Digital Open Badges / Digital Literacy Assessments / MAKEWAV.ES Project 17-18 MP3

Open Badges communicate skills and achievements by providing a visual representation of your accomplishments packed with verifiable data and evidence.

Open Badges enable you to take your learning with you, wherever you go, building a rich picture of your lifelong learning journey.

The Backpack lets you store the Open Badges you earn, and share them between platforms, anywhere on the web. It gives you complete control over your own achievements by allowing you to organize and display your badges in the places that matter to you.

It's simple to use, just and upload or push the badges you have earned in other platforms into it.

The Backpack is trusted worldwide, with over 1 million badges already stored.

Click the link above and SIGN UP for an account using your CCS GMAIL ADDRESS.  You MUST Remember Your Password because you cannot recover it through Gmail!

moz://a Backpack: Store and Share your Open Badges

DIGITAL LITERACY ASSESSMENTS

Today you will be working on Digital Literacy.  

Start the program by viewing the following website:

http://digitalliteracyassessment.org

Spend time in class working on each of the nine (9) Digital Literacy Assessments.  After each test, if you pass, you can select to Collect a MOZILLA DIGITAL BADGE.  Follow the instructions below to add the badges to your profile.  Once you have completed as many badges as you can, send an email to Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) with a picture of your BADGE PAGE (See Below).  

You must complete a minimum of six (6) Digital Literacy Assessments to receive credit for this project.  I will circulate to make sure the badges are on your log in page any time you request a check.  You may continue to retake the assessments as many times as it takes to get a passing score.

After you have worked on the Digital Literacy Assessments, everyone is encouraged to create an account on MAKEWAVE.ES!  Please see below for instructions:

STEP 1:  Go to MAKEWAV.ES

STEP 2:  Click on "I'M A STUDENT"

STEP 3: Enter The Class Name Below:

CCS 515 TECH LAB

STEP 4:  Enter all the information required to create your account.  Make sure you use your CCS Gmail Address (@ccs.us).  Once completed, I will need to activate your account.

Group: ALUMNI

Class:  CSA(1-10)

STEP 5:  Begin looking through the BADGE LIBRARY for interesting projects and badges to earn!

http://backpack.openbadges.org

These can be included in the project you can earn Badges for on MOZ://@ BACKPACK.  Let me know if you are having any trouble creating an account or signing in.

YOU MUST REMEMBER YOUR ACCOUNT NAME AND PASSWORD, THERE IS NO WAY TO RECOVER IT ONCE YOU HAVE STARTED.  THESE BADGES WILL COUNT TOWARD THE FINAL CONTEST FOR MP2!

You can also earn BADGES AT OTHER SITES:  See the following link (CSA Class) for more information:  http://collegiumtech.blogspot.com/2017/10/digital-literacy-surveys-openbadges.html

Good Luck!

- MR. S

Code.org Express Course MP3 17-18

Code.Org Express Course Introduction:

Excerpt taken directly from https://code.org/educate/curriculum/express-course

Computer Science Fundamentals Express is a 30+ hour course designed for 9-18 year old students (with an option for pre-readers). It can be taught once a week in a tech class or an after school club, integrated as a unit in a longer technology class, or used as an intro unit in a computer science class. 

Students learn to create computer programs that will help them learn to collaborate with others, develop problem-solving skills, and persist through difficult tasks. They will study programming concepts, computational thinking, digital citizenship, and develop interactive games or stories they can share.

The course teaches the foundational concepts of programming using drag and drop blocks rather than a programming language such as JavaScript or Python. Blocks are an easier way to get started and many top Universities today begin their classes with block based programming.

The Express Course combines the concepts taught in our elementary school courses in an accelerated fashion designed for older students.

 Step 1:  Sign into your Code.Org Account (See Instructions Below For Information):

• SIGN INTO YOUR GOOGLE GMAIL ACCOUNT
• GO TO CODE.ORG AND CLICK "SIGN IN WITH GOOGLE+"
• GO TO CODE.ORG/JOIN AND USE CLASS CODE ON BOARD 

Step 2:  Go To Your "Code Studio" and click on EXPRESS COURSE

Step 3:  Begin working on the online levels.  Please use your time to review the UNPLUGGED Levels, but move on to the online material in class.  The Express Course should be completed by the end of the marking period, either in class or as homework.  Please use your time at home to show your family what you are working on.  Your homework assignment is to "TEACH" someone in your family to code!

