Adams 21st Century Projects
WIKI FOR MATH
Math problems and projects do not have to be created using just paper and pencil, why not use a wiki instead?  That is what Mr. Bach's 7th grade Math students are being introduced to in class.  A wiki is a social collaborative site that allows teachers and students to post, publish, and share files, images, text, and more.  Click on the following link to see what projects Mr. Bach and his students are engaged in: Mr. Bach's Math Wiki
SHORT STORIES
As a reinforcement activity on the elements of writing a story, Mr. Wechter's 7th grade Language Arts students used the laptops to complete a Creative Writing WebQuest to write short stories in class.  Students used the resources provided in the WebQuest to learn the "Ingredients"  (Setting, Plot, Theme, Characters and Point of View) necessary for creating a short story.  Students critiqued and revised their peers' stories before producing their final drafts and then used the Flip Videos to record them and share in class.  They also critiqued each other's presentation skills while watching the videos.
Check out a few stories below:
CHECK OUT OUR GLOGS!
What are Newton's 3 Laws of Motion?  If you have a hard time remembering, Mr. Knupke's 7th and 8th grade Science students used Glogster EDU to create their own GLOG (an online multimedia poster site) to illustrate information, pictures, and real life examples of Newton's 3 Laws of Motion.



Click on the links below to view student GLOGS:
COMETS
"What are the parts of a comet?  When are comets the brightest?"  These are just a few of the questions the 8th grade students in Mrs. White's Science class had to answer in their Comet Project-Based Activity.  Students were given a list of websites they had to navigate through to research and find the information needed to answer questions and fill in the blanks regarding comets.  During this process, each student created a model comet to display in Mrs. White's classroom using foil, dental floss, and wax paper.
DECEMBER BOOK TALKS









Find your next great book!  Mrs. Higgenbotham's 7th and 8th grade Reading classes have decided to share their favorite books with you using 21st Century skills to create and post book talk podcasts.  Students were required to choose their favorite book, write a script, and then record their voice using an MP3 Player.  Please enjoy their samples below.
REMEMBERING THE SS EDMUND FITZGERALD
Students in Mr. Wechter's English classes created PowerPoint projects, Wordles, written reports, posters, and pamphlets to remember the anniversary of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter which sank in Lake Superior on November of 1975. 
Click on the presentations below to learn more about the shipwreck including crew members aboard and additional information about the wreck:
3...2...1... BLAST OFF!!
Mrs. White's 8th grade science classes built model rockets in class and then launched them outside to explore Newton's Laws of Motion.  Students were testing the effects on height and flight time of their rockets by adding mass (pennies).  Data was collected to compare Mass vs Height and Mass vs Flight Time to create graphs using Microsoft Excel.  Students then analyzed and compared the data to write a report based on the information that was collected.

Check out the "3...2...1... BLAST OFF VIDEO" link below to watch the experiment in action:
VOKI FOR EDUCATION

Mr. Bach's 7th grade Math students used Voki, a Web2.0 tool on the internet that incorporates 21st Century skills, to create speaking avatars in class describing how to solve problems or walk through the steps of solving a specific relating to their topic.  Students had to choose from several concepts they have learned so far this year including: 1-Step Equations, 2-Step Equations, Mean, Median, Mode, Order of Operations, Exponents, Adding Integers, Subtracting Integers, Multiplying Integers, and Dividing Integers.  Once completed, each student was instructed to share their Voki with other students by posting a link on the class wiki.
Check out a few student examples below by clicking on each link:
~One Step Equations
~Multiplying Integers
~Order of Operations 
WINTER STEM CHALLENGE
Thirty of Adams Jr. High 8th grade students, along with students from thirteen other school systems, participated in the Northwest Ohio Zone 6 Winter STEM Challenge at the Nia Center in Kalahari Resort.  Students had the opportunity to talk with Astronaut Greg H. Johnson, a retired Colonel USAF who piloted STS-134 (Endeavor’s Last Mission), explore STEM principles and master related content matter, and apply what they learned to solve a real world problem.
ADAMS' WOMEN IN STEM

