3rd Grade Google Presentations

3rd graders have been working on creating Google Presentations in Drive.

The theme, and title, is "What History Means to Me" which is essentially an extension of a previously written essay created as a Google Document.

The original Document was an introduction to using Google Drive; comparing and contrasting to Microsoft Word, and so forth. The actual writing was fairly self directed. I gave students a prompt: "to me history means..." and then it was up to them to define "history." For some students history is all about family. For others it is all about learning in school. History is the past, but the aspects of the past that stand out for each student vary child to child.

Once the essay was finished I introduced them to Presentations. We talked about slides as opposed to paragraphs, bullet points as opposed to sentences, the different style and voice used to convey the same content. They then began to turn their "History" documents into Presentations, able to edit, update, and alter in any way they saw fit.

The overall project is a few months in the making because we cover:

3rd Grade - Spring Break 4/2014 - Building the biggest

Have you ever seen a very large boat? How about a big cruise ship? Often, out in New York harbor you can see very large ships carrying containers. They are shipping goods throughout the world.

Have you ever seen one of those giant container ships being built....?

Below is a video of the largest shipping container ship being built. The video is a time-lapse video comprised of 50,000 pictures. You will be able see the entire ship built in 76 seconds...

You can read about the video here and here.

Your assignment:

Watch the video and then comment with answers to these questions:

• Have you ever seen one of those ships in New York harbor (or anywhere else)?
• What are your thoughts about the video?
• What is one thing that stood out to you the most after watching the video?

Please post your comments in full and complete sentences with proper grammar, spelling & punctuation.

Have a great Spring Break!

Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

Grade 3 - New York Day

3rd graders.
Since Mr. Casal is absent you will be watching a short video and answering a few questions related to it as comments. You must answer all of the questions.

Remember, you will not be watching the video on your computer, only on the Smartboard. Mr. Waisome will play the video a few times as you read the questions and post your answers to the questions.

As students are probably aware I am a big fan of time lapse videos. I think they are great ways to see the world and experience things in a very different & exciting way.

I have discovered another New York City time lapse video...

New York Day from motionkicker on Vimeo.

I found this video on Mashable.com, a great resource for all things tech. Here is what they said about it:

Timelapses have been a particularly popular trend as of late, and New York City has always been a hot spot because of its' edgy beauty — but Samuel Orr is taking the entire concept to a new level with "New York Day."

The photographer hopes to create a series of timelapse videos that chronicle life and people in a sprawling city. Each video is a small story — people coming to life in the morning on their commute, going about their day, eating and then homeward bound in the evening — all compiled to show what an average day in New York is like. Orr says that including the sounds of the city makes the series "more of an immediate experience."

"It can be tricky shooting timelapse in a place like NYC," Orr tells Mashable. "People are challenging, but in general they're kind, interested, and helpful. Or at least don't bother you - except for the guy who was concerned I was taking too many pictures of the Empire State Building."

Orr's path to timelapse photography was unexpected. He began as an ecologist, which led him to develop nature documentaries. During that time, he realized timelapse would be the perfect way to demonstrate how natural landscapes and plants change over time.

Read the passage above and watch the video.

Post a comment with your response to the passage & video

• What did you think about it?
• What stood out to you?
• Are videos like this interesting?
• Do you enjoy seeing these type of videos?

Remember to post your comment in full and complete sentences with proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Post as "Name/URL" using your first name and last initial

Enjoy!




Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

3rd Grade - February 2/2014 - Which Olympic sport is for you?

The Olympic Winter Games are currently happening. They started on February 7th and go until the closing ceremony on February 23rd.

Below is a video of celebrities and athletes (not Winter Olympic athletes) answering the question: "In which Winter Olympic Sport would you want to compete?" 

Watch the video and answer the questions below:

Your questions:

• Have you watched any of the Winter Olympics this year?

• What Winter Olympic sport would you, as a 3rd grader, like to compete in?

• Do you currently do any winter sports? Ice skating, skiing, hockey, etc?

