Final Project

First Christian Academy

Computers & Technology Class, Spring 2015.

Final Project

We’re going to work on a final project for the next three weeks. The project will have multiple components that need your time and planning:

• A video you will create and host on Youtube
• A spreadsheet for the business
• A website with five pages

You’re going to pretend to open up a tutoring company that serves middle and high school students.

The video will contain pictures that you take along with a narration you’ll write and record. Write the script within a week, you can record your narration in class next week if you like (I’ll bring in the equipment for you to use). Take at least 10 pictures of various textbooks, desks, and other images that support your message. (You may not use pictures from the web, you must take your own pictures and use them in the video, no personal pictures, lose 15 points). You might need to resize the pictures if they are very high resolution. Try here or here. 800 pixels is a good size to use. The video needs to be 30 - 60 seconds long. This will be 75 to 150 words of text for your narration.

Plan the finances. You’ll setup a spreadsheet that will show how the business will function financially. You must use google drive spreadsheets for the project. How many students can you work with each afternoon? Operating hours are probably 3pm to 8pm. Most students will stay 2-3 hours. Tutors can work with 2-4 students at once. If you hire 3 tutors, how many students can you serve each day? Assume 80% capacity most days. Tutors will earn $15 per hour. Parents will pay $45 per hour for tutoring. Set up your spreadsheet to show income from tutoring. Then show expenses to operate the business. You should include at least 10 expense items, here are some to get you started: Tutors, electricity, rent, phones, internet, water. (You come up with at least 4 more). Setup the spreadsheet with monthly and yearly columns. You must use formulas to calculate the answers; if formulas are not used, you will miss out on 30 percent of the possible points. Your spreadsheet can look similar to this one:

Setup the website. Register a name at wordpress.com and setup the site. It needs to have at least 5 pages: home page, about us page that includes the video, ‘investor page’ that has the spreadsheet embedded or linked from google drive, a contact page that includes an embedded map from google maps and a contact form. The contact form needs to ask for the parent’s name, student's name, use a multiple choice button for students grade (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12), their address (including city, state zip), their phone. The results of the contact form should email to you so you can show me it works correctly. Finally, a meet the tutor page that will include pictures of the three tutors (you can pick random pictures from google images for these people). Include a paragraph you’ll make up about who the tutors are, their qualifications, and what subjects they specialize in.

Since this is a large project, you’ll need to pace yourself to complete it on time.

Next week, May 6, you need to have your pictures ready at the beginning of class. No pictures, no points.

May 13 you need to have the spreadsheet completed and website partially setup at the beginning of class.

May 20 you need to have the project completed and ready to show at the start of class.

Read over the project a few times and contact me in class or via email if you have any questions or issues. I look forward to seeing your business begin!

In Class Assignment: Write a paper on future jobs

Read this article:
http://insights.globalspec.com/article/788/robots-for-humans-addressing-the-engineering-challenges

Then write a minimum 300 word opinion paper using google drive (check your words by selecting tools / word count). In your paper, summarize the article (in one or two paragraphs). After your summary, write your opinion on what this technology means for your future job choices. Include your thoughts on three jobs that will be replaced by automation within the next 10 years. What are three jobs that are unlikely to be replaced by robots? Then, give some thoughts on what choices in education (college) you can make that will help you get into a career that will still be needed. What skills will be most helpful for you to enjoy employment through your life? Finally, give your thoughts on if this change toward more automation/robots is good, bad, or indifferent for society.

300 words is almost a full page single spaced. I'd like your paper to be double spaced; it will be 1.5 to 2 pages long. Use proper punctuation, indent each paragraph (by pressing tab or setting up your margins to do it automatically). Include your name and title of your paper right justified in a header.

The paper is due at the end of class today, April 8, 2014.

Group Project, April 2015

First Christian Academy, Middle School technology and computers

Group Project, March-April, 2015.

Assignment value:  140 points (10 points for each week progress, plus 100 for the final project).

Get into groups of 4 people (3 or 5 with approval from me).

