Class 1

FOOD: http://www.mediafire.com/?6r1imx86lk15qi5









TOOLS: http://www.mediafire.com/?sqee1yydid5iqd7









PAINTING: http://www.mediafire.com/?xiq8qn8fb96tveb













MYTHICAL CREATURE: http://www.mediafire.com/?c11c626l86nhhhm

Video that supports the story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywMiRcJwhs

Class 1

FOOD: http://www.mediafire.com/?6r1imx86lk15qi5

PAINTING: http://www.mediafire.com/?xiq8qn8fb96tveb

TOOLS: http://www.mediafire.com/?sqee1yydid5iqd7

Anyone up for a challenge?

30 days, 30 photos

This class is hosting a 30 day photo challenge for this month. It's pretty self explanatory, but basically for days 1-30 there is a certain photo you take for that particular day. You should post it for everyone to see them. I think that this challenge can be very inspiring. This is just a simple way to catalog each day in a different way.  

Retouching photos is allowed. You can do it with Gimp, a program you´ll find in your computer. You can also do it online with http://www.picmonkey.com/

These are the rules you should follow:

1. You´ll find the list below with the 30 items you have to photograph.

2. You can photograph several items in one day if you are inspired.

3. You can use the integrated camera in your cell phone or netbook, or just a point and shoot digital camera.

4. Work alone or in pairs.

5. Add a comment to every picture that summarizes your feelings, ideas, opinions, emotions you had when taking the pictures. 

6. Once you have your 30 photos, and you're satisfied with them, put them together using movie maker. The presentation will be uploaded in Youtube. 

Elements of Composition in Photography

Taking picture is more than grabbing a camera and shooting. There are several things you have to take into account.

Good composition is a key element of good photographs yet is something that is hard to define.

Instead of looking at composition as a set of ‘rules’ to follow – I view it as a set of ingredients that can be taken and used to make a great ‘meal’ (photograph). 

The key is to remember that in the same way as a chef rarely uses all the ingredients at their disposal in any dish – that a photographer rarely uses all of the ingredients of composition in the making of an image.

I’d like to look at some of the ingredients of composition. 

Pattern

Image by actionlovr

There are patterns all around us if we only learn to see them. Emphasizing and highlighting these patterns can lead to striking shots – as can high lighting when patterns are broken.

Symmetry

Image by straightfinder

Depending upon the scene – symmetry can be something to go for – or to avoid completely.

A symmetrical shot with strong composition and a good point of interest can lead to a striking image – but without the strong point of interest it can be a little predictable. I prefer to experiment with both in the one shoot to see which works best.

Texture

Image by Grant McDonald

Images a two dimensional thing yet with the clever use of ‘texture’ they can come alive and become almost three dimensional.

Texture particularly comes into play when light hits objects at interesting angles.

Depth of Field

Image by orangeacid

The depth of field that you select when taking an image will drastically impact the composition of an image.

It can isolate a subject from its background and foreground (when using a shallow depth of field) or it can put the same subject in context by revealing it’s surrounds with a larger depth of field.

Note that depth is not possible with a compact digital camera.

Lines

Image by stevacek

Lines can be powerful elements in an image.

They have the power to draw the eye to key focal points in a shot and to impact the ‘feel’ of an image greatly.

Diagonal, Horizontal, Vertical and Converging lines all impact images differently and should be spotted while framing a shot and then utilized to strengthen it.

These are just some of the elements of composition that I consider in my photography. They reflect my own style and personality but there are plenty more.

Rule of Thirds

Imagine that your image is divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. The rule of thirds says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect.

Doing so will add balance and interest to your photo. 

Balancing Elements

Placing your main subject off-centre, as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo, but it can leave a void in the scene which can make it feel empty. You should balance the "weight" of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.

Here, the visual "weight" of the road sign is balanced by the building on the other side of the shot. Image by Shannon Kokoska.

Viewpoint

Before photographing your subject, take time to think about where you will shoot it from. Our viewpoint has a massive impact on the composition of our photo, and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. Rather than just shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back, from a long way away, from very close up, and so on.

The unusual viewpoint chosen here creates an intriguing and slightly abstract photo. Image byronsho.

