Meeting Minutes Term 4 Week 8

Present: Jack, Julius, Madi, Libby
Apologies: Holly, Logan, Emma
Absent: Reed, Anthony

Agenda:

1. TWTs - how are they going? Only one session of photo sharing, a couple of blogging which is going well, four sessions for taking great photos.
   
2. Taking great photos - next step is to get the TWTs taking photos of things that are happening and sharing these to class blogs. Do some analysis of the quality of their photos.
   

FOS News

Here are the videos of FOS News that are now online:


You can provide feedback to the crew by filling in this form here...

Meeting Minutes - Term 4 Week 6

Present: George, Logan, Madi, Emma, Jack, Connor, Julius, Reed, Libby, Holly
Apologies: Anthony

Agenda:

1. Teaching Tips for TWTs - what do you do if you get more kids than you had expected? What about breaking them into groups so they are either doing different things or helping each other. Could you give them practice at teaching each other (get two to watch someone else teaching someone and then give them feedback).
2. FOS News - Logan and Connor to gather these Wed.
3. New Tool - http://ed.voicethread.com/ username and password emailed to you.
   

Fendalton Friends Chalk Challenge

Meeting Minutes - Term 4 Week 5

Present: Libby, Emma, Madi, Jack, Connor, Logan, Laura, Julius, Reed
Apologies: Holly, Anthony
Absent: George

Agenda:

1. Digital Safety - what does this mean at FOS? Being safe when using digital equipment, not searching for icons, doing things that improve your learning, when you go on a website if anything bad or inappropriate happens then what to do,treating equipment with respect and safely.
   
2. TWT programme -going really well. The TWTs are listening well. Remember that you are the leaders of this so assert yourselves if you need to.
   
3. FOS News - we are trying to get a copy of all news items from the whole year to put on the FOS youtube account. Connor and Logan started this. We need someone to take responsibility for this and they need to liaise with the Room 10 people. On Mondays (or after assemblies) they need to put the imovie into the Class iMovie Backup > FOS News.
   
4. Library & Sports Blog - getting all classes onto these two key blogs. Julius/Connor - how is the joining up of the classrooms to the library blog going?
5. Google Apps - every TWT will get their own FOS google account (if their parent agrees). This is something TWs may not get as they already have their own gmail account.

Actions:

• Rob to list which TWT is in which area and set up a checklist for the register of who turns up.
• Julius/Connor - identify a TWT to help you do the job of connecting classrooms to the library/sports blogs. Work with Rob next week to make the checklist.
  

TWT training - reflection

Today at teach wizard training we learned how to use iphoto and how to use the camera proply

Also I am learning alot when I do this so thankyou Mr Clarke and Teach wizards!!!!

by Hannah Room eighteen

TWT training

Today we learnt.
About sharing photos.
What great photos need.
What smart album are.


From John

TWT training

Today we learnt about sharing and about how to take good photos. I learnt about iphoto.

From Olivia. Rm 19.

TWT

today we went to TWT training and we learnt about iphoto and picasa.
by sophie

What I have learnt.

I have learnt:

how to take awesome photos

how to take photos from different angles

how to share photos.

By Sarah Kate

Meeting Minutes - Term 4 Week 4

Present: Libby, Madi, Connor, Reed, Laura, Jack, Emma
Apologies: Anthony
Absent: George, 

Agenda:

Touch base re: Tech Wizard Trainee programme - the first sessions on blogging have run really well. The TWT know what job they are doing and are really keen! This is because of your great leadership. Rob has met with them once and again tomorrow to check out the photos of great learning they have taken. Please remember to book in the daily notices when you are running your sessions to maintain momentum. 
Picasa and iPhoto use - a couple didn't know how to do this. Please see the tutorials for iphoto and picasa in the TW blog.
FOS News - it would be great to involve the TWs in the uploading of FOS News to the school youtube account. These movies will then go live to FOS Live!

Actions:
All - book in TWTs training sessions.
Rob - set up gmail accounts for all TWTs.

Feedback - set up of Team 8 class blog

Well done Julius and Reed on the set up of the Team 8 blog! It is off to a great start.

Next steps - can you please activate the picasa account and the google docs account for the Team 8 google account.

Once that is done, please email Rob the username and password the class uses (this is so we can keep it on file for future reference).

thanks and well done,
Rob

TWT Training Session - Photos

Here are the photos of the Tech Wizard Trainees for 2008:

Tech Wizard Trainee Meeting - Term 4 Week

Agenda:

1. Questions about the programme - Badges, emails, FirstClass accounts.
   
2. Responsibilities - all tech wizard trainees must let the person running their meeting know if they cannot make it for whatever reason.
   