Good Luck, and Have Fun!

-Mr. S

ACADEMIC/LEARNING OBJECTIVE

Scholars will learn basic computer programming using Code.Org online.  Scholars will understand the basic vocabulary used in programming.  Scholars will also be able to explain why it is important for everyone to learn to code and how it can provide equity in our society. 

STUDENTS WILL ENTER THE CLASS QUIETLY AND BEGIN WORKING! 

Scholars will sign up for accounts on Code. Org and begin working through the program online. Scholars will complete their Introduction to Programming by emailing a link to the R2-D2 Star Wars Game they made to the instructor for credit.  Scholars will then click on the EXPRESS COURSE and begin working on the Stages found there.  These stages will review topics and ideas from the Star Wars levels, and allow Scholars to begin to learn about loops, if-then statements, and how math and algorithms are incorporated into programming. 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE TODAY!

Standards Covered In This Class  

PA 3.7.7 & 11 Section C / ISTE 2011

CSTA Tied With Common Core ELA/Math rev. 2011 

Introduction to Computer Programming (Code.Org)

Design A Closet - Architectural Scale / Space Planning Project

Today we will be learning about how to use our previous lesson (Drawing To Scale) to help us plan to use the space in a closet more efficiently.  Using our knowledge of measurement, math, and utilizing basic tools, we will measure and create a Closet Design System that might be sold at a local home improvement store.  We will measure a closet here at school, and work on the design together.  We will define some of the new terms that we should be using throughout the project, and we will sketch a scale representation of our design.  We will use readily available product specifications from brochures and online sources to design and price our closet organization systems.  Once we understand the basic idea and methods of this process, you will then be required to independently measure, design and present a project from your own home.  You will be given time in class to complete this project.  The lessons learned from this project will help you with our future Room Design Project.  Please use the following website as a reference:

HDMODIFI.com (Primary Item Selection Site)

HDmodifi Specification Sheet (Click Here)

HDmodifi Pricing Sheet (Click Here)

For More Information here is a video about some choices from Home Depot:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2y9S_lrl-Y

If you are interested in learning more about interior design, and the software application we will be using for a future project (Room Design), please go to the Google Apps Web Store and look for FloorPlanner.  I have already set up accounts for each of you to start designing your spaces.  We will be creating new classroom layouts for some of the teachers in our building.  Have Fun!

Design Layout - Rough Sketch (MP3)

Today will will extend out learning about Drawing-To-Scale by making some Rough Sketches of rooms in our school.  Please take a moment to review the instructions about Drawing-To-Scale from yesterday.  Watch the video below to help you understand how to create a Rough Sketch of a room prior to designing for that space:

When you have reviewed the information, use a blank piece of grid paper to create a sketch of our Technology Room.  See how accurate you can be, and make sure to list the scale you are working in.  Turn in your work for review.  If you get done early, you can work on a Rough Sketch of all the rooms around the Technology Lab for practice.  Turn in both worksheets for review and credit.

HOMEWORK:  Tonight you should try to visit a home improvement store (Lowes, Home Depot, True Value, or a kitchen & bath store) and look at some of the documents that are available to help you design specific spaces.  Choose one type of document, and with the permission of your parents, and the owners of the store, take the documents home and work on a closet in your home.  Make sure to use a tape measure to measure all the dimensions in the closet.  Your next task will be to redesign a closet (at home, or at school).  You can choose any design elements you wish.  You must design, price, and report on what the project will cost, and an estimate of the time and materials you will use.  We will be expanding on each of these requirements next week during class, and scaffolding the steps of this project so everyone can keep up.  Let me know if you have any questions.  Remember to follow the Problem Solving Steps we outlined in the beginning of the program. Define the Problem, Prepare a Solution, Try to Solve it, and Reflect on all steps and at the completion of the project.  Have fun with this project.

