A big part of computers is binary code so we had a whole day dedicated to this. We (most of us) already knew about bits and bytes, but learning to count in binary code was new! Plus ASCII tables and pixels! Binary code is actually pretty cool and the students learned a lot and were able to practice figuring out numbers in binary code. You can bet this will be on the test!
The students are filming their review videos over the next two days. There are a variety of approaches: filming themselves with pieces of a computer, using pictures and voice-over, using CapCut on their phones and then moving it into iMovie, and more I haven't seen yet. The information contained in these videos will be the majority of the content for our first assessment, so hopefully the process of talking to the camera about these components and concepts will help solidify it into their brains. Plus, doesn't emotion help us remember, and embarrassment is an emotion! :) There are a few places this course and Digital Literacy (they took last year) overlap and this is a big one: how a computer works. So rather than reteaching it, the students are going to make a TikTok-style video to teach others the main ideas. On this first day, we got into groups (some are working by themselves) and filled in a notes sheet with the required information, just to make sure we're all on the same page. Many were able to pull up their notes from last year - talk about working smarter and not harder! Once the notes were completed and submitted, the students planned how they will film next class. Some got an early jump on filming but we have two dedicated classes to try to make the videos as good as possible. Today was just an introduction to the class, rules, and procedures. Since most of the students had me as their Digital Literacy teacher in 8th grade, this was somewhat of a review since much of it didn't change. Although what we'll be learning changed quite a bit! Your student should be showing you a PDF of the disclosure and rules (and then taking a Canvas quiz) and that has the detailed description of what we'll be doing this semester. But in summary, we have basically three main standards that we will hit: Problem Solving with Computers, Programming, and Web Development. There's also a standard titled, Computer Science Practices, that we'll interweave throughout the semester. We are using the "Grading For Learning" model in this class for class grades (it's explained in detail on the "Grading" tab at the top of this page) but the gist of what's important from the student's perspective is that they have to get a "3" or "4" on all standards to receive an "A" in the class. With retakes and Advisory, there shouldn't be any excuse for not meeting the standard and scoring at least a "3", but it's something to keep your eye on. With this grading system, there isn't the possibility of scoring low on one standard and then making up for it on another. Each standard needs a "3" or a "4". I'm excited for the chance to teach your student again and see how much they've grown since last year. It will be a fun class! |
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April 2024
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