Why-Texas Competition

In viewing the Why-Texas web site, I noticed that the competition date has changed to April 28, 2008. Our students will be taking TAKS testing that week and will be on an adjusted schedule. They will be unable to compete until the following week. Is there any way that the date can be changed to the following week May 5? All 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in Texas public schools will be testing that week.

Thanks for considering.

Contacting Whyville

Here's how to contact Whyville with issues:

Option 1 -- Click on the "About Whyville" link underneath the bus, and click on the "Contact Us" link on lower right corner of the resulting web page.

Option 2 -- Use the "Contact Us" link on the homepage.

Savings account password

One of my students is having difficulty retreiving her password for her savings account. She has requested that it be sent to her e-mail account; however, she has not received a response. How can we access her account if she loses her password and no access to e-mail? Hopefully, everyone is enjoying spring break!

Thanks

Skater Lesson Plan

After TAKS this past week I took my 8th grade Technology Systems students into their first taste of Whyville. I signed on each student to Whyville, ask each student to pass the chat test, and introduced the salary ledger with the Skater Lesson Plan. This completely filled a 45 minute class period. Faster students were encouraged to continue increasing their salaries giving me time to help the slower students.

The second day most students had raised their salary to 5 clams, so I ask each student to raise their salary to a total of 10 clams before individual exploration of Whyville. The students were very easy to manage and learning was exciting and fun. I did not have the problems that I had with my first semester students because of the introduction to the salary ledger using the Skater Lesson Plan.

G W Carver has successfully started Weekly Whyville....

Trouble with Amethyst

While trying to complete the GEODIG while collecting in London, up on the rocks on the left of the screen, using a pick, with my avatar shouting I found something, a piece of amethyst appears on the screen, but it never makes it into my rock collection. What am I doing wrong here? I have ask a helper and the helper suggested that I contact Whyville. I do not readily see a way to make that contact.

Whyville student reactions

This week, my students really received several awakenings while working in Whyville. As I checked each student's salary, I found that some students (not many) had received no salary. One student told the one with no salary: "No work no pay." They really are trying several of the activities in the salary ledger to earn more salaries. Another student found that his stamina was in part determined by what he ate. He adjusted his meals so that he could build stamina. Students are also learning a lot also about eating right through proper diet and sickness.

Test

This is a test of the email feature -- please ignore.

Greek Theatre activities

From Tim Lee, Whyville City Manager:

When you first login, the Welcome Page has a Calendar of Events at the top. Each day you'll see an icon for either Math Expressions or Letter Squash at 1 PM or 6 PM. Whichever game you see at a given time, the other game will play at the other time.
For example, today I see that Math Expressions is scheduled for 6 PM.
That means that Letter Squash played at 1 PM.

Technology Module Connections to Whyville

Module Whyville
Biotechnology Bioplex
Research and Development Club Scion
Air Transportation CAD Plane Works

Summer Conferences

CTAT/Health Careers Houston July 21-24
Family & Consumer Dallas Aug 4-8
Business Dallas?
Industrial Arts Houston July 14-18
Ag Teacher Corpus Christi July 29-Aug 1

Touching Base

Wednesdays is going to be okay with me.

Whyville is wild and wooley on our campus. It's creating quite a buzz.

I'll try to rein the kids into completing the Treasure Hunt soon and write a little about it.

I've also had some success with the PlaneWorks Olympics. It's a really good clam maker.

D

Weekly Whyville Blog Reminder

Remember to use Weekly Whyville blog to reduce the number of formal meetings.

Whyville suspension

Mrs Line was in class when she noticed that one of her students at home on suspension was in Whyville building jeeps. The students thought it was amusing and the teachers were amazed that he spent his "free time" at Whyville and that lessons were still being when he was in punishment situation.

New Lesson Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have just posted my first lesson plan for Whyville. I hope you take a look at it and begin adding lessons of your own. I know my plan needs some help, but the next time we meet as a group we can collaborate on making things better. Please start sharing your lesson plans.

How are your lesson plans coming along?

I hope everyone is making their lesson plans, and posting them here or on the Whyville icon on our email. My goal is to post a lesson plan by Valentines Day. It might be a great idea to ask your kids for a weekly update or activity report, and get their tips for how to do stuff. They are so fast at learning this, and you can copy their stuff, and make it your lesson plan....not poetic license, but educational...

blogger pointers....

when you sign in to blogger

You can post or leave a comment

to post... click the top of the page where it says new post





to comment on an existing post... click on comment under the post you wish to comment on






Blogging is a great way to communicate. It keeps us from having to meet as often and it is an excellent way to record our thoughts and project.

Thank you to those who have contributed so far.. to our silent collegues.. we want to hear from you.....

Whyville Wednesdays

Our weeks become so hectic, it is hard to squeeze everything in so, I am going to remember "Whyville Wednesdays" I will take the time on Wednesdays to visit Whyville. I have been having a great time sorting foods in the cafeteria and spinning things in the spin lab. I'm earning about 23 clams a day.

How's it going?

Hi Everyone,

 

Sorry for the registration problems … in general, how’s it going?  How can we help?

 

Cliff

Whyville Registration Problems

Hello fellow Whyvillians!

I am having trouble signing on new students. Is anyone else having trouble? Once the student signs in under my account, it appears that it accepts the sign in and it immediately goes to the home page for Whyville. We then input the username and password and it gives a black screen stating that the user name is not registered.

Is there a limit for number of students to sign in?