Drawing To Scale for Design/Architectural Projects (MP3)

Today we will be working on Drawing To Scale and Basic Proportions as an introduction to Architectural Design.  Please take a few moments to learn about this by watching the following videos:

Introduction to Scale Drawings (Youtube.com)

Virtual Nerd - Introduction to Scale Drawing

BASIC PROPORTIONS (http://www.basic-mathematics.com/scale-drawings.html)

Since it is not always possible to draw on paper the actual size of real-life objects such as the real size of a car, an airplane, we need scale drawings to represent the size like the one you see below of a van.

In real-life, the length of this van may measure 240 inches. However, the length of a copy or print paper that you could use to draw this van is a little bit less than 12 inches

Since 240/12 = 20, you will need about 20 sheets of copy paper to draw the length of the actual size of the van

In order to use just one sheet, you could then use 1 inch on your drawing to represent 20 inches on the real-life object

You can write this situation as 1:20 or 1/20 or 1 to 20

Notice that the first number always refers to the length of the drawing on paper and the second number refers to the length of real-life object

Example #1:

Suppose a problem tells you that the length of a vehicle is drawn to scale. The scale of the drawing is 1:20

If the length of the drawing of the vehicle on paper is 12 inches, how long is the vehicle in real life?

Set up a proportion that will look like this:

Do a cross product by multiplying the numerator of one fraction by the denominator of the other fraction

We get :

Length of drawing × 20 = Real length × 1

Since length of drawing = 12, we get:

12 × 20 = Real length × 1

240 inches = Real length


Example #2:

The scale drawing of this tree is 1:500

If the height of the tree on paper is 20 inches, what is the height of the tree in real life?

Set up a proportion like this:

Do a cross product by multiplying the numerator of one fraction by the denominator of the other fraction

We get :

Height of drawing × 500 = Real height × 1

Since height of drawing = 20, we get:

20 × 500 = Real length × 1

10000 inches = Real height

DRAWING TO SCALE (http://www.probuildersslo.com/scale)
The whole idea behind creating a scale drawing is to keep the objects in the drawing proportionately accurate in relation to each other. By using a measuring device called a scale you can create accurate drawings of very large objects on a standard size piece of paper.

Scales Used to Create a Design Drawings
1:4 Scale pronounced: "One Quarter Scale" or One Quarter aSize.
1/4 inch on the scale = 1 unit on the object being drawn.

By extension, if we use 1/4“ graph paper, one 1/4” block can equal one inch, one foot, one mile, one light year etc. For architecture, 1/4“ usually equals 1’ (1/4 inch = 1 foot). Scaling is really up to you but be consistent with all measurements and dimensions otherwise the end result will be useless. Always note what the scale you used on the drawing and whenever possible use industry standard scales.

Engineering and Architectural Scales (in this case the word scale is being used as a noun referring to a type of measuring device) are made in a triangular form so that they can be marked with different scale ratios for versatility. Typically, a triangular scale has 12 different ratios on it - 6 on each end and related ones (like 1/4 and 1/8 for instance) interlace in opposite directions without interfering with each other. Below is what an Architectural Scale looks like.

How to Use Them
The scales on the Architectural Scale (isn’t it nice the way they make explaining this so easy:) are all related to measurements in feet and inches. Above is a representation of 1/4 scale. One quarter inch equals one foot. Notice that at the beginning of the scale the first 1/4” is divided into 12 subdivisions, one for each inch in a foot. Notice also that the ”0“ point starts after the initial smaller subdivisions. Watch out for that. If you don’t remember that the zero mark is not at the beginning of the scale you will end up with an inaccurate drawing. It is set up that way to make it easy to layout feet and inches - like 4’ 6”. The 4’ would use the main part of the scale and the 6“ would use half of the inches designation on the end. That makes laying out a drawing very easy. By using 1/4” graph paper you will greatly reduce your drawing time. The Architectural Scale will help you with the inch measurements on your design drawing.

For initial design layouts, accuracy to 1 inch is good enough. The contractor and cabinet maker will measure much more accurately, of course, but for your design drawing one inch is usually just fine.

Independent Projects - Part Deux!