For this project, you’ll work in a group to accomplish a task using computers and technology.  You’ll be graded on the quality of the group’s work, and the depth of the piece.  Does it look like your group spent time on it?  Whatever you choose to do, do it well!  If the rest of your group says that you didn’t do much of the work on the project, don’t expect many points.

Ideas:

Create a video 3-5 minutes in length that promotes an idea or sells a product (real or fake).

Make a website that promotes an idea or sells a product (real or fake).  Suggestion to use wordpress.com as the engine for the site.

Create a presentation (at least 10 pages) that promotes an idea or sells a product

Write a collaborative story (5-8 pages)

Create a skit that lasts 3-5 minutes and record it on the computer or phone.  All group members play a part

Make a cook book with at least 10 recipes.  Insert pictures and make it look great.

Create a game show, where the rest of the class tries to answer questions as the audience.  Use the computer to show the questions or other creative parts.

You need to confirm what part each person in the group will be working on by next Wednesday, April 1, 2015. This is a turn in piece of paper you will create and turn into me at the beginning of class next Wednesday, April 1, 2015. No paper, no points next week for your entire group.

The project is due on Wednesday, April 22, 2015.  Start working on it now.  We will check on the progress that you’re making each week and you will receive a grade for each week of progress.  You’ll show the project to the class as a group.  Then the entire class will vote for best group for extra credit.

Outlining a person from the Bible

Outlining

Outlining allows you to present information in multiple levels.  In hierarchical outlines, there are main points, and sub point arranged in a tree structure.  This assignment will help you learn to use the outline functions built into all word processors.  Utilize your word processors outline (or numbering) functions.  In google docs, it’s called a numbered list, and is started by clicking the 1, 2, 3 icon on the toolbar.  Then use tab and shift-tab to go back and forth between levels.

You MUST use the outline tool built into google docs to complete the document.  First type the person’s NAME you are outlining at the top. Center it. Then, click the 1/2/3 the is up near the top to use it, then use the tab key (and shift tab to go the other way).  You should NOT need to ever type the a. or 1. or ii., the program does it for you.  If you’re typing a. or 1. or iii., you are not doing the assignment correctly.

Assignment:  present facts about 1 person we read about in the Bible.  Suggested names include:  Adam, Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Daniel, David, Solomon, Josiah, or Paul (you may not use Nehemiah, the example below is done for you).  Please have three main points under each person and then include at least two sub points under each main point.  Include Scripture references to indicate where you came up with your points.  Please have it ready to show me for next week.  Late work will lose 10 points per day. Assignment is due March 11, 2015 at the beginning of class. If you are absent, share the document with me prior to class.

Here’s an example to get you going:

Nehemiah

1. Cup bearer for King Antaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:1).
1. Appeared sad in front of the King (2:1-2)
2. Asked the King if he could go back to Jerusalem to fix the walls (2:5)
3. Asked for help with safe passage (2:8)
2. Went to Jerusalem
1. Assessed the situation first (2:11-16)
2. Announced it was time to rebuild the walls (2:17)
3. Problems during the rebuilding of the wall
1. Sanballat and Tobiah were against the rebuilding of the wall (4:1-3)
2. Nehemiah prepared against their attacks (4:13-14)
4. Rebuilt the wall in 52 days! (6:15)

Creating a contact form on Wordpress

Today we're going to add a contact form to our wordpress site.

Contact forms allow websites to collect information from willing visitors. Instead of posting your email address on a website, which may be an invitation to spammers to start sending you things, using a contact form keeps your email address hidden. It also allows you to specify what information you want people to share with you to better help them.

Log into your wordpress site, click WP ADMIN. Add page, then look for the button that says "Add Contact Form.

Then we'll build a form that asks visitors for their:
Name
email address
phone number
And has a box for comments or what they want to share with us.

You'll also need to specify the email address you want the results of the form sent to, as well as subject line and a few other things we'll cover in class. Those are all options in the contact form builder.

Then test it and see if you receive the auto generated email from filling in the contact form.