3. Job Descriptions - every TWT will need to decide on a job they will take responsibility for. You will become an expert in the school for this area. It is tied in with our new school web site FOS Live.
   

Meeting Minutes Term 4 Week 2

Present: Jack, Holly, Connor, Libby, Reed,
Apologies: Laura, Madi, Emma, George

Agenda:

1. FOS Live - Rob shared how this links in with the TWT programme. Photo sharing, blogging and iPhoto are important skills for all teachers and kids at FOS because of this.
2. Tech Wizard Trainee Programme - Tech Wizards have been assigned to an area of responsibility for TWTs. Rob will be meeting the TWTs Wednesday to look at which job they want to learn more about and will take responsibility for. TWs need to follow up on actions below.
   
3. Training the Board of Trustees Monday evening - thank you to those who helped. Very positive session.

Actions:

• In the TW Spreadsheet in google docs - decide when they will run sessions with their group each week. This needs to be communicated via the daily notices and followed up. One person in the group needs to be the leader for this.
• Rob to set a meeting for all TWTs to get them thinking about what they want to do
  

Meeting Minutes Term 4 Week 1

Present: Jack, Laura, Holly, Julius, Connor, Logan

Absent: Libby, Madi, George, Reed, Anthony

Agenda:

1. Roster - thanks Holly and Laura for sorting this out.
2. Tech Wizard Trainee Programme - we've made another job description for blogging TWTs. This is to give the extra kids an opportunity. 
   
3. Training the Board of Trustees next Monday evening - please complete this form letting Rob know if you can make it. We start at 6pm with fish n chips (yumo) then about 1 hour workshop for the BOT members:

Meeting Minutes Term 3 Week 10

Present: Julius, Connor, Laura, Holly, Jack
Absent: Logan
Apologies: Anthony, Reed, George, Madi, Libby

Agenda:

1. iPhoto skills for the photo competition -
   
2. TWT Programme Update - if there are any changes to the rating of TWTs (1-3) these must be in by end of the day Thursday 25th. Who is running it and what are you doing to test their teaching and skills? Rob suggests test them on something you have taught them (eg. iPhoto skills) OR on something that could go wrong (don't make it so hard that they stress out though!).
   
3. Finish 2.55 to advertise photo comp to classes.
   

Meeting Minutes - term 3 week 9

Present - Jack, Connor, Reed, Anthony,
Libby, Madi, Laura, Holly, Emma, Logan.

Absent- George(explained)

1. Tech wizard training schedule
2. Next week decide who becomes Tech Wizards
   
3. 
   

Meeting Minutes - Term 3 Week 7

Present: Jack, Logan, Holly, Madi, Emma
Absent: R10, 7 and others

Agenda:

1. Google Docs - looked at saving a search within your google docs account. This is especially useful if you have loads of documents in there!
   
2. Tech Wizard Trainee Programme - thanks for your hard work in this, particularly Holly and Laura. A weakness in Jack/Laura responsible for notices and bookings for TWT programme so that the younger kids know when and where, plus who is running the session. Check with Holly if you are unsure of when you are booked in.
3. iPhoto skills - learned quickly how to make a quicktime movie from some photos in iPhoto. make sure that Titles, Keywords and Ratings are always showing in iPhoto

Next Meeting:
Not sure if it will be week 8 due to arts week, we'll play it by ear. Items to look at

Rob's Photography Tutorials

Photography Competition

Photography Tutorial

Photography Tutorials

Here are a number of videos from Rob's youtube account which have lots of photography tips in them:

Photography Tutorials

Meeting Minutes Term 3 Week 5

Present: Libby, Julius, Reed, Connor
Apologies: Anthony, Holly, Jack
Absent: Emma, Madi, George, Sam

Agenda:

1. FOS Live - Rob gave us a preview of the new school web site, called 'FOS Live'.
   
2. Book Week - Room 11 and 17 have contributed book reviews. This is going well. Julius and Connor remember to get other TWs to help you.
   
3. TWT Training - Libby is making progress on this.
   

Create a Book Review

Bartimaeus, The amulet of samakand

"The temperature of the room dropped fast. Ice formed on the curtains and crusted thickly around the lights in the ceiling. The glowing filaments in each bulb shrank and dimmed, while the candles that sprang from every available surface like a colony of toadstools had their wicks snuffed out. The darkened room filled with a yellow, choking cloud of brimstone, in which indistinct black shadows writhed and roiled."

