Музей Apple Newton | документация

K Apple Computer, Inc.

Apple Computer, Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014-2084
408-996-1010
http://www.apple.com

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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Apple is not responsible for
printing or clerical errors.

This product is powered by Advanced RISC Machine's high performance, power efficient, 32-bit RISC
microprocessor. For more information call:

m USA: 408-399-5199

m UK: 44-223-400400

m Japan: 81 44 850 1301

m e-mail: [email protected]

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Use of this product must be in compliance with all relevant laws.

Simultaneously published in the United States and Canada.

Communications regulation information

FCC declaration of conformity

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This
device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation. See instructions if interference to radio or television reception
is suspected.

Radio and television interference

The equipment described in this manual generates, uses, and can radiate radio-frequency energy. If it is not
installed and used properly--that is, in strict accordance with Apple's instructions--it may cause interference with
radio and television reception.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device in accordance
with the specifications in Part 15 of FCC rules. These specifications are designed to provide reasonable protection
against such interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation.

You can determine whether your computer system is causing interference by turning it off. If the interference
stops, it was probably caused by the computer or one of the peripheral devices.

If your computer system does cause interference to radio or television reception, try to correct the interference
by using one or more of the following measures:

m Turn the television or radio antenna until the interference stops.

m Move the computer to one side or the other of the television or radio.

m Move the computer farther away from the television or radio.

m Plug the computer into an outlet that is on a different circuit from the television or radio. (That is, make certain

the computer and the television or radio are on circuits controlled by different circuit breakers or fuses.)

If necessary, consult an Apple-authorized service provider or Apple. See the service and support information that
came with your Apple product. Or, consult an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions.

Important

Changes or modifications to this product not authorized by Apple Computer, Inc., could void the

FCC Certification and negate your authority to operate the product.

This product was tested for FCC compliance under conditions that included the use of Apple peripheral devices
and Apple shielded cables and connectors between system components. It is important that you use Apple
peripheral devices and shielded cables and connectors between system components to reduce the possibility of
causing interference to radios, television sets, and other electronic devices. You can obtain Apple peripheral
devices and the proper shielded cables and connectors through an Apple-authorized dealer. For non-Apple
peripheral devices, contact the manufacturer or dealer for assistance.

Responsible party: Robert Steinfeld, Apple Computer, Inc., 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014-2084,
408-974-2618.

Apple Distinguished Educators review team

Patsy Lanclos, Coordinator, Instructional Technology, Spring Branch Independent
School District, Houston, Texas

John R. Wenrich, Network Director, Southwest Virginia Governor's School,
Dublin, Virginia

Lester Ray, Technology Supervisor, South Brunswick School District, Monmouth
Junction, New Jersey

Tony Anderson, Director, Information and Planning Services, Fullerton School District
Fullerton, California

Karen Bryant, Computer Coordinator, York Central School, Retsof, New York

Ruth Adams, Teacher and Technology Information Specialist, Shrewsbury High
School, Shrewsbury, Massachussetts

Cyndy Currier, Director of Technology, Kearsarge Regional School District, New
London, New Hampshire

Ted Kelly, Director of Special Programs, Provo School District, Provo, Utah

Dr. Janet M. Van Dam, Coordinator, Computing, Technology, and Library Services,
Oakland Schools, Waterford, Michigan

Beverly Cameron, Computer Teacher/Trainer, American High School,
Hialeah, Florida

Seeding-study participants and guide reviewers

Amy Bloom, Teacher, J.W. Fair Middle School

Rodney Palmer, Teacher, Los Arboles Elementary School

Mary Wiebe, Teacher, J.W. Fair Middle School

viii

Acknowledgments

Learning to use the eMate

If you've never used an eMate, you should become thoroughly acquainted with it
before you introduce it to your students. To do so, you'll want to use three features
designed to get you up and running quickly:

Chapters 1 and 2 of the eMate 300 User's Manual

These chapters tell you about the main features and parts of the eMate, show you
how to start the eMate Tour, and teach you the basics of using the eMate.

eMate Tour

This interactive electronic tour, which you use on the eMate, helps you become
familiar with the eMate's features. You don't have to take the whole tour--you can
go through just the first few sections, leaving more advanced topics (such as
faxing) for later.

Works Practice

This electronic tutorial, which you use on the eMate, teaches you and your
students to use the word-processing and drawing components of Newton Works,
the built-in productivity application.

Reading this book

Before you start using the eMates in the classroom, read this book, which guides you
through planning to use the eMates in class. First, you'll learn how to set up the
eMates for student use. Then, you'll get checklists and activities for teaching your
students to use the eMates. You'll also see tips and suggestions for storing,
recharging, and using the eMates in class and at home, and will read suggestions for
managing students' documents. In later chapters, you'll see activities that will help
you integrate the eMate into your curriculum, get ideas for expanding the eMate's
capabilities, and learn answers to frequently asked questions.

Chapter 1

Using the other books in this set

The eMate comes with several other books to help you use your new eMate:

eMate 300 User's Manual

In addition to helping you get started and learn the basics, this handbook is a
complete reference source on the eMate 300. It teaches you how to use all eMate
features, including Newton Works and other built-in software.

Use this handbook when you have a specific question about how to do something
on the eMate 300.

Documentation for the connection software

With your eMate, you received a CD-ROM disc. This CD contains software that
allows you to transfer files between the eMate and a desktop computer; it also
contains electronic documentation on using this software.

Use this documentation when you want to learn how to back up, restore, and
transfer files between the eMate and other computers.

To open or print the electronic documentation, see the instructions in the CD
booklet.

Newton Works Graphing Calculator User's Manual

This manual tells you how to use the graphing calculator included in Newton
Works.

QuickFigure Works User's Guide

This manual tells you how to use the spreadsheet program included in Newton
Works.

By the way

The CD also contains other software, including Newton Press and

demonstration versions of Newton products that you might find useful in your
classroom. It also includes backup copies of the RAM-based software for the
eMate. For more information about any of the software on the CD, see the CD
booklet or open the CD on a Mac OS or Windows softwarebased computer.

Getting Started Using the eMate in Your Classroom

Staff development workshop

You can also participate in Apple Computer's onsite workshop, eMate: Discover
Mobile Computing. In this two-day workshop, you'll explore the eMate's hardware
and software, learn strategies for managing classroom use of the eMates, and see
curricular projects appropriate for a variety of grade levels.

For more information about this workshop, call 800-800-APPL.

Web site

You can visit the eMate World Wide Web site to find more information about the
eMate. This site contains the most current information about the eMate, such as
answers to frequently asked questions and information about add-on products for
the eMate.

The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for the eMate Web site is:
http://www.newton.apple.com/eMate.html.

Chapter 1

Before you let students begin to use the eMates, you should set up each eMate for
student use.

Why you should set up the eMates

Setting up the eMates lets you accomplish several classroom goals:

make it easier for students to share eMates, if necessary

In the course of a class, day, or week, it's likely that more than one student will use
a single eMate. If you have more than one student per eMate per class period,
several students will probably have to share or take turns using the eMate. Even if
your typical class has 24 students and you have 24 eMates, you may teach more
than one class period, with different students in each period.

All this sharing means you have to think about privacy and security. How do
students find their own files? How do you make sure that students can't view the
files created by other students who use the same eMate? How do you prevent
them from accidentally deleting or tampering with the work of a student in
another class? If such questions are important to you, you need to set up the
eMates in a way that gives you control over privacy and security.

To identify individual students' files and keep them secure, you can require user
names and passwords for students to access the eMate.

Setting Up the eMates
for Student Use

help students to stay on task

When you give students a new, fun-looking learning tool, you run the risk of
distracting them from their assigned activity. If you make all the eMate's features
available to your students, they may spend the class period playing with their
electronic address book instead of collaborating on a history report.

To provide a simplified interface and prevent students from using features they
don't need, you can put the eMates into Classroom Mode and choose exactly
which applications they have access to.

enable students to find the same eMate they used last time

If students store all their documents on the eMates, they must return to the same
eMate each time. In that case, you'll want to distinguish the eMates from one
another, so that at the beginning of each class or each activity involving the eMate,
students can quickly find the same eMate they were using last time.

The eMate has features to help you deal with all these issues. This chapter tells you
how to use these features to set up the eMates so they're best suited to your
classroom environment.

By the way

If students always move their eMate work to a desktop computer

or to a storage card--as described later in this guide--then their files aren't
stored on any eMate; in that case, they can use any eMate at any time.

Chapter 2

Understanding your setup options

To set up the eMate for student use, you will use an application called Teacher Setup.
Before you use Teacher Setup, you should decide which of the eMate's two modes
you want to use in your classroom.

Classroom Mode versus Full Newton System

The eMate can operate in one of two modes:

Full Newton System

In this mode, all features and applications of the eMate are available to all users.
You cannot limit which applications students can open. Furthermore, the eMate
only perceives one user, so even if more than one person uses the eMate, all the
users' documents get stored together.

In Full Newton System, users can also file their documents into folders.

Classroom Mode

In this mode, students can open only those applications that you choose to make
available to them. Also, you can create a separate user name for each user of the
eMate, so each student's documents are stored separately. As an option, you can
also protect each user's work by setting passwords.

Classroom Mode presents a simplified interface in which all documents belonging
to a particular user get stored at one level. Users cannot file documents into
folders.

The following table summarizes the differences between the two modes:

Full Newton System

Classroom Mode

all applications are available to all users

you can choose which applications are available

perceives just one user

can perceive one or more users

does not protect work through passwords

offers password protection as an option

allows filing

has a simplified interface that does not allow filing

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Deciding on a mode

For most classroom settings, Classroom Mode is the more appropriate mode because
it separates and protects individual students' work, can make available as many or as
few applications as you want, and is easy to use for students of all levels.

Under what circumstances, then, might you choose to use Full Newton System?
Consider using Full Newton System if one of the following is true for your classroom:

Students never have to share a unit, not even with students from
another period.

If an eMate contains documents for only one student, there is no need to allow
more than one user to log in to the eMate. Therefore the eMate can be used in
Full Newton System mode.

Students do have to share the eMate, but each student stores his or
her documents on a storage card.

A storage card, which is not included with the eMates but can be bought
separately, can store all the student's documents, so student documents never
have to stay on the eMate. Since there's no risk of students' getting into each
other's documents, the eMate can be used in Full Newton System mode.

Students do have to share the eMate, but students move their work
to a desktop computer after each use.

If students routinely move their work to a desktop computer (using one of the
connection utilities), then their documents do not stay on the eMate. As with a
storage card, then, there's no risk of students' getting into each other's
documents; therefore, the eMate can be used in Full Newton System mode.

Remember, though, that in Full Newton System, students have access to all the
built-in applications and see a more complex interface than that of Classroom Mode.
So, Full Newton System may not be appropriate for your students.

Chapter 2

Examples of modes in different classrooms

Suppose you have 16 eMates, which you're setting up for a 3rd-grade classroom.
Even though you have the same set of students all day, there are more students than
eMates, so students have to share. Your school did not buy storage cards and you
don't have a Macintosh to which you can transfer student work. You should use the
eMates in Classroom Mode.

Now suppose you're setting up eMates for a high-school math class that will be using
the Newton Works graphing calculator. The classroom has 32 eMates, allowing each
student to have one for the whole period. Students back up their work after each
use, so no students' documents are stored on the eMates. In this classroom, you can
use the eMates in either Full Newton System or Classroom Mode. In either mode,
you won't have to specify user names, so the only question is whether you want to
make all the applications available.

Once you've decided on the mode

The next section suggests how to distribute eMates among students. If you want to
get started with Teacher Setup, read the instructions in the section "Using Teacher
Setup to Set the Mode and Other Options," later in this chapter.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Distributing eMates among students

If you decided to use Full Newton System

If you decided to use the eMates in Full Newton System mode, distributing the
eMates among your students is easy.

One student per eMate

If each student is lucky enough to have his or her own eMate for the entire day, your
only challenge is making sure the eMate and the student stay together. For example,
if students leave the eMates in your classroom at the end of the day, make sure
students can quickly find their eMates next time they come to class. Here are some
suggestions:

m Assign names or numbers to the eMates that correspond to student names or

numbers on your class roster.

m Label each eMate with its owner's name or student number:

m Slip a card into the ID card holder at the base of each eMate. Any card the size

of a business card will work.

m Attach a tag to each eMate's handle.

m Create adhesive labels and place one on top of each eMate. If you're using this

somewhat permanent method of identifying the eMates, use generic labels
(such as numbers or letters) that can be reassigned to a new set of students the
following year.

m Arrange the eMates in the classroom in alphabetical or numeric order.

m Establish a routine for students to follow for putting away and picking up their

eMates.

Several students per eMate

If several students share an eMate and the eMate is in Full Newton System mode,
each student probably has his or her own storage card. If this is the case, you don't
need to assign each student to an eMate because the students' documents do not
stay on the eMate--they all remain on the storage card.

Chapter 2

If each student does not have a storage card, think twice about your decision to use
Full Newton System. Read "Understanding Your Setup Options," earlier in this
chapter, to understand the consequences of using this mode in this classroom
environment.

If you decided to use Classroom Mode

If you decided to use the eMates in Classroom Mode, you'll probably have several
students sharing each eMate. Because you'll want each student to use the same
eMate every time, you need to assign a group of students to each eMate.

For each class period that will be using the eMate, follow these steps to assign groups
of students to the eMates:

Divide the number of students in the class by the number of eMates to determine
how many students should be assigned to each eMate group.

For example, if you have 25 students and 8 eMates, you'll have 7 groups of 3 students
and 1 group of 4 students.

Write down the names of the students that you want to be in each eMate group.
Consider the following ways to group the students:

m Arbitrarily, such as assigning the first three names on your class roster to the first

group, the second three names to another group, and so on.

m Based on your seating arrangement, so that students won't have to move far from

their assigned seats to get into their eMate groups.

Tip: If you've already divided your students into small groups for other classroom
activities, be sure to assign each student in each small group to a different eMate
group. This way, each member of the small group will have his or her own eMate
when the group does an eMate activity together.

When you're done, you'll have a list of all the students who'll be assigned to each
eMate.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Give each eMate group a name or number. You and the students will use this name to
identify both the group and the eMate that the group is assigned to.

You might want to choose names around a theme, such as colors or animals. Using
numbers or names that are in alphabetical order (Aardvark, Bear, etc.) will make it
easier to store and retrieve the eMates later.

Label each eMate with its group's name.

Now that you've decided which students will be in each group (and given each group
a name), label each eMate with its group's name to make it easy for students to find
the eMate that contains their work.

Here are some suggestions:

m Slip a card that identifies the eMate's group into the ID card holder at the base of

each eMate. Any card the size of a business card will work.

m Attach a tag to each eMate's handle.

m Create adhesive labels and place them on top of each eMate.

Chapter 2

Using Teacher Setup to set the mode
and other options

Once you've decided which mode to use, you're ready to use the Teacher Setup
utility to set the mode and other options.

Tip: You don't have to go through Teacher Setup on each eMate. Follow these
instructions for using Teacher Setup on one eMate. Later, you'll see instructions for
transferring the settings to other eMates.

Opening Teacher Setup

Before you use Teacher Setup, you need to go through Setup. Setup allows you to
calibrate the eMate with the eMate pen and enter information such as your name,
address, and date.

If you have not gone through Setup

If you have not gone through Setup, follow these steps to go through Setup and
open Teacher Setup:

Open the eMate to turn it on.

If you're opening this eMate for the first time, the eMate will ask you to calibrate the
eMate with the pen.

Follow the onscreen instructions to go through Setup.

In the Congratulations screen, tap Teacher Setup.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

If you have gone through Setup

If you have gone through Setup, follow these steps to open Teacher Setup:

Open the eMate to turn it on.

Press the Extras key ´ to open the Extras Drawer.

Tap the Unfiled Icons tab that's near the middle of the screen.

In the pop-up list that appears, tap Setup to go to the Setup folder.

Tap Teacher Setup 4.

Setting the teacher password

When you open Teacher Setup for the first time, you'll be prompted to set a teacher
password.

Note: If a teacher password is already set, skip to the next section, "Entering the
Teacher Password."

