9th Age Graphic Designers...

The 9th Age classes just completed a unit on graphic design. We talked about how colors and fonts can express your personality and your mood. Each student designed a business card using Microsoft Publisher. They were asked to include their name, a title, a tag line, their address (a fake one!), phone number (also fake!), and a fictitious email address. The students loved trading their cards and sharing their creativity with the class!

Apps We Love

We have lots of different projects going on right now in Technology and most of them involve an app or two. The students have been asking how to get these apps at home, so here are a few of their favorites! Feel free to check them out, download them, and enjoy with your kids... just in time for Spring Break!

ABCYA Animate- Stop Action Animation App
iMotion- Stop Action Movie App
Kodable- Introductory Programming App
Hopscotch- Advanced Programming App

Stop Action Films

The 10th Age began a unit on Stop Action Animation this week! They will be making their own films over the course of the next few class periods. Here are some examples from a Digital Arts class I taught in the Middle School. We'll post the 10th Age finished products before Spring Break!

We're Making Comics!

The 9th Age classes created comic strips using the Make Beliefs Comix website. We used three frame comic strip templates to sketch out our designs, and then we went to the website to turn our drawings into digital form.

7th Age Selfies

The fancy definition of a "selfie" is a type of self-portrait that is typically taken with a hand-held device (in our case, and iPad)! But we just like to think of these photos as a fun way to express our creativity. Check out these cute collages our 7th Agers made with their very own selfies!

Tech Tips for the Holidays

Are you planning to purchase electronics as Christmas gifts this year: a tablet, a laptop, a gaming system, or even a cell phone for some of your older children? These are popular items on almost everyone's list! Below is a link to Holiday Contract Cards from the Platform for Good website. It's important to establish rules and safety guidelines as a family so your children understand boundaries and expectations when navigating the digital world. We hope you find this helpful. Happy Holidays to all!

Visual Mapping with Kidspiration

8th Age students were introduced to the concept of Visual Mapping this week. Visual mapping is also known as Story Webbing. Children worked in pairs to read a story together and were asked to circle the characters, underline the important facts, and identify the where the story takes place. Then they created a visual representation of the setting, the characters, and the plot using the Kidspiration app. This type of story diagramming allows students to see the "big picture" and can bring information and ideas to life with images and labels as opposed to lots of text. It helps kids break information down into smaller parts and gives them a chance to use their imagination and creativity.

We will present these visual maps in class after Winter Break so the students can practice their public speaking skills!