Embedded Files
Below is the Assignments that you need to visit once a week to update yourself. if this is your first ever Virtual Science Event, and there might be some changes and modifications in assignments from time to time. KEEP THE CONTACT WITH YOUR TEACHER .
if you don`t have internet access at home;
Computer lab will be open for science event students at a certain time. But you need to add your name to the computer lab list which will be prepared by your science teacher.
You may also use the science laptops after school if they are available.
STEM CLUB:
If you are interested in experiments and get full credit from assignments , it is strongly recommended for you to enroll STEM CLUB for higher grades.
Presentation of your experiment in the lab.
When it is time for everyone to do your experiment.You are going to help the teacher as an assistant or mentor student.You will be the first group to make pre-lab presentation
Get in contact with the teacher in order to learn the date of your experiment.
1ST MARKING PERIOD:
STEP 1: Sign up for a Gmail account
ASSIGNMENT 1:
Student’s Gmail account must follow certain format: firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com.
Student Gmail account and related services that are associated with this account are to be used only for school related assignments.
Student is responsible to provide his/her Gmail account information to the parents.
STEP 2: Form your experiment team from your classmates
You will work in a group after school. So make a group from your classmates from whom you can easily come together , from those of your friends whose schedule after school is available (once in a week at the same time)
Min 1 students maximum 4 students in an experiment team. Suggested ; 2-3 students in the team
Each member of the team is preferred to be in the same class so that teacher can easily schedule a meeting after school when it is necessary.
One member of the team will be TEAM LEADER.
It is strongly recommended to discuss with the teacher to make final decision whether experiment as STEM Project is the most suitable one for each member or not.
STEP 3: Team Leader will send email by his/her Google email to your teacher and wait for approval.
Send the NAME OF STUDENTS IN THE TEAM and THEIR G-MAIL ADDRESS.Please make sure the email addresses are correct
Make cc to other members` email.
Mention in your email that you want to choose experiment as a stem projects and wait for approval.
There is limited number of experiments. 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: choose your experiment
Your science teacher will share a list of experiments.
Teachers will make copies of the handouts of the experiments to be given to students during the first week of school
if your teacher set up Edmodo accounts for each class ,Softcopies of the experiment handouts can be uploaded to library.
or the teacher may have website that you can download the manuals
else you need to visit the teacher to have more detailed information about the experiments.
STEP 1: Select your experiment from the list
Choose an experiment with your team from the list of experiments.Make sure all the team members agree with the experiment you have chosen.
if the list is not shared with you , ask your teacher to share the list of experiments.
STEP 2: Email the name of experiment for approval
Team leader will email the name of experiment to teacher for approval.
Do not forget the write the name of other students in the team.
ASSIGNMENT 3: Create your site, and share.
STEP1:Create your BLANK Google site
Log in to https://sites.google.com/ with your firstname.lastname.harmony@gmail.com account
Click "create a site"
Name your site and choose BLANK Template.
Name your site in the following format: hsa-2012-firstname-2digitnumber .SAMPLE; http://sites.google.com/site/hsa2012tony02
Type the code at the end of page and click on "create page"
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 !
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.
STEP3: Adjust your site for mobile phones.
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).
Start a background research about your experiment as soon as possible.Read the manual carefully,(Although pre-lab presentation with background research is for next marking period ) so that you can make a successful presentation with the team and move to the next step to start working on your experiment.
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: Pre-Lab presentation with Background research and maintain your experiment materials.
STEP 1:Schedule a visit with the teacher in order to make pre-lab presentation. Your team members should also agree with the scheduled appointment.Your team leader may take an active role in scheduling time.
Your teacher may post a time table for you to schedule an appointment , you will have maximum 10 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 after school , 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 pre-lab presentation ASAP and make the visit during the first 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.
