Year 8 Completion of Websites

Today is the last lesson to finish your websites. Make sure that you try to include the following skills that we have learnt in your work (watch video tutorials on our blog if you do not understand):

• Link to external website
• Link to one of your own pages
• Change the background of your website
• Embed images
• Embed GIF files
• Embed YouTube videos
• Buttons to your homepage

 

Embedding YouTube Videos to your Website

Today, I'd like you to attempt to embed a YouTube video to your website. To generate the code to embed the video you should click on the link below:

Embed Code for YouTube

Watch the tutorial below for further instructions:
 

Adding GIFs to your Website

A GIF file is not a video but is a moving image. They can look quite effective if you add them to your website. Watch the tutorial below to see how it is done and then continue working on your websites:

 

Year 7 - 15 minute Podcast

You have 6 lessons to complete a 15 minute podcast. You now have the skills to complete this and to make it sound as professional as possible. Be sure to:

• Have a theme for your podcast
• Use sounds, music and voiceovers
• Use different layers to ensure there are no gaps
• Cut stuff that you do not need
• Use all 6 lessons to edit and perfect the podcast
• Use jingles!

I have noticed that some people have been recording music by holding the microphone to the headphones. Try to avoid doing this as the sound quality will not be good. It would be much better to get the song you want on your podcast saved as an mp3 file on a USB stick. You can then bring that to school and upload it to Audacity (much like I did with the Arctic Monkeys song which you can use in the shared area if you wish).

Remember to have a plan and a script. You do not have to use the script word-for-word but it will help you to remember what you need to talk about in each section of your podcast.

Creating a Banner for your Website

There are hundreds of websites where you can make an eye-catching banner for your website. Type 'free banners' on google to find a site yourself or click the link below to use the same site that I used in the video:

www.123-banner.com

You could also use this website to make an effective banner:

http://www.flashvortex.com/

 

Year 7 Podcasting - Last chance to experiment with Audacity

Today you have one last chance to experiment with Audacity before we start our actual Podcasting project.

The video tutorials below will show you how to open a previous file. How to insert audio from the web and how to upload an mp3 file/song that you have saved.

Try to use these skills today so that when you need to do them for your project, you will be able to complete them with ease. Also, feel free to watch the video tutorials from last week for more basic instructions:

How to open a previous file




How to insert audio from the web




How to upload an mp3 file/song that you have saved
 

Year 7 Introduction to Audacity

Today we are going to be looking at the basics of Audacity. Audacity is a piece of sound editing software which we can use to make a podcast. It is free to download so if you wish to use it at home, then feel free to download it.

Below are links to resources that will help you to navigate your way around Audacity. I have also included some video tutorials to help you. Please watch them carefully.

Audacity User Guide

Podcasting - Key Words

 

 

Video Tutorial 1 

 

 

Video Tutorial 2

 

You will not be starting your actual project today. Instead, you must work with a partner and experiment with the following:

 

• Recording sound
• Adding multiple sounds
• Saving your file
• Playing your file

Template for your websites

If you'd like to use a template that I have made for your website, you can download it by clicking on the link, press download, and save into your documents. You can open it as a website or 'left-click' Open With > Adobe Dreamweaver.

When you click the link, you will also see some buttons that you may find useful for your websites. If you want to use them, save them to your pictures first.

Click Here

I have included sound in the video tutorials, made them much shorter and easier to follow. Work your way through them below using headphones if you need them:

How to open a previous file and edit on Dreamweaver:
 

Using my Template on Dreamweaver:
 

Using my Pictures on Dreamweaver:
 

Inserting Images on Dreamweaver:
 

Changing the Background of your Websites:
 

Inserting an external link to another website on Dreamweaver:
 

Year 8 Work for Week Beginning 17th November

This week, we will begin to build out website using a programme called Dreamweaver. Before you start, think carefully about what you would like your website to be about. Remember, your site must have multiple pages that you will link to. Here are some ideas:

• Your favourite things
• Countries of the world
• Football Teams (Club or International)
• Ultimate team (different pages on 'dream teams' from the different leagues around the world)
• Celebrities

The videos below are tutorials that I have made to help you through the process. There is no sound to the videos so you will have to watch them very carefully; pausing them and going back to see things again. These videos should teach you enough to start building your website and to create multiple pages for your site:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 7 - Existing Hardware and software that can be used for podcasting

The equipment that is needed to make a basic podcast

 

·         A simple podcast without any effects only needs a basic microphone and a recorder.  A speaker, or headphones, is needed only to play back the recorded audio to check for errors.

·         An audio editing software is not necessary, however, if mistakes are made, the entire audio would have to be rerecorded.

·         Some mp3 players could be used.

·         Most smart phones are capable of recording good quality audio.

·         Most computers, laptops or tablets now come equipped with audio recording capabilities.

·         There are many apps available for smart phones and tablets to add effects to recorded audio.

·         There are online audio editing products.

 

Task 1

Podcasting can even be achieved without a microphone and a recorder.  There are many free text-speech websites that could be used to create a podcast if you are desperate.  Your task is to use one of these websites to create a very short podcast then analyse the quality and effectiveness of the podcast.  Below are examples of questions that you can ask (yourself) when evaluating the podcast.

·         How good is it?  Did it sound professional?

·         What were the positives and negatives of the podcast?

·         What would you have liked to add to the podcast to make it more interesting or effective.

The website http://www.fromtexttospeech.com/ can be use.  It creates the audio file and you are able to download it as an mp3.

 

 

Task 2 – explore some online editors – complete for home learning if necessary.

Explain to students that there are quite a few online applications and mobiles apps that can do basic sound editing.  Some of these editors are capable of creating products that approaches professional quality.  They should then explore some of these online editors.  If any student has any audio editing mobile app, they can review that app.

 

Use this document to record your findings.

 

Students must explore at least two online sound editing software.  Click here for some links to online audio editors.  More can be suggested or students can find more.  They must comment on the:

·         Features of the software

·         ease of use

·         audio files supported

·         give a 1 – 5 starts rating

·         write a short summary on the software

Year 8 - Thursday 13th November

You must copy the text perfectly for your website to work!

Watch the tutorial from last week again if you wish. Also, watch the tutorial from today again if you would like to work at a slower pace:



Click here to find the html codes for all the different colours you can use

Year 8 - Thursday 6th November - Introduction to HTML

Watch the screencast made by Mr Bidwell below. If you have headphones, you can watch this again and pause to work through it at your own pace. You can then work your way through the activities below. The first is a review of one of a website. Choose something popular which should have a well organised website. Click on the 'website review' link below and you will be able to download the document to your area. Complete the document and save:

Resources for the lesson:

Website Review

Tutorial 1

Tutorial 2
 

Year 7 - Introduction to Podcasts

Podcast background and review – the following links  have enough information and  examples  to base the lesson on:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9545533.stm.

Try to answer the following questions on a Word Document entitled 'Introduction to Podcasts':

• ·       What is podcast?
• ·       Who uses podcasts?
• ·       Who listens to podcasts?
• ·       When are podcasts useful?

 Extension Task – Do the activity (PodCast Review.docx) in W:\Professional Studies\Professional Studies\ICT\Teachers\Mr Bidwell ICT
 

Year 8 ICT - POWTOON INVITATION

Click on the link below to join PowToon. Fill in your name and surname. Do not bother using your email address. You also have to pick a username and password. TIP: Use your school username and password so that you will remember it:

www.powtoon.com/edu/join-group/ujfS/

Once you have done this, click 'Create' and choose the blank template and start your advert for your app.

Work for Monday 13th October

You are going to create adverts for the app that you have designed. Today you are going to create a poster for your app that will appear in a magazine or newspaper. Remember to include all of the features and pictures of your app. Look back at your previous PowerPoint to get more ideas. You can use Word, PowerPoint or Publisher to create your poster.

