Desktop Publishing Projects

So, my students are really enjoying the desktop publishing projects. We have learned the elements of design, print type, and print graphics--which is boring book work to them. But, as we learn new terms like captions, drop caps, white balance, rule-of-thirds, etc. we are creating a family calendar that includes all those elements. To simplify the concepts (and to get some grades in the gradebook), they have a rubric for two months at a time. Each Friday they turn in just two months for a daily grade. The grades were not so great on Jan. and Feb. but now that they are referring more often to the rubric, the grades are improving exponentially.
This week, they are creating a one-page recipe to add to our class cookbook, again including all the design elements. They get (have to) bring the final product (food) to the classroom for pictures. I mentioned that once the photo is taken, they can share the food with the class, or take it back home. I assume they will want to share their creations.
The purpose of this post is to help teachers excite the complacent student. If your classroom is similar to mine, you know of the constant struggle to get kids to come to class consistently and be willing to learn. I often tell my students that I do not have a degree in Entertainment, and the fact that they may be enjoying the class is just a foturnate circumstance.

My Life Travels

Check this map out. It works like a wiki, meaning you can add things to it. Show me some places you have been.

Finally finished the 6 weeks test.

blending audacity, moviemaker and gimp

The students have created a new media package about what they have learned so far this year. We have already used audacity extensively, plus wikispaces, moodle, ning, a bit of GIMP, using flip video cameras and moviemaker. We were fortunate to receive some memory upgrades before we began the video which means no more freezing computers.
Most of my classes have been eager to try all the programs, and it is now a challenge to find interesting things that are new to them, and useful in education. I can't wait to use gabcast, google calendars, and jott. Now, the students are beginning to blend all these tools together to enhance their learning in other classes.

Apple "brick" looks cool http://ping.fm/BB042

First grading period

Ok, so I have just about ended the first grading period at school. Some really neat students with some great assignments completed already. I am surprised with the number of students who say they have used Audacity and now GIMP. Hopefully, some will be inspired to create some contest pieces for TCEA and Texas media Awards.

It is so disappointing to have several students who are not motivated to even show up for school, much less produce quality work.I would love to uncover the magic secret that inspires kids to do more than "good enough".

The end of the six weeks is Friday, and so I now have to finish the last of the animations grading, post to the gradebook, and try to get the absent work.

GIMP Two

Gimp Beginnings

Here is a good beginning video for GIMP. Watch it, then try it.

Untitled

Embedded Video

Blogged with the Flock Browser

wikis in plain english

Embedded Video

Blogged with the Flock Browser

intro to wikispaces

Embedded Video

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Printing web pages without ads

Blogged with the Flock Browser

teacher

Convert Web Pages Into a Printer Friendly Format with Print What You Like from Digital Inspiration

practice with ping

Ping.fm - A Tutorial for You (http://ping.fm/XPmlQ)

working on learning PiNG

first day of school poll

Ok, now I'm just messing with poll everywhere. I think I'll use this on the first day of school just as a fun, simple to manage ice-breaker. I hate starting the first day going over RULES. Ugh. Besides, most of the schedule-changes the first few weeks cause me to have to repeatedly say the same things over and over again.

Awesome NECC

The NECC in San Antonio was great; if you were there you already know that. I finally learned something about how to get around in SecondLife with the help of the secondlife docents. I am still trying to figure out how I can use it in the classroom. The poster sessions were pretty inspiring, it is ashame that all teachers can't attend NECC to get revved up for the coming school year. Each year, I have to redo all my lesson plans to include new stuff I have discovered.

I really liked the open source lab and spent most of my time there, when I could get in. The place was packed for almost every session. I learned a little about blender, but I don't think I'll be creating any animated features in the near future. Too complicated. Gimp and Moodle sessions were helpful. I've been using both for a few years now and continue to learn new stuff.

As for the exhibits, I wandered around a lot and seem to have a vast supply of pens and tshirts. I didn't officially "win" anything but "chris" at the Quizdom booth gave me a Q7 presenter tablet (they cost about $500) because our district Math coodinator bought multiple sets from him in June. I am so psyched about it because I have the Quizdom student reponse system already and it is great. Personally, I think all classrooms should have this stuff; the kids really like it.

The parties at the NECC were pretty fun and the food was great. I am a little tired of tex-mex but the Aussies and other out-of-towners really liked it. Since I live in Texas, it is not much of a novelty. When I attended NECC in San Diego the group I was with kept ordering everything with avocados on it! ugh, I can't stand them myself.

Well, I'm sure to remember so really important stuff about NECC later and will wish I had included it in this post. Thank goodness for "edit".