Description
This elective course is open to 8th grade students. The course focuses on taking students deeper into the realm of technology. The course will include such topics as effective search strategies, website evaluation, web page creation, dissemination of information, creating and sharing information, video editing, commercial advertising, digital photography, and financial literacy.
Expectations
- Students will work individually and collaboratively to solve problems and complete projects.
- Students are expected to use all technology safely and appropriately.
- Students will gain a greater understanding of the power of the Internet and the need to evaluate information appropriately to solve problems.
Schedule
Week 1
Effects of Social Media on Society
- Students will research effects of social media on society, then create a project that presents their findings.
Week 2
Smarter Web Searching & Website Evaluation
- Students will learn Internet search strategies and be introduced to specialized search engines.
- Students will learn website evaluation strategies that will assist them in finding quality sources and weed out the bad information prevalent on the Internet.
- They will create a presentation that exhibits their learning.
Week 3-12
Video Editing
- Students will learn to edit videos and create movies using iMovie.
- They will collaborate with other groups to complete a mock-television broadcast which will be shown weekly.
- This project will be ongoing and be divided up between all three Tech 8 classes.
Week 4
Financial Literacy
- Resource: Life Scenarios by Banzai @ teachbanzai.com
- Students will work independently to complete a series of online financial literacy lessons.
Week 5-7
Entrepreneurial Project
- Resource: Sample project website - http://celloff.weebly.com
- After viewing a few videos highlighting products invented by kids, students will come up with their own invention.
- Students will design the product, figure anticipated production costs, and design a marketing plan to sell their product.
Week 8-12
Service Project (This unit is still in the developmental stages)
- Students will investigate various service projects that are available in the community or on a more global scale. They will then choose a project and plan and implement it.
Week 10-12
JOY Project
- Resource: Sample project website - http://omsjoyproject.weebly.com
- Students will work independently to create a web page containing text, photos, video, and a personal blog about the topic of finding joy in spite of life’s circumstances.
For more class information, please refer to the Tech 8 Resources page.