Nathaniel is a young magician's apprentice, getting his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a horrible wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of everyone he knows, Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace who's boss. With revenge on his mind, he masters one of the toughest spells of all: summoning the all-powerful djinni, Bartimaeus. But summoning Bartimaeus and controlling him are two different things entirely, and when Nathaniel sends the djinni out to steal the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, Nathaniel finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of magical espionage, murder, blackmail, and revolt .

Set in a modern-day London spiced with magicians and mayhem, this extraordinary, funny, pitch-perfect thriller will dazzle anybody from year 1 to adult.

Verdict: 6/5

Tech Wizard Trainee Skills/Teaching Test

Here is where the details of the skills/teaching test will go.

More information to come soon.

Tech Wizard Trainee Training Schedule

Libby, Emma and Laura are responsible for this schedule. Please direct all questions to them.

Meeting Minutes Term 3 Week 3

Present: Julius, Connor, Anthony, Holly, Madi, Libby, Jack, Logan
Absent: Laura
Apologies: Sam

Agenda:

1. Book Reviews - how are they going? Next steps.
2. Tech Wizard Trainee Programme - checking out the application process, organising schedule for training meetings.
3. Next Meeting - TWT training programme, Arts Week Photo Competition.
   

Actions:

• All - decide whether you'd like to be responsible for different groups of Tech Wizard Trainees. This will involve you mentoring them, supporting them to learn the skills they need, plus ensuring they are following through on bookings made.
  
• George, Sam and anyone else who have not yet published their book review please do so by next week.
• Book Reviews - Julius and Connor are responsible for this. You guys need to get onto the library blog and learn how to invite others to it (ie. each classroom)
  
• TWT Meeting Organisers - Emma, Laura and Libby responsible for this. Please make up the roster in the TW spreadsheet and then email to Rob. Once that is done I will link it up to the TWT post so the kids know what is happening and when. You guys will also need to put in notices into the Daily Notices advertising these training sessions.
• Rob to meet with candidates to go through process, plus put into notices the link for applications.
  

Tech Wizard Trainee Applications

We currently require five year 3, 4 and 5 students to become Tech Wizard Trainees. These positions are for special jobs in the school that tie in with wider improvements. Successful candidates will have special responsibilities across the school and will be involved in various special occasions - for example Book Week and Arts Week.

Following are the steps for Tech Wizard Trainee Applications:

1. Read the following job descriptions for becoming a Tech Wizard Trainee and decide which job you would like to apply for.
   
2. Complete the application form. Applications close at 2.29pm Tuesday 19th August ready for the Tech Wizard meeting.
   
3. Attend a series of lunchtime meetings and training sessions run by the Tech Wizards.
4. Download, print and complete the Tech Wizard Rubric yourself, with a friend and then get your teacher to complete it also.
5. Go through the rubric with one of the Tech Wizards and then give it to Rob.
6. Pass a teaching others and skills test. This test will cover things learned during the training meetings.
   

Tech Wizard Trainee Application Form

When filling in this form, make sure you click the 'submit' button at the bottom!

Tech Wizard Trainee Job Descriptions

This year we have the following places available:

Claudine at St Clares Book Reveiw by Emma

Claudine at St Clares is a book written by Enid Blyton who is one of my favourite authors. It is a book mainly about Claudine and the twins, Pat and Isabel who are in the forth form. Claudine comes to St Clares, which is a boarding school, from France which makes her very good at sewing.

Her aunt, Mam'zelle, is the french teacher at St Clares, thinks that Claudine will be very lonely and shy at St Clares but Claudine is quite the opposite. She is very daring, she once locked Matron in the games closet, with the lacrosse sticks and all that. She hates and detests water but she let herself fall in to soak and punish a mother who offended Mam'zelle and looked down at St Clares.

Claudine doesn't care what she does really so she often gets in trouble. She loves doing sewing and getting out of games and usually the punishments are something to do with laundry and not getting to swim or play tennis.

When Claudine locks Matron in the cupboard she gets out of games for a week! Pat and Isabel also have to help the other 3 new girls settle down.
Claudine at St Clares is quite an exciting book and I give it 10/10

Meeting Minutes Term 3 Week 2

Present: Libby, Emma, Madi, Reed, Anthony, Sam
Apologies: Room 14 on cycle safe
Absent: George

Agenda:

1. Book Reviews - putting your book reviews online and inserting an image into it. Recording your book review using FirstClass podcasting (check the Web Publishing folder in your class.
2. Tech Wizard applications - start next week, which means we all need to organise the schedule for training.
   

