Bilton Grange ICT

List of iPod Touch Apps

2010-02-04T10:38:00.003Z

The following list includes free apps and paid apps. Many may be useful to you to use your iPod touch as a learning tool.

The list can also be seen as a separate page.

iPod Touch App review

2010-02-01T21:58:00.004Z

Four Days at Cyberschool

2009-06-26T17:48:00.005+01:00

After four days of Cyberschool, some super work has resulted and been sent in, which can be seen on the main school website at:
http://www.biltongrange.co.uk/news/2009/jun/18/youve-got-mail/

However some of the e-mail interaction between staff and pupils has made for entertaining reading. Names removed/abbreviated to initials to protect the innocent and guilty alike!

0908 Good morning! B.; tuck your shirt in.
0914 how do you know my shirt is't tucked in
0915 Big brother is watching you!!
0930 yes sir
Hello, Sir. i've got a problem. I haven't got an Olive tree. "WHAT AM I GOING TO?". Only joking. The work is fun.

Hi everyone- so who has got Swan Flu?

Yes - when we went to RAK in the UAE they pronounced my name choss - I got used to it - I was happy that they remembered me. Hope you are well, please dont get swine flu.

Unfortunately we are unable to read the attachment, however this won't stop us doing any work!

I am beginning to tear my hair out with computers that will not print, or connect to the internet for more than a few seconds, so we have given up trying to keep up with lessons. We will print off what we can/ work as and when the machines will give us access and hopefully bring hard copies of most things with us on Friday. I hope you understand. We will go and look at the flowers, bus stop and the church now

He spent three hours on the maths times tables yesterday afternoon as he enjoyed it so much, unfortunately I have to go out to a long standing appointment this morning, so A. is going to do half an hour now. I hope that this is Ok.

Problem a) If Mary can mow the court in 3 hours and Jack can mow it in 6 hours, how long would it take them to mow the court together?
Solution GET HENRY AS HES REALLY QUICK ON THE MOWER

Well done! You have completely upstaged all other subjects. Greek and French have been dismissed and she is rummaging through our rrecycling boxes and waving scissors about in a dangerous manner. She is completely inspired and absorbed. You might as well tell all her other teachers now to just forget whatever they had planned.

I have done the work on the computer but I can't draw a picture of my house on the Work sheet do I print out the work sheet and then draw the house. Hope you can help!!!

Hello all. Anybody in? Hellloooooooo??
I know you can hear me!
Bet those Ts are off shootin’ and huntin’ someplace, skinning some unfortunate creature. (Please be careful, boys)
And that A. is off on a skiing jaunt, probably swanning around in a helicopter at this very moment.
And N. - arm wrestling bears and stealing their dinner money- don’t think I don’t know about that.
And J. and A.- watching TV and eating crisps for more than 36 hours straight might give you bed sores.
And B.- I said diary writing, not dairy writing- stop writing about cheese spreads.
And that K, well we all know what she’s been up to… I just hope the law doesn’t find out. Just because the CCTV image was patchy, doesn’t mean they won’t track you down- Robbing a bank in your wedding dress: original and funny- but conspicuous. A bad idea. Stick to your usual catsuit and tights over the head.
So your diaries will be very entertaining after all….
Keep well, see you Monday

Here is my English homework (We hope you can read it - please refer to mammy's earlier email about being mac users)

1008 Good morning. Thank you for trying yesterday's Kakuro puzzle. Here's today's offering. Good Luck
1835 8/8 on the simultaneous equations and i will do the rest after my tea.
1844 Excellent. What's for tea?
1912 Dad's cooking so nothing special. Just a few chicken nuggets with beans.I have got 14/15 on the averages. I got the mean of the 8 numbers wrong.
2009 Well done, and I hope that the chicken nuggets were edible! Don't worry about that website; it seemed to be closed all day for maintenance
2019 The chicken nuggets were edible and I managed to find nonograms on a different website. I completed a 5*5 one in 45 seconds. Thanks

And a few from the microblogs on Edmodo:

note from R. to Juniors all spiders have eight/8 legs, except the one in our house which has seven, as Whizz pulled one off

Aha, H. is back from work! Busy day at the office, boys?
Yes, been outside no computers.
That sounds very good, H.; sitting looking at a computer screen all day is not good for you! (note to self: must mow the lawn!)
I need to mow the lawn.

