Hello Everyone,
I want to take this time to wish you all a very Happy Holiday season. May you use this time to relax and connect with loved ones! See you all next year!
Rasha Sachdeva
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Update from the Mouse Pad!
Hello Everyone,
Hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving break. For my 3rd and 4th Grade families, please keep in mind that when we have holiday breaks, I do not expect typing homework logs the following week. Many people travel and may not have that access.
Kindergartners have completed the robotics unit with the BeeBots. I hope they told you all about it. This month they were introduced to our art program called KidPix where they created digital masterpieces and even got to record their own voices on their drawings. They loved hearing themselves. They also got to go on talkingpets.org and dressed a pet up as well as customize the pet's voices. This is a great site to reinforce the mouse movements and single/double clicking. Please have them show you at home. The site link is listed to the right.
First Graders delved deeper into the Microworld's Jr. program and created animation using the turtle graphics. Their animation included at least 3 moving objects, a background, a textbox and a recording which could be composed music of their own or their own voice recording. They became pros at opening up the turtles backpack and adding code into it. They did not even realize that they were programming the turtle. Stop by and see their saved animation.
Second Graders completed their KidPix slideshows and shared with their peers using the smart board. They loved presenting their creation. Many students even added music and their own narration on each slide for a more dramatic effect. I was so proud to see the audience be so attentive and respectful as their peers were presenting. These kids have such great confidence in public speaking. We then began our programming unit using Alice. It's a wonderful 3-D graphics program where you can drag and drop code to make your objects move. Alice is available free to download. Just search for Alice and choose the elementary version.
Third Graders are learning to use PowerPoint to make effective presentations. They have chosen their own topics that they feel passionate about and are using designs, clipart and transitions. They are learning how to adjust speeds and sounds as their slide changes. I can't wait to see their finished products. They will also learn to use our OWS approved databases to add research to their topics and learn to site resources. A very important fact to know as they begin the road of many research papers!
Fourth Graders completed their dream homes using SketchUp. I was really amazed to see their creativity. Now students will begin using voicethread technology to record Spanish assignments given by Mrs. Brodahl. Voicethread is a great platform were all students can record on one page. They will be able to hear Spanish by their peers. It's a great way to learn about a new technology tool as well as practice their Spanish. We will begin recording their Spanish the week of 11/28.
As usual please feel free to email me whenever you have any questions. Take care!
Rasha Sachdeva
Hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving break. For my 3rd and 4th Grade families, please keep in mind that when we have holiday breaks, I do not expect typing homework logs the following week. Many people travel and may not have that access.
Kindergartners have completed the robotics unit with the BeeBots. I hope they told you all about it. This month they were introduced to our art program called KidPix where they created digital masterpieces and even got to record their own voices on their drawings. They loved hearing themselves. They also got to go on talkingpets.org and dressed a pet up as well as customize the pet's voices. This is a great site to reinforce the mouse movements and single/double clicking. Please have them show you at home. The site link is listed to the right.
First Graders delved deeper into the Microworld's Jr. program and created animation using the turtle graphics. Their animation included at least 3 moving objects, a background, a textbox and a recording which could be composed music of their own or their own voice recording. They became pros at opening up the turtles backpack and adding code into it. They did not even realize that they were programming the turtle. Stop by and see their saved animation.
Second Graders completed their KidPix slideshows and shared with their peers using the smart board. They loved presenting their creation. Many students even added music and their own narration on each slide for a more dramatic effect. I was so proud to see the audience be so attentive and respectful as their peers were presenting. These kids have such great confidence in public speaking. We then began our programming unit using Alice. It's a wonderful 3-D graphics program where you can drag and drop code to make your objects move. Alice is available free to download. Just search for Alice and choose the elementary version.
Third Graders are learning to use PowerPoint to make effective presentations. They have chosen their own topics that they feel passionate about and are using designs, clipart and transitions. They are learning how to adjust speeds and sounds as their slide changes. I can't wait to see their finished products. They will also learn to use our OWS approved databases to add research to their topics and learn to site resources. A very important fact to know as they begin the road of many research papers!
Fourth Graders completed their dream homes using SketchUp. I was really amazed to see their creativity. Now students will begin using voicethread technology to record Spanish assignments given by Mrs. Brodahl. Voicethread is a great platform were all students can record on one page. They will be able to hear Spanish by their peers. It's a great way to learn about a new technology tool as well as practice their Spanish. We will begin recording their Spanish the week of 11/28.
As usual please feel free to email me whenever you have any questions. Take care!
Rasha Sachdeva
Monday, October 31, 2011
Update from the Mouse Pad!
Hello All,
We continue to have great fun here in the lab. Here is a sample of what each grade level is working on:
Kindergartners have started our robotics unit with the BeeBots. I'm sure they have told you about our friendly yellow bees in the lab. The students programmed an actual, not virtual, robot to move using simple commands in a repetitive motion such as forward, back, left and right. The challenge was to move the robots anywhere on the mat but they must come back to it's original spot. They had a ball trying this. We are currently working on the computer with the Beebots and writing simple code that will do the same thing however with more bells and whistles such as adding color and stamps to the virtual mat. Please ask them about it and you will be able to see their excitement. This is surely one of my favorite units!
First Graders completed their self portraits and they are now hanging up in the lab. It's a joy to see the artwork. They are now into our programming unit in which they are programming a virtual turtle and creating an animated picture. They have learned to program with simple commands to watch their picture come to life. I can honestly say that we have a hidden programming talent in all of our 1st Graders. They are so clever!