Actions:

• All - please complete your book reviews, insert an image and podcast it in your class podcast account.

Secret Seven on the Case of the Missing Necklace By Enid Blyton - Book Review by Connor

This is a very cool book that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The main characters in this story are six children and a dog. They are all friends who love an adventure.

The story is set in and around a huge mansion owned by an old lady. This is where the pearl necklace goes missing. The secret seven visit the old mansion and find out that the necklace was missing.

They decide to try and find the necklace. They find some unusual prints in the grass beside a 5 metre high wall. When they follow the prints it leads them to wall and beyond into a big forest. They carry on trying to find the necklace and end up in a circus. They discover the owner of the unusual prints and eventually solve the mystery of the missing necklace.

You will enjoy this because it is a book that you just can't stop reading once you have started it.

By Connor Gooch

The Encyclopedia of immaturity, how to never grow up. By Logan Freeman

The Encyclopedia of immaturity is a fantastic book witch is full of jokes and fun activity's that will defiantly make you laugh.
In this book it teaches you how to read adults minds, also in this book there is a gizmo that can test if your friends are really dead or alive .
one of the coolest thing is tells you how to take your head off YUCK but cool.
Lots More really cool and fun things in this book.
this is one of my all time favorite books.

Groosham Grange Book review by Reed

Groosham Grange by Anthony Howowitz

Groosham Grange is a really good book its about a boy called David, David gets expelled from his old school then he gets send to Groosham Grange. At Groosham Grange you only get one day off a year . the French teacher disappears every full moon. And new pupils have to sign there names in blood! This book is for kids 10 years old. I rate Groosham Grange 9.5/10

Janie Olive book review by Libby

Janie Olive is a book about a girl who is bad cook who tricks her mum into thinking shes a good cook. When her mum tried Janies chicken tikialsa she thought it was brilliant but janie really bought a ready meal!!! Her mum loved Janie's fake cooking so much that she applied her in
a live cooking show with Harry Dee a pro cook!! OH NO

Book Review

Harry Potter and the deathly hallows By J.K Rowling

This last book in the Harry Potter series is in my opinion the most exciting and adventurous book in the series. The plot is that Harry has to find all seven horcruxes in order to defeat Lord Voldemort. This book is a must for everyone.

By Madi.

Kensukes Kingdom Book Review by Holly

Kensuke's Kingdom is a great book . I extremely enjoyed the part where Michael ( The boy who ends up on the island) first saw Kensuke and thought it was quite funny as he thought Kensuke was a orangutan. I enjoyed all of Kensuke's Kingdom. The first part of the story is about how Michael has a great life living with his parents when suddenly his parents work has to get shut down and his father decided that they would live on a boat called the Peggy Sue and would travel around the world!As they travel around the world, Michael falls over board with his dog Stella and they get dragged into a island. Someone keeps putting food on top of their cave and they don't know who. They find out that it was a man called Kensuke. Michael and Kensuke tell each other about their life and how they ended up on the island.Michael eventually gets found by his family and carries on going around the world! If you want to find out more get Kensukes kingdom out from the library today! Age guide 8+

By Holly Cochrane, Rm 14

Night Rise

Night Rise is Anthony Horowitz's latest power of five book. Two telepathic twins Scott and Jamie are only performers at a circus up until they start having weird but vivid dreams and most of all finding out they're "one of the five" and embark on a super dangerous quest to stop the evil old ones and meet up with the rest of the five. Anthony keeps this book exciting with humor horror and violence. I recommend this book to the age of 10+. I rate this book 9/10.

By Anthony G

Meeting Minutes Term 3 Week 1

Present: George, Libby, Madi, Jack, Connor, Reed, Julius, Laura, Emma, Sam, Anthony
Apologies: Logan

Agenda:

1. Roster - sorted well thanks Holly. Can you please make sure that different people are rostered onto school assemblies? It is okay to put 3 tech wizards on duty.
2. Tech Wizards Photos - please upload your photos using iPhoto by going to File > Export > Picasa > username of google@fendalton.school.nz and the password Rob gave you. Make sure you upload it to the Tech Wizard Photos album. This is homework, please make sure you follow up on this so we can make you famous.
   
3. Term Overview - this term has got three big school wide events which I'd like to encourage you to be involved in - book week, arts week and FOS Olympics.
   
4. Book Week - Tech Wizards will all be contributing book reviews to the library blog and organising to gather book reviews from every classroom to place onto the library blog. Who would like to be the Tech Wizards responsible for this?

