CONNECTIONS

"No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship."
Dr. James Comer

What is Connections?

Connections is a program designed to help incoming 9th grade students smoothly transition into high school. The program will enable freshmen to belong and contribute to the Clark High School community while learning about its rules, traditions and activities. It is based on the NISD Pillars of Character focusing on encouraging relationships, goal-setting, team building, school involvement and academic success.

Got Questions? Connections has answers!!

• Where are my classes? Who do I ask if I can't find them?
• When can I go to my locker?
• Where is my locker?
• Will I have time to go to my locker between classes?
• Will my classes be hard?
• Are the teachers as mean as I have heard?
• Will I get the same teachers as my siblings?
• Where do I eat at lunch? Can we sit anywhere we want?
• Where is the nurse?
• Why is high school so different than middle school?
• Are the semester exams hard? Can I ever be exempt from them?
• What is Wednesday school that I have heard about?
• What are PreAP/AP/Dual Credit classes like? What is the difference between them?
• What kind of tests do teachers give in high school?
• What kinds of clubs are there for me to join?
• Where do I catch the bus?
• Is summer school helpful?
• Are there websites that can help me do research and homework?
• Is there a school e-mail that I can use?
• Can I save computer work at school and get to it at home?
• Is there a computer lab that I can come to before or after school?

• "Growing Up Online" (Online activities that can be done with a one-computer classroom and TV) More than one day could be spent on some of these topics.
  • Visit the NISD Digital Citzenship Site for topics and 21 lessons to choose from on the following important topics:

    • Digital Rights and Responsibilities the privileges and freedoms extended to all digital technology users, and the behavioral expectations that come with them--subtopics Cyberbullying Social Networking Sexting Online Safety and Internet Predators
      Digital Communication the electronic exchange of information
      Digital Access full electronic participation in society
      Digital Etiquette the standards of conduct expected by other digital technology users
      Digital Security the precautions that all technology users must take to guarantee their personal safety and the security of their network--subtopics: Malware Phising Wireless Safety
      Digital Literacy the capability to use digital technology and knowing when and how to use it--subtopics: Acceptable Use Reliable Resources Urban Legends
      Digital Law the legal rights and restrictions governing technology use--subtopics: Copyright and Fair Use Identity Theft
      Digital Health and Wellness the elements of physical and psychological well-being related to digital technology use
      Digital Commerce the buying and selling of goods online--subtopics: Internet Scams Online Shopping

• More About Cyberbullying That's Not Cool http://www.thatsnotcool.com/
• Videos for Teens by the State of Texas http://www.oag.state.tx.us/teens/
• Being Safe OnLine
• Getting Help
• Being a Leader
• Staying Out of Trouble (Show during Red Ribbon Week)
• Teenage Pregnancy
• Goal Setting and Careers
  • Do the 20-Minute Goal Setting Tutorial as a class http://www.about-goal-setting.com/goal-setting-tutorial.html
  • Reality Check--http://www.cdr.state.tx.us/realitycheck/
    Explore how much it costs to live, what careers make the amount of money you would need, and what training you will need for that career. If you wait until you are a senior to start thinking about these issues, it is too late to take advantage of all the wonderful classes you could take to reach your goals.
  • What career might be good for me? http://www.bls.gov/k12/
  • Bridges is a great website for career research. The class could pick one career to do together in the one-computer classroom or go to a lab for all to use the computers. http://cx.bridges.com User ID and Password are on the handouts given to students.
  • Check out the list of sites compiled on the Clark Technology page for College and Careers
• A Word A Day http://wordsmith.org/words/?word Do a word a day
• SAT Question of the day http://apps.collegeboard.com/qotd/question.do Do the question together as a group
• SAT Vocabulary game http://www.freerice.com/ Do a word or two a day
• Astronomy picture of the day with explanation http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ Do one a day
• Online Research Tools (a lab would probably be better for each of these so that they could use the site, but it could be done with a one-computer classroom) Spend a day on each of the following sites from the handout: (Questia is a site that is more complicated and would need Mrs. Ratliff to help you with in a lab.) I listed some of the ones that I really like from the handout (sites we pay for) and some good free ones.
  • NetTrekker (a better way to search than Google) http://school.nettrekker.com
  • United Steaming-KLRN videos--http://klrn.unitedstreaming.com Student passwords are on the handout and are different from teacher passwords. Searching for video segments is the best way to look for short video clips on any topic
  • World Book Online http://www.worldbookonline.com It will not ask for a password at school, but passwords are on the handout.
  • Britannica Online http://school.eb.com
  • Teaching Books http://www.TeachingBooks.net/home A great site about books and authors.
  • Check out some great free sites such as High School Ace by clicking on the Clark website and going to the page.
  • Citing Sources Check out the online sites to help students cite sources on the Clark Library page. Click on the link to Citing Sources
  • Check out some of the Hot Lists of websites on the Clark Technology page such as the link to the Cold War sites
• Mini Computer Lessons that would need a lab
  • Each freshman got a Gaggle e-mail through their English class. Spend a day exploring proper use of e-mail and ways to use e-mail for school.
  • Parent Connection--Have students set up their own parent connection account using their Gaggle account or their home e-mail account.
  • Student Storage--spend a day to make sure that all students know how to use their online storage from home.
  • Audacity--A free program that allows students to record audio and edit it. A very fun and easy program.
  • Adobe Photo Shop Express--free website to edit pictures.
  • Photo Story--A free program to tell a story using pictures. A very fun and easy program.
  • Using a digital camera. They could take pictures one day in the classroom and spend another day putting them into Photo Story.