Group Project: Buying and Selling a home

Buying, Improving, and selling a house group project. February 2014.

First Christian Academy Technology and Computers class.

We’re going to work on a group project that involves the pretend purchase of a house, improving the house, and then marketing and selling the house.

The project will use many of the skills you’ve learned in technology/computer class. In a few weeks, each group will present their project to the class.

Here are the main components of the project:

Research. Use www.zillow.com to find a house for sale near your house or near the school. Find a house that is priced below $200,000. You’ll want to capture the address of the house, save at least five pictures of the house, save a map view of the house location, the square footage of the house, and details about the house. Then calculate the price per square foot. For example (and you can’t use this one in your project).

5034 Dove Dr, New Port Richey, FL 34652.

Price: $49,900

Square feet: 1128

Price per square foot: $44.24 (you’ll need to calculate this, it’s not in the listing)

Calculate cost of improvements.

Then you’re going to upgrade the kitchen by upgrading cabinets. Plan on up to $5,000 for new cabinets.

Buy a new AC / Heat unit. $2,500 (for a 1500 square foot house) to $5,000.

Paint three of the rooms. You’ll need 5 gallons of paint. What does that cost at Home Depot or Lowes? Call or stop by and get a price for a “5 gallon bucket of interior satin paint.”

You’ll also need to hire a handyman to do some of the improvements. He/She charges $35 an hour. It’ll take six hours to paint. It’ll take 15 hours to install the new cabinets. Calculate your labor cost to pay the handyman to do all the improvements.

Turn all of this into a spreadsheet that lists the original cost you spent on the house, then add the improvements, calculate the costs for labor, and include a grand total of what the house cost you to improve.Your spreadsheet should include a line for each improvement (cabinets, paint, labor).

Market the new and improved house.

Create a 1-2 minute video that uses pictures and narration (one of the members voice on top of the pictures). You can make this serious and accurate, or have fun and improve the place with pictures of the ‘new’ house from a completely different house. You can use pictures of the house you live in or pictures of houses you find online. Use at least 20 pictures in your video, or 1-2 minutes of video edited together.

Here are three examples of homes for sale videos with narration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr_uj0e9xFE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-VQFNU1Y0c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMHqdXbFYos

Collect your pictures; write your script. Then you can record your narration in class with me (I’ll bring a professional microphone and get your piece recorded...then will give you the .wav or .mp3 file to use in your project). A two minute narration would be between 200 and 250 words. Upload the finished video to youtube or vimeo.

Create the website. Create a website that shows off the newly improved house. Choose either wordpress.com or google sites to host it. The website will have at least 3 pages. The welcome page that will have at least one picture of the newly improved house and the video mentioned above embedded, a second page with at least 10 pictures and some text describing the house, and a third page that has a google map linked to the address of the house and contact details for a potential buyer. Don’t list your phone number or contact details on it, put a fake phone number (727-555-1212 is fine).

Create a flyer. Make it look appealing with at least 2 pictures and details about the house. Here’s a good template to consider for the design:

http://www.forsalebyowner.com/education/selling-your-home/marketing-your-home/45-a-great-sales-flyer

http://www.office.xerox.com/small-business-templates/real-estate-flyers/enus.html

In one week (Due February 5, 2014 at beginning of class), your group needs to have:

▢The house selected on Zillow and have the research done on costs and data that I detailed. ▢created a shared document and give everyone access. Put your data in this document. Include your email address. Each week I’ll look at this document in class and see the progress.

▢You will have the narration script completed in the next week because you’re recording it next week. The script needs to be done before class starts in week two.

Week two (Due February 12, 2014 at beginning of class):

▢the narration script and spreadsheet done and show it to me. I may suggest some improvements for the way it’s presented.

▢You’ll also record the narration for the house for sale video.

Week three (Due February 19, 2014 at the beginning of class):

▢Show me progress on the video

▢Progress on website

▢Progress on flyer

Week four (Due February 26, 2014 at beginning of class): present your project to the class.

Who is doing what? On the next page, print and sign your name in the slot that you’re taking for the project. You are solely responsible for that portion of the project. Everyone will have contributed the work that is needed by everyone else after the first week. If there are any problems working together, it needs to be brought to my attention prior to class. Your grade depends on the work you have agreed to do.