Actions:

• All - Please negotiate with your teachers to do the book review as a homework task for reading. This is in preparation for book week. Once you have contributed one review in text form (with your picture also) think about multimedia ways to do this.
• Laura/Sam/Emma - are responsible for the roster for the Tech Wizard training. Applications will start next week. We will have a certain number of tech wizard positions available as per the tech wizard spreadsheet.

The many adventures of Tom Sawyer

The many adventures of Tom Sawyer is a popular book first published in 1879. I enjoy this book because it was made about 100 years ago and the character says things like "this bible must have at least cost 6 cents!" It gets interesting when the author introduced a character which was a slave boy. It is a bit hard to understand because of the language they used. Other then that it is a great story.

Verdict: 4.99999999/5

This book review is by Julius.

QuickTip > FirstClass > Web Publishing

Here is a good online tutorial showing you how to use the web publishing option in FirstClass.

Click here to go to this tutorial...

This is an excellent way to record your learning because it is quick and easy. Items recorded go directly onto the web if you link the podcast up to your class web site.

Google Docs Blog

Here is the link to the google docs blog, heaps of great tips here!

Meeting Minutes Term 2 Week 8

Present: George, Holly, Logan, Connor, Emma, Madi, Julius, Sam, Jack, Laura, Reed
Apologies: Anthony
Absent: Libby

Agenda:

1. Using Terminal for things - use spotlight for finding things, as Terminal is not a programme children are allowed to use. Do not use this programme . (Command or Control-Space is the shortcut for Spotlight).
   
2. Other people wanting to be Tech Wizards - no sorry, a number of reasons: Younger tech wizards makes the programme better and benefits the school more.
3. Tech Wizard training - we need Tech Wizards to train TW applicants, bear in mind your other commitments when deciding to do this.
   
4. Getting your photos and putting them into the Tech Wizard web page on the FOS site.
5. Skype for Tech Wizards - next time...
   

Tech Wizards Meeting Minutes Term 2 Week 6

Present: Connor, Logan, Julius, Sam, Anthony, Reed

Apologies: George, Holly, Jack
Absent: Madi, Emma, Libby

Agenda:

1. Learning to use the large sound system
2. screen sharing - please only use for learning related purposes.
   

You are all amazing!!

A big thank you to Julius and George for helping me set up Team 12's web page. I became very confused when it came to uploading the class pages. Luckily, i had the wonderful George and Julius to teach me what to do. You both showed me step by step exactly what to do. You both have wonderful teaching skills. You saved me a lot of time and stress! Again, THANK YOU!
Miss Kennedy

Meeting Minutes Term 2 Week 5

Present: Julius, Sam, Jack, Holly, Laura. This meeting was online using FirstClass chat (which didn't work that well sorry) and google chat.

Agenda:

1. Did you see the lovely feedback from Mrs Holland? You made a difference to her! Well done.
   
2. Tech Wizard Job Descriptions 2008 - Rob is about to advertise for some Year 3, 4 and 5 Tech Wizards. The way to make it manageable is to give them particular jobs to do. He has started an area in the TW Spreadsheet for this purpose, which has the Job Title, Job Description, Key Tasks in it.
3. We spent time brainstorming what would go into each of these jobs.
4. New Tech Wizards may not automatically get a FirstClass account.
   
5. Thank you to those who put in the best time for them to meet, it stays at Tuesday 2.30-3pm each week.
   

Next Meeting Agenda:

• Advertising process for Tech Wizard Trainees - what happens, etc.
• Your skills - what would you like to learn?

Meeting closed at 2.55 so you can pack up your classrooms.

A HUGE Thank-you...

I need to say a massive thank you to Jack and Laura (Rm 14) who helped me out today. I was panicking about using the technology for Rm 19's assembly on Fri and Jack and Laura gave up their lunchtime to set up the data show and sound system. Jack was also a great problem solver and found a solution as the big sound system wasn't working.
The Tech Wizards are ACE!!! Such a good idea to help out teachers!
Thank you to Reed and Anthony who tried really hard to get things working this morning - I really appreciate you trying. They also helped clear away all the stuff at the end of school even though they were not on the roster!
FAB team players!
I'll keep my fingers crossed that it will all work smoothly on Friday!

mission to Mars day two!

Positives
Andrea learnt a lot of new things today
The 3D warehouse was a big help!
Sketchup was hard but FUN!
It was fun making skecthup!
James learnt what Earth has that Mars hasn't.
Luka foound out how to import things into the 3D warehouse
Building things in sketchup for mars.
We had another fun day
The tech wizards were helping out well, really good at explaining how it worked, they are smart, whenever there was a problem they could help solve it
they are nice people, they didn't get angry if we didn't know something, they were good at teaching us how to use the programmes.
Minus -
Sketchup was hard to use and you had to wait for things to load.
Couldn't always get things to work
People have destroyed the EARTH! Bother!

