Elf Your Self & Photo Editing Sites

 

Manipulate your image or a news image! PLEASE remember to be appropriate :)

Elf Your Self - Free Version, easy to use, no 
password needed.  Upload from webcam

Jib Jab Website  - You MUST log in for this to work, upload from Folder My Picture--->POV
Look on board for the username & passoword.  You may ONLY use the ones that are school appropriate.

Neave Interactive Webcam Toy -A digital photobooth with over 60 types of camera effects and filters!

Funtastic Face - Change your face! 

Picnik - Fantastic Photo editing tool! You can change, add, edit anything!  

Says-It - Make your Own funny photos and messages! 

Be Funky - Lots of creative ways to alter images! 

PhotoFunia - Add your image to a billboard, Santa's Body or a Twilight Scene! The possibilities are endless!

Other Holiday Activities: 
Make your own Christmas tree 
Make your own Snowflake

Have Fun!

Search Alternatives

There are some really cool search engines out there! 

Check out some of my favorites below!

Duck Duck Go Search Engine View the video below to see how it works!

Qwiki, Also a great iPad App, this search engine combines images and voice to tell you about a topic.  Try searching your hometown or your favorite location to see how it works.  Great way to get information without reading, makes taking notes easier.

Check out the video below on Wolfram Alpha, a very cool "Super Computer" Computational Search engine.  This video explains how it works, and what kind of answers you can expect.  Instead of telling you web pages to go to, Wolfram provides factual information.

https://docs.google.com/a/mybps.me/document/d/1z5oUsrJISYunHhfPoKqSPmUGjzxtixB9wKp2sykqrz4/edit

Searching, How do you do it?

Hello 6th graders! This week we will start exploring search engines and how they work.  I know you are all familiar with Google, but what else do you know about search engines?  What other ones are available?  How do you find what you want?  Today we will begin answering these questions.


Google's Search Tips & Tricks

Google Playground

Search engine List
Google
Yahoo
Ask

Meta Search Engines
Zuula
Dogpile

Search Engines in Plain English

Power Searching Activity

Pop Quiz :)

REAL

Explorer Treasure Hunt Link

Decoding URLs

all-informationz.blogspot.com

If there is one thing you all remember from 6th grade Technology this year, I hope it's what URL stands for and how to decode one.  Let's start by opening the document link below.

URL Google Doc Click HERE!

BIS Library & Research Tools

 

Encyclopedias

Encyclopecdia of the Living

Encyclopedia Britannica for Kids

Library Catalogs

BIS Spectram 5

C.L.A.M.S. 

 

Google Apps MyBPS

Today we will begin exploring your Google Apps Account.  Did you know Barnstable is a Google School?  That means our school and each and every one of you has access to a suite of Apps provided by Google. Today we are starting with Google Docs.  Please watch the video below to get a better idea of how they work.

How can we collaborate within a Google Doc?  Take the link below to experience it!
Google Doc Collaboration Test

Thursday's Substitute Class October 25th

Hi 6th Graders, I'm especially sad I'll be missing all of you today because I think you all will have fun with today's lesson, and I won't get to see you complete it! Please do your best and follow ALL instructions below to complete today's lesson.  I will expect a great report from your substitute because I know ALL of you are fantastic students.  Please help each other if someone near you is confused.

1.
During class today, you will have the privilege of participating in a “mock” or pretend election.   Please start by watching, "The History of Voting."    

2.
The entire student population of BIS will be taking part in this "election". I believe you have been going over the election in class, and hopefully you are feeling pretty informed and are ready to vote and voice your opinions!

  Next to each of your workstations you will find a document taking you through the steps of voting.  You will also find this document below.  Please take this seriously and remember voting is a private matter.  You shouldn’t be sharing and comparing with your neighbors. Please click on this Google doc, Voting Instructions to get started.  Hint:  You may need to paste the teacher code in a couple of times if you are getting an "invalid code" message. Return to my blog when you are done.

*If you get a bad gateway error, go to the next step below, and try voting again at the end of class.* 

3. Once you are done with voting, you will start doing a little research that will ultimately end in you creating placemarks in Google Earth. First you need to choose three locations you would like to visit anywhere in the world, sky or ocean.  Or choose places you have been and loved!Think of landmarks, or seven great wonders of the world, or Disney World! Anywhere you want!
**Very Important:  There is a check-in sheet next to your computer, you MAY NOT choose any place that has  already been listed on YOUR computer's check-in sheet

4. Then, you will need to do some quick research on your location from one of the websites listed below.  You can not use Wikipedia to use facts, please use the list below. Try to find facts that are interesting to you. You need to find at least four facts for each location and put them into YOUR OWN words.  NO PLAGIARISM please. You can type into a word document using Open Office Writer or just hand write them on scrap paper.

List of Fact Links

5. Next, you will open up Google Earth off of your desktop.  You will be creating placemarks at your three locations.  Inside of each placemark you will type the facts you have found.  Please use correct spelling and grammar.  **If you don't know how to create a placemark, there is a paper resource by your desk and a video below that you can watch. They are very easy to create.  If you still need more help with Google Earth, just take this link to my 7th grade blog for more Google Earth Links.

Link to Place Marks & Tours Video


6. When you are done creating your placemark, you MUST fill out the computer check-in sheet by your computer.  Write your name and the three locations you created placemarks at.  I will be checking these and your placemarks.  Please leave the sheet by your computer.

7.  Lastly, you can return to Google Earth and explore, or check out the link below to try out a couple games that use Google Earth technology.  These are your only options, please do not do anything else.

Ckick on the column on the right of this site to play Ships or pilot your own helicopter!
Planet IN Action

 Take the survey here that was created by the school.

Time for your Test!

Your test for the month of September is the link below.  Please do not stress out.  This is just for me to see how you are learning the material.  Do your best, make sure you check ALL that apply when you have the choice.  You can not skip any questions.  Click submit when you are done, put up your green stick, and watch the video below called "Whiz Kid Typist." After the video, check out Google Earth on your desktop while you wait for everyone to finish.

Good Luck!!

6th Grade ILT September Quiz 

How the Internet Works

We all use the internet, maybe you use it everyday, but do you know how it works?  How do we see what we see?  Check out the video below to learn more!

Next, I want you to check out this cool infographic that will explain the internet a little more.

[Via: Online Schools]

Word Clouds

Welcome to my 6th Grade Blog! You will be visiting often for links and useful information
 Today we will be creating a Word Cloud that describes you and things you are passionate about! When you are done creating it, you will print it and mount it to construction paper.  This word cloud should help myself and your classmates learn more about you!


ABCYA Word Clouds

Wordle Word Clouds

Monday June 11th Instructions

1. You should be working on your project if you have not finished it yet.  Please be sure you included a fact and a URL where the bullying fact came from.  If you finish, please be sure it is saved in your P-Drive or online.  If you are using Animationish and you want to find music for your PSA check out the link below

Community Audio

http://archive.org/details/opensource_audio

Once you find the music, bookmark it in your Diigo account (check your p-drive for username & password) and I will help you add it to your project on Thursday or Friday.

2.  You have a few options when you finish your project,
      -Use Animation-ish and the drawing tablets o create something else
      - Go on DomoAnimate and create something else
      -Go on Glogster EDU (log-in info. is on your school sites table) and create a glog introducing BIS  to the new 6th graders for next year
      -Go to the Live Binder and explore the links (Use the access code rtdodge223ilt) 
      -If you have Mr. Gauthier as a teacher, you may play the Labyrinth Math Game
      -You may use typing pal
      - Use the web cameras (in the front of classroom) and take the links below to edit pictures.  You will receive extra credit and a reward if you edit a picture of yourself and print it out for me.
**In order to upload a picture to one of these sites, you have to take a photo in POV (located in the video &audio folder on your desktop) then when you upload it, your photo will be located in the my documents folder in my pictures under POV.  I know you all can use your resources to figure this out!

Funtastic Face - Change your face! 

Picnik - Fantastic Photo editing tool! You can change, add, edit anything!  

Says-It - Make your Own funny photos and messages! 

Be Funky - Lots of creative ways to alter images! 

PhotoFunia - Add your image to a billboard, Santa's Body or a Twilight Scene! The possibilities are endless!

Have Fun!

Please be as productive as possible, your main goal is to complete your project today.
Have a great day!

Monday, June 4th Instructions

Hi 6th Graders, sorry I am missing you today.  Please follow all instructions below so you know what to do.

1. You should be working on your project if you have not finished it yet.  Please be sure you included a fact and a URL where the bullying fact came from.  If you finish, please be sure it is saved in your P-Drive or online.