Second Graders are wrapping up their slide show project and will begin to share it with their peers using the smart board. They can't wait for this. Some students have really challenged themselves and added sound effects and amazing transitions to their slides. If you have KidPix at home, please let me know that I can email you the file or just pop in here when you get the chance. I'll be happy to show you their creation!
Third Graders are wrapping up their short story using our book publishing software. Some are ready to begin sharing. It was great to see them use just about all the tools the program has to offer. That was the point of this so that they can delve into an unknown software and create something animated and magical. We will begin our unit on PowerPoint so that they can create amazing slideshows when needed. Stay tuned!
Fourth Graders are continuing to have a ball with SketchUp. If you have not downloaded it, please do, so that your child can continue creating 3-D structures. Last week they were introduced to the 3-D Warehouse so that they could download items into their dream home. Students are really creating some virtual futuristic homes. One created a house with wings and I asked why, They replied so that I can go anywhere in the world and still be at home. Amazing response...I sure wish my home had wings!
As usual please do continue to contact me if you have any questions. Take care!
Rasha Sachdeva
We continue to have great fun here in the lab. Here is a sample of what each grade level is working on:
Kindergartners have started our robotics unit with the BeeBots. I'm sure they have told you about our friendly yellow bees in the lab. The students programmed an actual, not virtual, robot to move using simple commands in a repetitive motion such as forward, back, left and right. The challenge was to move the robots anywhere on the mat but they must come back to it's original spot. They had a ball trying this. We are currently working on the computer with the Beebots and writing simple code that will do the same thing however with more bells and whistles such as adding color and stamps to the virtual mat. Please ask them about it and you will be able to see their excitement. This is surely one of my favorite units!
First Graders completed their self portraits and they are now hanging up in the lab. It's a joy to see the artwork. They are now into our programming unit in which they are programming a virtual turtle and creating an animated picture. They have learned to program with simple commands to watch their picture come to life. I can honestly say that we have a hidden programming talent in all of our 1st Graders. They are so clever!
Second Graders are wrapping up their slide show project and will begin to share it with their peers using the smart board. They can't wait for this. Some students have really challenged themselves and added sound effects and amazing transitions to their slides. If you have KidPix at home, please let me know that I can email you the file or just pop in here when you get the chance. I'll be happy to show you their creation!
Third Graders are wrapping up their short story using our book publishing software. Some are ready to begin sharing. It was great to see them use just about all the tools the program has to offer. That was the point of this so that they can delve into an unknown software and create something animated and magical. We will begin our unit on PowerPoint so that they can create amazing slideshows when needed. Stay tuned!
Fourth Graders are continuing to have a ball with SketchUp. If you have not downloaded it, please do, so that your child can continue creating 3-D structures. Last week they were introduced to the 3-D Warehouse so that they could download items into their dream home. Students are really creating some virtual futuristic homes. One created a house with wings and I asked why, They replied so that I can go anywhere in the world and still be at home. Amazing response...I sure wish my home had wings!
As usual please do continue to contact me if you have any questions. Take care!
Rasha Sachdeva
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Schedule a Conference?
Hello Parents,
If you would like to schedule a conference with me during conferences on Oct 20 and 21 of next week, please use Pick a Time and find an available slot on my schedule.
Thanks so much!
If you would like to schedule a conference with me during conferences on Oct 20 and 21 of next week, please use Pick a Time and find an available slot on my schedule.
Thanks so much!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Update from the Mouse Pad!
Hello Parents,
What a busy September month we had in the lab! All K-4 had a lesson on what's expected in the lab and what projects they will be working on. Here's what we've done so far:
Kindergartners have been busy completing the Type to Learn Jr program. It teachers them all about the keys such as upper and lower case and when to use the shift key. It also teaches them where punctuation keys are as well as numbers. Most are at the final stages of the program and soon should be bringing home their very own certificate of completion.
First Graders are getting acquainted again with our web-based typing program TTL4. They practice the first 10 minutes of lab time. For those who want more practice, please do download the program. The instructions can be found on your child's teacher's website under the Document section. In addition to typing, the kids are starting to work on their self-portraits using Kid Pix. They first navigated through the software to get familiar with the tools such as dynamite( their favorite), fonts, paints, backgrounds, and stamps. We have some great artists in First Grade! Kids who say they weren't great with a paintbrush are now having a blast with the paintbrush tool.
Second Graders have been busy practicing their typing skills for the first 10 minutes of class. They have also started working on a slide show project using Kid Pix. They are working on an 'All About Me' slideshow which they will also present to their peers using the smartboard. We are also working on presentation skills such as using a strong voice and making that eye contact with the audience. They are excited about that!
Third Graders have also been busy practicing their typing skills. Please see the post before this that mentions their required typing homework. They are also working on our publishing software called Easybook Deluxe. They are writing a short story and are illustrating it as well. They are having a ball using the various tools the software allows.
Fourth Graders again are busy practicing their typing skills. Homework will begin in October. We started the year with the students posting what they wanted to learn on our very own wall wisher site. This can be accessed at home for your viewing. Please ask your child about it. They have also started to use SketchUp which is a 3-D software. Students are exploring the many tools as they will begin creating their very own dream homes. Can't wait to see that. One student already has a pool in their bedroom! We have some budding architects!
If ever you have any questions, please call or send me an email. Take care.
Rasha Sachdeva
rashas@ows.org
(425) 747-2911 x213
What a busy September month we had in the lab! All K-4 had a lesson on what's expected in the lab and what projects they will be working on. Here's what we've done so far:
Kindergartners have been busy completing the Type to Learn Jr program. It teachers them all about the keys such as upper and lower case and when to use the shift key. It also teaches them where punctuation keys are as well as numbers. Most are at the final stages of the program and soon should be bringing home their very own certificate of completion.