Although you don't have to set a password, doing so is highly recommended because
it prevents students from using Teacher Setup. If you don't specify a teacher
password, any user will be able to open Teacher Setup and use it to switch modes,
change user names, and even lock you out of Teacher Setup by setting a teacher
password!

The first time you open Teacher Setup, the following slip, or window, appears:

By the way

A slip is like a dialog box on a Macintosh: it contains a message

requesting more information from you.

Chapter 2

To set the teacher password, follow these steps:

Type the desired password on the first line.

The caret, or insertion point, appears where your typing will be placed. Make sure
you write your password down and keep it in a safe place, in case you forget it.

Press the Tab key to go to the next line (or tap the second line with the pen).

The caret now appears on the second line.

Type your password again to confirm it.

Press Return (or tap Set).

Entering the teacher password

Once you set the teacher password, the Password slip appears each time you open
Teacher Setup.

Type the teacher password, then press Return (or tap X).

The Teacher Setup application opens.

By the way

If a button on the screen has a line above and below it, it is the

"default" button. Pressing Return is the same as tapping the default button.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Changing the teacher password

You can change the teacher password at any time, as long as you know the existing
teacher password.

To change the teacher password, follow these steps:

Open Teacher Setup.

The Password slip appears.

Tap Change Password.

Type the old password on the first line, then press the Tab key to go to the second
line (or tap the second line with the pen).

Type the new password, then press the Tab key to go to the third line (or tap the
third line with the pen).

Type the new password again to confirm it, then press Return (or tap Set). Make sure
you write down the new password and keep it in a safe place.

The Password slip appears.

Chapter 2

Tap here to change
the teacher password.

Do one of the following:

m If you want to use Teacher Setup right now, type your new password and press

Return (or tap X).

m If you don't want to use Teacher Setup right now, press Return (or tap X) to close

the slip.

Setting the mode

After you enter the teacher password, the Teacher Setup slip appears:

When you first open the Teacher Setup application, Full Newton System is selected.

m If you've decided to use Full Newton System mode, you don't need to change

anything in the Teacher Setup slip. If you want to set options for connecting to a
desktop computer (docking), go on to the next section, "Setting Dock Options."
If you don't want to set dock options, press Close (or tap X) to close Teacher
Setup.

m If you've decided to use Classroom Mode (as described earlier in this chapter), tap

the button labeled Classroom Mode. After you tap that button, the button
becomes darkened to indicate that it is selected.

You can now set options for connecting to a desktop computer (dock options)
and options that affect how the eMate will work when it's in Classroom Mode
(classroom options). To set these options, follow the instructions in the next two
sections.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Tap one of these
buttons to choose
the mode.

If necessary, in the menu that appears, tap your choice.

m If you tap Classroom Dock, you'll be able to connect several eMates to a single

desktop computer using the eMate Classroom Exchange software.

m If you tap Dock, you'll be able to connect one eMate at a time to a desktop

computer using the Newton Connection Utilities software.

A checkmark appears next to the selected application. Whenever you press the Dock
key on the keyboard, you'll automatically use the application selected to connect to
the desktop computer.

Once you choose the application, you don't have to change this setting unless you
change the software that you use to make connections.

To set the default computer you want to connect to the eMate, tap Desktop
Computer.

This option lets you choose the computer you'll connect to each time you press the
Dock key.

Important

To set this option, you need to connect the eMate to the computer you

want to specify as the default; also, that computer needs to be running the
connection software you just specified as the default connection application. For
more information, see the documentation that came with the connection software.

In the menu that appears, tap your choice.

m If you tap None, you won't be automatically connected to a desktop computer

when you press Dock. (None is the default setting.)

m If you tap Choose Other, a slip appears showing you the computers to which you

can connect. In the slip that appears, tap your choice and tap X.

Once you choose the computer, you won't have to change this setting unless you
change the computer that you want to connect to.

When you are finished setting these options, tap X or press the Close key.
Tip: If you're using the eMate in Full Newton System mode, you're done setting
options. If you want, you can back up these settings, then transfer them to other
eMates. For more information, see the section "Transferring Settings From One
eMate to Another," later in this chapter.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Setting classroom options

Teacher Setup lets you set various options that affect how the eMate will work when
it's in Classroom Mode. You can

m select a default printer

m enable or disable spell-checking

m allow multiple users to log in to the eMate

m choose which applications you want users to be able to access

Important

Any classroom options you set take effect only when the eMate is in

Classroom Mode.

To set any of the above options, tap Classroom Options in the Teacher Setup slip.

The Classroom Options slip appears. See the following sections for instructions on
setting each classroom option.

Chapter 2

Tap here to set classroom options.

Do one of the following:

m Tap None if you don't want to set a default printer.

Each time you print something, you'll need to choose a printer.

m Tap Choose Network LaserWriter to select a printer that's on a network (that is, a

printer that's shared by more than one computer).

In the slip that appears, tap the zone where the printer you want is located, then
tap the printer. Press Close or tap X.

m Tap Choose Other Printer to select a non-networked printer (that is, a printer

that's connected to only one computer).

In the slip that appears, tap the printer of your choice, then press Close or tap X.

Chapter 2

Tap the scroll arrows to move
up and down in the list of
printers in the selected zone.

Tap the scroll arrows to
move up and down in the
list of zones in the network.

Enabling and disabling spell-checking

This option lets you enable or disable spell-checking. By default, spell-checking is
enabled (has a checkmark in the checkbox). To disable spell-checking, tap the
checkbox to remove the checkmark.

Specifying multiple users

You've probably chosen Classroom Mode because you will have more than one
student using a single eMate. If so, follow the instructions in this section to set how
multiple users can log in to the eMate.

Tap the checkbox labeled "Multiple users per machine."

The checkbox now has a checkmark in it, and two checkboxes appear below the
multiple user option. (Also notice that a new button, Edit Users, appears.)

You now have some choices for users and passwords:

m Require password for each user

m Allow only listed users to login

You can choose neither, one, or both of these options.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Check this option if you want to
require passwords for users.

Make sure this option

is checked if more

than one student will

use the eMate.

Check this option if you

want to prevent users

not on the list of users

from logging in.

If you want to require users to enter a password to use the eMate, tap the checkbox
labeled "Require password for each user" to put a checkmark in it.

If you select this option, anyone who tries to start the eMate will be prompted to
enter a password; without the correct password, the student will not be able to use
the eMate.

Selecting this option keeps students from viewing or tampering with each other's
documents. However, it also requires the students to remember their passwords.

If you want to allow only listed users (user names that you enter in Teacher Setup) to
use the eMate, tap the checkbox labeled "Allow only listed users to login" to put a
checkmark in it.

If you select this option, only those users that you explicitly list in Teacher Setup will
be able to use the eMate.

Selecting this option gives you control over which eMate a student can use. But it
also reduces your flexibility, forcing students to use the same eMate each time, even
if they don't store their files on it. Selecting this option also forces you to enter all the
user names for each eMate in Teacher Setup. (If you don't select this option, students
can register themselves when they first log in.)

Important

After setting these options, you may be tempted to start creating user

names and passwords. Do not create user names and passwords right now. Instead,
follow the instructions in the next section to choose which applications are available
to users. Those choices, along with those you already made, make up the "base"
classroom state--the settings that are common to all eMates in your classroom. Once
you set a base classroom state on a single eMate, you'll be able to transfer it to other
eMates. Since user names and passwords are different for each eMate, you'll want to
add those only after you've set each eMate to the base classroom state.

Chapter 2

Choosing which applications are available to users

Since your eMates will be in Classroom Mode, you can choose which applications will
appear in the Extras Drawer, and therefore be available to users.

Descriptions of applications

The following table gives a brief description of all the built-in applications on the
eMate. The applications listed in color are available by default: if you don't specify
which applications you want, the default applications will appear in the Extras
Drawer. The default applications work well in Classroom Mode because they store
data separately for each user. Other applications, even when used in Classroom
Mode, store all data together.

Note: Help and Teacher Setup always appear in the Extras Drawer.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Application

Description

Calculator

for simple arithmetic calculations (This basic calculator is different from
the graphing calculator included in Newton Works.)

Calls

for making and logging telephone calls

Card

for choosing what information to store on a storage card and for backing
up and restoring information (You won't need this application unless
you are using storage cards to back up data.)

Classroom Dock

for connecting to a desktop computer using the eMate Classroom
Exchange software

Clock

for setting the time and date, a daily alarm, and a timer

Dates

for scheduling appointments, meetings, and other events and for
entering To Do tasks (You might use it to create a class calendar with
homework assignments, project milestones, and other class and school
events. Keep in mind that all this data will be shared by all users of the
eMate.)

Dock

for connecting to a desktop computer using Newton Connection Utilities

eMate Tour

for learning the basics of the eMate

Formulas

for conversions (between metric and imperial units, between currencies
of different nations, etc.) and other specialized calculations (loan
payments, net present value, number of days between two dates)

Help

for viewing onscreen help

InOut

includes the In Box, for receiving beamed information, electronic mail,
and other items; and the Out Box, for storing items waiting to be printed
or sent as beamed information, faxes, and electronic mail

Names

for creating an address book of names, addresses, and other information
for individuals, companies, and groups (You might use it to create a class
phone book of students, parents, school clubs, and so on. Keep in mind
that all this data will be shared by all users of the eMate.)

(continued)

Chapter 2

Application

Description

Notes

for creating quick notes and outlines using either the eMate pen or the
keyboard (You can use it for note-taking, brainstorming, outlining, typing
practice, collaborative writing, and journal writing. Keep in mind that all
this data will be shared by all users of the eMate; for private writings, use
the Newton Works word processor instead of Notes.)

Owner Info

for setting owner and worksite information; not recommended for
student use unless the student owns the eMate

Prefs

for setting preferences for sound effects, handwriting recognition, the
backlight, and other features of the eMate

Setup

for calibrating the eMate with the pen and entering information about
the owner

Styles

for choosing font size and style in all areas other than Newton Works

Teacher Setup

for choosing the mode, choosing the type of default printer, choosing a
desktop computer to connect with, setting spell-checking, entering users
and passwords, and choosing applications to make accessible to users

Time Zones

for setting your location and determining times around the world

Newton Works

for using Newton Works, an integrated software application that contains
a word processor, draw program, spreadsheet program, and graphing
calculator (For suggested uses, see the activities in Chapter 6 of this
guide.)

Note: Because Newton Works is the default backdrop application, its
icon does not show up in the Extras Drawer unless you change the
backdrop.

Works Practice

for learning the basics of using the word-processing and drawing
components of Newton Works

Writing Practice

for practicing your handwriting so that the eMate can transform it to text

For detailed information about the built-in applications, see the eMate 300
User's Manual.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Changing available applications

To change the applications that are available in the Extras Drawer, follow these steps:

Tap Edit Extras.

A slip appears listing the applications that are stored in the Extras Drawer. Those that
have a checkmark in the checkbox (the default applications) are currently available to
users.

Chapter 2

Tap here to use the
default applications.

Tap here to change or view the
applications accessible to users.

Applications that

appear in the

Extras Drawer have

a checkmark next

to them.

Tap here or press the Close key
when you are finished.

Tap the scroll arrows
to move up and down
in the list.

Select the applications you want to make available to all users of the eMate.

m If you want to select the recommended, or default, applications, tap the Select

Recommended Apps button.

Note: All the default applications work well in Classroom Mode because the
eMate stores files created in those applications in a separate area for each user.

m Tap the checkbox next to each checked application that you do not want to make

available to users. (Tapping a checked checkbox removes the checkmark,
indicating that you don't want to select that application.)

m Tap the checkbox next to each additional application you want to make available

to users.

Important

You can add applications that are not part of the recommended set.

However, be aware that documents and data created in these applications will be
shared by all users. For example, if you make Dates available to all users, any user can
modify the one calendar that's shared by all the users.

When you are finished choosing applications, press Close (or tap X).

Congratulations! You are done setting the "base" classroom options for this eMate. At
this point, decide what you prefer to do next:

m copy these base classroom options to other eMates

To do so, follow the instructions in the next section, "Transferring Settings From
One eMate to Another."

m create a set of users and passwords for this eMate

You can do so by following the instructions in the section "Setting Users and
Passwords," later in this chapter.

Note: Do not create a unique list of users for this eMate before you copy the
eMate's settings to other eMates. If you do so, you'll copy both the base settings
and all the users to the other eMates.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Transferring settings from one eMate to another

You can transfer the information you've entered in the Setup and Teacher Setup
applications on one eMate to other eMates. Doing so saves you from manually
entering the same information into more than one eMate.

Note: This process transfers all data from Teacher Setup, including the names and
passwords of any users you've entered.

The easiest way to transfer information from one eMate to another is by using a 5-volt
storage card.

Important

If you're not using a 5-volt card, you can't store information on the

card--you can only read information. For more information on using storage cards,
see Chapter 11, "Storing and Backing Up Information," in the eMate 300 User's
Manual.

Transferring information using a storage card is a two-step process: first backing up
the data from the first eMate to a storage card, then restoring that data from the
storage card to the other eMates. The following two sections describe how to
perform this process.

Backing up data from the first eMate to a storage card

Insert a storage card into the card slot of the first eMate (the one on which you've
already completed Setup and Teacher Setup).

The card fits only one way; don't force it. Once you insert it, apply some extra
pressure at the end to push the card all the way in, so that it's connected properly.

The eMate takes a few seconds to examine the card. When the eMate is ready to use
the card, a card slip appears with information about the card.

What you see next depends on what type of card you inserted.

m If you inserted a new storage card, a card slip appears with the name "Card 1."

m If you inserted a previously used storage card, a card slip appears showing you the

name of the card.

m If you inserted a card that is not a 5-volt card, a message appears telling you that

writing is not supported on this type of card.

Chapter 2

Type a name for the card. Use a name such as "Class Settings," so you know what
information is stored on the card.

Tap Backup.

A backup slip appears.

In the list, tap the checkbox labeled "System information" to put a checkmark in it.

Tap Backup.

A slip appears showing the progress of the backup. When the backup is finished, the
status slip disappears. A Restore button now appears on the card slip.

Press Close or tap X to close the card slip.

Press the push button on the right side of the eMate to remove the storage card.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Tap Backup to make a copy
of the selected settings.

If necessary, type a name
for the card here.

Tap the scroll arrows to
move down in the list
until you see "System
information."

When you're ready,
tap Backup.

Tap the checkbox next

to "System information"

to select it.

Tap the checkbox labeled "System information" to put a checkmark in it.

Tap Restore.

A message appears asking if you want to replace the information on this eMate with
the information from the card.

Tap Restore.

A message appears showing the progress of the restore. When the eMate is finished
restoring the information, a slip appears telling you to restart your eMate.

Tap Restart.

Press Close or tap X to close the card slip.

Press the push button on the right side of the eMate to remove the storage card.

Put this card in a safe place, so you can find it when you need it again. You'll find this
card useful in preparing the eMates for a new set of students.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

Setting users and passwords

You can now enter, edit, and delete users and passwords. Registering each student as
an individual user keeps each student's items stored in a separate area under his or
her name. Requiring passwords prevents users from accessing items in another user's
area.

Note: Instead of setting user names and passwords yourself, you can allow students
to log in themselves. For more information about this option, see the section
"Specifying Multiple Users," earlier in this chapter.

To enter, edit, or delete users, follow these steps:

Open Teacher Setup, if it's not already open.

Tap the Classroom Options button, if the Classroom Options slip is not already open.

There should be a checkmark in the checkbox labeled "Multiple users per machine."

Tap Edit Users.

Chapter 2

Tap here to add, edit, or delete
users and passwords.

The Users slip appears. If you haven't entered any users, none are listed.

Entering a new user and password

Earlier in this chapter, you created a list of students to be assigned to each eMate
group. (See "Distributing eMates Among Students.") Now you can enter those
students' names into the eMates.

For each eMate, follow these steps for each student you've assigned to the eMate:

Tap New User.

A New User slip appears.

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

If you selected the option to require
passwords, type this user's password here.

Tap here or press Close
when you are finished.

The first time you use Teacher
Setup, no users are listed.

Type the name of

the user here.

Type the name of the user on the first line.

You can type just the first name, just the last name, or both--as long as you don't
have duplicate names on one eMate.

Press Tab (or tap the second line with the eMate pen) to move the caret to the
next line.

