Do you believe?

Hello Students,



Today you will have a choice of assignments. You may do 2 of the following 3 assignments. I will be checking on your progress via my Blackberry...

Dear Santa

1. Type a persuasive letter to Santa Claus in Microsoft Word. The letter must consist of 100 words and it must be in letter style format. Your letter must also include 2 paragraphs and a list of items you are requesting. This is a persuasive letter, so you must justify why you deserve the gifts you are requesting. Convince "Santa" you have been "nice" all year!


The Power of Google Worksheet.
2. Google is a very powerful search engine, but it is not just limited to standard searches. Google can do math, look up phone numbers and much more. Use the google.com web site complete the worksheet provided by your teacher. Answers must be typed in a Word Document. Save your document and print when I return
http://www.google.com/

Is Santa Real?
3. Who is Santa Claus? Is there, was there really a Santa Claus? Complete a biography about Santa Claus. State who he was, where he was from, and what did he do, and whether or not he really existed. Complete this project using Microsoft Word. (at least 3 paragraphs).
Do you believe in Santa? State your opinion by posting a comment to this question.
http://www.the-north-pole.com/history/index.htm
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38

Holiday Internet Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger Hunt Test Your Skills:
Use Key words, phrases and internet research skills to find the answers to these questions. Also use the hints provided in your search.
Have fun trying to solve the questions. Some may have more than one answer. You are a Cybernaut if you can answer 8-10, an Internet Navigator with 5-7, a Hitchhiker with 3-4, or a Newbie with less than 3.

1. What causes hiccups? __________________________________
Hint: KidsHealth

2. Where can these lyrics from a popular children's series be found?
It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor. ________________________________________________
Hint: PBS

3. What do you need to make bubbles? _________________________
Hint: The Bubblesphere

4. Who wrote these famous lines? ___________________________________________
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door." 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door;Only this, and nothing more."
Hint: House of Usher

5. Are cockroaches active during the day? _____________________________
Hint: Yuckiest Site on the Internet

6. Who were the Buffalo Soldiers? ______________________________
Hint: The International Museum of the Horse

7. Where can I go to see the world through the eyes of a honeybee? ______________
Hint: B-Eye

8. Kwanzaa is a special holiday created by______________ in _______. He wanted Black Americans to have a holiday to celebrate their unique __________________.

9. The words of Kwanzaa comes from _____________ a language from ___________ that is special because _________________________. He chose it because he thought it would help Black Americans remember that all of ____________ is their __________________________________.

10. Kwanzaa means _______________________. It is a __________ day celebration that begins on ____________________ and ends on _____________.

http://www.afroam.org/children/fun/kwanzaa/kwanzaa.html

When finished, give your paper to the substitute. You may write your answers on a sheet of paper or complete the worksheet (handout).

Technology Literacy Assessment

Technology Literacy Assessment
Click here to practice for the Technolgy Literacy Assessment that is coming up soon. All middle school students will have to take this test.
http://www.learning.com/tla/samples/samplemiddle/local.htm

Podcasting

Hello Students,

Today we will listen and learn more about podcasting in order to understand the definition of a podcast: A podcast is an audio recording, which could be anything from a 10-sec sound to a 30-min radio show, stored as an MP3 file that anybody can download.

Here is your assignment for today, November 19 and 20, 2009:

1. Click here and listen to one of these podcasts from students across the world. Evaluate one of these podcast by letting me know what you think. Did you like it? What was the topic? How many students were involved? What did you learn from this podcast? Click on comment to respond to these podcast. No comment, No GRADE!

a. http://cdn1.libsyn.com/vincent/Houston.mp3?nvb=20091119040710&nva=20091120041710&t=0dc6966157e5e87e8646a
b. http://www.podkids.com.au/index.php?post_id=534543
c. http://www.salem.k12.va.us/west/podcasts/announcements.mp3

Podcasting in plain English video: (Review for Test Next week) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MSL42NV3c

________________________________

2. Finish working on your travel brochures. You should concentrate on finding interesting facts about your country and completing your list of places to visit in your country. Remember to include pictures of food, people, and places from your country. This assignment is due Next Week (Nov. 23-24).

