Ms. Dozier's DNStarship: Climb Aboard!

Students are beginning keyboarding lessons in class on Monday, September 28, 2009.  It is very important that they learn this skill for several reasons, however we are focusing on two of them: 

To investigate technology knowledge

To use proper keyboarding techniques to improve accuracy, speed, and general efficiency in computer operation. Strand – Keyboard Utilization/Word Processing/Desk Top Publishing

Each lesson begins with a text read. Next, students are to follow the instructions for completing a series of ten exercises.  Here is an excerpt from Lesson One: ” The home row of the keyboard is the most important to the touch-typist.

When at rest the typist’s fingers are positioned, lightly, on the A-S-D-F keys for the left hand, and the J-K-L-; keys for the right hand.

• The left index finger will control the F and G keys, the right index finger will control the J and H keys.
• The left middle finger will control the D key, the right middle finger will control the K key.
• The left ring finger will control the S key, the right ring finger will control the L key.
• The left little finger will control the A key, the right little finger will control the ; key.
• The spacebar is controlled by the right thumb.”

Microsoft Word Quiz STH and Jan’s Word Basics Quiz are being sent home today. Please sign your son’s quizzes and return them to me by tomorrow, Friday, September 25.

Do you know the vocabulary we’ve used in our mini-quizzes? Can you identify the icons on the computer screen (in MS Word) comfortably? If so, you are ready for your test!

Would you like to know what it’s like to be an eighth grade student at the spectacular Durham Nativity School?

I thought you would! Well… there is only one real way to describe it, interesting, overwhelming, and exhilarating. I know, I know I said one but I had to throw the other two on in there. So I guess that make’s it three. Anyways, hear me out, when I say that it has gone by fast, I mean that it has gone by fast! That’s what I mean by exhilarating. The time has been so exhilarating that it’s overwhelmed me a lot, but in a good way. In the past four weeks, I’ve found out that I like U.S. history, read all of Eclipse and part of Breaking Dawn from the Twilight Saga, completed over eight documents for computer technology, managed to complete all of my homework, improved at soccer, and learned that I’m not half bad at being goalie.

Wow, that’s a lot, not to mention I have a project due next, that I’ve got extra time to do because my partner was sick. Now that I think about it, what makes school better is that there are only four classes a day, so that I can better concentrate more on fewer subjects per night. Also, our soccer team is better than it has ever been.

I’m not going to lie, school can be a little intimidating. You’re always trying not to forget to complete something, and always making sure you don’t get in trouble. Overall, being a DNS eighth grader is the best!

My first weeks of school have been going very well! I really love being at Durham Nativity School. It is a pleasant and peaceful environment for me to be in. The only thing I don’t like is that there are a lot of sick people.

This year we have a soccer team again! I really love soccer, but unfortunately, I am not playing. Instead,  I play my second most favorite sport,  football.  The people that play football aren’t on the soccer team. Mr. Glenn coaches soccer.  Mr. Smalls is our new Science teacher–he plays football with us.

This year,  at our first soccer game against the Duke School,  we actually scored 4 goals!!  That has been the most we have ever scored in about 4 years. The sad thing was that we still lost the game 4-6.  Before I was cut from the team, we were at a soccer practice and Chris and I were doing a drill.  Mr. Glenn threw the ball and whoever got it first became the attacker and the other,  the defender.  As soon as Mr. Glenn throws the ball, I go running for it and I reach it first.  Chris tries jumping on me and ends up getting pushed down. It was hilarious!! I still missed the shot, though. 

I believe my academics are good and I hope to see the end of this year, because it is my last. I will try my hardest to graduate with high grades so I can choose any high school I prefer to go to. I already have about three in mind.  My three choices are Carolina Friends, Durham Academy, and Trinity. Today, we play a soccer game against Trinity.  I hope we win! Overall, the school year has gone pretty well.

TEST, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH

HANDWRITTEN PARAGRAPH, “FIRST WEEKS OF SCHOOL” DUE TOMORROW.

Yesterday in morning assembly, Ms. Campbell shared a common Jamaican quote regarding the keys to success. You may write a short paragraph about her presentation and submit it to me for posting on Tuesday, September 22, 2009. You must do the following before you take advantage of this opportunity:
1. Sign-up for the extra credit opportunity with me, in class on Friday, September 18, 2009.
2. Research the quote. Who is the author?
3. Obtain a quote from Ms. Campbell. (You must check in with me first to be sure it is okay! We do not want to interrupt Ms. Campbell’s classes or other plans, nor do we want to bombard her with questions in the hall.)

One student piece will be posted here on my edublog.

1. GET AUDIENCE QUIZ SIGNED AND RETURNED BY TOMORROW, 9/18
2. COMPLETE HANDWRITTEN DRAFT OF “FIRST WEEKS OF SCHOOL” PARAGRAPH. Due 9/18

This past Sunday, I got married, jailed and (almost!) divorced in a span of thirty minutes. Let me explain.
Irene Hernandez, dedicated volunteer, supporter, and mother to Jose Martinez, invited me to La Feria. La Feria was organized to commemorate El Grito de Independencia or Mexican Independence Day (September 16) and raise money for the Hispanic community here in Durham.
There were vendors who had set up shop throughout Twin Lakes Park selling delicacies like horchatas and tortillas and offering fun faux fundraising services–hence my impromptu marriage and ten-minute imprisonment. First, we were asked to take two seats, I was given a bouquet, my beau was asked to sign my name, I, his…we exchanged rings and signed our names, my beau la víctima, I, el verdugo! We made a small donation and then, were told that if we were seperated at any point during the rest of the event or if my beau looked at any other women (he was caught checking out the dancers), someone would have to go to jail. We vowed to be together forever, or at least throughout the rest of the event. After taking pictures of the dancers, I saw mi esposo who was just a few inches away from me, being escorted to jail. Then, the “sheriff” pointed his paper gun at me and escorted me to jail, too! What? Just for taking a couple of pictures and being two inches apart? So off to jail we go–but if we’re both in jail, who’s going to bail us out?
In order to “make bond” someone had to make a $0.25 donation. Several couples, small children, and even entire families were jailed for the cause. To my rescue comes Jose Martinez, a proven star-student (especially since he bailed me out on Sunday) with his twenty-five cent donation. ¡Gracias a  Jose!
My overall impression of La Feria can be summed in tres palabras: Divertida, Divertida, Divertida! And what an interesting way to raise money for the community. Will I attend next year? ¡Por supuesto! I would like to thank Irene Hernandez for inviting me, and making us feel like part of la comunidad.

For more information on Mexico’s Independence Day go to http://www.inside-mexico.com/featureindep.htm

Know your vocabulary:
So that’s how Tutorial - Reading Layout Toolbar, Document Map, Thumbnails, Research, Text Size, Actual Page, Tools Menu, Options, Insert Menu, Compare Side by Side, Horizontal Ruler, Margins, Indents, Tab Stops, Word Count
Audio Course  Tutorial – Watermark, Background, Page Border, Text Borders and Shading, Graphic Fill, Table Autoformat, Font Effects and Animation, Drop Caps, WordArt
Add Graphics Tutorial - Insert, Picture Files/From File e.g., .bmp, .jpg. gif, Clip Art, AutoShapes, Diagram
Format Your Document Tutorial - Format Menu, Styles, Modify Style, Template
Know your symbols and icons: Paragraph, Character, List, Table, Fill Color, Read, Reset Window Position, Scrolling, First Line Indent, Hanging Indent, Left Indent, Right Indent, Decimal Tab
Know your keyboard and shortcuts: CTRL, Insert/OVR, Page Up/Page Down