Semester II, Day 26 — Research and Design for Presentations.

Students are to use class time efficiently and effectively to prepare their presentations.  Conduct research, experiment with design and try out software.

In class we will review a few concepts and techniques in creating a presentation.

Here is your marking guideline:  presentation assessment

Semester II, Day 25 — Presentation Skills & Course Content

Students are reminded to send in their last GeoGebra assignments today for assessment.

We begin a new topic in class today.  Students will select a topic, conduct research and present their findings to the class.  This unit of study aims to help you develop your presentation skills and cover content for the course.  Your classmates will learn from your presentations.

We will discuss possible topics for your presentations in class and come up with a list.  We will take a look at some sample presentations to get ideas  of the possibilities.

Presentations for Computer Class Guidelines:

• You may work in pairs or alone – not three or more
• The presentation should stand on its own – you should not need to explain anything
• Research, research, research please.  We want to learn.
• Include facts, useful information, content
• Make it entertaining and fun — original
• Use sound, images, words …

Presentation Tools you may consider:

• CamStudio or other desktop video capture
• Digital camera or video cam
• Windows Movie Maker or other easy video editing application
• Presentation software such as Google docs, Open Office Present or PowerPoint
• Website (remember you all have a WordPress site)
• anything else …

Semester II, Day 24 — Amazing Math Nerds!

Today, students in grade 8 produced a dynamic model of a musical note.  Hmm,  … I think this is a little bit beyond grade 8.  You are amazing.  This is proof you can do anything you want to.

We will leave this unit on creating dynamic math models for other projects.  You have a number of tools you can use now.  Our next unit of study will put these together to cover some content in the course.

Here is a model from a student of a musical note:

Semester II, Day 23 — Each Math Model Worth 2 Marks

Class, as we progress through our study guide on GeoGebra, students are to submit each model we create to niscomputers@gmail.com  The models are worth 2 marks.  One for completing it, and one if it is correct.  So far, students who have done this are earning an ‘A’ in this unit of study.

We pick up this unit with a short review and move on to creating a hexagon using circles.  We will color each circle differently, then constrain two points to the x-y axis.  We then animate and make observations.  I know this is beyond grade 8 math, but you are operating beyond grade 8.

Semester II, Day 22 — GeoGebra … becoming a math nerd

Today we begin a new unit of study.  We will learn how to use GeoGebra.  GeoGebra is dynamic mathematics software that combines geometry, algebra and calculus.  For our purposes, we will not learn math in our class.  We will learn how to use this program to help us learn mathematics.

The idea behind GeoGebra is to combine manipulations on the spreadsheet view, the algebra view or the geometry view.  You can enter formulas right out of your math book, or draw in geometry area.

You are all going to become math nerds!  You will be surprised how easy this is to do.

On your computers is a folder with a number of lessons in ebook form and some files.  GeoGebra main website

Semester II, Day 21 — Meeting Again!

Sorry, Mr Richard is at a WASC meeting again this morning.  Please work independently on your models.

We will start a new unit of study very soon.

Semester II, Day 20 — Complete the Model

Mr Richard will out of the class for most of the period.  Be sure to work on your model independently.

We will soon start a new unit of study.

Semester II, Day 18 & 19 — Finalize your model, camera, lights, render

We will finish this unit on Blender soon.  Students are to set up their camera, lights, add hair and render.  You will be assessed on your work.

Be sure it is easy for Mr Richard to find your work.

If you are finished, help other students with their models.