Week Seven

It seemed like so long between visits. First I missed a Friday; then there was the Thanksgiving holiday. Anyway, we racing towards the finished line.

We had a really successful meeting. First, Big Kudos to Ms. Catania for creating a template for our year two website. She used a really cute newspaper theme and read us her clever introductory blurb, setting the bar high for everyone else. The sections of the Also, thank you to Ms. Schembri for making sure that the invitations get sent out this week and that the program is put together in time. Every teacher needs to contribute to both the web site and the program in order for everything to be done on time.

Submit the following:

• To Ms. Catania: A short blurb for your web page. (1 - 2 paragraphs)
  
• To Ms. Schembri: Two-three sentences for the program.

Please submit the above electronically, so no one has to do any extra typing.

In addition, we discussed what needs to be done in preparation for the final presentation. Here is a summary of what has to be done in the next two weeks!

1. Students finish all products. Please give copies of student products (or URLs) to Ms. Catania:
    - iMovies must be shared to Quicktime (final rendering)
    - Keynotes must be exported as Quicktime movies
    - Podcasts must saved as m4a files
    - iWeb sites - copy domain files
   Don't worry: I'll help you with the above this week!
2. Select which products you will showcase at presentation. You can pick which final products you will show, or have a class discussion to pick which product(s) best represent the class. Remember, you only have 6 minutes per class, including time for students to speak.
   
3. Students prepare and practice speeches. Select which 4-5 students will be presenting. Each student should have only a few sentences. Some suggestions for prompts include:
   - An overview of the class project.
   - A description of what their group contribution was and how they chose the subtopic.
   - What they learned or how they completed the project.
   - How they overcame challenges.
   - What they learned from working with partners/group.
   - For grades 2-5, how did they build on what they learned last year and bring it to the next level this year.
   
4. Students finish display boards and any non-technology products. These will be showcased after the live presentation.

I know this sounds like a lot, but pay attention to how many start with the word "student!" Remind students that this is their presentation and they have the responsibility for making this an unforgettable day!

P.S. Don't forget that I'm coming in twice this week, for double the support!