When you have finished, you are going to start planning an advert to appear on the TV. On Thursday, you will be using a website called PowToon to start making it. Before then, watch the video that I made for PE which is a bit like an advert. You can use headphones if you have them. This will give you an idea of what you could include in yours. You should start to 'story-board' your advert by using a plain piece of paper and sketching scenes for your advert to include in the PowToon.
 

Secondly, you can have a look at a tutorial on how to use PowToon to prepare you for Thursday's lesson. Take a look here

Work for Thursday 9th October

If you have completed the PowerPoint on your favourite apps, you should prepare a powerpoint on the following:

• 5 Rules for ICT Rooms
• use a slide per rule
• explain your rule and why it is important for the health and safety of the class
• import pictures
• animate

My Top 3 Apps

ONLY complete this once you have finished the PowerPoint on your own app design:

You should write about your favourite 3 apps on a PowerPoint presentation and include:

• A picture of the app
• reasons why it is one of your favourite apps
• features of the app
• cost
• social media integration
• your rating and the official app store rating (look this up online)

Introducing Prezi

Your task is to make an account on www.prezi.com and then design a presentation giving advice to new year 7s for next year. To make the account, you will need to use your school email account. Once you've logged in, you should watch the introduction videos and tips for making a prezi.

Finally, you should call your Prezi '5 Tips for New Year 7s' and should include advice, pictures and videos if appropriate.

Remember your email address is:

yourusername@grid.johnwarner.herts.sch.uk

App Design

Your task is to design your own app to present (using PowerPoint) to the rest of the group. Look at the notes below. Your PowerPoint should have AT LEAST one slide per category:

 

Class Dojo in Lessons

We will be using Class Dojo in lessons to reward good behaviour. The person with the most points at the end of term will win a prize. Points are awarded thoughout your lessons for:
Participation
Hard Work
Helping Others
Perseverance
Teamwork

A 'Star of the Lesson' will also be awarded at the end of each lesson and this person will receive 5 points!

Watch the video below for more details:

Welcome

Welcome to Mr Bidwell's ICT Blog. You should add this to your favourites by clicking the star on the top right hand corner of the browser and then clicking the button 'add to favourites'.

Throughout the year, the work that we will be doing will be posted on here. You should make a habit of visiting this blog at the start of every lesson to see what we will be doing.

Work for Thursday 10th July

As explained last week, I will not be in again today. You should be looking to complete your projects by the end of the lesson. You will have a little more time to polish things up at the start of the lesson tomorrow but I would like to see some of them presented towards the end of next lesson. Remember to include all of the things that I have listed in the blog entry below.

Brazil World Cup Project

Using Microsoft PowerPoint or Prezi (online) you should begin a Brazil Project. You must include: Pictures, Information and Hyper linked Videos from YouTube. You must make sure that the presentation is as eye catching as possible and uses a variety of different transitions.

Presentations Require: Brazil's History, Culture, Religion, Landmarks, Weather, World Cup, Olympics 2016, Key famous idols within Brazillian sport. Food, Key achievements. Crime & Poverty - Favelas (The shanty towns where many live).

Work for Thursday 19th June

Unfortunately, I won't be able to share my 40th birthday with you today as I am at a fishing tournament. You need to continue with your new worlds with a World Cup theme. Remember these can include things such as:

• Countries
• Flags
• Stadium
• Scorelines from the tournament
• Players
• Maps

Try to add new methods to animate the objects in your world. 

Work for Thursday 12th June

Unfortunately, I won't be in the lesson today. You should continue to work your way through the tutorials on the posts below. Joe will collect the headphones at the start of the lesson.

If you manage to complete the tutorials, you should start a new 'world' which should have a World Cup theme. This could include ideas such as:

• Footballers
• Players
• Stadium
• Countries
• Flags

Try to build the basics of the new world before adding 'methods'.

