Imagine

Technology students:  Write a reflection about your group’s initial attempts with video production.  We attempted to create a simple video that introduces the team members.

Write one to two paragraphs that answer the following questions in complete sentences.  Write your response first in Word, and then post to the comments.  Then add this to your PowerPoint.  Finally, look around the blog and reply to three comments.  If you have time left, you can work on your PowerPoint, complete any unfinished work, or work at creating digital imagery in Paint. 

1.  What things went well? (be specific)
2.  What did you particularly enjoy doing?
3.  How did you decide who would do what in your group?
4.  What challenges and problems did you encounter?  Were you able to solve them yet?
5.  How far have you gotten on your project?  Were you able to shoot video? Import it into iMovie? Post it? 
6.  Anything else you would like to add about your experience filming, editing and/or posting.
7.  What would you like to do next?

Students are beginning their digital technology portfolios. This space is for sharing them.

Leah B., Period 2

Sidney L., Period 2

Stephanie J., Period 6

Jake B., Period 6

We’re testing our first video to the vodcast server.

Yearbook students – write four to eight sentences reflecting upon Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the struggle for civil rights and unity.

Martin Luther King, Jr., the great civil rights activist, said, “America is essentially a dream.” His dream was to unite all people. What is your dream?

Friday, January 15, 2009.

Omni Middle School’s PTSA held a $2 for T today to raise money for Haitian relief.
We were only expecting to raise around $1,500, but the generosity of our students,
faculty and parents has once again surfaced. We exceeded our goal and raised
over $4,492! Additional money has been donated since our “official” count this
morning and we now have in excess of $4,500. Students were giving 5′s, 10′ and
20′s and telling us to keep the change! Parents wrote checks. One student even
gave all his birthday money…over $140!

The PTSA will continue to collect money next week. The fundraising will end
Friday, January 22nd with another $2 for T. This is an event where students pay
$2 to wear a T-shirt to school. This is a big deal since Omni has a dress code.

Omni’s PTSA will donate ALL the proceeds to “Doctors without Borders”.

–Sharyn Schneiderman
President, Omni PTSA

Yearbook students:

For the year in review section, write about the earthquake that hit Haiti. In your writing, address the questions of who, what, where, when, how and why to give your reporting of what happened. You can look online to research to find out what happened, and then write it up in your own words. Minimum length: 6-8 sentences. Can be longer. Work on conveying through words the impact of the earthquake on the people of Haiti.

A system is an organized way of achieving
a goal.  In class we created a system to learn
each other’s names.  Our system consisted of students
sitting across from each other and interviewing each
other to find out each other’s names and interests.  Then
we rotated after a short time.  What were the benefits of
the system that we created?  What needed to be improved?
How were we able to improve our system?

Yearbook students – Write a good four to six sentences about each of your teachers and classes and you can also write about lunch.

Below is a list of some design opportunities for the yearbook:

1.  TV-Guide style design for Table of Contents.
2.  Drawings/artwork – interspersed throughout. 
3.  Logos for various themed pages.
4.  Others?  Reply comment with your ideas.

Below are some writing opportunities.  Please indicate if you are interested in doing of these.  We will use the best one received for each.  

Look at last year’s yearbook to get an idea of how each of these have been handled.

1.  Theme Intro. 
2.  EndNote.  On the last page of the yearbook.  A closing to the theme.
3.  This I Believe.
4.  Poems – interspersed throughout.
5.  Year in Review.  Short writings about various events in the news this past year.  Can be both
      at Omni and in the news.
6.  Academics.  Writing about various teachers/classes.
7.  6th, 7th, 8th Grade Intro pages.
8.  Section Divider:  Exploratory Courses, Clubs, Sports.
9.  Clubs. Extracurricular activities. Sports.
10.  Your own feature idea (what is it)?