Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Thursday, October 31, 2013


Happy Halloween!  
Do you have your plagiarism paper, and just did not turn it in?
Turn it in today if you didn't already!
NO cavetime for Ms. Dorsey's classes tomorrow.
______________________
1. Individual Reading and Fill Out Log

2. Computer Lab 223 to work on the PowerPoint which is due by the end of class on Monday.
You need at least three of the Hero Research assignments completed for your PowerPoint to count. 
No candy is allowed in the computer lab. 

Friday, October 25, 2013

Tuesday, October 29, 2013


1. Individual Reading and Fill Out Reading Log
2. Computer Lab 211
Finish Hero Research #4 and #5.

Using Bibme.org for articles from EBSCO or those found using other search engines 


Just a reminder:
2013 Semester 1, Rotation 2 Due Dates:
October 8 Practice turning in an assignment completed -- turned in on Edmodo
By October 8 Sign-up for Hero on Edmodo -- in a REPLY on Edmodo
By October 15 (2), October 17 (2), October 23 (1 more): By October 23, all five Hero Reseach Assignments are due . (Only 3 need to include all parts -- the other two may include minimal requirements as explained on the documents.) (Deadline was extended to Oct. 23 for 1-3, and October 29 for 4-5.)
November 4 PowerPoint Due by the end of class
November 6 Present PowerPoints
November 6 View classmates' PowerPoints
November 12 Rotation 1 Ends
November 14 Rotation 2 Begins

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Friday, October 25, 2013




1.   Computer lab 223 for 
Learning About Plagiarism
a. Receive the document: Plagiarism Computer Exercise 

(If you were absent, pick up the document from the handouts folders for Reading 7, and fill it out at home, using the link below. Or, print the document from here: Plagiarism Computer Exercise In-Class.doc

b. Use the link here to go to http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/plagiarism.html#
c. Listen to and read along with the information about plagiarism. (Yes, you may turn on the sound on your computer! The room will be noisy, but sometimes that's okay.)
d. Answer the questions on the worksheet. 

e.  Turn in the worksheet to the top wire basket for your period. 
f.  If you have extra time,  continue to work on your Hero Research documents.
A3 until 12:10               A4 until 2:05   
Back in Class:

2. Fluency Practice  and fill out graph with date, passage, and words per minute.

3.  Individual Reading Time and Fill Out Your Log
If you were absent, pick up one of the pink make-up reading logs, complete the assignment, and staple it to your blue reading log. 

Becoming Computer Savvy
This is one of the first pictures that came up when I looked for images for "Computer Savvy."

You, too, can be computer savvy!

Learn about Digital Citizenship
http://www.cyberbullying.org/

Check out this information about safely surfing the Internet: 

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

I am finished grading the practice assignment and signing up for your hero.

You must finish your three Hero Research assignments by the end of class on Wednesday (today), so I will have time to grade them for the end of the term. (Breaking News:  I have extended the cut-off for turning in your three Hero Research Documents until 10:00 pm tonight.) Of course, you can work on them outside of class, as well.  I will be available for cave time on Tuesday, but not on Wednesday since that is Mock Trial Day every week.

Follow the directions carefully on the documents you are filling out. They teach you what to look for.   Don't forget to take those notes.  You do not have to fill out all of the spaces for each slide.  Just collect the information you can from each source.  You are preparing to create an awesome PowerPoint with fascinating information about your hero!

  • The term ends this Friday, October 25. 
    • Your reading logs and fluency graphs have been graded so far.  Continue to record these.  What we do today and Friday for reading and fluency will go on next term's grade.  
    • Book orders are due by October 25.


1. Individual Reading Time and Fill Out Your Log

2. Fluency Practice  and fill out graph with date, passage, and words per minute.

3.  Demos:  Opening, filling out, and turning in a document. 

Using Bibme.org for articles from EBSCO or those found using other search engines 


or http://www.workscited4u.com/

3. Computer Lab 211


Lab 211
Plug your thumb drive in on the tower behind your monitor.
Click on "Open folder to view files using Windows Explorer"

To save to your thumb drive
With the document you wish to save open, click on FileSave As.
If the thumb drive is already open and you see your items, check the name of your document, and click on Save.
If not, at the left of the window that opens, scroll down to Computer, and below that find Removable Disk.

You will want to add your name to the beginning of the name of your document.  Don't erase what is already there.
Before ejecting your thumb drive, close documents that are saved on it.
Close the window that shows its contents.
Click on the two upward arrows at the bottom right of the screen.
Look for the icon with a bit of green.  Follow any directions.  Wait for a message: Safe to Remove Hardware.

