G8 Tech Class #36

Following our Due Dates for G8 - Project 3  Evaluate and Presentation are due today.


Be prepared to explain and show your GAME following the Design Specifications:

• educational game
• cater for a specific age group
• teach about: (specific content/subject)
• have at least 2 levels of difficulty
• have at least 10 Sprites
• talk about the process of creation
• issues you had to overcome
• timeline/time management
• group work
• strengths / weaknesses / areas of improvement

The presentation needs to include:

• Evaluate stage content
• reflect on performance in each stage of the design cycle
• strengths and weaknesses of each stage
• compare your predicted time with the actual time
• any changes? explain why?
• impact of the product on you, others, environment, etc

• Multimedia elements (if possible)
• sound
• animation
• video (if applicable)
• motion
• images
• etc

Today's Google screen celebrates the birthday of Robert Noyce, co-founder of Intel and nicknamed “the Mayor of Silicon Valley”.

G8 Tech Class #35

Following our Due Dates for G8 - Project 3 we will continue working on Create stage.

You will need to work on finishing your Game coding it in Scratch programming language.

Make sure it meets all the Essential Design Specifications and it can also meet the Desirable ones.

You can use the Design Folder Checklist  to make sure all elements of the Create stage are present:

•  having a very visually detailed Process Journal including many and varied visual evidence of the process of creation of your product (images + Scratch code).
• talk about your time management and how you followed (or not) your original Plan.
• Did you need to make any changes to your chosen Game Design?

Create stage is due today.

G8 Tech Class #34

Today you have a chance to finish Plan stage, as we did not have enough time to work on it last class with the visit of our Guest Speaker: Henry Leatham.
If you have submitted Plan on time according to the G8 Due Dates - Project 3 you will have extra credit for working hard on staying on task! :-)

Following our G8 Due Dates - Project 3 planned dates, we will be working on Create stage today and next class.
Remember what the core elements in Create are:

• The game!
• tools and techniques showing how you made your product
• journal entries of all your progress in your process Journal, specially step by step visual evidence!
• any changes needed? why?

Don't forget to include the Assignment Standards and make your Process Journal entry of the day, including screen shots of your progress of creating the game!

G8 Tech Class #33

Today we will welcome a Guest Speaker: Junior Student - Henry Leatham! He will share with us his experience and examples of Scratch developed Games!


Today we will be working on Plan stage.


Remember to:

1. make a detailed step by step list of tasks/instructions on how your educational Game will be created (think as if someone else will program you Game using the instructions you provide)
1. show a timeline of tasks and resources that will guide you through the next stage: Create. Make a graph: Gantt or CPM (Critical Path Method usually used together with PERT) . Use the concepts we talked about in class and during this semester: simultaneously, overlapping, sequencial
2. Include evidence of planning for materials and resources usage
3. Make any changes you considered needed to your chosen presentation design.

Don't forget to include the Assignment Standards and make your Process Journal entry.

G8 Tech Class #32

Today we will be working on Design stage.

Based on our class discussions, I suggest you look into these prompts to think/review your design specifications and develop your designs:

• What will your game teach about?
• What makes a game fun/exciting?
• What do you like in a game?
• Do you like any specific apps / games?
• Can you make your own version of an app/game you like?
• What makes an app/game successful?
• Would an app/game need instructions?
• Can you develop a Procedure/Instructions manual for it?
• Will it have different parts? levels? challenges?

Remember to include all parts needed in your Design stage:

• variety of designs (at least 3)
• explain all parts of each design
• to explain your designs use: storyboards, sketches, arrows, labelled diagrams, etc
• Evaluate each design against all design specs (from your Investigation stage)
• Choose one design and justify why

Before you leave you need to make your Process Journal entry of the day!
Design stage is due today.


Due dates for Project 3 have been posted, visit G8 Due Dates - Project 3 to plan ahead and know what is  due and when.

November 30th: Mark Twain's 176th birthday!

