Grade 6 & 7: Rollercoaster Tycoon

Step 1 Vanilla Hills: Complete this question sheet for Vanilla Hills

Step 2 Vanilla Hills: Create a detailed mind-map in Prezi showing how you will invest your $10,000. Include all of the costs and the location of your new attractions/facilities

Step 3 Vanilla Hills: Using RCT3 Follow your mind-map and make adjustments to your park to see if you can increase the number of guests in your park and increase weekly profit. How successful were your changes? Complete the Vanilla Hills evaluation worksheet describing what you found

Step 4 Vanilla Hills: You are going to create a spreadsheet to accurately show the amount of money the park creates from operations over a 5 month period (April to August).

Step 5 Vanilla Hills: You will use your their completed spreadsheet to create a graph to compare the costs and income for Vanilla Hills. You will explain what the graphs tell them.

Step 6 Vanilla Hills: You will create a 3 slide PowerPoint presentation to show to the Board of Directors to tell them how well the park is running.

Step 7 Vanilla Hills: There are still problems with people coming to your park! You have decided to have a discount weekend to encourage more young people to come. Choose one of the following options and design the material to advertise the discount weekend.

-          Radio Commercial

-          VIP Ticket

-          2 Page Brochure
-      Poster

Grade 8: Defining a "House Style"

Activity 1: Use this mini-website to investigate what is meant by "house style".

Activity 2: Create a blog post called "House Styles" explaining

• What is a house style?
• Why are they needed?
• What makes a house style?

Activity 3: Look at this example of a house style from an American technology company? What do you notice?

Activity 4: Design your own house style including logo, colors, fonts, sizes and uses for your theme park ride. How could you present this?

Look at these simple rules for logo design from last year to help you?

Grade 6 and 7: Tribute Podcast

Create a tribute Podcast (no longer than 40 seconds ) to a hero of yours. 

This can be anybody who you look up to OR somebody who has inspired you. They can be living or deceased. 

1) You will create a script showing all dialogue

2) You will create a running order showing all of the timings and sound effects
 

3) Finally, you will produce the final recording, using editing software such as Audacity.

Audacity Project Review: Grade 6 and 7 (15 marks)

I want you to write a 300 word essay (about one side of A4) that reviews the project as a whole.

Think about:

•Were you satisfied with your final product i.e. the commercial or PSA would it be a success? Would it persuade, warn, inform etc…?

•What new skills did you learn during this project and how did they help you?

•How well did your plan work? Did you use a script or a running order? Did your plan change as you went along? What did you learn about planning a big project like this?

•What did others have to say about your work?

•What improvements you would make if you had time. Did anything go wrong?

•How well did your group work together?

•What you would do differently if you did the project again. Do you have any alternative ideas that would make this project more successful?

Grade 6 &7: Producing and Editing Sound with Audacity: Assignment 3

Grade 8: Animation Rubric

Animation Evaluation Rubric

In groups you will produce an MP3 recording of either; 

A Public Service Announcement or 
A Radio Commercial

- You will produce a plan which clearly states the audience and purpose of your recording

- You will create a script showing all dialogue

- You will create a running order showing all of the timings.

Finally, you will produce the final recording, using editing software such as Audacity
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are looking for sound clips and music files please check out the free websites SoundBible and Freeplay respectively. There are many others

Website Design Grade 8: Project Rubric

Web Design Rubric

Information Reliability 2: Project Rubric

Information Reliability Quiz

Bizzare Facts: Grade 6 + 7 Assignment 2 (Part 2)

You are working for a fictional newspaper called "AIS News". You are going to design the front page and write the first cover story

Activity 1: You will create a six question survey. Find out about your classmates favorite singer or sportsperson (send your questionnaire to a minimum of six people).

Activity 2:  Look at the results from your survey and decide who you are going to write a story about. The story must contain some Bizarre Facts

Activity 3: Use Internet Searching skills to find 5 sources of information to help you write your story. You must complete this Information Sources Table saying where the information comes from and if it is reliable or not.

(You don't have to use the Internet for this! Books, magazines and newspapers etc are also good information sources)


Activity 4: Create an article for AIS News using Microsoft Publisher which will display your story. 

What Makes a Good Website?

1. Don't make people think How will people get from page to page or from point A to point B? A clear structure and easily recognizable links can help users to find their path to their aim. This is called having good 'navigation'.

2. Focus Attention Obviously, images are more eye-catching than the text — just as the sentences marked as bold are more attractive than plain text.

3. Make use of effective writing Long text blocks will be skipped. Use images and keywords marked in bold or italics and keep your sentences short.

