May 16, 2013 7th grade

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Today you are to finish your Mars Rover Questions started on Friday. If you have not yet done this; Copy these questions into a Goggle Document and find the answers on the web link.  Mars Exploration or you can now you can use a search engine to find your answers. Make sure you have shared your work by dragging the file in your personal folder so I can grade it. Follow the Searching Tips below to help you find your answers.

  1. What are the names of three rovers that have explored Mars?
  2. When was each rover launched and landed on Mars?
  3. How long did each rover explore Mars?
  4. What did they find during their exploration on Mars?
  5. Explain what was the difference in each Rovers landing.
  6. Explain what they have found on the Mars that will help us here on Earth.
  7. What are the plans for future explorations on Mars?
  8. What rovers are still exploring Mars?

Searching the Internet Tips 

Tips for Effective Online Searches (provided by Common Sense.org)

  • Choose your search terms carefully. The most precise words will yield the best results.
  • Adding more words can narrow a search. As you get farther into your research, you may want to narrow your results. There’s a big difference between “Apple” and “Red Delicious Apples History United States.”
  • Use synonyms! If kids can’t find what they’re looking for, have them try keywords that mean the same thing or are related.
  • Point out sponsored links. They often appear at the top of a search result list to encourage users to click on them first, and they’re usually labeled as sponsored. Remember that sponsored equals advertising.
  • Be aware of your browser’s safe-search settings. Typing even innocent keywords into a search engine may yield search results you don’t want your younger kids to see.

Great Google Searching Shortcuts

  • Use quotation marks. Using quotes around a set of words will direct Google to search for those exact words, in that exact order. Great for searching song lyrics!
  • Add a minus sign. Adding a minus sign immediately before any word (no space in between!) indicates that you don’t want those words to appear in your search results. For example, “Saturn -cars” will give you information about the planet, not the automobile.
  • Do’s and Don’ts for Researching on the Internet

I can say I understand what a robot is and how they are being used on Mars. I am also able to using searching strategies to find my answers on the Internet.

May 16, 2013 7/8

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Today, is your last day to create your Internet Safety Presentations. This Is It!!! Use your time wisely.

Google Print settings

Printing out your presentation for note cards:

  • Open the presentations in your Google drive
  • Click on File/ Print Setting and Preview
  • Select Handout – 4 Slides per page
  • Then Click on the Printer Icon
  • Then make sure you have the correct printer in the printer destination.
  • Click Print.
  • Put in 7/8 rack for tomorrow.

You always need to give credit for the information you use in your presentation. Use the following website to organize your resources for your Credit Slide:    Son of Citation Machine:

  • Choose the material you used- Handout, Website, Book, Magazine
  • Answer the questions
  • Click create citation
  • Then copy and paste the formatted citation into your Credits Slide.

Check your presentation:

  • The slides have all the information needed for your class to understand your topic.
  • The slides are easy to read and understand, not too wordy.
  • You have an Opening slide (title and sub title), Closing slide (a wrap up statement and your name), and a Credit slide (where you found your information)
  • Animation is added where it is needed to emphasize an item on the slide.
  • Transitions are added for all the slides.

Presentation will begin Friday. Make sure you know your material.

At the end of this day you can say I completely understand how to create a Google Presentation and I understand how to gather information to provide a quality presentation.

 

May 15, 2013 7th grade

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Today we will be breaking into groups of two to build our Mars Rover.

You will learn about past, present, and future of space exploration and the use of robotics in space.

To gather an understanding of the Mars Rover you will build your own Mars Rover. Follow the instructions on the program on your computer to assemble the rover.

I will be showing a movie first to the whole class and then you will be divided into your groups.

Click on Start/ Programs/ RoboLab 2.5.4/ 01 RCX Build

The step by step assembly instructions will appear. You can get a head set if you wish but you do not need to hear it just watch it closely on what parts you will need and how to assemble it. You will need to pause the instructions as you gather your parts and assemble.

Make sure you pick up all your parts and place them in your tub and remember the number  that has been assigned to you.

 

May 15, 2013 7/8

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Today, is your last day to create your Internet Safety Presentations. This Is It!!! Use your time wisely.

You always need to give credit for the information you use in your presentation. Use the following website to organize your resources for your Credit Slide:    Son of Citation Machine:

  • Choose the material you used- Handout, Website, Book, Magazine
  • Answer the questions
  • Click create citation
  • Then copy and paste the formatted citation into your Credits Slide.

Check your presentation:

  • The slides have all the information needed for your class to understand your topic.
  • The slides are easy to read and understand, not too wordy.
  • You have an Opening slide (title and sub title), Closing slide (a wrap up statement and your name), and a Credit slide (where you found your information)
  • Animation is added where it is needed to emphasize an item on the slide.
  • Transitions are added for all the slides.

Presentation will begin Friday. Make sure you know your material.

At the end of this day you can say I completely understand how to create a Google Presentation and I understand how to gather information to provide a quality presentation.

May 14, 2013 7/8

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Today, you will learn how to create a credit/bibliography slide identifying where you found all your information for your presentation. You always need to give credit for the information you present.