Here are some useful websites that will help you with completing your brochure:

http://www.askkids.com/
http://www.factmonster.com/
http://www.kids.gov/6_8/6_8_social_studies_countries.shtml

Learn all the countries of the world: watch this fun video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S13Z7NMfcA

Fun Geography game: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Games/GeographyGames/Geospy

Technology Time Machine

Students, go to this website and study the Technology Time. Make sure you learn what year each technology item was invented. www.growing.course.com/level_5/time/index.html

CultureGram Assignment

Hello Student,

Your assignment for today (October 14, 2009) will be to complete the Culture Gram worksheet. Remember to log on by clicking favorites, then going to Library Media OPAC, click on William Hall Academy, and then CultureGrams. The username and password is PGCPS. You can also access CultureGrams by typing the word "destiny" in the address bar, just the word destiny and nothing else.

Please be on your best behavior! There should be no gum chewing, no restroom breaks, so don't ask.. go before or after class.

You will have 10 to 15 minutes to practice your typing skills on www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing
(remember to keep your fingers on the home row keys!!

Choose a country for your MicroSoft Publisher Brochure Project and complete the worksheet.
Please respond to this blog by letting me know what country you have chosen for your assignment (click on comment under this post). What country did you chose and why?

Leave a comment, this will be your participation grade!! No comment, no grade!!

Have a great Day!!

Here are just some of the CultureGram questions:

1. What country are your researching?
2. What is the population?
3. What is the official langage of the country you are researching?
4. Name 3 famous people from the country?
5. What is the most popular sport int he country?
6. Name the capital city?
7. What is the average tempature?

Poetry Project using Microsoft Word

Good Morning Students,

Today you will work on your Poetry Project using Microsoft Word. After your 10 minute typing warm-up, open up a Microsoft Office Document and begin your project. Using a Microsoft Word document, you will write a poem on a desired topic. The directions and a rubric about the project will be handed to you. During the last ten minutes of class, you are to respond to this post by telling me some details about your poem. This project is Due: October 1 and 2, 2009.

Internet Scavenger Hunt

Good Morning Students!!
Today we will continue with the Internet Scavenger Hunt. Please use the sites listed in your "favorites" named: Library Media - OPAC. Or you can simply type the word "destiny" into your address bar. Go to William Hall Academy and there you will see numerous links to research the answers to the questions. When you are finished DO NOT Log -Out or turn off your computer! We are still uploading programs remotely.
Today you will complete this scavenger hunt:

1. Who was the 18th president of the United States of America?
2. What is the capitol city of the state of Utah?
3. Who is the governor of the state of Maryland?
4. Name 3 species of ants.__________________
5. How many bones are in the foot?
6. How old was the oldest person who ever lived?
7. What is the population of Houston, Texas?
8. Who invented the pencil sharpener?
9. Name the author of the book: A Tale of Two Cities?
10. Who invented the zipper?
BONUS!!! Name the Maryland state symbol for:
Bird: ______________________
Flower: ______________________
dog: _________________________
tree: __________________________
reptile: _________________________
Remember to respond to this post by letting me know what you accomplished. You may also ask me questions related to this assignment or about our class.

Hello students,
If you are reading this, chances are I am out of the building for today. Today you will work on the followowing skills: keyboarding, websurfing, and math. Please read your objective for the day and get started.

Objective,
Students will develop and enhance keyboarding skills in order to improve their skills with the functions and key strokes of a computer keyboard.
Students will work independently by choosing a site on the the teacher's bookmark site in order to develop internet surfing skills and research skill using the world wide web.

1. Practice typing skills on this website :www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing
Students, make sure that you start with the home row keys on level one.
2. Go to my bookmark site www.delicious.com/ms.jefferson , here you can choose any site from this page to work on. Please do not go on any site that is not listed on this page.
3. Respond to this blog by letting me know what you accomplished for today.