1. 11/20/10 5:45 PMRYSS Project Listings
Page 1 of 6http://www.tomrchambers.com/RYSS_TCCC.html
Tom R. Chambers is currently Teacher in Technology Applications for
Raul Yzaguirre School For Success [charter] in Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
He also teaches and advises after school programming ["Power
Time"] in Digital Photography, Digital/New Media Art and TV
Broadcasting. Students' projects, and accomplishments follow:
2010-2011:
New Jersey/Texas LTP Collaboration: Sixth, seventh and eighth grade
students are involved with an ongoing Literacy Through Photography blog, and it
involves a collaboration with Eisenhower Middle School [Wyckoff, New Jersey,
U.S.A.]. This blog, founded by Harold Olejarz and Tom R. Chambers continues to be a
significant tool to help students with their written expression.
NASA STEM Educational Outreach Program at Raul Yzaguirre
School For Success: Two core groups of students [8th Grade] participated in
this pilot program by setting up three Space Science experiments, or activities in the
Technology Applications classroom to explore, and learn Engineering, Science, and
Math concepts. The program is related to the International Space Station (ISS) as a
National Laboratory.
Letters of Appreciation: Eighth grade students were asked to write letters of
appreciation to President Sebastian Pinera for his support during the rescue of the
miners at the San Jose Mine in Chile. The students were tasked to write formal letters
as they became more aware of the Chilean mine disaster, and rescue. The 2010
Copiapo mining accident occurred on 5 August 2010, when part of the San Jose
copper-gold mine near Copiapo, Chile collapsed, leaving 33 men trapped deep below
ground. The miners survived underground for a record 68 to 69 days. All 33 were
rescued and brought to the surface on October 13, 2010.
DA_SS8_RYSS: Eighth grade students participated in a classroom assignment
involving GIMP 2 [Photoshop equivalent] photo software and Grade 8 Social Studies
research via the Internet to make Digital Art. Aspects of Early American History [First
Semester] were searched and researched in combination with downloaded images to
visualize the information for greater retention. This project will be shown [slide
show] as a part of the 6th annual Carnival of e-Creativity & Change-agents Conclave
[2011 CeC & CaC], Sattal Estate, Bhimtal, India, February 18 - 20, 2011.
Letters of Congratulations: Eighth grade students were asked to write
letters of congratulations to Mr. Raul Humberto Yzaguirre on becoming the U. S.
Ambassador to the Dominican Republic. Mr. Yzaguirre was nominated by President
Obama, and confirmed by the U. S. Senate. This is a very special assignment since the
students' school ... Raul Yzaguirre School For Success [Houston, Texas] ... is named
after this prominent civil rights activist for Hispanics. And the assignment is in
keeping with Hispanic Heritage Month [September 15 - October 15]. The students
were tasked to write formal letters as they became more aware of their school's
namesake, Hispanic rights, and the ambassadorship process.
2009-2010:

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Resumes For RYSS: Eighth grade students were asked to explore their past up
to now via a resume to begin to prepare for entry into high school as Freshmen.
During the process, there was a realization that came to the forefront that their
participation in and contributions to the educational process along with various
achievements and accomplishments over the past eight or nine years had merit and
meaning towards their futures as they continued through high school and on to
college.
Early Texas History ... Field Trip to Somerville: Eighth grade
students traveled to Somerville, Texas at the invitation of Mayor Don "Skipper"
Murray II to see Texas Longhorn cattle, eat "Sloppy Joes" at Somerville Lake, and
tour the Somerville Area Museum to experience Early Texas History. The trip was
arranged by Tom R. Chambers, Technology Applications Teacher at RYSS via Dr. Pete
Pederson, Curator of the museum and Barbara Pederson, City Administrator.
Social Issues Documentaries: Eighth grade students used Movie Maker to
create documentaries about social issues. The documentaries online are a selection
from the 8th grade class. The students were asked to do research on their specific
issues via the Internet, then use the information with visuals to enhance their movie
editing skills [sequencing, timing, transitions, titling (typography)] to tell their
stories. It was mentioned to the students that they were involved with a process that
is practiced worldwide in various industries that require movie editing.