4. Strive for simplicity instead of complexity Provide users with a clean and simple design and don't be afraid of using 'white space'

Website Design: Grade 8 Project 2

Unit Learning Objectives:

1.Recognize what makes a good website

2.Plan the Structure of a website

3.Design the page layout for webpages in a website

4.Set up a website using Macromedia Dreamweaver

5.Create a Homepage and two other pages

6.Use CSS Script to keep consistency on each page 

7.Link pages together

8.Evaluate and make improvements to your Website

_____________________________________________________________________________

Activity 1: Visit this website containing some of the worst designs of 2011 so far. Why are they so bad?

Read the website and fill out this table with what you think are the basic rules of GOOD web-design.

Activity 2: Use VoiceThread to label pictures of at least two websites describing where you see good and bad design features. Upload to your blog.

Activity 3: You are going to put together a chart topping band. You will create a website for them so their fans can keep up with what they are doing. The website should give lots of interesting facts about the band and include photo's, concert dates, and lots of other band related information. 

Research some band's websites to see what sort of information is contained on them. Make a blog post containing all of the most important things your website should include.

Activity 4:Plan your website. Complete this sitemap showing the structure of your website (each box represents a webpage) and the contents of each page.

Activity 5: Update this Project Log with the work you have done so far in this Web Design project. Your job is to try and keep this up-to-date every lesson.

This will help you plan your project better and help you to remember what you have learned.


Activity 6: Create two Banner designs for your website. Use any appropriate software. Save both design as JPEG images and save to your blog as evidence.

Not happy with your grades? Do something about it

You can re-submit your work at any time if you would like your work to be re-graded.

Send emails to mik.waldron@gmail.com

Grade 8 Project Review

I want you to write a 400 word essay (one side of A4) that reviews the project as a whole.
Think about:

• How well did you meet the standards and were you satisfied with your final products i.e. the financial model and the brochure. Would this trip be a success?

• What new skills did you learn during this project and how did they help you?

• How well did your plan work? Did you use either the Systems Life Cycle or the Gantt Chart to help you manage the project. What did you learn about planning a big project like this?

• Did you test your model? Does it work? how did decide who would test if for you?

• What did others have to say about your work

• What improvements you would make if you had time. Did anything go wrong?

• What you would do differently if you did the project again. Do you have any alternative ideas that would make this project more successful?

Bizzare Facts: Grade 6 + 7 Assignment 2 (Part 1)

Learning Objectives

1.Understand that information comes from different sources and can be used for different purposes

2.Write open and closed questions to produce a simple questionnaire

3.Search for, and select the best information from the Internet (Searching Skills)

4.Judge a website to see if it is reliable or not

____________________________________________________________________________

Activity 1:  Create a 6 Question survey to help the Daily Bizarre get more readers! 

tip: Use a mixture of open and closed questions. If you use closed questions then make sure you use multiple choice or check box question types.

Activity 2: Test your Searching Skills

Activity 3:  Can you label a Web Address? Use this website to help you. When you have finished post it to your blog.

Activity 4: Last lesson you learned some tips for judging the reliability of websites. 

Now it is time to annotate web-pages for reliability. 

Use VoiceThread to label the BBC website and The De Hydrated Water website. Use these 8 basic Checkpoints to help you.

Activity 5: Look at the unit learning objectives above. 

Fill out a stickie on this wordwall

Describing what you have learned, what you need to learn and what you need to practice.

Rules of Good Design: Making a Brochure

Using Images is a good way to attract interest in your designs. Follow these rules but remember that the goal of your brochure is to communicate a message

We all want to create a visually appealing poster or brochure however If you do not have a clear and concise message then you do not have a good design.

Go Green Assignment 1: Project Rubric

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lzr5-zu6svnJHzx8LqKzPVrMEUNNYNHkdKaDdGxeM9I/edit?hl=en_US

Year 7 Spreadsheet Modelling

Presentation Mistakes: Do you make them?

Simulations and Modelling: Test without doing

Go Green Travel Company Presentation: Grade 6 + 7 Assignment 1

Dear Student,

You are going to create a presentation for the Go Green Travel Company website.

The presentation must have information about the importance of Green holidays and up-to-date information about the holidays that we are offering.

We would also like you to include information about what people can do to help green tourism.

The presentation must include contact details for Go Green Travel Company and information to customers about where they can book.

Each Slide should include up-to-date information about the date and time.

There could be a maximum of 1 image per slide and 4 bullet points of information.

You also might want to include sound effects or music

Thanks,

Go Green Holidays
The Grass Can be Greener with Go Green Holidays
Customer Service: 866-469-2464
Website: Http://www.GoGreenHolidays.com

Grade 6 and 7: Cover Lesson 29/08/11

Go to T:// Mr Michael and open the document called 'Online Auctions'

You are going to be using data from a business which specializes in selling music and celebrity items. Follow the instructions on the sheet and answer questions 1-13.

If you finish early then click the green button on Sheet 1 to see what to do next.

Video Help (watch these with headphones)

insert new columns and rows
Write a MAX and MIN formula
Calculate a Total with an =SUM formula
Write an AVERAGE formula

Grade 8 Cover Lesson 29/08/11

This lesson you should be formatting V.1.0 of your budget model for the Tokyo trip.

In other words, you must change the appearance of your model so that it is simple and easy to use. Your model should have a design so that all of the information that people do not need to see is hidden (usually cells containing formulas).

Also, you can use hyperlinks to link your sheets together and include validation to prevent people from making mistakes. Choose a good color scheme, attractive fonts and select a few images wisely.

Save your work and embed your model into your Blog. Call it 'Budget Model v2.0

Extension:

Check out this video tutorial.

What does the VLookup tool do? How could you include this feature in your spreadsheet model?

Environmental Tourists: The Go Green Travel Company

This spreadsheet shows sample light and temperature data logged in the Go Green Shop.

The data is organized into two columns.The first column shows the time at which the data was logged. The next columns show the data recorded - in this example, temperature and light levels.





https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak_9n59uf3FJdDA2c2ZGZ2t6UWxrbmFqQjJsRzJVVXc&hl=en_US

Grade 8 Assignment 1: Planning a Trip to Tokyo

You will learn how to manage a budget and organise a trip. The aim of the project is to create a spreadsheet which  will calculate the costs for a class trip to Tokyo and which will tell you whether the trip is possible or not.

First: Create an itinerary including the following minimum elements

• Flights (There and Back)
• Accomodation
• Trips 

Using the Internet you will need to find the costs of each trip, accomodation and flights. You will complete a trip worksheet using the research you have gathered.

Second: Create a layout for the Tokyo Budget spreadsheet using the example given.

• You will complete the revenue worksheet and add it to your spreadsheet.
• You will use functions and formula to calculate the totals.Calculate how much each student will need to pay over a four month period. Is the trip over budget or under budget?
• Create a chart showing the costs of each trip and the flights

Third: Create a leaflet giving all of the relevant information to parents about the trip and the different activities on it such as where the trips are, Cost breakdown of the trip and flight information






Gantt Chart 
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak_9n59uf3FJdGJtTl9hQWNod3pCYlZ5Um5xOHllV1E&hl=en_US

Systems Lifecycle
https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AU_9n59uf3FJZGhkZmR3dmpfMjR0Y3J6Z3Fudw&hl=en_US

Trip Worksheet
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak_9n59uf3FJdDNyYmxMLS0yV2lzdUZoczk3Tm9TRHc&hl=en_US

Design Your Coat of Arms

Create a coat of arms or shield design that best represents you.

You can use the following design or make your own.

You may draw images or symbols that show:

• Favourite subjects
• Sports
• Hobbies
• Family
• Places
• Something you are good at

Using Google Docs to Share and Collaborate

Google Documents allow the live updating of a shared workspace.

However, there are limits on the number of synchronous collaborators for each Doc type.

10 people can edit a Presentation at the same time.
50 people can edit a Spreadsheet simultaneously.
50 people can edit a Document at the same time.

There is a limit of 200 combined viewers/ collaborators for all of the different Doc types.

Classwork:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak_9n59uf3FJdE11emlTSkpaeE5LSElCYkkzMUlLZkE&hl=en_US

Homework:
Use formula's and functions to analyze, average, chart and explore the data.

Can you notice any trends?

Set up a Blog using Google Blogger

60 Seconds - Things That Happen On Internet Every Sixty Seconds

Infographic by- Shanghai Web Designers

Hall of Fame: Podcasting

Well Done all of you who created Podcasts this semester!! There were so many good one's to choose from but here is a selection of my favorites. Enjoy!

Remember that Podcasting is a really useful way to show understanding of a topic and a way of sharing information. They can be about anything; give you the opportunities for writing, talking, listening, co-operative working and collective decision making.

Making an effective presentation

What was the greatest invention of the industrial revolution? Hans Rosling makes the case for the washing machine. With great graphics Rosling shows us the magic that pops up when economic growth and electricity turn a boring wash day into an intellectual day of reading.

Think about how he makes his presentation! How does he use Sign-posting and Visual Aids to keep his audience entertained??