Here's a link to the sign up sheets showing what you agreed to do.

Marketing an Improve Home Group Project, February 2014.

First Christian Academy

Project assigned Wednesday, January 29, 2014.

___________________________________ (name) has agreed to do the research portion of the project which includes saving at least 5 pictures of the house, the map of the house, and calculate the price per square foot of the house. The pictures and data MUST be in the shared document prior to the beginning of the next class period.

___________________________________ (name) has agreed to do the calculating of the improvements (cabinets, paint, labor) and design the spreadsheet as described on the project page.

___________________________________ (name) has agreed to do the marketing video for the new improved house. This includes the narration and taking (or finding online) the 20 + pictures used in the video. Remember, they can be pictures from your house, a friends house, or pictures you find online. Then you’ll piece together the video in a program (picasa, windows movie maker, etc.). The video should be uploaded to youtube or vimeo.

___________________________________ (name) has agreed to do the Flyer and the website. Spend time making it look professional if you want a good grade. Include the facts about the house and at least two pictures. Include the address, who to contact to ask about the house. Complete the website as described in the project documents.

You will all present your portion of the project when up in front of the class. You’ll each speak for 60-90 seconds walking us through your portion of the project and showing details. Then we’ll play the video.

Time online related to our attitude?

Read this article, and then write at least 200 words (tools, word count)

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/12/14/3817983/ohio-study-heavy-online-use-can.html

• provide a summary of the article. In a paragraph or two, what is the article saying? What is the main point?
• Share your opinion of the article. Have you experienced something similar? Have you known other people that have seemed to be like the article describes? Describe your experience.
• Include your name in BOLD, centered
• Underline one sentence in your writing. Usually underlining is used to emphasize something.
• Italicize a sentence. Often you italicize something that might be unexpected.

Share the document with me (click share, then in the lower box type sean@firstchristianacademy.com then click share and save). It is due tomorrow 12/19/13 by noon. 10 points deducted for each day late.

Critical Thinking Skills with technology and computers 12-4-2013

Hi 7th and 8th graders. Here's your assignment for the day. Copy this text into a document and type your answers next to the questions.


You're planning on driving from New Port Richey, Florida up to Chicago. Using google maps:
How long will that drive take?
How many miles is the drive?
What are two major highways you'll be on during the way?
If you wanted to stay the night in a hotel near a midpoint, what looks to be a good place to stay?

You're driving from Tampa, Florida to Los Angeles, California.
How long will that drive take?
How many miles is the drive?
What are two major highways you'll be on during the way?
The drive will take three days. Pick the two places to stop. Where are they?

You make $8.50 an hour and work 15 hours a week. Set up a spread sheet that shows how much you'll make in a year.

What if you get a raise to $9.50 an hour?
What if you work 20 hours a week?


What's the distance to the moon?
If you could drive there, how many hours would it take to drive at 60 miles per hour?
What if you were in a plane traveling at 500 miles per hour. How many hours would it take?

Presentation Skills, October 2013

First Christian Academy Technology and Computer Class

October, 2013

Developing Presentation Skills

We’re going to work on putting together a presentation and then presenting it in class in a couple weeks.

Assignment: Pick a topic from the list below and start researching.

• A current event in the news
• A historical event
• A story from the Bible
• A review of a book you read recently
• A technology product that you would like to use

Your presentation needs to have at least TEN slides (no more than fifteen) and at least FIVE pictures in it. Slides may have pictures and text on the same slide. You may have no more than TEN words on any one slide. One of the goals of this project is that you will be able to give your presentation and NOT read from the screen. The screen should only have your main points that you will elaborate while talking. Creative presentations will be rewarded...make it look great and spend time on it.

You won’t be graded on how well you speak or if you are nervous. You WILL be graded on how little or much you need to look at your screen. The goal is to have it all memorized and change slides at the right time and be ready to talk about what’s ON the screen without looking AT the screen.

Your presentation must be between 3 and 5 minutes. Anything less or more will deduct 10 points. Practice your presentation at least 5 times with a timer so you know what you’re going to say and how long it will last. (hint, this is where many people lose points, and usually for not having enough memorized to talk about. Practice and get to four minutes, and if you forget some material, hopefully you’ll make it in the range needed).

