Tuesday - Musical Chairs & more blog work

Hi All,

Today we're going to spend the first part of the lesson having a bit of fun and creating some funny stories. First (that means now) you need to open the MS word program - you'll find the icon on your desktop. Next, click 'File' at the top of the screen, then 'open'. You want to look in the 'linespupil' drive, in a folder called 'musical chairs' and open the file called 'start here'.
Next - and this part is important - save your file in the same 'musical chairs' folder, but with a different name. To do this, click on 'file' again, then 'save as'. Use your name for the file name.
After all that, we're going to play a game where we write stories. It's called 'musical chairs'.

After playing musical chairs, we're going to spend the rest of the lesson working on your blogs. If you finished and printed a blogpost yesterday, then now is the time to edit your old post so that it's correct. You can also write a new post - how about telling us about your time so far here at Queenswood this week - how are your classes? The activities? The meals? Your rooms?. If you were here last week, tell us how this week is different. You can add photos if you have any. If you have any time left, spend it editing your own profile so that we can find out all about you.

Welcome to Lines, Week 3!

Hi guys!

Welcome to the new-look E-Comm lessons! We've made a lot of changes for this session, so don't expect anything to be the same!
Things to do today:

1. Sign up for a google/blogger account (for all students who don't have their own yet)
2. Start a new blog (for new students only)
3. Help your new friends start a blog (for old students)
4. Write a group blog post about blogging (see questions below)
5. Print any blog post you write to take to your classroom e-comm lesson to be corrected.

One thing that is the same, of course, is your blogs. If you already have a blog, you are going to keep writing to it in these two weeks as well. If you have just arrived, today's task is to start a new blog with your group. To do this, we want each person to sign up for a google account. (If you already have a google account or gmail address, of course you can use that.) To do this, you will need to go to the blogger start page and follow the instructions to sign up. You only need to create one blog per group, so choose one person to continue to step 2 & 3, which is where you create the actual blog. I will then help you to add everyone to your blog so that you can all write to the same one. Make sure you give the address to me, so I can see what you've created!
Once you have a blog to write on, you need to write one post together with your group. Think about the following questions:

• What is a blog?
• Why do people write blogs?
• What is the value of keeping an English learning blog?
• How can blogs help you learn English?

If you have time, you can write a second, individual post:

• Introduce yourself (new students)
• What are your goals for your stay at Lines? What do you want to acheive while you are at Queenswood?
• Anything else you want to talk about.

Apart from that, remember to have fun! Your blogs are for you to write your thoughts about learning, the school, the English language, the excursions and whatever else you want to say. We hope you will learn to enjoy the challenge of writing them everyday.

How to Create a Newspaper Page

Use MS Word to creat a page (or 2) that look like a newspaper or magazine page. Think about the type of writing that you usually find in newspapers and magazines:

• News articles
• Information articles (eg. travel, countries)
• horoscopes
• Personal Stories
• film, book, music, theatre or concert reviews
• Comic strips
• etc

You need to write your newspaper content in the classroom before you come to the computer class so that in the computer room you can concentrate on format and layout of your page.

Each page should have at least some of the following:

• collumns
• pictures
• a headline/title & subheadings
• a 'by' line (who is the article by?)

Ask your teacher if you have any questions, and of course, show us your work when it is finished!

How to edit a picture in MS Picture Manager

1. Use 'my computer' to find the file that you want to edit.
2. Select the picture, but don't open it yet.
3. Click on 'file' then 'open with' and then 'Microsoft Office Picture Manager'.
4. The picture and the progam will open. At the top, you can select 'edit picture' to compress, crop, resize etc.

How to Create a Link List

From your Blogger Dashboard (after you sign in):

1. Click on 'Layout'
2. Click on 'Add a Page Element' in the sidebar of your blog.
3. Find the 'Link List' option, and click 'Add to Blog'
4. Type a title for your list, such as 'Grisham Blogs' or whatever you like.
5. Don't worry about the number of links or sorting, but go straight to the 'url' and enter the url of the first blog you want to link to. It is easier to copy and paste so that you know it is exactly correct. (Remember you can use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl-C anc Ctrl-V to copy and paste!)
6. Type the name of the blog - this will be what you actually see in your sidebar.
7. Click on 'Add Link'
8. Repeat steps 5 & 6 for all the blogs in your class (but not your own, of course!)
9. Remember to click 'Save Changes' when you are done!

Blog Requirements

• A Visitor Counter
• A list of links to the other blogs in your class.
• Some photos
• Regular blog posts (every two days, at least)
• Comments and Word Verification enabled so that anyone can write you a comment.

And don't forget to email the address of your blog to your friends and family so that they can read it!

Blogs from Weeks 1&2!