2.  You have a few options when you finish your project,
      -Use Animation-ish and the drawing tablets o create something else
      - Go on DomoAnimate and create something else
      -Go on Glogster EDU (log-in info. is on your school sites table) and create a glog introducing BIS  to the new 6th graders for next year
      -Go to the Live Binder and explore the links (Use the access code rtdodge223ilt) 
      -If you have Mr. Gauthier as a teacher, you may play the Labyrinth Math Game
      -You may use typing pal

Please be as productive as possible, your main goal is to complete your project today.
Have a great day!

Survey

Please take this link to a survey
Answer honestly please.  It is anonymous.

Image Links for PSA Bullying Project

Photos 8, - high quality images with lots of choices!

Pics for Learning

Kids Click Pictures, great site for images involving art, atronomy, animals & history!

World Book Student, (username: bmslibrary password: research)

Discovery Education (username: last_first18 password: ID no leading 0's) - Search for broad topics such as Europe, Animals etc. Then look on the left hand side to narrow your results to images and so on.

Nettrekker (username: last_first password18: Full ID)- First look at the search bar, try switching from Web to Image and search a broad theme. If this doesn't work, search your topic and then take a link to page that may contain an image you can use.

Nettrekker also has a great source of clipart links. They are listed below;

• AICT Art & Architecture Images
• FreeFoto.com
• Interesting.com: History Images
• Library of Congress: American Memory
• NASA JSC Digital Image Collection
• Pics4Learning
• Purdue: Clip Art for Language Instruction

Copyright-Free and Friendly Clip Art:

• Barry's Clipart Server
• Classroom Clipart
• DiscoverySchool's Clip Art Gallery
• DK Clip Art
• Free Clip Art
• Microsoft Design Gallery Live
• Teacher Files: Educational Clip Art
• teachnet.com: Free Educational Clip Art
•  

** Reminder Instructions on how to bookmark images and create a citation note**

1.Search for your image. Once you find one you like, right click and save the image to your computer (pdrive if you are in school), don't forget to name your image. Example names; car1, car2, car3 etc.

2.Next you will need to copy the URL in the address bar so you can use it later to give credit for the picture. Highlight the URL, right click and copy.

3.Next, go into your Diigo library. Click the blue "add" button and click on note. Paste the URL you just copied into notes. This is where you will add all of your URLs from images.

4. Click on the blue "add" button and then images.

5. Click on add images at the top and then find the images you want to save.

6. Look at the bottom of the box, click on "upload images."

7. Your images will upload and save to your Diigo library

Kerpoof

Domo Animate

StoryBird

Animation-ish

Photo Story

Animoto

6th Grade Survey

Please take the survey below.  It should only take a few minutes and it is completely anonymous.  Please be honest, your feedback is really important to me.

Student Feedback Survey

Google Forms

Please take this link to paste in the link to your forms 

Miss Sweeney's 6th Grade Surveys

Google Docs

Watch the video below for an intro to Google Docs

Google Calendar

Watch this video for an even better understanding of Google Calendar and how it works!

Monday's Class with a Sub

Hello,
I'm sorry I'm missing you all today.  **Just a reminder, if you HAVE NOT presented your project with me, you MUST schedule a time this week to do so, or you will receive a 0 **

Please follow ALL directions for class today.

1.  Take one or all of the links below to do some research on Google Apps.  You will be creating your accounts this week during class two.  Do some research on how Google Apps can help you in school.Remember your search tips I taught you.  Read the descriptions to figure out the best resources to use.  Skim and scan the information, and please be sure to put it ALL in your own words
Google Apps in Middle School
Top 5 Things about Google Docs
Huge Google Live Binder
Cybraryman Google Links

2. Open up a word doc. in Open Office Writer. (in the open office folder on your desktop) and type a paragraph or two about what you learned.
3.  Make sure your name is on the paper, spell check it, save it to your P-Drive, print it and hand in to the substitute.
4. When you are done with your paragraph, please take the link below to Mrs. Dodge's Live Binder.  Use the access code rtdodge223ilt  You may explore any of the links on this page.  You will probably enjoy some of the links under the games and activities tab. You may also go on Google Earth or back to Typing Pal.

Mrs. Dodge's Live Binder

Please do not go on any sites not on the Live Binder and NO MUSIC.

Have a great day!

Introducing Google Apps for Education

Image Source: http://www.samanage.com

Congratulations on presenting such AMAZING projects to the class over the past two weeks! I was very impressed by all your hard work!  Moving right along, we will be jumping in to Google Apps by creating your personal "Schoogle" Accounts.  The two videos below provide some introduction.