Type the password you want the user to enter each time he or she logs in.

Make sure the password you choose is appropriate for your students. For example,
some very young students may have trouble remembering a password that contains
more than three characters. Older students, on the other hand, may be able to crack
a password that's so short. Regardless, it's a good idea to choose passwords that
contain a combination of letters and numbers. You'll want to make each password
unique so that students cannot guess each other's passwords.

When you're done, press Close (or tap X).
Tip: You can also let students register themselves by entering their own names and
passwords when they open a new eMate to use it. To do so, you need to select these
options in the Classroom Options slip:

m "Multiple users per machine"

m "Require password for each user"

Do not select the option "Allow only listed users to login."

Chapter 2

Editing a user's name or password

In the Classroom Options slip, tap Edit Users.

The Users slip appears.

Tap the checkbox next to the user you want to edit, then tap Edit.

If you want to change the user name, type the revised name.

A warning message appears. If this user stores data on a storage card, you should
insert the card. The eMate will change the user name of the data on the card. If you
don't insert the card, you will no longer be able to access that user's data on the card.

Tap OK or press Return.

Press Tab (or tap the next line with the pen) to move the caret to the second line.

If you wish, type a new or revised password.

If you didn't change the user name and simply want to change the password for the
existing user, type a revised password.

If you changed the user name and also want to change the password, type a new
password.

When you're done, press Close (or tap X).

Deleting one or more users

Tap the checkbox next to the user or users you want to delete, then tap Delete.

A slip appears asking you if you really want to delete the user or users and all of their
associated data (documents, reports, drawings, etc.).

Press Return (or tap OK).

When you are finished, press Close (or tap X).

Setting Up the eMates for Student Use

This chapter shows you how to introduce your students to the eMate. It gives you
checklists for a guided walk-through of the eMate and suggestions for activities that
will help students of every age get acquainted with the eMate.

It's a good idea to start by taking students on a "guided walk-through" of the product.
During this tour, students will follow along individually or in groups as you
demonstrate and teach them about the following key aspects of using the eMate:

m physical parts and properties

m safety and care

m software

This chapter contains a section on each of these major topics, with a checklist of
items to cover for that topic.

Teaching Your Students
to Use the eMate

Even though students will have the eMates in front of them as they follow you on the
guided walk-through, they probably won't be ready to start using the eMate
effectively until they've had more hands-on time with it. Therefore, after the guided
walk-through, you should have students do an activity suitable to their age level. This
guide contains several such activities (the projects in Chapter 6). In addition, the
eMate includes two electronic tutorials--Works Practice and the eMate Tour. These
tutorials cover different aspects of the eMate and are designed for different age levels.

Try using the following activities, in this order, to introduce students to the eMate:

m Take students on a guided walk-through.

m Have students do hands-on activities.

m Have students do an age-appropriate project from Chapter 6 of this guide, "Ideas

for Using the eMate."

Chapter 3

Guided walk-through

The first step in teaching students to use the eMate is to take them on a guided walk-
through. During the tour, you'll stand before the class demonstrating features and
tasks as students follow along with their eMates. On the following pages, you'll find
checklists of topics to cover, along with suggestions for what you should tell the
students about using the eMate.

Preparing for the guided walk-through

Before you start the walk-through, do the following:

Familiarize yourself with the eMate.

For tips on how to quickly learn about the eMate, read Chapter 1 of this guide.

Prepare the eMates for student use.

Chapter 2 of this guide, "Setting Up the eMates for Student Use," tells you how to set
up the eMates for your students.

Decide which topics you want to cover.

The checklists in this chapter include basic information about the eMate. Even so,
you may not need to teach your students about all the topics on the checklists. Also,
you might choose to divide the guided walk-through into several lessons.

Photocopy the checklists.

Feel free to make copies of the pages in this guide that contain checklists. You can
either make handouts or enlarge the checklists to poster size.

Topics for the guided walk-through

The guided walk-through consists of the following checklists:

m physical parts and properties

m safety and care

m using the Newton operating system and built-in software

Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate

Physical parts and properties

This checklist explains the physical aspects of the eMate.

Mobility and portability

You can easily move the eMate. For example, if two or more people are using the
same eMate, move the eMate to face the person who's typing.

When the eMate is closed, carry it using the handle.

Turning the eMate on and off

To turn on the eMate, do this:

m With one hand, hold one of the corners or sides of the eMate.

m With the other hand, press in the locking tab in the center of the eMate and lift

the lid.

Note: The lid has been designed to be stiff to make working with the eMate pen
easier, so you'll need to apply some force to lift it.

To turn off the eMate, close the lid so the locking tab snaps shut.

Chapter 3

The keyboard

The keyboard contains three kinds of keys: character keys (such as letters and
numbers), function keys (which do special things, such as closing a slip), and
modifier keys (such as Shift and Option).

Most of the function keys are in the top row and are a different color from the rest of
the keyboard.

Some function keys that you should know about are these:

m the Power ® key, which restarts the eMate after it has gone to sleep or puts the

eMate to sleep to save energy while you're not using it

m the Overview

key, which shows all the documents that belong to the user

m the scroll Z2 keys, which move the image on the screen up and down
m the Light § key, which turns backlighting on and off
m the Extras ´ key, which opens the Extras Drawer
m the Close X key, which closes the active slip

The pen

The eMate uses a pen-based interface. This means that in addition to using the
keyboard, you can tell the eMate what to do by tapping the eMate pen on the screen.
For example, you tap an item to choose it from a list of items that appears on the
screen. You can also use the eMate pen to write or draw on the screen. In other
words, the eMate pen is much like the mouse on other computers.

To write or tap on the screen, use only the eMate pen. Any other type of pen or sharp
object will damage the screen.

When you're using the eMate pen, pretend you're writing with a felt-tip pen on a
piece of paper. Don't press too hard or too lightly--just hard enough to make things
happen.

The tray above the keyboard is the eMate pen's storage area. Before you close the
eMate, put the eMate pen back in the tray.

The holes on the left and right side of the eMate are pen holders. As you switch back
and forth between typing and tapping, place the eMate pen with the writing tip down
in one of these pen holders. Using the pen holders keeps the eMate pen from rolling
away and lets you get to it quickly.

Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate

The battery

The eMate is battery-powered.

The battery lasts 1624 hours, depending on how the eMate is being used.

The following activities wear the battery out more quickly:

m using the backlight

m using a modem (for example, for sending e-mail or browsing the Internet)

m frequent beaming

m printing many long documents

You can recharge the battery using the power adapter that came with the eMate.

You can use the eMate while its battery is being recharged.

The charging status light (on the upper-right corner of the eMate, near the handle)
tells you the status of the battery when the eMate is plugged into the adapter.

m Orange means the battery is recharging.

m Green means the battery is fully charged.

If the light is off, the battery is not getting any power from the adapter.

Adjustable screen

The angle of the screen can be anything between 0 degrees (when the eMate is
closed) and 180 degrees (when the screen is flat and facing up).

Adjust the screen angle for whatever task you're performing.

m If you're drawing, open the screen all the way so you're writing on a flat surface.

m If you're typing and reading text on the screen, adjust the angle so that glare

doesn't make it hard for you to see what's on the screen.

Chapter 3

Making the screen easier to read

If the screen is hard to read and you've tried adjusting its angle, try adjusting the
contrast. To adjust the contrast, move the contrast control O on the left side of the
keyboard.

If it's dark and the screen is hard to see, turn on backlighting. To turn backlighting
on, press the Light key §. Remember, though, that backlighting uses extra battery
power, so turn off backlighting when you don't need it. (By default, the eMate
automatically turns backlighting off if the eMate is idle for 30 seconds.)

Adjusting the volume

To adjust the volume, move the volume control Ï.

Cable ports

The eMate has a sliding door on its left side. Depending on its position, the door
reveals either the serial port or the Newton InterConnect port.

The serial port is the round 9-pin port used for inserting a serial or AppleTalk cable to
connect the eMate to a desktop computer or to a printer. Before you try to insert the
connector into the port, make sure the connector's pin pattern matches the port's
pattern of holes. (As you insert the connector into the eMate's serial port, the arrow
or other icon on the connector faces up.)

The Newton InterConnect port is the rectangular slit that, in the future, will be used
to connect the eMate to some peripheral devices. (You cannot use this port for now.)

Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate

Power adapter port

The eMate has a port (an opening on its left side, near the serial port) for inserting an
AC adapter, which makes it possible for the eMate to get power from a standard
electrical outlet.

If the battery is low, plug in and connect the power adapter. This way, you'll be able
to use the eMate and recharge the battery simultaneously.

PC card slot

The right side of the eMate has a horizontal slot for inserting PC cards.

Like a floppy disk, a PC card (sometimes called a PCMCIA card) can hold either
applications or data (such as student documents). A PC card that's used only for
storing data is called a storage card.

Unlike a blank floppy disk, a storage card is very durable and quite expensive--40 to
70 times the price of a diskette!

If you have a PC card, do the following:

m Push it into the PC card slot to insert the card; you'll need to apply some extra

pressure at the end to push it all the way in.

m Press the button to the left of the PC card slot to eject the card.

Chapter 3

Safety and care

This checklist only tells you what you need to know to use the eMate without hurting
yourself or the eMate. In addition, eMates require some routine maintenance. For
information, see the eMate 300 User's Manual.

Treat it like a computer

Even though the eMate may not look like other computers, it is an electrical device
with some delicate parts. The eMate is designed to withstand the type of wear it's
likely to experience in a school environment. However, it's not indestructible. Treat it
with care.

Don't drop it

Dropping the eMate can crack or shatter the eMate's screen. To make sure that
doesn't happen, follow these rules:

m Do not toss the eMate to another person.

m When using or storing the eMate, always place it on a flat, horizontal surface to

prevent it from sliding. For example, do not put an eMate on top of a binder or on
top of another eMate.

m Do not put the eMate on the floor or other place where someone might step on it

or sit on it.

m When you're carrying the eMate on a bus or in a car, hold it by its handle so that a

sudden stop won't fling it.

m If you're carrying the eMate in your backpack, treat the backpack with extra care.

Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate

Don't get it wet

If the eMate gets wet, its circuits may become damaged. Furthermore, if it's plugged
in when it gets wet, you may get an electric shock. To prevent that, follow these rules:

m Do not drink or eat while using the eMate.

m Keep the eMate as far as possible from containers of liquid such as beakers, test

tubes, and graduated cylinders.

m Do not use or store the eMate near a sink.

m Do not take the eMate outside when it's raining or snowing. If you must carry it on

a rainy day (for example, to bring it back to school after taking it home), store it in
a waterproof backpack.

Use the pen properly

To write, draw, or tap on the screen, use only the pen that came with the eMate. Do
not use a ballpoint pen, felt-tip pen, pencil, crayon, or magic marker with your eMate.
These objects can damage the screen.

When you write or draw on the screen, don't press too hard. Press hard enough to
make your mark, but no harder. Pressing too hard can damage the screen.

Treat the eMate like a very valuable object

The eMate is a valuable object. It costs money to replace and may contain
irreplaceable data, such as other students' work.

Take responsibility for the eMate that your teacher entrusts you with. Follow the
safety and care rules listed above and don't let the eMate leave your sight. If your
eMate gets lost, stolen, or damaged, you may be held responsible for its repair or
replacement.

Chapter 3

Using the Newton operating system and built-in software

This checklist assumes the teacher has set up the eMates in Classroom Mode and has
created a list of users.

Tip: Some teachers may prefer to use this checklist only after students have
completed the eMate Tour or Works Practice.

Logging in

To start using your eMate after you turn it on, identify yourself by tapping your name
in the list of users.

If your teacher has required passwords, you have to enter the password that your
teacher has assigned for you. Typing your password "proves" to the eMate that you
are who you said you are.

After you've entered your user name and password, tap X or press the Close key.

Using Newton Works

Newton Works is an application program in which you can create different types of
documents--drawings, letters and reports, spreadsheets, and graphs and equations.

Newton Works is the eMate's default backdrop. The backdrop is the background
application you see when other applications are closed. Therefore, unless your
teacher has made another application the backdrop, the eMate assumes that when
you open the eMate you want to use Newton Works.

To create a new Newton Works drawing, tap New; in the pop-up list that appears, tap
Drawing to open a new drawing document.

A slip appears asking you to title the document you are about to create.

Type a title for the drawing.

A good title is descriptive and contains your name. For example, "Susanna's cat" is a
better title than "Susanna's drawing." And both are much better than "Untitled
Drawing."

The title doesn't print; it's used to help you find your documents later.

Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate

Notice the two short horizontal lines above and below the X. These lines indicate
that X is this slip's default button--the button the eMate assumes you want to
choose when you press Return. If you want to work quickly with the eMate, take
advantage of the default button--instead of tapping or hunting for the right key on
the keyboard, simply press Return to choose the default button.

Press Return or tap X to close the slip.

A blank drawing document appears with a row of tools at the top, under the title. The
row of tools is called the toolbar.

Experiment with the different tools on the toolbar to create various objects. What
happens when you

m use the straight-line tool?

m use the squiggly shaped tool?

m tap the stamp tool?

m tap the circle tool, then drag the pen across the screen?

m tap the circle tool, then hold down the Shift key as you drag the pen across the

screen?

m tap the pointer tool and then draw a four-segment zig-zag line over an object

you've drawn?

When you're done, do not close the document. Just go on to the next step.

Tap New; in the short list that appears, tap Paper to create a new word-processing
document.

A title slip appears.

Type a title for your paper. (If you're not sure what to call your paper, just type your
name for now.) This title doesn't print; it's used to help you find your document later.

Press Return to close the slip. (Remember, pressing Return works as a shortcut
because the Close button is the default button in this slip.)

A blank word-processing document appears.

Chapter 3

Type your name at the top of the document.

Whatever you type into the document will appear on paper when you print out the
document. It's always a good idea to type your name at the top of your document so
your teacher will know the paper is yours.

Press Return twice to skip two lines. Then type the following sentence:

"I am quickly learning to use Newton Works."

Select "quickly." To select it, hold the pen on the word until you hear a squeak. The
selected word has a darkened box around it. (After selecting the word, you can lift
the eMate pen off the screen.)

Selecting text tells the eMate that you want to do something with the selected text.
For example, you can delete it, copy it, change its size, and so on.

Make the selected word bold. To do that, tap the Style button at the bottom of the
screen; in the list that appears, tap Bold.

Tap the paper 5 icon in the upper-left corner. This is called a Picture button.

The title slip appears, allowing you to rename your document.

Enter a new, more descriptive document name on the selected line. "Learning" or
"Practice," along with your name, are descriptive names for the document you're
creating.

Press Return or tap X to close the slip.

The same document appears, but with the new name in the title area.

Deselect "quickly." To deselect a word, tap anywhere on the screen.

Quickly type three or four more lines of text. Even gibberish will do because you'll
soon erase it!

Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate

Select the lines you've just typed. To select multiple lines of text, hold the pen on the
first word. When you hear a squeak (unless volume is turned down), drag the pen to
the end of the last line. When you see a darkened box over all the lines, lift the eMate
pen off the screen.

Delete the selected text. To do that, just press the Delete key on the keyboard.

View a list of the documents you've created. To do that, press the Overview key.

When you're in Newton Works (as you are now), the Overview key shows all the
Newton Works documents you've created--including drawings and papers.

To see the document you were working on, press Overview again.

Notice the icon in the lower-right corner of the screen. This is called the Routing
button; you tap it to print or delete a document.

Using the Extras Drawer

The Extras Drawer contains all the applications (other than the backdrop) you can
use on the eMate. You don't need to open the Extras Drawer to get to Newton Works
(because that's the backdrop), but you do need to open the Extras Drawer if you
want to use another application.

If the Extras Drawer does not appear on the screen, press the Extras ´ key to make
it appear.

Tap an icon to open it.

To close the application you've just opened, tap X.

Notice that the backdrop reappears when you close the other applications.

Chapter 3

Beaming a document to another eMate

Pair up with another student. Designate one person to send the beam (the sender)
and the other to receive it (the receiver); then follow these steps along with your
partner.

