Author: Dominic Salvucci

Teacher, Father, Husband, Poet/Philosopher, Life Long Learner.

Enrichment Opportunities 2017 2018 School Year

Students have been asking “Can I do extra credit?”  My response is always, “There are plenty of enrichment assignments you can attempt for enrichment points.”  What’s the difference?  Extra Credit is usually points just added on top of a students grade for whatever reason.  Enrichment Points are points added to a grade for completing an extra assignment, but they are averaged in as an extra test, quiz, or project, not just added on top of the existing grade.  They definitely help out, but not as much as just piling on points to the existing grade.

So what sort of projects to we have for enrichment?  I will keep the complete list on my website, mrsalvucci.com, they will be posted as their own page: Enrichment Assignments.  But for now, here is a quick list of projects students can explore for enrichment:

  • Working in some way shape or form on the class Internet Talk Show, “Wake Up New Brighton”
    • We can use people on camera and behind the scenes to help showcase events and cool things about our school and community.
  • Creating a StoryCorps project about someone or something in the community.
  • Using the Livescribe Pen to take notes or create a pencast for your classmates.
  • Creating a review podcast to help your classmates with course materials.
  • Guest blogging on the class blog about a course of study topic or something you find interesting within the school or community at large.
  • Updating the class wiki to assist classmates with course information and notes.

The goal is to get students PUBLISHING and CONTRIBUTING to the Internet.  I hope to get them to become creators of positive and appropriate information and media.  To be aware of appropriate behaviors online in educational and general settings; where these habits can carry over into everyday social media experiences.  The students should have a positive digital footprint, one that they and their families can be proud of and use as a reference throughout their educational and professional careers.  The enrichment activities listed here are an attempt to move the students closer to those goals.

If you have any questions about this post or the enrichment activities, please feel free to contact me at my school email.

Student Stock Trading Game: Initial Purchases

We started the Student Stock Trader Game in class on Monday, January 27, 2014.  I used some credits I had in the Edmodo App Store to purchase a license of the game to use with my senior Econ/POD classes.  Without much research I made a couple initial purchases, more to test out the system than to make serious investments.  My results are varied, showing how a lack of research can be harmful.

My initial purchases were PGH, Pengrowth Energy Corporation, (USA), you can find more information on the stock by clicking here.  I own shares of this company in the real world, so I grabbed some shares in the class game.  DOM, Dominion Resources Black Warrior Trust, which was on the highest change board that day.  You can find information on the company by clicking here.  PNRA, Panera Bread was the third stock that was purchased, I also own shares of this stock in the real world.  You can find information on this stock by clicking here.  The last stock I purchased was WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment.  I do not watch the product on television anymore, but they recently launched their own Internet-based network where you can purchase access to all past events and any upcoming ones for $9.99 a month.  At least in the short run, this move should bump up their stock prices considerably.  You can check out more on WWE stock by clicking here.

Our game only runs for 56 days, so I am investing from a different mindset than I would if I was thinking long term.  The fact that it is not my real money also allows me the freedom to invest in riskier stocks than usual, however my pride and not wanting to come in last is prohibiting me from going “all in” with a full risk portfolio.

 

Student Blogging Challenge September 2013

This year I am hoping to get more of my students to participate on a global scale when it comes to collaboration.  They were encouraged to participate in the Edublogs Student Blogging Challenge for enrichment points this fall.  I have a number of students who were interested in signing up for the challenge.  Since this specific blogging challenge does not really fall within my social studies curriculum I am making participation voluntary for the students.  They can do as many or as few assignments as they have time for and are comfortable with.

I am using Edmodo as my online classroom platform, with a group set up specifically for Enrichment Assignments.  Each challenge will be rolled out as an optional assignment with in the group.  Each week will also have an optional assignment to go out and comment on another students’ blog from the list of participants. The hope is that once students get into the habit of commenting and communicating with others we can expand naturally into collaboration.  A list of student participants can be found  here.

I will list and link my students’ blogs to a separate page as they begin their journey into global collaboration.  I am hoping that the activities give them confidence and interest to become active and responsible digital citizens.

Class Expectations: 2011/2012

Hello, I am Mr. Salvucci, usually called Mr. Sal.  I teach world cultures, POD, and 20th Century US History in New Brighton.

My expectations for class content this year mainly focus on streamlining the curriculum.  By this I mean having the content flow smoothly at a fairly even pace.  Last year seemed choppy at times, partly due to my adjusted schedule as Technology Integrator.  There are some interesting projects that can be implemented this year, such as world newscasts in world cultures, additional decade-based projects and multimedia in the 20th Century class, and interviews in POD.  I am hoping we can do more of these projects this upcoming year.

As for expectations based on technology…the main focus is to make technology invisible.  By that, I am aiming to make it such a normal part of the class, the students accept using technology as if it were pencil and paper.  Afterall, technology is to them what pencil and paper was to me as a student.  When we were finally allowed to use pens it was a big deal, not to mention the outcry of joy when erasable pens were introduced!  I apologize for my tangential rant, now back to my topic.  My second expectation is to regularly model the use of basic technologies, such as podcasting and blogging.  I feel that I need to participate on a regular basis if I expect my students to use these technologies in class.

We shall see what the new school year brings.

Welcome 2008/2009 Student Bloggers

Hello everyone. Some of you have asked about the blogging opportunities in class and what it entails. For now the blog is extra credit, thus optional for you to particpate in. Posts do not need to be long and drawn out, short and to the point will suffice.

Requirements are as follows: edit your work and take pride in your writing, anyone on the Internet can view your creation; do not write inappropriate posts, they will be deleted and you will lose your privileges; and finally, enjoy the project!

Primary Confusion

There seems to be a bit of confusion as to how the Democratic Primary will play out. People from both Sen. Obama’s campaign and Sen. Clinton’s campaign have been talking about delegates and how many are needed to win the nomination. The following article discusses the chance of a revote in Michigan, which was stripped of all of its Democratic delegates for moving the primary election ahead without permission from the national party. Things will only get more interesting as the Pennsylvania Primary draws near.  http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080316/METRO/803160327

Open letter to my students about getting started

Hello everyone. This is the site we will be using for blogging. Class discussions have been good, so this is the next step…putting your thoughts out for a larger number of people to see. I appreciate you volunteering for this project. There are no wrong opinions if you base them on facts. Always support your ideas with examples, people may disagree with you, but they can never prove you wrong. The facts are your allies. Remember that anyone in the world can read what you right, so proofread your work. More importantly, be yourselves, you have great ideas and you express them well. This is your forum, I hope you enjoy the experience and learn something from it.

Sincerely,

Mr. Sal