Grade 6 Technology

Introduction:
This course is designed to enable students to become more computer literate, to develop skills necessary to use technology to support their academic learning, and to use electronic research sources such as online databases and the Internet. Students will be working on skills that allow them the ability to communicate ideas through technology. Students will hone word-processing skills to enhance documents with the use of proper formatting, proofreading and editing tools as well as incorporating clip art and proper resource citation.   Students will improve desktop publishing skills by using design skills and drawing tools with PhotoBooth, PhotoShop, and Appleworks.  Critical thinking skills are developed and strengthened as students maneuver their way through The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis, learn programming language using Scratch, and Google Sketchup, a 3D sketching design software.  Animation and video editing is presented using Animationish  and iMovie.  Students will engage in multimedia online discussion using Wiki sites and VoiceThread.    Vocabulary and basic navigation skills for Internet access and research will be introduced.  Online safety rules will be explored through a variety of in-class and online activities.  There will be videos, articles and class discussion concerning computer ethics copyright infringement and media literacy.  Lastly, students will use Excel for graphing and charting.  The projects that students accomplish model ways in which they can integrate the use of technology tools into their studies according to the Massachusetts Curricula Frameworks.

Computer Basics:
Topics and Skills
•File naming conventions
•Organization of computer desktop and work stations

Word Processing:

Topics and Skills

•Typing and formatting simulated reports and trifold brochures or posters.

•Common Proofreaders’ marks

•Footnote/Endnote citations

•Exploring Word “assistants” and templates

•Desktop publishing and design

Excel:

Topics and Skills

•Set up and collect data in appropriate format of columns and rows

•Produce charts and graphs using statistical data in Excel spreadsheets.

•Formulas

Internet Safety, Etiquette, Copyright:

Topics and Skills

•Practice age appropriate Internet research skills

•Discuss social networks and online learning communities

•Discuss and practice online etiquette and safety strategies including identity theft

•Learn and practice copyright infringement and plagiarism rules using the Internet.

•Watch video(s) and use website resources to learn about online safety and etiquette.

Sketchup

Topics and Skills

•Step-by-step video instruction 3D design

Major Assignment(s)

Students will attempt to recreate a room/building of their choice.

PhotoShop,Appleworks Draw, Animation-ish and PhotoBooth

Topics and Skills

•Digital image manipulation including:  red eye removal, cropping, bloat and pinch tools

•Use of graphic art tablet and stylus to manipulate images

•Discussion of media literacy in journalism

Major Assignment(s)

•Celebrity Project:  crop head of a celebrity and place in cartoon situation to tell a story

•Slide Show of facial expressions with various digital effects

Online Learning Communities:

Topics and Skills

•Create multimedia sites in Wikis and VoiceThread

•Discussion online with multimedia comments including text, voice recording and video

•Introducing the concept of threaded discussion

Major Assignment(s)

•Students create a personal Wiki site offering an opportunity to hold an electronic portfolio of computer projects/writings created in their classes.

•Students create an online project in VoiceThread inviting other students to comment electronically by text, audio or video.