Assignments for Demonstrations

STEP 3: Send your STEM Project choice (from step 2 above) by your Google email to your teacher and wait for approval

• • • There will be certain number of students selected for each type of projects. First come , first served !

    • Your teacher may advice you a different option,

    • If you don't send email until the end of 2nd week your teacher has right to choose any of the option for you.

ASSIGNMENT 2:

STEP 1: Select your demonstration.

• • There are 3 types of demonstrations.Your teacher will prepare a list on paper or on the web or a spreadsheet as a Google document. There are also sample lists below

    • • 1.type: Demonstrations whose materials will be supplied by school.

        • Sample links:Physics ,Chemistry ,Biology ,Math

        • No Extra credit.

      • 2.type:Construction Projects ate the ones that you will construct and supply all the materials.

        • Sample link:Physics Construction Projects

        • You will also get extra credit for doing construction projects.

      • 3.type:Homemade demonstrations.

        • You will supply these materials and get extra credit for it.

STEP 2: Email the name of demonstration for approval

ASSIGNMENT 3: Create your site, and share.

STEP1:Create your BLANK Google site

STEP2: Share your site.

• Share your website with hsa.virtual.sci@gmail.com and your science teacher email. Make them “owner”.

• "Share" button is on the right up corner. Your site will be public view.

• Log in to https://sites.google.com/ with your firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com account

• Click on your site that you have just created

• click "share" on the right up corner.

• Add the your teacher(s) email , choose the option “owner” but not “can edit”

• Add the email hsa.virtual.sci@gmail.com , choose the option “owner” but not “can edit”

• Click “share and save”.

• Attention sharing doesnt mean emailing the link !

• Do not use Google plus !

NOTE TO THE TEACHER; never use your work email for stem projects , it will bring about technical problems for next weeks.Prefer to use a regular Gmail address like students.

But if you want to use your work gmail (like yourname@harmonytx.org) , in order to edit student website or write a comment as a feedback ,YOU SHOULD FIRST CLICK ON "SITES" BUTTON AT THE TOP OF YOUR WORK GMAIL AND THEN GO TO STUDENT WEBSITE.

• Log in to https://sites.google.com/ with your firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com account

• click on your site that you have just created

• Open "more" action menu on the right corner.

• choose "manage site" from the menu

• Write your site description - what is the purpose of this site.Mention about your projects and school

• Check the box near " Automatically adjust site to mobile phones"

• Click “save”.

Mobile

Automatically adjust site to mobile phones

STEM 4: Email the link

• Email the link of your site to your science teacher (the one who is grading your assignment)

  • Use your firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com account , because your teacher will grade and record your STEM PROJECTS EMAIL ,too.

• Your Google site link sample :http://sites.google.com/site/hsa2012tony02

YOU HAVE DONE ALL THE ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE THIS MARKING PERIOD (6 WEEKS PERIOD).

Try to take your demo materials as soon as possible , although this is for next marking period, so that you can start working on it.

2ND MARKING PERIOD:

The assignments for this period doesn't need to be done in order.Assignments 5 and 6 can be done before assignment 4. It depends how your teacher decides.

ASSIGNMENT 4: Present Background research and maintain your demo materials.

STEP 1: Prepare a background research to present it to your teacher. Use your textbook , online sources including videos and the handout for your demonstration if your teacher has given to you. A background research should include 4 parts;

• Big picture; What is your topic , main idea ? .. such as Pressure , Motion , Cells , polymers ....No sentences , just by words.

• Principle or/and concepts; Which principles and fundamental concepts does your demonstration covers ? Such as Pascal principle , law of inertia , torque , osmosis , reaction rate ....Explain each principle or concept by one or two sentence as briefly as you can...

• Which key words and quantities with their units will you use when your are explaining the science behind your demonstration ? No sentence again , just list of words.

• Formulas , charts , graphs or chemical reactions that your demonstration covers.(if they exist ...)

STEP 2: Present your background research to your teacher.

option 1; Schedule a visit with the teacher in order to present your background research.

Your teacher may post a time table for you to schedule an appointment , you will have maximum 7-9 minutes for background research so visit your teacher on time , do not be late even 1 minute.