Mission to mars

Positive+

Learning the different programs

Sketchup

Facts about mars

I can now teach my class how to use sketchup

People were brilliant to work with, Mr Stokes looks forward to working with them tomorrow.

Had a great day

Can't wait for tommorow

Negative

Computers were sluggish

Kids Congress Evaluation Day 1

Here are some of our thoughts about how it went day one. Rob decided to change how he was doing this as everyone looked quite tired! That is why this appears unfinished.

Positives:

• using google earth to look at different countries (Jack)
  
• It was fun to use sketchup.
• Google earth was quite different.
• The participants didn't need constant support, they got on with their job.
  

Improvements for tomorrow:

• None recorded
  

Feedback for Tech Wizards:

• If you couldn't do something they could help you.

Meeting Minutes Term 2 Week 3

• Meeting started really late so we didn't get any time for new learning. Solution - Rob to book in Tech Wizards on duty to set up datashow/laptops prior to meeting start each week.
• Please put in the Tech Wizard spreadsheet in google docs which day you prefer for our meeting now that FPS has changed days (has to be either Monday or Tuesday).

Kids Congress Organisation: click here for planning, who is going in which car, etc.

• Time to leave school- check the list for whose car you are going in. Be at school no later than 8.10 ready to get to Hoyts Entrance of Science Alive by 8.40am.
  
• Full school uniform both days. 
• Bring your lunch.
• You will leave Science Alive at 2.45 each day to get back to school by 3pm.

Links to Class Blogs and Wikis

Here are the links to our class web sites, whether they be blogs or wikis:

• Room 14 - blog
• Room 9 - blog
• Room 17 - blog
• Room 15 - wiki
• Room 19 - blog
• 
  

Kids Congress Preparation

This meeting is for all Tech Wizards who want to attend Kids Congress next week. If you cannot make it it is essential that you follow through and catch up in your own time. Planning is on this document: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhhbb9zb_60gtzj4fd5

The Kids Congress site is here...

Agenda:

1. Your role at the Kids Congress - support the learning of the group.
2. Organisational stuff (permission letter, transport, collection from Science Alive, equipment, technology 2 go for the weekend).
3. Run through the plan with Toby and Rob.
4. Pre-requisites for Tech Wizards to attend (learning SketchUp and Google Earth, teaching skills). Tech Wizards who do not know how to use SketchUp and Google Earth by the end of this week cannot come sorry.
5. SketchUp tutorial & Google Earth tutorials - time to learn the skills.

Key Downloads:
All this software is freely available for mac or pc. Please remember to check with your parents before downloading/installing at home though (it just makes life easier!).

1. Google Earth - download here...
   
2. SketchUp - download here...
   

Key SketchUp Tutorials:
Key Concepts for using SketchUp (orbit, zoom, pan):


Drawing shapes:


Using the modify tools:


Create a chair (some more advanced tools):


Selection tools:


Once you have completed these tutorials, choose a minimum of 5 from this list (they will take you to youtube):
Paint Bucket - Components - eraser - rectangle - lines - circle/polygons -
arcs - move - rotate - text & 3D text - walk

Key Google Earth Tutorials:
Navigating the globe in version 4.3:


Sky Mode:


Read the document: 5 Easy, Cool things you can do in Google Earth...
Making movies with google earth...


There are many tools to learn in SketchUp and Google Earth, if you want the more try these:

• SketchUp Video Tutorials
• Google Earth Tutorials

Meeting Minutes Term 2 Week 1

1. Kids Congress Week 3 Thurs/Fri - Please get yourself on this google doc (using your blogger login/password) and decide which workshop you'd like to help lead. Next week and week 3 will focus on the skills you need to help out in these workshops
2. Tech Wizard Roster - we still have the same problem of people who promise to do the roster not following through and completing it. Solution from Connor - two TWs are responsible for this and are booked in each week to complete it (thank you Laura and Holly for doing this every Monday). We will use the Tech Wizard google doc spreadsheet for this. Rob has emailed you an invite to this document. To find out more about google docs, check this video:
   
3. Other Business - anyone who does not have their blog account going, and is on the TW blog, has until the end of this week to solve this problem. Two of you have no FirstClass for a while as you both left the pod outside the office for others. This is not good enough lads.

