Many thanks to Tina B. from over at SJHS for this contribution!

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their famous sketch, ‘Who’s on First?’ might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks. I’m setting up an office in my den and I’m thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name’s Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don’t own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name’s Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don’t know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, ! for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let’s just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue ‘W’.

COSTELLO: I’m going to click your blue ‘w’ if you don’t start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can

track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That’s right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What’s bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on ‘START’………….

Here’s a fun little video to brighten your day.

Have a wonderful weekend! You’ve earned it!

Chicken Tennis

Looking for clipart, photos, templates, sounds, or just about almost anything else you can think of to make your PowerPoint, Word, Excel, etc., really “pop”?

Well, it’s here — Microsoft Office Online. Microsoft gives you lots of wonderful, FREE, resources.

The other day I dove head first into the Web 2.0 world. I set up my own Twitter account and joined my first social networks (Classroom 2.0 and VSTE). It was not long before I had my first request to “befriend” someone. I have to admit that it creeped me out a bit. I kept hearing my mother’s voice reminding me how I should never talk to strangers. Within minutes, though, I had found some familiar names and started sending my own “befriend me” messages.

The key here, though, was that I KNEW the folks I was “befriending” online. I was also careful to keep my personal information ambiguous and to not post any pictures of myself.

Our students are not always as cautious. The temptation is great to really open up and share in what appears to be a safe environment. I am not bad mouthing social networks. I think they are great. But I think it’s important to remind our students (and ourselves for that matter as we adults increasingly join the Web 2.0 world) that they need to be SAFE.

This video is offers a great lesson. It really hits home about how once your picture online, it does not ever really go away.

Think Before You Post

I’m not sure who looks forward to snow days more — students or teachers!

Enjoy the day off and be safe!

Download Video: Posted by tekkieteacher at TeacherTube.com.

This week’s featured website is Computer Literacy 101. The title says it all — it’s a great site with lots of basic, easy to understand, information on computers and technology.

Here is a Feel Good Friday post provided by our very own Lauren B.!

Have a great weekend!

Math from Ma and Pa

Our new Web 2.0 tool, AfterClass, went live today! For those of you wanting to dive in to these nifty new instructional tools, here is an online help site from SchoolFusion.

http://www.schoolfusion.info/help/afterclass/teachers/

The Tech Team is sweeping through the school and installing the video cards in your classrooms. As I come through behind them and configure the software, there is a chance that I might accidentally change your display settings to something other than what you are accustomed to. I TRY to keep everything the same, but there are a lot of video cards and my memory isn’t as great as it once was.

So, if you need to adjust your monitor’s display settings, here’s how to do it:

1. Right-click anywhere on the desktop and select Properties.
2. Click the Settings tab.
3. Move the “slider” for Screen resolution to the desired position (the higher the number, the smaller the icons).
4. Click Apply.

If this doesn’t make you giggle, I give up.

Hema Catalog

(Be patient, the fun starts after a second or two)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thomas Friedman is the author of The World is Flat which is all about 21st century globalization and how it is affecting business, education, and our lives in general. By “flat” he means “connected”. I admittedly have not finished the book, yet. It is an endeavor “in progress”, but what I’ve read so far is very interesting.

Enter the “Flat Classroom Project” where teachers and students from around the world are collaborating on projects using Web 2.0 tools. Just how cool is that?!?! And I really don’t think it would be that tough to do. I’ve already talked to our specialty program coordinator, Meg H., about the possibility of linking up with some of our partner schools from around the world. Check out the link and if you are interested in giving something like this a try, let me know!

You may not be aware of it, but teachers have the power to change their student’s attendance code in ClassXP for up to three days. For example, if you make a mistake and mark a student absent who is actually in attendance, you can correct your mistake up to three days later.

To make the change, in ClassXP go to Class/Show Class Attendance.

After three days, however, any changes or corrections must be done through the attendance office.