Welcome to 6th Grade Technology!

Good Morning 6th Graders!

This morning, I'd like to welcome you to Technology class with a quick Prezi:



We have a super-short class today, so we'll likely just have a chance to login to the network and your Gmail accounts...

But looking forward to next week, when we'll introduce you to your Chromebooks!

Mrs. Morell

Around the World Project

Before Spring Break, you began your Around the World Project.

For a bit of inspiration,  I would like to share a few videos from a guy by the name of Matt Harding, who danced his away around the world... several times!  Perhaps one of his destinations will re-focus your research.  Enjoy!

This is my favorite, from 2008:

But he also danced around the world in 2012: and 2006:

If you'd like to learn more about Matt, here is his website:http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/about

Then I would like to share with you an amazing sample of a Prezi from last year:

http://prezi.com/gkaauc7trfet/around-the-world/#


${embedcode}

Beginning our Digital Passport

Today, we will begin to work on your Passports to Digital Literacy from Common Sense Media.


Login here:


https://digitalpassport.org/educator-registration/studentLogin


your login will be your LastnameFirstinitial


and your password will be titans1325 (if that doesn't work, try titans1213)


I would like you to begin with the Twalkers or Share Jumper Units... but we will work through all of the units over the next few weeks.


Enjoy!


Mrs. Morell

Starting a Conversation About Digital Citizenship

Today, we will watch a series of videos to get our class conversation started about Digital Citizenship.

http://prezi.com/sva3d360nkek/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

When we finish watching a series of movies - primarily from the Edutopia "Five Minute Film Festival" site, I would like you to open up your blog:


http://kidblog.org/6thGrade-Morell/

And tell me:

Which element of Digital Citizenship most interests you?

or Which movie did you find most interesting and why?

and What would you be interested in researching further.

We will begin Digital Citizenship Projects next week.  Unless you have a particular interest, I will assign a topic to each of you to research and present.

EasyBib for the Science Fair

Today, I would like to introduce you to EasyBib, which is a very easy way to create citations for your Science Fair Project:

http://www.easybib.com/

The website looks like this…. First, choose the type of resource you need to cite.  In this case, I'd like to cite a website.

As an example, the website I chose was the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service's Ideas for Science Fair projects.

I copied and pasted the URL (entire web address) in the space provided.  At this point, Easybib will let you know if your website is a credible source (and YES, having a credible resource is an important thing):

Next, Easybib will take you to a screen, where you will need to fill in more specific information about your website - but fear not, it gives you hints: 

Be sure to include the article title:

And if someone is identified as an author, be sure to include this:

And the complete name of the website:

And leave out the URL box:

At the bottom of the page, click on "Create Citation"

Now you will have a perfect MLA citation:

So, save it to Google Docs/Drive: (you must allow access):

And this is how your citation will appear in your Google Drive menu:

And how it will appear in your document:

Be sure to rename the document so you can find it later:

Today, we will practice citing the resources you have saved in Google Docs using EasyBib.

Mrs. Morell

Graphs for your Science Fair Project

Today, we will learn how to create graphs, in preparation for your Science Fair Project:

We will use a graph creator from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Click on this link to open the site:

http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx

Today, we will create a bar graph to compare the favorite ice cream flavors of the boys and girls in the class.  

Begin with the design tab, and choose the bar option. 

Then, in the data section, you will need to fill in your data, including:

• the graph title, 
• the X-axis data (remember, this is your independent variable)
• the Y-axis data (the measurable data, or results of your changes)
• the data set (we will be comparing two sets of data - girls vs. boys)
• the items (in this case, the flavors of ice cream)
• and be sure to include the minimum value and the maximum value (in this case, it should be 28, because there are 28 students in your class)

When all the data is perfect, you may choose a font of your choice (nothing too crazy, my friends, this is a science fair project)

Then preview your chart.  If it looks good, print it - if you need to adjust any settings, please go back and do so.

The print preview (the chart should be a PDF file)

Please be sure to Email the chart to me: mbmorell@htsdc.org

Mathletics, Typing or Blogging

Today, you have a choice of three options:

1. Mathletics

http://www.mathletics.com/

2. Typing Club

https://holy-trinity-school.typingclub.com/

Remember, you will login using your lastnamefirstinitial (morellm)  and your password will be: htstype.

Keep working through the lessons, making sure you keep your keyboard covers on, your fingers on the home keys, and you get five stars for each lesson before you move on.


3. Blogging

http://kidblog.org/6thGrade-Morell/

remember the password is titans1325.

If you blog, answer the question:

How did you spend your Holiday Break?  I would like to see a response at least 10 sentences long…

Have fun!

Mrs. Morell

Welcome to an Hour of Code!

First, I would like you to read an Email I sent to you late last week.  I need you to understand that you may not use HTS Email for chain Emails, and silly Emails sent to lots of friends.

Please respond to my Email, then you can dive into the Hour of Code project.

This week, schools across America are taking part in an "Hour of Code" project.

I'd like you to try this Angry Birds coding project during class today:


Angry Birds -  http://learn.code.org/hoc/1

And if you finish that, you can look for other super-cool coding projects on the Hour of Code Website:

http://csedweek.org

Finish those Prezis... then Lightbot

Please finish your National Park Prezis,

Then when you do, try Lightbot!

http://light-bot.com/hocflash.html

Have fun!

Mrs. Morell

National Park Prezis

Please check your National Park research pages in your Google Drive when you arrive this morning.  You will find a rubric, which indicates whether you need to finish your research or begin your Prezi.

Login to Prezi here:

www.prezi.com

If you have been given permission to begin your Prezi, please refer to the rubric below.  It will give you the guidelines you will need to complete your project.  This rubric can also be found in your Google Drive.

Mrs. Morell

National Parks Project and Blogging (After You Type for a bit)

Hi all,

Today, you will begin a project on one of our National Parks.

I love the following video from the National Parks and Conservation Association - be sure to watch it and think about what National Park most interests you, and you would like to research:




I would like you to explore the National Park Service or the National Parks and Conservation Association Websites, and pick two or three possible parks to research:

http://www.nps.gov/index.htm

http://www.npca.org/exploring-our-parks/

First, you must do 15 minutes of keyboarding, though (unless you have reached the 30 WPM mark):

https://holy-trinity-school.typingclub.com/

Remember, you will login using your lastnamefirstinitial (morellm) and your password will be: htstype.

Keep working through the lessons, making sure you keep your keyboard covers on, your fingers on the home keys, and you get five stars for each lesson before you move on.

For those of you who have reached 30 WPM, please start early on the National Parks Project.  Browse possible parks, and go to the blog and post your proposed parks and WHY you would like to research them:

http://kidblog.org/6thGrade-Morell/

Happy Typing and Blogging!

Mrs. Morell

More Typing and Blogging!

First thing today, you may take a typing test again.

For those of you who have not yet reached 30 WPM, you will continue to work on your keyboarding skills using Typing Club:

https://holy-trinity-school.typingclub.com/

Remember, you will login using your lastnamefirstinitial (morellm)  and your password will be: htstype.

Keep working through the lessons, making sure you keep your keyboard covers on, your fingers on the home keys, and you get five stars for each lesson before you move on.

For those of you who have reached 30 WPM, please go to the blog and either finish and post your favorite things, or respond to my blog prompt of the week:

http://kidblog.org/6thGrade-Morell/

Happy Typing and Blogging!

Mrs. Morell

Typing and Blogging

Today, for those of you who have not yet reached 30 WPM, you will continue to work on your keyboarding skills using Typing Club:

https://holy-trinity-school.typingclub.com/

Remember, you will login using your lastnamefirstinitial (morellm)  and your password will be: htstype.

Keep working through the lessons, making sure you keep your keyboard covers on, your fingers on the home keys, and you get five stars for each lesson before you move on.

For those of you who have reached 30 WPM, please go to the blog and either finish and post your favorite things, or respond to my blog prompt of the week:

http://kidblog.org/6thGrade-Morell/

Happy Typing and Blogging!

Mrs. Morell

Today, We Type!

Today, we will work on our keyboarding skills using a new program called Typing Club:

https://holy-trinity-school.typingclub.com/

You will login using your lastnamefirstinitial (morellm)  and our password will be: htstype.

I will ask that you all take the Typing Test to begin the day, then work through the first few lessons.

We will then do a bit of blogging... which I will walk you through one-by-one.  I would like you to review some slides on the differences between Social and Academic Commenting, and comment on one of my blog posts.

The link to Kidblog can be found here:

http://kidblog.org/6thGrade-Morell/0cbc6822-7399-4be0-843e-fc8e2fc898c3/things-to-consider-before-you-comment/

Mrs. Morell

Back to School Night

Welcome to Technology

Mrs. Mary Beth Morell

5th and 6th graders will meet with me during one 40-minute period each week.  Our studies this year will focus on the following areas:

Keyboarding, Google Drive and Blogging

We will be devoting much of the first quarter to these basic skills.  The blogs will be through KidBlog, and not viewable to the public.