First Graders are getting acquainted again with our web-based typing program TTL4. They practice the first 10 minutes of lab time. For those who want more practice, please do download the program. The instructions can be found on your child's teacher's website under the Document section. In addition to typing, the kids are starting to work on their self-portraits using Kid Pix. They first navigated through the software to get familiar with the tools such as dynamite( their favorite), fonts, paints, backgrounds, and stamps. We have some great artists in First Grade! Kids who say they weren't great with a paintbrush are now having a blast with the paintbrush tool.
Second Graders have been busy practicing their typing skills for the first 10 minutes of class. They have also started working on a slide show project using Kid Pix. They are working on an 'All About Me' slideshow which they will also present to their peers using the smartboard. We are also working on presentation skills such as using a strong voice and making that eye contact with the audience. They are excited about that!
Third Graders have also been busy practicing their typing skills. Please see the post before this that mentions their required typing homework. They are also working on our publishing software called Easybook Deluxe. They are writing a short story and are illustrating it as well. They are having a ball using the various tools the software allows.
Fourth Graders again are busy practicing their typing skills. Homework will begin in October. We started the year with the students posting what they wanted to learn on our very own wall wisher site. This can be accessed at home for your viewing. Please ask your child about it. They have also started to use SketchUp which is a 3-D software. Students are exploring the many tools as they will begin creating their very own dream homes. Can't wait to see that. One student already has a pool in their bedroom! We have some budding architects!
If ever you have any questions, please call or send me an email. Take care.
Rasha Sachdeva
rashas@ows.org
(425) 747-2911 x213
Monday, September 26, 2011
Typing Homework for 3rd and 4th Graders!
Hello Parents/Guardians,
On the week of Oct 3, I will be handing out a typing log which require 3rd and 4th grade students to type 40 minutes a week using any typing program. I strongly urge you to use our school wide web based typing program called Type to Learn 4. There is no cost to you. You just need to download it to your computer at home. The instructions are on your child's teacher's website under the Document section.
This year I decided if the student already types at the level of our typing benchmarks, then they will not need to turn in a weekly log, however, continued practice is suggested. If a 3rd Grader types 21 WPM or higher and a 4th Grader 26 WPM or higher, then they are excluded from the homework.
If you have any questions regarding the download, please let me know.
Thanks,
Rasha Sachdeva
On the week of Oct 3, I will be handing out a typing log which require 3rd and 4th grade students to type 40 minutes a week using any typing program. I strongly urge you to use our school wide web based typing program called Type to Learn 4. There is no cost to you. You just need to download it to your computer at home. The instructions are on your child's teacher's website under the Document section.
This year I decided if the student already types at the level of our typing benchmarks, then they will not need to turn in a weekly log, however, continued practice is suggested. If a 3rd Grader types 21 WPM or higher and a 4th Grader 26 WPM or higher, then they are excluded from the homework.
If you have any questions regarding the download, please let me know.
Thanks,
Rasha Sachdeva
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Welcome Back!
Hello Everyone,
I hope you all had a restful summer and are eager to get back to work!!!! This year I will be teaching only Kindergarten - 4th Grade. All grades will meet once a week for 40 minutes. I will be off campus on Wednesdays but you can always reach me by email.
I have an exciting year planned in the Mouse Pad. Please stay tuned to this blog for monthly updates on what your child has been up to in computers!!!
Take care,
Rasha Sachdeva
I hope you all had a restful summer and are eager to get back to work!!!! This year I will be teaching only Kindergarten - 4th Grade. All grades will meet once a week for 40 minutes. I will be off campus on Wednesdays but you can always reach me by email.
I have an exciting year planned in the Mouse Pad. Please stay tuned to this blog for monthly updates on what your child has been up to in computers!!!
Take care,
Rasha Sachdeva
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Final Units in the Mouse Pad!
Hello,
First of all, I want to say what a fabulous time I've had with your children this year and I look forward to seeing them again next year. They are amazing students and clearly love computers as seen each week in the Mouse Pad.
A final school year note on typing: On June 10, I will promote all student's level according to their grade level regardless if they have not yet completed their current year level. If they have already been promoted, then they will stay as they are until they finish that level. If students are not returning next year, I will disable their accounts on June 10. If students will return, all accounts will remain active so you can get some practice in during the summer, if you wish.
Kindergartners wrapped up the school year with MS Paint program. They delved into all the tools to create artwork with their wonderful imagination. They have also started practicing with our school-wide typing program. If you have not done so, please take the time to download this program so that your child can continue practicing at home. Instructions can be found on your homeroom teacher's website. If you need their login and password just in case they forgot, please email me.
First Graders learned about Kidspiration. This software precedes Inspiration. This is a great software that lets them organize their thoughts in a graphical representation. Students created a web all about themselves, their likes and their dislikes. It was amazing to see how many students had the same love for pizza!
Second Graders had a brief introduction on the Office tools such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. They made colorful banners using wordart. They loved jumping around in the cells of Excel changing background colors within the cells. They enjoyed creating a slideshow with PowerPoint using the transitions and animations and especially inserting clipart!
Third Graders delved into a simulation on a safari. They took the role of a park ranger and developed a successful safari creating the safari itself, a campground and hiring their own villagers to run the campground. Five stars was the goal and if obtained, they created that successful business. This simulation is great as it teaches science and math at the same time as well as keen business sense. They loved it. Ask your child about it if you hadn't heard about it already.
