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Using MS Word to create an article layout

Copy and paste the following article unto a new MS Word document:


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One way to increase diversity in your school’s computer science classes?
New data points to impact of teacher diversity
Code.org
Aug 13, 2018
 
We just ran the numbers for our high school classes and found that the diversity of students is directly correlated to the teachers in the classrooms. Though the difference is small, when multiplied by 10’s of thousands of students, the impact is real.
It’s not surprising to learn that you’d find more girls in classes with female teachers. In addition, having Black, Hispanic, or Latino teachers would be an inspiration to Black, Hispanic, or Latino students. But, we also see promising data that teachers from underrepresented minorities may also be correlated with more women in their classes.
 
Unfortunately, just as certain minorities are underrepresented in the tech industry, they are also underrepresented in teaching. Black, Hispanic, and Latino teachers are underrepresented across teaching in general — especially relative to our student populations. While 44% of students come from an underrepresented minority, only 18% of American teachers and only 15% of STEM teachers come from one of these groups.
To support our goal of increasing access to computer science, we have reached out to a diverse cohort of teachers through our professional learning program, and help all teachers understand the importance of including equitable teaching practices in their computer science classrooms. We want to buck the trend and support more women and underrepresented minorities teaching computer science. At this point, we’re encouraged to see that teachers in our programs mirror the general population of teachers — and show growth among STEM teachers — at 60% female and 19% underrepresented minorities. However, we clearly still have a long way to go.
We cannot wait to see the impact these teachers — and future teachers — will have after teaching Computer Science Principles over many years. We hope that this research inspires even more women and underrepresented minorities to begin teaching computer science at their schools.
Alice Steinglass — President, Code.org
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Copy and paste the following article unto a new MS Word document:

Are sneakers getting too expensive?
By Brandon Edler
Finish Line Content Manager, March 11, 2015
 
Jump on social media or kick it at your local sneaker spot on a Saturday and inevitably you’re going to see the same puzzled reaction when people see the suggested retail prices on today's sneaker releases. Brands have traditionally increased prices on many popular sneakers year after year, and sometimes consumers associate the higher price points as a sign that the product must be of a higher standard than its predecessors, but is that really the case?
“Rising sneaker prices can be attributed to a variety of factors: rising costs of labor in China, increased costs for raw material, inflation, and general price increases, yet it appears that the price increases have significantly outpaced these factors over the past decade,” says Eric Myers, a Northeastern MBA graduate and director at engineering firm INTEGRIS Group.
 
By having a general understanding of how businesses achieve higher profit margins through increased retail prices, you can see why it creates less risk for brands to discount them. “Even at a 40-50 percent discount on the $125 MSRP the brands are still turning a great profit because the shoes still are a $100 MSRP under the brands business model,” Corgi says. “It's genius. Pull the wool over the consumer’s eyes, and always remember: Capitalism has no moral compass. I absolutely applaud the brands for maximizing their profit margin.”
 
So how close are we from brands alienating consumers to the point of no return? “Even though retailers say there's no resistance to $200+ basketball shoes, I still find it hard to believe," says The Smoking Section editor and sneaker enthusiast John Gotty. “Obviously, numbers don't lie and opinions are just that but it's still hard to grasp where high school teens find the money to pick up retros priced at $170 and newer models that run north of $200. Afterschool jobs can't be paying that much.”
Gotty is right about one thing:
 
The numbers don’t lie. In a few weeks, most companies will release their first quarterly earnings reports which will paint a better picture on what effects higher price points are having on sales.

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This is how your final article will look like


Build a Job Application Form using Microsoft Word

Many companies use a PDF (portable digital form) for many task. In this activity, we will recreate a Job Application Form in Microsoft Word, then convent to a PDF file.

A PDF file allows people to download the file, print, and then fill it out without having the unnecessary things that come when printing from a webpage.

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Download this Job Application
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Creating your own unique calendar month

In this exercise you will use Microsoft Word to create your own unique calendar. 

The structure of the layout with encompass Tables, Pictures, Word Art, and backgrounds.

To complete the layout, you will have to research the days of the month, layout orientations, the holidays in the month, and any other event you wish to add (birthday, celebration, etc.) and colors.
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Designing a Poster with Microsoft Word

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Microsoft Word allows you to create and develop custom posters for items that can be sold to the public. The following are examples of posters created in MS Word.