You’ll be graded October 23 for progress. Your slides should be DONE within one week and then you’ll spend time memorizing and practicing the next week. Assignment is DUE October 30, 2013.

You'll be graded on:

 Time.  Your presentation needs to be between 3 and 5 minutes.  Any shorter or longer and you'll lose 10 points.  Use a stopwatch and practice it at least 3 times so you know you're within the time frame.  (20 points)

 Did you put effort into the presentation with pictures, text, and graphics.  Does it show that you put time into it? (20 points)

 Do you have between 10 and 15 slides?  (20 points)

 Did you keep to the 10 word limit on each slide? (20 points)

 Were you able to talk about your subject and not just read what is on each slide?  You should be able to provide additional details as you go along.  Just use summary sentences on the presentation, then talk it through when you present.  (20 points)

Read and write about two articles

Read this article:

http://chriskresser.com/how-artificial-light-is-wrecking-your-sleep-and-what-to-do-about-it

Then write three paragraphs with at least three sentences in each paragraph. The first paragraph should summarize the article. The second paragraph should give your thoughts on the article (do you agree or disagree? why?). Use the third paragraph to describe any changes you'll make to your life after reading the article. Put your name at the top.

Then, do the same for this article (three paragraphs, at least three sentenses in each paragraph)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2439365/Do-suffer-iPosture-Tablets-smartphones-causing-epidemic-pain-people-hunch-devices.html

I will come around and view your document.

Bible Project update

Hi FCA Tech Class

Here is a snapshot of my sample spreadsheet. Your spreadsheet should look similar. You'll need to put in YOUR numbers for the cost to create the audio book. Also, if you came up with different numbers for create space costs or other expenses, put those in. Your income, expenses, and profit will probably not match mine exactly. Remember to use formulas to calculate numbers. When grading, I'll look at your spreadsheet and change the number of sales and the sale price and will look to see if the other numbers change automatically.

Lastly, quick review of what you should have prepared by MONDAY. Your video ad should be on Youtube. Your print ad should be designed. Your website should be updated and include an order form (google drive form link or embed). All of that needs to be done prior to the start of our next class. See you soon! Mr. Caldwell

(click the graphic below and it may get bigger)

Print and Deliver Bibles Group Project, September 2013

First Christian Academy

Computers and Technology Class, 2013.

sean@firstchristianacademy.com

Group Project 1: Print and deliver Bibles. Due September 25, 2013.

This assignment is on the web here:http://sean-fca.blogspot.com

Summary: Your group works at a major publishing company that sees an opportunity to deliver the Bible to people. Your group has also decided to create an audiobook version of the Bible. Using the tools we’ve been learning about in class, your group will:

• Create a shared Google drive document that all the group members will be able to access to include their progress along the way. We went over how to do this in class the day this project was assigned. Put each persons name in the document and some spaces so they can type in their updates.
• Calculate how much it will cost to publish the Bibles and detail this information in the shared document and in a spreadsheet. You will be using Amazon’s self-publishing unit called Create Space. Visit this page and determine the costs of the project. https://www.createspace.com/Special/Help/Rights/servicepricing.jsp
  You will get prices for Custom Publishing Solutions: “Custom Advanced.” Then you will also purchase “Kindle Conversion” and “Full Color Posters.”
• Another part of the project will be to calculate cost to create the audiobook of the New Testament Bible. Use the internet to get an estimate of how many words are in the New Testament. Then calculate the total time of the audiobook (in other words, how many hours will the finished narration of the New Testament Bible end up lasting?). You will hire a narrator to read the Bible and will need to calculate how many hours narration that will entail. Go to this page to find the rate of speech for “Speech and listening” and then calculate how many hours the Bible would take. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Words_per_minute  The narrator will be paid $215 per hour to read and the studio will cost $75 per hour to record it. How much will it cost for the entire Bible to be read and recorded? You (FCA student) will also be responsible for narrating one chapter from the Bible. Pick any single chapter from Genesis, Proverbs, Luke, John, or James and record it.
• You will create advertising for your Bible, print and video. The print ad should have at least 2 original pictures on it, no more than four. Take the pictures with a phone or digital camera and import the picture to a computer. What to write? suggestion, go to Amazon or similar and look at some Bibles for sale. What do they list as the benefits of their particular product? The video should be 30 seconds long and can have either video or at least 5 still pictures displayed. It needs to be narrated by the video creator. Write the script (50-70 words will be to 30 seconds) and narrate it. This script will need to be turned in early in the project. You can use Windows movie maker or similar software to add voice over the video. Upload the finished video piece to Youtube at least two days prior to the project due date.
• A website will be created. The website should have a main page, a details page, and an order form. Wordpress.com is a good start, you could also use sites.google.com   The website should have pictures and look as nice as you can make it. Use a google form to have orders submitted (we’ll go over this in class one week during the project time). The video ad should be embedded in the website.
• Orders will need to be shipped to customers. You can use UPS or USPS to ship your Bibles. Which one is most economical? For UPS pricing, click here and select ground shipping. For USPS pricing (priority, first class, or ‘media mail’), click here. Assume the book is 2 pounds. You’ll need to look at three sample shipments to get an idea of who has better pricing. Shipment one will go from Zip code 34653 to 19087. Shipment two will go from 34653 to 30301. Shipment three will go from 34653 to 90001. Include the cost for each individual shipment (both UPS and USPS) in your shared document, in the presentation, and share which shipping company you decided to use.
• Create a spreadsheet that will show what it will cost to create/print and ship 100 Bibles, 1,000 Bibles, 10,000 Bibles, and 100,000 Bibles (use average shipping costs from your calculations). Create Space keeps 30% of all income made by selling through Amazon--this needs to be shown in your spreadsheet. On that same spreadsheet, how much income will be generated by selling 100, 1,000, 10,000, and 100,000 Bibles? Use formulas so that you can change the selling price and see the new results. If the calculations are not using formulas, the spreadsheet will not earn a good grade. If you’re confused as to what this means, please talk to me early in the project.

This project will take at least three hours of time from each group member. If you’re putting in less than that, don’t expect an excellent grade. Excellent work gets rewarded in many areas of life. Spend time early so you’re not caught by problems near the due date. I will have a help session via google hangouts during the project. You can meet virtually by using a Google Hangout if getting together outside of class is difficult. You don’t have to meet as a group outside of class.

Note on the project: In reality, you could only freely publish a Bible translation that is in the public domain. If you wanted to publish a current translation (NIV, NASB, The Message, etc.) you would need to pay royalties to another company.

First Christian Academy

Computers and Technology Class, 2013.

sean@firstchristianacademy.com

Assignment Sheet for Group Project 1: Print and deliver Bibles.

This assignment is on the web here: http://sean-fca.blogspot.com

Each group member will sign up for a portion of the group project. Here are the various jobs. Write one person’s name on each line. You will be entirely responsible for that section of the assignment. The first four slots must be 7th or 8th graders. The last two slots are for 6th graders.

____________________________________ Within one week, I will be responsible for creating the shared Google drive document and sharing it will all group members via their email address. You will also be responsible for finding the costs from Create Space and also for calculating shipping costs. This information will be displayed on the shared document prior to our next class meeting (September 11, 2013). You will then be responsible for providing updates to Mr. Caldwell each week on progress on the project.

____________________________________ I will be responsible for creating the advertising for the project. I will take pictures with a camera, then create a print ad and create a video. Prior to September 11, 2013 I will have the wording for the print ad and a script for the video in the shared document. Then I will continue creating the ad and video for the following two weeks.

____________________________________ I will be responsible for creating the website as described on the assignment sheet. Prior to our next class meeting, September 11, 2013, I will have selected a place to create the website (wordpress or sites.google.com for example) and will have at least three paragraphs of ideas for text in the shared Google document. I will also find out how much it costs to buy a domain name (.com) and pay for a year of web hosting.

____________________________________ I will be responsible for calculating costs to create the audiobook of the New Testament prior to our next class meeting. This includes the number of words in the Bible, the average rate of narrated speech, and how many hours that would last in narrated speech (all due September 11, 2013). I will also narrate and record one chapter of the Bible from Genesis, Proverbs, Luke, John, or James prior to the next week (September 18, 2013). Then I will be responsible for creating the main spreadsheet that shows costs as well as income from the project at the various sales levels before September 18, 2013.

____________________________________ I will assist the student creating the advertising.

____________________________________ I will assist the student creating the website.