Dear students, Your teacher may have many students to meet for background research , your teacher will not be available whenever you want ,scheduling an appointment is important. You may need to wait in line when you visit him/her. So please be patient ! Or if you do not want to come across scheduling problems , please prepare your background research ASAP and make the visit during the 1st or 2nd week of the period.If you miss your appointment or you are late to schedule an appointment , your teacher has right to consider that you haven't done your assignment.

option 2; Send your background research by email and ask for feedback, if you think your background is good enough and you think you do not need to meet with the teacher.Your teacher may approve your email as a background research but if your emailed background research is not satisfactory for your teacher , she/he may ask you to visit her/him after school.

option 3; Type your background research in your website.if you think your background is good enough and you would love to work on your web. You can create a page named background research and email the link of your page from your website. (you are not creating a new site , you are creating a new page in your blank Google site which you have already send the link to your teacher) Your teacher may approve your page as a background research but if your emailed background research link is not satisfactory for your teacher , she/he may ask you to visit her/him after school.

STEP 3: When you are taking feedback from your teacher , take some notes.Your background research items and feedback notes will be vital when you are doing the assignment during the 3rd and 4th six week period , because in your website , on YouTube presentation and in your brochure , you will use these principles , concepts , quantities , formulas ,ect ... So keep your notes and do not loose them.if everything is in your email or webpage make sure you do not delete them.

STEP 4: Check your materials.

Case 1; Ask your teacher to show you the materials , if it is available ;

Put all your materials in a box. (including everything you need ; consuming materials , extension cord , etc ...)

Remember the location of your materials or box in the lab/class.

If your teacher let you touch the material , please check if it works and noting is missing.

Case 2; Ask your teacher to show you the materials , if it is not available yet;

Learn the list of materials you will need including consuming materials , extension cord , etc ...

Learn when it will available for you see the materials. if it is ordered but haven't arrived yet , keep asking by email.

Case 3; if you are working on a construction project or home-experiment which you promised to construct or maintain the materials for extra-credit.(not the ready demonstrations which teacher supply the materials for you) You should finalize it in this period.

if you are doing a complex construction project which really requires more time , you may ask to the teacher for extension of due date.

ASSIGNMENT 5 and ASSIGNMENT 6; Constructing your ABOUT ME or My School page.

Here starts the fun part ! We are ready to start constructing our Google Site . Your Google site construction will finish at the end of 4th period. Then we will make a big website contest among all campuses. 5 different categories with great awards.If you make your teacher happy with your beautiful design and scientific content , your teacher will register your website to the contest. Details are coming soon ! Do not regret when it is too late ... Here is link of contest from last in year , it was held on last year only in HSA Houston High as a pilot school for stem project.

STEP 1:

• Click on new page button at the right-top corner of your blank website.

• Give a name to your page about me OR my school

• Select a template to use ; Web Page (default option)

• Select a location: Put page at the top level

• Click on CREATE button at the top

• you can start editing your ABOUT ME page , each time you edit do not forget to click on save button on the top-right corner.

• Attention ! You will keep your home page for 4th period , there is nothing to do with home page now ! So do not delete home page , keep it blank !

STEP 2:

• You may start to write about yourself , never give private information ! Do not write your full name ! OR You may directly start with "I am student in ....school"

• Give general information about school and also science education or stem activities in your school

• Add these links of your school by using the LINK button at the top; School web address , School YouTube channel , school Facebook page

• Also add the these links;

  • 1. http://harmonytx.org/ ,

    2. http://www.facebook.com/HarmonyTexas ,

    3. http://www.youtube.com/harmonyschools

• • PLEASE DO NOT COPY THE URL ADDRESS ONLY , I hate it ! Such as , this is bad format: http://harmonytx.org/ but this is good; Harmony Public Schools

  • always check/click this option ( Open this link in a new window ) when you are using LINK button.

• Here is sample from last year how the links are entered to the page ; https://sites.google.com/site/hsa2011wahab14/home/my-school

• Use banners , logos or small photos for links like the sample above.You may use banners or photos like "watch us on YouTube" and " like us on Facebook"

• You can insert any photo , banner , or logo by using INSERT from the top-left corner menu.

