Middle School Computer Classes

Basic skills taught:

• Word processing (AppleWorks and Microsoft Word)
• Graphic use (Appleworks and Microsoft Word)
• Spreadsheet - creating graphs, formatting (AppleWorks and Excel)
• Database / Mail Merge
• Creating multimedia presentations (VideoBlender, Frames, PowerPoint)
• Internet use - searching, online safety, copyright issues, evaluating web sites, participating in web-enhanced learning
• Creating stop-motion animations (VideoBlender, Frames)

Additional technology activities and skills for students:

• Weekly double period writing sessions held in the lab.
• Using wikis and blogs for online collaboration and writing
• Creating audio files (Garageband) and video editing (iMovie)
• Use of scanner and digital cameras (in certain classes)
  
• Producing the school yearbook online with digital camera
• Creating web pages, video editing, claymation, programming, PhotoShop, Lego Mindstorms (M.S. Challenge class)

QUARTER 1:

Reviewing Word Processing for Writers Workshop
Using Tab Markers to Format a Heading
We begin the year with a review of word processing to prepare students for writing each week in Writer's Workshop classes. Students are reminded of different ways to select text, and to not add more than one space when typing, and how to insert page breaks for new pages. They are introduced to formatting a heading by using the right justified tab marker in both AppleWorks and Microsoft Word, since this will be required on all assignments. Students also learn how to use the Thesaurus and "text wrap" for when they add images to their creative writing.

Creating a "Paint Area" on a Wd. Processing Document to Illustrate a Poem
Last year, in 5th grade, the students had been introduced to AppleWorks "paint", with the culminating project: Tessellations. Now students will see how to create a "paint area" right on a word processing document, so they can modify clip art or create their own. The tricky part is putting the image where they want it on the document. Students must select the image with a lasso, click on the document and draw arrow, and then paste. It will go in as an image. They can then either make the background transparent within the pattern palette, or choose to make the border no line or white. This gives practice understanding when they are in "draw", "word processing", or "paint" within the same document.

Creating an Outline about Family
Next, students learn how to use the computer to create an outline. We use family members, friends, or pets as the topic and describe their physical characteristics, personality traits, and interests. Students learn how to add a "new topic to the right" or "left", move topics up or down, collapse and expand topics.

QUARTER 2:

MediaBlender Interactive Presentation Multimedia Software to Create a Science Project
Students put their knowledge of working with paint tools to use as they learn how to use MediaBlender to create a series of "slides" similar to PowerPoint. They will add text, images, buttons that play sounds and movies and move animated graphics in a path. Eventually, students will use these effects to create an animal classification project for science class.

Graphing in Spreadsheet for Math Class
Students create a Bar and Pie graph in a spreadsheet on the computer, as they learn about graphs in math class. Students take surveys, graph their results, and format the graphs according to their math teacher's specifications.

QUARTER 3:

Advanced Features of MediaBlender to Create a Science Project
Students continue to work with MediaBlender, using the advanced features of "moving credits" effect for scrolling text boxes so they scroll by themselves. Students also learn how to use transitions for special effects, as they work on their classification projects.

QUARTER 4:

Using the Internet to Gather Information for a Multimedia Science Project
Students use web sites like NetTrekker (an educational search engine) to gather information, images, audio files, and hypertext links, for their science project. They are including a multiple choice "quiz' in the project. When the user clicks on an answer, the recorded voice of the student will tell the user if it is correct or not.

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QUARTER 1:

Reviewing Word Processing for Writers Workshop
Using Tab Markers to Format Letters and Poetry
Using Section Breaks, Columns, Column Breaks, and Styles
We begin the year with a review of word processing to prepare students for writing each week in Writer's Workshop classes. They review formatting a heading by using the right justified tab marker in both AppleWorks and Word, since this will be required on all assignments. We get a bit more advanced by using the tab markers at the top of the page to place text anywhere on the document. These are used in formatting letters, poems, and forms. We also spend some time with styles, such as bullets, checkboxes, etc. Students are also introduced to using secion breaks, columns, and column breaks.

