Parent Letter

Info-Tech / STEAM / Art 1 & 2

Mr. Blech

kessick.blech@aps.edu

Hoover, Rm E-36

Parents and Students,

    Welcome to Info-Tech, STEAM, and Art classes. I am looking forward to working with you this semester.  With a positive attitude and effort, students will enjoy learning valuable, life-long technology and career skills.

Course Description:

   Info Tech is a one-semester course focussing on programming. Areas of study include Python programming language. Arduino MicroProcessor programming and building of circuits. Students will explore a web-based program introducing them to the Python language. We will also explore several other programming and game websites to inspire our own projects.

S.T.E.A.M. is a one-semester course focussing on project-based learning. Areas of study include keyboarding, skill-building, software explorations, literacy, employability skills, career exploration, and internet research. Students will design and build towers, airplanes, rockets, bridges, and many more hands-on projects.

Art is a one-semester course focussing on enabling students to use the tools needed to illustrate their thoughts, ideas, and creativity through any medium. Students will paint, draw, sculpt, and use computers to create digital art.

Course Outlines:

• STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics)

    1.  Keyboarding by touch (typing.com and NitroType)

    2.  Paper Towers, Paper Rockets, Paper Airplanes

    3.  AVID - One-Pagers

    4.  Google Sheets - Charting graphs, as well as equation manipulations

    5.  Photo manipulation using Pixlr.com and Photoshop

    6.  Audio manipulation using Garageband/Audacity/Web based editors

    7. Newtons Laws, Initial Velocity, Robotics

8.  Interior Design as well as house modeling (homestyler)

    9.  3D object design and printing (tinkercad)

   10. Minecraft Education Edition (Community building and teamwork, practice coding)

• Info Tech

1. Python Programming - Code Combat

2. Python - Ozaria

3. CodeHS - C coding language

4. ZORK rpg - (Learn to create your own Text RPG)

5. SCRATCH

6. Website Portfolio

7. Tynker

8. Depending on how the semester ends (Minecraft Education Edition)

• Art

  1. Intro to Elements of art

  2. Line

  3. Shape

  4. Form

  5. Space

  6. Texture

  7. color

  8. value

  9. Projects (Masks, 3d modeling, clay, paint, still life, interactive art, mural)

Grading:

    As per District grading guidelines, Mastery assignments are given a weight of 70%, and practice assignments are given a weight of 30%.

    Classwork/Typing Lessons

    Effort/Participation

    Final Project/Exam 10%

    Students are expected to follow procedures for turning in work on google classroom. Assignments and due dates will be listed on the google classroom website. Students are expected to turn in work when it is due. Late work will not be accepted after the due date, except, in the case of absences. Students that submit blank documents as their assignments multiple times will receive a 1% for the assignment with no chance of correction.

    Progress reports are sent home at the four-and-a-half-week mark. Please feel free to email any questions to me at kessick.blech@aps.edu  I may have missed something, but I will correct anything if it needs to be corrected.

Absences:

    Students are required to make up work missed due to absences. It is the student's responsibility to make arrangements with me to make up the work. Full credit will be given for make-up work only if it is turned in within one or two days after the absence. If make-up work is requested ahead of time, it is due when the student returns to school.

Supplies:

   Charged school-issued Chromebook

   Art: Colored Pencils, Markers, Assortment of Paint Brushes (Similar to these)

Classroom Behavior Expectations: (See image below for Classroom behavior flowchart)

Be Respectful    Be Prepared     Be Productive     Be Prompt     Be Responsible

• Students are expected to follow Hoover's code of conduct.    

• Bring student Chromebook, pen/pencil, each day.

• Be in line and ready to start when the bell rings.

• Use equipment and materials responsibly and ethically. Students are not to alter settings on the computers or trespass into other students' files.

• Students must have the teacher's permission to be on the internet and all websites must be approved by the teacher. Students will only be allowed to use the internet for classroom assignments.

• Food, candy, gum, or drinks are not allowed in the computer lab.

• Treat your teacher and classmates in a cooperative and courteous manner. Raise your hand to be called upon to speak in class discussions.

• Remain seated unless you have permission to leave your seat. (Group assignments)

• Respect the rights of others to learn!

Thank you for taking the time to read over my syllabus. Together we can have a great time learning. I look forward to working with you all.

   -Kessick Blech