If you are the receiver, do this:

m Standing no more than three feet away from your partner, point the infrared

window on your eMate toward the infrared window on your partner's eMate.
(The window is the oval to the left of the handle.)

m Press the Receive ¶ key. (Press it only once!)

A slip with the message "Looking for sender" stays on your screen until your
partner sends the beam.

m If the beamed item does not appear on your screen, go to the application that the

item was created in. For example, if your partner sends you a Newton Works
drawing while you're in Notes, close Notes so that Newton Works appears.

If you are the sender, do this:

m Open the item you want to beam.

m Standing no more than three feet away from your partner, point the infrared

window on your eMate toward the infrared window on your partner's eMate.
(The window is the oval to the left of the handle.)

m Press the Send key. (Press it only once!)

A slip with the message "Looking for receiver" stays on your screen until your
partner presses Receive.

Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate

Using onscreen help

The eMate includes onscreen instructions for how to perform various tasks.

Any time you need help, tap the ; button. In the list that appears, tap Help.

A "How do I" slip appears.

Tap a topic that you want help with, such as "Use the drawing tools."

A list of subtopics appears.

Tap a subtopic to get instructions on how to perform the task described in the
subtopic. For example, if you tap "Draw polygons," you'll get instructions for drawing
shapes with three or more sides.

Read the onscreen instructions.

To see instructions for other topics, tap Topics. Once you've seen all the instructions
you want, tap X.

Chapter 3

Hands-on work

After you're done taking your students on the guided walk-through, have them go on
to hands-on work that's appropriate for their grade level:

Grades K3:

a lower-elementary project from Chapter 6 of this guide

Grades 48:

Works Practice, the onscreen Newton Works tutorial

Grades 912:

the eMate Tour, the onscreen overview of the eMate software;

also Works Practice

Grades K3

Turn to Chapter 6 of this guide. It presents several projects that let students practice
using the eMate while providing an educational value in and of themselves. Projects
that are particularly well suited to this age group are 1 and 2; feel free to modify
either project (or one of the others) to adapt it to your students' needs and grade
level.

Grades 48

Works Practice

Every eMate includes an interactive online tutorial called Works Practice. This tutorial,
which provides an introduction to Newton Works, gives instruction on using the
word processor and drawing program and also teaches users how to erase, select,
and move items on the screen.

Give each student the following directions for starting Works Practice:

Press Extras ´ to open the Extras Drawer.

The Extras Drawer appears.

Tap Works Practice $.

The introductory screen appears.

Follow the instructions on the screen to go through Works Practice.

Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate

Other hands-on work

Turn to Chapter 6 of this guide. It presents several projects that give students practice
with the eMate while providing an educational value in and of themselves. Consider
starting with project 1, 2, or 3. Also look at the other projects--you can adapt almost
all the activities to the needs of students in grades 48.

Grades 912

eMate Tour

Most students in these grades should be able to use the same online tutorial you
used to become familiar with the eMate--the eMate Tour.

Important

Keep in mind that this tour reviews the features in Full Newton System

mode. In the tour, students will see an interface that's somewhat different from that
of Classroom Mode. Also, because the eMate Tour is not one of the recommended
applications for Classroom Mode, it won't appear in the Extras Drawer unless you've
made it available to users.

Instead of having students share the eMates as they might normally do, give each
student the opportunity to take the tour on his or her own. The part of the tour
that's relevant to students (up to the part about faxing) takes only about 10 minutes
to complete. Therefore, if you have fewer than 5 students per eMate, all the students
can probably complete the eMate Tour in just one class period.

Give each student the following directions for starting the eMate Tour:

Press Extras ´ to open the Extras Drawer.

The Extras Drawer appears.

Tap eMate Tour <.

The opening screen appears.

Follow the instructions on the screen to go through the eMate Tour.

Chapter 3

Works Practice

Though Works Practice is designed for younger students, the lessons it teaches about
using Newton Works are useful for all ages. Take a look at this electronic tutorial. If
you like it, give your students the instructions earlier in this chapter for how to open
Works Practice.

Additional projects

After your students have become familiar with the eMate through the guided walk-
through and the hands-on work, they can begin using the eMate in their regular
assignments. For ideas on incorporating the eMate into your existing curriculum, see
Chapter 6 of this guide.

Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate

This chapter gives you suggestions and other information to help you store and use
the eMates in your classroom. It provides tips and suggestions for

m storing the eMates

m using the battery

m managing eMate settings

m handing out the eMates for home use

Storing the eMates

One of the features that distinguishes the eMate from other computers is its mobility.
The eMate's small size and light weight make it easy for even the youngest students
to carry along wherever learning takes them. These very qualities, though, make
eMates an easy target for thieves. Therefore, you cannot leave the eMates unattended
for a long time. At the same time, you cannot use the cumbersome locking
mechanisms you might choose for heavier equipment because you'll want to make
the eMates easily available when students need them.

This section contains some suggestions for storing the eMates for easy but secure
access.

Storing, Recharging, and Using
the eMates in Class and at Home

Use the storage/charging cart
from Bretford Manufacturing, Inc.

To store and charge the eMates, you can buy a storage/charging cart. This cart, which
stores up to 15 eMates, provides the ideal storage for a classroom for the following
reasons:

m You use one lock to secure all 15 eMates, so at the start of each day or class

period you only have to open one lock to make the eMates available to
students.

m You can stack all your classroom's eMates in the same order every time, so each

student or group of students can easily find the eMate they last worked on--
something students need to do if they store their work on the eMates

m All the eMates get their batteries recharged while they're in the charging cart (if

the cart is plugged into an outlet), so you don't have to spend extra time on
recharging.

If you'd like more information about the storage/charging cart, contact Bretford
Manufacturing, Inc., at 800-521-9614, or refer to your Apple price list.

Store the eMates in a locked closet or cupboard

If you have decided not to purchase a charging cart, you can designate a closet or
cabinet in your classroom to serve as the eMates' lockable storage area. Make sure
the area you choose has the following characteristics:

m You can lock it.

m Only you and other staff have the key or padlock combination.

m It has enough empty shelves so that each eMate can stand directly on a shelf--

that is, without being stacked on top of another eMate.

m It is not near a heater, so that the eMates are not exposed to high temperatures.

Once you've chosen the storage area, consider labeling parts of it to tell students
which eMate belongs where. For example, if the top shelf will hold three eMates, you
can label parts of the top shelf with the names you've assigned to those eMates.

Whenever the eMates will be unattended long enough for you to be concerned with
their security, such as during recess or at the end of the school day, have students
return the eMates to the appropriate place in the storage cabinet.

Chapter 4

Store the eMates in locked filing cabinets

You can store eMates in filing cabinets with dividers, placing the eMates vertically
(much as you would file folders). Make sure the dividers are sturdy enough to protect
the eMates from hitting each other as you open and close the cabinet drawer.

Store the eMates in locked drawers

If you have decided not to purchase a charging cart and do not have a large lockable
storage area, you might be able to use drawers to store individual eMates. Because a
drawer usually cannot fit more than one or two eMates (you cannot stack eMates on
top of one another), drawers aren't as convenient as cupboards or closets: chances
are, you'll have to unlock several drawers to make the eMates accessible to students
at the start of the day.

Using the battery

How long the battery lasts

The eMate uses a Nickel Metal-Hydride (NiMH) battery pack; because this battery
pack gets charged and replaced as a unit, this guide refers to it as "the battery." The
battery keeps the eMate running longer than you might expect for a device of the
eMate's size.

Battery life varies depending on how the eMate is being used. For example, if you
type or use the pen continuously, the eMate will use more battery power than it
would if you pause once in a while. Similarly, using the eMate with a modem or with
the backlight on uses up more battery power than using the eMate without a modem
or backlighting. If you don't use the modem and backlighting more than 10 percent
of the time, you can expect the battery to last 16 to 24 hours.

Although different eMates discharge at different rates (and therefore at different
times) depending on how each one is being used, you don't have to recharge each
one separately after it discharges. If it's more convenient for you to charge all units
simultaneously, do so. Don't worry that some will be "overcharged" by being plugged
in longer than necessary--the eMate has been designed so that it cannot receive
excessive charge.

Storing, Recharging, and Using the eMates in Class and at Home

How to recharge the battery

To recharge the eMate's battery, use the power adapter that came with your eMate.

Warning

Using another type of adapter may damage the eMate.

To use the power adapter, simply insert one end of the adapter into the socket on the
left side of the eMate, then plug the other end into a wall outlet or powerstrip.

How to tell the battery's charge progress

The charging status light (on the upper-right corner of the eMate, near the handle)
tells you the progress of charging the battery.

If the charging status light is...

Then the batteries are...

green

fully charged.

orange

being charged.

off

not getting power from the adapter.

Whenever the eMate is not plugged into the power adapter, the charging status light
is off. You cannot use the charging status light to determine whether the battery is
low.

To determine how much charge is left in the battery, look at the battery gauge in the
lower-right corner of the Extras Drawer. ( When you're using the power adapter, the
label under the gauge is either "Adapter" or "Charging.")

Chapter 4

How long to recharge the battery

It takes one to two hours to fully recharge an eMate battery. The exact time depends
on the following factors:

m how low the battery is when you start recharging

A battery that's fully discharged takes longer to recharge than one that's only
partially discharged.

m what the eMate is being used for as it's being recharged

If you're using the eMate as you're recharging it, you're using up some of the
power that's going into the battery. Therefore, an eMate that's being used takes
longer to recharge than one that's idle. Furthermore, if the eMate is being used
for power-intensive activities like browsing the Internet, beaming, or using
backlighting, it uses battery power at a greater rate and therefore takes longer to
recharge than if it's being used for activities that require less power.

Once the battery has been recharged, the charging status light turns green. Don't
worry about leaving the eMate plugged in after the light turns green; you cannot
overcharge the battery.

Storing, Recharging, and Using the eMates in Class and at Home

Tips for keeping the battery charged

The following is a list of ways you can make sure each eMate's battery is charged and
ready to use:

m Develop a daily or weekly routine for recharging the batteries.

If you have a charging cart, keep the eMates in it overnight.

m Use a power strip to simultaneously charge several eMates.

m Teach your students to pay attention to the message, "The batteries are running

low. You need to recharge them soon." When the eMate sends this message, it has
about an hour of battery power left.

Have students recharge the batteries on their own or notify you of the battery's
charge status.

m Have students use the eMate with the adapter when they can.

If an activity does not require mobility, have some students use the eMate while
it's plugged into the adapter. If your classroom doesn't have enough outlets near
student desks, consider rotating students through a desk that is near an outlet, so
that on different days different students use the adapter.

Managing eMate settings

Use the tips in this section to save yourself time in clearing or duplicating the eMate's
settings, and preparing the eMate for use by a new group of students.

Resetting an eMate to its original state

At times, you might want to restore the settings and other data an eMate had before
you began to use it in the classroom. In this original state, the eMate contained no
student data and no data from Setup or Teacher Setup.

Chapter 4

Warning

This procedure, sometimes called a "hard reset" or "cold boot," deletes all

the data from the eMate, including RAM-based software and data you entered in
Setup and Teacher Setup. (Backup copies of RAM-based software are on the CD that
came with the eMate.) Before you perform a hard reset, make sure you have a
backup of all the data and applications that will be lost.

To reset the eMate to its original state, follow these steps:

With the eMate open, find the Reset button on the underside of the eMate. It's the
small, unlabeled button near the handle.

Using a pencil or ballpoint pen (not the pen that came with the eMate), gently press
and release the Reset button.

Turn the eMate right side up, then press and hold the Power key ®.

After a few moments, a message appears asking if you want to erase data completely.

Note: If this message does not appear, you may have paused too long between steps
2 and 3. Try steps 2 and 3 again, this time more quickly.

Release the Power key.

Tap Yes.

Another message appears reminding you that data will be lost and asking if you want
to continue.

Tap OK.

If you want to bring the eMate back to its original state, restore the RAM-based
software. You can find this software on the CD that came with your eMate or on the
backup you made. For instructions, see the CD booklet.

After resetting the eMate to its original state, you can restore any documents you
wish from the backup you made. For instructions, see Chapter 11, "Using Cards and
Backing Up and Restoring Information," in the eMate 300 User's Manual.

Storing, Recharging, and Using the eMates in Class and at Home

Preparing the eMates for a new set of students

Before the start of a new school year, or whenever you want to prepare the eMates
for a new set of students, you'll want to "clean up" each eMate. The steps you'll
follow vary depending on which mode the eMates are in: Full Newton System or
Classroom Mode.

Full Newton System mode

Preparing eMates that are in Full Newton System mode for a new set of students is
easy because data for all students is stored together and you do not need to set up
user names on each eMate. All you need to do is delete old student documents. How
you do this depends on whether you backed up the base classroom state on a
storage card.

If you've backed up the base classroom state

If you created a storage card containing the "base" classroom state, simply transfer
these settings to each eMate in your classroom. For instructions, see Chapter 2,
"Setting Up the eMates for Student Use." Bringing all eMates back to the base
classroom state ensures that the eMates do not contain any student data.

If you have not backed up the base classroom state

If you do not have a backup of the "base" classroom state, follow these steps to
delete users' documents:

Press Overview from within Newton Works.

Tap the All button to select all the documents in the list.

Tap the Routing button µ and in the list that appears, tap Delete.

Repeat steps 13 for every application for which you want to delete documents. For
example, to delete all Notes, press Overview from within Notes, then delete all
the documents.

Chapter 4

Classroom Mode

To prepare eMates that are in Classroom Mode for a new set of students, you must do
the following:

m remove old student documents

m remove existing user names and passwords

m specify dock options and classroom options (such as what applications you want

to make available in the Extras Drawer)

m set up new user names and passwords (unless you want to allow students to set

their own user names and passwords when they first log in)

You can accomplish these goals using one of the following options:

m Restore the eMate to its original state; then start over.

Advantage: You can delete all the data in one step.

Disadvantages: You have to go through the whole Teacher Setup procedure
again. You have to reinstall any RAM-based applications.

m Manually delete all user names and users' files; then add new user names and

passwords.

Advantage: You don't have to specify Classroom Mode options again because
each eMate is still set to the same options that were used by the last set of
students.

Disadvantage: Deleting data on each eMate can be time-consuming.

m Restore the eMate to a "base" classroom state; then add user names and

passwords.

Advantages: You can delete all student files in one step; you don't have to specify
Classroom Mode options again; you only have to create new users--old ones get
deleted automatically.

Disadvantage: This option requires a storage card.

If you have a storage card, this option is the best of the three.

The sections below describe how to prepare the eMates using these options.

Storing, Recharging, and Using the eMates in Class and at Home

Option 1: Restore the eMate to its original state; then start over.

To use this option, follow these steps for each eMate:

Restore the eMate to its original state, following the instructions earlier in this
chapter.

Set up the eMate for student use, just as you did for the first set of students who used
the eMate.

For more information, see Chapter 2, "Setting Up the eMates for Student Use."

Option 2: Manually delete all user names and users' documents;
then add new user names and passwords.

Deleting user names

First, delete all user names and the users' documents by following these steps:

Open Teacher Setup 4.

Tap Classroom Options.

Tap Edit Users.

Tap the checkbox next to each user name to select it.

Tap the Delete button.

A slip appears asking if you want to delete the selected users and all associated data.

Tap OK.

Creating user names

If you want to create a list of new user names (and optional passwords), tap New
User.

For detailed instructions, see the section on using Teacher Setup in Chapter 2,
"Setting Up the eMates for Student Use."

Chapter 4

Option 3: Restore the eMate to a "base" classroom state; then add user
names and passwords.

To use this option, you need a storage card that contains all the data for the "base"
classroom state. In this state, the eMate contains all the settings that are common to
all the eMates--such as the Setup information, the teacher password, and all Teacher
Setup information except the names of individual users. By using a storage card, you
can quickly restore each eMate to the same state; the only additional data you have to
enter is data that's different for each eMate, such as user names.

Tip: If you don't have a storage card, you can create a backup of the data for the
base classroom state on a desktop computer using the Newton Connection
Utilities. For more information about these utilities, see Chapter 5, "Managing
Student Documents."

Follow these steps for each eMate:

Insert the storage card that contains the information for the base classroom state.

For instructions on creating this backup card, see "Backing Up Data From the First
eMate to a Storage Card" in Chapter 2, "Setting Up the eMates for Student Use."