Possible points: 100. Due at the end of class today, 2/11/2015.

Wordpress site: updating to include your video & a map

2.4.2015

We're going to go back to the Wordpress.com site you created a few months ago (or create a new one) and add a page that has the youtube video you created embedded and playable on the page. If you don't have an option for sharing / embed then you may have chosen to make your video private. In that case, change your video to 'unlisted' on youtube privacy settings. Then you'll be able to find the share / embed option.

Then you'll create another page that has an interactive map (google maps suggested) embedded in the page.

You should have TWO pages ready to show at the end of class today. You'll then need to create LINKS to those pages on your homepage or blog post...you need to do that to point to the new pages you created today.

Your embedded map should look like this below:

Upload picture slide show to Youtube

Today's assignment (1/28/2014) is to take the picture slide show you created last week and upload it to Youtube. You can chose to make it public (anyone can see it) or private so only you or someone you give the link.

You'll need to be signed into your Google account in order to be able to upload it to Youtube.

Picture collage and picture video

Your assignment to work on in class and after class is:
Create a picture collage using the 25 pictures you have on your computer from last week. You can use Picasa, another program, or an online service. Here are instructions for Picasa: https://support.google.com/picasa/answer/19539?hl=en

Create a song video with your pictures. You can also use Picasa, another program, or an online service. You'll use the mp3 song file you have saved on your computer as the background. We'll work on this in class.

Assignment is due at the beginning of class, 1/28/2015.

Picture video collage

Your assignment to work on prior to next week (due at the beginning of class 1/21/2014) is to have an MP3 file of a song you will use for your picture video. Make sure you have the mp3 file on your laptop...not somewhere on the internet. You will lose points if you don't have the mp3 file downloaded and on your laptop at the beginning of class.

Christmas Break assignment

Your assignment over Christmas break is to bring back at least 25 pictures that display some of what happened during your Christmas break. Include photos of your family celebrating, images of gifts you gave and/or received, and pictures of other events that you experienced over the holidays.

You need to have your pictures on your laptop when we return from class.

Online Photo Editing

Online Photo Editors

We’re going to have some fun with online photo editors. These online sites are a mini version of what you could do with Photoshop or other costly photo editors.

Photo editing gives you the ability to adjust photos. You can change the brightness, remove blemishes, erase or duplicate sections, remove red-eye issues that happen occasionally when using a camera flash.

Your assignment due by the end of class:

Using the five photo images you brought to class,

Take one picture and duplicate a persons head somewhere else on the photo. It could be on another person, or floating anywhere.

Convert one of of the pictures to black and white.

Create a picture collage with all five pictures becoming one image. Put some text at the top (as examples: My Family, My Pets, My Picture Collage).

Here are two of the better free online photo editors:

http://apps.pixlr.com/editor/

http://www.picmonkey.com/

Assignment is due at the end of class and will be graded today.

Get ready for next week

Download and install Picasa

http://picasa.google.com/

Next week, come with 5 personal photos. They can be family photos, pictures of your pets (no Llamas please), pictures of cars. They MUST be pictures you have taken with a camera or phone. Have them on your computer for use in class.

Opening a Photography Business

October 29, 2014

We are going to use many of the skills we’ve learned this year to complete a group project. Your group will be opening a photography studio business. You’ll create job descriptions, research various costs, complete a budget, create a business plan, design marketing material, advertise, and serve customers to become profitable.

Each group must have four people. If there are one or two people left over after groups form, I”ll place them in a group and subdivide the work. Here are the work responsibilities inside the group:

Job Descriptions / Search for emp: ____________________________________

(only one person in the group may work on this)

Create a Budget / Spreadsheet: ____________________________________

Prepare a Business Plan: ____________________________________

Create an advertisement: ____________________________________

First part of the project is to decide who is doing what portion of the project.  You’ll turn that in today.  Then you’ll have about three weeks to work on the project in and out of class, and will then present your project by having your files on your computer for me to check, and presenting the project to the class (5 minutes to present).