G8 Tech Class #31

Welcome back! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving break!

Today we will continue working on Project 3: Scratch-ing!


We will work on this Quizz to further understand and learn about Scratch:

Please use the documents/tutorials and getting started guides that I am posting below as a starting point for your research. More references and information are listed below the Questionnaire.


Scratch Reference Guide 14
ScratchGettingStartedv14

You can also watch these video tutorials
to further develop
your training in Scratch.



Make your Journal entry in your process Journal, 

G8 Tech Class #30

Today we will continue working on our Investigation stage for Project 3: Scratch-ing!

While working on Investigation please:

• Include Assignment Standards
• You can use the G8 Shared doc on Investigation Draft as a starting point
• Include the questions (in red) that we have talked about last class
• You can use the Design Folder Checklist to make sure your Investigation stage will be complete.
• Remember to make a copy of the Shared Doc. If you need help please watch the step by step video tutorial in my YouTube Channel.
• Your Investigation is due today
• Look at the G8 Project 3 Due Dates posted.

G8 Tech Class #29

Following our Introductory games to giving instructions last class, we are moving forward with Project 3: Scratch-ing!!!

Today we will start investigating the basic concepts of this specific programming language: Scratch. But let's start at the beginning and think about: how do we give efficient (step by step) instructions? 

Let's see this example: Making Smores 

Next ideas to explore: 

• what is programming? 
• what is a programming language?

Some context info regarding Scratch:  Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art -- and share your creations on the web. As young people create and share Scratch projects, they learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.

Scratch Developing Team, MIT. "About Scratch." Scratch | Home | Imagine, Program, Share. MIT, Spring 2007. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. <http://scratch.mit.edu/>.

You can visit the official Scratch Site to get started. Look for the following historic information:

• Who created Scratch?
• What for?
• When was Scratch first released?
• How many versions have been released?

Please get started focusing on these listed 7 questions (in red) as an introduction to Project 3: Investigation stage. When starting your Investigation stage  document, please remember to: 

• include the Assignment Standards
• check the  Design Folder Checklist to make sure your Investigation stage will be complete.

G8 Tech Class #28

Today we go by Monday schedule: 3rd Period: 11.10am - 12.30pm


At 11.11am today We will stand for a moment of silence and reflection honoring Veteran's Day today.


Last class Evaluate stage was due. Visit the Design Folder Checklist to make sure your Evaluate stage is complete.

If you have not submitted it, please turn it today for 50% grade following the steps to submit assignments posted in the MYP Tech Website.


Welcome to Project 3: Scratch-ing!!!

Today we will start investigating the basic concepts of this specific programming language: Scratch. But let's start at the beginning and think about: how do we give (step by step) instructions? 


Play Taboo and Give the teacher- Robot instructions.

What are your thoughts on these two activities?

G8 Tech Class #27

Today we will continue working on your Presentations.
Please visit last class' blog post to review the expectations for your Presentations for Project 2.

You can use today's class time to catch up if you have missing assignments and submit them for 50% of the grade.

Second part of the class we will begin working on Evaluate stage which is due today. Visit the Design Folder Checklist to make sure your Evaluate stage is complete.

Please turn it in following the steps to submit assignments posted in the MYP Tech Website.

G8 Tech Class #26

Presentation day!

You will have some time to fine tune details and retouches to your Presentation before we start with the presentations.

Each group will have 5 minutes to explain to the audience:

• present you presentation, 
• talk about the element of Digital Citizenship that you are addressing.
• what makes the presentation "efficient"
• why did you choose your Web 2.0 presentation tool?
• talk about the process of creation
• issues you had to overcome
• What design specifications does the Presentation meet? Essential? Desirable?
• reflect on timeline/time management
• Group work/collaboration

G8 Tech Class #25

Welcome to class #25!! wow!


Today please continue working on Create stage.
Visit last class' blog post to review

• project details
• due dates 
• stage specifications
• and more!