Restore all the data from the storage card to the eMate.

This procedure overwrites all existing data on the eMate and brings the eMate back
to the base classroom state.

If you want to create a list of user names, use Teacher Setup.

The only Teacher Setup option you have to choose is Edit Users (in the Classroom
Options slip). Other options, such as dock options and the available applications in
the Extras Drawer, are already set because you restored them from the storage card.

Storing, Recharging, and Using the eMates in Class and at Home

Handing out the eMates for home use

If you have enough eMates that students do not have to share them, you can let
students take the eMates home. Even if students share eMates, you might want to let
students take turns taking them home for special assignments. (Two of the projects
in Chapter 6 are designed for students to do primarily at home; others include
optional activities the students can complete at home.)

To make sure that the assignment is a success and that the eMates return to school
safely, consider these suggestions:

m Before giving a homework assignment that requires the use of the eMates, wait

until students can use the units without your help.

m If several periods have to share the same set of eMates, stagger the assignments so

that each class takes the units home during different weeks or on different days of
the week.

m Send a letter to parents explaining the purpose of the eMate and the nature of the

homework assignment. A sample letter appears in the Appendix of this guide.

m Ask parents or students to sign a permission slip agreeing to take care of the

eMate and to take financial responsibility in case of damage or loss. A sample
permission slip appears in the Appendix of this guide.

m Review with the students the rules for taking care of the units, including proper

handling and storage. (See Chapter 3, "Teaching Your Students to Use the eMate,"
for details.)

Chapter 4

This chapter contains information to help you keep track of, back up, and otherwise
manage documents that students create using the eMates.

Making documents easy to identify

The eMate, like any classroom computer, is likely to contain many documents. For
this reason, it's important that student documents are easy to distinguish from one
another. The need is even greater when more than one student stores documents on
a single eMate.

Document titles

When a user creates a document and closes the title slip without entering a title, the
eMate supplies a default title for the document. For example, if the user creates a
new drawing and does not give the drawing a title, the eMate assigns the title
"Untitled Drawing" to the new document. If students routinely accept the default
title, the eMate fills up with documents having titles such as "Untitled Drawing 1,"
"Untitled Drawing 2," and so on.

To prevent this type of confusion, get your students in the habit of giving their
documents meaningful titles instead of accepting the default titles. Teach them that
when they create a new drawing, word-processing document, or other type of
document in Newton Works, they must type in a descriptive name before they start
working in the document. This will help them find their documents later.

Managing Student Documents

Also, give students specific guidelines for naming their documents so that document
titles contain the information you and they will need to find a particular document.
For example, if it's important to you that each document has the student's name, ask
students to start the filename with their first or last name, depending on your
preference. If you want the assignment name to be in the document title, tell
students to specify that, too.

Paper names

Keep in mind that the title a user enters in the title slip doesn't appear in the body of
the document itself. For example, if a student names her document "Jenny's room
sketch," the printout of the document only has the sketch--not the words "Jenny's
room sketch."

To avoid receiving unlabeled printouts, teach students to create headers in
documents that they plan to print and hand in, just as they do on worksheets,
homework, and other papers. Even if students will not be printing their documents--
but rather keeping them on the eMate or downloading them to a desktop
computer--having student names at the top of the documents will be valuable as you
read and assess students' work.

The following is a sample header that contains the student name and the name of the
assignment:

Jenny Tsui

Sketch of my room
Teacher: Mr

. Higgins

Chapter 5

Saving students' work

As students edit documents on the eMate, the eMate automatically saves their work.
In other words, there is no "Save" or "Save As" command, as there is on desktop
computers. This means that you don't have to remind students to save often or
worry that a pulled power adapter cord or weak battery will cause students to lose
any work.

Backing up students' work

Even though the eMate saves work automatically, it's still a good idea to back up files
stored on the eMate. Backups enable you to restore data in case the eMate gets lost
or damaged or in case somebody accidentally deletes a file.

You can back up data that's on an eMate

m to a storage card

For more information and instructions, see Chapter 11, "Using Cards and Backing
Up and Restoring Information," in the eMate 300 User's Manual.

m to a Mac OSbased computer, using connection software:

m eMate Classroom Exchange

m Newton Connection Utilities

To help you decide which connection software to use, read the next section,
"Transferring Documents To and From a Macintosh."

m to a computer running Windows software, using Newton Connection Utilities

For more information and instructions, see the documentation that came with
Newton Connection Utilities.

By the way

Instead of saving work on the eMates, students can have the eMate

save work directly on a storage card, if one is available. For more information, see
Chapter 11, "Using Cards and Backing Up and Restoring Information," in the
eMate 300 User's Manual.

Managing Student Documents

Transferring documents to and from a Macintosh

This section describes the software available for transferring documents between an
eMate and a Macintosh.

eMate Classroom Exchange

The connection software, eMate Classroom Exchange, is designed specifically for the
needs of the classroom environment. Students can use the software to connect one
or more eMates to a single Macintosh computer and transfer documents from their
eMates to the Macintosh--or the other way around--even as the Macintosh is being
used for other tasks, such as printing. These simultaneous connections eliminate
bottlenecks at the Macintosh, making for fast data transfer at the start or end of a
class period.

Tip: To keep different students' documents organized and secure on the computer,
you can use eMate Classroom Exchange with At Ease 3.0 or later or At Ease for
Workgroups. If you use one of these programs to store data in separate users' folders
on the Macintosh, you can transfer data between different users' areas on the eMate
and the users' At Ease folders. For more information, see the documentation that
came with eMate Classroom Exchange.

Newton Connection Utilities

Newton Connection Utilities (NCU) is software that provides many transfer options.
You can use it to transfer all the data on your eMate to a desktop computer--a
Macintosh or a computer running Windows--to create a backup file. If you need to
get information back onto your eMate, you can have NCU transfer the whole backup
or just parts of it (such as all Newton Works documents) from the desktop computer
to the eMate. However, you cannot transfer individual documents, as you can with
eMate Classroom Exchange.

Unlike eMate Classroom Exchange, NCU is designed for one user at a time. In other
words, you cannot use NCU to simultaneously transfer documents from several
eMates to a Macintosh computer.

Chapter 5

Another NCU feature is its ability to synchronize some types of data between
computers. For data that's in one of several accepted formats, NCU makes sure that
the data on the eMate matches the data on the desktop computer, regardless of
which was updated last. This synchronization feature is useful if you're using the
Names and Dates applications on the eMate or a personal information manager on
the desktop computer.

Using the connection software

For instructions on how to use these software applications to transfer files, see the
documentation that came with the connection software.

Managing Student Documents

This chapter provides ideas for different projects that use the eMate to support
student learning. Regardless of the subject or grade you teach, it's recommended
that you read all the projects to get a sense of the range of possibilities available to
you, and to find ideas or kernels of ideas that you can use.

Overview of the projects

Most of the projects in this chapter follow a similar format. The following sections
describe the elements you'll find in most projects.

The icons

Above the title of each project, you'll see icons that let you find out at a glance what
eMate features students will use in the project. The icon bar will help you browse
through the projects to find those that are appropriate for your students. For
example, if you want to find activities that use the Newton Works word processor, you
can look for the paper icon

The table on the following page shows you each icon and the feature it represents.

Ideas for Using the eMate

Icon

eMate feature

word processing

drawing

spreadsheet

graphing calculator

printing

beaming

docking (Classroom Dock)

docking (Dock)

Notes

Names

Dates

Newton Press

The project

At the beginning of each project, an introductory section titled "The Project" identifies
the overall task that students are asked to accomplish and provides ideas and
information that help create a context for the students' work. This section also notes
the tools students will use in the project and suggests questions you should ask to guide
students in their initial work.

The phases of the project

Every project is described in phases that outline the major steps students will take to
complete and present their work. These phases--usually there are three--might
include class discussion to give students a context for the project; research using the
eMate, library resources, and other data; and writing, graphing, mapping, drawing,
and compiling information and ideas for presentation.

Chapter 6

Preparation

This section includes ideas for class discussion, materials you'll need to collect, and
other steps you'll want to consider as you lay the groundwork for a project.

Options

This section features ideas for extending and adapting projects. Variations offered
here include activities for different grade levels; alternative uses of classroom
resources and technology; additional activities or ways of modifying projects; and
classroom management suggestions.

The home-school connection

Every project features a section offering you specific ideas to help connect family
members to the work in your class. In some cases, family members will be able to
provide important support and encouragement as the students carry out parts of the
projects at home. In other cases, family members can serve as valuable sources of
information, telling about their lives, their work, and the lives of their ancestors.

Many of the activities described in the "Home-School Connection" sections can be
used as introductory activities, stirring students' imaginations and setting the stage
for the project. Other activities include families at the conclusion of projects by
describing ways students can share their completed work.

Resources

In these sections you'll find a few ideas for fiction and nonfiction books or other
resources that will enrich your students' work on their projects.

The projects themselves will bring to mind many more ideas for books, videos,
music, and other materials--your favorites and those of your students--that will
transform each project into a rewarding educational experience.

Technical tips

Check this section before your class begins work on a project: it gives tips for using
the eMate and related software to complete the tasks in the project.

Ideas for Using the eMate

Project 1

5 oe

Ice Breaker

.Recommended Grades: 36

The project

At the beginning of the school year, give students a chance to learn about each other
and about the eMate by conducting interviews and writing articles based on them.
Tools for the project include the Newton Works word-processing program, and
desktop publishing software. This project will help students develop questioning,
listening, writing, and observing skills.

Phase 1

Discuss with the class the types of questions that an interviewer can ask. He or she
might begin by asking basic questions--the subject's name and age, for example--but
a good interviewer will also ask questions that bring out interesting information. One
such question might be, "Can you tell me something about yourself that most people
don't know?" With the class, develop a list of good questions for use in the
interviews. Ask students to copy the questions from the board onto their eMates,
which they will use as they conduct their interviews.

Divide the class into teams of two, then have each pair take turns interviewing each
other and recording their notes in the Newton Works word processor. If possible,
pair students who do not know each other.

Phase 2

Ask students to write articles about the students they have interviewed, using the
responses from the interviews and their own impressions. Then, invite them to print
their articles and read them aloud to the class or a small group. Based on the
information that they learn from the article, the other students can ask the interview
subjects additional questions. The interviewers should note the new information on
the eMates, then revise their articles based on this additional information. When their
revised drafts are finished, students can use the spell checker to correct spelling and
typing errors.

Chapter 6

Phase 3

Ask each team to transfer their interviews to a desktop computer, using the eMate's
docking capabilities. Students can then import their articles into a template (which
you or they have designed beforehand) created in a desktop application such as
ClarisWorks. Ask the teams to add any graphics or photos they have found or created
to their articles.

Combine the students' documents and print them as a class newsletter that students
can take home to share with their families.

Preparation

Think of interview questions to suggest to the students during the class discussion in
Phase 1, such as: "What's the best adventure you've had in your life?"; "If you could
go anywhere in the world, where would it be?"; "What's the best idea you've ever
had?"

Model interviewing techniques by interviewing a student or another teacher. You may
also want to ask the class to watch TV interviews, either live or recorded.

Prepare a page template for the newsletter. Or, prepare several template options and
discuss and modify them with the class.

Options

If a digital camera is available, students can include photos of the interviewees in the
newsletter.

With younger children, you may wish to do only Phases 1 and 2 of this project. At the
end of Phase 2, ask students to print their reports directly from the eMate.

If this is the first activity your class has done using the eMate, include your own letter
in the class newsletter introducing families to the eMate. You may wish to use the
"Letter to Families" included in the Appendix of this guide.

If your school has a Web server, include the interviews on the school's Web site.
Students can also interview and exchange articles with another class in your school or
elsewhere.

Ideas for Using the eMate

The home-school connection

Ask students to interview adult family members or neighbors. First, ask each student
to identify an adult in their family or neighborhood who is willing to be interviewed
by another student. ( Younger children can interview an adult they know.) Before the
interviews, discuss in class questions that are appropriate and interesting. Ask
students to copy the questions onto an eMate, then use the eMate to record their
notes from the interviews. When their interviews are complete, students can write
articles about the adults they've interviewed for inclusion in a second edition of the
newsletter. Many of the adults they interview will be curious about the eMate, so
student interviewers should be prepared to offer a demonstration of the machine.
(Again, this can be practiced in class before the interviews.)

Resources

Copies of interviews published in newspapers or magazines, or transcripts of
television interviews.

Technical tips

Make sure students have completed the Works Practice tutorial before they
undertake this project.

Chapter 6

Project 2

5 å i oe

One Square Foot

Recommended Grades: 36

The project

Investigate a small part of the world--just one square foot--to understand more fully
what is in it, and to imagine what it might be like to be part of that microcosm.
Fascinating worlds that we may never have noticed exist within our own world.
Looking at these tiny worlds can lead students to use math and measuring skills,
develop understanding of ecosystems, biology, and botany, and use imaginative
language to capture the mini-dramas of their observed squares. Tools for the project
include the Newton Works word processing, drawing, and spreadsheet programs,
desktop publishing software, and online and offline information resources.

Phase 1

Choose an appropriate area, such as the school grounds or a nearby park, forest, or
wetland. Then, invite each student to select and study one square foot of that
area--or a "microworld." Working individually, students can begin by measuring and
marking off their areas using rulers and masking tape or other marking tools. Ask
them to conduct their preliminary investigations in detail (using magnifying glasses if
necessary) and to record their observations on the eMate. Ask students to record
at least ten details about their microworlds, using the Newton Works word processor
and drawing programs. Drawings can be simple maps showing relative locations of
creatures and objects in the microworld. Have the students leave their microworlds
marked off.

Ideas for Using the eMate

Invite the students to form teams of three, then ask team members to beam their
observations to each other and discuss the differences and similarities between what
they've seen. Ask the teams to begin reports on their findings. Students can use the
eMate spreadsheet as a tool for cataloging their observations and discovering which
observations are parallel or unique. (For example, each row in the spreadsheet can
indicate an observed fact, and each column can represent one of the team's three
microworlds. Cells would then contain the number of occurrences of each observed
fact. For example, the "Ant" row could have entries of 10, 3, and 9 for microworlds
1, 2, and 3 respectively.)

Return the next day for a second round of observation. Ask each student to find ten
new details about his or her square foot. Ask the teams to compare their observations
again and to update their team report. (They can also update their spreadsheets to
show the new information; if they do this, they should save the first spreadsheet
under a separate name so they don't lose the information in it.)

Phase 2

Have teams print and share their reports with the entire class. Ask each team to
summarize the reports of the other teams and turn their summaries in to you for
review. When the summaries are complete, discuss with the class the experiences of
observation and analysis, and list and discuss the elements that are common to the
various microworlds and those that are unique.

Ask each student to choose a topic in his or her microworld--such as nettles or
beetles--for further research. Then, invite them to go to other sources of information
to learn more. New questions will arise as students observe the microworld more
closely and investigate other resources. For example, a student observing ants
carrying objects might do an investigation to find out the strength of an ant relative
to its body weight. Students can turn to printed or electronic encyclopedias or to
Internet resources for this information. Ask them to add the information gathered
from their research to the observations they've entered in the eMate.

Phase 3

Based on their own observations and on what they have learned from further
research, ask students to write an imaginative story, poem, play, or movie script set in
their own microworld. Print and share these stories in class. As a class, brainstorm
one or more story outlines that link three or more of the microworlds. Invite
students to write stories based on these outlines.

Chapter 6

Preparation

Look for appropriate sites at or near your school for observing one square foot.
Be sure to get permission to use the property from the owner, if necessary.

Conduct a practice observation in class to give students an idea of the types of
information and level of detail you would like to see in their reports and stories.
For example, look closely at and report on a plant or a fish tank in your classroom.

Read poems or stories to the class that take place in a microworld or that closely
observe a microworld, then discuss the stories. (See the "Resources" section, later,
for some suggestions.) Encourage students to include excerpts from their own
reading in their reports.

Options

If there's not an eMate available for each student, Phase 1 of the project can be
carried out by teams of two or three students, each team working with a single
eMate. In this case, a team might mark off a square meter for observation and take
turns recording observations on the eMate. Then teams can beam their results to
each other for comparison.

