Introduction

Digital Literacy Class: We are going to learn about so many incredible ways to be creative, collaborative, and to communicate. We will focus on computer skills and applications. Some topics you already know about, and you will know better, and other topics and applications will be new to you! Either way, we will work together to find the ones you are able to use best. This class consists of Project-Based-Learning. You will be given plenty of time to learn the skills and applications that you will use for a lifetime. I hope you enjoy the material we will cover. - Mr. S

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

MS Excel Personal Timesheet Project (200 pts)

ALL:



JOURNAL ENTRY:  After viewing the following articles and charts, what
does the term POVERTY mean?  Find your block on the first link and find
out about how many families in your area are living below the Federal
Poverty level listed in the second chart listed.  Write 4-5 sentences
reflecting on your thoughts about this reality!

Please review this article for your Journal Entry:  Philadelphia Poverty Figures (Click Link)

Federal Averages For Annual Income (Poverty Level) (Click Here For Article)





PAYROLL TIMESHEET LINK:



Google Drive Spreadsheet:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AjY9jTFcLEUWdDUyajRIY1gxLXpwSE5ZeXRLMEdmTUE&usp=sharing



Original MS Excel Document

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzY9jTFcLEUWYVMxdnZpLVQtbmc/edit?usp=sharing



Today you will be working on Microsoft Excel and creating a time-card
for yourself.  Please read the corresponding story to the number you are
given in class to fill out your time-card for the week ending on April 14th, 2014.  We will complete the Example together in class.



Example Employee:  Rate per hour is $10.55.  Monday was a vacation
day for eight hours. On Tuesday you worked for eight regular hours and
added two hours of overtime.  On Wednesday and Thursday you worked eight
hours, and Friday you worked for seven hours until you felt sick at
your stomach.  You logged an hour of sick time.  You went in Saturday to
make up for the time lost and added one hour of regular time and three
hours of overtime.




Here are your scenarios:





Anyone with a last name that starts with A - H will be Employee #1, I - P will be Employee #2, and Q -Z will be Employee #3.  Please use the following scenarios to fill out your timecards.



Employee #1:  You make $20.25 an hour.  You felt sick on Monday and
called out sick for eight hours.  You were feeling so much better the
next day that you worked eight hours and then an extra three hours
overtime to make up for your absence.  On Wednesday you could not be
stopped again and put in an eight hour day and one hour of overtime. 
Thursday you only were able to work seven hours, and Friday you worked
eight hours and an extra hour of "flex" time at the normal rate to make
up for Thursday.



Employee #2:  You make $14.50 an hour.  You arrived for work on Monday
ready to go.  You put in eight hours and two hours of overtime.  On
Tuesday you took a vacation day for eight hours of pay.  Wednesday and
Thursday were regular days of eight hours each, and Friday you arrived
late after two hours of sick time.  You finished the day strong and
added six hours of regular time and an additional four hours of
overtime.  Saturday you added four more overtime hours as well.



Employee #3:  You make $13.25 an hour.  On Monday you worked eight
regular hours and four hours of overtime.  You took Tuesday as a
personal day and clocked eight hours of vacation time.  On Wednesday you
worked eight hours of regular time and added an additional two hours of
overtime.  Thursday you were not feeling well and used eight hours of
sick time.  Friday and Saturday you worked full eight hour days and
logged an additional two hours of overtime.



Overtime for everyone is time and a half so multiply your hourly rate by
1.5 and you will have the overtime rate.  Sick time and Vacation Time
are the same rate as your regular rate.



Take a look at your TOTAL PAY in the bottom right hand corner.  In your
email  figure out what that number would be if you
took out the following deductions:








  • Local Tax:  4.33%

  • State Tax:  3.07%

  • Federal Tax:  15%

  • Social Security:  6.5%

  • Medical Coverage:  1.4%

  • Retirement / 401K:  2%


Once you complete your time-card, SHARE it with me (hscribnercaa@gmail.com).  You must also go to the back of the room and PRINT A COPY of your Timecard, Sign it and Date it, and turn it in for credit.



Good Luck!!



- Mr. S

Monday, April 28, 2014

Excel Practice Day

Practice Creating the following tables in MS Excel today:



The first is a grade log.  Make sure you use the AVERAGE function to show the average scores for your grades at the bottom of the spreadsheet.  You must also type the instructions in the cells below as pictured:



































The next table you will create is the Exercise table.  Please fill in all the data exactly as it is pictured:





Format the table just like the picture to the right:





























Finally, you must create the table for the products listed here:

































Good Luck!



Mr. S

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Seminar Projects - 4th MP

Today you will start your Computer Science Seminar.  You may work on any projects you like that have technology components.  Make an IMOVIE, Create a Song in GARAGEBAND, work on Code.Org, or work on any of the Extra Credit Mini Projects listed on the class website (LINK).



You can also work on Gamestar Mechanic (Create Video Games) or CODEHS.com, or Udacity or Kahn Academy to work on additional classwork. 



BY THE END OF SEMINAR TODAY YOU MUST SEND ME AN EMAIL WITH THE PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON FOR SEMINAR AND WHO YOU ARE WORKING WITH (NO MORE THAN 3 STUDENTS ON A TEAM PLEASE).



YOU MAY NOT JUST WATCH YOUTUBE or LISTEN TO MUSIC.  YOU MAY WORK ON OTHER HOMEWORK IF YOU LIKE.  Whatever you decide to do, you must use some kind of technology as part of it.



Good Luck and I will see you in Seminar Tomorrow!



Mr. S




Monday, April 21, 2014

MS Excel Basic (Google Spreadsheets) Training Days

This is your Introduction to MS Excel.  Please pay close attention during the class presentation (Click Here to Download Presentation at Home)
You will be creating a number of spreadsheets over the next few days. 
It is important that you learn to navigate around the spreadsheet as
easily as you do in MS Word.  You will find that most of the RIBBON
items are similar and that you can find out how to do things without my
help by using the HELP Button.



