Post #9: Happy Leap Day!

February 29 occurs once every four years and is this called a Leap Year. A leap year contains one extra day in order to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical or seasonal year.

• During a Leap Year, February has 29 days instead of the usual 28, so the year lasts 366 days instead of the usual 365. Adding an extra day to the calendar every four years compensates for the fact that a period of 365 days is shorter than a solar year by almost 6 hours.

• A person born on February 29 may be called a"leapling" or a "leaper." People born on this day usually celebrate their birthdays on February 28 or March 1. Would you like to be born on February 29? Why or why not?
• When you are finished go to Typing Club and complete lessons 91-100

Post #8: What's for Dinner?

If you could have anything for dinner what would it be? Steak? Pizza? Lobster? Pretend that you have to cook dinner for your family and you have to plan the menu, tell me "What's for Dinner?" Tell me the main dish, side dish, dessert, beverages that you would serve at tonight's meal. You may also include how you would make your food, or what you would have to do to get ready to bring it to your table. Remember, 5 sentences, title, picture, and 5 comments on other students blogs. Have fun with this one, anything is possible.

When you are done with your blog complete Typing Club and complete lessons 84-90.

Post #7: My Elementary School

Today's Blog is about your elementary school. What elementary school did you go to? Did you like it? What was your mascot? What was your favorite grade? Favorite memory there? Who was your Principal? Who is the teacher you most remember? Remember the blog # in your title, 5 sentences, picture, and 5 comments. When you are done, please go to Typing Club and complete lessons 77-83.

Post #6: Dream Pet

Today you will tell me about your dream pet. It can be anything real or fictional, alive or dead. It can be a shark, a bigfoot, a liger. Tell me where you got him, why you got him, what you will do together, how other people would feel about him, or anything else you can possibly think of. Have fun, be creative, anything is possible. Remember to number and title your blog, 5 sentences, 1 picture, 5 comments.  When you are finished please go to Typing Club and complete lessons 71-76. 

Some of you have not turned in your Infograph Assignment. 

 Please be sure to turn it in TODAY!!!

Post #5: Do You Believe?

What are your thoughts on Cryptozoology?  Don't know what that is?  Google it, then write your post on what you think about it and if you could choose one example as your favorite, what would it be.  Remember 5 sentences, title your blog post, add a picture, and finally comment on 5 other students blogs. This is your 5th blog post and you will earn a grade for blogs 1-5.  Please make sure your blog posts are all complete and up-to-date.

After you are finished with your blog, please begin go to Typing Club and complete lessons 64-70.

When you are done with Typing Club, go to my Google Classroom page and read the "Infographic Assignment".  Your job for the reminder of the period is complete and turn-in your own infographic.

Post #4: Chinese/Lunar New Year

Kung Hei Fat Choy   or   Happy Lunar New Year!

 Chinese New Year is an important festival celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar. In China, it is also known as the Spring Festival, the literal translation of the modern Chinese name. Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year's Eve, the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar. The first day of the New Year falls between January 21 and February 20. Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, and because the holiday is not solely observed by "Chinese" cultures, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the "Lunar New Year".

 Often, the evening preceding Chinese New Year's Day is an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner. It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity." Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.

2016 is the year of the Monkey
Monkey is the ninth in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac. The Years of the Monkey include 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028...


The monkey is a clever animal. It is usually compared to a smart person. During the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC), the dignified Chinese official title of marquis was pronounced 'Hou', the same as the pronunciation of ‘monkey’ in Chinese. The animal was thereby bestowed with an auspicious meaning.


Use the link below to find your Chinese Zodiac animal, then read the description of your Zodiac animal. After you have read the description, tell me about a few of the characteristics of your animal. Does it describe you or is it totally off? Why?

Chinese Zodiac Animal Finder

When you are done with your blog...

1. Go to 5 other blogs, read them and make a comment.  
2. Go to Typing Club and complete lessons 57-63
3. Take a typing test.

Post #3: What Are You Watching?

Good Afternoon Class,

The holidays are over and networks are starting all of their new and old TV shows. What TV show are you most excited about? Why are you excited about this show? Or What New TV show are you most excited to see? Why are you excited to see it? Remember 5 sentences, a picture, a title, and commenting on the blog posts of five other class members.

When you are done with your blog post go to Typing Club and complete lessons50-56. 

Today we will complete a lesson about using Google Draw. We will begin this lesson at 1:40. If you finish your blog post/comments and the Typing Club lessons, you can have free time until 1:40.

Post #2: My Favorite Sport

Good Afternoon Class,

With the Superbowl on Sunday, the football season is over and I am already thinking about baseball season and spring training.

Tell me about your favorite team and sport, why you like them, and who you watch the games with.  If you are not that into football or baseball, tell me about another sport that you and your family enjoy watching together (it can be anything).  Be sure to include an image/picture. Don't forget to capitalize, punctuate, and reread your post before you publish it for any errors. After you are done, please  read and comment on 5 other students' posts in the class. Happy blogging! Don't judge!  Only positive words please!

When you are done with your blog post go to Typing Club and complete lessons 43-49. 

Post #1: Favorite Place in California

Good Afternoon Class,

Please write a paragraph about your favorite place in the state of California. Find an image to show that place,  You must write a minimum of 5 sentences.

Many call Disneyland "The Happiest Place on Earth" and our family is no exception. Every time we venture down to the magic kingdom we always have a great time! I have two favorite rides, Space Mountain and Soaring over California. I like Space Mountain because it is a fast, smooth roller coaster ride set to music!   Soaring over California is my other favorite because I feel like a bird flying over the most beautiful parts of our state.

When you are done with your post, go to your email and open the email I sent you.  You will add the blog address to people you follow.  I will give instructions on how to do this!!!! 

After you have added all the blog addresses go to Typing Club and complete lessons 36-42 . You will also need to take a TYPING TEST today!!!!

February 2, 2016 Agenda

Good Afternoon Students & Happy Groundhog Day!

Today we will finish up our group email (some of you have not sent a group email yet!) and you will create your very own Blog.

1. Go to Typing Club and complete lessons 26-35
1. Remember to use both hands and ALL your FINGERS!!!
2. Index fingers should rest on "F" and "J"
3. Sit up straight!
2. Sign into your CUSD Google account
1. Click on your mail
2. Check to see that you have an Exploring Tech group in your Contacts
3. Check your email
3. Create Your Own Blog

1. Go to blogger.com (you need to be signed into Google, before)
2. I will give you instructions on how to create & title your blog
3. Share your blog address with me by filling out the blog form on my website
4. I will share the addresses with you through email
5. "Follow" each student's blog from this class

Today's Agenda 02/01/2016

Since we only have an hour today, our agenda is short.

Today's Agenda:

1. Go to Typing Club and complete lessons 22-25
1. We did 1-21 last week
2. If you have not finished 1-21, you will need to do these first.
3. Username: firstnamelastname
4. Password: ID#
2. Open your email/add contacts
1. I have sent everyone in our class an email... open it.
2. The email contains each student's email address
3. Add these email addresses to your contacts in Google contacts
4. Place these contacts in the folder titled "Exploring Tech"
5. Email Address: firstinitiallastnamelast3digitsID@cusdstudent.com
6. password: ID#