Well hello there!  Welcome back to the world of blogging.  Get ready for an exciting year filled with interesting issues, fun with Photoshop, moviemaking, and Scratch programming.  Before we move ahead, though, let’s reflect back on your summer with a little game.  Here’s how it goes:

1) In a blog post, tell three stories about your summer.  Two of those stories should be true, one should be a lie.  but don’t make it an obvious lie.  Your goal is to trick everyone into thinking it’s true.

2)  Include an image for each story (if you forgot how to add an image just ask your neighbor or Mr. Lahana).

3) When you’re done, ask your neighbors for their blog addresses.   Go to each blog and leave a comment as to which story you think is the lie and why you think it’s a lie.

Below is my example:

by kodomut

1.  I spent the summer trying to teach Ruby her first words.  I kept trying to get her to say “Daddy”.  All day long I would repeat, “Daddy, Daddy, Daaaaaddy”.  Guess what?  Her first word:  computer!

by jackie weisberg

2.  I went to central park zoo with Ruby and my wife Amy for my birthday.  When we were about to leave, we saw a man taking a picture of his wife and baby.  Suddenly, a tree branch snapped and fell on them.  It killed the baby and the mother was severely injured.  My birthday was ruined.

by Aztec Moon Photography

3.  This summer I taught Ruby to play basketball.  She slam dunked the ball all day long!   After each hoop she made she would clap her hands.  Pretty good for a one year old!

This year we are going to be exploring an exciting new program called Scratch.  Scratch lets you make all sorts of things: from animations and art  to slideshows and video games. Everything you make in Scratch can be uploaded to the Scratch website for the world to see and can be embedded in your blog as well.   Click below to watch a quick intro to Scratch:

Now, click below to see some examples of Scratch projects people have created:

Tetris

Chicken Noodle Soup Dance

Donkey Kong

Daydream Animation

Breakdance

Tamika’s Name Bouncing

MadLibs

Play Space Laser

Play Fall Down

Play Dress Up

When I was a kid, I couldn’t stop playing this game called Mad Libs.  My sister Lisette would ask me for a noun, verb, adjective, or some other type of word and I’d give her the most random and crazy answers I could think of.   She would use my answers to fill in the missing words in a story.   When we were done, she would read back the story about Michael Jackson marrying a bagel or whatever and we’d fall on the floor laughing.   Anyhow, I found an online version.  Click HERE to play Mad Libs and paste your story into your blog for points!

** PLEASE REMEMBER TO USE APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE.

We’ve learned that bottled water is usually just tap water with a fancy label on it.  But people still buy it. Why?  The answer is advertising.  Bottled water companies spend millions every year trying to make you feel like bottled water makes you healthier, smarter, and happier.

1. Click on the video below to learn more about this:

2.  Now, find out more about advertising by playing the game below:

3.  Now, create an advertisement for TAP WATER using Photoshop, Imovie, or XtraNormal.  Your advertisement must use at least 2 of the techniques below.  Post your advertisement on your blog along with the advertisement techniques you used.

Oh, and Class 8C made a list of the pros and cons of Bottled Water.  You might want to think about them when you’re making your advertisement.  Click below to check it out:

Click Below for Examples:

 _____ ____  ____    ____  _     ____  _____ ____
/__ __X  _ \/  __\  /  __\/ \   /  _ \/  __// ___\
  / \ | / \||  \/|  | | //| |   | / \|| |  _|    \
  | | | \_/||  __/  | |_\\| |_/\| \_/|| |_//\___ |
  \_/ \____/\_/     \____/\____/\____/\____\\____/

Damning Dirty Water Animations and Posts

BTan, GCalcano, KAlcantara, MHassan

Fabulous Five Secrets of the Meatrix

MFortune, AOrtega,  LFlorentino

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Radical Random Posts

JLopez, JMatos, ASanchez, BPena, DSim, HArriza, TSerrano, LHernandez, SGreen

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Tantalizing Tech Issues- War