Alice Tutorials

We will be using a program called Alice to begin to create our own video game. Below are a number of tutorials that you can watch in order to prepare yourself to use the software:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What next...?

Once you have completed the spread-sheets in the shared area and saved them to your ICT folders you should do the following to your own spread-sheet:

• Add conditional formatting (try lots of different rules)
• Add 'AVERAGE' formula
• Use data in your spread-sheet to create graphs/pie-charts
• Make your spread-sheet as eye-catching as possible (borders, merge cells etc)
• Use tabs at the bottom to create more data/spread-sheets

 

Supermarket Spreadsheets!

Below, I have written, in simple terms, how you can apply formula to your spread-sheets and how you can conditionally format them:

Formula

To multiply cells:

=click cell*click cell Press Enter

To add cells:

=SUM(highlight cells) Press Enter

To copy the formula to other cells, click and drag the tiny square that is on the bottom right of the highlighted cell and drag it to the cells where you want the same formula

Remember:

• Don’t change the units in the cell from pounds to pence. Choose one and stick to it!
• Put the chosen unit in the column title, not in each cell

Conditional Formatting

• Highlight the cells that you would like to apply a rule to
• Click on ‘Conditional Formatting’
• Click ‘Highlight Cell Rules’
• Choose the appropriate rule
• Format and choose how the cell should change colour if it ‘meets’ your rule

TASK

Create a spread-sheet which uses all of the formulae and some conditional formatting. You have two lessons to complete this and it can be any topic of your choice. Here are some ideas:

• Football player analysis (give each player a mark out of ten for every game)
• Ultimate Team style spread-sheet
• Game/Song review out of ten from different magazines or websites
• Car/Bike statistics

 

 

Work for Thursday 30th January

Now you have had the opportunity to practise your new skills on Flash it is time to give you the details of the house competition. Before you get started, I have found this short tutorial which will teach you a couple more tricks to add to your animations. Watch the video slowly, pause when you need to, and re-watch it if you wish:

Year 8 - Flash Animation - House Competition

You must design a flash animation based on your house that lasts for NO MORE THAN 30 SECONDS. I will pick the what I consider to be the 3 most creative animations in the class to be submitted to the competition.

Some ideas to get you started:

• Use your house colours
• House charity logos
• Who is your house named after?
• Use shape tweening to animate your text (my demonstration last lesson)
• Change colour of the animation and transparency (see video above)
• You can create a good zooming in and out effect by enlarging/shrinking the image and shape tweening
• Use lots of layers but keep track of what is going on by naming them (double click on the layer)

Flash Animation

Today we are going to use a new program called Adobe Flash CS3. This program, if used correctly, will create the animation for you. It can be found here:

Start\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash CS3\Flash.exe

There are several tutorials on the shared area to get you started (both video and PDF documents) that can be found here:

W:\Professional Studies\Professional Studies\CIPS\ICT\KS3\Spring\Year 8 Spring 1 - Animation\Flash tutorial:

Start with 'Creating Shape Tween' and once you have mastered this, move on to 'Simple Motion Tween'.

At the moment, I just want you to familiarise yourself with the program and learn some of the skills before we actually start the House competition where you have to create your own House themed Flash animation.

Below are some more tutorials that I found on YouTube. If you search for 'Flash CS3' you will find a whole playlist dedicated to teaching you all the skills of Flash:

 

 

 

 

Create your own Stop Animation

 

 

In pairs and using only the following pieces of equipment, you should attempt to create your own piece of stop animation:

• anything in your pencil case
• a piece of paper
• keys
• your planner
• your tie

You can do this in the following ways:

1. download the following free app 'Gif Cam Lite' and follow the instructions
2. just take a series of photos on your phone and we can create the animation another time

 

Animation

Watch the following videos and then complete the word document entitled 'Animation Review' which can be found using the following path:

W:\Professional Studies\Professional Studies\CIPS\ICT\KS3\Spring\Year 8 Spring 1 - Animation\Week 1


 

Look, I just made this as an example of stop animation: