The First and Second Graders, are learning about different parts of the computer and how they work. They are learning how to name and save files, how to access the internet, how to access MrC's GoogleDocs, how to use the "Back" button, how to close windows, and how to open close applications. The second graders have begun keyboarding the last couple of weeks and many of them can type the alphabet A to L without looking.

The Third and Fourth Graders, have been keyboarding, using the home row, and learning the proper stretches for each letter. They have been practicing proper techniques by typing without looking at their keyboard while typing the ABC's. The 3rd and 4th graders have learned how to add backgrounds to PowerPoint slides, how to change backgrounds, how to use a background from the internet, how to create designs in paint and Hyperstudio and add those designs to their PowerPoint slides as backgrounds. The students then added word art, slide transitions, and custom animations to each slide. While working in Excel, these students have been entering data and formatting the cells, and resizing the cells. The Fourth Graders have just done some poetry research and have collaborated with a PowerPoint presentation of their very own poems. The Poetry PowerPoint can be viewed on MrC GoogleDocs.

The Fifth Graders have completed a "President" PowerPoint Presentation, Each student selected a different president, researched the internet for presidential facts about their president, saved those facts in an excel document. With this information and graphics they have built slides. Each student has presented their presidential project to their classmates. Currently the Fifth Graders are teaming up to create a HyperStudio Jeopardy Game.

The sixth graders have just completed a Biography PowerPoint Presentation. The students researched facts about their person and built slides using the facts. Students then have added slide transitions and custom animation to complete their presentation. Now the 6th Graders are completing their Birthday PowerPoint Presentation. They researched facts about their birth date, and compiled a list of ten of the most interesting events which took place on the day of their birth in Excel. They are creating their own graphics to illustrate these events in HyperStudio or Paint and then transferring these illustrations over to PowerPoint.

The seventh grade students did a PowerPoint "Life Timeline". For every year of their life they have researched the internet and found facts. They have illustrated these facts by drawing them in a paint program, and then used these graphics to create PowerPoint slides. The class is then placing each student slide into one class files with news events and photos from 1995 - 2009 with slide transitions and animations. They are now working on a project in PowerPoint called "Motion". The students must draw an object in PowerPoint and then show movement or change. Projects this year include, a freight train, trouble at a cash station, some cars spinning and flipping, a rock band playing, and a skateboarder!!! The students did a great job drawing and animating their objects!!!

These are the TOP 10 KEYBOARDERS for 2009

Katie Luczak 2.64 seconds
Amanda Middleton 2.88 seconds
Vince Laylo 3.16 seconds
Stevan Reeves 3.25 seconds
Joey Evans 3.28 seconds
Felize Odisho 3.35 seconds
Amanda Tello 3.45 seconds
Kaitlyn Velazquez 3.46 seconds
Sandra Luna 3.62 seconds
Jordan Arocho 3.65 seconds
Bailey Bryan (2008) holds our school record at 2.37 seconds to type the whole alphabet. Amazing!!!

If any parent or student would like my GoogleDocs Bookmarks of educational sites, just send an email to MrC@stviatorchicago.org and I will send you an email with the link. There are links to sites and activities for all ages preschool to 8th. The page is being updated constantly. If you have a link that you would recommend to others, send me the web address and I will check it out!