We will be using MS Excel (Google Spreadsheets) to create Employee Timecards, Payroll Worksheets, a Family Monthly Budget, and much more!



Use this link for more information and helpful practice templates:  MS EXCEL PAGE



Finally,  you will be using templates that are built-in to the MS Excel
program.  I will add different requirements as we progress.  Good Luck!!



- Mr. S

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Yearbook MacWorks Pages Project (300 points)







Today you will be creating your own 1/3 page for the Crossroads
Yearbook.  Your page section will be copied and listed alphabetically in
our yearbook.  The yearbooks will be printed in black & white to
save money, but an electronic color copy will be emailed to everyone and
linked to my website for download.  You can then print and bind your
own color copy if you like.



Here is a video tutorial I recorded to help you: (Click Link and Watch It)

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzY9jTFcLEUWMmQzWkV3VHV3V2s/edit?usp=sharing



Here are some tutorials for you to learn how to use MacWorks Pages:



http://www.apple.com/iwork/pages/



http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/Pages09_UserGuide.pdf



http://www.lynda.com/iWork-tutorials/pages-09-essential-training/47996-2.html





When you think you have mastered the software a bit, please click the
link below to download the template.  You will be using any one of the
three outlined spaces to create your page.  Do not resize the background
blocks, but you can change the background color and edge trim. 
Ultimately, the yearbook staff will be editing, proofreading, and
pasting your section into the final draft of the yearbook.



YEARBOOK PAGES TEMPLATE: (CLICK LINK BELOW AND DOWNLOAD)

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzY9jTFcLEUWbUZjUTlJd2tvVHc/edit?usp=sharing



Anyone who does not submit this project will have the picture from their
SCHOOL DISTRICT ID used in the yearbook.  Enjoy creating this last
project of the year.  Do not forget that any time not spent on this
project can be spent finishing your Family Monthly Budget, working on
your 8th Grade Project, or working on Extra Credit items to improve your
grades.



Good Luck,



- Mr. S 



Please see the example below for what the yearbook pages will look like:







Friday, April 4, 2014

Business Proposal TACKK.COM Webpage! (200 pts.)

Happy Friday!  Make sure to show this post to your Substitute Teacher Today!



If you are able to enter the room and quietly and quickly get to work, you may use headphones to listen to music while you work on the assignment today.  The ultimate decision of whether or not you can is up to the Substitute and I expect you to follow any and all directions that person gives to you!  You are all aware of how to behave in school and especially in my class.  Make sure to get to work on today's assignment as soon as you can to give yourself the most time to complete it!



YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB SHARING YOUR BUSINESS PROPOSALS YESTERDAY!  I AM VERY PROUD OF THE WORK YOU COMPLETED SO FAR ON THIS PROJECT!



You will now create (BIG SURPRISE) a Tackk.com Webpage for your Business Proposal!



Please Sign In to your Tackk.com Account and CREATE a new Tackk.



You will need to DOWNLOAD the slides from your Google Presentation as JPEG images.  You could also DOWNLOAD the Entire Presentation into MS Powerpoint on your class computer and then SAVE the file as IMAGES.  This would place a folder on the desktop with a picture of each slide in one, single command.



Follow these steps to create images from your presentations:



Open Google Drive Presentation

Click FILE and look for DOWNLOAD

DOWNLOAD Image for each slide as a JPEG file.  You will have to select each slide individually and complete this sequence.



If you want a faster way, DOWNLOAD the entire presentation and open in MS Powerpoint (ppt)  Then Choose SAVE in MS Powerpoint and SAVE AS IMAGES. This will put a folder on the desktop or in your computer's download file (under the STUDENT files).  You may then use the upload the images together to create a slideshow on your Tackk Web Page.



Once you have the images ready to upload to Tackk.com, you can look at my example Tackk to add additional items.  Here is the link:  https://tackk.com/v9fbpb



Make sure to write 1-2 paragraphs (2-3 Sentences Each) about why you chose this type of company to start, and why someone would choose you over your competitors.  Focus on what is unique or different about the products and services you sell.  Your Tackk.com Web Page must include all the slides of your presentation, a map of your business location in Philadelphia, PA, a link to your Weebly Webpage (either a button or text), and a response form for feedback.  Once you have completed this, please leave a response on my Tackk.com (Super Falafel) webpage with a link to your Tackk.  I will make sure you have all the items required and you will receive your points for this project.  You may also email me the link to your Tackk Web Page for credit.



MAKE SURE YOU USE THE FOLLOWING KEYWORDS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TACKK SO WE CAN SEARCH FOR YOUR PAGE:  #caatech  and  #xroadsmlabp



Once completed, you may quietly work on anything else you owe for class.  Remember, Grades Close On April 18th at 4pm for my class.  With PSSA's and Holidays, we only really have 7 more class days until grades are due!



Enjoy the day!



Mr. S

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Business Proposal Presentations (100 points each)

Today you will be presenting your Business Proposal Presentations to each other.  We will be pairing off.  You will sit with a random partner and "present" your business idea (Google Presentation) to each other.  While you are watching the presentation, you will have the following link open:



Business Proposal Presentation Response Form 2014 (CLICK HERE FOR FORM)



You will present your idea, your partner will fill out the form, then you will reverse rolls.  You will each have 3 minutes to complete the tasks.  At the end of both presentations you will be assigned another partner and repeat the process.  You MUST have at least 3 presentations to receive your points for this exercise!



Good Luck!



- Mr. S

Dragons Breathe Fire

Dragons Breathe Fire