8th+Grade+Course+Description

=8th Grade:=

__1st 9 Weeks:__
• Class Introductions & Class Rules • Macintosh Basic Functions, File & Document Management • Laptop to Desktop to Server Synchronization process -or- • ...Backing up important files & documents • //**Custom Typing**// ( Keyboarding practice on [|www.customtyping.com] ) • **E-Journaling:** Students will create & maintain an electronic journal in //iWorks' Pages//. They will explore the many tools & uses of //Pages// while creating many different journal entries throughout the next 18-weeks. • **Internet Treasure Hunts:** The teacher gives a specific topic for the students to find, and the students must use Web searching techniques/strategies to find the answer(s).

Pages: 8 Keys of Excellence
Using iWorks' Pages, students will create a brochure, flyer, or poster that creatively and effectively displays the 8 Keys of Excellence or other human character traits that you wish to concentrate on. Character traits might include; **responsibility, perseverance, caring, self-discipline, citizenship, honesty, courage, fairness, respect, integrity, patriotism...** You might consider traits you learned from Rachel's Challenge! Your project should illustrate good design elements. Consider the purpose (print or electronic) of your project and who the main audience will be. Watch [|Pages video tutorials] on the apple web site to help you with the construction of your brochure if you need to.

• Blogging:
Students will set up & participate in a classroom &/or school-wide blog on a regular basis. Students will learn what a blog is, learn appropriate blogging behavior, & learn about its potential uses in various aspects of their lives and our society. Some benefits of blogging: Motivation, Writing Skills, Reading Skills, Collaboration, Network Building, Community Building, Analysis, Publishing for all to see, & much more! Some resources: Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms by Will Richardson, https://www2.blogger.com/start, http://edublogs.org/, http://classblogmeister.com/, http://www.vox.com/.

• Wikis:
A wiki is a type of website that allows users to easily add and edit content and is especially suited for collaborative writing. That means that on typical wikis, anyone can edit anything at anytime. Fun! Students will learn what a wiki is, learn appropriate wikiing etiquette, & learn about its potential uses in various aspects of their lives and our society. We will utilize wikis for information and actively participate in a wiki. To find out more about wikis & to visit some resources, see this link: http://weblogged.wikispaces.com/Wiki+Links.

• Still Picture (iQuote or iPoetry) iMovies with optional 15-30 second video clip:
Students research a poem or at least 10 related quotes about a topic of interest to them. They interpret the text & find images that relate according to their personal interpretations. They will create a still-picture iMovie (with a 15-30 second video clip) that depicts their interpretations & creates a mood for their audience through text & image manipulations & relationships, audio inclusion, & use of many other iMovie features. They will compress these into QuickTime format & present them to their peers for constructive criticism. Then we will discuss how an application such as iMovie affects their lives, our society, schools, work places, etc. We will also talk about how the technology we used for this project promotes and inhibits learning and thinking. Click here to view the lesson:

• Spreadsheets: Conversion Calculator
Students will create a units conversion calculator using an //**iWorks' Numbers**// spreadsheet. This will include data entry, cell formatting, design, formula entry, self-evaluation, etc. Once they have completed it with 100% accuracy, they will then write step-by-step directions on how to create this particular calculating spreadsheet for others to use. The directions must be precise, in lamens terms, include illustrations, formulas, etc.

• Media Literacy/Internet Applications:
Students will review the various types of search engines and learn how to utilize them effectively ([|www.searchenginewatch.com]), evaluate web sites, practice & show responsible I-net use, show awareness & strategies about issues concerning the I-net, etc.) We will read the following articles & do lessons about the following media issues. [|Media Awareness Network] Media Issues (Research articles): Gender Stereotypes and Body Image Exposing Gender Stereotypes The Impact of Gender Role Stereotypes Sex and Relationships in the Media Beauty and Body Image in the Media The Economics of Gender Stereotyping Resisting Stereotypes and Working for Change Media Issues (Lessons): Exposing Gender Stereotypes The Impact of Gender Role Stereotypes


 * (... or ...)**

**• iWeb Project:**
Think of an idea, concept, controversial issue, etc that needs to be resolved or could use improvement or that you are concerned about. Why is it an issue? What has been done to try to resolve it? What ideas do you have? What can you contribute? How will your resolution work?
 * With a partner, create a website using iWeb** that focuses on your issue. Include background information (tell why it’s an issue), determine the purpose of your site & determine your biases (you might plan to remain unbiased), research your topic, find credible, up-to-date resources, get permission to use others’ images, data etc. before you publish your site, educate your audience about your topic using the most current data you can find, propose realistic & possible solutions, etc. Good luck, learn lots, and have fun!

• Adobe Illustrator:
Students will get to know the work area/interface of //Illustrator//, then they will perform several exercises as they learn how various tools work. Once they are familiar with the program and its tools they will create self-portraits using a photo, layers, & various tools for their final Autobiography iMovie project. We will research, discuss, & journal about the professional applications of Adobe Illustrator using blogs, wikis, &/or our E-Journals.

• Adobe Photoshop:
Have students use [|ElementK Online Tutorials] to get the experience of utilizing “E-Learning” to learn about Photoshop. Then we will have a professional graphic designer come in for 2 days to teach students how to use many of the tools & features of Photoshop first hand. Once they are familiar with the program & many of its tools they will create an image of their choice (it must represent each student somehow) using photos, layers, & various tools for their final Autobiography iMovie project. We will research, discuss, & journal about the professional applications of Adobe Photoshop, & compare E-Learning to Class Learning using blogs, wikis, &/or our E-Journals.

• Autobiography iMovie:
This is a culminating project, which will demand use of all software programs, hardware, & peripherals used in grades 6, 7, & 8. Students will plan & organize their thoughts & ideas using a storyboard they create & have approved by a teacher before any production is started. They will then collect materials such as pictures (digital & print), home videos (analog &/or digital), & other important items to insert into their iMovie. They will have the opportunity to convert analog video to digital in the classroom so it can be used in their iMovie. They will also utilize a scanner to scan in print images. They will utilize the Internet for various resources & support. They will include images created in Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop & convert those image files into files that can be used in iMovie. Students will utilize external hard drives, flash drives, CD’s, DVD’s, email, iChat, etc., to transfer files & documents as needed. They will also transfer files & documents from one account to another using our server tools. Students will also make use of iSight cameras, digital cameras & camcorders to record & import their content into the appropriate applications for use in their iMovie. Some of those applications would include iPhoto, Adobe Photoshop &/or Illustrator, Garage Band, & iMovie. They will need to import related music &/or sound files from various resources such as CD’s, MP3 players (iPods) & the Internet. They could even create &/or record their own music using software such as Garage Band, or other methods to use in their iMovie. Using all of the above, students will utilize all of the possible iMovie tools & features to manipulate/edit all of their content in order to best create an iMovie Autobiography that shows their personal flare! They will present them on large screen for review by their peers! Lastly, they will compress the finished product into a QuickTime movie so they have a copy for their portfolio. If they wish, for an extended activity, they can transfer their finished iMovie into iDVD & create a DVD with scene selections & the works! They will then create a disk image & burn it onto as many DVD copies as they wish. This are a couple great links to Online iMovie tutorials...please take the time to check them out! http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/ http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#imovie

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