Vocabulary 2 test will be Tuesday January 12th.
Explorer projects were due 12/23/09, these are worth 100 points.
The week of Jan 4th we will be working on narrative and expository writing.
===>I have created a Van Wyck Global Exchange. Students are making entries
from Spain, France, and Brazil. If you would like to post entries
and/or comments ask me for a username and password. I am moderating all
entries. Use your first name only when you add a posting.
I am sure you will enjoy your exchanges!
+++>Mrs. Basuljevic and I started a "Virtual Literature Circle" wiki/blog in
the 2008-2009 school year. We are planning to continue reading this year
so, if you are interested let either one of us know. Parents and other
staff members are encouraged to read along with us as well. This was an
enriching experience for all participants and we encourage you to give it a
try!
Additional class information:
1) if you have an email address I am happy to correspond!
2) the librarian was in the lab for a few days discussing copyright and
plagiarism, as well as, how to use the district online resources for
research.
3) software applications are Microsoft products; Photostory, Excel,
PowerPoint, and Word. We also use Inspiration and when time allows Thinking
Maps software.
4) we will start our correspondence to pen pals from countries
around the world.
5) first vocabulary test will be Tuesday Dec 8th.
6) Digital storytelling projects, worth 100 points, have been started and are
due the week of Dec 21st.
9) PowerPoint projects, worth 100 points, will be due at the end of the
quarter.
Also, please reinforce with your student that the Internet access at school
is for research and educational purposes only. We do have restrictions for
most of the known inappropriate sites. I would prefer not to spend the
class time reminding students they should not be using email, listening to
music or watching music videos. I have been instructed to write referrals
for any student who abuses their Internet access. If it continues then
access will be denied here at school.
Thanking you in advance for your cooperation, communications and efforts.
Mrs. Guerrette
2008-2009
Smitnsonian Art Museum Washington, DC
Combined computer application and art classes participated in a video-
conference session with the museum.
Skype exchanges with Brazil
Cultural and community information exchanges took place.
2007-2008
Planet Focus exhanges with Altario School, Canada. Students shared
information on endangered species, going green, and other environmental
issues.
2005-2006
A visit to Atlanta, Georgia
It’s not often in the junior high that we can impress our students or get
them to be excited about a lesson but there was excitement in the air on
January 26 at Van Wyck. The reason for all the talk in the halls was because
the Computer Applications classes took place at the Sprint building in
Atlanta, Georgia. We were not on a field trip. We were videoconferencing.
After reading a recent article in Educational Leadership the
words “technology-rich work environment in which many students will find
themselves after graduation” sparked an idea to introduce my students to
some new technology that I had just learned how to use. Through the help of
Paul Rubeo (WCSD technology teacher), Gil Perez (Sprint technology), Lori
Croushore (WCSD parent), Rudy Accardi (Dutchess BOCES) and the Polycom
Viewstation this “trip” became a reality.
Before our videoconference began our class used Google maps (an internet map
tool) to see the distances between New York and Georgia. We also noted the
location of Atlanta within the state of Georgia. After the technology
equipment and all parties were introduced Mr. Perez took us on a tour. He
began with the Sprint rooftop camera, which gave us a 360º view of the
surrounding area. In the distance we could see Kennesaw Mountain and then
downtown Atlanta. With the help of the zoom feature we got a closer look at
the Atlanta skyline. There were some cynics in the group who thought it was
the NYC skyline so Mr. Perez gave us all a closer look at the Georgian White
Pines.
The rest of the tour took us through corporate conference rooms, hallways,
and even the dining room. Mr. Perez talked about uses of videoconferencing
for Sprint, job opportunities in this “technology-rich work environment,”
the
importance of continuing their education, and he even showed us a Sprint
commercial. There was even some time to allow for student questions, which
Mr. Perez was so gracious to answer as many as time allowed. Many thanks
from me to all of those who helped to make this possible.
Since our first attempt was such a great learning experience we are planning
ways to integrate videoconferencing into other projects. In the future we
hope to acquire more videoconferencing equipment so that students will be
able to make presentations to government or business people as well as
children in other schools. They will also be able to hear more from experts
like Gil Perez.
