Webquest Wonderful!

This project was actually not too hard, once I figured out the best (easiest) way to get what I wanted out of it. It took me a while, though, and a few wrong turns... to get to the end result. At one point I was so frustrated that I wanted to just give up... but then I read on the class discussion pages that someone had success with a site called zunal.com, so I decided to try it. Zunal.com made creating a WebQuest easy. I knew what I wanted my Webquest to look like, and zunal.com helped to make that vision a reality. I tried several times on google docs, to construct a WebQuest using google sites, but I wasn't getting anywhere with it. Thank heavens for the class discussion pages! I have frequently turned to the pages to read through where others have asked similar questions already... It's a great way not to bug Dr. Pierce (or anyone else for that matter!) if not absolutely necessary.
My WebQuest is one that I definitely plan on using in my classroom. I created it to go along with my own personal experience of meeting the Inuit people and learning a great deal about them on an extended stay in Alaska several years ago. It will also serve as an excellent launching point to show my own Inuit artifacts to further help them in the creation of their own Inuit sculpture.
One thing that I do want to say though, as sort of a personal criticism. When I found the example WebQuest on webquest.org, I thought... "so cool! I can do that!"... and then as I began struggling I realized that it would take MONTHS to create a WebQuest of that magnitude! So my WebQuest is no-where near the awesome-ness of my selected example work. But I certainly gave it my best shot!
Overall, a terrific final project. A great way to finish this course!

Fun with Data - Narrative

Did I mention I love Excel... It allows those of us not quite gifted in the numerical world the opportunity to appear as though we are! What a great, easy way to create files and organize and save data. It's wonderful to just enter the magic functions where needed and then - Poof - it does the math for you! This is my finalized Excel document and here is the Narrative relating to the data. Very cool project!

Fun With Data - Manipulating Raw Data

Okay... so this part of the Excel project was a little bit more tricky. It definitely took some time to figure out how to do the functions for each part, but once you figure it out it's relatively easy. I kept having wierd problems like an orange box that came up above the cells that I made to show the percentages and numbers required. I tried and tried, but couldn't make the orange box go away, so I just saved my work and took a break, and when I reopened it, it had fixed itself! Excell is a great program to use for any kind of business application. I use it to create my art supply order for school every year.

Fun with Data - Formatting

I really enjoyed this project. It took a few tries to figure out how to do everything, but once I got it I loved it. I like organization... and this project really fed my desire to organize and categorize everything possible. After fixing the Excel pages I uploaded it to google docs. When I uploaded the file it seemed to change a few of the formatting details, which I was easily able to fix on google docs. Overall a great assignment, a few glitches, but nothing I couldn't sort out on my own.

Assessment forms

I was so focused on completing the next project that I failed to complete this one. I do not give written tests in my classroom. The projects that they create are what they are graded on. I utilize authentic assessment. Sorry, but I like the Excell project... and have focused my efforts on it instead.

Assessment - Rubric

I use rubrics for every project that we create. It is the best way for me to grade student art work as objectively as possible. The students are shown the rubric before they begin the projects so that they know what is expected of them. I created a rubric on Rubistar for a pottery project that my 7th graders will begin next week. I did have some trouble uploading the rubric to google doc's, but when it failed to upload google doc's gave suggestions of how to copy and paste in to a new document and then save it. It worked perfectly and was an easy fix.

Movie Maker

I love Movie Maker! It is such a great program. I use it to teach my 8th graders about current trends in art, which are very technology driven. Specifically, I talk about the work of Bill Viola. He is a brilliant "media" artist whose work is meant to create strong feelings within the viewers. I learned how to use movie maker during a summer technology class that I was taking. I have done the movie maker project with my 8th graders since then. It is amazing what the students create. This is my example project that I only had one hour to create during that summer class. I show it to the students as an example of how to create their movies. Also, I have included a few example projects created by students. Also, to meet the requirement for this project I found a powerpoint online for an artist that I am introducing, and followed the steps to turn it into my powerpoint movie. It was very easy!