Background

How many times have you taken what you thought would be a great shot, only to find that the final image lacks impact because the subject blends into a busy background? The human eye is excellent at distinguishing between different elements in a scene, whereas a camera has a tendency to flatten the foreground and background, and this can often ruin an otherwise great photo. Thankfully this problem is usually easy to overcome at the time of shooting - look around for a plain and unobtrusive background and compose your shot so that it doesn't distract or detract from the subject.

The plain background in this composition ensures nothing distracts from the subject. Image byPhilipp Naderer.

Framing

The world is full of objects which make perfect natural frames, such as trees, archways and holes. By placing these around the edge of the composition you help to isolate the main subject from the outside world. The result is a more focused image which draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest.

Here, the surrounding hills form a natural frame, and the piece of wood provides a focal point. Image by Sally Crossthwaite.

Cropping

Often a photo will lack impact because the main subject is so small it becomes lost among the clutter of its surroundings. By cropping tight around the subject you eliminate the background "noise", ensuring the subject gets the viewer's undivided attention.

Cut out all unnecessary details to keep keep the viewer's attention focused on the subject. Image by Hien Nguyen.

Experimentation

With the dawn of the digital age in photography we no longer have to worry about film processing costs or running out of shots. As a result, experimenting with our photos' composition has become a real possibility; we can fire off tons of shots and delete the unwanted ones later at absolutely no extra cost. Take advantage of this fact and experiment with your composition - you never know whether an idea will work until you try it.

Digital photography allows us to experiment with different compositions until we find the perfect one. Image by Jule Berlin.

Things I’ve Learned About Photography

Since I found photography some years ago I have learned different things which I would like to share with you. 

1. Never do photography to become a rock-star.
2. Enjoy what you are shooting.
3. Prepare well for your shooting, realizing that your battery isn’t charge when you’re setting up for that sunrise shoot is too late!
4. Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions while you are shooting
5. Set goals you can achieve
6. Write tips about photography, because writing is also learning
7. Be pleased with the little prosperities
8. Watch the place you want to shoot first with your heart and brain then with the camera
9. Always stay calm
10.Perspective is the killer
11. Dedicate yourself to photography, but never browbeat yourself too much
12. Keep your camera clean
13. Never compare yourself to others in a better or worse context
14. Find your own style of photography
15.Try to compose more and to hit the shutter less
16.Seek out and learn to accept critique on your images
17. Do something different to recover creativity
18. Get inspiration from the work of other photographers
19. Criticize honestly but respectfully
20. Don’t copy other photographer’s style
21. Be bold
22. Take selfportraits
23. Every shooting situation is different than you expect

This is my email: luciana.larregain@gmail.com

1984 WebQuest

1984

Introduction

George Orwell’s 1984 offers a thought-provoking learning experience for secondary schools students. It provides challenging reading, stimulating themes of dehumanization, isolation, repression, loneliness, social class disparity, and abuse of power, and a basis upon which students can form their own opinions about today’s society. 1984’s relevance to today’s world makes it an excellent choice for secondary school readers who hold our future in their hands, whether as tomorrow’s leaders or as followers.

1984, written in 1948 and published in 1949, was intended as a warning against totalitarian tendencies rather than as a prophetic work. Now that the year 1984 has passed, many may scoff at the warning, but those who do would be wise to look at the present a bit more closely. Currently, we have subliminal messages, two-way televisions, computer viruses threatening to endanger our much depended-upon information systems (with possible global impact), and countries all over the world committing atrocities against their own people.

1984 depicts a dystopia, a world that went wrong, a world of manipulation and control which uses its people against themselves like pawns. We should also remember that the mindless citizens of Oceania are given neither the opportunity nor the encouragement to think or read. With a study of 1984, we have a chance for both.

This WebQuest will help you understand 1984 and Orwell’s intention when he wrote this novel. Using the themes and ideas from 1984, you should form your own opinion on today's society. Think of all the ways Orwell's book relates to things happening today.

The Task and Resources

In this WebQuest you will be working together with a group of students in and out of class. Each group will answer the questions. As a member of the group you will explore Webpages from people all over the world who care about the themes and ideas Orwell presented in 1984. Because these are real Webpages we're tapping into, not things made just for schools, the reading level might challenge you. Feel free to use online dictionaries or one in your classroom.

Online dictionaries: http://www.merriam-webster.com/

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

As a result, each group will create a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes essential information about Orwell’s work.

1) Keeping a Diary. Winston Smith keeps a diary, which in itself is a political act of rebellion. As you do this WebQuest keep a diary to exercise your privacy and freedom of expression and also to understand Winston's process of self-awakening. This task is individual. Each group member´s diaries should be handed out.

2) Understanding G Orwell’s background. Briefly explain, in your own words, what communism is and what the Soviet Union was. Research one of the key personalities in world communism: Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Fidel Castro, Alexander Dubcek, Mikhail Gorbachev, Eric Honecker, Wojciech Jaruszelski, Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, or Pol Pot. Write a biographical sketch that includes how the life or ideas of this leader relate to 1984.

Visit the following pages to search for information:

http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/co/Communism

http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/so/Soviet_Union

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/129291/Communist-Party-of-the-Soviet-Union

http://www.coldwar.org/index.html

http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/what-is-communism-faq.htm

http://thisiscommunism.org/pdf/FAQ.pdf

http://www.encyclopedia.com/

http://www.britannica.com

http://www.libraryspot.com/encyclopedias.htm

3) Government. (a) Work with your team to answer the following questions: Who or what is government? What does—or what must—government do? What different kinds of governments are in the world today? How does government affect you personally?

(b) How would your perfect government be? How would it be divided? What should be your mottos? Punishments? Rules? Once you decide all these, make a poster. Highlight all the important points of your ideal government. Convince the rest of your classmates that your government is the only correct option (use striking words, pictures and anything you might need to persuade the class. Accompany your poster with a short speech.

(c) Brotherhood Cartoons. Create political cartoons that may have appeared in a secret publication of the Inner Party and “the Book”. Check contemporary political cartoons from newspapers and magazines and use them as models.

4) Brainstorm with your group any similarities and differences you can think of on your own. Don't be afraid to use the obvious. Organize your thoughts using a Venn diagram, concept map, or chart before researching the links below for further analysis. These sites will not cover everything - your brainstorming will add depth to your research. An example chart is illustrated below.

1984	Today
·Telescreens are everywherend work). ·Workplace monitoring—Winston can’t look at a note on his desk or dwell too long on a single document. ·Thought Police interpret people’s facial expressions and voice intonations. ·Spies—one never knows whom to trust.	· Streets surveillance cameras · Corporations collecting data on consumers · Internet privacy issues · Employers monitoring employees’ e-mails, phone calls, or bathroom usage.

5) Fiction vs. Reality. Watch these videos. Two of them are about Argentina’s recent history, the other two are about 1984. Taking into account what you have already studied at school and read, and what you have seen, are there any similarities? Is it just coincidence? Was G Orwell right when he decided to write a novel to warn the world against totalitarism? For example, pay close attention to the euphemisms used to refer to the people who thought differently and were killed - “desaparecidos” and “vanished”/ "unperson".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsb-A_oJAr8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCLR3ClJhZw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4rBDUJTnNU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9JIKngJnCU

6) Create a PowerPoint presentation to be handed in once you finished reading the novel. The PowerPoint should include a historical timeline, graphics of some sort, a compare/contrast chart of similarities and differences in the world of 1984 and the world today, a summary of your findings, point of view, characters, setting (include a map of the three superstates), themes and examples of irony/paradoxes. Your group will give a short oral presentation covering the topics that each person learned.

Your group will want to divide out the tasks . . . for example:

One person will be the project director responsible for the copy and overseeing the creation of the PowerPoint presentation.

One person will be the graphic designer who is responsible for locating graphics (gifs, jpgs, etc) that can be used in the PowerPoint presentation.

One person will be in charge of sound who is responsible for locating sounds and music that can be used in the PowerPoint presentation.

The same would go for the rest.

Teamwork is essential! Concentrate on accuracy, brevity, and clarity!

Evaluation

This is a team effort, and everyone in your group should contribute equally. At the end of the WebQuest, you will get together with your group and evaluate the contributions each made to the final products.

Word documents or manuscript papers (such as poster, cartoons, charts, etc.) - 25%

PowerPoint presentation and oral presentation - 50%

Group evaluation of individual contribution - 25% (This includes individual written work)

Conclusion

Hopefully, this project had enlightened you as to the similarities of our world today and the world of 1984. We have the opportunity and are even encouraged to read and think - but do we? 1984 presents an anti-utopian world without privacy, a world without the ability to read and think and speak a world of total government control. 1984 is a world of doublethink and Newspeak. Would you want to live in that world?