Computer Applications A&B
In the Computer Applications classes the emphasis and focus is on computer applications. The applications of the computer are Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. These three things are extremely important in today's world. There are numerous Powerpoint presentations that I had to prepare over papers and projects that needed to be professionally presented to my classes throughout my college years. I am sure there are many of you out there that also have to prepare not only Powerpoint presentations, but also Word documents and Excel spreadsheets as part of your every day job. These applications are important to learn early on and this is exactly what the Computer Applications classes will do. I start with Microsoft Word with a series of projects that allow the students to be creative, but also learn different parts of Word and how to use them to your advantage. I require them to make different changes to their papers such as font, add Word Art, clip art, etc. This helps in their understanding of Word.
Soon the students will be starting the Excel instruction part of the class. I will require them to do different projects on Excel--whether they be individual or group. I am thinking about making a continual project that will be due at the end of the year that will require them to update their spreadsheet every time they come to class--it will deal with the Stock Market.
As far as Powerpoint, I am going to try my hardest to touch on it towards the end of the year. I think Powerpoint is a lot of fun and it's also very useful to know. If timing allows us to get to Powerpoint, it will be very beneficial to the students. I have plans for group projects on selected topics which will allow the students to work together while learning Powerpoint. I will require them to do a presentation over the topic and will be graded on creativity and presentation of the material. It should be a fun section which is why I really want to try to get to it if time permits me. I want the 8th graders especially to exist the class feeling comfortable with not only Powerpoint, but also Word and Excel. I think we can accomplish great things!!
This week we...
March 9-13
HAVE A WONDERFUL AND SAFE SPRING BREAK!!!!
March 2-6
*Students were given their last MS Word project this week. This project will be continued into the week after Spring Break because it required some research. The students are making brochures for St. Patrick's Day. I listed questions that ranged from Who St. Patrick was to Why Chicago dyes their river green! It is an opportunity for them to put a lot of creativity into their work and really shine!
February 23-27
*Students were assigned their fourth MS Word project. This project required them to think about what the world would be without Technology. This allowed them to think of how much our world depends on Technology and what it would be like if we suddenly did not have any of it. They did a really great job being creative and it was alot of fun to read their work!
*If the students finished, I allowed them to go on to the keyboarding website to practice their keyboarding or to do work for other classes if they wished.
February 16-20
*The students were assigned their third Microsoft Word project. This project required them to be very creative this week because they were told to write a story as if they were Principal for the day! I wanted a well written 1-1 1/2 page story of how they would handle the school if they were Principal for that day. From what I saw there were some VERY creative stories. Let's just say that OLPH would be a very interesting school if some of the students were principal! 
I asked them to do specific things in their story such as create a Word Art title and add topic appropriate clip art (schools, principals, classrooms, subjects). They did a great job and I can't wait to read them!!
*If the students were done with their assignment on Thursday, I had them practice their keyboarding. Many were still working on the assignment up until the last minute.