STEP 3:

• • Insert one or two YouTube movie about your school to your page by using the INSERT from the top-left corner menu.Here are same sample movies that can be inserted;

• 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c5fioSCJt4

  2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRmyeblBzsk

  3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL2M0iIhWXw

  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvlqVhFb4KY

  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHwpmSBPnig

• Change the layout by using LAYOUT menu at the top-left side.

• Click SAVE button on the top-right button

STEP 4: (optional) You have done all with about me page. Please support your school by subscribing these YouTube channels

• 1. http://www.youtube.com/hsahoustonhigh

  2. http://www.youtube.com/harmonyschools

  3. You school channel

  4. Your friends' youtube channels for STEM project (if you know any)

  5. http://www.youtube.com/leventsakar

You may also give a support , if you have a Facebook account. Please LIKE these;

• 1. https://www.facebook.com/HarmonyTexas

  2. http://www.facebook.com/HarmonySTEM

  3. Your school Facebook Page

  4. http://www.facebook.com/Harmony.Physics

Thanks for your kind support !

GRADING POLICY FOR ASSIGNMENT 5 and ASSIGNMENT 6 ;

Your teacher may grade them in 2 different ways

Grading Policy type 1; The grades for both assignments will be same.So you will have 2 same grades from ABOUT ME page.

Grading Policy type 2; Assignment 5 can be graded for the content of ABOUT ME page, Assignment 6 will be graded for the layout and design.

In addition with content of your page , the design is also very important. Make sure your site is tidy , organized well , doesn't look empty nor crowded.

If you want to make your site more beautiful ;Save your site and change theme by using "more" action menu on the right corner.Choose manage site option from "more" action menu on the right corner. Then change your site theme , color and fonts by using the options:Site layout ,Colors and Fonts, Themes

Assignment for extra credit (optional);

Construct one more page about :

1- Texas High School Projects

2- T-STEM

3- I-SWEEEP and I sweep stem expo public day

Find and add related links , movies and photo albums of previous years

If you have some technical problems about any steps below , you can work after school with your friends who are good at editing Google site.

NOTE TO THE TEACHER , if you subscribe to student page or site form the MORE menu on the top-right corner , you will receive email each time the student updates the page or site.

3rd MARKING PERIOD:

ASSIGNMENT 7, ASSIGNMENT 8 and ASSIGNMENT 9;

This assignment is not easy as the previous ones that is why you will do only one assignment in fact , but your teacher will give you 3 grades, you should start early and work individually with your project.At the end of February , there will be website contest in which around 80 students will win MINI IPADs.(www.stemcontest.com)This assignment will be the core part of your website. If you want to participate; do your best and do not miss the greatest contest of the year.

ATTENTION ;in this page you have to use your own text , photos , movie , graph , etc ...

STEP 1: Work with your demonstration.

• Take pictures of your materials.

• Take pictures of the steps of your demonstration , so that these photos will help us understand what is happening there.

• If your demonstration has an action or a sound that cannot be presented only by photos , you should also capture a movie of the action part. Be careful ! That is a simple movie without any introduction or explanation.Do not shake the camcorder :) I hate it !

• Sample action movie is here

STEP 2: Create Your YouTube Channel (if your project has an action or sound that should be recorded as a movie).

• Sign up for YouTube with your harmony gmail for stem projects.

• Create/activate/start your YouTube channel.Make your channel public view.

• Name your channel with the name of your project. Never give your name ! Never use your channel other than STEM projects.

Attention !!! : be careful about your privacy.Never you your full name in your profile.

Also do not upload a photo that identifies you.

How to change your profile name ?

1. Log in to YOUTUBE

2. Right click on your gmail address/channel name on the right up corner

3. Click on "settings"

4. Click "Profile setup"

5. Change your name. Use your science demonstration as a profile name

• Add a profile picture. That should be a picture of your project.

• For a successful action movie ; it is strongly recommended to edit with a movie maker .One of the best option to make/edit your movie is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011

• Sample action movie edited by a move maker is here.

• Upload the movie to your channel. Give a meaningful name and write a meaningful description about the movie in your channel.

• Subscribe school channel : http://www.youtube.com/hsahoustonhigh and your school channel

• Subscribe to harmony schools channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/harmonyschools

STEP 3: Construct a new page about your project.