You can always access the School's Google log-in page through "School Tools" on the BIS website.  We will talk about the other ways to access your account from home.
Take the link below, and try signing in with the following;

Username: lastname_firstname18
Password: ID+00
Link to Google Log-in

Thursday Substitute Class

Hi Everyone,

I'm sorry I'm missing you today, but I know you will all be working very hard to get your projects done!
Please make sure you check your rubric to be sure you have met all the qualifications.  If you forgot yours, please look at a classmates.

If you should finish your project, please do some research in Google on how to give a good presentation.  Remember, your presentation Should NOT have to much text, instead, you should be doing lots of talking and your presentation should just be something your audience can look at and follow along with.

If you want to add sound effects, check out some of the sites below.  If you find something you like, but you can't figure out how to get it into your presentation, save it to Diigo and I will help you on Monday.  Try using your search knowledge to use Google and see how you can add sound to your presentation.

• Soundzabound - Don't forget to login! username: barnstableis and password: redraider
• Community Audio/Open Source Music **This is a great source to use!
  
• Free Instrumental Music Links- Great for a podcast background!
• Open Sound Music
• Section Z Music
• Partners in Rhyme- free Sound Effects!

Do your best, don't stress and I will see you Monday!

Pop Culture Survey

Please take this Pop Culture Survey for the Yearbook.

Please be honest!

Presentation Project Resources

Use the following resources to help you with your project:

Image From: guide2office.com

Open Office Impress

Text resources:

• Creating a New Presentation
• Creating a Bullet List
• Text formatting & Layout
• Step-by-step instructions

Video Resources:

• Overview of the Basics (Start Here)

• Creating Font Works (Fancy Fonts) 
•  Atomic Learning Tutorials (How to do EVERYTHING!)

Username for Atomic: barnstableIS

Password for Atomic: redraider

Image From: buckslib.wordpress.com

 Log-in Info:
Username: Sweeney@mybps.me
Password: redraider

Prezi Help & Information
Atomic Learning Videos (Everything you need to Know!)

Username for Atomic: barnstableIS

Password for Atomic: redraider 

Getting Started in Prezi "Cheat Sheet" 

Explore other Prezi's to get ideas! 

If you choose PreZentit, you need to teach yourself, as it is in testing (Beta) mode and there are no tutorials for it.  Use the following link and log-in information:

Prezentit

Username: sweeney

Password: redraider

Quiz Time!

Please click submit to send me your answers.  Read each question all the way through, and DON'T stress

Good Luck!

Google Search Tips & Tricks

This week we will be focusing on how to use some of Google's advanced searching features. Let's start by watching the video below on how search engines work.

 

Google offers lots of resources to help you become a better searcher.  They also have a cool timeline of Google Search, check it out here.

Next, I'll be showing you a Prezi by Tony Vincent to go over some Google Search Tips

Using the Google Guide I gave you, take this link to Google Guide exercises and complete each one.

Other Google Search Resources for teachers & students:

• What You Need to Know About Search Part 1
• Google Quick Find Bingo
• 100+ Google Tricks from Teach Hub
• Google Search Infographic
• Cybrary Man's Google Directory

Exploring some Explorers

Hunt for Facts!

Get R.E.A.L.

Since we didn't have time to visit the Wayback Machine last week, let's start with that. Please take the link below.

Wayback Machine

This week we will be focusing on Evaluating & Validating Web Sites using a method called R.E.A.L. Start by watching the video below.


R.-Read the URL-as you learned last week, the URL provides important clues to what the site is about
E.-Examine the Content- Ask questions about what you are reading, does it make sense?
A. Ask about the Author & Owner- Anyone that wants to publish a website can.  Do you trust the author?
L. Look at the Links- Do they work? Where do they take you?

Website One: http://frogsonice.com/froggy/ 
Website Two: http://www.exploratorium.edu/frogs/index.html
Website Three: http://froggyville.com/index.php

URL quiz

I would like you to start class today by taking this quiz on URLs.  Stay calm, you know all of this, we went over it last week. Good Luck!

Decoding URLs

Welcome back from vacation! We will be diving into some brand new topics for the next few weeks.  Today we will be discussing URLs.  What are they? Please watch the video below for a better idea.

Lets try a few examples, please click on the sites below when I tell you to do so.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/world/americas/28haiti.html?ref=world 
Try truncating, or deleting everything after the forward slash after .com, what happens?

http://www.ready.gov/your-brain-work

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy

http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/ocean/motion/waves3.htm

Take the links below to view websites from the past and register your own domain name

Way Back Machine
Who Is Domain Look Up