Science PowerPoint Presentations: Eighth grade students used
PowerPoint 2007 to create presentations based on TEKS/TAKS Grade 8 Science
concepts. The PowerPoint presentations online are a selection from the 8th grade
class. The students were challenged to take control of the teaching process to make
Science more exciting and interesting to study. They researched the concepts online,
then used visuals, text and animation to bring them "to life". Several of these student
presentations were used as a part of the teacher's [Tom R. Chambers] presentation ...
"Technology and Creativity in the Classroom" ... at the Region 4 Science Conference,
Houston, Texas, February 20, 2010. Note: editing in progress on additional
presentations. It is hoped that some/all of these presentations will be used in Grade
8 Science classes as supplementary teaching tools.
RYSS Brochures: Eighth grade students used Microsoft Publisher 2007 to create
8 1/2" X 11", two-fold brochures to promote their school. They utilized the school's
website to collect information, then worked with this copy [text], their own words
and pictures to put together these promotional publications. The brochures seen
online are a selection from the 8th grade class. They show the inside and outside,
three panels per side. Printed samples will be shown to the Superintendent for him to
consider utilizing a student-generated publication to present the school to the
community [brochure production]
Big Thicket National Preserve: Sixth and eighth grade students connected
with the Houston Audubon Society [HAS] to provide coverage of Big Thicket National
Preserve, East Texas. The student photographs were displayed as a part of the
Festival on the Bayou at Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center, Houston, Texas, May 8,
2010 [11AM - 3PM] [view field trip].

3. 11/20/10 5:45 PMRYSS Project Listings
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Raul Yzaguirre School For Success [RYSS] - Crespo Fine Arts
Academy Mentorship Workshop: Thirteen middle school students
[seventh grade] from RYSS traveled to the Crespo Fine Arts Academy to mentor 26
fifth grade students in the use of graphics software. This mentorship process involved
an intensive morning session of learning and practicing, and an afternoon session of
project application to make digital art. The workshop has set a precedent, and there is
discussion of it being implemented at other schools. Chambers states, "I'm always
proud of all of my students, but I am particularly proud of these 13 seventh graders
who eagerly took on the challenge of doing more for themselves, their school and
their community."
Point Bolivar and Galveston Bay: Sixth, seventh and eighth grade
students connected with the Houston Audubon Society [HAS] to provide coverage of
Point Bolivar and Galveston Bay. The student photographs were displayed as a part of
the Festival on the Bayou at Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center, Houston, Texas, May 8,
2010 [11AM - 3PM] [view field trip].
The Banner Ad: Advertising on the Internet: Seventh grade students
participated in a classroom assignment involving GIMP 2 [Photoshop equivalent]
photo software to create a banner ad/Web banner to begin to understand this form of
advertising on the World Wide Web. This form of online advertising involves
embedding an advertisement into a web page. Its purpose is to attract traffic to a
website by linking to the website of the advertiser. One standard size used by the
students: 728X90 pixels [view slide show].
Paul Revere: Seventh grade students participated in a classroom assignment
involving the Internet and GIMP 2 [Photoshop equivalent] photo software to
research/study Paul Revere/The American Revolution and make Digital Art. This
project is currently featured in the School Spotlight section of The Paul Revere House
Museum website [view slide show; download slide show; school spotlight PDF].
Writing Of Web-based Children's Stories Through Acquisition
of HTML Skills: This story writing focuses on children's books that target 2-, 3-,
4-year olds to teach this age group morals and values. The students were tasked to
write original stories that have a message, then move their stories into Web page
format [via source code writing ... HTML] in combination with visuals/artwork and
through linkage [page to page]. Writing these kinds of stories ... based on morals and
values ... for young children should also have an effect on the writers ... these
seventh grade students ... to evaluate who they are and how they behave.
