Each of the links below has a little explanation about what to do.

1: ESL classroom - Reading Goal: to use your vocabulary and word study skills to reveal the hidden message!

 http://www.esl-classroom.com/reading/rindex.html

ESL classroom has several activities. Try the Reading Rhubarb and try to figure out the mystery text. Remember: plurals and singulars are two different words. Start with simple words like : 'is' , 'the', 'and', and so forth. Try not to use the hint option too much as it

2. Questionaut: Use your maths, English, and Science knowledge to move through this puzzle in a beautiful environment


http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/game/questionaut/index.shtml


Hint: On the first level, try to get the old man to stop reading...

3. Whack Attack: Use more Math and Science Skills to move through this game. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/game/whack/index.shtml

4. Duplox: Goal is to use your Geometry, Rotation, Coordinate plane skills to move the blocks using the arrow keys. Try to avoid falling!



5.  Battleship Number line: Play the decimal level in 7th and 8th grade


6. State of the Debate:  It's the year 2020 and Just-Co have banned hoodies, and you've just been spotted wearing one. Can you talk your way out of trouble using your English Language skills?


Ok, there is plenty here for you to try. If you see another game on BrainPop or Bitesize, go ahead and try it. but puhleeeze! no more Cool Math Gamez. That's just junk food masquerading as math! Ok, one exception: try Free Rice if you want to. 

Mr. Nieto misses you! 

JK!


Thursday, October 18, 2012

What is your Life Goal? (for now)

As you know, we are making our life maps about what are future career goals are and what we have to do to get there. Before we can continue working on our Prezi, we need to step back and reflect on a few things. Please answer these questions. You don't have to post your responses in the blog. If you wish, you may use LibreOffice available on your computer. Or you may choose to write an email to yourself in order to keep your responses more private. If you don't care, go ahead and write them as blog comments. Remember, this is meant to get you to think through what you are going to be adding to your Prezi.
Here are the questions: 1. What career do you envision for yourself in the future? 2. What makes this career appealing to you? Please explain. 3. Do you know of anybody who has this occupation/career? You can write about someone you don't actually know. 4. What kind work will you be doing if you choose this occupation/career? 5. Does this career require any special type of education? 6. Do you know the salary or average income for this type of occupation? 7. Are you interested in this career because you think it wil help yourself? other people? both? Explain. 8. Are there job openings out there for this kind of occupation? try craigslist.org to find out if there are any openings nearby! Write two down.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Life Maps

Now that you have finished watching Dropout Nation, we are going to start making a Life map to plan your future. You will be using Prezi.com, a better way to make a presentation. Then you will think of one (maybe two) life goals. Please keep it realistic and try not to choose soccer player,rapper, or movie star. We are not trying to discourage you from these fine endeavors, but let's face it. Very few make it to the pros. Your job here is to think of a career goal. Sports and music can help you get there, so you can include them in your life map, but your goal should be a career like Crime scene investigator, or architect,or immigration layer, to name a few. Once you have a goal, we will backwards map (work backwards) and think of all the steps you need to get there. You will be researching what requirements that field you chose has. What education you need, what skills you need to pick up. What attitude and study skills you might need, what college major, or what classes you think you might need to enroll. Also think of things that you need to avoid! such as the streets,laziness, gangs, drugs, getting pregnant, etc. Life Map: 1. come up with one life goal. 2. make a list or timeline with all of the steps you need to get there. 3. Research online (start here at Map Your Future) 4. Gather images and videos that you can use in your Prezi (see below) Prezi: 1. Become familiar with Prezi 2. Register with your own account or use our own email (posted on our wall). 3. Do the tutorial 4. Start building your Life map! 5. Embed your life map into this blog and make comments on others.

Prezi is here!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Dropout Nation: Part 2

Please respond to the following questions before we continue to watch Dropout Nation:

1. What did you remember most about the first part of the video?

2. Do you think Sparkle, Marco, Lawrence, and the others will graduate?

3. Why do you think Marco thought of dropping out? Why did he come back to school?

Monday, October 1, 2012

America's Dropout Crisis

We are going to be watching a couple of documentaries about the dropout crisis in America's public school. It turns out that kids start thinking about dropping out in middle school.

First Read the facts here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/education/dropout-nation/middle-school-moment/

Then: You will respond to the following questions BEFORE we watch the videos.

After we watch the movies, we'll also respond and hopefully come up with a plan for you in which you will pledge not to drop out!

Here are the pre-video questions:

1. Do you know anybody who has dropped out of school? Explain the situation as best as you can.
Yes , I know someone that has dropped out of school .They had to work and take care of there siblings that's why they dropped out of school.


2. What reasons did that person have, or what reasons have you heard that people drop out of school. Please write at least 2 reasons

3. What could schools do to make sure students don't drop out.


4. Do  you think life is different for kids who drop out compared to those that graduate? Please explain with thoughtful answers.



5. Do you think teachers should ignore kids who are in danger of dropping out and focus instead on students who really want to finish school?







6. What do you think happens to a community where half of students don't graduate?


PLEASE POST THESE AS COMMENTS