Use the following website to organize your resources for your Credit Slide:    Son of Citation Machine:

  • Choose the material you used- Handout, Website, Book, Magazine
  • Answer the questions
  • Click create citation
  • Then copy and paste the formatted citation into your Credits Slide.

Check your presentation:

  • The slides have all the information needed for your class to understand your topic.
  • The slides are easy to read and understand, not too wordy.
  • You have an opening slide (title and sub title), Closing slide (a wrap up statement and your name), and a Credit slide (where you found your information)
  • Animation is added where it is needed to emphasize an item on the slide.
  • Transitions are added for all the slides.

Presentation will begin tomorrow. Make sure you know your material.

 

May 14, 2013

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Today you are to finish your Mars Rover Questions started on Friday. If you have not yet done this; Copy these questions into a Goggle Document and find the answers on the web link.  Mars Exploration or you can now you can search other sites. Follow the Searching Tips below to help you find your answers.

  1. What are the names of three rovers that have explored Mars?
  2. When was each rover launched and landed on Mars?
  3. How long did each rover explore Mars?
  4. What did they find during their exploration on Mars?
  5. Explain what was the difference in each Rovers landing.
  6. Explain what they have found on the Mars that will help us here on Earth.
  7. What are the plans for future explorations on Mars?
  8. What rovers are still exploring Mars?

Searching the Internet Tips 

Tips for Effective Online Searches (provided by Common Sense.org)

  • Choose your search terms carefully. The most precise words will yield the best results.
  • Adding more words can narrow a search. As you get farther into your research, you may want to narrow your results. There’s a big difference between “Apple” and “Red Delicious Apples History United States.”
  • Use synonyms! If kids can’t find what they’re looking for, have them try keywords that mean the same thing or are related.
  • Point out sponsored links. They often appear at the top of a search result list to encourage users to click on them first, and they’re usually labeled as sponsored. Remember that sponsored equals advertising.
  • Be aware of your browser’s safe-search settings. Typing even innocent keywords into a search engine may yield search results you don’t want your younger kids to see.

Great Google Searching Shortcuts

  • Use quotation marks. Using quotes around a set of words will direct Google to search for those exact words, in that exact order. Great for searching song lyrics!
  • Add a minus sign. Adding a minus sign immediately before any word (no space in between!) indicates that you don’t want those words to appear in your search results. For example, “Saturn -cars” will give you information about the planet, not the automobile.
  • Do’s and Don’ts for Researching on the Internet

I can say I understand what a robot is and how they are being used on Mars. I am also able to using searching strategies to find my answers on the Internet.

May 13, 2013 7/8

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Today you will learn how to add animation and transitions to your Google Presentations.

Once your slides are all created with the text and images you would like to get your message across. It is now is time for Animation (the movement of objects in the slide) and Transition (the movement between the slides)

Animating your Presentation

  • Here is the part one of Google animation Instructional Video
  • Select the item you would like to animate (You do not need to animate every item on the slide. Animate only what you want to make an emphases, draw attention to on your slide)
  • Click on Insert in the menu or right click on the item you are animating and select Animate
  • Then on the Right your animation window will appear.
    • Choose the style from the animation list. (Keep in mind it is good to use the same style throughout your total presentation)
    • Select if you would like this animation to come on by a click of the mouse or to be automatic (after previous or with previous)
    • By Paragraph is used when you have bullets and you would like the text to come onto your slide one at a time.
    • Choose the direction if available and the speed
  • Then select another item to animate and repeat.
  • You do not want to over animate!!! This takes away from your presentation.

Adding Transition:

Transitions are how the slide moves from one slide to the next. This adds finishing touch to your presentation.

  • Select Animate but at the top of the window on the right you will see the word Transition  Click on it!
  • Chose the style of transition you would like to use.
  • Select apply to all

I CAN animate objects in a slide and add a transition between slides. 

May 10, 2013

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Today we will be start learning about Robotics and how robotics are being used to explore Mars.

What is a robot? A machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically.

Mars are using robots to explore the Mars lunar surface. These robots are called Mars Rovers.

Copy these questions into your Google Docs and find the answers on the web link.  Mars Exploration

  1. What are the names of three rovers that have explored Mars?
  2. When was each rover launched and landed on Mars?
  3. How long did each rover explore Mars?
  4. What did they find during their exploration on Mars?
  5. Explain what was the difference in each Rovers landing.
  6. Explain what they have found on the Mars that will help us here on Earth.
  7. What are the plans for future explorations on Mars?
  8. What rovers are still exploring Mars?

I can say I understand what a robot is and how they are being used on Mars. I am also able to using searching strategies to find my answers on the Internet.

May 9, 2013

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I am out today so I would like all classes to do the keyboarding program. Using this program allows you to work on your keyboarding skills. It will be a skill you use for the rest of your life and you need to type with your hands positioned on the home row keys.

I will check your progress to see that you worked for 20 minutes. Then you can reward yourself with Engineering Games. No Emailing or music only my engineering games are allowed.

Typing Web - You should know your username (lastnamefirstnamelms) and password (ask a classmate). Make sure you log in so that you will get credit. This is the only way I can check your work. Everyone has an account.

Use your time effectively this is a chance for you to improve your grade. Keep your hands on the home row keys. See you tomorrow.