Actions:

• Rob - invite all TWs to the TW Spreadsheet google doc. (done)
• All - accept the invitation to the TW spreadsheet and enter in when they are available each day for Laura/Holly.
• All - get onto the Kids Congress google doc and decide which workshop they want to be involved in.
• All - learn the essential skills of Google Earth and SketchUp by following the online tutorials. This must be done by the end of this week to ensure you can come to the conference.
  
• Laura/Holly - complete TW Roster. Let Rob know if they have any problems.
  
• George/Reed/Anthony - problem solve to get themselves going with blogger by the end of this week.
  

Supporting Teacher Learning

Congratulations to the Tech Wizards who helped some of the senior team in the holidays. What you do is important work that will help future children at Fendalton School!

Rob

Ethical use of email

If you find any movies like those ones you should keep them to yourself and maybe only show them to people who ask you to find scary movies etc. Why were they sent anyway? I just deleted them because I was in a rush.

Emma

Ethical use of email

It was realy silly of the person to send those scary movies around because it is realy unrelyable because it is not the reason to use a firstclass acount for. We are Yr 6s so we should no do it.

Laura

Julius's Website

Website still underway, here is the link.

Tech Wizard Meeting Minutes Term 1 Week 10

Your Learning - Please learn how to set up a podcast inside your class FirstClass Web Publishing folder. Then:

1. View it in a browser (which means it is online).
2. Record 3 pieces of writing from this year as podcast episodes.
   
3. Copy the URL and send it to the Tech Wizard blog as a link.
   

Kids Congress is happening in term 2

Digital Safety - please act on the blog request so Rob can enable your email again?

Other Business - Rob has enabled the ability for all Tech Wizards to change their FirstClass passwords.
Please remember to use the Reply to Sender part when replying to emails.

Techie Brekkie - Term 1 Week 9

This weeks techie brekkie has these options for you to choose from:

1. Podcasting using FirstClass - by using the Web Publishing folder to create a podcast, you can easily create a podcast which is instantly published online. This podcast folder can be linked to your class web site by copying the URL (address) and creating a hyperlink to this folder. Click here for quite a good tutorial on this.
   
2. Embedding a Picasa slideshow into a web page using iWeb, Wetpaint or Blogger
   
3. Organising photos using iPhoto - this is an important set of skills! Learn how to use Batch Change for changing many photo titles at once, as well as how to make a Smart Album. Check these tutorials: Adding titles and keywords to photos - Creating an album (esp. smart albums) - Finding Photos

The most important set of skills revolve around the use of iPhoto to organise and title photos. Once photos are organised using keywords, they are easily sorted into smart albums. This allows you to easily

Picasa Web Albums:

Embedding Multimedia in a blog:

sorry guys it was me that sent the emails i didn't know it wold ofend anyone know one told me everyone said cool videos find some more sorry again it wont happen agian

Logan

E-mails

I agree I think that whoever was sending around those movies should have thought about it first and it was bit irresponsible. I never actually watched one of those movies myself . I think that people shouldn't send them around and if they do people shouldn't open them up and watch them because we are kind of like role models to the school.

-Holly

Ethical Use Of Email

I watched one of those movies thinking they would be funny but they were a bit inappropriate and not to funny.I also think that tech wizards isn't about sending emails with links to weird you-tube videos that have nothing to do with helping someone or that help people learn more about tech tips & stuff like that. I thought tech wizards e-mail addresses were privileges for sending emails about tech wizard things.
Thanks
Jack

Sensible use of technology

I agree, I think that techwizards can misuse technology and abuse the fact that they have certain privileges compared to another regular student, but, I won't believe for one second that any of the techwizards will ever try to hurt somebody on purpose using technology. I think that if anybody will like to do things that they can't at school (e.g Download applications that they have not got permission for) then they can do it at home, with the exeption of offending anybody, this will prevent any school computers from being damaged.

I think we should keep inside our head always these questions: Will I possibly offend someone with this?, is this sensible?, by doing this, am I staying within the digital safty agreement?

This is very interesting! I received an email with an attachment that initially made me worried. When I opened the attachment I was relieved to see that it wasn't inappropriate. However it made me realise that the tech wizards now have the opportunity to send 'silly' things and maybe even inappropriate things through their email accounts. 

My question to you TWs is " What do you think is inappropriate?" 

Ethical Use of Email

I have noticed that one of the Tech Wizards has been sending emails which are slightly inappropriate. These emails have been sent to all the Tech Wizards recently. I am unsure if anyone did anything as a result of this, which is against our Digital Safety Guidelines.

Please remember that having a FirstClass account of your own is a privilege. With privileges come responsibilities. You are the models for other children at Fendalton School.