Kat's Classes:
Big_Company of Queenswood
Bored People!
Butterflies
Cool People in Queenswood
EsFrItas!
KalGirls
L'Abe' at Queenswood
Our Two Weeks
Queenswood Gaming
RussiaGermany
Shorteck
Spanish-Germans
Summer 2007
Tancagabicar
The Queens of Queenswood
The WoodQueens
Three from Queenswood

Internet & Chat Acronyms in English

A: Hi ppl!
B: WB How RU?
A: Fine. BTW, howz things with your bf?
B: 2gether 4eva!
A: hey, wanna see a film l8r?
B: Can’t 2day. Tmrw?
A: Sure. Shrek3? Fred saw it, said ROFL!
B: ok, but IMO, spiderman will b more fun. KWIM?
A: brb
B: ok
A: b. Sorry. Phone
B: NP. I gtg anyway.
A: ok cul8tr!
B: hand.

Any idea what the conversation above is about? Can you translate it into 'normal' english? This dictionary site should help you. You should also ask Kat or Kamil for the puzzle page of frequently used acronyms. When you think you know them all, try to use as many as you can in an email (or blogpost), and then post it on your blog. Remember to show it to your teachers!

How to Upload Pictures in Blogger

1. First, make sure the picture that you want to upload is compressed, so the file is not too big. You can also crop it or edit it in MS Picture Manager.
2. Sign in to blogger as usual.
3. Start a New Post (or edit an old one).
4. Click on the tiny picture of a picture above the text box where you usually write your post .
5. In the new window that appears, click on "Browse", and find the file where the picture you want is saved.
6. When you have chosen your picture, click on the blue "upload image" button.
7. Wait for your picture to be uploaded, then click "Done"
8. Remember to click on the orange "Publish Post" when you have finished uploading your picture and typing your entry!

How to write a blogpost

1. Look at the top of this page for the orange square with a 'B' in it, and click on it. This is a link to the Blogger homepage.
2. You need to sign in. Use your username (your email address) and your blogger password.
3. When you sign in, you'll see the Dashboard. Click on the green cross that says "New Post"
4. Write the name of your post in the box next to "Title", and then write what you want in the big box underneath.
5. When you have finished, click "Publish Post" so that everyone can see what you have written!
6. After you have published, it should say "Blog Post Published Successfully!". You can click on "View Blog" at the top of the page to see it!

How to create pages in html using Microsoft FrontPage:

1. Open MS Front Page using the link on your desktop.
2. Create new pages: Click File / New to create new pages. All new pages appear at the top of the screen in tabs. At the bottom of the screen on the left you will notice a couple of other tabs, most importantly Design (allows you to create pages), Code (the actual html script for the pages), Preview (allows you to see the pages as they'll be seen in a browser).
3. How to change fonts: Make sure you are in Design mode. Click the font name you want at the top of the screen and its size. You can also center the text as well as any images and change their allignment (left/right).
4. Making a hyperlink: Go to Insert / Hyperlink and type the address of the website you want to link to. Make sure you select the text, image or any object before you make the link.
5. Inserting pictures: Go to Insert / Picture. You have a selection to make here: you may insert clipart, pictures from your hard drive or WordArt (artful-looking text).
6. Themes and backgrounds: Go to Format / Themes to choose from a selection of ready templates for your website. If you wish to be more ambitious and create your own template and want to incorporate your own background picture, choose Format / Background.
7. Be sure to check your spelling before uploading the html pages to a server. Go to Tools / Spelling to do that.
8. You may wish to put your content into a table. E.g. a gallery may be created using tables with each cell holding a different picture. Go to Table / Insert / Table to create one.
9. And above all, have fun! Be creative!

How to Create a Crossword

First, you need to choose enough words - about 20 is good - and write the clues for your crossword. You can do this in the classroom before you come to the computer room. Use the definitions that your class has made for the Computer terms dictionary, if you want, or choose a different topic: Lines Queenswood words? Any topic is ok.

Once you have a list of words and definitions:

• Go to www.puzzlemaker.com
• Click on the drop down menu that says 'choose other puzzles' and select 'criss cross'.
• Enter a title for your puzzle, and the size you would like (the standard sizes are fine)
• Type each word, followed by a space and then the definition. Type the next clue on the next line.
• When you are finished, click 'create my puzzle' and see the results! if you don't like the way it looks the first time, try clicking 'back' on your browser, and 'create my puzzle' again. It will probably be different each time!

Saving:

• To save your puzzle, you will need to select it all in the browser, and then copy and paste it to MS Word. Then save it in your folder like a normal Word document! Don't forget you can use 'Ctrl-C' and 'Ctrl-V' to copy and paste!

Powerpoint Presentation

Your presentation can be on a topic of your choice (see the list of suggestions on the Project Overview page). It should include the following things:

• At least 6 slides (not including the title!)
• Pictures
• Text
• Transitions between slides
• Animated text

You will present your completed slideshow to your class (which means you have to be able to talk about your chosen topic!). The best ones might be able to be shown at the Friday Night Leaving Ceremony and Entertainment Evening!

How to Create a Caricature

1. Go to http://www.magixl.com/heads/index.php , which is a website that will make it very easy for you to create your own caricature.
2. Choose Generator from the top of the menu on your left. Choose whether you want your image to be of a man or of a woman.
3. Click “Go”. Play with all the options on your right (skull, eyebrows, eyes, temples, etc.) until you get the image you want.
4. Now please scroll down the screen, fill out all the fields with necessary data (title, your email address, password) and click the Save This Caricature button.
5. You will be taken to a new page where you can either save your image (right click on it and choose Save Image As from the menu) or print it by clicking the print link below the picture.
6. Make sure you save your caricature to your folder.

