PowerRanger Meeting Minutes
Friday, March 22, 2002
Room 7096

1. Best practices/integrating technology

During each lunch period, "Veteran" PowerRangers shared examples of how technology is being integrated into the curriculum.

PERIOD 4 ... Liz Kenney (Communications Arts)
Liz shared her plans for creating an email discussion group which her students will use later this term to discuss literature in the classroom. In order for this to be a successful project, teachers first should be sure their students have a Stevenson email account set up. Nancy Hudson is the person to contact for information about student email. Teachers may also need to allow additional lab time to teach students how to use Eudora for email. Based on a project completed by Betsy Maxwell, Liz explained how students like this discussion method because they can express their views without having to get up in front of everyone and talk. Liz also noted that it increases the students writing skills and by printing out what was "talked" about, teachers can have a tangible record of how the class time was utilized.

PERIOD 5 ... Bob Lyons (Social Studies)
Bob shared his experiences using PowerPoint in his Freshman World History classes. He shared how his students use PowerPoint to demonstrate their learning of "Change Over Time" in regard to historical figures they have studied, and showed a sample of a completed project . Bob demonstrated how to connect to a teacher drop box and talked about the benefits of using a drop box for students submitting presentations. Bob also spoke about the planning required to reserve the computer lab at the beginning of the semester and explained the importance of having students complete a storyboard prior to working in the lab. Additionally, he provided a copy of his PowerPoint instructions for students, and the rubric used for grading the project.

PERIOD 6 ... Beth Sparacino (Social Studies)
Beth shared three specific ways in which technology has enriched her curriculum:
1. Use media clips to hook kids into a lesson. As an example, Beth played a small clip from an episode of Friends explaining a "Frienassance" that was used to intro the Renaissance to Freshman students.
2. Affective appeal - Beth showed how she uses pictures and short movie clips of kid's projects as well as examples of student essays on Internet so parents and students can see them.
3. Make connections to the modern world - Beth explained an assignment that students complete using resources from the Amnesty International website. Students pick a country, analyze what is happening and then discuss what theories from class would be applicable in each situation.
Visit Beth's website at: http://www.district125.k12.il.us/faculty/spar/

2. Making the Grade Web e-publisher "pin number" security.
The rumor about a "universal" pin number for checking grades online was discussed. An updated version of Making the Grade, version 9.1.n, is coming soon.

3. Team Workshop Training Days
Two team workshops days remain. PowerPoint in the Classroom, co-presented by Don Carmichael and Todd Graba will be on Thursday, April 11, and is full. Internet Lessons and Collaborative Projects, co-presented by Manolo Rider-Sanchez and Margaret Plank, will be on Wedneday, May 22 and has openings for additional team members. Please contact Charlene if you are interested in the May 22 workshop.

4. Submitting jobs to the Xerox Docutech "online"
Charlene reviewed the process necessary for PowerRangers to submit their copying needs directly to the Xerox Docutech. Instructions and the necessary software can be found in the "For Printing" folder in the PowerRanger shared folder. Rangers will need to "drag" the entire "For DOCUTECH PRINTING" folder onto the desktop before installing. Once installed, jobs can be printed directly to the Docutech.

Sending jobs to the Xerox is a 2-step process: "printing" to the Docutech, and then submitting the Copy Center Job Request online. Prior to printing, users must change the file name so that it includes their email name.

The online "Copy Center Job Request" form can be found in the "Restricted Web Pages" area of the Stevenson home page. Jobs of over 1,000 copies, or requiring colored paper, will automatically get sent to your director for approval.

5. Introduction to iTools
Charlene shared information about the FREE iTools service provided by Apple Computers, which includes
iCards, Email, Homepage, and iDisk . iDisk is 20 MB of storage space on Apple's Internet server, which is accessible on Macintosh computers running system 9 or greater. Members can connect using AppleShare in the Chooser, similar to connecting to a teacher drop box server, as demonstrated by Bob Lyons in 5th period. Charlene did a quick demo of Apple's Homepage web publisher and created a PowerRanger photo album with pictures taken of the lunch attendees. iDisk also can provide a method for members to share files on a webpage, that is accessible by anyone with Internet access. (Note: Rangers attending in 5th period did not see the Homepage demo, due to lack of time and Charlene's computer crashing at the end of the period.) Visit Ranger Mom's iTools demo site at: http://homepage.mac.com/rangermom There will be a PowerLunch explaining iTools in greater detail on Friday, April 5.

6. Administrivia

Reminder: Update your virus protection April 1st!

* Next meeting: Friday, April. 26, 2002 -- periods 4, 5, & 6, in room 7096.