HH: Hey guys I just heard about the recycling fashion design. I've made a belt of crisp packets and I hope to make a t_shirt.
HB: We don't eat crisps as we're too healthy.Good idea thou
HH:I just ate 20 packets for breakfast and I am going to eat 30 more so I can make a uniform for a school.
Teacher: Well I hope you take some photos of yourself dressed entirely in crisp packets! Just don't have more than your recommended daily allowance of salt! (Health and Safety warning)
P: Go into school on Monday wearing it!!!!!!!

Using Technology at the age of 200...

2009-02-17T16:52:00.002Z

Charles Darwin, born 200 years ago, has clearly been making the most of modern technology. In an interesting website, we see what his journey to the Galapagos would have been like had he been blogging:

http://www.thebeaglevoyage.com/

and on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/cdarwin/

Siftables

2009-02-14T13:18:00.000Z

3M Weather Survey

2009-02-11T14:12:00.001Z

3M would be very grateful if you can fill in the short survey below:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pqSJn-9f6eU3S3iDcBKkNEg

or here:
Loading...

to help them to collect data for a survey about the weather so far this month. It shouldn't take more than a minute or two!

BETT 2009

2009-01-18T14:37:00.003Z

Every January, an enormous show takes place at Olympia, a large exhibition centre in London. It's called BETT and is where all the companies who make ICT hardware and software for schools come to show off their products. Thousands of teachers and other people who work in schools come to find out what's new!

This year, Mr Taylor and Mr Noble set off to Olympia to explore BETT. We visited lots of the stands, including Sherston Software, Smart Learning, 2Simple, Promethean, and lots of other companies whose products interested us.

Below you can see one of the two large exhibition halls- the show covered both halls, on the ground floor and on the first floor balconies.

Do it Yourself!

2009-01-18T12:39:00.004Z

You may be interested in 2DiY, the latest product from 2Simple (who made 2Animate). It lets you (whisper it quietly!) make your own games!

Here's a game made by DRN.
LEVEL ONE
The Princess has to collect all the vases without getting burned- there's a 60 second time limit as well!
LEVEL TWO
Collect all the golden pyramids without falling into the gunge. 2 min limit.
LEVEL THREE
Collect all the healthy food without falling into the gunge or eating something unhealthy! 2 min limit.

Google Map tracks Election result

2008-11-04T22:43:00.004Z

This blog uses lots of embeddable code, to add content from other websites. Google have produced a good example, a map that updates live to show the results of the US Presidential election.

Learning to type...

2008-10-12T17:42:00.000+01:00

Many children are making good progress with English Type Junior; just look at the concentration!

Learning to Type from Bilton Grange on Vimeo.

WoW 1st October 2008

2008-10-03T06:57:00.000+01:00

WoW 1st October 2008 from Bilton Grange on Vimeo.

Geo Greeting!

2008-10-01T18:51:00.001+01:00

Send a Geo-greeting to a friend. Read a sample message here.

Doodling for Google

2008-10-01T16:44:00.002+01:00

Google has been holding a competition for children to design their own Google Logo. You can see the winners here

Up up and away...

2008-09-25T09:57:00.002+01:00

This hot-air balloon was spotted from the Junior classrooms' windows early this morning- we thought Sir Richard Branson might be dropping in, but it appeared to be landing somewhere towards Grandborough!

Bilton Grange in the 1970s...

2008-09-22T18:00:00.001+01:00

Part 1-

Part 2- Hockey, playing on the lawns, and Section Cross-Country

Part 3-

Bilton Grange in the 1960s...

2008-09-22T18:00:00.000+01:00

More fascinating footage from the cine films made by Joe Richardson- including what may be one of the last Chapel Choir photographs from the era of Mark Pasteur...

Bilton Grange 1961-3

2008-09-22T12:00:00.000+01:00

Part 1- including boxing, raft-building and winter fun...

Part 2- the foundations of the Ravenscroft Hall are laid and a Time Capsule is buried in a special ceremony...

Part 3- The Ravenscroft Hall is opened by the Bishop of Coventry.

BG in the late 1950s...

2008-09-22T10:00:00.000+01:00

BG in 1953

2008-09-21T12:32:00.008+01:00

Some fascinating historical footage of Bilton Grange in 1953 has emerged. It was taken by Mr Joe Richardson, a long-serving French master at the school, who died earlier this year, and who was remembered at the Chapel Service yesterday, attended by many of his former pupils. He had a cine camera and one of his hobbies was making home movies showing life at Bilton Grange. These are now a valuable historical record, and we have started to upload them to the Internet so that they can be seen by a wider audience than just those who attended the service.