STEP 2: Prepare a pre-lab presentation in a written format. when you are preparing it
Use your lab manual for the experiment.
use your textbook for the related topic
use online sources including movies
You may also ask help from one of your friend who is good at your assigned topic/experiment
You written Pre-lab presentation should include these parts;
Goal of the experiment;
Summary of Procedure in students own words
Answers to Pre-Lab Questions in your lab manual (if exist)
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 ...)
if you have a team for your experiment each student should prepare their own written pre-lab presentation.
STEP 3: Make your pre-lab presentation to your teacher.
Your teacher will evaluate your presentation and IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE EXPERIMENT EQUIPMENT AND YOU WILL BE READY FOR DOING YOUR EXPERIMENT.IF YOU FAIL IN pre-lab presentation , YOU CANNOT GET THE EQUIPMENT TO DO EXPERIMENTS so you will have to re-schedule a second pre-lab presentation if your teacher has time for it.
So make sure you get prepared well for your pre-lab presentation.
When you are taking feedback from your teacher , take some notes.Your pre-lab presentation 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.
STEP 4: Check your materials.
if your pre-lab presentation is satisfactory , your teacher will show you the materials of your experiments, so ...
Case 1; Ask your teacher to show you the materials , if it is available ;
Remember the location of your materials or box in the lab/class.Ask who is responsible to maintain additional materials you need like; consuming materials , extension cord , etc ...
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 an experiment with home materials or you promised to supply them for extra credit You should finalize it in this period.
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;
http://harmonytx.org/ ,
http://www.facebook.com/HarmonyPublicSchools ,
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;
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
You school channel
Your friends' youtube channels for STEM project (if you know any)
You may also give a support , if you have a Facebook account. Please LIKE these;
http://www.facebook.com/HarmonyPublicSchools
Your school Facebook Page
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: Conduct the experiment.
Make sure you follow the safety regulations , if it is required you may need to conduct the experiment with the assist of your teacher.
Take pictures of your materials.
Take pictures of the steps of your experiment , so that these photos will help us understand what is happening there.
If your experiment 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 ?
Log in to YOUTUBE
Right click on your gmail address/channel name on the right up corner
Click on "settings"
Click "Profile setup"
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 experiment where you will write your experiment report
Click on new page button at the right-top corner of your blank website.
Name your page as the name of your experiment such as "Circular Motion "
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 experiment page
Page content will have minimum 5 main titles/parts
Question;
Hypothesis
Materials
Safety regulations
Procedure
Data collection
Calculation
Conclusion
Use of of these formats for detailed information , or your teacher can give you a different lab report format;
Sample lab report format 1
Sample lab report format 2
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 experiment has an action or sound which is the main part of experiment , you should also insert a movie.You don't need to speak in that small movie , only record the action part or sound.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 !
4th MARKING PERIOD:
ASSIGNMENT 10, ASSIGNMENT 11 and ASSIGNMENT 12;(MAKING THE MOVIE)
They are the same assignments with demonstrations, so check the assignments for demonstrations
5th MARKING PERIOD:
They are the same assignments with demonstrations, so check the assignments for demonstrations
6th MARKING PERIOD:
They are the same assignments with demonstrations, so check the assignments for demonstrations
Notifications:
1-The instructors have the right to change, omit or add to the assignments and rules if needed.
2-The students are responsible for their personal Gmail , any Google sites Google docs ,YouTube Channels and PICASA albums constructed for the science event.They can only be used for school science event. The e-mail system ,Google sites , Google docs ,YouTube Channels and PICASA albums may not be used to create any offensive or disruptive messages. Among those which are considered offensive are any messages that contain sexual implications, racial or gender-specific slurs, or any other comment that offensively addresses an individual’s age, sexual orientation, religious or political beliefs, national origin, disability, or anything that could be construed as harassment or disparaging of others.
3-Students may not use e-mail or Google sites to send, receive or post materials, proprietary financial information, or other similar materials that violate copyright law. Students will be responsible for any content in their Google personal site that violates copyright law.
4- The students are responsible to provide their Gmail account information to their parents.
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.
Page updated
Report abuse