Speaking to an audience

1) Body language – make sure that you have a proper posture. If their shoulders are sagging and their legs are crossed, you will not appear as being sincere and people just will not accept your message.

2) Pronunciation – students need to pronounce each word. You must avoid slang, except to make a point, and not slur the words. They must avoid saying, “you know" and "stuff.”

3) Articulation /Pitch – pitch refers to the highs and lows of the voice. Whatever you do, avoid a monotone!

4) Speed – the speed, or pace, is an important variable to control. Between 140-160 words per minute is the normal pace for a persuasive speech.

5) Pauses – the pause is a critical persuasive tool. When you want to emphasize a certain word, just pause for one second before; this highlights the word. If they really want to punch it, pause before and after the word!

6) Volume – volume is another good tool for a persuasive speech, but you should use it with caution. If you scream all the way through their speech, people will become accustomed to it and it will lose its effectiveness. On the other hand, a few well-timed shouts can liven up the speech! They must try to “project” or throw their voice out over the entire class – or speak to the last row.

7) Variance – variance of vocal elements is the most important of all! One of the most persuasive speakers in modern history was Winston Churchill. One of his most remarkable qualities was his ability to vary the elements of his voice. He would start with a slow, laconic voice and then switch gears to a more rapid pace. People were light-headed after listening to him!

Presenation and Collaboration Project Rubric

Presenation and Collaboration: Project Objectives

Converting Files

The most frequent question I am asked is to do with "how do I use YouTube videos in my work"?. I have been pointing people to Zamzar which does the neat trick of converting the YouTube URL to a downloadable WMV file OR if you just want the audio it will convert it to an MP3. This this is a very handy tool!

YouCovertIt is another useful online conversion tool. Try them out at home and see what you can produce! 

Grade 7: Assignment 3: Tribute Podcast

Create a tribute Podcast (no longer than 90 seconds ) to a hero of yours. 

This can be anybody who you look up to OR somebody who has inspired you. They can be living or deceased. 

1) You will create a script showing all dialogue

2) You will create a running order showing all of the timings and sound effects
 

3) Finally, you will produce the final recording, using editing software such as Audacity.

Grade 8: Assignment 3: Our City Podcast

You will create an Our City Podcast for kids.

You will submit a high quality recording (no longer than 90 seconds) all about the city you live in. 

1) You will produce a plan using the planning sheets. 

i) You must plan the introduction and the conclusion

ii) Plan the main section of your podcast (This will be given to you randomly)

2) You will create a script showing all dialogue

3) You will create a running order showing all of the timings.
 

4) Finally, you will produce the final recording, using editing software such as Audacity or Garage Band.

Grade 7 + 8: Assignment 2, Producing and Editing Sound with Audacity

A beautiful soundtrack

Sound effects and music should  capture the essence of the moment they are composed for. If you think about it, the music is usually the main influence for the mood of a "scene".





John Williams is probably the most respected composer of popular film music in our life times: from 'Superman' to 'Schindler's List'. This video looks at the best soundtracks he wrote for films. See how many you recognize?

Commercial or Public Service?

In groups you will produce an MP3 recording of either; 

A Public Service Announcement or 
A Radio Commercial

- You will produce a plan which clearly states the audience and purpose of your recording

- You will create a script showing all dialogue

- You will create a running order showing all of the timings.

Finally, you will produce the final recording, using editing software such as Audacity
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are looking for sound clips and music files please check out the free websites SoundBible and Freeplay respectively. There are many others

Grade 7 Writing Assessment

Produce a project review using the review notes to help you. Always include comments on what could be improved, use keywords that you have been taught and try to make use of feedback from others.

Look back at the project rubrics and explain if you think your work turned out as well as you wanted!

Remember that the audience for this work is me, Mr Michael. Be honest, even when you are talking about yourself. Word Limit: 600

Grade 8 Writing Assessment

Produce a project review using the review notes to help you. Always include comments on what could be improved, use keywords that you have been taught and try to make use of feedback from others.

Look at the project objectives and explain how you met them.

Remember that the audience for this work is me, Mr Michael. Be honest, even when you are talking about yourself. Word Limit: 800

Writing Rubric

Peace and Cooperation School Awards 2011

CHANGE THE WORLD WITH YOUR MESSAGE. 

The process of improving communication and understanding between  different cultures, races, religions and political ideas is as important now in 2011 then it has ever been. 

How can we achieve a mutual understanding and respect despite our different points of view?


Using your ICT skills: submit a poster and slogan by 31 March 2011. Follow the rules of good poster design and earn up to 5 extra credit points.