If the microworlds are in an area where a naturalist might be available to work with
the class, use this resource to stimulate questions and to help guide observations.
Or, invite a naturalist to your class after the first round of observations.

With older students, you can ask them to use formulas in the spreadsheet developed
in Phase 1 to calculate the total or average number of observations for a particular
category.

If a digital camera or video camera is available, students can make visual records of
their sites for inclusion in the team report.

If a group of students wants to write a movie script or a play about the microworlds,
their work can be performed in class. Invite another class or the students' families
to attend.

The home-school connection

If possible, students can choose microworlds in or around their homes to observe
with help from their family members.

Ideas for Using the eMate

Resources

Nature Walk by Douglas Florian

"Design" by Robert Frost or "The Fly" by William Blake

Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham

Stuart Little by E.B. White

One Small Square Backyard by Donald M. Silver; illustrated by Patricia V. Wynne

One Small Square Pond by Donald M. Silver; illustrated by Patricia V. Wynne

Quiet by Peter Parnall

The Gift of the Tree by Alvin Tresslet; illustrated by Henri Sorensen

Nature Hide & Seek, Rivers & Lakes by John Norris Wood; illustrated by John Norris
Wood and Kevin Dean

Watership Down by Richard Adams

Gulliver's Travels by Daniel Defoe

Technical tips

As students use the drawing software to create a map of their microworlds in Phase 1,
remind them of these points:

m The grid can help you draw the square foot to scale. If the grid isn't showing, you

can use the Tools button to turn it on. If each grid square represents two square
inches, an entire one-by-one foot area can appear on the screen at once.

m You can use the Rectangle tool to draw the boundaries of the microworld. To let

the grid show through what you draw, first choose Transparent from the list of Fill
options in the upper-left corner.

m To create a square, hold down the Shift key as you draw with the Rectangle tool;

to create a a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line, hold down the Shift key and
draw with the Line tool; to create a circle, hold down the Shift key and use the
Oval tool.

m The grid does not print, so if you want to have a grid on your map when you print

it, you need to draw the lines yourself using the Line tool.

Chapter 6

Students might want to indicate relative locations of objects in their microworlds by
using symbols on the map, then creating a legend or key.

To copy and paste the map into a word-processing document, students can choose
Select All from the Edit pop-up list, then choose Copy from the Edit pop-up list. To
switch quickly to their word-processing document, they can press Overview and
select the document in the list that appears.

Before they use the spreadsheet program, help students understand data entry
techniques for spreadsheets: tapping a cell while in data entry mode puts the label
for that cell in the data. To get out of data entry mode, press Return, Tab, or Enter.
When you're not in data entry mode, tapping the arrow keys, Return, or Tab will
move you to another cell.

If you want to create a master spreadsheet report for the class, you need to help
students transfer their spreadsheets from the eMates to a desktop spreadsheet
application such as Excel 5.0. Use the QF Exchange function in the Newton Works
spreadsheet program to do this. (For more information, refer to the QuickFigure
Works User's Guide.)

Ideas for Using the eMate

Project 3

5 å i oe

It's My Bag

Recommended Grades: 38

The project

We live in a consumer society, where much of the packaging used for the products
we buy goes into landfills. What are the implications of this fact for our communities
and the world? How does each of us contribute to what many experts contend is a
"worldwide solid-waste emergency"? What alternative forms of packaging could help
alleviate the growing waste problem? How can we become more thoughtful,
informed consumers? In this project, students examine packaging and waste and
design environment-friendly packaging for their favorite items. Students will use the
Newton Works word-processing, drawing, and spreadsheet programs, desktop
multimedia authoring software, and online and offline information resources.

Phase 1

Discuss with the class the issues of product packaging and landfills. Discuss and show
samples of various types of packaging, including some pieces that are biodegradable.
Present information and statistics about the landfill problem. Ask students to form
research teams to investigate and report back to the class on key facts and issues
such as the following: What are the various categories of packaging? What is the
landfill situation in your community? in your state and country? in the world? What
consumer attitudes make the problem worse or less threatening? (More than one
team can work on a single topic.) Ask the teams to use online and offline resources
for their research, and to take notes on the eMates. Afterward, they will use a desktop
publishing program to prepare a multimedia report to share and discuss in class.

Chapter 6

Phase 2

Based on the research in Phase 1, discuss the different types of packaging with the
class. Write these types on a board or on chart paper. Then, ask the student teams to
create an empty spreadsheet form on the eMate, labeling each row as a different
category of trash and each column as a day of the week. (Students should leave the
cells empty.) Ask students to print this spreadsheet form and to fill in the blank cells
each day to note what they do with different types of trash. In class, every day for a
week (or longer), students can enter their "trash behavior" data into the eMate.
Teams can then beam their reports to each other and compare and discuss them. Ask
the student teams to transfer the spreadsheets to a desktop computer. Create a single
spreadsheet for the entire class, print it, and discuss it in class.

Ask individual students to write essays on the eMate or on a desktop computer,
reflecting on their own consumption patterns and the patterns they observe in their
community. As a result of what they've learned about the issue and their own
behaviors, do they plan on doing anything differently in the future? Ask students to
incorporate these individual essays and their spreadsheet reports into a whole-class
report based on the reports prepared in Phase 1.

Phase 3

Is it possible to create alternative packaging for popular consumer products that has
a less harmful effect on the environment? Ask students to work in teams and to
redesign a product's packaging so that it is more environmentally friendly. The team
can brainstorm a list of products, then choose one to redesign. What materials will
they use? How can they minimize packaging waste? Ask students to use the word-
processing and drawing software on the eMate to make their designs. If possible,
they can also create simple mock-ups. When they're finished, students may want to
communicate their designs to the company that makes the product.

Collect the student-designed packaging alternatives (and any responses from the
companies) into a project report for the class, refine it with desktop publishing
software on a desktop computer, and print it for distribution to the class, families of
the class, and local agencies and people concerned with improving the environment.

Ideas for Using the eMate

Preparation

Find appropriate resources, information, and sample trash that will help you conduct
the initial class discussion in Phase 1.

List or research categories of packaging before the discussion in Phase 2, so that you
can help students refine their understanding of the key distinctions among different
packaging types.

Options

Is there a landfill problem in your town or area? If so, students can research the issue
and, if appropriate, conduct interviews with local leaders and other citizens involved
in the issue. They can interview them, use the eMate to take notes, then write a
report. Alternatively, invite these individuals to visit your class and explain the local
situation from their perspective. Ask students to take notes on the eMate and write a
report on the presentation.

As they investigate categories of trash, students can look into the origins of various
types of packaging. Which companies make what type of packaging? Students can
write to selected companies asking for those companies' perspective on how their
packaging products affect the environment. (They may be able to reach company
representives over the Internet.)

In Phase 2, student teams can visit a local supermarket or convenience store to
survey the types of packaging on the shelves, recording the information on the
eMate. They might use the Quick Sketch feature in the word processor to illustrate
the items they're inspecting.

In Phase 2, ask students to use the charting capabilities in the Newton Works
spreadsheet program to create graphic representations of the data. Which type
of chart is most informative? When the whole-class spreadsheet report is ready,
experiment with and discuss various charting options for displaying the data.

The home-school connection

Ask students to observe consumption and "trash behavior" in their homes and to
include this information in their research.

Chapter 6

Resources

Garbage by William Rathje and Cullen Murphy

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

Going Green: A Kid's Handbook to Saving the Planet by John Elkington, Julia Hailes,
Douglas Hill, and Joel Makower

Recycle! A Handbook for Kids by Gail Gibbons

Window written and illustrated by Jeannie Baker

Brainstorm! The Stories of Twenty American Kid Inventors by Tom Tucker; illustrated
by Richard Loehle

The Elements series by Ken Robbins

The Green Encyclopedia: An A-to-Z Sourcebook of Environmental Concerns and
Solutions by Irene Franck and David Brownstone

Brother Eagle, Sister Sky illustrated by Susan Jeffers

Technical tips

Before they use the spreadsheet software, help students understand data entry
techniques for spreadsheets: tapping a cell while in data entry mode puts the label
for that cell in the data. To get out of data entry mode, press Return, Tab, or Enter.
When you're not in data entry mode, tapping the arrow keys, Return, or Tab will
move you to another cell.

To create the whole-class spreadsheet report on "trash behavior" in Phase 2, you
need to help students transfer their spreadsheets from the eMate to a desktop
spreadsheet application, such as Excel 5.0. Use the QF Exchange function in the
Newton Works spreadsheet application to do this. (For more information, refer to the
QuickFigure Works User's Guide.)

Ideas for Using the eMate

Project 4

5 å oe

Family Tree

Recommended Grades: 36

The project

How much do you know about your family's origins and your heritage? How many
different cultural backgrounds are represented in your class? Students use the eMate
at home to gather information about their families and prepare reports based on this
information. Then, working as a class, they combine these reports into a whole-class
report on family origins. Tools for the project include the eMate word-processing,
drawing, and spreadsheet programs and desktop publishing software.

Phase 1

In class, discuss family origins, perhaps providing details about your own background
as an example of the information that students will be gathering. What countries did
your family come from? Use a wall map to identify these countries and list them on a
board or on chart paper. Talk about how to create a family tree using the eMate
drawing function. Draw a sample family tree on the board, then ask students to copy
it on the eMate. (If the students share eMates, allow them to take turns so that
everyone has a chance to use the drawing program.)

Families also tell favorite stories, often about interesting incidents from the past.
Point out examples of such stories--older family members' memories of their
countries of origin, stories of immigration to the United States, funny stories about
grandparents or great-grandparents, anecdotes about good or bad luck, or parents'
memories of childhood. Offer examples from your own family, and with the class, list
questions that might elicit stories like these in conversation. Write these questions on
the board, or on chart paper, and ask students to copy them onto the eMate for
future reference.

Chapter 6

Phase 2

Ask students to take the eMate home and initiate a family meeting during which they
can gather information, create their family trees, and write down family stories and
traditions. Students can use the drawing function to create the tree and the word-
processing function to make notes about the family stories.

When students have completed their research, ask them to work individually to
create reports on the eMate that integrate their family trees and family stories. (They
can combine these elements by copying their family trees into their word-processing
documents.) Then, have them print, share, and discuss these reports with the class
or in small groups. Students can take home their reports to share with their families.

Phase 3

Ask students, working in teams of two or three, to use the Newton Works
spreadsheet program to analyze information about the countries of origin of
everyone in the class. Teams can begin by looking at the printed collection of reports
from the class and tallying the number of family members from each country.
Columns can represent countries; rows can represent generations (parents,
grandparents, great-grandparents). Cells will then contain the number of people in a
category, such as "grandparent," who come from a given country, such as Japan.
Teams beam their completed spreadsheets to each other for comparison and
checking.

What patterns emerge in the data? For example, what percentage of the students'
ancestors are from Europe, Asia, or Africa, or are Native American? Do any patterns
indicate that people tended to emigrate from some cultures at specific times?

Teams can also explore different ways of displaying spreadsheet results. Ask teams
to experiment with different charts. How can the numbers in the spreadsheet be
translated into charts (pie charts or bar graphs)? Which type of chart is more
informative? Why?

Ideas for Using the eMate

Ask each team to prepare a report on the family origins of the class, using a desktop
computer. Their reports should include a world map indicating family origins, a table
showing the number of relatives from each region or country, and charts comparing
the percentage of relatives from various regions. Reports can also include
explanations of the team's choice of chart, and at least one family story for each
region or country represented in the report (for example, a story about the region or
a story told by a family member from that place). Print these reports to share and
discuss in class and for students to take home to their families.

Preparation

Prepare your own family tree and sample family stories to share with the class.

Prepare sample questions that students can use when they take the eMate home for
their family meeting in Phase 2.

Familiarize yourself with the Newton Works spreadsheet application and its charting
function, as well as the drawing application, so that you can demonstrate them to
students. Prepare examples of different types of charts.

Options

For their reports, students can gather information about their families' countries of
origin using online and offline resources.

If a video camera is available, students can videotape family members telling family
stories. If you have the appropriate software, they can then digitize and store the
video clips in the computer and include them in their reports.

What would a chart of national origins look like for your state? for the entire U.S.
population? You (or students) can use the Internet or other resources to find
information (and charts, if possible) on the national origin of people in your state or
region, or in the whole country. Bring the information to class and discuss it.
Compare the origins of students in your class with those of people state- and
nationwide. (Remember that information about national origins is not the same as
information about ethnicity.)

Resources

Material World by Peter Menzel

Where the Flame Tree Grows by Alma Flor Ada

Chapter 6

Thunder Cake, Mrs. Katz and Tush, and Tell Me a Mitzi by Patricia Palacco

Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold

A Visit With Great-Grandma by Sharon Hart Addy; illustrated by Lydia Halverson

Just Like Max by Karen Ackerman; illustrated by George Schmidt

The Wooden Doll written and illustrated by Susan Bonners

Tell Me a Story, Mama by Angela Johnson; illustrated by David Soman

The Moon Lady by Amy Tan

Coal Mine Peaches by Michelle Dioretti; illustrated by Anita Riggio

People written and illustrated by Peter Spier

An Angel for Solomon Singer by Cynthis Rylant; illustrated by Peter Catalano

When the Whipporwill Calls by Candice F. Ransom; illustrated by Kimberly Bulcken
Root

Coming Home, from The Life of Langston Hughes by Floyd Cooper

Technical tips

Recommend that students follow these steps when drawing a family tree on the
eMate:

m Write the text first.

m Choose the Transparent fill option from the Fill pop-up list, then use the Rectangle

tool to draw rectangles around the names.

m Use the Line tool to draw lines that connect the rectangles. Hold down the Shift

key to draw vertical, horizontal, or diagonal straight lines.

m If students want to draw realistic trees as backgrounds for their family trees,

recommend they draw these trees first, select them, then choose Move to Back
from the Arrange pop-up list.

Before the students use the spreadsheet program, help them understand data entry
techniques for spreadsheets: tapping a cell while in data entry mode puts the label
for that cell in the data. To get out of data entry mode, press Return, Tab, or Enter.
When you're not in data entry mode, tapping the arrow keys, Return, or Tab will
move you to another cell.

Ideas for Using the eMate

Project 5

5 å @ oe

TV Nation

Recommended Grades: 712

The project

Television has tremendous power to shape our attitudes and behaviors--or does it?
Some people feel, for example, that the large amount of violence on television has a
negative effect on viewers--especially children--and that special technology, such as
devices for screening violent programs, should be included on all television sets.
Others disagree, saying that the media simply reflects the values of a culture and
doesn't really shape them. In this project, students are asked to use the eMate to do
basic research, to compare predictions and observations, to reflect on media issues,
and to become more informed and thoughtful viewers. Tools for the project include
the eMate word-processing and spreadsheet applications, desktop multimedia tools,
and online and offline research resources.

Phase 1

Discuss with the class the role television plays in daily life. What are the different
categories of television shows? (These categories might include sitcoms, movies,
police dramas, science fiction shows, and news.) Ask students to guess the average
number of hours per week students in the class watch television, the types of shows
that are most popular among the class, and the show that's most popular. Record
everyone's predictions on the board without commenting on them. At the same
time, have students record their own answers to these questions individually. Discuss
how these predictions could be checked.

Chapter 6

Divide the students into teams of three. Ask each team to prepare a spreadsheet on
the eMate in which they can record their television viewing habits. Spreadsheet rows
can be types of television shows; columns, the days of the week. Each cell will
contain the number of minutes the student actually spent watching that type of show
that day (for example, "30 minutes" for "News" on "Tuesday"). Demonstrate how to
use a formula to add all the numbers in each column (the total time spent watching
television per day) and in each row (the total time spent watching shows in each
category per week). A separate cell can contain the total amount of time spent
watching television that week.

Ask the teams to enter sample data to test calculations in the spreadsheet. Then ask
them to erase the sample data and print the spreadsheet as a blank form.

Phase 2

Now ask students to check their perceptions against reality. For a week they should
record the amount and type of television they watch, using the spreadsheet form
printed in Phase 1. Emphasize that they should not change their viewing habits, but
watch television as they normally would for the week. At school every day, they can
enter their daily viewing data into their Newton Works spreadsheets.