Today you will be given time in class to work on your Independent Projects with your team.  Please use the time wisely.  We will be working on Drawing-To-Scale tomorrow, and that will lead us into our Architectural Projects, and other endeavors.  - Mr. S

SPENT: A NEXTGEN Personal Finance Simulation Project (Middle School) CCS

f you do not finish all assigned tasks before the end of the class, you must complete them on your own time.  If you are finished early you may work on anything previous assignment you owe for class , khan academy, typing.com (lessons only), or work for another class.

The Inquiry below is intended to help introduce students to the decisions people have to make everyday when they are living paycheck to paycheck. The Supplemental Resources are provided only to support the Inquiry, but the Inquiry is a comprehensive lesson on its own.

In this Inquiry, students will use a simulator to roleplay an adult trying to make ends meet when they don’t have a surplus of finances. In the process, students will learn about how their decisions impact the people around them and their ability to pay for the necessities each month as well as the pressures and decisions that many people face in this situation. Through this Inquiry, they will learn to use wise spending and saving habits, empathize with those dealing with the living wage, and assess the options people have when they are having financial difficulties.

Make Sure You Click On The ROLEPLAY Inquiry Simulation Link Below, Click FILE and MAKE A COPY, and SHARE it with Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit!

Inquiry Simulation:  ROLEPLAY: Spent Middle School Edition

Learning Objectives:

• Students will experience the circumstances of budgeting on the living wage.
• Students will reflect on the impact of the decisions they made in order to learn from them for the future.
• Students will explore the difficulties of living paycheck to paycheck and learn from the options they face as well as mistakes they make.
• Students SHOULD Play the Game a SECOND Time after recording their answers to more fully understand some of the alternate choices in the simulation.

ACTIVITY:

Complete The Google Document Worksheet As You Complete The Online Simulation. Please Answer All Questions In COMPLETE SENTENCES! Try to use the R.A.C.E Response Method (Repeat the question, Answer the question, Cite your evidence/examples, Explain your evidence/examples) Make sure you SHARE the Google Document with Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.

Standards:

Alignment to Anchor Standards for Reading: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words..

Alignment to Jump$tart Spending and Saving Standards: 1b: Analyze how spending and saving behavior can affect overall well-being. 1c: Discuss the components of a personal spending plan, including income, planned saving, and expenses.   Alignment to Jump$tart Risk Management and Insurance Standards: 1b: Predict the consequences of accepting risk with insufficient or no insurance. 1c: Illustrate how to use insurance to share the risk of financial loss.

Supplemental Resources:

*Note: These supplemental resources are a work in progress and will be finalized soon!

Video: Just In Case
This video from Cha-Ching is a fun way for students to explore why they should think about having an emergency fund or getting insurance in case issues they can’t plan for arise!
Suggested Follow Up Questions: 1) What are some examples of reasons you might need an emergency fund or insurance from the video? 2) Why do you think people say “plan for the worst” based on what you learned from the video?

Interactive: PlayInsure
This game allows students to learn about Auto Insurance and Homeowner's Insurance by letting them roleplay as an insured party  that encounters many different scenarios. This allows students to see the different plan options, why insurance costs a certain amount, and when it is useful. Since the game is created by the Texas Department of Insurance, it focuses on that state, but it is a great learning tool for students regardless of location.

• Teacher Tip: Both the Auto Insurance and Homeowner’s Insurance games are very long (30 days) so they are quite repetitive. You might want to tell the students to play for something like 10-15 days!

Video: Payday Loan Advertisement
This Payday loan advertisement tries to sell people payday loans. In the process, it outlines why payday loans exist and why someone living paycheck to paycheck might feel the need to use one. Students might not understand what the big issue with payday loans is given the tone of the video, so discussion afterwards will help them understand.
Suggested Follow Up Questions: 1) How are payday loans different from borrowing money for something like college or a house? 2) Why might someone be searching for a loan like this? 3) What are the 2 qualifications needed to get a payday loan? Why do you think the companies don’t require more info from the borrower? 4) What do you think are the downsides of taking out a payday loan?

Comprehension Questions: Spent Kahoot
This kahoot is a fun way to assess students on their understanding of the terms and concepts they learned in this lesson.

This project taken directly from https://www.ngpf.org/courses/middle-school/