Fourth Graders got to do a bit of Logo programming. They got an introduction of using real code such as repeat, set, to and various other commands and created beautiful geometric designs. Some even edited their turtle logo! They learned how to define a procedure and call that procedure in their code. We have some creative programmers in the Fourth Grade!
Fifth Graders extended their knowledge of their Physics Unit by using Crazy Machines in the lab. This software contains over 100 brain teasers involving turning the crank, rotating gears, gravitation and pushing levers. These brain teasers lighted up their imagination with creative and addictive fun!
Again is was a delight seeing your student each week this school year. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. Have a wonderful summer!
Rasha Sachdeva
First of all, I want to say what a fabulous time I've had with your children this year and I look forward to seeing them again next year. They are amazing students and clearly love computers as seen each week in the Mouse Pad.
A final school year note on typing: On June 10, I will promote all student's level according to their grade level regardless if they have not yet completed their current year level. If they have already been promoted, then they will stay as they are until they finish that level. If students are not returning next year, I will disable their accounts on June 10. If students will return, all accounts will remain active so you can get some practice in during the summer, if you wish.
Kindergartners wrapped up the school year with MS Paint program. They delved into all the tools to create artwork with their wonderful imagination. They have also started practicing with our school-wide typing program. If you have not done so, please take the time to download this program so that your child can continue practicing at home. Instructions can be found on your homeroom teacher's website. If you need their login and password just in case they forgot, please email me.
First Graders learned about Kidspiration. This software precedes Inspiration. This is a great software that lets them organize their thoughts in a graphical representation. Students created a web all about themselves, their likes and their dislikes. It was amazing to see how many students had the same love for pizza!
Second Graders had a brief introduction on the Office tools such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. They made colorful banners using wordart. They loved jumping around in the cells of Excel changing background colors within the cells. They enjoyed creating a slideshow with PowerPoint using the transitions and animations and especially inserting clipart!
Third Graders delved into a simulation on a safari. They took the role of a park ranger and developed a successful safari creating the safari itself, a campground and hiring their own villagers to run the campground. Five stars was the goal and if obtained, they created that successful business. This simulation is great as it teaches science and math at the same time as well as keen business sense. They loved it. Ask your child about it if you hadn't heard about it already.
Fourth Graders got to do a bit of Logo programming. They got an introduction of using real code such as repeat, set, to and various other commands and created beautiful geometric designs. Some even edited their turtle logo! They learned how to define a procedure and call that procedure in their code. We have some creative programmers in the Fourth Grade!
Fifth Graders extended their knowledge of their Physics Unit by using Crazy Machines in the lab. This software contains over 100 brain teasers involving turning the crank, rotating gears, gravitation and pushing levers. These brain teasers lighted up their imagination with creative and addictive fun!
Again is was a delight seeing your student each week this school year. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. Have a wonderful summer!
Rasha Sachdeva
Monday, May 2, 2011
Update from the Mouse Pad!
Hello Everyone,
We've had a busy month of April wrapping up units in the various grade levels. Despite the week off for spring break, a lot was accomplished!
Kindergartners wrapped up the robotic unit by taking their knowledge of programming with the physical robots to the virtual robots on the computer screen. They loved seeing their beebots online. Their challenge was to virtually move their robots all over the screen but it must end at its' original spot with at least 10 programming steps. They thought it was easy but once I placed these conditions, the challenge was very evident. In the end, they all accomplished it! Way to go Kindergartners. This is just the beginning of your programming years.
First Grade wrapped up their mapping/geography unit with the Neighborhood Map Machine program. After creating their own bird's eye view of their neighborhood, they took the challenge of solving the programs' mystery section. Here the program had several treasures that needed to be located and the students were able to use their knowledge of the compass to find the exact location. They loved it!
Second Graders are wrapping up their character web using Inspiration. They uploaded their picture and created bubbles and pictures around it to show who they were. By looking at one's web, you can get a good idea of who they are and what they love. They had much practice opening files through various folders and practice saving in the correct folders! We had no missing files this month!
Third Graders wrapped up their folk tale stories using Story Creator 2. They learned to edit and record voice to add that special effect. Several students even changed their voices depending on the character in their story. They did a fabulous job. Their next unit is a simulation on an African Safari. Stay tuned!
Fourth Graders wrapped up their unit of web designing. They learned how to link pages together and import images from the Internet using safe sites of course! They have a good idea of what a web designer's job is and seeing some of these final results, we certainly have some future web designers in the making! They are ready to begin an programming unit involving a turtle....stay tuned for that!
Fifth Graders completed a second voice thread involving a Spanish assignment given by Mrs. Brodahl. Students recorded information about a chosen Spanish speaking country and recorded the group comments on a single voicethread. Please make sure to ask your child about this as you can view the voicethreads at home with their unique login. They then got an introduction to Logo programming. Logo uses their creativity to input code which in turn created beautiful geometric designs. They delved deeper into programming by setting variables and creating procedures. Ask them about their designs.
Please contact me if you have any questions. Take care.
Rasha Sachdeva
We've had a busy month of April wrapping up units in the various grade levels. Despite the week off for spring break, a lot was accomplished!
Kindergartners wrapped up the robotic unit by taking their knowledge of programming with the physical robots to the virtual robots on the computer screen. They loved seeing their beebots online. Their challenge was to virtually move their robots all over the screen but it must end at its' original spot with at least 10 programming steps. They thought it was easy but once I placed these conditions, the challenge was very evident. In the end, they all accomplished it! Way to go Kindergartners. This is just the beginning of your programming years.