How To Add a Visitor Counter

To add a visitor counter, you need to sign up to a site such as statcounter.com, which provides free visitor counters for websites. Once you have a counter, you can see how many people are visiting your blog and where they are from. To get started, just go to http://www.statcounter.com/ and click on "Register Now - It's Free (We promise!)". Follow the instructions to complete registration. Make sure you tick the box that makes your stats public, so everyone can see who is looking at your blog!

At the end of the registration process, statcounter will say 'here is your code'. You now have to add that code to your blog. Select and copy the entire code for the 'Visible Counter' so that you are ready for the next step.

To add the counter to your blog, you need to go to your dashboard, then click on 'Layout', then 'Add Page Element' in the place where you want your counter to appear. Find the element called 'HTML/Java script' and click 'Add to Blog'. Add a title if you want, and then paste the code from statcounter into the box, and click 'Save Changes'.

Your counter should now be visible when you view your blog!

If you have any problems, ask your teacher!

How to Create an A3 Poster

To prepare and print an A3 colour poster you first need to choose your topic. You can make a full colour advertisement of your blog, or if you have a different idea, as your teacher if it's ok.

1. Firstly, you need to prepare your document to be printed as an A3 page. Open Microsoft Word and go to File, in the top left corner and click on Page Setup. In the upper part of the window that opens you will find three tabs. One of them is Paper. Click it and choose Paper Size: A3. You can also choose if you want 'Portrait' or 'Landscape' orientation.


2. You should add some WordArt to your ad! Go to Insert then Picture and click WordArt, choose a style, and type the text you want. Remember to move to wherever you wish and drag its corners to make it larger or smaller


3. Do you want to change the background? Nothing simpler! Go to Format, click Background and choose the colour you want.


4. Add a picture or 3 to your page? Go to Insert / Picture and choose From File to locate the picture you want in your folder. Remember you can always choose to include ClipArt in your ads


5. Remember to preview your work of art before you print it! That can easily be done by going to File / Print Preview.


6. Have fun with your creations!

How to Create A Comic Strip

1. Visit www.wittycomics.com.
2. First you need an account so you can work with the website. Click login, and enter the necessary data to create a new account. You will need to check your email to get your password.
3. Once you have a password, go back to the Witty Comics website, choose Login from the menu at the top of the page, fill in your username and password and you may start!
4. Click the Make a Comic link at the top – this takes you to the page where you may create your comic.
5. For your project, you need to create at least 4 comics each consisting of 3 frames – this should be one continuing story. Each frame needs to have at least 2 full sentences in English.
6. Don’t forget to give your story a funny title!
7. And don't forget to Click Save when you're done!

How To Enable Comments and Word Verification

Everyone should make sure their blogs have visitor counters and link lists. Click on the links here or in the side bar if you don't know how to do this. You should also make sure that anyone can comment on your blog by going to 'settings', then 'comments' and changing the 'who can comment' box to 'anyone'. The only problem with this is that then robots can write advertising comments on your blog. To stop this, look further down the page for 'show word verification on comments' and change it to 'yes'.

Now you should send an email to your friends and family to ask them to read your blog everyday and write comments on it!

How To Create your Own Folder on the LinesPupil Drive

1. Go to 'Start' and then 'My Computer'
2. Open the 'linespupil' (N drive)
3. Click on 'Make a New Folder' on the left side of the window.
4. Type your name as the folder name.

From now on you should keep anything that you want to save, including all your projects from any class as well as anything you do during activities or free time, in this folder. You should also move anything you have saved in other places into your folder so that you can find it easily. This also keeps the drive tidy so we can all find the things we want.

Last Day?

Morning all!

Today is it! The last chance we have to finish our class projects. Here's the list of things to do today:

1. Finish all of the project - (this should only take part of the lesson)
2. Make sure your blog has everything on it that it should - a sitemeter and a link list, and maybe some photos! You can also sign up for your own blogger account - if you've been using someone else's email address, today is the day to create your own. Sign-up for a new blogger account, and then sign up to your old one, go to dashboard, settings, and click on the "permissions" tab. Invite yourself to be a contributor to the blog.
3. Write a blog post. This isn't a final blog post, because you can access your blog from home as well, of course, but it is the final one from Queenswood this year. Here are some questions to think about:

Blog inspiration questions:
Is this your last day here? Are you sad to go home? What is the first thing you will do when you get home? What have you been missing? Tell us all about it on a blog post!

And for everyone, whether you are going home or not, today is the day to think about what you have learnt so far, and how much you can learn in the next two weeks. For example:

What have you learnt in your time here at Lines - in classes, activities, excursions, and evertyhing else? What were the best parts? What were the worst? Have you made any good friends that you want to stay in touch with?

What did you like about computer classes? Can you suggest any ways that we can improve the program? What do you want to learn here? What do you think will be useful? How can keeping an english blog help you learn English?