We hope that the present-day children of BG will also find them fascinating- just how has the school changed?

Spreadsheets

2008-09-19T21:41:00.002+01:00

The Third Form are starting to learn about spreadsheets this term:

The Shambles site has links to some useful resources and so does the Northumberland site.

WoW 17th September

2008-09-19T12:09:00.002+01:00

WoW live, 17th September 2008 from Bilton Grange on Vimeo.

School desk of the future

2008-09-17T15:47:00.001+01:00

Newsround are reporting on what might just be the school desk of the future...

Google Docs explained

2008-09-14T08:49:00.000+01:00

A new way of sharing documents...

Shift Happens

2008-09-14T08:29:00.001+01:00

An influential video about the growth in technology...

Skull or PC?

2008-09-07T10:40:00.001+01:00

NS Optimum, who supply BG with computer equipment and support, have built a computer shaped like a skull! Can you even visualise our ICT room equipped with 20 skulls...?

http://www.podtech.net/home/2541/ns-optimums-gavin-rose-the-argon-pc

Photography tips- portraits

2008-09-06T21:18:00.003+01:00

Two video tutorials with basic tips about how to take good photographs of people.

Digital Literacy II- an anthropological study of YouTube

2008-09-06T20:23:00.000+01:00

A fascinating hour-long lecture about the impact of YouTube on the digital world. This is by a University Lecturer of anthropology, Dr Michael Wesch, and presented at the US Congress Library, so is not aimed at younger children, but for staff and parents with an interest in technology, it's a worthwhile way of passing a spare hour!

"If Web 1.0 linked information, then Web 2.0 links people"

Festival Week 2002

2008-09-01T09:00:00.000+01:00

In 2002 we made a video documenting Festival Week in June. It's now available to view online.

What the Victorians did for us...

2008-08-31T20:52:00.002+01:00

On their visit to the Black Country Museum in October 2002, the Thirds had to make a documentary entitled "What the Victorians did for us".

Adventure training

2008-08-30T12:00:00.000+01:00

An adventure training weekend to Bryn Haford, Wales, in October 2002, captured on film and edited by Edward Stephenson.

How not to Play Cricket!- 2001 style

2008-08-29T12:00:00.000+01:00

A match from the archives- Bilton Grange Colts A v 2nd XI, Summer Term 2001

Buddies!

2008-08-28T12:00:00.000+01:00

One of the first Videos made back in 2000 when we got an iMac in school that could edit digital video. This was a Sunday afternoon creation, to be played as a trailer before the Boarders' big screen movie in the Ravenscroft Hall.

Under Nine Rugby 2001

2008-08-27T12:00:00.001+01:00

Under Nine Rugby Practice in Michaelmas Term 2001

Final WoW of the Summer Term 2008

2008-08-26T15:45:00.002+01:00

A farewell to Wheels- the final WoW of the summer term!

Black Country Museum

2008-08-26T12:00:00.000+01:00

A nostalgic look back at the Third form visit to the Black Country Museum in 2001

From the BG Video Archives

2008-08-25T14:53:00.003+01:00

Some of our older videos have been uploaded to YouTube, where they will undoubtedly be of interest to the OBs who appeared in them. First in this series are two videos from a 2001 trip for the third form to the RAF museum in Hendon. The first video shows the aircraft museum part and the second the Science 'Fun n' Flight" hands-on activities. One or two elder brothers and sisters of current BG pupils feature- can you spot them?

Digital Literacy

2008-08-25T00:00:00.002+01:00

What is Digital Literacy?

A rather complicated academic essay suggests that in the 21st Century, the traditional skills of being able to read and write and do Maths are not enough. We need to be able to understand new media such as Video, Audio, and Web technologies such as blogging, podcasting and social networking, and use them well.

"Literacy today depends on understanding the multiple media that make up our high-tech reality and developing the skills to use them effectively."

An example of how this is shown to be true follows...

The advert for the iPod Touch below was made by a British teenager, Nick Haley, and posted to YouTube as a spoof Apple ad. Apple's ad agency saw it, liked it, offered him a job in California and even used his ad for real!

Olympic Slide Show

2008-08-24T20:39:00.010+01:00

Last term, the Thirds and Juniors learned to use Microsoft Movie Maker, making slide shows about Skern Lodge. Here is a slide show made by DRN to celebrate the end of the 2008 Olympic Games. It was made using Final Cut Express, a semi-professional version of video-editing software, and closely related to Final Cut Pro, used by the BBC and many film editors to produce their work. DRN writes:

"The Olympics may be over, but there are plenty of performances of which the competitors can be proud. Continuing a tradition I started at Sydney 2000, when we at BG could of course celebrate the achievement of Katharine Merry winning Bronze, of making a slide show with the best images of the Olympic Games, here is this year's offering... "

Olympics 2008 Slide Show from rogbi200 on Vimeo.