First Grade wrapped up their mapping/geography unit with the Neighborhood Map Machine program. After creating their own bird's eye view of their neighborhood, they took the challenge of solving the programs' mystery section. Here the program had several treasures that needed to be located and the students were able to use their knowledge of the compass to find the exact location. They loved it!
Second Graders are wrapping up their character web using Inspiration. They uploaded their picture and created bubbles and pictures around it to show who they were. By looking at one's web, you can get a good idea of who they are and what they love. They had much practice opening files through various folders and practice saving in the correct folders! We had no missing files this month!
Third Graders wrapped up their folk tale stories using Story Creator 2. They learned to edit and record voice to add that special effect. Several students even changed their voices depending on the character in their story. They did a fabulous job. Their next unit is a simulation on an African Safari. Stay tuned!
Fourth Graders wrapped up their unit of web designing. They learned how to link pages together and import images from the Internet using safe sites of course! They have a good idea of what a web designer's job is and seeing some of these final results, we certainly have some future web designers in the making! They are ready to begin an programming unit involving a turtle....stay tuned for that!
Fifth Graders completed a second voice thread involving a Spanish assignment given by Mrs. Brodahl. Students recorded information about a chosen Spanish speaking country and recorded the group comments on a single voicethread. Please make sure to ask your child about this as you can view the voicethreads at home with their unique login. They then got an introduction to Logo programming. Logo uses their creativity to input code which in turn created beautiful geometric designs. They delved deeper into programming by setting variables and creating procedures. Ask them about their designs.
Please contact me if you have any questions. Take care.
Rasha Sachdeva
Friday, April 1, 2011
Update from the Mouse Pad!
Hello,
As usual we are keeping busy in the Mouse Pad. Here's an update:
Kindergartners are really enjoying our robotics unit with the beebots. These are tiny physical robots that look like a bee and have control buttons so that students can program their movements. We've learned about the 90 degree turns and all the bells and whistles that go with each beebot. Students programmed several commands such as forward, back, left and right, pause and clear and watched their beebot in action. Students then took this concept and used the Logo program software to program their beebots using the computer. We've got some great beginning programmers in Kindergarten!
First Graders are getting more familiar with our web based typing program that runs throughout all grade levels. If you have not downloaded this program at home, please do so as your child will be able to practice outside of the classroom. If you need instructions, please contact me. Students have also been introduced to Neighborhood Map Machine software where they have taken a birds eye view of the school and mapped out it's entirety including all the construction going on! They've plotted locations using the coordinates and added intricate graphics to it.
Second Graders got introduced to the Inspiration software where they are creating character webs about themselves. They uploaded their digital photo into the program and are creating bubbles that explains everything about them. They are getting familiar with all the tools such as links, library, create buttons and rapid fire.
Third Graders are continuing to place their folk tale stories written in homeroom classes into Story Creator 2. Here they are making their stories come alive with movable graphics and their own narration using our logitech recording headsets. They love listening to their stories play back. Once completed, I will view the stories and then publish them on a myths and legends website. Please note that no student names will be associated with the stories.
Fourth Graders are continuing with their web page designing unit. They are using their created blue prints by Inspiration and developing a web page about their chosen topic. The software we are using teaches them about the process of web designing starting with the home page and creating hyperlinks to other pages. Students are using the various tools such as global settings, text, images, linking and importing backgrounds. Please note for security purposes, these web pages will not go live on the Internet.
Fifth Graders wrapped up their Photo Stories by presented their finished products to the class. We had some very creative ones! I was so impressed with how comfortable my students were in handling the cameras and uploading and downloading their images into their stories. We then got introduced to our programming unit with Logo software. Students began with simple commands to create fabulous geometric shapes. Stay tuned for more on Logo programming.
Have a great spring break!
Rasha Sachdeva
As usual we are keeping busy in the Mouse Pad. Here's an update:
Kindergartners are really enjoying our robotics unit with the beebots. These are tiny physical robots that look like a bee and have control buttons so that students can program their movements. We've learned about the 90 degree turns and all the bells and whistles that go with each beebot. Students programmed several commands such as forward, back, left and right, pause and clear and watched their beebot in action. Students then took this concept and used the Logo program software to program their beebots using the computer. We've got some great beginning programmers in Kindergarten!
First Graders are getting more familiar with our web based typing program that runs throughout all grade levels. If you have not downloaded this program at home, please do so as your child will be able to practice outside of the classroom. If you need instructions, please contact me. Students have also been introduced to Neighborhood Map Machine software where they have taken a birds eye view of the school and mapped out it's entirety including all the construction going on! They've plotted locations using the coordinates and added intricate graphics to it.
Second Graders got introduced to the Inspiration software where they are creating character webs about themselves. They uploaded their digital photo into the program and are creating bubbles that explains everything about them. They are getting familiar with all the tools such as links, library, create buttons and rapid fire.
Third Graders are continuing to place their folk tale stories written in homeroom classes into Story Creator 2. Here they are making their stories come alive with movable graphics and their own narration using our logitech recording headsets. They love listening to their stories play back. Once completed, I will view the stories and then publish them on a myths and legends website. Please note that no student names will be associated with the stories.
Fourth Graders are continuing with their web page designing unit. They are using their created blue prints by Inspiration and developing a web page about their chosen topic. The software we are using teaches them about the process of web designing starting with the home page and creating hyperlinks to other pages. Students are using the various tools such as global settings, text, images, linking and importing backgrounds. Please note for security purposes, these web pages will not go live on the Internet.
