From learning Adobe Photoshop skills to designing with LEGO robotics, students learn real-world skills.
COMPUTER 6
This course is designed to acquaint 6th
graders with the use of the computer as a tool for learning and creating. By providing them with weekly hands-on
computer lessons, related to their academic classes, students will become
familiar with technology related vocabulary. They will gain a working knowledge of Microsoft Word,
Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Macromedia Flash, and Adobe Photoshop. Keyboarding skills will be developed
and sustained by practicing at home. The ultimate goal is for students to reach the typing
proficiency level of thirty words per minute for a sustaining period of five
minutes with eighty-five percent accuracy by the end of the eighth grade year.
COMPUTER I AND COMPUTER II
This course is offered for two quarters of the
year. It is designed to develop a
deeper level of use of the computer as a viable tool in their career as middle
school students. Students will
learn basic programming using PowerPoint to create an interactive
presentation. They will also learn
how to create functions using Microsoft Excel. Students will edit audio and images found on the Internet
and learn about copyright issues.
LEGO ROBOTICS
This course is offered for one quarter in the seventh
grade. It is designed to develop
an understanding of programming and building a lego robot. Working in pairs, students are given
information for their robots to perform given tasks. They work together to program, run, and troubleshoot their
robotic tasks. Each challenge
becomes increasingly more difficult.
A video journal is kept to discuss problems faced and how they dealt
with the problems.
COMPUTER MASTERY
This
course is offered for one quarter in the eighth grade. It is designed to develop a digital
portfolio that includes eighth grade milestones in their academic classes. The portfolio is web-based, and the
students use notepad to write
their script (html) and a browser (internet explorer) to see the results. It is also used as a snapshot in
the life of a 14-year-old.
Programs used throughout their Middle School career are used; Adobe
Photoshop is used to edit images found on the Internet, Macromedia Flash is
used to create custom animation, Windows Movie is used to create videos,
MonkeyJam to create custom stop-frame animation, and Audacity to edit audio
found on the Internet.