And below, out of retirement for nostalgia's sake, is the Sydney 2000 slide show.

Sydney Olympic Games Slideshow from rogbi200 on Vimeo.

...and the Slide show from Athens 2004.

Athens Olympics 2004 Slide Show from rogbi200 on Vimeo.

These children have been using Wordle to make word pictures about the Olympics.

What is a Wiki?

2008-08-19T12:00:00.000+01:00

Next in this useful series of videos explaining different Web technologies is the Wiki...

The Hi-tech school blazer...

2008-08-18T18:42:00.003+01:00

There's something rather miserable about seeing 'Back to School' displays in the shops at the start of the summer holidays, but before long, some of you will have to face the need for new uniform. All our uniform is supplied by the School shop, but one high street store has come up with a very hi-tech school blazer, complete with iPod pocket and built-in controls, all concealed so they can't be spotted!

Apparently, "teachers are furious"!!

Me and my movie

2008-08-18T18:33:00.003+01:00

CBBC has a movie making competition running at the moment, but you'd better be quick, the closing date is 6th October. Their 'Me and my Movie' website has some useful tips. There's also a downloadable guide.

Podium explained...

2008-08-18T12:00:00.000+01:00

Wilbur the Worm explains how to use the podcasting software Podium. (PDF download)

RSS explained...

2008-08-17T20:00:00.000+01:00

So you have have seen or heard about RSS feeds. Find out what they are, why they are really useful, and the best way to manage them.

So what exactly is a blog?

2008-08-17T16:56:00.000+01:00

The true 'Indie Movie'

2008-08-17T14:03:00.000+01:00

Further to the post about making your own movie, I came across an extract of a 'remake' of the Indiana Jones film 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', made by three teenage boys over a seven year period between 1982 and 1989. It is a scene by scene remake and is an amazing achievement, bearing in mind the technical limitations of the time.

Also worth watching are the entries for a home movie competition held by Hammer & Tongs, who made 'Son of Rambow', for a film to be included on the extras section of the DVD. The entries can be seen here.

Make your own Movie!

2008-08-17T14:02:00.001+01:00

In the days before digital video cameras and Youtube, it was often only possible for home users to make a movie with access to a Cine Camera, using film that had to be sent away to be developed and had to be edited with a pair of scissors and tape! Then video tape came along, but early cameras were big and heavy, and the tape was still very hard to edit.

I was reminded of this recently by two related things. Firstly, I bought the DVD of a recent movie, called 'Son of Rambow'. It tells the story of two very different boys growing up in 1983, one (Lee) the worst behaved boy in the school and the other (Will) brought up in a strictly religious Plymouth Brethren household, with no TV. The two form an unlikely alliance to make a film inspired by the Rambo movie as a competition entry for the BBC TV children's show of the time, Screen Test. I though it was a great film, and it has received great reviews as well. Though the film is a 12 Certificate, the clips and the content on the UK and US websites seems suitable for younger pupils to watch.

There is an interview with both the stars on the Popcorn website (Incidentally, Popcorn is a really good movie site for children) as well as a DVD review.

Shortly afterwards, I came upon a blog post talking about the Cambridgeshire Young People's Film Festival which featured children from schools in the county who had made a film- there are some fantastic efforts and I recommend you visit the site and take a look for yourself!

It so happened that one of the boys who starred in 'Son of Rambow' was invited to this festival as a special guest!

So, get inspired for your own Movie-making!

Top ten websites for young British internet users

2008-08-17T14:01:00.001+01:00

The Times newspaper's website has been investigating the most popular websites for British children.

Blog Incipit...

2008-08-16T18:44:00.003+01:00

Welcome to the ICT department blog. Mr Noble and Mr Taylor hope to post regular entries about interesting things you can do with ICT, introducing some of the software available and tips about keeping your e-mail and home directories tidy and well organised. We'll also be publishing the best of some of your work here, so keep visiting!

Look out for some useful links to other websites, including some really good online resources, and the blogroll of other School ICT related blogs.

There are always new things to discover in the world of ICT, and it's good to keep up with these new ideas- even better to think of them...

ideate from ax09001h on Vimeo.