Fifth Graders wrapped up their Photo Stories by presented their finished products to the class. We had some very creative ones! I was so impressed with how comfortable my students were in handling the cameras and uploading and downloading their images into their stories. We then got introduced to our programming unit with Logo software. Students began with simple commands to create fabulous geometric shapes. Stay tuned for more on Logo programming.
Have a great spring break!
Rasha Sachdeva
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Mouse Pad Update!
Hello Parents/Guardians,
This message is for 2nd - 5th Grade only. The Technology Council has put together an Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement that we would like each 2nd - 5th Grade student to understand and sign along with their parent/guardian. This agreement will be posted on your child's teacher's website under document section and a hard copy will be given to you at your conference time, March 16th or 17th. Please take it home and discuss this with your child and return it back signed to your child's homeroom teacher. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.
Due to the increased usage of technology and the awareness that students have at an early age, we are hoping to avoid inappropriate technology usage on school campus.
Thanks so much,
Rasha
This message is for 2nd - 5th Grade only. The Technology Council has put together an Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement that we would like each 2nd - 5th Grade student to understand and sign along with their parent/guardian. This agreement will be posted on your child's teacher's website under document section and a hard copy will be given to you at your conference time, March 16th or 17th. Please take it home and discuss this with your child and return it back signed to your child's homeroom teacher. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.
Due to the increased usage of technology and the awareness that students have at an early age, we are hoping to avoid inappropriate technology usage on school campus.
Thanks so much,
Rasha
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
What's happening in the Mouse Pad?
Hello All,
I hope you all had a great mid-winter break and the surprise snow day that followed. I'm looking forward to seeing the kids come back. We had a short February month, but nevertheless, we've been keeping busy.
Kindergartners and First Graders have been using the Smart Board tools student edition to get acquainted with using the smart board technology. Both grades currrently do not have a smart board in their homeroom classrooms but next year all grades will be equipped with one and so I wanted to take a few weeks to show them what it's all about. They have learned to create pages, add text, use the magic pens, shapes, and resizing. Please make sure to ask them about the disappearing ink pen! They loved it.
Second Graders completed their unit of programming, using Alice. They showcased their project to their peers using the smart board. They loved sharing their created animations. Before this presentation, we had a lesson on how eye contact and a clear voice was important and how the audience should be respectful to the presenter. Everyone loved sharing their projects. In between, we've had some typing practice as well and I was really impressed with the many Second Graders who have taken advantage of downloading our TTL4 program and have been practicing at home.
Third Graders completed their unit of programming using Scratch. They also shared their animations with their peers. It amazed me of how much detail they paid attention to their individual sprites and the animation involved. All programs included, their voice, sound, background, at least three sprites and whatever else they felt like including. It was great to see their creativity. We are now on a new project where the students will take their folk tales they are created in their homeroom classes and publish them on a Myths and Legends website using Story Creator 2. Please see the link on the side regarding the website we will use. To protect student identity, no names will be associated with their work published on the website.
Fourth Graders are getting an introduction to the carreer of web designing! They will create their own website on their chosen topic. Please note that their site will not go live on the internet. This unit is to introduce them to web page designing and all the steps that go into creating a website. We will be using Web Workshop Pro in which students maintain complex web sites with sophisticated editing tools, easy-start templates and enhanced text options. Students are currently in the process of completeing their blueprint of their website using Inspiration.
Fifth Graders have begun creating a digital photostory of their special moments at OWS. Students went around campus taking pictures of what they felt captured their special time at school. Students are now developing their stories using PhotoStory 3. They are adding voice, sound, text, and enhancing color using the special effect features. Fifth Graders will be recording another Spanish voicethread this month as they all enjoyed hearing their peers speak Spanish and they loved hearing themselves. Please make sure to ask your child how to log in at home so that you too can hear the amazing Spanish from our Fifth Graders!
As always, please contact me if you have any questions. Take care!
Rasha Sachdeva
I hope you all had a great mid-winter break and the surprise snow day that followed. I'm looking forward to seeing the kids come back. We had a short February month, but nevertheless, we've been keeping busy.
Kindergartners and First Graders have been using the Smart Board tools student edition to get acquainted with using the smart board technology. Both grades currrently do not have a smart board in their homeroom classrooms but next year all grades will be equipped with one and so I wanted to take a few weeks to show them what it's all about. They have learned to create pages, add text, use the magic pens, shapes, and resizing. Please make sure to ask them about the disappearing ink pen! They loved it.
Second Graders completed their unit of programming, using Alice. They showcased their project to their peers using the smart board. They loved sharing their created animations. Before this presentation, we had a lesson on how eye contact and a clear voice was important and how the audience should be respectful to the presenter. Everyone loved sharing their projects. In between, we've had some typing practice as well and I was really impressed with the many Second Graders who have taken advantage of downloading our TTL4 program and have been practicing at home.
Third Graders completed their unit of programming using Scratch. They also shared their animations with their peers. It amazed me of how much detail they paid attention to their individual sprites and the animation involved. All programs included, their voice, sound, background, at least three sprites and whatever else they felt like including. It was great to see their creativity. We are now on a new project where the students will take their folk tales they are created in their homeroom classes and publish them on a Myths and Legends website using Story Creator 2. Please see the link on the side regarding the website we will use. To protect student identity, no names will be associated with their work published on the website.
Fourth Graders are getting an introduction to the carreer of web designing! They will create their own website on their chosen topic. Please note that their site will not go live on the internet. This unit is to introduce them to web page designing and all the steps that go into creating a website. We will be using Web Workshop Pro in which students maintain complex web sites with sophisticated editing tools, easy-start templates and enhanced text options. Students are currently in the process of completeing their blueprint of their website using Inspiration.