AGivens, CVega, GCalcano, TSerrano, THarris, TCedeno

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Gorgeous Google Entries

TCarter, ASebelen, RContreras

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Freaky Photoshop Face-Offs

AThomas, GCalcano, JiSalcedo, SColon, SMarte, Sponce

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Dynamic Distraction Test Results

TCarter, SSabah, EBourdier, JGuzman, TCarter, THarris

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Arresting Poetry
DHill, ATorres, JLeeTineo, JLopez, JTlatenchi, LHernandez, LHernandez

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Absorbing  Internet Addiction Posts

DHill, DSim, FSimon, KAlcantara, TSerrano, MTucker, NRodriguez, PMei, SStPhard, THarris

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Irresistible Inventions

BCastillo, ElColon, GCalcano, JiSalcedo

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Engaging Profile Interviews

SSabah, CMarquez, LBruno, MHassan, NRodriguez

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Powerful Piercing Posts

MHassan, EBourdier

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Brilliant Banning Bottle Water Posts

MTucker, SSabah, GCalcano, JiSalcedo, KAlcantara, MMendoza, SColon

Last month we watched a cool animation about how bottled water harms the environment, tastes the same as tap water (because it’s made from tap water), and isn’t even cleaner then tap (maybe even dirtier!).  But that was an animation.  Now, lets meet some real people who are going up against the bottled water companies.  See, these bottled water companies come into communities and pump out their tap water (called “municipal water”) without even paying for it.  Then, they sell it for 1900 times the amount of tap!  Do they care if the community is going through a drought (water shortage)?  No!  They keep on pumping out the water.  Check out the video below:

Now, create a comic using Comic Life that re-tells the story you just watched.  Here’s how:

1.  Watch the tutorial below:

2. Go to the flickr page below to get some images.  Feel free to use your own.

3.  Create your comic and post it on your blog.  Click HERE for an example by GCalcano.

For those of you who don’t know, a “Font” is the style of type you choose to write with.  Your computer already comes loaded with some fonts you can use in Microsoft Word, Photoshop, Imovie, etc.   But for graphic artists (someone who puts together images and type) it’s important to choose the right font each time they create a design.  You see, different fonts communicate different things:

1.  Click below to watch a tutorial by RCallado about how to download fonts to your computer.

2.  Now, choose one of the fonts you downloaded.  In Photoshop, write a poem inspired by that font and post it in your blog*

* Reminder:  to export a file from Photoshop to your blog choose  FILE –> SAVE FOR WEB –> go to your blog –> ADD THE .JPG IMAGE

1.  Watch the video below about online profiles:

En español haga clic aquí

2.  Now, interview a classmate using the following questions and post their answers on your blog:

-What information and images are OK to post? What’s not OK to post?

-Have you ever posted something online that embarrassed you or got you into trouble?

-Is there any way to guarantee complete privacy when you post things online?

-How might things you post online affect your future?

It’s pretty crazy how much we (you the student and me the teacher) argue about listening to music.  You want to listen to music while you work.  I want you to wait until you are done with your work.  You claim you can work even better while listening to music– it helps you concentrate!  I claim that it actually distracts you.  In this assignment we’ll try and sort this all out.

1.  Begin by watch the movie below:

2. Next, take the Techbrarian Distraction Test by clicking below:

3.  Now, take the quiz below to see how much the music distracted you.

4. Finally, answer the following questions in your blog:

a) Are you someone who normally listens to music while studying?  Why or why not?

b) How was your score on the quiz?  Did the number surprise you? Why or why not?

c) During the Techbrarian Distraction Test was there any type of music that distracted you more than others?  If so, explain why.

d) How do you think you would have done on the test if there were math problems instead of a story?   

*** EXTRA CREDIT (10 POINTS!) :  Explain at least three ways you could change the Techbrarian Distraction Test to make it more like real life.  Describe how each change might effect the results.  For example, what would have happened if I added an instant messaging window on the side of the test?

1) Is bottled water cleaner and tastier than tap? Explain.