In this activity you will develop a poster using an existing product. You will add images and text that will help promote the item.
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Essay Publication - What do you have to say?

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Essay Map is an online tool to create an outline
Ever had trouble writing an essay? Did you know there are online tools made to help you??

To be an effective writer, a plan is needed; and this plan is called an Outline. An outline is useful because it helps you decide what to write and what to ignore - saving you time and confusion.

Essay Map  is an digital outline-maker tool that does exactly that!  Just fill out the blank spaces with some basic information and there you have it. When done, save the outline on your computer and use it to help you write the essay.

Show your essay to Mr. Munoz, and once your outline has been approved, you can start your essay. 

The final process is to transform your essay into a professional looking publication in Microsoft Word. There's a sample at the bottom of this webpage.  



Now try it this way...

Step 1. Open and read one of the articles from below and click Essay Map.com. 
  1. More young children today know how to use a smartphone compared to riding a bike or tying their shoe laces.
  2. Most kids are as social media savvy as adults by age 13

Step 2. Fill out the blank spaces using information from the article.

Step 3. When you finish, select SAVE FINAL and name the file Summary2.PDF

Step 4. You just created an OUTLINE  for an essay. Save it on the My Documents folder or use your Dropbox.

Step 5. Submit the PDF file by clicking here.

Rewrite your Summary

Open your PDF Outline file you created from Essay Map.  You will use the outline to create a new 50-word summary on Microsoft Word. 

Your outline you created will help write your new essay more efficiently and creatively. When you are done, name it "Summary2" and save it to your Dropbox.

Submit the second summary to Mr. Munoz by clicking here. 

Does this method work for you?

Fill out the survey after creating your survey from the outline.

The Real Challenge...

The practice summary, you have conducted what is called "Internet Research". You read an online article, thought about it and summarized it. Your report might have been a challenge but the important thing is that you learned the process.

The articles:
  • Effects of Social Media on Kids (U.S. News Health)
  • Smartphones Statistics and Side Effects
  • Violent Video Games DOES affect changes in the brain - Visible in a brain scan
  • Effects of Fast Food on Young Children



What will you submit? Your completed essay will look like this...

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Your final essay should look like this example.
Your essay must have the following:
  1. An essay (between 100-150 words) Including an Introduction, Body, and Conclusion
  2. Essay is separated by two columns
  3. Two pictures (from the Internet or Clipart)
  4. A Title with your name and class under the Title
  5. Color on the Title or essay
  6. (Optional) background color, but make sure the essay is easy to read) Ask Mr. Munoz if you have questions about Background Color.


How will you submit it? Click on this link: Submit Your Work 

<--- Your Final Essay should look like this!

MS Word Essay Rubric

Your final essay (with borders, 2 pictures, name, class, title, and source) will be graded with this MS Word Essay Rubric.
Essay Grading Rubric:
Category
4 3 2 1 Total
Introduction
(Organization)
The introduction is inviting, states the main topic and previews what the essay will be about. The introduction clearly states the main topic but it’s not inviting to the reader The introduction states the main topic but does not provide a preview of the essay There is no clear introduction of the main topic, nor a preview is provided
Focus on Topic
(Content)
There is one clear well-focused topic. Main idea stands out and is well supported. Main idea is clear but the supporting information is general Main idea is somewhat clear but there is a need for more supporting information The main idea is not clear. There is a seemingly random collection of information.
Support for Topic (Content) Relevant, telling, quality details give the reader important information Supporting details and more information are relevant, but one key issue or portion of the storyline is unsupported. Supporting details and information are relevant, but several key issues or portions of the storyline are unsupported. Supporting details and information are typically unclear or not related to the topic
Conclusion (Organization) The conclusion is strong and leaves the reader with a full understanding The conclusion is recognizable and ties all the topics into one understandable component The conclusion is recognizable, but does not tie up the entire essay There is no clear conclusion, the essay just ends.
Graphics (Layout of Essay) The pictures, the border, the font color and the two- columns work well together as a theme and the text is very easy to read. The essay is easy to read, but one of the components is missing The essay is easy to read, but two of the components is missing The essay is hard to read, and more than one component is missing
Grammar & Spelling Writer makes no errors in spelling and grammar. The reader has an easy time reading the essay Write makes 2-4 errors in spelling and grammar Writer makes 5-8 errors in spelling and grammar Writer makes more than 9 errors in spelling and grammar
TOTAL
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Site Updated: August 29, 2021