Edublogs

Welcome to our post about Edublogs. These are free blogs that are great to use with students, because the school's network does not block student access the way it does for Google Blogger.

Obviously we are big fans of Google Blogger here at Passy World, and we had wanted our students to make Google blogs. However our school network had all sorts of blocks and filtering for Google Blogger. We tried to remove these, but had no luck at getting blogger to work for the students. We have therefore resorted to using Edublogs as a substitute.

The following ten minute YouTube video was made to show students how they can obtain a screen capture of a Project they made on the computer, and crop and resize this image for use in their blog.

We then log into Edublogs and make a basic blog post.



So that's about it. Edublogs is a great free blogging tool that can be used to have students write blog entries about their ICT projects.

In each blog post entry Students are required to:

• Include at least one screenshot of their project work
  
  
• Describe what the project was about
  
  
• Discuss any problems or issues they encountered while completing their project
  
  
• Mention any new things they learned during their work on the project
  
  
• Write a concluding sentence.

Enjoy,
Big Passy Wasabi

Bad Week Friday Funny

Image Source: http://files.sharenator.com

Maybe it was an uphill week for you that just went by.

However we are certain that your week could not have been as bad as some of the people we will be seeing in this week's Friday Funny.


Maybe you spent the week monkeying around with a new project.


Image Source: http://files.sharenator.com

Only to have the whole thing get really out of hand.


Image Source: http://themavesite.com

Or maybe the week was spent with too many people yelling in your ear.


Image Source: http://files.sharenator.com

And you needed to keep a lookout for stalkers wanting to bully you about.


Image Source: http://files.sharenator.com

Right when you thought the week was starting to go well, you might have got some big surprises.


Image Source: http://files.sharenator.com

And if you were really unlucky, some even bigger nasty surprises may have come your way.


Image Source: http://files.sharenator.com

Sometimes there is big trouble like this lurking around every corner.



A few too many big problem items can really overload your working day.


Image Source: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com

And you had better be careful flying, because your trip could end badly if these guys are guiding your pilot.



Finally, let's hope that any troubles you've had during the week don't carry through to the weekend.


Image Source: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com

Enjoy,
Big Passy Wasabi

An asdf Friday Funny

This week's Friday Funny is short and sweet, just like the letters "asdf". In fact that is precisely what we have, a collection of three videos from YouTube that are called the "asdf" movies.

Each video is a short animation of random events and characters. It is not for everyone, but here at Passy World we enjoy the inventiveness of what Tom is doing with basic figures cartoon animation. The highlight for us are the voices of the characters which are superb. Their dialogue manages to convey a tiny story with the full set of human emotions.

These videos were all made by a 20 year old English University student called Tom 'Ska' Ridgewell, with help from his "ragtag bunch".

We apologise in advance if anyone is offended by the content or language in these videos, but like we said before, they are not everyone's "cup of tea".

Here is the first asdf Video of random funny events.

The asdf Movie 2 has a really great new character introduced called "Desmond the Moon Bear", as well as plenty of trains.

By now asdf movie 3 will amuse you if you enjoyed 1 and 2, and has some really clever refer backs to content in the previous two movies.



So qwerty asdf to all of you Lorem ipsiems out there!

Enjoy,
Big Passy Wasabi

Integers and Drag Car Racing

Image Source: http://simpsonnitro.com

The positive force of a drag racing car at full speed is far too big to be
overcome by normal braking. It is like an integer sum of 1000 and -300.
There is still 700 of forward force to cancel out before the car can reach zero and stop moving.



To produce the required additional negative force, parachutes are used.
The math calculation is critical. Not enough parachutes and the car goes off
the end of the track. Too many parachutes used, and the car cannot take the strain, nor can the driver endure the G forces exerted on his or her body.

Here is a YouTube video which shows in slow motion, parachutes being deployed on Drag Racing Cars.



Here is a video which shows what happens when the parachutes fail to deploy.



There are also some very cleverly balanced Positive and Negative forces involved with the amazing energy absorption by the safety nets.


Here are the Part 1 and Part 2 videos of a very spectacular drag racing crash.
The protective roll cages in drag racers undergo some incredible positive and negative forces during such crashes.

John Force Spectacular Crash Part 1



John Force Crash Part 2



So hopefully Integers won't be so much of a DRAG in mathematics, now that you know a bit about the POSITIVE contribution that directed numbers make to drag car racing.

Enjoy,
Big Passy Wasabi

Tennis Friday Funny

Image Source: http://visboo.com

This week we are serving up some funny tennis items. The Australian Open was hosted recently in Melbourne, and here at Passy's World we are big fans of the sport of tennis.

Tennis is indeed a universally popular game. Even God loves tennis.



The pros reckon tennis is so easy, they can play it standing on their heads!


Image Source: http://images.paraorkut.com

When Tennis takes over, you become totally addicted. You find you just can't put the raquet down!



In mixed doubles you don't want to be too reliant on your partner, as clearly shown in this clip.



But some doubles partners are over the top, and just rush at it like a bull at a gate!


Image Source: http://wwww.foxnews.com

While other mixed doubles partners just end up all mixed up!