Using MediaBlender to Create Stop-Motion Animations for Science Class
Students learn how to create a stop-motion animation to show the path of blood flowing through the heart. They use MediaBlender to create the images, and Frames to set the time of the images(frames) and add a title card, ending card, transitions, and audio. Students end up with a quicktime movie and a firm memory of the process! Click here to see an example! Students will have opportunity to create their own "fun animations" after this project.

QUARTER 2:

Integrating Database and Mail Merge with Grammar for Language Class
Students are introduced to databases by creating their own database full of information about their classmates. They create text fields like first name, last name, street address, age. Then they create a popup menu field for favorite restaurant or favorite sport, etc. Radio buttons are used to create a field for gender. Students design a new layout to make their databases more interesting visually. After taking time to fill in their databases with the information, they learn how to searches within their databases and create new layouts from their original. These databases are used to create a fun "form letter" with mail merge. Students practice using these skills creating a database of verbs, prepositional phrases, etc., using mail merge to create a "mad lib" type story.

QUARTER 3:

Using a Frog Dissection Web Site and Creating a Slide Show for Science Class
Students use an interactive frog dissection web site to prepare for dissecting the frog in science class. To demonstrate that they can identify the organs, students create a slide show of the layers of organs in a frog, using AppleWorks and the transparent page feature.

QUARTER 4:

Creating an Interactive Travel Package to Greece for Social Studies
Students use Media Blender and the Internet to create an interactive presentation showing a map of Greece, airfare, departure/arrival times, a hotel, restaurant, places to visit, interesting facts, currency exchange, weather, along with an interactive quiz at the end.

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QUARTER 1:

Reviewing Word Processing for Writers Workshop
Using Tables to Display Information
Setting Tab Markers to Create Forms and a Table of Contents
Using Formatting Skills in Microsoft Word
We begin the year with a review of word processing to prepare students for writing each week in Writer's Workshop classes. They review formatting a heading by using the right justified tab marker in both AppleWorks and Word, since this will be required on all assignments. We also review using the tab markers to at the top of the page to place text anywhere on the document. These are used for formatting letters and poems. Next, students take word processing a bit further, setting the tab markers to create lines as used in forms and dots as used in a table of contents. They also are introduced to creating and formatting tables within a word processing document. The task of using tabs and tables in AppleWorks (which is a bit easier) is then transferred to Microsoft Word, as the students do the same thing in another program, noting that many commands and concepts are similar regardless of the computer and program used.

Using the Internet to Prepare for the NYC Field Trip
Students begin preparing for the 8th grade field trip to New York City by using the web site I (Mrs. Garton) created. Students discover the differences between the 5 boroughs of NYC and many neighborhoods of Manhattan. Through maps, they understand the street/avenue structure of Manhattan, and learn how to choose subway lines to get from one place to another. Through online picture tours, students are given some background and history of the places they will visit. After the trip, students have the opportunity to contribute to the NYC wiki, writing highlights from their trip, contributing photos, and providing advice for next year's group.

QUARTER 2:

Using a Spreadsheet to Create Bar Graphs to Compare Fats and Sugars for Health Class
Students either use the Internet or the actual items to find the amount of fat and sugar in 5 similar products. After they create and format 2 different bar graphs, students write an observation and conclusion of their findings. This helps to prepare them for evaluating the results in their science fair projects.

Using the Internet: Parts of a Web Page, Research Skills, Evaluating Web Sites for Validity
To help students with researching for their science fair projects, they learn how to conduct searches and determine whether or not the information is authentic, current, and valid as a source of informtion. Students will take the district Online Literacy Test 3rd quarter to evaluate their ability to use the Internet and evaluate web sites.

QUARTER 3:

Using Excel to Create Bar, Pie, and Line Graphs for Science Fair Projects
Thus far, students have been using AppleWorks to create graphs. They now learn how to do the same thing with Microsoft Excel. Their data from their health class nutrition graphs is pasted into an Excel spreadsheet, and students learn how to create and format in Excel. Data is given for a line graph, and students learn how to know which kind of graph to use for their science fair experiments.

Using the Internet Safely
We use the Netsmartz web site to discuss online safety: online predators, bullying, spending too much time on the computer, how you portray yourself online, giving out too much information, appropriate use.

QUARTER 4:

Using PowerPoint to teach First Aid
After learning how to use PowerPoint, students choose a first aid topic from their health book and create a presentation to use as they teach their class.

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