Phone: 847-838-8322

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

Masters: MA in Teaching Masters: Education Leadership K-12 Grade Administrative Certificate Computer Applications, PLTW AR, ELA, and Science Endorsements. Bachelor's Degree : University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Master Degrees: Aurora University, Illinois

Ms. Cruz

All students must have headphones or earbuds to access the online courses and videos. This is a requirement on each grade level supply list.  Students must read Google Classroom and click on the classwork to find the requirements for all assignments.

All students are required to do all the classwork and assignments that are located on Google Classroom. The due dates are listed for each assignment or discussed during class time. 

Students must log on to the class website or Google Classroom site daily to read the announcements, classwork, keyboarding, typing lessons, and daily assignments. 

Technology students will use www.typing.com for keyboarding and daily typing lessons. The student and teacher will keep track of daily progress. 

Antioch Upper Grade School follows the PBIS expectations. Click the link to learn more PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Support) 

For the STEM/PLTW, Computer Applications, and Ed. Tech Encore Courses students are required to use the computer devices provided by District 34 this includes the Ipad and PLTW Laptops. Students are required to follow the school policy provided in the school handbook. Click this link to read the current handbook.  Antioch Upper Grade Family Handbook

The students must all use the internet connection to Wi-Fi and have an external earbud/ headphones for the online course. All students must have earbuds or headsets to watch and learn from the presentations and videos on Google Classroom. Each grade level has a supply list. Please click this link to read more about the supply list for the correct grade level.  Supply Lists

All students must also have a notebook (spiral or digital) for this class to take daily journal notes for assignments. 

The online class Google Classroom website will include the syllabus, expectations, rules, procedures and class requirements for the course. 

The Google Classroom invitation will be sent to each student. Families that request an invitation must contact the teacher by email.  

Click the links to learn more about: 

Grade level supply lists at Antioch Upper Grade School

 

  • Encore Course Descriptions:   Ed. Tech/Computer Applications/PLTW Robotics 

    STEM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) 

    All students will also participate in daily keyboarding activities practicing accuracy and speed with an online account. 

     

    6th Grade: EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP & APPLICATIONS 

    Students will explore different digital applications while focusing on the concepts of digital citizenship and safety with engaging and empowering activities on the computer. The knowledge shared will help students become more efficient, respectful and responsible users of technology. 

     

    7th Grade: Computer Applications:

    This course will develop multimedia skills by introducing them to a variety of digital tools. Students will learn about blogs, podcasts, and web design. The focus is on building visual literacy skills and applying those skills to digital presentations. Students will be developing an electronic portfolio along with creating projects with video production tools.  

     

    8th Grade: PLTW/Robotics:

    Students trace the history, development, and influence of automation and robotics as they learn about engineering concepts, mechanical systems, coding, energy transfer, machine automation, and computer control systems. Students use VEX Robotics and STEM applications to design, build, and program real-world objects.  

    Areas Covered 

    • Internet Safety and Ethics
    • Explore how to be safe on the internet, understand cyberbullying and its consequences
    • Digital Citizenship, Respect the rights of copyright owners, Treat others with respect online

    Computer Terms/Vocabulary 

    • Define and use computer related terminology

    Google Applications/Google Classroom  

    • Online free applications are provided by the district through a student log-in system. (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms)
    • Google Drive Applications for individual assignments, group projects, and communication. (Discussions, Questions, Assignments)

    Word Processing/Website Design/Blogs

    • Explain the purpose of a word processor 
    • Manipulate text (insert, delete, align, change fonts, style, size, color)
    • Create, add and alter graphics 
    • Edit documents (thesaurus function and spell check) 
    • Change document layout (margin, page orientation, spacing, blank lines)
    • Use a variety of graphic tools 
    • Compose a word processing document 

    Presentation Software

    • Identify the purpose and uses of presentation software (toolbar tools)
    • Demonstrate understanding of the tools of software programs and their uses
    • Demonstrate understanding of modification of background appearance 
    • Import and edit graphics (resize and move)
    • Demonstrate understanding of text fields 
    • Add movies and sounds to projects 
    • Create a project and save it 
    • Present work to the class

    Internet Research/Web Design 

    • Learn how to gather and report information that contains or is related to a specific topic
    • How to avoid plagiarism and how to put the sources in the appropriate format.  (MLA, APA)

    Computer Programming/Coding

    • Develop and implement various sets of instructions
    • Learn how to instruct a computer to do a certain task

    PLTW/STEM Robotics

    • Automation and Robotics 
    • Engineering (STEM Careers)
    • Mechanical Systems 
    • The Design Process
    • Automated Systems

    PLTW Units: 8th grade Robotics Units (MyPLW)

    • Lesson A: What is Engineering?

    • Lesson B: Design Process

    • Lesson 1: What is Automation and Robotics?

    • Lesson 2: Mechanical Systems

    • Lesson 3: Automated Systems

  • Welcome to Antioch Upper Grade School. This website is for general information about each course.

    Students have the most current access to  Ed. Tech, Computer Applications, STEM, PLTW, class information, requirements, assignments through the Google Classroom Website.  For each course, the students will be required to watch videos and answer discussion questions. All requirements and learning information will be located on the Google Classroom website for each student to access. 

    The 8th grade Robotics students will have lessons, presentations, and videos for each unit. 

    The students are required to read the class resources and will be required to communicate with their classmates and teacher to receive participation points. 

    Grading for PLTW/STEM, Automation and Robotics, Educational Technology and Computer Application Courses will follow the AUGS grading policy. 

    20% practice, 40% Formative and 40% Summative Assessment   

    Please read the Antioch Upper Grade School handbook for the grading policy for more details. 

    The class requirements and expectations are also located on the Antioch Upper Grade School website provided by the district.