Fifth Graders have begun creating a digital photostory of their special moments at OWS. Students went around campus taking pictures of what they felt captured their special time at school. Students are now developing their stories using PhotoStory 3. They are adding voice, sound, text, and enhancing color using the special effect features. Fifth Graders will be recording another Spanish voicethread this month as they all enjoyed hearing their peers speak Spanish and they loved hearing themselves. Please make sure to ask your child how to log in at home so that you too can hear the amazing Spanish from our Fifth Graders!
As always, please contact me if you have any questions. Take care!
Rasha Sachdeva
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Update from the Mousepad!
Hello All,
It's been a busy and productive month in all grades. I want to first say thanks to all the parents/guardians in grades 3-5 who are making sure that their child is keeping up with those weekly typing logs. It's very important that they reach those typing benchmarks by the end of the school year. To find out about those benchmarks, please feel free to come by.
Kindergartners wrapped up their Animal program which involved a series of lessons and activities about various animals and their habitat. They even created their own habitat and loved placing humming birds in the arctic! Creative minds...what can I say! Kindergartners are handling the mouse clicking with much more confidence and ease then they were at the beginning of the year. Due to this, I will have them getting acquainted with our web-based typing program TTL4. They will have their own username and password to log on. The instructions to obtain the program at home is on your child's teacher's classroom website.
First Graders are wrapping up their unit of programming with MicroWorld's Jr. The final addition to their program was having their own voices recorded onto their creation. Along with their colorful turtles doing acrobatic movements, the students enjoyed adding their voice to it. We had a long discussion on what was appropriate to say and what not and in the end, we had lots of hip hop singers in the First Grade!
Second Graders are about to wrap up their introductory unit of programming with Alice. Students created animation with multiple objects and learned about logic through conditions and sequencing. Students will present their programs to their peers on the smartboard. Second Graders really enjoyed Alice. I encourage you to download this free program and have your child continue to explore the many facets of this wonderful language!
Third Graders are about to wrap up their unit of Scratch. They have completed their Scratch projects where they had to create a program that involved one sprite from the library, one sprite that was edited, one sprite that was created, background, either imported or created, and sound (their own voices). Along with those basic requirements, they could add any other animation they desired. Students will begin to present their work on the smartboard. Scratch is a free download and I encourage you to take advantage of it and have your child continue to explore and create!
Fourth Graders had fun with a math simulation called Hot Dog Stand. This program reinforced their mathematical reasoning skills and many were so successful that they completed the most advanced levels and made tons of money with just a hot dog stand. Can you imagine that! Students received an initial budget of 500.00 and with that they had to search for best suppliers, set prices, keep inventory and hope for customers. They had a ball with this simulation. Stay tuned for their next unit of Web Designing!
Fifth Graders have started their own photo story using Photo Story 3. They first got acquainted with our new Kodak digital cameras (really neat) and how to handle them. Then their assignment was to walk around campus and take photos of their memorable moments so that they can come back and create a digital story. Photo Story 3 allows you to import pictures, edit them, add sound and special effects to create a great digital story. This will be a great keepsake! Stay tuned for those. Also Fifth Graders will be using VoiceThread to record Spanish assignments giving by Mrs. Brodahl. VoiceThread is a great tool where a whole group can have discussions on one page. Students will begin recording in the lab this week so make sure to ask your child about it. Also they will be able to log on to VoiceThread at home so that you will also be able to hear their beautiful Spanish skills!
Please contact me if you have any questions. Take care.
Rasha Sachdeva
It's been a busy and productive month in all grades. I want to first say thanks to all the parents/guardians in grades 3-5 who are making sure that their child is keeping up with those weekly typing logs. It's very important that they reach those typing benchmarks by the end of the school year. To find out about those benchmarks, please feel free to come by.
Kindergartners wrapped up their Animal program which involved a series of lessons and activities about various animals and their habitat. They even created their own habitat and loved placing humming birds in the arctic! Creative minds...what can I say! Kindergartners are handling the mouse clicking with much more confidence and ease then they were at the beginning of the year. Due to this, I will have them getting acquainted with our web-based typing program TTL4. They will have their own username and password to log on. The instructions to obtain the program at home is on your child's teacher's classroom website.
First Graders are wrapping up their unit of programming with MicroWorld's Jr. The final addition to their program was having their own voices recorded onto their creation. Along with their colorful turtles doing acrobatic movements, the students enjoyed adding their voice to it. We had a long discussion on what was appropriate to say and what not and in the end, we had lots of hip hop singers in the First Grade!
Second Graders are about to wrap up their introductory unit of programming with Alice. Students created animation with multiple objects and learned about logic through conditions and sequencing. Students will present their programs to their peers on the smartboard. Second Graders really enjoyed Alice. I encourage you to download this free program and have your child continue to explore the many facets of this wonderful language!
Third Graders are about to wrap up their unit of Scratch. They have completed their Scratch projects where they had to create a program that involved one sprite from the library, one sprite that was edited, one sprite that was created, background, either imported or created, and sound (their own voices). Along with those basic requirements, they could add any other animation they desired. Students will begin to present their work on the smartboard. Scratch is a free download and I encourage you to take advantage of it and have your child continue to explore and create!
Fourth Graders had fun with a math simulation called Hot Dog Stand. This program reinforced their mathematical reasoning skills and many were so successful that they completed the most advanced levels and made tons of money with just a hot dog stand. Can you imagine that! Students received an initial budget of 500.00 and with that they had to search for best suppliers, set prices, keep inventory and hope for customers. They had a ball with this simulation. Stay tuned for their next unit of Web Designing!
