Purpose of the Course
The purpose of this eight-week course is to help you become more comfortable with the computer hardware and software available for your use at Pingry.  You will sharpen skills already learned, and develop new skills for using computers to find, analyze, manage, and present information. 

Course Description
Using The Community Service Information Sheet students will research a charitable organization in their area.  Choose an organization you would be interested in doing community service.

Researching a charitable organization will allow students to use technology to research a topic of interest.  Each student will be responsible for creating and presenting a number of different projects using technology highlighting their selected Organization. 

Essential Questions
The following questions MUST be answered in your presentation.

• Give a definition for Community Service and Philanthropy?
• What are different types of Community Service needs FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION?
• How does Community Service affect your life and as a seventh grade student how can you participate in Community Service?

Technology
The use of technology plays an integral role in the developing, researching and presenting each project.  Each project will include the completion of a corresponding checklist.  The checklist will include the requirements and due dates for each assignment. Throughout the quarter, students will have every opportunity to make full use of the hardware and software available at school. 

Applications

• File Management – Copies of all electronic documents “handed out” will be saved in their Personal network folder.  Students will use an open source application – MOODLE – and/or a Technology Class network folder to organize, maintain and submit their work.
• Email – Students will learn how to manage their Outlook email.
• Inspiration – Using Inspiration template students will diagram their organization. 
• Excel– Students will create a total of 4 worksheets including a comparison sheet and a chart.  Worksheets will include formulas, functions and correct formatting. 
• Internet – Students will use the Internet to research their charitable organization.  In addition, students will discuss cyber safety and review two different internet sites and determine whether either or both sites are useful for research using the Checklist for Evaluating Web Pages.
• Word – Students will publicize their Organization by:
  • Creating a flyer announcing an opportunity for students to participate in helping the organization
  • Creating a one page informational newsletter publicizing the organization
  • Creating a three column brochure about your organization to be handed out to prospective donors
• PowerPoint – Students will present a PowerPoint presentation utilizing 15 minutes of class time.  The purpose of the presentation is to convince your classmates to make a donation to YOUR charitable organization.  The PowerPoint presentation will include:
  • A title slide
  • 5-7 slides of information about your Organization
  • How I learned about this Organization
  • My connection to this Organization
  • Brief History of the Organization
  • Purpose of the Organization
  • Population served by this Organization
  • What type of services does this Organization need?
  • Answers to Essential Questions
  • A design template
  • Clip art, pictures imported from the Internet, scanner or digital camera
  • Video or sound recording
  • Animation or custom animation on each slide
  • Transition effects on each slide
  • 3 hyperlinks to (and from, if necessary) another slide presentation, another presentation or application or a RELEVANT internet site.
  • Printed notes pages to be used during the presentation and handed in.

Reflection Sheet

• Completion of the Reflection sheet based on student’s experience researching and presenting information of a charitable organization.
• Analysis of quote using the assigned questions