Goodbye!
To log off the computer, look for "Start" at the bottom left of the computer.  Click it.  To the right of that see "Shut down." Click on the arrow to the right of that.  Select "Log off."
Don't forget to take your thumb drive!


For this term, make sure you've completed 
1.  The Practice Handing In Assignment
2.  Signing up for your Hero under IMPORTANT: SIGN UP FOR YOUR HERO
   Check for my response. 
3.  Three of the Hero Research Assignments.  
    If your hero is not found on one of them, just fill out  the required parts, 
save it, and turn it in on Edmodo.  
    You will need three sources for your PowerPoint. 


If there is no article about your hero, search for
another very famous person and go to that article.
Record below  in the spaces provided the URL, the Citation,
the Title of the Article, the Author and the Sponsor.
Then go on to Hero Research #3. 

Monday, October 21, 2013

Halloween Costumes?!


This message came from Mr. Farnsworth:
     Halloween is next Thursday. Students are welcome to dress in 
costume for the school day but must adhere to the following policies:
·   no excessive face painting or gore, 
·   no cross dressing,                                        
·   no weapons,      

·   and all costumes must adhere to dress code modesty standards. 
Costumes should not be a disruption to the education process. 
 Those students whose costumes disrupt schooling will be asked to change.

These pictures came from Ms. Dorsey's class -- a couple of years ago.

This boy came as Eragon.

This boy came as Cap, the main character from the novel Schooled.

Monday, October 21, 2013

  • The term ends this Friday, October 25. 
    • Make sure you have filled out your reading logs and fluency graphs each day we have participated in these activities. 
    • Last Friday was the last day for late work, and your Hero Research Assignment #1, #2, and #3 are due by the end of class on Wednesday, October 23. 
  • Book orders are due by October 25.


1. Individual Reading Time and Fill Out Your Log

(no fluency practice today)

2.  Demos:  Accessing and using Pioneer Library, World Book, 
Sirs Dicoverer, EBSCO 

Using Bibme.org for articles from EBSCO or those found using other search engines 


3. Computer Lab 223

For this term, make sure you've completed 
1.  The Practice Handing In Assignment
2.  Signing up for your Hero under IMPORTANT: SIGN UP FOR YOUR HERO
   Check for my response. 
3.  Three of the Hero Research Assignments.  
    If your hero is not found on one of them, just fill out  the required parts, 
save it, and turn it in on Edmodo.  
    You will need three sources for your PowerPoint. 


If there is no article about your hero, search for
another very famous person and go to that article.  
Record below  in the spaces provided the URL, the Citation,  
the Title of the Article, the Author and the Sponsor.   
Then go on to Hero Research #3. 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Reminders and Announcements:
  • Please pick up your folder from the black crate at the back.
  • Friday, October 18 (tomorrow) is the  last day to hand in late or revised work.   Make sure you've completed the Practice Turning-In Assignment, and have signed up properly for your hero. 
  • Your Hero Research Assignment #1, #2, and #3 are due by the end of class on Wednesday, October 23. 
  • The term ends next Friday, October 25. 
    • Make sure you have filled out your reading logs and fluency graphs each day we have participated in these activities. 

  • Book orders are due by October 25.
    • I highly recommend that you read Ender's Game before seeing the movie!
  • Our PTSA Culvers Fundraiser is tomorrow night -- Thursday.
  • It's time for new class librarians. Let me know if you'd like to volunteer. 

1. Individual Reading Time and Fill Out Your Log


2. Fluency Practice  and fill out graph with date, passage, and words per minute.

3. Vocabulary: domain 
Usually when we speak of the domain name of a site, we are talking about the two or three letters that indicate the top domain (authority) that tells us where the site comes from.
It is an important part of the address for the site.  

Example:  http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/d/f/domain_name.htm

http://www.marchforbabies.org/

http://web.ebscohost.com/brc/detail?sid=d28c7c30-29cd-4395-8075-8cc0216f0725%40sessionmgr11&vid=8&hid=26&bdata=JnNpdGU9YnJjLWxpdmU%3d#db=b6h&AN=103331GL20C3661002711


Tech Trivia Note: Most American servers use three-letter top level domains (e.g. ".com", ".edu"). Countries other than the USA commonly use two letters, or combinations of two letters (e.g. ".au", ".ca", ".co.jp").   

