Today, Ken Bell came in to check out each design presentation and offer feedback.  Some groups realized with some market research (that should have happened about a week and a half ago) that a better design than theirs already exists.  They will need to do some quick redesigning work to make sure there is a real-life reason for the investors to choose their design over the already existing design.

Tomorrow, Chuck McCoy, who owns CamTech here in town, will be coming in to advise each group on material costs and design solutions.  (Thanks to Ken Bell for contacting him.)

Groups have been doing math to figure out how large the pieces of metal they need are, using search skills to conduct market research, learning about PowerPoint, persuasion, and business letters, not to mention how to solve real life problems and work in a group.

It's been a very good month of school.

As you may know, your kids are presenting their designs to venture capitalists next Tuesday and Wednesday.  It should be an amazing day, and you are more than welcome to come and watch.

Students will have 5 minutes to pitch their designs, followed by the investors questions for up to 10 minutes (or longer if they want to!)

Each investor will have $500,000.00 to invest any way they see fit.  They could invest it all in one design or spread it out among as many as they'd like.

I'll have a presentation schedule out at least by Monday.  (Four groups on Tuesday, three on Wednesday, plus the investors announce their choices.)

Psalm 24:1-2 says, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters."  

In other words, God owns the whole world because he is the one who created it.  Similarly, when you create a drawing, essay or a new locker design, unless you give it away or sell it, you are the owner of it.  

Now, think about all the pictures you can find when you do a Google image search.  Many of those images are owned by someone else and it is not okay for you to use them without permission.  When you do use them, you are in fact stealing - even if it's really easy to do.

To find images that are okay to use (because they have a creative commons license) you can use CreativeCommons.org

Carter found a great website that will easily create charts and graphs for your slide presentation.  Check it out Create a Graph here.

The fair will run each day (Dec.6th-13th) from 8:30-4pm down the MS hallway.  You can purchase books before school, after school, or during their lunch & recess times.

Also, each day we will have drawings for free books!  Every student will put their name into a drawing and each day we'll pick one name.  That student will be able to pick out any book for free! 

The big idea of any PowerPoint presentation is that is should be simple and clear.

Here are some ways  to make sure you have a simple presentation:

1. Use as little text as possible
   
2. Use as few slides as possible
   
3. Use large type (at least 30 pt.)
   
4. Do not use bullet points
   
5. Use stock images, not clip art
   
6. Use simple graphics

Check out the following versions of a statistic slide.  Notice what works in a slide.

Images taken from here.

Finally, check out this video on how to give a good presentation using PowerPoint.  Make sure to pay special attention to the second half of the video, which is all about how not to be a bozo.

Note that we will be speaking for 5 minutes and have about 7 slides.  (Not 10 slides and 20 minutes.)  The bozo stuff you still need to listen to, though. :)

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Go ahead.  Let it all out!  Are you looking forward to our poetry unit, or do you hate poetry?  Let us know here.