• A) Description
• B) Organization
• C) Course Objectives
• D) Grading Plan
• E) Classroom Behavior Management Plan
• F) Your Ideas
• H) How To Take This Course
• Tentative Schedule 1ST QTR 2ND QTR 3RD QTR 4TH QTR

This course aims to develop high level technology skills within its students. Each skill will have a meaningful outcome that will enhance or assist the student in their regular classrooms or beyond Avon Middle School; in High School and College. Emphasis will be placed on supporting the regular curriculum classes, but must ultimately service the Massachusetts Instructional Technology Curriculum. At times you may be curious why this course isn't all text books and software focused. That is because the next generation of technology is less product focused and more outcome focused. You will also find that much of the work you do in this class will delve into your regular classroom's curriculum. That is because the best way to learn is through projects and play. The regular curriculum is very useful for this.

This course aims to empower and enable students to be more "self managed" when it comes to technology. This means regular classroom teachers are NOT to problem solve issues for you, that is your job.

B. ORGANIZATION

 

 

This is a computer lab based program. Each lesson will begin with the teacher modeling a skill or task for you and then you will be asked to replicate that skill. At this point the expectations for the class will be announced. Please make sure you listen (and pay attention) to these first ten minutes of class.

The classroom is organized into a classic horseshoe configuration. I provide an LCD projected image of my computer to help you visually understand. I also use a classroom amplification system to assist and support those auditory learners in our classroom.

Students are to be seated in the same seats throughout the year. Students will be repositioned according to the needs of the teacher. If you like the students you are sitting next to, I advise you to read the "Classroom Rules of Conduct" section of this document.

C. COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. To achieve skill sets as outlined in the Massachusetts Instructional Technology Curriculum.
2. To support and enhance the work of the regular classroom teachers and their curriculums.
3. To empower students to be active problem solvers which will assist them in their academic careers.

D. GRADING PLAN

Coursework will be weighted as follows:

1. Assignments

1st QTR - 25%

2nd QTR - 25%

3rd QTR - 25%

4th QTR - 25%

ASSIGNMENTS:
All assessments are considered assignments. Most of the assessments will be carried out in class. Please be aware that some assessments will require further participation beyond class time. I do not apologize for this. This is what we call extending school beyond regular school hours. It is one of the advantages of having a web based curriculum like the one we use in this class. Please see the complete list of assessments detailed below. I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, MODIFY OR ELIMINATE ASSESSMNETS DEPENDING APON SCHOOL DISTRICT PRIORITIES, SCHOOL HOLIDAYS AND SCHEDULING ISSUES. If this is the case I will make every effort to bring this to the students attention. The week preceding the end of each grading quarter I have prescheduled for grading. During this class students can make up assessments they may have been absent or sick for. It also allows me inform each student of their grade for the quarter and then discuss any issues the student may have.

PARTICIPATION:
Please be aware that some assessments are really participation grades. For example the Avon Middle School Blog and the Epals program are basically participation grades. Please see Tentative Schedule below for assessment details regarding these items. It is the students responsibility to ensure their participation reflects the grade they wish to receive. I work very had to ensure fairness and legitimate assessment of my technology tools and the skills students exhibit using these tools.

GENERAL:
Your recorded grades will be available for your review at any convenient time. Do remember to keep all work in Google Documents so that any discrepancies can be easily and fairly straightened out. Except in cases of actual error, final grades are permanent.

Classroom Rules (notations in red are consequences).

• Students are to support, be respectful and care for those students around them.
• Will be separated from the rest of the class and placed in one of the “bad student seats”.
• Students are not to damage or mistreat technology within the computer lab.
• Will be removed from the lab and placed in the Assistant Principals office.
• Students must ask to visit the bathroom.
• Won’t be allowed to use the bathroom during class time if this rule is abused.
• Students are not to check email, visit websites not approved at any point in time.
• Will be asked to logout of the computer and will be repositioned in the classroom if the issue is ongoing.
• Students are to be respectful of school staff at all times (zero tolerance).
• Will be sent to the office and a one hour school detention will be applied.
• No food in the computer lab, but water is okay as long as it it stored on the floor..
• Must be placed either in the bin or at the door of the computer lab.
• No negative religious, ethnic or racial language within my classroom.
• Dependent on the comment. Malicious comments will have the student removed from the classroom and sent to the office.
• Students are to raise their hands when they wish to speak.
• Will not be given permission to talk.
• My rule on noise levels is that if I can hear you, you are being too loud. Students are allowed to talk and problem solve things together….but this is to be done quietly.
• Will be asked to quiten. If this does not work I would immediately move the student to a less favorable computer. If still an issue I would talk to the student after class. Possible ejection from classroom with school detention if the student escalates the issue.
• Students are to leave their computers as they found them when they entered the computer lab.
• Will be asked to go back to their table to correct the issue.