Twenty of Adams Jr. High's finest young 7th and 8th grade girls participated in the 2011 Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Day at BGSU Firelands on Friday, November 18, 2011.  The girls welcomed and listened to keynote speaker Gail Bossert Klink, an award winning teacher, author, and NASA Ambassador share her 10 steps to "Launching Your Life" and other experiences on the shuttle launch pads.  There were also four hands-on workshops the girls participated in presented by BGSU Firelands, NASA Plum Brook, and Imagination Station.  Click on the following link to watch a short video of pictures taken from that day:  Women in STEM
Adams ARRA Year 1 Video
JAPAN IN A BOX
If you could put a number of items in a box to describe a person or historical event, what would you include?  What do you think would be included if you were describing the geography and history of early Japan?  Find out what our students created to answer this question.  [...click for more]
MATH PODCASTING 101
Are you looking for a great way to review your Math concepts?  Look no longer!  Mr. Bach's Algebra students used a program on the laptops called Audacity, which is a free and easy to use audio editor and recorder, to create podcasts about important math concepts.  Students were put into groups of 3 and were randomly assigned to a specific topic in relation to the Math Content Standards studied at the jr. high level.  Each group was required to research and critique a podcast they found to be credible and then had to create a script and podcast of their own on their assigned topic.  What a great way to review for the Ohio Academic Achievement Tests!!
Check out their samples below:
STUDENTS TEACH MATH
Would you like to teach Math for a day?  Mr. Bach's 8th grade Pre-Algebra students got their chance this week.  Students were put into groups of 3 and given a laptop to create a PowerPoint lesson/presentation of a randomly assigned section from their textbooks and then had to reteach it the class.  Mr. Bach used this project as a review of key math concepts and state standards for his students before the OAA Testing period in April and May. 



To view examples of the student created presentations/lessons, please click on the attachments below:
PI ANYONE?
Monday, March 14 (3.14.2011) may have seemed like a regular day, but it wasn’t just any normal day . . . it was National Pi Day!  [...click for more]
GEOGEBRA
Math Students:
Would you like a way to check your graphing solutions on your math homework using the internet? If so, then check out this easy-to-use Math software called GeoGebra. 
 [...click for more]
CHARACTER TRADING CARDS
In Mrs. Loomis's Reading class, students are creating trading cards for their favorite character in the book they are reading called Bang! by Sharon G. Flake.  [...click for more]
EXPLORING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
Students in Mrs. Higgenbotham's Reading classes used the links below to access information regarding their class project for Exploring African American History:
-African American History Hotlist
-African American History Document
-African American History Rubric
MATH WORD CLOUDS
Mr. Bach's 8th grade Pre-Algebra and Algebra students used the laptops during class to create word cloud images.....  [...click for more]
THE ISLAMIC WORLD IN A WEBQUEST

In Mrs. Harris' Social Studies class, students used the laptops to explore the founder, basic principles, and diffusion of Islam through a webquest.  Students were placed into groups and assigned the role of an investigative reporter.  As a reporter, each student was given a specific topic they were in charge of researching to collect information and create an article for their group's newspaper.



Check out the webquest and hotlist by clicking on the links below:
Islamic Webquest
Internet Hotlist

 
LAPTOPS ARE HERE!
Just before Winter Break, students at Adam's Jr. High received a set of our first round of laptops provided by the ARRA2 Grant!  The laptops will be used in the classroom to engage our students by incorporating Web2.0 and technological tools to teach them 21st Century skills and transform them into 21st Century learners.  We give a big "thank you" to our IT department of the Sandusky City School District.
ANCIENT GREEK POTTERY
The 7th grade honor students in Mrs. Harris' Social Studies class just finished studying about the events and accomplishments of the Greek World.  The ancient Greeks were admired for being master artists, which is one of their most notable achievements, especially the painted detailed scenes on vases, pots, and other vessels. Students were given a project that asked them to become master artists and create a replica of ancient Greek pottery using a paper mache technique. 
OCTOBER BOOK TALKS








Would you like to read a good book?  Mrs. Higgenbotham's 7th and 8th grade Reading classes have decided to incorporate 21st Century skills into the curriculum by creating and posting book talk podcasts.  They have chosen one of their favorite books, wrote a script, and recorded their book talk on an MP3 Player.  Please enjoy their samples below.
© 2012. School Name - All Rights Reserved. - Additional Information Powered by eSchoolView