Here are the minimum requirements to receive a passing grade.  Go above and beyond, make it creative, and receive additional credit.  Each group member will do at least one of the following major parts of the project.  If your group is smaller, each person may need to do two.

Search for employees:  Create a one page job description for at least TWO positions inside the company (ideas here).  How many hours will the job require?  What days and times will the person work?  What will they do?  What skills are necessary to do the job?  How much will the job pay?  THEN find out what it costs to place an advertisement in the Tampa Times or on a job website like Monster.com and list that cost in your advertising budget spreadsheet. Want an exceptional grade? Complete it for FOUR employees.

Create a budget:  What will it cost to buy the equipment to start? How much income will the business bring in each month?  For the year?  What will the business cost to operate for a year?  How much is your lease for retail space?  Do you need to buy computers or other electronics?  What will utilities (water, electricity) cost?  Phone / Internet / Cell Phone?  How much will it cost to pay the TWO employees you’ve hired?  Will you have to buy products to sell?  Use a spreadsheet that will total all of these up monthly, and then also show a yearly figure for each row (multiply the monthly by 12 to get the yearly figure).  I will be checking to see if you use FORMULAS for calculations and not a calculator. (this is very important, if you don’t know what that means, please see me quickly).  This is a major part of the project and will take time to do well.  If you do not use for formulas you will lose at least 10 points on the project.  You can start with this spreadsheet I’ve created. Save it to your google drive, then add your data and formulas to make it all work.

If you're having trouble accessing the spreadsheet, try to copy and paste this link into your browser. Then 'save a copy' and start working on it:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DcJJ4Bo9i96M9o2zY1GKoq7RWDKYFavOrUOVPxVeBEQ/edit?usp=sharing

Prepare a business plan.  Start here to see a sample of a business plan.  Complete at least three sentences for each of the items; Business Plan Executive Summary [5-10 sentences that describe what you’ll be doing], Market Analysis [who are your competitors?], Company Description, Organization & Management [who is doing what inside your company?], Marketing & Sales Management [how will you advertise and get customers?], Service / Product Line [what will you be doing or selling?].  Use google docs or word or similar to create a nice looking business plan.  It should be at least two pages. Want an exceptional grade? Make it detailed and four pages.  This is also a major part of the project.

Design an advertisement.  Use whatever software you like to create an advertisement.  It could be a nice looking presentation slide (google docs or powerpoint) or a video or something else creative.  Make it interesting, creative, and clear to see what you’re selling or the service you provide.  You could also create an infographic, see http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225095#  (try using infogr.am, piktochart or easel.ly) Want an exception grade? Complete TWO advertisements, one print, and one video.

This project is DUE Wednesday November 19, 2014 at the beginning of class.  You will be graded on progress each week.  Be prepared to show me your progress at the beginning of class each week.  Have all documents on on your computer (google docs or similar).

(on the next page, there is a turn in page to tell me what business you’re opening up, and list who is doing what on the project.)

Turn this sheet into Mr. Caldwell.  ONE per GROUP. November 2014.

Our group name: _____________________________________

Now, write in the first and last names of who will be doing what.  If your group has FOUR members, then one person would be doing two of them items.  If your group has FIVE members, TWO people can work on any of the last three items below:

Job Descriptions / Search for emp: ____________________________________

Create a Budget / Spreadsheet: ____________________________________

Prepare a Business Plan: ____________________________________

Create an advertisement: ____________________________________

By signing above, you agree you have read this entire project assignment and understand this is a large project that will require you to work a number of hours in total in the next few weeks. You are responsible for your part. Your work does not need to wait for anyone else in the group to complete their part. You will be given time to work on the project in class over the next two weeks. If there are problems inside your group, inform Mr. Caldwell quickly.

This project is DUE Wednesday November 19, 2014 at the beginning of class.  You will be graded on progress each week.  Be prepared to show me your progress at the beginning of class each week.  Have all documents on on your computer (google docs or similar).

