Frequently Asked Questions: Canvas, Choice Boards, and IXL
Canvas
What is Canvas?
How we communicate. Canvas is our learning management system (LMS) where I will post homework, grades, announcements, etc. You will also use it for submitting electronic copies of your homework. This app is absolutely critical for completing your work each week.
Why Canvas?
It’s FREE. Yes, there are other programs similar to Canvas that provide the same functions, but I believe that being a good steward of money extends to business as well, and I love to save parents money when I can. By using Canvas, there are no additional costs passed on to parents.
Who needs to use Canvas?
Students and parents. While there is an app/website for students, there is no separate app/website for parents. You will need to set up the student account, then parents will use that same username and password to log in to check on their child’s progress. Please keep up with your username and password – I suggest writing it down in MULTIPLE places (binder, phone, planner, etc.)
Choice Boards
Do I have to complete every assignment on the choice board?
No. What is so great about the choice board format is that it is full of…choices. You get to pick which assignments you want to complete each week. Since all of the assignments listed help you dig deeper into what you’ve read, you have the freedom to choose activities that appeal to you.
Do I have to complete every assignment in a box?
No. You can choose ANY combination of assignments on the choice board in order to earn your points. Just because you choose one assignment from a certain box does not mean you now have to complete all of the activities in that box. You can mix and match as you wish.
Do I have to complete the same work on every choice board?
No. Every choice board in a clean slate. What you chose on the last choice board has nothing to do with what you choose on any other choice board. So, play around with them and have fun. Some students find activities that they really enjoy, so they choose them over and over. Other students try something new on each choice board. One suggestion, though – you don’t know if you like something until you try it, so don’t be afraid to think outside the “box” that you usually choose. 🙂
How many points do I have to earn?
500. Unless otherwise stated, most choice boards require you to earn 500 points, but you also have the opportunity to earn bonus points each week.
Can I get bonus points?
Yes.Unless otherwise stated, you can earn up to 100 bonus points on each choice board. However, the limit is 100, which means you can’t attempt any points over 600 to cover any points you might miss due to wrong answers. I STRONGLY encourage you to attempt at least a few bonus points on each choice board. Think of the points like money – you may have heard your parents talk about working “overtime” to save up a little extra money for a vacation, home repair, or “rainy day fund.” The bonus points are just like that – a little extra money in the bank for a rainy day. You never know when you are going to have a difficult week (due to sports, time constraints, emergency, etc.), and maybe you are only able to complete 300 points one week. However, if you’ve been “banking” some extra credit every week, it is easy for that 300 to still average out to an A (or even higher) thanks to all those bonus points.
How do I earn points on the mandatory section?
Honor system. The mandatory section for each choice board consists of reading the current unit/module. I’m giving you points for doing this because it is part of your homework which requires time and effort on your part. However, you don’t have to do anything extra to “proove” that you completed this work; simply mark it as completed and fill in the section for the number of points attempted.
What version of the Bible should I use?
It’s up to you. I believe this is a personal/family choice, so I place no restrictions on this. As a Christian homeschool tutorial, we are blessed to have families from a variety of denominations, and while we may worship a little differently, we are all still worshipping the same God. So, feel free to use whichever version/translation of the Bible you/your family normally uses (KJV, NKJV, NIV, Catholic, NLT, etc.)
How long do I have to complete the choice board?
It depends. Typically history classes have one week per choice board, and science classes have two weeks. However, there will be times (such as over fall/spring/Christmas break) that you may have extra time, so make sure you check the due date listed in Canvas.
How do I fill out the choice board?
Name, date, check marks, and points attempted. At the top of the choice board, please fill in your name, the date (either when you completed it or the due date is fine), and the total number of points attempted out of 500 (including bonus points). Also, you will want to fill out the points attempted section for each box. Remember, it’s perfectly fine to have a zero in a section or even what looks like a “low score” because you are mixing and matching points from each section to add up to 500 points total. Each activity has a box to check in front of it IF you completed it – place check marks ONLY in the boxes in front of activities you completed. This will help you keep up with what you’ve completed, and it also helps your parents and I see at a glance what you’ve completed.
How should I manage my time each week?
It’s up to you. Again, this is the beauty of homeschool – it allows you to be as flexible or as structured as you need. For the Notgrass history books, you have weekly units with five lessons per unit. So, you can easily do a lesson a day. Then, if you are trying to incorporate your choice board points into your plan for the week, I would suggest shooting for earning about 100 points on each of those 5 days. However, some students prefer to get “in the zone” on a certain subject and work on it for quite a few hours at a time, and that’s fine, too. For the science choice boards, you typically have two weeks to complete the work, but the readings and assignments usually take more time and effort, but you can still apply the same strategy for setting a points goal for each science study session you do.
How do I figure out my grade?
It’s a percentage. Take the grade I give you and divide by 500 points – that will give you your percentage. Here are some examples: 425/500 = 85 500/500 = 100% 575/500 = 115%. Remember – all these grades get averaged together, so a 450 one week plus a 550 another week is still like having two 100s. You will get your choice board packet back in class, but your grade will also be posted on Canvas. Since classes only meet once a week, you may see your grade on Edmodo before you get your hard copy back in class.
Higher Path Academy 