2)  How is bottled water made?  Where does it go after you throw the bottle away?

3) What can you do to help solve the bottled water problem?

–> Extra Credit (20 Points):   Use what you’ve just written in your blog to create an Anti-Bottled Water poster using Photoshop

We just learned about how technology has taken the place of people in fighting wars.  Now, we will see how technology has changed the way humans are trained to fight.  Watch the movie below:

In your blog answer the following questions:

1. What are 3 advantages of having war simulations?

2.  What do you think this technology will look like in 10 years?

What must it be like, for your job, to watch and sometimes kill people through a video screen for hours on end? To make choices that effect people 7,000 miles away from you while you sit in a trailer in the desert? And then, at the end of the day, to return home to your family?*  Digital Technology has made this a reality.  Every day, Predator Drones are sent out by the U.S. to countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq to to kill enemy targets.  Watch the video below to learn more about what it’s like to be a drone operator.

Now, answer the following questions in your blog:

1. How is fighting an enemy with predator drones different from fighting hand-to-hand combat?  How is it similar?

2. Is fair to fight with predator drones when your enemy doesn’t have that technology?

3.  Would you be interested in flying predator drones for the military? Why or why not?

* Paraphrased from Caitlin McNally

Have you ever seen those strange photos where two celebrities get their faces mixed up?  Well today we’re going to do that using Photoshop. Watch the tutorial below and then pick a friend to mix faces with.  Post the results on your blog.

Click HERE to see an example from SColon.

Extra Extra Credit: Along with the photo, describe what the new combo person would be like.

DHill and SColon made a cool little documentary on piercings.  Click below to watch it and then answer some questions about it in your blog:

1.  What were the most interesting parts in this documentary?

2.  Name at least three reasons why people get pierces.

3. Do different pierces say different things about people?  For example, does having your ears pierced say something different then having an eyebrow ring?

4.  Is there such a thing as too many pierces?

It’s that time of year again.  Google wants you to re-design their logo using the theme “If I could do anything I would…”

Examples include:

• Figure out a cure for cancer
• Build a movie theater on the moon
• Be an underwater explorer

Prizes include a visit to Google Headquarters, a T-Shirt with your logo, a laptop, a Wacom digital design tablet, and a $15,000 college scholarship!

You can use pens, markers, colored pencils, and/or paint on paper.

Or you can download one of the pics below and create your design in Photoshop.  Entries due by Friday, March 26th.

Let’s look at another example of a Gaming Addict by clicking below.

Next, watch a professor talk about why people get addicted to gaming.

Now, in your blog answer the following questions:

1. Why do you think someone becomes addicted to gaming?

2. Make up a list called  “5 ways to tell that you’re addicted to Gaming”.

–> Click HERE for NRodriguez’s Example

For the next few assignments we’re going to be thinking about how digital technology has changed our lives for the better and, possibly, for the worse.  Click HERE to watch a video about gaming addiction in South Korea.  Next, answer the following questions in your blog:

1. Do you think it’s possible to be addicted to gaming?  Why or why not?

2. What happens in treatment centers for gaming addiction in South Korea?

3. What were some differences you noticed between American culture and south Korean culture?

–> Check out TCedeno’s example by clicking HERE

I’ve got to admit, Island Schoolers have the coolest brains— you guys come up with the most random, funny, and interesting ideas.  Here’s your newest mission, should you choose to accept it:  Think up an invention no one else has thought of.   In your blog describe your invention.  What does it look like?  What does it do?  How will it make the world a better place?  Next, using Phostoshop or IMovie, show off your invention.

Click on some of the videos below for ideas.

Click on these names for examples:   GCalcano,  EColon, AValenzuela, BCastillo, SGreen, and JSalcedo

Using at least 3 cyberbullying poems created by you and your classmates, use Garageband to create an anti-cyberbullying song.  Feel free to work with a partner.  Ask Mr. Lahana for more info on how to do this if you’re interested.  Worth up to 30 points!   Click below for examples:

RBrown

NHernandez & GEscalara