Second and Third Quarters – Research and Presentation Skills

During the second and third quarters, we will work on a variety of skills related to Internet searching and researching.  I will introduce the students to effective searching strategies, how to identify a reputable website, how to organize research, and how to cite a source properly using an online citation maker.   Once the research is complete, we will use a variety of presentation tools, such as PowerPoint, Prezi, and iMovie.. I hope to work closely with the classroom teachers so that most projects complement the 5th and 6th grade core curriculum, but sometimes we touch upon current events or geography in our projects.

Fourth Quarter – Final Project

During the fourth quarter, the students will complete a final project using many of the skills used throughout the year.  Last year, each 6th grader chose a National Park.  They completed comprehensive research, including a tour of the park using GoogleEarth, compiled a file of photos, then created an online poster of the Park using Glogster.  Citing sources was an important part of the project.

Digital Citizenship

Throughout the year, I will be doing mini-lessons on Digital Citizenship, using the curriculum from CommonSense Media.  Topics will include Privacy and Digital Footprints, Online Safety and Security, Connected Culture and Respecting Creative Work.  This is a new program to Holy Trinity this year, and I look forward to exploring these topics with the students.  Please consider subscribing to Common Sense Media on commonsensemedia.org to help you navigate the constantly evolving world of social media with your child.

The Blog

Every week, I will provide updates on the 5th and 6th Grade Technology Blogs – my answer to a teacher homework page.  Students will be able to access any links or resources I have posted, and parents will be able to see what we are doing in technology class.  My contact information will be there as well.  The link to the blogs can be found on my homework page: http://www.htsdc.org/faculty-homework-pages/morell/

Internet Resources

On the blog, I will maintain a list of Internet resources for research, and for learning fun.

Scantron Testing – Scantron testing will take place during technology class three times a year – September, February and May.  Each round takes three weeks of class time.

Questions, Comments or Suggestions?  Reach me on mbmorell@htsdc.org

Blogging Challenge - Week One

Hello Dear 6th Graders:

First, a few housekeeping issues.

If I don't have your Foreign Language choice from your parents yet, I will need to talk to you...

And if you didn't send me an Email last week, I need to check in with you and make sure you have an account set up, and it works for you.

Now... Today, we blog.

I have set up a 6th Grade Kidblog Account for our class, please link to it here:

http://kidblog.org/6thGrade-Morell/

I will write the default password I set for everyone on the board, and the first thing you will do is change it to the same password you use for Google.

Then, you may change the look of your blog.

And finally, your assignment for the day- and the first of many blogging challenges I will set for you throughout the year.

I would like you to tell me about 10 of your favorite things.

Using complete sentences. Wow me. Amaze me with your fabulous descriptive language.  Include photos if you'd like.  Please model it on  sample on our Kidblog account.

Welcome to 6th Grade Technology!

Welcome!

On Monday, we have such a very short class that I will only have time to do a few things.

Lets start with a quick Prezi



Your homework:

Send me a well-crafted Email telling me one thing you did this summer, and one thing you hope to accomplish in technology this year.

Remember to use the following guidelines:

(This is from one of my favorite blogs - Langwitches)

Mrs. Morell

When you finish Scantron testing...

You must be very, very quiet to let your classmates finish testing, so I suggest you:

finish the teacher surveys in the post below,

read the New York Times Learning Blog to learn something new and interesting,

play FreeRice 

or watch some of the cool videos below from TedEd:

Today, we will take the ADW Religion test

I will give you instructions, and you will take a religion test in class.

If you are finished, try to work out the four places I traveled last week:




Then continue to work on your National Park Project.

National Park Project

Hello Dear 6th Graders,

This week, I will be globetrotting, so you will have a sub.

The instructions for today are quite simple.

First, finish your research, using Noodletools.

The sub will have your worksheets, so please be sure that you have answered each question, and have five piles of notecards (or five notecards, if that is how you decided to organize yourself.)

The three best sources are:

Most of your information can be found on the National Park Service website:

http://www.nps.gov/index.htm

And the National Parks Conservation Association is another great resource:

http://www.npca.org/exploring-our-parks/parks/

And National Geographic has a great resources:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/


If you have finished, you may begin your Glog, Prezi or PowerPoint.

If you cannot remember your login information, the sub will have a sheet with all your logins...

the password for everyone is htsglog

The link to glogster is here:
http://edu.glogster.com/

and Prezi:

http://prezi.com

In your presentation, you must:

• A title or title slide
• Use at least 10 facts from your research (of your choice)
• Use at least 10 photos or videos to illustrate your research
• Everything must be spelled correctly (Yikes, you collectively had a ton of typos on those Prezis of yours!!)
• Put your name on your presentation (of course)

See you next week!

Mrs. Morell