Usually,  .edu and .gov are reliable, while
.com and .org may or may not be.


4. Computer Lab 223
  •       Practice assignment for turning in work (if not done)
  •       Signing up for your hero  (if not done)
  •       Hero Research Assignments -- Begin with #1, then complete #2, #3, etc. 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Tuesday, October 15, 2013


Please pick up your folder from the black crate at the back.

Next time is the last time  to hand in late or revised work.   You're okay if you turn it in by the end of school on Friday!  The term ends next Friday, October 25.  


    • Make sure you've completed the Practice Turning-In Assignment, and have signed up properly for your hero. 

    I've  extended your deadline for your Hero Research Assignments:  
    •  Hero Research Assignment #1, #2, and #3 are due by the end of class on Wednesday, October 23. 

    1. Individual Reading Time and Fill Out Your Log

    2. Fluency Practice  and fill out graph with date, passage, and words per minute.

    3. Vocabulary:  citation -- a formal way to tell where you got your information.

    C. What is a Citation?   
    A citation is a way of telling where you got your information. 
    Just trust me for now that we need to use them.  We'll talk later about plagiarism and citing sources.
    To find our citation today,  when you are in Biography Reference Center,  all you have to do is copy and paste your MLA citation.
    It will look something like this:

    Example of a  citation / bibliography entry:
    Paradowski, Robert J., and Paradowski Robert J. "Ray Bradbury." Critical Survey Of Long Fiction, Fourth Edition (2010): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.




    Look for the Golden 
    -->Ticket .  
    No, I meanGolden Page Icon at the 

    right of your  Biography Reference 

    Center page. 

      





    4.  Demos with Valentine Wiggin



    •        Review: Signing up for your hero
    •        Review: Turning in work
    •        Getting into Biography Reference Center and Pioneer                Library


    5. Computer Lab 223 

    Link:
    If You Still Need to Sign Up for Your Hero


    These instructions might help in computer lab:


    Lab 223
    Plug your thumb drive into the back of the keyboard or into the back of the monitor -- to your right.
    An icon for you thumb drive should appear on the desktop -- perhaps to the right.

    To save to your thumb drive
    With the document you wish to save open, click on File, Save As.
    If the thumb drive is already open, check the name of your document, and click on Save.
    If not, scroll down to DEVICES and click on DISK_IMG

    You will want to add your name to the beginning of the name of your document.  Don't erase what is already there.
    Before ejecting your thumb drive, close documents that are saved on it.
    To eject your thumb drive, drag it to the garbage can which will turn into an eject icon.

    Goodbye!
    To log off the computer, find the apple icon at the top left, click on log out student.
    Don't forget to take your thumb drive!

    Monday, October 14, 2013

    Book Quote


    A book is a gift you can open again and again."


    -Garrison Keillor 

    Model for Most Important Word -- Finding Main Idea

         Anita looked at her big sister Joyce and thought about how much she didn't want Joyce to go away to college.  For all of Anita's life, Joyce had been there to help her, the little sister.  Joyce taught her how to French braid her hair, how to play soccer, and how to work her algebra. Anita remembered all the time Joyce had spent with her.  Anita didn't want Joyce to leave.  Then, Roger, their little brother, came running into the room, begging Joyce to come outside and play with him. 
         "Can't, Roger-Dodger," Joyce said.  "I've got to finish packing."      "Oh," Roger said, looking sad.  Then he looked at Anita.  "Guess it's up to you now," he said as he grinned and tossed Anita the ball. 
          Just as Anita was about to shake her head no, she suddenly remembered all the afternoons she had begged Joyce to play with her and all the times Joyce had said yes.  She also realized that she was no longer the middle sister.  With Anita leaving, she was now the big sister.   Someday her little brother would be thinking about missing her when she was getting ready to go off to college.  
         "I guess families are always changing," she thought to herself as she watched her sister pack for one more moment.  Then Anita headed out the door and changed from being a little sister to being a big one. 

    adapted from Elements of Literature, 
    Reading Skills and Strategies: Reading Strategies Handbook, 
    Holt, Rinehart and Winston

    Key Words: Tarantula Story




          Martha, the biology classes' pet tarantula, escaped from her terrarium and crawled into Gordon's lunch sack during class.  Martha's disappearance remained a mystery until lunch time, when Gordon started to take a bite out of his sandwich, and screamed. 


    Making Predictions: Story Impressions #2


    Key Words
    How could these words be used in the story?

