Middle School Technology Highlights
Middle School "Paperless" Writing:
During the last five years, middle school English teacher Mr. Adamo has worked to implement a paperless writing program that focuses on interdisciplinary writing and group projects. Students have submitted writing that spans all core subject areas (math, science, social studies, English) and focuses on the revision process. Through the use of Google Docs, students at Iroquois Middle School compose, collaborate, revise, conference, submit and showcase their written work electronically. Each student also develops an individual website as a cumulative writing project.
Example of student revisions:
Sample of teacher comments:
"Media Wall" at Iroquois Middle School
Why are the fiction books suddenly flying off the shelves at Iroquois Middle School? Library/media specialist Steve Wolfort attributes this phenomenon to the new touch screen book kiosk that is the centerpiece of the school library’s new "Media Wall."
Wolfort had wanted a display area for new fiction books, but not the average school library display. "I wanted to make something that the students could really get excited about," he said. "This is pretty unique as far as libraries go."
The "Media Wall" consists of a large touch screen display where students can virtually scan through the newest, most popular, and recommended books of any genre. Touching any book cover on the display will bring up information about that book including the summary and student reviews.
Above the touch screen interface is a set of monitors displaying rotating slideshows of Iroquois student artwork, important announcements, upcoming events, WIRO (the school’s television station) segments, and book suggestions. WIRO students are responsible for updating the content on the monitors.
Copies of the latest fiction novels available in the library are featured on new shelving that surround the screens. Wolfort, who has a computer programming background, wrote the software for the book browsing display that integrates with the library catalog.
According to Wolfort, "a lot of blood, sweat and tears" were poured into the launching of the "Media Wall." "It is the result of a fantastic group effort from the Iroquois faculty," he said. "All of our hard work was worth it when we saw the kids’ faces the next morning," Wolfort said. "The students really enjoy using the new touch screen to find all of the latest and greatest books."
Science Probes in the Classroom
Van Antwerp 6th Grade Science
Lindsey Greene developed and implemented a project with her 6th grade science students using laptops, a digital camcorder and a "green screen". Students became news reporters researching significant geological disasters. Research was accomplished using building laptops, with Internet sources linked from the VA media center website. Students authored their individual role parts (reporter, scientist, or engineer), and inserted the information into a MS Word newspaper template. Students each decided upon a few sentences for an important "news brief" about their disaster. They recorded their short news briefs with the camcorder, and then used the green screen to import digital pictures behind them for a real news production feel! Here’s a sample of their work:
"In Nevado Del Ruiz, Colombia on November 14, 1985 a disaster took place. But how did it happen?
There is a weak spot in the crust of the earth where magma comes to the surface. This causes a volcano to erupt. Nevado Del Ruiz is a stratovolcano which means that it probably formed by two plates coming together and one sliding under the other. That makes more magma come to the surface.
After the volcano erupted, you could notice changes to the area. The top of the volcano was covered with pyroclastic flows and surges, melting 10% of the ice surface of the mountain. Pyroclastic flows are fast moving currents of gas and tephra. A Pyroclastic flow can be up to 1832 degrees farenheight. Surges are ring shaped clouds of gas and suspended solid derbis. Derbis is the remains of something destroyed. In some places, channels 100 m wide and 2-4 m deep were eroded into the ice cap."
By Hannah S. - "Engineer"
Using SmartBoards in the Classroom
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