Following the G8 project 2 Due dates, Create stage is due today!

Please make sure you follow the Steps to submit your assignments posted in the MYP Technology website.

G8 Tech Class #24

Good morning!
Today we will continue moving forward on Project 2 and work on Create. 
Keep an eye on the G8 project 2 Due dates to stay on task.


Create includes: 

• tools and techniques showing how you made your product
• journal entries of all your progress in your process Journal, specially step by step visual evidence!
• any changes needed? why?

The video below displays how you worked in class for Project 1. You can visit my YouTube Channel to watch other students' work as well.






Hope you had a Happy Halloween!

G8 Tech Class #23

Following our short last class due to half day schedule, we will continue working on Plan today.

Please visit last class blog spot for details on Plan stage. You can also use the Design Folder Checklist to make sure you don't leave anything out. Remember that details are a must! :-)

To break down your tasks during our next stage: Create, list them, follow up with them, graph them as GANTTs or CPMs and the resources used, you can use Zoho projects to plan, track and collaborate on your Project 2.

You can also use a spreadsheet again, as in Project 1.


I came across this Explanation of Plagiarism that I thought may be interesting to share:

Plagiarism, Explained by Common Craft

An introduction of the basics of plagiarism and how to avoid it, told via a story of a student completing an assignment

Add the Due Dates for Project 2 to your planner to stay on task.
Last but not least: Process Journal of the day!!!!

G8 Tech Class #22

Today we have a short class as we are having a half day schedule as shown on the right:

Start working on Plan stage. Remember to:

1. make a detailed step by step list of tasks/instructions on how the chosen Design/Presentation will be created (think as if someone else will built/create your product based on these instructions)
2. show a timeline of tasks and resources that will guide you through the next stage: Create. Use the Gantt and CPM (Critical Path Method usually used together with PERT) concepts we talked about in class and during last project: simultaneously, overlapping, sequencial
3. Include evidence of planning for materials and resources usage
4. Make any changes you considered needed to your chosen presentation design.

Don't forget to make your Process Journal entry.

G8 Tech Class # 21

Today we will continue working on Design.

Please visit last class' Blog post to review the details for this stage.

Design is due today at the end of the day. Please follow the steps to submit assignments in Technology class and include Assignments Standards.

Remember to check the G8 Due Dates to stay on task and record your progress in your Process Journal.

G8 Tech Class # 20

Welcome to class # 20!!!! (for Thursday, October 20th)


Today we will work on Design. You will need to:

• Come up with  different ideas (aprox 3) of how will your group make an efficient presentation on your Digital Citizenship element (Vandalism, Plagiarism, Literacy, Netiquette, etc)
• Following our conversations during last class, I have listed each group in: G8 Proj 2 - Digital Citizenship Elements Assignments 
• Explain every part of each idea/product solution
• For explaining your ideas, please use different techniques like story boards, sketches, labelled diagrams, slideshows, with explanations, etc.
• Evaluate each design critically against the design specifications (assess what design specs each design meets or not)
• Choose one design to build and which Web 2.0 tool  will you use for this product. Please review the options we discussed in class, posted in G8 Tech Class # 17
• Justify your choice of design and tool.
• Evaluate your performance in the Design stage of the project.

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Look below!!!, I found out about this, this morning :-)

New Presentation Options in Google Docs

Smetimes a  few drawbacks to using Google Docs to create presentations was a lack of varied transition and animation options. Today, Google addressed that issue by introducing a new set of Google Docs presentation tools. The new Google Docs presentation tools include transitions and animations more alike in PowerPoint. There is also a new selection of themes! I think is worth looking into as this was released just in time for Design!!! :-)

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You can use the Design Folder Checklist as a guide not to leave anything out of your Design Stage.

Remember to check the G8 Due Dates to stay on task.

Record what you accomplish today, what's your plan for next class, any issues you had to overcome, etc in your Process Journal. 


If you have not turned in Investigation last class, please do so today.