Gulf Coast/East Coast Digital Art Collaboration: Sixth, seventh and
eighth grade students are exchanging images with students at Eisenhower Middle
School [Wyckoff, New Jersey, U.S.A.] for manipulation to generate Digital Art.
New Jersey/Texas LTP Collaboration: Sixth, seventh and eighth grade
students connected with FotoFest International [Houston] to participate in the
organization's Literacy Through Photography [LTP] program as a pilot project via a
photo blog. It's ongoing, and it involves a collaboration with Eisenhower Middle
School [Wyckoff, New Jersey, U.S.A.]. The LTP blog was showcased at the FotoFest
FotoFence 2010 LTP exhibition [Houston, Texas, U.S.A.], May 9 - 19, 2010

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[PowerPoint presentation] [PDF presentation].
"I am What I Learn": A core group of seventh grade students put together
their movies [script audio/photos] using XP Movie Maker ... first time for hands-on
this software ... to participate in this contest sponsored by the Obama
Administration/Department of Education and YouTube.
DA_SCI7_RYSS: Seventh grade students participated in a classroom assignment
involving GIMP 2 [Photoshop equivalent] photo software and vocabulary building
through Grade 7 Science word identification/meaning via the Internet to make Digital
Art. This project was shown as a part of the 5th annual Carnival of e-Creativity &
Change-agents Conclave [2010 CeC & CaC], February 19 - 21, 2010, Sattal Estate,
Bhimtal, India.
2008-2009:
Computers and History: Seventh grade students participated in a classroom
assignment involving Microsoft Word to write compositions based on the theme,
"Computers and History". They submitted their compositions in the contest to
celebrate "Children's Day/Dia del Nino". This year [2009] is the XVIII edition. Since
1990, the vision of the organizers of the contest has been: "With computer
knowledge, you can be free and independent." This is a cooperation between private,
community and public sectors to help in the development of children in the Houston
Independent School District.
PANTHER TV: Seventh and eighth grade students as a part of Power Time were
involved in TV broadcasting ... field reporting, interviews, surveys, feature stories [in
front of and behind the video camera] and video editing.
The Banner Ad: Advertising on the Internet: Seventh grade students
participated in a classroom assignment involving GIMP 2 [Photoshop equivalent]
photo software to create a banner ad/Web banner to begin to understand this form of
advertising on the World Wide Web. This form of online advertising involves
embedding an advertisement into a web page. Its purpose is to attract traffic to a
website by linking to the website of the advertiser. One standard size used by the
students: 728X90 pixels.
DA_7_8_RYSS: Seventh and eighth grade students participated in a classroom
assignment involving GIMP 2 [Photoshop equivalent] photo software and vocabulary
building through word identification/meaning via the Internet to make Digital Art.
Exhibitions: East End Gallery, Houston Institute For Culture, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.,
January 7 - February 16, 2009 [PARENTS TOUR]; 4th annual Carnival of e-Creativity
& Change-agents Conclave [2009 CeC & CaC], Sattal Estate, Bhimtal, India, February
27 to March 1, 2009; Talento Bilingue de Houston, Houston, Texas, U.S.A., August 3 -
October 29, 2009; Lobby Gallery, Bob Lanier Public Works Building, Houston, Texas,
U.S.A., November 6, 2009 - April 25, 2010; City Council Lobby Gallery, City Hall
[Cultural Affairs, Mayor's Office], Houston, Texas, U.S.A., April 26 - May 17, 2010.
New Jersey/Texas LTP Collaboration: Seventh and eighth grade
students connected with FotoFest International [Houston] to participate in the

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organization's Literacy Through Photography [LTP] program as a pilot project via a
photo blog. It involved a collaboration with Eisenhower Middle School [Wyckoff, New
Jersey, U.S.A.]. The LTP blog was showcased at the FotoFest FotoFence 2009 LTP
exhibition [Houston, Texas, U.S.A.], May 17, 2009 [PowerPoint presentation] [PDF
presentation].