At the end of the week, ask the students to compare their own viewing experiences,
recorded in their spreadsheets, with their predictions of the average amount of time
spent watching television and the most popular type of show. Students can write
brief reports, using the Newton Works word processor, describing their predictions,
the results they obtained in their spreadsheets, and the reasons for any discrepancy
between the two.

Ask the students to transfer their spreadsheets to a desktop computer, where they
can be imported into a master spreadsheet reporting the results of the entire class.
Print this spreadsheet, distribute it, and discuss it in class. Compare the spreadsheet
data with information about the average amount of time Americans spend watching
television, and the popularity of different types of shows throughout the country.

Ideas for Using the eMate

Phase 3

What are some of the current controversies surrounding television? Is there too
much violence, or too many commercials? Has political advertising turned completely
negative? What are the effects of consolidating television networks, stations, and
production companies into megacorporations? Discuss these and other issues with
the whole class.

Then ask each of the student research teams to choose one of these topics and to
formulate a research plan, using the Newton Works word processor. (More than one
team can work on an issue.) Each plan should include a statement of the issue and
definitions of the terms of that statement. ( What, for example, constitutes violence
on television? Is it equally violent to hit a person in the stomach and to crush a
cartoon clown with a car?) The plan should also describe how the team will find out
more about the issue. Their research methods might include direct observation of
television shows, research on the Internet or in local libraries, and surveys. Ask teams
to turn in their plans for your review. When you return the plans for revision and
implementation, discuss them with the class.

Phase 4

Student teams carry out their research plans using a range of tools on both the eMate
and a desktop computer. Outline milestones along the way that will enable you to
monitor the teams' progress. Research should culminate in team reports (with
multimedia elements) that communicate the results of the research, the students'
observations, and some analysis. The students do not have to reach conclusions on
their issues, but they should include their own opinions and a synopsis of competing
viewpoints.

Preparation

Find online and offline resources about television issues that can help students with
this project. Online material can be transferred to the eMates using Newton Press.

Gather statistics about national viewing habits. (Some publications, such as TV Guide,
publish special issues once a year including such statistics.)

Chapter 6

Options

To help students generate better data in Phase 2, you may wish to extend the self-
observation exercise to a second week.

When creating the master spreadsheet representing the viewing habits of the class,
you may wish to experiment with various charting options for the data and to discuss
these options in class. (For more information about making master spreadsheets,
refer to the "Technical Tips" section of this project.)

If you are doing this project with several different classes, create a comprehensive
spreadsheet that compares the television viewing data for all the classes.

After they've completed their self-observations, ask the student teams to brainstorm
ideas about what they would do if television suddenly disappeared. How would they
spend their extra time? Teams can record their ideas in the eMate word processor
and beam them to each other for discussion and further brainstorming. If possible,
undertake a "No TV Week" with the class. ( You might want to participate, too.) Such
a week could include self-observation and a journal record (on the eMate or on
paper), along with discussions and reports about the impact of not watching
television.

Has anyone in the class been on television? Ask those students to describe their
experiences.

If you have a desktop computer with video digitizing software, students can include
digitized video clips in their reports to illustrate various concepts and issues. (Be sure
that students' use of the clips conforms to the "fair use" provisions of copyright law.
This can be a worthwhile subtopic for investigation.)

Depending on the maturity of the class, Phase 3 can include study and observation of
representations of gender, race, and sexuality in television shows and commercials.

Students can also develop and describe ideas for their own television series, writing
"concept pieces" and even scripts. What categories do their shows fall into?

Ideas for Using the eMate

Ask students to investigate some of the techniques used in modern television
advertising. These include rapid cutting between shots, using mixes of angles, and
blending animation and live action. How do these techniques compare to the video
techniques seen on MTV, or in political ads? At home students can use the eMate, or
a calculator and notebook, to count the number of cuts between shots in ads. How
do these techniques influence the ways we form opinions? What social and personal
values are implicit in commercials?

As students develop interest in particular issues relating to television, encourage
them to participate in debate and discussion by writing letters or e-mail expressing
their opinions to corporations, interest groups, or members of Congress.

The home-school connection

Invite students to share their observations of their own viewing habits with family
members. Do family members agree that the student's report is accurate? Is anything
missing?

You can also ask students to interview family members and people in their
neighborhoods about the issues they are researching, and to include these interviews
in their final reports.

If you include a "No TV Week" as part of the project, have students get parent
approval and support for this activity.

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Chapter 6

Resources

Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander

Networks of Power by Dennis Mazzocco

Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman

Tube by David Fisher and Jon Fisher

Technical tips

Help students understand data entry techniques for spreadsheets: tapping a cell
while in data entry mode puts the label for that cell in the data. To get out of data
entry mode, press Return, Tab, or Enter. When you're not in data entry mode,
tapping the arrow keys, Return, or Tab will move you to another cell.

To create a master spreadsheet of television viewing data for the class, you need to
help students transfer their spreadsheets from the eMates to a desktop spreadsheet
application, such as Excel 5.0. Use the QF Exchange function in the Newton Works
spreadsheet application to make the transfer. (For more information, refer to the
QuickFigure Works User's Guide.)

Ideas for Using the eMate

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Project 6

5 i @

Poetry on the Spot

Recommended Grades: 712

The project

Good creative writing includes vivid, evocative, sensory imagery and the apt use of
simile and metaphor. This project, which takes students and the eMate outside the
classroom, gives students an opportunity to experience the world directly--the smell
of fresh-cut grass, the different shades of blue and gray in the sky, the sound of the
wind or of city traffic--and to record these experiences in individual or collaborative
writing projects. Tools for the project include the Newton Works word processor and
drawing program and online and offline resources.

Phase 1

Discuss with the class the vocabulary of the senses--hearing, seeing, smelling,
touching, and tasting. What words do we use to describe our sensory experiences?
Do words such as hot or cold describe only the sense of touch? Does loud pertain
only to hearing? Read various examples of descriptive prose with vivid accounts of
sensory experiences. Do the writers use particular words in striking ways? Help the
class generate a list of "sense-words" students can use as a jumping-off point for their
own writing.

Take the class to a location where they'll have the opportunity to experience stimuli
to all five senses. Then, ask them to record their impressions, noting at least five
distinct experiences for each sense. Students can use the Newton Works word
processor to record this information.

Ask students, working in small groups, to create vocabulary lists of the words their
group has used to describe experiences in each of the senses. Back in class, create a
master list for the entire class by having the teams beam their lists to your eMate.
( You'll have to eliminate the duplicates.) Print the list and discuss the words that
have been used, then ask the students to think of others.

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Chapter 6

Phase 2

What do we do when words fail us? How can you describe the taste of a peach?
Often, we try to "say one thing in terms of another" to get the experience across. We
use the familiar to describe something new, or we use the unfamiliar to get a new
perspective on the familiar. Metaphor and simile are the formal terms for this effort.
Read aloud poems and stories that present striking metaphors and similes. What
have the students seen and recorded in Phase 1 that they could use as a metaphor to
describe a feeling? Create some examples as a class. Then ask students to use the
eMate to write a poem or story that uses their observations from Phase 1 to create
metaphors and similes that capture a mood or feeling. Print their written pieces and
have the students share them in small groups.

Phase 3

Take the class to a new location with a different set of sensory stimuli. Ask students to
pay attention to their sense impressions and to describe them using a combination of
sensory vocabulary, metaphor, and simile. (Emphasize that they should focus on
creating original metaphors and similes, although they can use "recycled" ones as
well.) Invite students to compare a sense experience to their present mood. Then,
ask them to write poems (such as haiku) or short paragraphs about the combination
of sense-experience and mood. They can then beam these poems to each other to
share and appreciate. (Students might wish to use the Quick Sketch function in the
word processor to combine drawing and text in a "visual" poem.)

Back in class, ask the students to work in teams to create a class book or newsletter
that presents the writing efforts of the class in a format that can be shared with
friends and family. Each team can develop a section of the book or newsletter; if
there are five teams, each could focus on writing that addresses one of the five
senses. The students can also illustrate the class book using art supplies or software
on the eMate or a desktop computer.

Ideas for Using the eMate

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Preparation

Look for appropriate sites at or near your school that provide a variety of sensory
experiences.

Identify your favorite passages from stories or poems--passages that embody good
sensory writing and the effective use of metaphor and simile. Japanese haiku is a rich
source of such writing; investigating it will also introduce students to a form that may
be useful in their own writing. ( You can also ask students to collect samples of their
own favorite writing, creating a resource for good models of effective writing.)

Options

Time and circumstances permitting, after the completion of Phase 1, provide
students with the class master list of sensory vocabulary and go to a new location that
is significantly different from the first. Repeat the exercises of Phase 1, then revise
and expand the master vocabulary list.

Ask students, in teams of two or three, to read aloud passages from literature that
exemplify good sensory writing. Ask the teams to use the Newton Works word
processor to list and categorize the sensory vocabulary in the passages they are
reading. What senses does the passage address? What mood does it create? Print and
share each team's analysis.

Ask students to analyze their favorite song lyrics, identifying sensory imagery.

We use metaphors and similes in everyday speech--such as clichés that describe love,
politics, or anger--without thinking about it. We give emotions sensory qualities:
anger is red, sadness blue, envy green. Words are "bitter" or "sweet." A draft is
"rough" or "polished." Invite students to use the eMate word processor or a
notebook to make a list of all the figurative speech that they hear during a day. They
can compare their lists in discussion with the whole class.

With the class, listen to or read aloud a famous political speech. How many
metaphors or similes can the students find in it? What are some well-known political
metaphors? Examples might include the "cold war," "the iron curtain," or "morning in
America."

Invite students to submit the writing they create for this project to Stone Soup or
other online or printed literary publications for young people.

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Chapter 6

The home-school connection

Ask students to find a sense experience in their home that they link to a particular
mood or feeling, then to write a brief poem or paragraph describing this experience
and the mood it evokes. ("At the bottom of the stairs is a dark place. When I pass it, I
look the other way.")

Resources

Wishes, Lies and Dreams and Rose, Where Did You Get that Red? by Kenneth Koch

Sleeping on the Wing by Kenneth Koch and Kate Farrell

The Essential Haiku edited by Robert Hass

"To Earthward" by Robert Frost

A Haiku Menagerie: Living Creatures in Poems and Prints by Stephen Addiss with
Fumiko and Akira Yamamoto

How Does a Poem Mean? by John Ciardi and Miller Williams

Falling Up written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein

Talking to the Sun: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems for Young People selected and
introduced by Kenneth Koch and Kate Farrell

Technical tips

Students should be familiar and comfortable with the Newton Works word processor
before doing this project.

If you have acess to online poems you would like students to read, use Newton Press
to transfer the texts to the eMate.

Ideas for Using the eMate

105

Project 7

5 å ¢ n ¬ k

Environmental Perspectives

Recommended Grades: 912

The project

The environment is in the news regularly, and environmental issues are often
controversial and polarizing. Time and again, people on one side of an issue see the
loss of irreplaceable natural resources, while people on the other side feel their jobs
and livelihood are threatened. In this project, students identify and learn about a real-
world environmental issue--preferably one in their town or city--researching the
facts, learning all sides of the issue, and reflecting on their own environmental values.
Tools for the project include the Newton Works word-processing, spreadsheet, and
drawing programs, desktop software, and online and offline information resources.
As a cross-curricular high school activity, this project can be supported by biology,
English, and math teachers working together.

Phase 1

With the class, identify and discuss different local or state environmental issues that
have a direct impact on the lives of students and their families. Toxic waste disposal,
preservation of natural resources, landfill, and air and water pollution are all
possibilities. What different interest groups are involved with these issues? Does
everyone agree on the basic facts of the issue, or are the facts in dispute? Is further
research required? What are the proposed courses of action? Distribute or make
available articles about these issues that will augment the discussion.

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Chapter 6

Phase 2

Ask students, working in teams of three or four, to use word-processing software on
the eMate to prepare a research plan for one of the issues the class has discussed.
(More than one team can work on the same issue.) Plans should include several
components: factual research involving some sort of numerical data, research into
the broader ecological and environmental aspects of the issue, opinion mapping,
personal reflection, and, if feasible, the proposal of alternative solutions. Tools for
research should include online and offline resources, the Newton Works word-
processing, drawing, and spreadsheet applications, and the Newton Works graphing
calculator. Ask the teams to print their plans, and to share and discuss them with the
class. During the discussion, teams can modify their plans as suggestions are made.

Require the student teams to carry out their research plans in stages, providing brief
oral or written reports on a weekly basis ("What we've found out so far is..." "What
we still have to do is..."). Ask teams to modify and revise their plans as new ideas and
possibilities occur.

Phase 3

Ask each team to use a desktop computer to prepare, as the final phase of their
research, a written report that includes narrative information, numerical data, charts
generated from that data, a digest of opinion research on the issue, and the team
members' personal reflections. This report can be printed and shared with other
teams. Send it as well to local organizations and interested individuals in the
community.

Preparation

As a cross-curricular effort, this project is best coordinated by a team of teachers in
biology, English, civics, and math who work together to set the context, review the
research plans, and evaluate the results. The project should offer students direct
experience of the ways different disciplines contribute to, and are required for, a full
understanding of any significant issue.

For Phase 1, prepare basic information to help stimulate discussion in class. ( You may
wish to assign students to gather this information before the discussion.) A sample
research plan may also be helpful.

Ideas for Using the eMate

107

Options

Post research plans in the classroom or classrooms involved. Teams can update them
as their work proceeds.

In Phase 2, use of the eMate outside of school offers many possibilities, such as
interviews with local personalities concerned with the issue, surveys of people at
shopping malls, and direct observation and data collection at a site critical to the
issue under investigation. The eMate can be especially helpful when students are
gathering numerical data for later analysis.

A "level 1" disagreement means that people are talking past each other and not
listening. A "level 2" disagreement means that side A can state side B's position in a
way that side B agrees is complete and accurate, and vice versa, with no implication
that A agrees with B or that B agrees with A. Transforming an argument from level 1
to level 2 can be the first step to constructive resolution. As students study conflicting
opinions about the environmental issue they are investigating, ask them to think
about this level 1/level 2 distinction and analyze the situation according to this
framework.

If your school has a Web server, publish the final reports on it for viewing by the rest
of the school and the community.

The home-school connection

Invite students to survey their family and neighbors for opinions on the
environmental issue they are researching. They can use the eMate to take notes
during the conversations.

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Chapter 6

Resources

Timber Wars by Judi Bari

Environmental Overkill by Dixie Lee Ray

Green Essentials by Geoffrey Saign

Garbage by William Rathje and Cullen Murphy

The Green Encyclopedia: An A-to-Z Sourcebook of Environmental Concerns and
Solutions by Irene Franck and David Brownstone

Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for
Children by Michael J. Caluto and Joseph Bruchac; illustrated by John Kahionhes
Fadden and Carol Wood

Come Back, Salmon: How a Group of Dedicated Kids Adopted Pigeon Creek and
Brought It Back to Life by Molly Conen

Technical tips

Putting the eMate in Full Newton System mode can offer student teams an
opportunity to use a broader range of tools to conduct their research. The Notes
application can let them create outlines for their reports. The Names application can
help them keep track of key people or sources for research. The Dates application
can let them keep a schedule for their activities.

If students do begin to use the Names, Dates, and Notes applications, they will need
to transfer data to a desktop computer using Newton Connection Utilities rather than
the eMate Classroom Exchange software. (They also need to tap Dock k, rather
than Classroom Dock, in the Extras Drawer.)

Ideas for Using the eMate

109

Project 8

5 å oe @ n ¬

Preparing for Emergencies

Recommended Grades: 712

The project

No matter where we live, there's no escaping natural disasters. Floods, hurricanes,
tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, or severe winter blizzards affect us all at some point in
our lives. In this project, students investigate emergency preparedness programs in
their school or community, compare their findings to expert recommendations, and
design and help to implement emergency preparedness programs where they do
not exist. Tools for this project include the Newton Works word-processing, drawing,
and spreadsheet programs.

Phase 1

Invite students to form teams of three to five. Suggest that each team choose a
coordinator, who will help organize team activities and maintain communication.
Students can use the Newton Works word-processing and drawing applications to
map and flesh out a timeline for their project, dividing research and report-writing
tasks among the team members. (Depending on your community and on the abilities
of your students, you may wish to direct them--or let them choose--to focus on
their school, their neighborhoods, or the larger community.)

