Graph-It

Bob Engrav's sixth grade pre-algebra and honor math class began solving word problems involving surveys, frequency tables, and graphs. Students were then paired. Each pair developed an original survey relating to students likes and dislikes. Data was collected by polling other 6th grade classes and recorded on a student developed frequency table.

Students then presented their results by creating a graph using Microsoft Graphs. Students were given the option of creating a display or creating a PowerPoint slide presentation. These displays or slides were used in presentations of the results to the class.

Submitted by: Diana Freudensprung, Assistant Principal, Wessendorff Middle School
Lesson designed by: Bob Engrav, 6th grade math, Wessendorff Middle School
Grade level: 6
Subject area: pre-algebra, math

Student-to-Student Multimedia
Using computer graphics and animation in a real world application with a target audience.

The Diboll High School students taking computer graphics and animation created short interactive programs for the primary students on the Diboll Primary campus. They began by reading the nursery rhymes and songs used in the three and four year old classes. Each student chose a rhyme or song and used a storyboard to plan his or her project. Using Macromedia Director, the nursery rhymes were turned into simple interactive programs with bright and colorful images. The class evaluated their creations using a rubric they developed, burned them onto CD-ROM disk and as a final test shared them with the students on the primary campus.

Submitted by: Steve Paul, Diboll High School Diboll, Texas
Grade level: High School
Subject area: Language arts

PowerPoint Book Reports

Students in seventh grade language arts classes read the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. As a summative project to their novel study, students went to the computer lab to create PowerPoint book reports. Before learning how to create the PowerPoint presentation, students did a little research on the Internet about the author, S.E. Hinton. Students were taught how to save gif and jpeg images into a folder on their desktop. Next, they did some Internet research on gangs to add to their presentation. Once the research was finished, the students began to put together their PowerPoint presentations with the help of their teacher and the computer lab instructor. Following a 10 slide format, students created slides on characters, plot, setting, climax, resolution, literary terms, gangs, and their personal response to the novel. The learned to insert images from files, add sounds, word art, and transitions. Once finished, students saved their work to a floppy disk. When the students presented their work to the class, they used the Smart Board to show their finished work to their classmates while giving an oral book report. The students loved this project and later on in the year, they repeated the activity on a book of their choice they had read through their Accelerated Reader program.

Submitted by: Jane Ann Shipp, Maypearl Middle School Maypearl, TX
Grade level: 7
Subject area: Language arts

Budgets of the Future

The ninth grade health classes wanted a new way to teach budgeting. With the help of the Instructional Technology Specialist, the students used a spreadsheet program and the Internet to create a "reality-based" budget of their future. The first day in the lab they were introduced to the spreadsheet program by filling in a sample budget for a minimum wage worker and soon realized that they wouldn't be able to buy a fancy car or nice home on only minimum wage. The teacher and specialist decided for this grade level to add in the cost of a baby. One student even commented after seeing the totals that he was going to stay away from girls for a while. The second day students used the Internet to research a possible future job they would like to have and the average income for that occupation. They then entered the numbers into their spreadsheet and used various web sites for houses, cars, groceries…to spend all their money. Worksheets were filled in as they went along the second day and then students printed their final spreadsheet.

Submitted by: Donna Christiansen, Instructional Technology Specialist with Richardson Independent School District
Grade level: 9
Subject area: Health or Math 

Web Mastering Portfolio Project

Mrs. Christopher, a high school teacher in Houston, has borrowed a technique used by art classes -- portfolios -- to help her students evaluate their progress in Web Mastering. In this project, students gather the web pages and images they have created during the year into a portfolio site. Not only does this project help the students put their work into perspective, it also gives them the experience of building a large web site that is important to them. Since the site must have a consistent look, some of their early work must be revised. Unity is achieved by using the same colors, backgrounds, logos and navigation throughout. All of these unifying components must be original creations. Students are encouraged to give the site a theme or use an analogy (for example, each web page is a jewel in the treasure chest.) The site must open with a splash page which leads to a page where the student introduces themselves and explains the purpose of the portfolio site. The navigation links then lead to the other pages in the site. Before a final grade is given, students do peer evaluations using the rubric for this assignment. In the final week of class, students give portfolio presentations while Mrs. Christopher evaluates using the rubric. Examples of student portfolios can be seen at http://www.crpc.rice.edu/CRPC/GT/bchristo/webmastering/studentwork/portfoliosites/index.html.

Submitted by: Barbara Christopher, Aldine ISD, Houston Texas
Grade level: High school
Subject area: Web mastering

Character Education Web Site Project

Students review several Internet Character Education sites based on the STAR (Stop, Think, Act, Review) model and the 6 Pillars of Character Traits (Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Citizenship, Fairness, Respect, and Caring). They also will gather information from Dr. B. David Brooks' book, Lessons in Character, to create a Web Site using only HTML.

The Teacher will assign groups of 4 students to evaluate 4 sites at the student’s computers. Then the teacher will present the #1 student from each group to the class. The class will select the overall best web site to present to the districts Character Education Coordinator. The Coordinator will select the #1 best Web Site from all classes to be uploaded on the Districts Web page.

To view last year’s winners: http://www.humble.k12.tx.us/character_ed/webmastery_pgs.htm

Submitted by: Diana Aston, Humble ISD

Online Resources:

Humble ISD
http://www.humble.k12.tx.us/character_ed/index.htm
Character Counts
http://www.charactercounts.org/
Urban Programs
http://www.ur.banext.uiuc.edu/Programs/character.html
Character Works
http://www.characterworks.com/secondary.html
Character Education
http://epsb.edmonton.ab.ca/schools/claratyner/charactereducation/
Character Education
http://www.coe.ufl.edu/courses/EdTech/Vault/character/Character_Education.html
6 Building Blocks
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/SpringHillES/chared/cedhome2.htm
Target Traits of Good Character
http://www.arp.sprnet.org/Curric/CC!/pillindex.htm