Gulf Coast/East Coast Digital Art Collaboration: Seventh and eighth
grade students exchanged images with students at Eisenhower Middle School
[Wyckoff, New Jersey, U.S.A.] for manipulation to generate Digital Art [The Digital
Photo Age, The Wyckoff Journal, Bergen County, New Jersey, U.S.A., January, 2009].
Post Ike: Seventh and eighth grade students connected with the Houston Audubon
Society [HAS] to provide coverage of High Island and Galveston Bay after Hurricane
Ike damaged these areas in 2008. The student photographs were displayed as a part
of the HAS Gala, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, Texas, U.S.A. [March
5, 2009] [GALA].
New Digital Age: Young Photographers: Seventh and eighth grade
students connected with the Novosibirsk State Art Museum in Novosibirsk, Russia to
exhibit their photographs in a student group show [March, 2009].
Obama Letters of Support: Seventh and eighth grade students participated
in a classroom assignment involving Microsoft Word to write letters of support for
Democratic candidate, Barack Obama during the 2008 Presidential Election. Copies of
the letters were sent to Obama's campaign headquarters in Chicago, Illinois and
several days later, the students received a letter from the candidate thanking them
for their support and encouraging them to be better citizens.
President Obama's Agenda: Seventh grade students participated in a
classroom assignment involving Internet research at www.whitehouse.gov and
PowerPoint software to create presentations based on the various categories of
President Obama's Agenda to follow up his letter of thanks and encouragement and
indicate interest in his plans for America ... and the world ... during the next four
years. The presentations were sent to the White House hoping this would precipitate
a Presidential visit to Raul Yzaguirre School For Success to meet these students and
others.
9-11 Tribute: A core group of eighth grade students participated in a classroom
assignment involving Internet research [image] and Microsoft Word to express their
feelings about the terrorist attack on America, September 11, 2001 and pay tribute to
those individuals who lost their lives. They presented ... read aloud ... their
compositions at the Junior Academy Tribute Assembly, 9-11-2008.
2007-2008:
The Banner Ad: Advertising on the Internet: Seventh grade students
participated in a classroom assignment involving GIMP 2 [Photoshop equivalent]
photo software to create a banner ad to begin to understand this form of advertising
on the World Wide Web. This form of online advertising involves embedding an
advertisement into a web page. Its purpose is to attract traffic to a website by linking

6. 11/20/10 5:45 PMRYSS Project Listings
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to the website of the advertiser. One standard size used by the students: 728X90
pixels.
New Jersey/Texas LTP Collaboration: Sixth, seventh and eighth grade
students connected with FotoFest International [Houston] to participate in the
organization's Literacy Through Photography [LTP] program as a pilot project via a
photo blog. It involved a collaboration with Eisenhower Middle School [Wyckoff, New
Jersey, U.S.A.]. The LTP blog was showcased at the FotoFest FotoFence 2008 LTP
exhibition [Houston, Texas, U.S.A.], May, 2008 [FotoFence 2008 Exhibition
[movie/24MB]] [PowerPoint presentation] [PDF presentation].
Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center: Seventh and eighth grade students
connected with the Houston Audubon Society [HAS] to provide coverage of the Sims
Bayou Urban Nature Center [Field Trip (movie/20MB)]. The student photographs
were displayed as a part of the HAS Gala, Houston Museum of Natural Science,
Houston, Texas, U.S.A. [November, 2008].
Web Page Building: Seventh and eighth grade students participated in a
classroom assignment involving Notepad and the web browser, Internet Explorer [IE]
to begin to understand the process of building or constructing web pages via basic
HTML [Hyper Text Markup Language]. The students learned how to use this form of
tags, surrounded by angle brackets, to place text, links, tables, headings, paragraphs,
lists, embedded images, and other objects onto the page.
Creative Excel: Texas City Populations: Seventh and eighth grade
students participated in a classroom assignment involving Internet research [data
and image] and Microsoft Excel to generate databases about Texas city populations
and their respective charts to extend this spreadsheet program as a creative tool.