• Click on new page button at the right-top corner of your blank website.

• Name your page as the name of your demonstration such as "Hovercraft" or " What is Hovercraft ?" or "How it works"

• Select a template to use ; Web Page (default option)

• Select a location: Put page at the top level

• Click on CREATE button at the top

• you can start editing your new page , each time you edit do not forget to click on save button on the top-right corner.

• Attention ! You will keep your home page for 4th period , there is nothing to do with home page now ! So do not delete home page , keep it blank !

STEP 4:Prepare the content of your project page

• • Page content will have 5 main titles/parts

1- INTRODUCTION;give basic instructions and information about your project

2- MATERIALS;All materials and equipment that you will use for your project including consuming materials , time variable materials …

3- Procedure(How does it works ?)

4- Scientific principle (What is the science/physics/biology behind it ?) including formulas , charts , graphs...

5- Safety Regulations;

• • Be careful ! All these 5 main titles will be in one page ;it is your projects page.

  • if you are not sure about the principle , you may discuss with your teacher or email the text of the principle and get approval from your teacher.

  • Always use your own text.NEVER COPY & PASTE

  • Insert your own pictures of your project.Use normal size of photos , do not upload big size which will slow down the page !

  • if your demo has an action or sound which is the main part of demonstration , you should also insert a movie.You don't need to speak in that small movie , only record the action part or sound of your demo.You will first upload to your YouTube channel then insert it to your page.(refer to the 2nd step)

  • Change the "layout" to organize your page better. (first "edit page" then layout menu).Make a good-looking design for the sake of iPAD ( I mean for the sake of STEM).

  • Lets repeat again ; all the content (text, pictures , movie , chart , graph , etc ...) should be your own original material, self production.

GRADING POLICY FOR ASSIGNMENT 7 ,ASSIGNMENT 8 and ASSIGNMENT 9

Your teacher may grade them in 2 different ways

Grading Policy type 1; The grades for all 3 assignments will be same.So you will have 3 same grades from your project page.

Grading Policy type 2; Your teacher may prepare a special rubric and give 3 different grades for your page.

So , why not to start next assignment now ! Make a difference from others to be shining more than others in the contest ! Winter holiday may be a good time to do the next assignments.

4th MARKING PERIOD:

ASSIGNMENT 10, ASSIGNMENT 11 and ASSIGNMENT 12;(MAKING THE MOVIE)

Attention: That assignment is the most difficult one and takes long time to complete , so you have to start early to finish it on time.Be aware that there will be many students who want to make their records in the school and only one record can be done at the same time in one class.

Your movie will contain video records , photos and text

One of the best option to make/edit your movie is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011

Or you can use the apps on YouTube :http://www.youtube.com/create

Try to find a good camcorder for the sound and movie quality. Make sure your are alone in the room where you capture the video so that there will be no background noise.Otherwise you will loose your chance to participate the contest(www.stemcontest.com)

STEP 1:

1. First write the script and email it to your demo teacher.

2. if there is anything wrong or missing in the script update it with the teacher

STEP 2:The scenario of your movie;

1. Name of your demo as a tittle

2. Topic of your demonstration , such as "Newton`s first law"

3. Show the action part as a combination of movie and photos.More than the speech audience would like to watch the action parts of your experiment. So make your presentation attractive so that we will not get bored and enjoy the experiment.

4. Explain the principle behind it

5. Begin with "Hi , I am from Harmony Schools" , end up your speech with "thanks for watching Harmony Schools !"

6. Use a logo of your School at the end of movie.

7. Be careful about using format 4:3 or 16:9 format so that there will be no empty black frame around your movie.

STEP 3:Upload your movie to your YouTube channel.

1. Upload it movie to your YouTube channel.(if you haven't started your YouTube Channel, go to the previous assignment 9 step 2)

2. Give a name/title to your movie.('"Harmony Science Academy - NAME of your project'' OR "Harmony STEM Project - NAME of your project'' )

3. Add these tags on YouTube for your movie;like "STEM Projects, Harmony STEM, Harmony Schools, Harmony Science Academy, HPS, Charter Schools, PBL, T-STEM, Science Demonstrations, Physics Demo, STEM educators, STEM Teachers Race to the Top, Dr. Soner Tarim, Individualized education, blended learning, 21 century skills, next generation science".(P.S.: if you are not sure about the quality of the movie or content , show the movie first before you use the school name and add tags or wait your teacher to grade it ,if you get full-credit then you can add these tags.)

