Thursday, November 29, 2007

Flash

Everyone will be working on Flash now.

Web 3:

Create a 15 or 30 second web-commercial advertisement for "Suzy's Hair Salon". Don't go crazy with this, it is just to practice writing a script and recording sound. We now have 5-6 microphones to use.

Required elements:

  • A script.
  • Start button and "play again" button.
  • Voice-over that you record. Sound tutorial.

Web 2 and Web 1:

You will work on the motion and shape tween tutorials for Flash. I will demonstrate each at the beginning of class then you will play with them.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Wednesday

Today I expect a visting teacher from the middle school in the morning so I may be a bit occupied (be patient). I am working hard on getting the Lulu and Thinkquest assignments ready (I have assigned one person already as an editor) and hope to get those assignments fleshed out this week. I am collaborating with other teachers on all of this so I have to run a lot through them.

Today:

Web 3:

  • Be sure you have checked and completed your Flower assignment and the blog entries associated with it.
  • Clean up blog entries (spelling, grammer, etc..).
  • Progress report check.
  • Make at least one substantial and specific comment on a classmates blog that continues a conversation. "Good job" does not continue a conversation.
  • Explore and analyze everyscape.com. Is this a fundamental shift on how we search for information? Is this a fundamental change in how maps are produced? Or is it the same concepts--just packaged differently?

Web 2:

  • Complete Form/Map Quiz.
  • Make any needed changes to improve format of WHS page.
  • Progress report check.
  • Make at least one substantial and specific comment on a classmates blog that continues a conversation. "Good job" does not continue a conversation.

Web 1:

  • Explore and analyze everyscape.com. Is this a fundamental shift on how we search for information? Is this a fundamental change in how maps are produced? Or is it the same concepts--just packaged differently?
  • Make at least one substantial and specific comment on a classmates blog that continues a conversation. "Good job" does not continue a conversation.
  • Yes, we are going to be in a "holding pattern" for a few days while I get every person done with Project Six. Be patient--but do something. Choices: Scratch, clean blog, help classmate, play 3rd world farmer.

Plan for the next week or so:

Web 3: Project assignment (Lulu, Thinkquest, or both).

Web 2 and Web 1: Flash introduction.

Then:

Practice exams posted around December 15 (we work on them until break)

After break:

Small projects/units and prep for exam. Just a note that I take the exams very seriously and they will be a challenge. I will give you lots of time to prepare. You can get ideas of what to expect by looking at last years exams in the UDrive and the assignments on the wiki.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Tuesday

Web 3:

1. For most users the major difference I see between Flash and Scratch is the simplicity of the actions. You were all able to make your animations do something fairly easily. Of course, the actual making of the animations is easier and more powerful in Flash. But....what if you spent a few weeks using Scratch as you did Flash??
2. Please focus today on actionscripts and buttons. I want everyone's movies to have working buttons by the end of the period. Work together. Try to figure out more than one way to make your button work (script, using menus, different codes, etc...). Post a correct method/tutorial for adding a Start Button on your blog.

Web 2:

Quiz: Add a survey and map/movie to your Watertown High School website.

  • Survey/Form: What would a high school use a form for? Keep the form simple and be sure to link back to home page.
  • Map: Create a map that gives "directions" from Seymour High School to Watertown High School. This is an adaptation of the skills you learned when you made your RV travel around Florida. You will probably want to create the map yourself rather than trying to download one. I realize this map may be a bit clunky.

Web 1:

1. Bookwork. I want to make sure everyone is comfortable up to Chapter 6 before we move on. If you feel completely comfortable then help a neighbor.

OK.....be prepared, this site is amazing.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Monday

Today we will examine the Scratch programming system. Scratch was developed at the MIT Media Lab (where Negroponte-the inventor of the One Laptop is from). I think it is intended primarily for younger students than you, but it does present some very complex programming concepts.

Check out some of the news about Scratch. Notice that much of the news is another language than English. Is there an assumption in the world of the inventor and business that you speak more than one language??

Here are some ideas to get started. You must do at least one of these.

Here is the Guide to Scratch.

So please test and play with this program today. Read some of the press, search for more information, check for blog references to the program. Be sure you complete at least one of the ideas.