As a result, I've temporarily disabled all Tech Wizard email access. I will reinstate email once every Tech Wizard has done some reflecting on this issue, using the questions below to guide your thinking:

1. What was done that was not ethical? Why is it not ethical?
   
2. What did I do that either helped or didn't help?
   
3. What would I do differently next time?

Once all Tech Wizards have made comments on this post, then email will be reinstated.

चंगिंग जिंग्स ऑउत्पुत फोर्मट्स

Meeting Minutes Term 1 Week 8

1. Rob shared Julius' screencast tool, check Rob's reflection for more information on using Jing.
2. We checked who can access the Fendalton Tech wizards Blog. It is everyone's responsibility to ensure they are on this blog. This is where we will keep minutes and all other item relating to Tech Wizards.
   
3. We looked at the tech wizards roster & learnt how to change how we put someone on it so it notifies them a day before there on, plus has the phone number of their classroom.
   
4. We discussed that if the teacher of the class doesn't need any tech wizards because they already have tech wizards in there class that can do it. We said yes but the tech wizards in that class must tell the people who are on the roster.

Next week focus on:

• Team assembly setup - sound system, datashow
• Screencasting - Julius
• iPhoto photo sharing - setting up your class iPhoto with a Top Shots albums
• 
  

Reflection - Screencasting

Today I learned how to create a screencast using a piece of software called Jing. Thanks Julius for showing me this, I think it could be extremely useful. Here is my first screencast:

Julius learnt also...

I learnt how to put a Ligit search engine onto my blog!!

Julius learnt...

• I learnt how to bullet points like this
  

1. And I learnt how to put a number thingimujinghi on

I learnt how to make a poll!

What I leart today logan

Today i taught some people how to get a blogger account

madi's reflection

Today at school we learnt how to use and create an account on blogger.
I enjoyed it because blogger is an awesome site to work with and has help signs anywhere you go on it.

I learnt to make a blog and custumize my blog

What I Learnt (Jack)

Today I Learnt how to access the Tech Wizards Blog & make a post.

Every meating we wright what we learnt.

I want to know how to access my FC Acount From home.

Jack W  

Emma's Reflection

Today I learned how to create a blogger account. I also learned why you have to type in the letters you see when making an account on the internet.

Emma

Today I learnt how to make a blogger account. I enjoyed learning how to get a blogger account and seeing what there is on blogger. 

Holly

Meeting Minutes - Term 1 Week 7

Today we looked at setting everyone up with a Blogger account so they can contribute to the Tech Wizard blog. Remember:

• You are bound by the FOS Digital Safety Guidelines when using these tools.
• Don't record your last name anywhere.
• Be ethical at all times.

Your challenge:

1. Set yourself up with a Blogger account.
2. Get Logan, Libby or Rob to invite you to contribute to it.
3. On your own blog (go to Dashboard), make sure you have selected 'image verification' for commenting.
4. Write a blog post in the TW blog describing what you've learned today.
5. Read this link on using labels, which is a crucial blogging skill!
6. Once you've done that, have a play with YOUR blog, with changing the Layout > Adding Page Elements.

Meeting Minutes Term 1 Week 6

Here are the items we covered during our meeting today:

Assembly Setup - 

1. Setting up power cables - put the multibox on the end of the extension lead.
2. Setting up the sound system - volume controls (using someone to help check sound levels from the back of the hall), plugging in the mike, mixing volumes of mikes/computer and controlling the main volume.
3. Setting up datashow - get the datashow set up in relation to the screen first (before plugging into the computer), fixing keystone/focus/zoom, plugging in dongles safely. Checking Displays settings in the System Preferences.

There is a google doc with a checklist on it here, this shows you almost everything you'd ever want to know when setting up assembly. It was written by Daniel Coats last year.

iPhoto sharing - see the Techie Brekkie post for a movie about using Picasa photo sharing.

Next week's meeting agenda:

1. Checking everyone knows how to use the roster.
2. Joining the Tech Wizard blog.
3. How to use the TW blog.
4. Photosharing using iPhoto.

Techie Brekkie - Term 1 Week 5

Here is the video of what was covered at the Techie Brekkie for staff last week. We looked at:

1. Setting up a Picasa account for your class (using your room FirstClass account).
   
2. Learning to use iPhoto to export a photo into this Picasa album.

Here are links to various iLife08 tutorials for you. I've linked to what I see as the most important things to know in each application:

• iPhoto - organising photos using albums, adding titles, descriptions, ratings and keywords, using search to find photos, 
  
•