F. YOUR IDEAS, EVALUATIONS, ETC.

In general, your ideas, comments, suggestions, questions, grade challenges, etc. are welcome. Your discretion in these matters is expected, however. No part of your grade will be based on anything other than your coursework and attendance.

G. HOW TO TAKE THIS COURSE

For most students this will not be a "difficult" course. However, there will probably be some students who did well in academic courses where information was most important and who will be surprised at the relative difficulty of this course where technology skills and problem solving are most important. So do not think that if you are a "B" student you will probably get a "B" in this course. You might get an "A" with relative ease . . . or a "C" with difficulty, and still be (and correctly so) a "B student" in your information-heavy, mainly text book style courses. This course will be significantly different to your regular classroom style programs.

1st QTR

Sept 2 - Nov 6 2009

Using typingtest.com website. 35 WPM.

Students practice in class using web based programs. Like Typer Shark, Barracuda Typing, Power Typing and Dance Mat Typing. Students should be practicing at home and at school when time allows.

Using typingtest.com website. 40 WPM.

Students practice in class using web based programs. Like Typer Shark, Barracuda Typing, Power Typing and Dance Mat Typing. Students should be practicing at home and at school when time allows.

Epals

(Not running in the 2011/12 school year)

Students will be provided with two epals from two different countries in the world. They will use the epals program and platform to share cultures and ideas. Students will be graded as follows:

• Must communicate at least once with their assigned epal.
• Letters are to be a minimum of five lines.
• Excellent grammar, spelling and vocabulary.
• No IM language or references to Facebook, Myspace, AIM etc. will be tolerated.

Epals

(Not running in the 2011/12 school year)

Students will be provided with two epals from two different countries in the world. They will use the epals program and platform to share cultures and ideas. Students will be graded as follows:

• Must communicate at least once with their assigned epal.
• Letters are to be a minimum of five lines.
• Excellent grammar, spelling and vocabulary.
• No IM language or references to Facebook, Myspace, AIM etc. will be tolerated.

2nd QTR

Nov 9 - NEED DATE

Grade 7 Major Project

"Wikipearse Project"

Students will lean wiki code and use the same software platform as Wikipedia in this project.

Please click here to view major project home page. Click here to view Wikipearse Project Rubric.

Grade 8 Major Project

"Major Project Webquest"

Students will complete three projects that involve spreadsheets:

1. Student Stockbrokers (beginner difficulty). RUBRIC
2. Do Vampires Really Exist? (intermediate difficulty). RUBRIC
3. Brownie Entrepreneurs (advanced difficulty). RUBRIC

Creation of Digital Portfolio using Google Sites. This grade will assess website creation skills ONLY. Please click here for rubric.

Google Sites is part of the Avon School District's Google Apps Secure Community and can only be viewed by Avon School District students and staff.

Creation of Digital Portfolio using Google Sites. This grade will assess website creation skills ONLY. Please click here for rubric.

Google Sites is part of the Avon School District's Google Apps Secure Community and can only be viewed by Avon School District students and staff.

3rd QTR

NEED DATES

No assessment.

Joint project between guidance.

Post Grade

Students are to create one post by new years. The posting should include the following to get a 100% grade (please click here to see rubric).

• Catchy title
• 100 word minimum story of students choosing. Student must have a connection to the story. So, don't write about the Celtics unless you were their mascot.
• Hyperlinked picture to a website with more information.
• MLA certified reference using Citation Machine.
• Category.

Post Grade

Students are to create one post by new years. The posting should include the following to get a 100% grade (please click here to see rubric).

• Catchy title
• 100 word minimum story of students choosing. Student must have a connection to the story. So, don't write about the Celtics unless you were their mascot.
• Hyperlinked picture to a website with more information.
• MLA certified reference using Citation Machine.
• Category.

4th QTR

NEED DATES

If needed

Squeezing Money Out of a Lemon Spreadsheet Activity

Using a Google Docs Template. Students should have a completed resume with all necessary details to earn a full grade. 5 points will be taken off for each missing section.

RUBRIC

MCAS Mathematics Personal Response System Review

It is the responsibility of each student to collect high quality exhibits of their work from each of their regular classrooms.

Work is to be published on their new Google Site Digital Portfolio website.

Click here for the Grade 7 2011/12 rubric.

It is the responsibility of each student to collect high quality exhibits of their work from each of their regular classrooms.

Work is to be published on their new Google Site Digital Portfolio website.

Click here for the Grade 8 2011/12 rubric.