Answer the following questions on your blog (include links!):
1. What did you do with Scratch today? Share any insights to the program that might help your classmates.
2. Is this a valuable program? What criteria should we use? Be specific! Use Web Design terms!!
3. For Web3: Compare Scratch to Flash.

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Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Energy


Recently, I have been obsessed with energy usage in my home. I have been looking at various ways to monitor how many watts I use daily and how certain things draw electricity. I want one of these for Christmas.


I am an Oberlin alum so I have followed their work with the Lewis Environmental Center. Oberlin has been a leader in "green design".


So I thought; "If I can monitor the watts being used in my house, what about at SHS?" So I checked the Oberlin website and I found that they have a website dedicated to monitoring the impact of the Lewis Center AND they monitor the energy use of buildings around campus. Very, very cool!


I did some more searching and found the Lucid Design Group and their page from Williamstown Elementary School. This might be my website of the year. The usability rating for this is through the roof. No extra info, perfectly formatted, speaks directly to the target audience.


I am convinced that these monitors save energy because people instinctively will try to lower the figures on the charts. Do we know how much energy we waste at home or here in school? Could we make a significant impact on our energy footprint? This may become the most important issue of your lifetime. What tools will you create for this environment?


Todays blog entry will be about these websites. Please write about their usability and accessibility. What thoughts do you have about how we can use the web and our global network to find solutions to our growing climate crisis?


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Monday, November 19, 2007

Things to do...

This will be a crazy week.

Everyone will be working on their projects:
Web 1: Frames
Web 2: Movies and Timelines
Web 3: Flash Movie replicating.

Please also check out Scratch and Squeek programming. I want to start doing more game and simulation programming and I read that these might be the platforms to use. The files are in the UDrive if anything doesnt load. Using this could you create a much cooler "Faces" assignment???

Now its tempting to just play the games they have. I want you to MAKE the games--not just play them. This might be a good project for home as well.

Please make a blog entry each day. What did you do? What did you learn?

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Web 3

Web 3 assignment: Replicate this movie in Flash.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Flatclassroom Evaluations


We are once again part of a global collaborative project: The Flatclassroom Project. We are the lead class of peer evaluators for this project. As you know, we work very hard in class on evaluating the work of our friends and classmates. Today you will give feedback to students who are involved in this project. Before you begin we will review our evaluation protocal, words to use, and phrases to start with.
Who is involved in the project? Click here. Be sure to know where these students are located before you begin. While all of these students speak and write English, most are not from America.

Your assignment is posted here. Be sure to really check your writing on this one. Its important.

Once you complete your blog entry I will post all the entries on this page.

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Monday, November 12, 2007

Veteran's Day


The armistice treaty ending the "Great War" was signed on November 11, 1918. It is said that throughout the world nobody had seen so much rejoicing. The world had just experienced unimaginable turmoil, suffering, and pain.


The following year Armistice Day was established on November 11. President Woodrow Wilson said:


To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation.


It was a tradition for many years that at 11am on Armistice Day that all traffic would stop, conversations cease, and all focus be made on remembering those who had sacrificed.


In 1953, in Kansas, a town observed "Veterans Day". They felt this paid tribute to the veterans who had served in World War II and the Korean War. While there was much optimism in the country at the time there was also an incredible need to remember those who had served and sacrificed. Vast amounts of men had not come home from these wars.


Congress thought this was a great idea and in 1954 made Veterans Day a national holiday.


Many of you have friends, brothers, sister, fathers, or mothers who have served. If you have a story about them you want to tell please do so today.

Friday, November 09, 2007

Image Map


Click here for the Quiz.

Stories you should read:

1. What is happening in Pakistan. You have all studied democratic movements, but these modern movements have a twist that we focus on here--technology. Actions that happen in Pakistan are reported instantly. Does this help democracy? I am not sure. Does this allow the marginalized voice to be heard? Certainly.

Do not be ignorant of what is happening in the world. It effects you directly. Just ask your brothers, sisters, friends, and neighbors who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan right now. Be informed!