Students must first determine whether an emergency preparedness program exists
for their area of study. They may begin by contacting the school principal and other
school or district administrators, or they may contact the local fire department's
office of emergency services. Information from these groups may lead the students to
community groups or school personnel in charge of existing programs.

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Chapter 6

Teams may also do the following:

m Contact the local National Weather Service office for information about different

kinds of natural disasters in your area. (Armed with what they've learned from the
weather service about the potential severity of natural disasters, students may
want to contact their local utility services to find out how long it would take to
restore power and water to particular areas after a natural disaster.)

m Use street and topographical maps to locate emergency response teams (fire,

rescue, ambulance services, and so on).

m Contact local emergency response organizations--police, fire department,

hospitals, and the Red Cross--to determine what sorts of contingency plans they
have in place to cope with natural disasters.

m Contact their regional Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) office,

their local fire department, and their state office of emergency services for
information about the resources and training opportunities available to help
citizens put together emergency preparedness programs.

Throughout these research activities, students can use the eMate to record
information and data. For example, they may use the word processor to take notes
during interviews, the spreadsheet to capture contact information and numerical
data, and the drawing program to create maps or charts illustrating key concepts and
findings. They can also explore the Internet to gather additional information.

Ideas for Using the eMate

111

Phase 2

Once their research is complete, teams will organize and analyze the results in order
to prepare a report that either proposes an emergency preparedness plan or
recommends improvements to an existing plan. Reports can be created using the
eMate word-processing, drawing, and spreadsheet applications, and can consider
several variables, including the kinds and severity of natural disasters likely to occur;
estimated damage; estimated response time of various emergency crews to specific
locations; and the kinds of supplies needed to cope during the time between when
the disaster occurs and when relief crews arrive. (Teams may also transfer their data
to desktop computers to create multimedia presentations.)

Teams' reports can also include plans for recruiting, training, and equipping
volunteers to staff emergency response teams. Older students can also explore
sources of funding for these planning efforts.

Phase 3

Teams may choose to present their reports in written form or as oral presentations
(using notes from the eMate). They may even decide to use a desktop publishing
application to create and publish brochures, distributing them to other classrooms or
the student body at large, or to parent organizations, the school board, and
community groups. If teams create multimedia reports, work with them to find
opportunities outside the classroom to present their report.

If your school has a Web server, teams may also publish their reports on the World
Wide Web, where it can serve as a resource for other organizations involved in similar
projects.

Finally, it's up to you and the students, and the audiences for their work, to put their
plans into action!

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Chapter 6

Preparation

Invite students to share their experiences of natural disasters or emergencies, to talk
about how they coped with the event and how they might have been better prepared
for it. Suggest that drawing on their own experiences as well as those of their friends
and loved ones will help them design and implement a school- or community-based
emergency preparedness program.

Inquire about materials and programs from relevant state and local agencies, and
compare these to the materials and plans that are in place at your school. Then
decide what the scope and focus of the planning teams' work will be--plans for the
school, for their neighborhoods, from their community, or the state.

Options

You may find online resources you wish to share with the class. You can use Newton
Press to transfer such information to the students' eMates so they can refer to it
during their research.

You may invite the students to revise their emergency preparedness plans for use in
an elementary school. What sorts of measures can younger children take to help
themselves and their families prepare for natural disasters? How can younger
children participate in community emergency preparedness programs? For example,
a program in Oakland, California, called CORE (Citizens of Oakland Respond to
Emergencies) has developed emergency preparedness plans tailored to the steep
hills and narrow roads that could render some neighborhoods virtually inaccessible
in the aftermath of a serious fire or earthquake. CORE groups have enlisted the
young children in their neighborhoods to act as scouts to comb these hilly
neighborhoods to look for people who may need emergency medical treatment or
help with evacuation procedures. Students can then present their revised plans to
elementary school students, teachers, administrators, and parent organizations.

Ideas for Using the eMate

113

The home-school connection

Encourage students to develop emergency preparedness plans in their own home, or
to review and revise existing plans in light of what they've learned. What special
measures are needed to accommodate the kind of building in which they live? What
are the most likely emergencies to strike?

Resources

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
P.O. Box 70274
Washington, D.C. 20024

National Weather Service, NOAA
Attention: Warning and Forecast Branch, W/OM11
1325 East-West Highway, Room 14370
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Anno's Magic Seeds by Mitsumasa Anno

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

Summer of Fire: Yellowstone 1988 by Patricia Lauber

Earthquakes by Seymour Simon

Firestorm! The Story of the 1991 East Bay Fire in Berkeley by Margaret Sullivan

Fire in the Hills: A Collective Remembrance edited by Patricia Adler

In the Midst of Winter: Selections from the Literature of Mourning edited by Mary
Jane Moffat

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Chapter 6

Technical tips

Students must be generally familiar with all eMate functions before undertaking their
research.

In the drawing application, use the grid and rulers to help draw maps to scale. If the
grid and rulers aren't showing, use the Tools button to turn them on. The grid will
not print; if students want a grid to appear on their maps, they must draw the lines.
To copy and paste the map into a word-processing document, choose Select All from
the Edit pop-up list, then choose Copy from the Edit pop-up list.

Before students use the spreadsheet application, review data entry procedures.
Tapping on a cell while in data entry mode will put the label for that cell in the
data. To get out of data entry mode, press Return, Tab, or Enter. When not in data
entry mode, tapping, using the arrow keys, or pressing Return or Tab will move you
to another cell.

If the eMate is in Full Newton System mode, teams can use a broader range of tools
to conduct their research. The Notes application can let them create outlines of the
prose material in their report. The Names application can help them keep track of
key people or sources for research. The Dates application can let them keep a
schedule for their activities.

If students do use the eMate in Full Newton System mode, they will need to transfer
data to a desktop computer using Newton Connection Utilities rather than the eMate
Classroom Exchange software. They might also want to use the Newton filing system
to organize their work into folders.

Ideas for Using the eMate

115

Project 9

Using the Graphing Calculator

Recommended Grades: 712

The project

Newton Works includes a sophisticated graphing calculator, which you can use in
different learning activities in math and science classes, or in other classes or projects
where statistical analysis is relevant.

Teachers seeking to deepen skills of understanding, analysis, and prediction, as well
as the progressive refinement of results, can ask students to perform these steps:

Read and study a narrative problem. That problem should include the situation, the
parameters and interdependencies of the problem, and initial data.

Determine an appropriate graphing/calculation function for the situation.

Predict points of interest on the graph and select appropriate units for display.

Create a table of values and, in a Newton Works drawing or on a piece of paper, draw
a sketch of what you think the graph will look like.

Enter the equation on the eMate, check your sketch against the resulting graph, then
use the graph to find the answers to specific questions.

Resources

Concepts in Algebra: A Technological Approach by James Fey and M. Dathleen Heid

Algebra I and Algebra II with Trigonometry by Paul Foster

Anno's Math Games III by Mitsumasa Anno

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Chapter 6

117

By now you and your students have become thoroughly familiar with the eMate and
its built-in software; you have done the activities in Chapter 6 and have integrated the
eMate into some of your curriculum, perhaps using it for homework assignments and
field trips. At this point, you may wonder what else you can do with the eMate. This
chapter lists other uses for the eMate, along with the types of products--both
commercial and free--that are available for those uses.

General Newton OS products

Many applications created for other Newton devices also work with the eMate. For
software to work with the eMate, it must be compatible with version 2.1 of the
Newton OS.

More Things to Do With the eMate

Uses in education

This section describes categories of products available for the eMate that are of
special interest to K12 teachers.

Important

Because product information changes rapidly as new products are

introduced, this section does not mention products by name. To find the most
up-to-date information about specific products, contact your Apple representative or
see your Apple price list. You can buy most of these products directly from Apple.

Browsing the Internet and the World Wide Web

With the right tools, you and your students can use the eMate to access the infinite
resources of the Internet and its graphical portion, the World Wide Web. You'll need a
modem designed for the eMate and an account with an Internet Service Provider
(ISP). Also, you'll need the Newton Internet Enabler, which is on the CD that came
with your eMate. Finally, you'll need a browser. Both graphical and text-based
browsers are available for the eMate.

Exchanging e-mail messages

Using electronic mail, students can quickly communicate with others who have an
electronic mail account, including classmates, parents, and long-distance pen pals,
such as students in other parts of the world. Several programs for sending and
receiving electronic mail are available for the eMate. In addition to e-mail software,
you'll need the Newton Internet Enabler and a modem designed for the eMate.

Learning typing and keyboarding skills

As students use the eMate and other computers, they'll need good keyboarding skills
so that they can type quickly and accurately. They can learn proper keyboarding
through software for the eMate that uses structured lessons, games, and speed-
building exercises to help students improve their typing skills.

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Chapter 7

Creating and using a database

Using a database application, you and your students can store all kinds of data for
quick retrieval and reporting. Like desktop database software, the database software
for the eMate lets you enter text and graphics, sort records, generate summaries, and
more. You can also share data with other databases, including those on a desktop
computer.

Gathering and analyzing scientific data

Science probes and probeware

You can connect the eMate to probes--such as those for measuring temperature, pH
level, and barometric pressure--for use not only in the lab, but also in the field.
Instead of entering data manually, students use probe software, which automatically
collects data and then displays it in tables and graphs.

Tripod

When you take the eMate out for field work, consider taking along a tripod to keep
the eMate steady and protect it from an accidental fall as you're gathering data or
typing. Using the socket at the base of the eMate, you can mount an eMate on any
standard tripod.

Learning a new language

Software is available to help students learn several languages, including French,
German, Spanish, and Italian.

Looking up words in an electronic reference tool

Electronic editions of a dictionary and thesaurus are available for the eMate.

Learning to program

Software is available for the eMate that teaches the fundamentals of computer
programming using an implementation of BASIC.

More Things to Do With the eMate

119

Creating and reading Newton books

Using Newton Press--a program for desktop computers that is on the CD that came
with the eMate--you can create Newton books, documents that can be read on any
Newton device, including the eMate. You can create Newton books out of your own
text (such as assignment descriptions) or you can convert text that you download
from another source. For example, through the Internet you can obtain electronic
copies of poems or other texts that are in the public domain, then use Newton Press
to convert them to Newton books.

Many Newton books have already been published and some are available for free on
the Internet in the form of Newton packages. You can download these packages from
Internet sites and view them on the eMate. For example, one site contains Newton
books of important documents from United States history, including the Declaration
of Independence and the Constitution. To find sites with documents that interest
you, use your favorite Internet search tool and enter keywords such as Newton
packages or Newton books.

Assessing student work

Grade tracking

Using an electronic gradebook, you can enter grades and attendance information
into the eMate; then you can quickly generate reports that summarize class grade-
point averages, attendance records, missing assignments, and gradesheets.

Qualitative assessment

Special software is also available for storing your observations about student work.
Using this software, you can quickly compile and print summaries to use in filling out
report cards, grading portfolios, and holding parent-teacher conferences.

By the way

Packages can store Newton applications, as well as documents. As

you search the Internet, you'll likely come across packages for freeware or
shareware, including games, utilities, and other programs that can be used on
the eMate.

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123

This chapter provides answers to questions teachers often ask about the eMate.

How do I save a document on the eMate?

The eMate 300 automatically saves your work as you use it. Therefore, you don't need
to save your documents manually; the eMate does it for you.

What do the lights on the eMate 300 mean?

The lights indicate the progress of battery charging:

m Orange means the battery is charging.

m Green means the battery is fully charged.

What do I do if I can't find the eMate pen?

Do not use another pen--pens and objects other than the eMate pen can scratch or
otherwise damage the screen. Instead, use the pack of disposable eMate pens that
came with your eMates if you ordered an 8-pack. If you don't have these inexpensive,
disposable pens, consider ordering them from Apple.

How can I transfer data from my eMate to a Macintosh?

You have several options. For an explanation of these options, see Chapter 5,
"Managing Student Documents."

Frequently Asked Questions

My students are working in Classroom Mode. How can I see all the
documents they've created?

Keep in mind that in Classroom Mode, each student's documents get stored in a
separate area that's only accessible to that user. To see student documents on the
eMate, you must log in as each student.

Once you're logged in as a student, press Overview

on the keyboard to view a list

of all the documents created by that student in a particular application. For example,
if you're using Newton Works, pressing Overview shows a list of all Newton Works
drawings, papers, and other documents that that student created. Tap the name of a
document in the Overview list to view that document. If a document you're
expecting to see doesn't seem to be in the list, use the scroll keys to reveal more of
the list.

Tip: If you've required passwords, you can use the Teacher Setup password to log in
as any other user. Using this master password saves you from having to remember or
look up individual student passwords.

You can also have students transfer their documents to a single Macintosh using
eMate Classroom Exchange, or you can have them print their documents.

A student cannot log in because he forgot his password.
What should I do?

If you can't look up the student's password (for example, if the student created it
himself ), the quickest solution is to type the Teacher Setup password in place of the
student's own password. You can use the Teacher Setup password to log in as any
user; do not let your students see this master password.

When you have more time, you can use Teacher Setup to change that student's
password--you don't need to know the old password to create a new one.

If you find students are frequently forgetting their passwords, try assigning passwords
that are easier to remember--but still hard to guess.

How close do I have to be to beam data from one eMate to another?

You can be no more than three feet apart. For more information about beaming, see
the eMate 300 User's Manual.

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How can I tell how much space is available on an eMate
for data storage?

Unlike most computers, which store data on disk, the eMate stores data in memory.
Therefore, to see how much storage space is left, check the eMate's memory
information. To do so, follow these steps:

Open the Extras Drawer.

Tap the Information button ;, which is in the lower-left corner of the screen.

In the list that appears, tap Memory Info.

The slip that appears shows how much memory is already used and how much is still
free. For example, if 1749K appears in the Free column, the eMate can store up to
1749 kilobytes of additional data.

What do I do if an eMate runs out of storage space?

An eMate can store dozens of documents. If it runs out of storage space, you can
either delete some of these documents or add more memory. Before deleting data,
you should copy important documents to a storage card or a desktop computer. To
add memory, you must buy extra memory chips and have them installed.

How do I use my eMate to connect to the Internet?

You need the following pieces:

m a modem

m Newton Internet Enabler (NIE) software, which is on the CD that came with your

eMate

m an account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP)

m a Web browser for the Newton if you want to surf the World Wide Web

m an e-mail program for the Newton if you want to use e-mail

For more information, see Appendix E, "Using Internet and E-Mail," in the eMate 300
User's Manual.

Frequently Asked Questions

125

I heard you can attach things like science probes to an eMate.
What are my options?

In addition to science probes, such as those for measuring temperature or pH level,
you can attach a traditional tripod. After attaching a tripod to the base of the eMate,
you can take it out into the field and easily type on it. For more information, see
Chapter 7 of this guide, "More Things to Do With the eMate."

How long does the battery last?

The battery inside the eMate is rechargeable, so you don't need to replace it for a
long time. (The eMate battery, like other rechargeable batteries, does lose some of its
capacity over time, and may need to be replaced after about 500 full recharges.)
Under normal use, the battery lasts between 1624 hours before it needs to be
recharged. The exact life of the battery depends on the intensity of the activities you
perform with the eMate. For example, using backlighting and a modem uses more
energy than just using Newton Works.

How long can I safely keep charging the battery?

You can charge the battery for as long as you want. Using the adapter that came with
the eMate, it takes one to two hours to recharge a fully discharged eMate battery, but
there's no danger in charging it longer.

Is hands-on eMate training available?

Yes. You can participate in the two-day onsite training, eMate: Discover Mobile
Computing. As a participant, you will explore the eMate's hardware and its software
applications, discover strategies for classroom management, and see curricular
projects appropriate to a variety of grade levels. To sign up for this course, call
800-800-APPL.

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Is there an eMate Web site?

Yes--there are several sites. A good starting point is Apple's official eMate site, at
http://www.newton.apple.com/eMate.html.

From there, you can go to other eMate sites, including those not maintained by
Apple. Because of the volatility of the Internet, the best way to find current sites may
be to use your favorite Internet search tool, entering keywords such as eMate and
education.

Document Outline