Please respond in full and complete sentences, paragraph form. Double check your work before posting your comment. Once you post your comment, Mr. Casal will be notified and he will grade and approve your post. Your comment will not appear on the blog until Mr. Casal has read and approved it.

Have a great week off, watch the Olympics, and have fun!

Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL). Please respond in full and complete sentences. Double check your work before posting your comment.

Grade 3 - History of Typography

3rd Graders,
I am out of school at an educational technology conference. I am being a student, learning from other teachers about new tools, ideas, and how I can be a better computer teacher. Learning never stops, even if you're a teacher.

When we are typing we are entering our text using a particular font, or style of writing. But fonts aren't just fonts, they are "typography" or the art or technique of arranging type in order to make language visible.

Before computers there were typewriters and before that, handwriting. In order to make writing universally legible there needed to be typography.

Watch the video below and answer the questions as comments...

I know some of you saw this video last year, but not everyone has. Even if you did see it, you are now a year older and may have a different perspective or opinion about it. Regardless of whether you've seen it or not, all 3rd grades will complete this assignment

The History of Typography by Ben Barrett-Forrest from Dezeen on Vimeo.



The questions...

• What did you learn about typography?
• Do you remember any of the typography style names? Which was your favorite?
• What did you think about the style of video?
• Did you like the way the video looked and was animate?
• If you saw this video last year, have any of your thoughts or opinions on typography changed? Did something new stand out to you?

Answer these questions in full and complete sentences as a comment below...

Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

3rd Grade - Christmas 12/2013 - Technology & You

3rd graders, please answer these 2 questions over the Christmas Vacation....


(click "Read More" to see the questions)

1. What was the first piece of technology you remember using?
2. What do you think "technology" will look/be like in 5 years?

Please respond in full and complete sentences, paragraph form - double check your work before posting your comment.


Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- Comments with last names will not be published! Please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment. 

3rd Grade - Thanksgiving 11/2013 - What is Thanksgiving?

What is Thanksgiving? Do you know where the holiday came from? Do you know some of the myths of thanksgiving?

For me Thanksgiving is about remembering how we got to where we are. Remembering those who came before us to help us get where we are. It is a chance to get together with family and friends and think about our history as well as look to the future. And honestly, for me, it's also a little bit about football. Eating and watching football has always been a big part of Thanksgiving in my family. We have a football tradition, every year we play the "Turkey Bowl". The Turkey Bowl is a 1 hour touch-football game where we split the family into 2 teams and play before we eat. It's all in fun, and it works up an appetite.

Your assignment:

• What does Thanksgiving mean to you? 
• Why do you think we celebrate it? 
• How do you celebrate it? 
• What are your family's traditions?

Post your answers to these questions, in full and complete sentences, as a comment to this blog post. Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

Your comment will not appear right away. I, Mr Casal, will receive an email when you post a comment and I will publish it as soon as I see it. 

Thank you, and have a good Thanksgiving...

Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

3-415 - The Year in Review

3-415,

Please comment with your reflections on the year & look forward to next year.

Use these questions as a guide. You do not need to answer them specifically or in order, just use them to help form your thoughts and guide your writing...

• What was your favorite part of the year? Be descriptive...
• What one thing did you learn that stands out the most? Why was it so meaningful?
• What activity (field trip, Opera, project, etc) was most memorable & why?
• What are you looking forward to about the summer?
• What are you looking forward to about 4th grade?

 

Every comment should be at least 2 paragraphs and written with proper sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation.

 

 

Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

Posted with Blogsy

3-415 - History of Typography

3-415,
When we are typing we are entering our text using a particular font, or style of writing. But fonts aren't just fonts, they are "typography" or the art or technique of arranging type in order to make language visible.

Before computers there were typewriters and before that, handwriting. In order to make writing universally legible there needed to be typography.

Watch the video below and answer the questions as comments...

The History of Typography - Animated Short from Ben Barrett-Forrest on Vimeo.

The questions...

• What did you learn about typography?
• Do you remember any of the typography style names? Which was your favorite?
• What did you think about the style of video?
• Did you like the way the video looked and was animate?

Answer these questions in full and complete sentences as a comment below...

Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

3-410 - Twitter

Students of class 3-410,
Last week we did our first lesson about Twitter and how to post a tweet. Today we did a quick review.

I would like you to comment with answers to a few questions. This is a bit of a quiz on some of the terms we learned last week as well as a personal reflection.

Here are the questions (the first 6 are short answer, the last 2 are extended response)...

3-413 - Twitter

Students of class 3-413,
Last week we did our first lesson about Twitter and how to post a tweet. Today we did a quick review.

I would like you to comment with answers to a few questions. This is a bit of a quiz on some of the terms we learned last week as well as a personal reflection.

Here are the questions (the first 6 are short answer, the last 2 are extended response)...

3-412 - Twitter

Students of class 3-412,
Last week we did our first lesson about Twitter and how to post a tweet. Today we did a quick review.

I would like you to comment with answers to a few questions. This is a bit of a quiz on some of the terms we learned last week as well as a personal reflection.

Here are the questions (the first 6 are short answer, the last 2 are extended response)...

3-415 - Twitter

Students of class 3-415,
Last week we did our first lesson about Twitter and how to post a tweet. Today we did a quick review.

I would like you to comment with answers to a few questions. This is a bit of a quiz on some of the terms we learned last week as well as a personal reflection.

Here are the questions (the first 6 are short answer, the last 2 are extended response)...

3-408 - What would your blog be?

In thinking about blogging I want you to think about a few things. In the coming weeks you will be creating your own blog posts and possibly even your very own blogs. You will post your thoughts as comments here...

3rd Grade - Spring Break 4/2012 - The Wind From Above

Have you ever wondered what the wind looked like from above?

This interactive map will show you...

3rd Grade - Christmas Break 12/2011 - What are your traditions?

Many people celebrate Christmas. Many people celebrate other holidays this time of year such as Hanukah and Kwanzaa. Many people create their own celebrations.

A tradition is something done on a regular basis. Putting up a Christmas tree is a tradition. Lighting a Menorah is a tradition. Always going skiing on New Years Eve is a tradition. I always do my Christmas present shopping on Christmas Eve, that is my personal tradition...

(click "Read More" to see the rest of the assignment)

3rd Grade - Christmas Break - What are your traditions?

Many people celebrate Christmas. Many people celebrate other holidays this time of year such as Hanukah and Kwanzaa. Many people create their own celebrations.

A tradition is something done on a regular basis. Putting up a Christmas tree is a tradition. Lighting a Menorah is a tradition. Always going skiing on New Years Eve is a tradition. I always do my Christmas present shopping on Christmas Eve, that is my personal tradition.

Over this vacation, what are your traditions? Do you always go to the same relative's house for dinner? Do you always eat the same thing? Do you always take the same trips?

What are the things you and your family do every year at this time? What are your traditions during the Christmas Vacation?

Post your traditions in full and complete sentences.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and of course Happy Vacation Week off!




Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

What would you teach?

3rd Graders,

If you were able to be the teacher for the day what would you teach the class? Why would you teach that thing?

If you could chose one thing to learn one day, taught by either you or someone else, what would that one thing be? Why?




Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

China

3rd Graders,
I know your China project is over, and we have only watched 1/2 of the China video, but I have a few questions (answer them in full and complete sentences with proper spelling and grammar)....

1) What was the most interesting thing you learned about China?
2) What is 1 thing you would like to learn more about?
3) What 1 part of the video did you enjoy the most, and why?
4) When we finish watching the video, what is the 1 topic you would like me, Mr. Casal, to talk more about?


Remember - Comment as "Name/URL" and use your first name and last initial (proper capitalization, no URL)- please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment.

Your first, and future, experience with technology

What was the first piece of technology you remember using?

What do you think "technology" will look/be like in 5 years?


(please respond in full and complete sentences - double check your work before posting your comment)