There is STILL time! We are extending the contest to Thursday August 21st. So get those submissions in to be eligible for great prizes! Winners will be announced during the first week of school on the Blog and the Morning Announcements!
Download a printable version of contest here.
“Where Should I Start?”
When beginning any project, good writers always organize their thoughts and ideas. Consider using a graphic organizer like these:
• Learning Resources: Graphic Organziers
• Education Place: Graphic Organizers
• Kidspiration & Inspiration are great brainstorming programs. Click here to download a free 30-day trial.
Be sure to make a note of any images or music you would like to include or websites you would like to visit.
Once you have your ideas organized, start to think about what software or Web 2.0 resources you will use to create your project. Which one would best help you share your thoughts and ideas? A good choice would be a program that you used in your technology class and feel comfortable with, such as Pixie or Comic Life:
• Comic Life Magiq lets you make amazing comics, photo layouts, posters and more with your digital photos. The latest in the Comic Life family, and made just for Mac OS X 10.5, Comic Life Magiq includes amazing photo cut-out and warping tools, gorgeous and super-easy to use templates, as well as professional layout options.
• Also available is Comic Life for Mac 10.3.9+ and Windows XP and Vista users. Doozla, also by plasq, is an exciting drawing application for children, made for Mac OS X 10.4.6 and up. All plasq software has a 30 day demo available – download them today from http//:plasq.com/
• Pixie allows you to add digital images or draw your own. You can also incorporate music, or even create a movie – download it today from http://tech4learning.com/
Finally, put your project together! Create a rough draft and save it somewhere on your computer or in an email. Review your work often, revising and editing it for spelling and grammar as well as for artistic value. Finalize your masterpiece, and submit it when you feel it is your best work. Be sure to follow the rules below.
“How Do I Submit My Project?”
• Design a page/movie/music that shows or tells about something that happened during your 2008 summer vacation (Summer Camp, Family Vacation, Day at the Pool, Play Date with Friends, Day Trip, etc.)
• Use computer software or a Web 2.0 resource such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Kidspiration, Inspiration, MovieMaker, iMovie, GarageBand, Animoto, Blabberize, Flickr, Pixie, or Comic Life. If you would like to use a different program or application than these, please email Ms. Clark to get approval.
• Email your submission to Ms. Clark at carrie_clark@hcpss.org by 7/19/08 for first-round judging or 8/15/08 for second-round judging. Put “Summer Vacation Contest” in the subject line.
Please include the following sentence in your email message: “I, ____________________ give Ms. Clark, Plasq, and Tech4Learning permission to post my child, ____________’s, Summer Vacation submission on their websites http://truddentechnology.edublogs.org/, http://plasq.com/, and http://tech4learning.com/ if it is chosen as a finalist.”
• All submissions must be in a format that is readable by Ms. Clark. PDF’s, Microsoft Office Files, Quicktime Movies, and Websites are preferred. If she has trouble viewing a file, she will contact you.
• You may submit as many entries as you would like.
• Only students enrolled in Pointers Run Elementary during the 2007-2008 school year may enter thiscontest. Students from other schools may enter but will not be considered for prizes.
“So How Do You Win?”
• There are two rounds of judging. Finalists will be chosen on July 20th for all submissions received by the end of the day on July 19th, as well as on August 16th for all submissions received by the end of the day on August 15th.
• First, Second, Third, Fourth & Fifth Places along with Honorable Mentions will be named by our judge, Mr. Robb, from among the finalists chosen on July 20th and August 16th. All Finalists’ submissions will be posted on Ms. Clark’s blog for viewing.
• 1st – 5th prizes include copies of Pixie 2 Software, Comic Life Magiq, Comic Life Deluxe, Doozla, and Comic Life Standard. Prizes will be randomly distributed to winners.
• Honorable Mentions will receive $5 iTunes Gift Cards.
Credit for the idea of this contest goes to Alex T. from Mrs. Zorzi’s Second Grade Class.
Thank you to our sponsors Mark Pearson from Plasq.com and Scott Loomis from Tech4Learning
Looking for some fun activities to use at home on those rainy summer days?!? Here are some great Web 2.0 resources that you can try. Remember to always get your parents permission when registering for accounts. Most of these sites will allow you to enter as a guest instead if you are not able to register.
On Friday June 13th, our very own PRES 5th graders were cheered on as they exited the building. Kids in grades K-4 lined the halls and cheered their fellow students. Later that day the 5th graders officially graduated at Reservoir High School. Congratulations 5th graders! Much luck and success as you enter Middle School!
Comments are what make a Blog more interactive. They give YOU a chance to add your voice and thoughts to a subject. Learn how to make comments by visiting the Adding Comments page. It can be found on the right sidebar under My Pages.
Mrs. Eulitt’s Kindergarten class worked hard in Technology class to make an alphabet book about their year. They used Pixie to draw a picture and type a sentence about their alphabet letter. Then they used the record feature to read their sentence. Ms. Clark took all their hard work and compiled into a Movie. Credit for the title goes to the book K is for Kick by Brad Herzog. I think you can agree Mrs. Eulitt’s class did a great job!
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Imagine a sculpture in your school’s playground area or courtyard that no only provides shade on a warm day but also doubles as a solar panel to power the school. This is exactly what the Veil Solar Shade designed by Buro North does. No word yet on when they will be inhabiting school yards but it’s definately an interesting concept!
So just what is a Blog? I know some of you out there might be wondering! Blogs are a form of interactive personal communication. It’s a way to share information with the world. Mr. Robb at TechnoCheetahs posted this great video he found at Teacher Tube to explain more.