Calendar Part 2

Technology provides some great ways to help us stay organized.  Using an electronic calendar provides many benefits.  As students, you can choose to keep your assignments and other commitments organized with an online calendar.

An online calendar does NOT mean that others can see your information, unless you decide to share it.  One example would be a family that shares a calendar to keep organized so everyone sees what events are scheduled.  This helps prevent conflicts and surprises.

Today’s assignment is to set up TEN calendar entries on your google calendar (sign into gmail, then select calendar up top).  Five of them should be school assignments, five of them should be family events.  Three of them must include other friends at school or parents (by inviting them to the event).  Each event should have a beginning and end time.  Make one of the events a repeating event that happens every Monday for one month and include some detail in the notes section about the event as well as an address in the ‘where’ section so it can be viewed on a map.  (if you want to use the schools address, it’s 6800 Trouble Creek Rd, New Port Richey, FL  34653).  Then create an entry for your birthday and make it a yearly repeating event.  We went over how to do these things in class.

Have your calendar ready to show me next week (10/29/14).  Ten percent reduction for every day late.  Want extra credit?  Put in another ten events that include school assignments and include addresses, notes, repeating events, etc.

Collaborate on a Calendar

Today in class, we learned how to create an event on Google Calendar. The assignment for next week is:

1. Create an event on the calendar and share it with TWO classmates. It can be a fake event or real.
2. Create a repeating event that happens at the same time every week.
3. Share your entire calendar with a family member (dad, mom, brother or sister).

Due at the beginning of class next week, Wednesday 10/22/2014.

Welcome back, our first assignment: tell us about your summer

Wednesday, August 20th, 2014

Welcome back to class!

You'll create a presentation using Google Drive that will:

Have at least 12 slides showing the audience what you did over the summer.
Contain no less than 15 pictures (some slides can have more than one)
Each slide has no more than six words.

In this assignment, you’ll give a 4-5 minute presentation about a product or service you like.

The minimum requirements are:

• Speak for 4-5 minutes. If you speak between 4-5 minutes you’ll get 20 points. Time yourself many times to make sure you have enough thoughts to share to take up the time.
• Your presentation will have at least 12 slides and no more than 20. (20 points)
• Each slide may have no more than 6 words on the slide. (20 points)
• Make it creative and look appealing. You should spend at least an hour on the pages making them look nice...properly sized pictures, readable text, backgrounds, transitions, etc. (20 points)
• You should be able to talk about your summer from memory. Make eye contact with your audience. Practice giving your presentation without the computer. Don’t read off the screen...the screen is there to provide visual support to what you’re communicating to your audience. (20 points)

Assignment is due next week, August 27th. You'll show me your completed project and most of you will present that day as well. Spend the next week practicing your presentation.

Here are some ideas to keep in mind for improving your presentation skills.

http://www.cob.sjsu.edu/splane_m/presentationtips.htm

Welcome to Computers & Technology 2014/15

Welcome to class! Fill this out so we can communicate. Please add me to your gmail contacts: sean@firstchristianacademy.com




When you're done filling that out, then click here and read the class description. We will talk about it in class.

Backing up

Backing up important files and documents

https://copy.com?r=ZT32MK

https://db.tt/KYZfRBr

Plotting used car prices

Our next assignment is to make a graph of used car prices. In order to complete the assignment, you'll do the following:

Choose three cars you would like to research. It needs to be a fairly common car that could be found used and for sale around town (sorry, not a Ferrari or anything too exotic). Next, visit www.carmax.com and do a search for that vehicle. Limit your search (or sort your search) looking for vehicles made in 2009-2010. Then make some data points like below in a spreadsheet. You must use google drive for this project. You'll need at least 5 data points for each car. Find the miles and the price and record it like this:



Once you have your data points, make make a bubble chart for each vehicle that will look like this: (highlight your data points for each model and select insert chart then select bubble chart).


Label your chart (so it doesn't say 'chart title') and then insert three of those bubble charts in the spreadsheet.

Extra credit: get your chart to look like this with all the data points showing.




This project is due next week, May 14, 2014.