Customizing Firefox's "Search Engine Box"

Firefox has a built-in Search Engine box in the Navigation toolbar at the top of the browser window (set to Google by default). This box is customizable to allow you to add a variety of search engines such as:

• Wikipedia
  
• The Weather Channel
  
• BBC News
  
• Yahooligans
  
• And many more

To add a search engine:

• Click on the drop-down arrow in the search bar
  
• Click "Add engines"
  
• Choose a search engine
  
• Click "OK" to confirm selection
  
• The search engine is now available to use
  
• Add as many search engines as you want

To use a different Search Engine in the search box:

• Click on the drop-down arrow in the search bar
  
• Choose the search engine you want
  
• Enter your query
  
• Search results are displayed in the current browser window

Using a Web Browser to View Web Sites

We will be using the web browser "Firefox" to visit web sites on the Internet. You will find it in your "Applications" folder.

To change your home page in the Firefox browser (the procedure is almost identical for Safari and Internet Explorer):

• Open Firefox
  
• Go to www.spurgeoncougars.us
  
• Click "Firefox" in the menu bar
  
• Drop down to "Preferences"
  
• Click the "General" tab in dialog box that appears (1st tab)
  
• Click "Use Current Page"
  
• Close the dialog box
  
• Test by clicking the Firefox "home" icon.

If you want a different home page, go to any web page instead of www.spurgeoncougars.us and follow the above directions.

To add a bookmark to the Firefox toolbar (the procedure is almost identical for Safari and Internet Explorer):

• Open Firefox
  
• Go to the web page to be bookmarked (We will bookmark "Ms Kline Online")
  
• Click "Boookmarks" in the menu bar
  
• Drop down to "Bookmark This Page..."
  
• Name the bookmark
  
• Click the drop-down menu in the "Create in:" field
  
• Drop down to "Bookmarks Toolbar"
  
• Click "Save"

February Art Project

There are multiple themes for the February Art Project:

• Black History Month
  
• The Civil Rights Movement in the United States
  
• U. S. Presidents
  
• Late winter/early spring holidays

Remember, your artwork is graded on:

• Correct Theme
  
• Completion
  
• Neatness
  
• Complexity of design (how much detail?)

Internet Research Project

Today you will begin your 2nd Trimester project. This project will teach you how to use the Internet to assist you with your schoolwork or outside interests.

You will learn about:

• Internet-related vocabulary
  
• How to use a browser
  
• How to use a search engine
  
• How to find information
  
• How to find images
  
• How to use the information you find in a project
  
• How to cite your resources

For your vocabulary lessons you will:

• Open a word processing document
  
• Save As "Internet Vocabulary"
  
• Highlight and copy the title and vocabulary list
  
• Paste the title and list in your document
  
• Save (Not "Save As...") your document
  
• Look up the definition for each term in the
  Matisse Internet Glossary.
  
• Type a short definition for each word
  
• Para Español Lingolex has the Spanish translations

1st Vocabulary Lesson:

• Internet
  
• World Wide Web
  
• Browser
  
• Web Site
  
• Search Engine
  
• URL
  
• Link
  
• Bookmark
  
• .gif
  
• .jpg

You may now go to the English Page and practice your new terms.

January & February Schedule

Monday - Wednesday

• Mavis Textbook - 15 minutes
  
• Internet Research Project - 30 minutes

Thursday

• Mavis Textbook - 15 minutes
  
• February Art Project - 30 minutes

Friday

• Test Day

Technology Autobiography Video Projects

Every Technology I student will create a video autobiography. After completion, each of you will burn a DVD copy of your autobiography for you to keep!

All students must work in teams to assist each team member with filming. Editing may be done alone or as a team, but each student must turn in a separate video.

Your video autobiography must include:

• Storyboard with:
  • Each scene drawn out
    
  • Script under each scene
    
  • Filming details
    
  • List of team members
    
  • Equipment details
    
  • Timetable
• Five scenes with clear video
  
• Clean audio narration (can be dubbed in during editing)
  
• Transitions between each scene
  
• Soundtrack
  
• Credits listing:
  • Starring
    
  • Videographer
    
  • Sound Person
    
  • Produced by
    
  • Music credit (artist and song)
    
  • Any other credits necessary

You may log in to Ms. Kline's public server account to retrieve photos from a variety of class/club activities to put in your video as well!

Saving Your Work in a Teacher's Server Account

Welcome Back!

This week we will be saving our previous art projects to the "Public" folder of Ms. Kline's server account.

You already know how to log in to your personal server account. Now you will learn how to connect to another user's "Public" folder.

All Spurgeon staff and students have personal server accounts. Each server account also has a "Public" folder. The "Public" folder is a location where a person can put files for another user to see. This "Public" folder also has a "Drop Box" where another user may put files for the owner of the "Public" account to see.

Use the following steps to access a teacher's "Public" folder:

1. Log in to your computer with your name and password
   
2. Verify that you are in the "Finder" menu (look for the word "Finder" in the menu bar on the top left of your screen)
   
3. Click "Go" in the menu bar at the top of your screen
   
4. Drop down to "Connect to Server"
   
5. Enter the server address: x4.spurgeon.sec.sausd.edu
   
6. Click "Connect"
   
7. Enter your name and password
   
8. Scroll down to the bottom of the list to "Teachers"
   
9. Click "OK"
   
10. You will now see a list of all of the teachers
    
11. Close this window (click the red ball)
    
12. You will now see a network connection (a blue sphere) labeled "Teachers" on your desktop

You are now connected to the public accounts of your teachers. This will allow you to save files into their "Drop Boxes."

Use the following steps to save to a teacher's "Drop Box" folder:

1. Open the file you wish to save
   
2. Click File and drop down to "Save As.."
   
3. Name your file
   
4. Click the arrow to the right of the "Save As.." box to open the "Save" box
   
5. Select the "Teachers" network on the left
   
6. Select the teacher you wish to save to
   
7. Select the "Public" folder
   
8. Select the "Drop Box" folder
   
9. Click "Save" at the bottom of the screen
   
10. Your file is now saved in the "Drop Box"

Use the following steps to see a public document in a "Public" folder:

1. Doubleclick the network icon "Teachers" on the desktop
   
2. Click on the column view icon (3 vertical boxes) at the top of this window
   
3. Click on the teacher's name
   
4. Click on the "Public" folder
   
5. You may view any file in this folder
   
6. Drag the file to your desktop if you want a copy of it