Interactive Tools
In this class, we will visit the computer lab at least bi-weekly. During your time at the computer lab, unless we have an assignment that needs attention, you will be free to study or work on this class in any way that you find useful, using one of the websites listed below. You may also use this time to complete any blog assignments that may be due. Please take advantage of these tools outside of school to review for the class, to complete an assignment, or for your own personal learning. Perhaps you can apply these tools to study for other classes as well.
Quizlet
Quizlet is an online flashcard database. You can use flashcard sets that have already been created by others, or create your own set specific to the information you wish to learn. Quizlet can help you learn vocabulary words, grammar rules, or important ideas about a novel or facts about an author that you may need to know for my class. You may find this website useful for other classes also. Quizlet allows you to see both the front and back on one side when you are trying to learn the information, and only the front or only the back when you are trying to quiz yourself. You can also add pictures to the flashcards if you are testing yourself on something visual, such as recognizing the face of an author or the name of a painting. Visuals may also be good to use for vocabulary words, so you can visualize what the word might look like. You need to create an account in order to create your own set; however you do not need to create an account to view other people's flashcard sets. To earn your participation points for the day, you must send me the link to the flashcard set you created, or send me the link to the one you studied and write me a half page write up using at least five of the concepts/words etc. you have learned.
Pixton
Pixton is a fantastic tool to unleash your creative writing skills. You can use Pixton for your free-write blog journal entries, your vocabulary short story blog entries, or for your creative writing project later in the year. Pixton allows you to put together images and dialogue to create your own comic. During computer lab days, you must show or send me your comic (finished or not) to receive participation points for the day. Think of Pixton as a tool to create your own story, exercise using vocabulary words, tell a joke, make a statement/opinion heard or extend an already existing character's story. When you decide to spend your computer lab time using Pixton, your comic must relate to the class in some way, and you must explain the connection to me. In the beginning of the year I will have all of my students create accounts with Pixton and for the rest of the year you will have free access to this wonderful creative outlet.
Skillswise
Skillswise is a great place to improve the area of English that you feel you may be lacking in or possibly just want to learn more about. You can pick from six different categories which include: reading, writing, spelling, word grammar, sentence grammar, and speaking & listening. Skillswise is definitely the place to go when you feel like you need help in a specific area. Here you will be provided with videos, games, and activities which will all help to improve your skills and knowledge in that area. You have many options to choose from here so make sure to try them all out and see which one best suits you! For computer lab days, you must write a one page description of the activities you chose to do and what you learned from them. You are not limited to a number of activities, so feel free to focus only on one or cover many different activities during one class session.
Read Write Think
Read Write Think is a website similar to Skillswise that provides you with activities and strategies to succeed in the classroom and with your assignments. You have been provided with the link that shows all of the activities appropriate for your grade level, so please take some time to browse through them and find an activity you can do that relates to something we are doing in class, or an assignment that may be due in the future. For this website, you have a lot of freedom with what you can do so during a computer lab day, please run your idea by me and how it connects to our class before starting the activity. To earn your participation points for the day, please show or send me the work you have completed for the activity and write me a paragraph explanation of how it has helped you better understand or learn something we are going over in class.