Image Source: http://nsa01.casimages.com

Some doubles players get so mixed up, they think they are on the post match party dance floor, when they should be concentrating a lot more on their game.


Image Source: http://img193.imageshack.us

Watching tennis can become very annoying when some of those "grunter" women play their matches. That is unless you decide to join in the fun:



Well I'm off to have a few laughs playing a bit of Nintendo Wii Grand Slam tennis.

Enjoy,
Big Passy Wasabi

Integer Online Games

The above image is a screenshot from an exciting online game called "Number Balls".

This blog post lists a few of our favorite online Integer games. More games and fun activities can be found by following the link at the end of this post.
For each game an image is shown that describes the game. You can then click on the link below the image to play the game.

Number Balls

In this game we click the lowest Integer balls first until all are zapped. We then keep going to higher levels that have more and more spinning balls for us to click on in the correct order.



Click the link below to play Number Balls

http://themathgames.com/our-games/arithmetic-games/order-positive-negative-integers/


Space Race

This is a Space Invaders type game where we have to shoot the lowest Integer enemy ship, as well as avoid touching the other two enemy ships.



Click the link below to play Space Race

http://www.xpmath.com/forums/arcade.php?do=play&gameid=80


Spider Match

This is a fun game that helps us learn how to add Integers.



Click the link below to play Spider Match

http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/spider-match/spider-match.html


Orbit Integers

This is a fun space race, where we have to answer Integer addition questions correctly to power our spaceship.



Click the link below to play Oribit Integers:

http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/orbit-integers/orbit-integers.html


Integer Warp

This is a similar game to Orbit Integers, but has multiplying questions instead of addition.

We need to know our multiplying rules that are
- x - = a + answer
and
+ x - = a - answer .



Click the link below to play Integer Warp:

http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/integer-warp/integer-warp.html


Minus Mission (The Slime Game)

This is not an Integers game, but is still fun, especially if we play it at the fast speed setting. It will certainly sharpen up your subtraction skills.



Click the link below to play

http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/mission/mission.html


More Games and Activities

There are plenty more games in our jumbo Diigo list of Integer Resources that can be accessed by clicking the link below:

http://www.diigo.com/list/bigpassy/mathematics-of-integers

So start feeling a bit more POSITIVE about your mathematics, with a bit of exciting online game play!

Enjoy,
Big Passy Wasabi

Add and Subtract Integers

Image Source: http://static.arcademicskillbuilders.com

Here at Passy's World we have been exploring a lot of resources on Integers. These are "Directed Numbers" with positive and negative values.

This post contains a small sample of our own materials, along with some great videos that we found on "SchoolTube".

Comparing and Ordering Integers

The following website has a good video of Powerpoint slides about Comparing Integers.

http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us

The following is a narrated video of whiteboard instructions to put Integer values onto number line and do ordering of the Integers. Puts the values into ascending order.



Here are some students with a great Number Line they made. Number lines are a great way of learning to do Integers.


Image Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com


Adding Integers

The following video was made here at Passy's World of ICT and gives an Introduction to Adding Integers




Spider Match Game

The image at the start of this blog post is from a great fun Integers Game called "Spider Match". This game will give you plenty of fun practice on Adding Integers. Click the link below to play the game.

http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/spider-match/spider-match.html

The game's site also has links to other Integer games as well. These games are all online multiplayer, and so you can play against randoms from all over the world by joining exisiting games, or just play against the computer.


Subtracting Integers

Here is a great video that introduces and explains the "KFC" - Keep Flip Change rule for subtracting integers.



Here is Part 2 of the Subtracting Integers Video that has further examples.




SchoolTube has many more videos on Integers, just go to their link below and search on "Integers":

http://www.schooltube.com

We also have a master list of links for Integer resources on the following Diigo List: (We keep adding to this list regularly).

http://www.diigo.com/list/bigpassy/mathematics-of-integers

Finally, here is one of our all time favorite videos about Integers: The Integers Rap.



Hope this made you feel a bit more Positive about doing some Mathematics,

Enjoy,
Big Passy Wasabi

Passy's World YouTube Channel

Image Source: http://cnnconsumernews.com

Step aside Ray William Johnson, because here comes the next big mega YouTube channel!

That's right Passy's World of ICT now has a YouTube Channel.

It's brand new, (but not quite as popular as Ray and =3 yet), but we're working on it!

The plan is to use our newly aquired copy of Camtasia 7.1, (which is awesome!), to make computer tutorial videos, as well as Mathematics help for people.



Here is the link to our YouTube Channel. (Make sure you bookmark it).

http://www.youtube.com/user/passyworldofict

Also make sure you check out all the videos that we will be posting there over the next few weeks.



Enjoy,
Big Passy Wasabi

iPad Friday Funny

Image Source: http://appertunity.com

This week we decided to take a funny look at another one of our favorite computer things: the Apple iPad.

The first video we have is a great ipad steve jobs parody.



Following on in a similar vane is this funny ipad ad paraody.



Even Hitler has a rant about the ipad in this next clip.



Hot on the heels of the iPad, here is a fantastic new domestic computing product that's bound to be a big success and save lives.



Hope you all have a great weekend,

Enjoy,
Big Passy Wasabi