4. Write the followings items for description part of YouTube Video;

   1. 1. Brief introduction of your project.

      2. Add the same tags again

      3. Add the text below about Harmony Public Schools

"Harmony Public Schools: Where Excellence is Our Standard"

Harmony Schools blend: The highest standards and expectations,

A rigorous math and science-centered curriculum, and Engaged and Dedicated teachers and families,

... to cultivate excellence and prepare students to succeed in college, careers and life."

We are equipping Harmony Schools' students for college, preparing them for life and helping them achieve excellence, while making a positive impact on our community, our state and our nation. At the Harmony Schools, we are dedicated to creating an academically rigorous environment that nurtures students, expects excellence and helps all students realize their full potential. At Harmony, we believe every child can succeed, and we are committed to helping them realize their full potential At Harmony, we believe families play an important role in helping students achieve excellence and are an integral part of our school's community. A Harmony education fosters excellence as a life-skill, and opens the door to a world of opportunity. At the Harmony Schools, by focusing on math and science, we are developing the next generation of innovators and thinkers we need to succeed in the global economy and environment. At the Harmony Schools, we are leading the way in math and science education, so our children can lead our state and our nation in the future. At Harmony, we provide a safe, nurturing academic environment that expects excellence and prepares students for success in college and in life.

STEP 4: Insert your YouTube video to Homepage

1. Insert the movie into HOME PAGE (the first page when we open your website). You will use the YouTube video link(URL address) when you are inserting it

2. Write the name of your project as a title above the video that you inserted.

3. Write a brief introduction of your project between the project title and your inserted video in the homepage.

it is important that;

• 1. Background is good looking , clean and tidy

  2. Your workbench/table is tidy and clean

  3. Have school t-shirt during the record

  4. Sound and explanation is clear

  5. Brightness and contrast of movie is okay

  6. Cut the meaningless part of movie when you are editing

  7. The materials , procedure and the action part should be clearly watched in your movie.

  8. NEVER shake the camcorder during record. I hate it !

  9. Smile and enjoy the activity !

  10. Everyone is intelligent enough to notice whether you are reading the scripts from somewhere or not, so please respect the audience and do not cheat us ! Relax and be natural , you are not reporting the news ! We want to have fun with science !

  11. if you do not want to be seen in the movie , you can prepare your presentation in a movie format and speak at the background , so that you do not need to show up.

if you want to use background music;

• 1. Do not violate copyright.

  2. Use instrumental format

  3. No music or no loud musics when you are speaking

  4. You don't need to use background music.

5th MARKING PERIOD:

ASSIGNMENT 13: (Making The Handout)

You should use Google Chrome when you are doing this assignment , other browsers will not let you find the download link.

Prepare a brochure/handout about your demo for visitors:

1. Download from here the blank handout.

2. Use your own text and photos/figures to prepare the handout.

3. Change the name of handout as "Your project name 2013"

4. Change the banner and the contact information at the top of the page

5. Find a website to generate QR codes (such as: http://goqr.me/ or http://www.qrstuff.com/)

6. Generate 2 QR codes for you Youtube Movie link and your website link.

7. Copy and paste the QR code pictures on your brochure.

8. Upload it by Attaching/Adding it to your demo page or home page in your website.DO NOT USE GOOGLE DOCS !

9. After the attachment done.Move your mouse on download arrow and by right click "copy link address" of your attachment.

10. Write the statement " Click here to download the handout" on your HOMEPAGE and add/paste the link by using link button for direct download ,like the 1st step of this assignment above here.

11. If you are presenting your demo in stem expo (such as STEM FESTIVAL OR I-SWEEEP public day) , your teacher will print out enough to share with visitors.

12. So this assignment should be completed before the STEM FESTIVAL or before your teacher submits your website to 2013 website contest (www.stemcontest.com)