    Martha
    biology
    tarantula
    escaped
    Gordon
    lunch sack
    mystery
    sandwich
    screamed

    Key Words: Tarantula Story


    adapted from Elements of Literature, 
    Reading Skills and Strategies: Reading Strategies Handbook, 
    Holt, Rinehart and Winston

    Making Predictions: Story Impressions #1


    Model for Story Impressions  

    Key Words 
    Make predictions about how these words are related in a story before you read the story. 

    tourist
    camera
    theft
    evidence
    hero
    newspaper


    Key Words Tourist Story


    adapted from Elements of Literature, 
    Reading Skills and Strategies: Reading Strategies Handbook, 
    Holt, Rinehart and Winston








    Key Words Tourist Story


        A tourist on vacation used his camera to photograph a theft in progress.  The tourist then gave the photographs to the police who used them as evidence.  Soon after, the tourist was considered a hero, and his picture appeared in the newspaper.  

    Saturday, October 12, 2013

    Background Knowledge Poem Background


    Does it make a difference in your understanding if you find out that the poem is about Christopher Columbus?   Listen and read again.

    With hocked gems financing him
    Our hero bravely defied
    All scornful laughter
    That tried to prevent his scheme.
    “Your eyes deceive,” he said,
    “An egg, not a table correctly 
    Typify this unexplored planet.”
    Now three sturdy sisters sought proof,
    Forging along, sometimes through calm vastness
    And yet more often over peaks and valleys.
    Days became weeks as many doubters spread fearful rumors     about the edge.
    At last welcomed winged creatures appeared,
    Signifying momentous success.


    Tuesday, October 8, 2013

    If You Still Need to Sign Up for Your Hero


    Assignment 3. Signing up for your Hero

    o   You are going to learn about and practice doing research by completing a small research project on a famous person – someone you could call one of your heroes.
    o   See the pink handout for rules about choosing a hero, and for suggested individuals. 
    o   Important Note: The hero you use must be found on
                                                    Biography Reference Center.


    1.  
    ·      Select  and record on the pink paper two or three people you might like to learn more about.
    ·      Log onto the computer following the directions in the lab.
    2.  
    Instructions for Opening  Biography Reference Center
    1.     Go to our school homepage  at  http://afjh.alpineschools.org/  (You could use the link from our blog.)
    2.     Click on RESOURCES at the left.
    3.     Click on Biography Reference CenteR.

    3. 
    Log-in to   Biography Reference CenteR with
    username    afjh
    password:   caveman

    4.
    Finding Famous People with  Biography Reference Center
    Decide who you are most interested in researching.
    1.     In the Search bar, type in the name of your person.  Make sure you spell it correctly.
    2.     Click on the Search button.
    3.     You may see a list of people who have the same name or other possible letter combinations.  Pick the one you mean, and click on the link.
    4.     Now you will see a list of sources about that person.
    5.     Browse through them by clicking on each link and scrolling down to see how much information is available from each source. 
    6.     Ã¨  Select the source that looks the most useful to you.   ç
                    Notice that each source is given a lexile level – a number that indicates reading level. Make sure that article is open.
    7.  Copy the URL from the source with the most useful information.
      Leave that tab open while you go to Edmodo.    http://www.edmodo.com/
       Log into Edmodo:  lastnamefirstname        student number

    5.
    Signing Up for your Hero/Famous Person
    When you have decided on the person you hope to do,
    go to Edmodo and reply to the note labeled
    “IMPORTANT -- SIGN-UP FOR YOUR HERO.” 
    1.     Check any previous replies to see whether your hero is already taken. If so, try another of your choices on Biography Reference Center.  When you have one --
    2.     Type your hero’s name into a reply,
    3.     Paste the URL from Biography Reference Center, and click to reply.     
    3.Watch for Ms. Dorsey’s answer to you within the same reply.
    You choice must be found in Biography Reference Center.

    Saturday, October 5, 2013

    Tuesday, October 8, 2013

    Please pick up your folder from the black crate at the back.

    The term ends October 25. 
    The last day to hand in late work is October 18. 

    1. Individual Reading Time and Fill Out Your Log
    2. Fluency Practice and fill out graph with date, passage, and words per minute.


    Use correct spelling and grammar on Edmodo. 





    3. Vocabulary: Database
    What is a database?  A database is a collection of information that is organized so that it can easily be accessed, managed, and updated.  --  hsqlserver.techtarget.com/definition/database

    Examples: Biography Reference Center, SIRS Discoverer, EBSCO, 

    The items on the educational databases we will be using have been selected as items useful to students.  In other words, someone has already sorted through sources  for the best ones. 