Fifth Graders have started their own photo story using Photo Story 3. They first got acquainted with our new Kodak digital cameras (really neat) and how to handle them. Then their assignment was to walk around campus and take photos of their memorable moments so that they can come back and create a digital story. Photo Story 3 allows you to import pictures, edit them, add sound and special effects to create a great digital story. This will be a great keepsake! Stay tuned for those. Also Fifth Graders will be using VoiceThread to record Spanish assignments giving by Mrs. Brodahl. VoiceThread is a great tool where a whole group can have discussions on one page. Students will begin recording in the lab this week so make sure to ask your child about it. Also they will be able to log on to VoiceThread at home so that you will also be able to hear their beautiful Spanish skills!
Please contact me if you have any questions. Take care.
Rasha Sachdeva
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Welcome Back!!!
Hello All,
The first week back to school from a long break can be difficult but you wouldn't know it by seeing the students in the lab. They are as energetic as ever!
Kindergartners are delving into a new software called Plants. This is very similar to the Senses program they just completed. Plants goes through a series of nine lessons and 3 different activities. They can choose the matching card, sequencing and creating a plant story. After the nine lessons are completed, they get a certificate that shows their accomplishment. The program teaches them all about plants and what it needs to survive. The students are becoming quite the gardners!This program is great for that mouse clicking and hand-eye coordination.
First Graders are getting their first introduction to the world of programming. They are using Microworld's Jr. and learning how to program a turtle. This program is a simple way to teach the logic of programming. It gives them opportunities to explore various mathematical ideas just as turning 90 degrees verses 45 degrees. In getting their turtle to move, they are actually thinking as a programmer because they are breaking down the process into manageable and logical steps which is what programmers do. I believe we have some software engineers in the making!
Second Graders are continuing to program with Alice. They have learned to have more than one character move at the same time and have added backgrounds. They have even added their own voice recordings to their characters with our new Logitech headsets. They love hearing their voices on the characters that they have created.
Third Graders have started programming with Scratch. This program was developed by MIT and it's such an ingenious way of programming. It uses a drag/drop/clicking mechanism to develop actual program code. The students have learned to add movements to their sprites by using looping logic to repeat certain moves. When students see their sprites in action, they can't believe how easy it was to code. They are now learning to add voice and a stage to their sprites.
Fourth Graders have just completed their Comic Life comic strips. They used their own personal photos from home and uploaded them into a wonderful comic strip. They had the opportunity to share using our lab Smart Board. The strips were very creative and very colorful. In this process, students learned how to upload photos into a document and then edit them as well as saving to the server.
Fifth Graders were busy with word clouds. Word clouds is an artistic way of representing commonly used words in a document. The word cloud generator used was Tagxedo and students just loved creating beautiful shapes from their word documents. Shapes included doves, squirrels, peace signs, horses, dogs and even a shoe. Ask your child which shape they liked best. For the holiday season, several students created greeting cards with their Tagxedo shapes. They were absolutely beautiful. Stop by in the lab to see the word clouds!
Typing homework is still expected each week from 3-5 Graders. Please have them turn in their weekly log signed by you.
As usual, please contact me if you have any questions.
Regards,
Rasha Sachdeva
The first week back to school from a long break can be difficult but you wouldn't know it by seeing the students in the lab. They are as energetic as ever!
Kindergartners are delving into a new software called Plants. This is very similar to the Senses program they just completed. Plants goes through a series of nine lessons and 3 different activities. They can choose the matching card, sequencing and creating a plant story. After the nine lessons are completed, they get a certificate that shows their accomplishment. The program teaches them all about plants and what it needs to survive. The students are becoming quite the gardners!This program is great for that mouse clicking and hand-eye coordination.
First Graders are getting their first introduction to the world of programming. They are using Microworld's Jr. and learning how to program a turtle. This program is a simple way to teach the logic of programming. It gives them opportunities to explore various mathematical ideas just as turning 90 degrees verses 45 degrees. In getting their turtle to move, they are actually thinking as a programmer because they are breaking down the process into manageable and logical steps which is what programmers do. I believe we have some software engineers in the making!
Second Graders are continuing to program with Alice. They have learned to have more than one character move at the same time and have added backgrounds. They have even added their own voice recordings to their characters with our new Logitech headsets. They love hearing their voices on the characters that they have created.
Third Graders have started programming with Scratch. This program was developed by MIT and it's such an ingenious way of programming. It uses a drag/drop/clicking mechanism to develop actual program code. The students have learned to add movements to their sprites by using looping logic to repeat certain moves. When students see their sprites in action, they can't believe how easy it was to code. They are now learning to add voice and a stage to their sprites.
Fourth Graders have just completed their Comic Life comic strips. They used their own personal photos from home and uploaded them into a wonderful comic strip. They had the opportunity to share using our lab Smart Board. The strips were very creative and very colorful. In this process, students learned how to upload photos into a document and then edit them as well as saving to the server.
Fifth Graders were busy with word clouds. Word clouds is an artistic way of representing commonly used words in a document. The word cloud generator used was Tagxedo and students just loved creating beautiful shapes from their word documents. Shapes included doves, squirrels, peace signs, horses, dogs and even a shoe. Ask your child which shape they liked best. For the holiday season, several students created greeting cards with their Tagxedo shapes. They were absolutely beautiful. Stop by in the lab to see the word clouds!
Typing homework is still expected each week from 3-5 Graders. Please have them turn in their weekly log signed by you.
As usual, please contact me if you have any questions.
Regards,
Rasha Sachdeva
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