Hall of Fame: Grade 8 Vanilla Hills Information Guide

Well Done to Ryan, Mary, Susan and Lisa. Your Information Leaflets were creatively presented. I thought you made really good use of graphics, fonts and colors. Importantly, you had a theme running throughout all of your pages that would make a young audience exited and give them the information they need. This was not an easy assignment so well done!!!!

Hall of Fame: Grade 7 AIS Newsletter

Congratulations to Annie, Mary, Nhung, Quan, Anh and Emma. Your Newspaper's were awesome and demonstrated all of the skills we had learned (Drop Cap, Good use of columns, using Paint.net to create an attractive banner and white space). Most importantly I felt that the newspaper, and the stories they contained, had been designed for the correct audience  i.e. Schoolchildren at AIS. Well done!

Grade 7 Financial Modeling Worksheet

Grade 8: Financial Modeling Worksheet

Spreadsheets and Modelling

A spreadsheet is a piece of software which is used to carry out calculations. Spreadsheets are very common in business, as they are excellent for handling data such as sales, engineering or financial data. You can learn, and answer questions about them here.

 A model allows you to try out different scenarios to see what would happen if you made a change without any of the risks of actually having to do them in real life.

A model tries to be as close as possible to the real-life situation but its accuracy depends on how carefully it was built.

Models can be as simple as a basic financial spreadsheet or as complex as one used by architects to test out the strength of a bridge in the event of an earthquake. Try for yourself here

Grade 7 Assignment Brief

Grade 8: Assignment 1, Part 3. Spreadsheet Modelling

Grade 7 TET Homework

Choose two versions of the same news story. A paper based version (for example a newspaper and a magazine) and an electronic version (for example on the Internet, television or the radio).

1)      Make notes about the differences and similarities of the two versions.

What are the special features available to the viewers of electronic news stories that are not available to the readers of paper based news stories? : for example, a news item on an Internet site could include video and interactive still images but a newspaper report could not; 

2)      Describe how these special features could change a readers or listeners judgment about the reliability, or trustworthiness, of the information.

This useful website will help you

Grade 8 TET Homework

This website can be used to enable you to find out, or try to remember, the main theory about spreadsheet. Make notes in your ICT notebooks for reference

There are questions towards the end which will check your understanding.

You will be given a spreadsheets quiz after the holidays.

Hall of Fame: Grade 8 Vanilla Hills Publicity Poster

Well done to the Zou, Susan, Lucky, ViVi and Lisa!! Your publicity posters for Vanilla Hills demonstrated the very best techniques and followed all of the golden rules of good design: Fantastic Fonts, Simple is Nice, Color Correctly, Get Attention and Display Good Balance. Congrats...

 

Grade 8: Assignment 1, Part 2. Leaflet Design

Grade 8: Assignment 1, Part 1. Poster Design

 FYI: Rules of Good Poster Design

Six Awesome Rules for Designing a Logo

1.Logo's should be able to Use on a variety of media. A modern logo can be used in print, in a very high-resolution, on a site, on a banner, on business cards, and even on T-shirts. A solution for this is to realize a logo should be very simple or versatile.

2.Logo's should be easy to memorize and understand for everybody. Once again simplicity is the key of logo design.

Color of Logo: When we see blue it make me dream about the sea, red means for danger or forbidden things, green makes me feel calm and makes me think of grass and nature. Using these colors in the right context controls our thoughts in a good way.

Shape of Logo: The shape of a logo is another important part: a complicated shape puts people in a difficult position, it is hard to see the drawing…the message surely is totally strange for them.

3.Logo's should be able to answer the questions: why? , who? , what? The logo should inspire us to think of the product in the way the company that produces it wants us to.

4.Logo's should be timeless. Being timeless means that time does not alter the quality of the logo. Style changes, but your logo should not. The Nike "swoosh'" is a design created in 1971 and it has never been modified.

 5. Logo's should be able to be displayed in black and white. Again, this rule invites your logo to be simple and increases the number of ways in which it can be displayed.

6.Your logo should be SIMPLE. Keep It Simple and Stupid. I believe that this is the most important rule. The conclusion is: in many cases simple things explain, and contain the message better, than a complicated things 

The Design Process

When a designer is given a problem to solve, they often break down the problem into a number of smaller more manageable activities.


This is not only easier than trying to solve the whole problem at once. These activities lead to what is often called the 'design process'.


The design process begins with a 'design brief'. This is a brief summary of the problem you are trying to solve and in a few words or sentences explains what you have been asked to do.

Grade 7 Assignment 1: Bizarre Facts

Grade 8 Assignment 1: RollerCoaster Tycoon