    4. Why not Wikipedia?
    We looked at how many people had revised a Wikipedia entry, and at their strange user names!

    Abraham Lincoln
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Fat%26Haphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Fat%26Happypy
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Billybob2002


    5. Saving a file.
    Hints:

    • Use "Save As"
    • Give it a unique name
    • Know where you're going.
      • Select where to put it!
        • Your thumb drive
          • Find your thumb drive on the menu after you click on Save-As.  It may be called "Removable Disk."
        • Desktop 
          • This is usually a temporary save.
          • At school your desktop will be wiped clean when you log off. 
    • Know your choices.
      • Format?     (Microsoft Word -- .doc  or .docx
        • You will be able to open .doc in more places.

    6.  Computer Lab 223
    If you successfully submitted your Practice Assignment, look around for someone you can help who hasn't.
    Take your thumb drive and your instruction packet. 
    A. Make sure you've actually handed in your practice assignment. 

    B. Have you selected your famous person?  If not, see the directions.  You need the name and the URL for Biography Reference Center.

    C. Work on Hero Research #1.

    https://www.edmodo.com/






    Thursday, October 3, 2013

    Friday, October 4, 2013

    Please pick up your folder from the black crate at the back.

    1. Individual Reading Time and Fill Out Your Log
    2. Fluency Practice and fill out graph with date, passage, and words per minute. 

    3. Vocabulary: 
    Browser
    Short for Web browser, a software application used to locate, retrieve and also display content on the World Wide Web, including Web pages, images, video and other files    -- http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/B/browser.html


      Definition of browser

    1. a program used to view HTML documents
    2. a viewer who looks around casually without seeking anything in particular
    Similar Words: web browser
    Hyponyms: MosaicNetscape
    Derivational Morphology: browsesurfshop

    --http://dictionary.kids.net.au/word/browser





    In our computer labs, 

    use either Firefox or Chrome.


     

















    4. The Care and Feeding of a Thumb Drive

    and the Saving of Your 
    Hard-Won Work




    These instructions might help in computer lab:


    Lab 223
    Plug your thumb drive into the back of the keyboard or into the back of the monitor -- to your right.
    An icon for you thumb drive should appear on the desktop -- perhaps to the right.

    To save to your thumb drive
    With the document you wish to save open, click on File, Save As.
    If the thumb drive is already open, check the name of your document, and click on Save.
    If not, scroll down to DEVICES and click on DISK_IMG

    You will want to add your name to the beginning of the name of your document.  Don't erase what is already there.
    Before ejecting your thumb drive, close documents that are saved on it.
    To eject your thumb drive, drag it to the garbage can which will turn into an eject icon.

    Goodbye!
    To log off the computer, find the apple icon at the top left, click on log out student.
    Don't forget to take your thumb drive!




    Lab 211
    Plug your thumb drive in on the tower behind your monitor.
    Click on "Open folder to view files using Windows Explorer"

    To save to your thumb drive
    With the document you wish to save open, click on File, Save As.
    If the thumb drive is already open and you see your items, check the name of your document, and click on Save.
    If not, at the left of the window that opens, scroll down to Computer, and below that find Removable Disk.

    You will want to add your name to the beginning of the name of your document.  Don't erase what is already there.
    Before ejecting your thumb drive, close documents that are saved on it.
    Close the window that shows its contents.
    Click on the two upward arrows at the bottom right of the screen.
    Look for the icon with a bit of green.  Follow any directions.  Wait for a message: Safe to Remove Hardware.

    Goodbye!
    To log off the computer, look for "Start" at the bottom left of the computer.  Click it.  To the right of that see "Shut down." Click on the arrow to the right of that.  Select "Log off."
    Don't forget to take your thumb drive!



    5. Computer lab
    A3 Lab 223
    A4  Lab 211

    Your folder number is your computer number, unless otherwise specified by the teacher.








  • Receive Packets for the Project.
  • Receive code of conduct and parent letters for Edmodo 





  •  If you were absent today, your code of conduct and letter are in your folder.  Sign and turn in the code of conduct, and take the letter to your parent. 




  • Computer Lab to 

    1. join Edmodo,
    2. practice turning in an assignment on Edmodo, 
    3. and sign up for your hero.  
     If you were absent today, next time use your packet -- in your folder-- to complete the assignments.