2. Are newspapers disappearing? Newspapers have been a fabric of our society for decades. Now, while printed newspapers are disappearing online news is increasing its audience. So, is the definition of newspaper changing?

3. Really interesting article about girls in high school. The competition is increasing. Check the interactive feature on the page. Nicely designed web page combining video, pictures, and text.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Projects

I am working this week on developing three project choices for students. These would be a focus for students joining me for the second semester, but any students are welcome to get involved.

1. Thinkquest is a national competition that has serious projects and serious prizes. Check it out. I will choose the elite team for this competition.
2. I want us to start publishing books that go in our libary, you can give as gifts, or you can put on your resume. Lulu.com (currently blocked--no idea why?)allows us to do that. Want to become a published author? We will have a designed project on family history but we could also publish books on web design, blogging, or even the SHS soccer team.
3. The third project is the Fox 61 student news program. This is a great opportunity for you. Again, prizes, resume building, and EXPERIENCE!

I will be working on the formal process soon. If you have ideas, please let me know.

If want you to think of using web design to work on a project for another class. Faculty have specifically offered to work with us. So---do you have a project that could get graded in both classes? Do you have an "essay" that you could instead do a website, movie, or Flash display? We encourage you to suggest alternative assessments.

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Track

Here is my track advertisement:

Track starts November 26. For years Seymour has been one of the only schools that started track in March. All others started in November. The Indoor season for track is, in my opinion, the most exciting season. 1500 athletes in a fieldhouse is an absolute circus.

I believe in working my athletes exceptionally hard. We are here to win and to win the right way.

If you are ready to work join us at a meeting after school on Monday November 12.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Things to check out

Check these out and put them in your favorites.

CSS Examples: A good place to get some help with your page coding.
Fireworks Tutorials: Some of these are really good tutorials, some are a bit confusing.
Dreamweaver Tutorials: Web 2 and Web 3 should start working on these. Swap images, behaviors, jump menus, and layers are all good things to review.

Plan:
Web 1: We are going to plow through the book.
Web 2: We are going to plow through the book.
Web 3: Reviewing Dreamweaver.

Monday, November 05, 2007

End of Exams!

I will spend most of today doing the remainder of the grading. As of 7am Monday morning the highest grade is 100 and the lowest grade is a 66. Overall: good job.

I have been impressed by the depth of your evaluations. Also, how some of you use HTML to improve the usability of your blog (check here). On the blogmeister I give some examples of outstanding work that you can find in the Udrive.

Today you will do the following:
1. Take ten minutes to look at student work and then leave comments.
2. Leave comments on two students blogs on why you think their work is outstanding. Use the language of evaluations (phrases, adjectives, terms, etc...) that we talked about this week.

After the ten minutes looking at student work then:

1. Play one of these serious games:

2. Leave time to answer the following question on your blog:

  • Should serious games have a larger role in learning? Be sure to provide a link to an example of a serious game.



Friday, November 02, 2007

Done

Today we finish the exam. Follow all directions!

If you are done then practice with your catapult. (as of Period 2 this wasnt loading....)

Or:

3D Farming: Can you succeed as a farmer?
3D Architecture: Can you build a successful house.
Tall Buildings: Super-cool site about tall buildings
Power Play: Can you build a better mousetrap?

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Thursday

Today, Thursday, I will be in and out of the room most of the day. I apologize, it is beyond my control....

Checklist for exam:
1. Web 2 and Web 1: Do you have a link to a blog on your subject?
2. Citations are formatted properly.
3. Alt text, titled pages, etc...
4. Saved in Udrive correctly, checked all files.

When Done:
1. Save folder in udrive: bschneiderdogs-DONE. When it is marked Done I know to grade it.
2. Complete and score evaluation and submit on blog.
3. Move on in tutorials or book.

I leave for the State Open tomorrow at lunch time so tomorrow I will not be in Period 6 or Period 7. On Monday I wil miss Period 7 as Mrs. Schneider has a hospital appointment I need to be at. So....7th period especially needs to make sure they send me a question if they have any!!! Use your blog.

I really apologize for the disruption this causes.

Monday we will move on and do any last minute grade fixes. I will have to spend Monday grading your exams. Be patient.