Tech Times
News from the North Campus HFRS Computer Lab
Welcome Back!
2018-2019 is going to be a great school year!
Thank you for visiting the computer lab website! This is a new adventure for me, so please be patient as I figure out how to use this wonderful resource as a way to keep you updated on what's going on in computer class. Please email me any time with questions, concerns, suggestions, or even praise! I love to hear what your kids like about my class too!
Thank you for the privilege of working with your children!
-Ms. Whitley-
Students and parents continue to ask me about various websites and resources their children have enjoyed in computer class. Below are some great websites and some answers to questions you might have been asked...
My children keep telling me about this cool technology device they use with ipads in the computer lab. What is this Osmo thing and where can I buy it? Click the link below to find out more.
Osmo can be purchased directly through the Osmo website, on amazon.com, and from various retailers. Basic kit costs about $75 and all the apps are free. They are also available at Marbles at Somerset.
http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/search.aspx?tSearch=osmo
What are some educational websites that are safe for my children?
All subjects + holidays + fun stuff
Interactive Sites for Education
Common Sense Media's list of best websites for kids
BrainPop Jr. - all subjects, videos, games
(log in using hfrs for username and hfrs for password)
This one is a little early to post but at least you'll be prepared!
Ms. Whitley let the 1st grade classes call Santa Claus on the phone and leave him a message! I want to call Santa too! What is his number?
Here is a number that is safe to call. Your children can leave Santa a voicemail message including their first name and tell Santa their wish lists. I have no clue who set up this wonderful system for Santa but am so glad we found it online! They even texted me back with a link to the recording of the kids phone call! How cute is that?!
Put your phone on speaker, grab your camera and be ready to witness pure Christmas joy as your child talks to Santa!
(951) 262-3062
Does your child have a favorite teacher at Holy Family that your family would like to recognize? We love giving publicity to our wonderful school and its dedicated staff! Please read the letter below to find out how YOU can NOMINATE a teacher from HFRS.
Ann Marie’s All Stars honors the exceptional people in our Metro Detroit schools!
This is your opportunity to show all the incredible people and GOOD things happening in your schools! I’m looking for anyone who contributes to our student’s success – teachers, students, bus drivers, custodians … you name it! Once an All Star is chosen, we come to your school and do a featured story on the impact they’re making!
We love the ripple effect honoring our All Stars creates- we’ve received letters from inspiring new teachers or teachers who say these stories reinvigorated their passion for the classroom.
I would LOVE to hear who deserves this great honor in your schools! We have had so much fun surprising our incredible All Stars and working with schools to incorporate their families and finding other ways to make the honor special!
To nominate someone for Ann Marie’s All Stars emailannmarie.laflamme@wxyz.com
Subject: Ann Marie’s All Stars Nomination: (nominee’s name)
Nominator’s name and phone number:
Why this person deserves to be honored as an All Star:
An All Star is honored every week and their story will be featured on both WXYZ and TV20 Detroit in addition to wxyz.com and our social media sites.
Ann Marie LaFlamme
Traffic/Reporter
W: 248.827.9407
C: 248.763.6729
20777 West 10 Mile Road
Southfield, Michigan 48075
Can you recommend any creative technology gifts my children might enjoy at home?
TIggly
https://www.tiggly.com/pages/tiggly-apps
Ozobot
I got these for Christmas from my son and they are great fun to play with for kids and adults! The robots follow color codes/patterns and you can make your own path for the mini-robots to follow. Great for teaching math, science and technology!
http://ozobot.com/products/ozobot-starter-pack
Circuit Maze Board Game
Makey Makey
thinkgeek's website has lots of fun gift ideas!
Here are a few websites the kids keep asking me to write down for them to take home...but with 400 students, that's a lot of Post-It notes to fill out! Therefore, I have compiled a list of the sites most asked about:
Key Tower (looks different than last year because website updated game)
http://www.typinggames.zone/keytower
Sugar, Sugar
http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-sugar-sugar
Kodable
https://game.kodable.com/play?user=xu2b7q7
Fuzz Bugs
http://www.abcya.com/counting_sorting_comparing.htm
Dance Mat Typing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr
Keyboard Climber & Keyboard Climber 2
http://www.tvokids.com/games/keyboardclimber
http://www.tvokids.com/play/keyboard_climber2/keyboardClimber2.swf
Voki
http://www.voki.com/site/create
Virtual Tour of the White House
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/360-degree-virtual-tour-white-house/story?id=44757315
FOR THIRD GRADERS ONLY
Typing Agent can be accessed anywhere you have an internet/wifi connection. You may practice keyboarding, play typing games, use the social app to message your classmates or me, change your avatar, check your typing progress and more!
To log on, use your ID and password from computer class. Most of you have it memorized.
Remember - NO ONE else can use your Typing Agent account, as students receive a grade for keyboarding lessons.
Here's the link to our HFRS Typing Agent website:
