Rolling Study Halls, etc.

Whether you are forced to endure long school bus rides or not (don't forget those long bus rides to athletic events!), here's an idea to think about. Read this article and think about whether EK should try something like this. For a better idea of how this whole things works, here's another article about rolling study halls. After you read both articles, come back here and leave comments about whether rolling study halls are something we should consider at our school. Also, what other places or situations come to mind that might benefit from WiFi?  What would be positive aspects and what would be negative outcomes of having Internet access in these places?

 

Photo by: Twix

8th Grade: Could you survive 24 hours unplugged?

                                                                                                photo from FeaturePics

What would it be like for you to go 24 hours without any type of media?  That means you would give up your:
cell phone
iPod
television
car radio
magazines
newspapers
computer
Xbox360
No texting, no music, no IMing, no Facebook, no video games. 

Could you do it?  Would it be possible?  What do you think would happen?  What would you miss the most? What would you do instead?  What are your thoughts about this? How successful would our class be if I gave you the assignment to go 24 hours without media?

5th & 6th grade: Internet Vocabulary

Below are some key words and phrases that will help us speak the language of the Internet. Even though you think you know them all, be sure that you can really define them.

Directions for assignment

1. Open a new Word document and type in the header as you have been taught.

2. Do a Save As and title the document "Internet Words." 

3. Type the Internet vocabulary words in bold type just the way you see them below. Don't forget to number them and be careful to spell each word or phrase correctly.  All words should be justified to the left margin.  

4. Under each vocabulary word, correctly type the definition of the word or term. 

5. Print out the completed list.

1. Address/URL  

The place where a Web site lives on the Internet.

2. Address bar/Location bar
The space on the top of your Internet screen where you type in a Web address.

3. Browser

The software program that lets you view what's on the Internet.

Examples: Internet Explorer and Firefox

4. Home page
The first page of a Web site OR
The page that appears when you open your browser.

 5. Password

The top secret word that let's you into your computer, OR your e-mail, OR sites for members only.

6. Refresh
The button you click on to reload the Web page you have been using. This updates the information on the page.
7. Search engine
An online program designed to search for information on the World Wide Web.

8. Bookmark/Favorites 

The way you save the address to a Web site so you can get back to it quickly without typing in the address again.

9. Link
Text or image you can click on to open a new page.
10. Back button
The button you click on to return to the Web page you just left.
11. Cyberspace
  The invisible space that connects all the computer networks in the world. 

12. Surfing the Internet
Exploring the Internet by going from place to place without having a specific destination in mind.
13. Internet
The huge computer network that allows computers all over the world to communicate with each other.
14. Cookie

A short line of text that a web site puts in your computer when you access that site.

After you finish typing the vocabulary words and definitions, explore the web sites below and complete the form that you will be given for this part of the assignment.  Refer to the defintions you just completed if you need help answering some of the questions.

Kids Know It Network  

Educational Web sites- be sure you scroll all the way down the page to see all the topics you can explore.

KidsClick! 

Web search for students

Fact Monster 

Another search site for students