1) Youtube upgraded its requirements this weekend. Now you need the latest version of firefox to view videos. I tend to supplement my lessons with videos. You can find a lot of great demos, and other ways of enriching your content with videos. I placed a helpdesk ticket, and IT installed Adobe Shockwave, and the latest version of Flashplayer. So I now have access to videos again (and probably Prezi as well). I want to try out som Prezis as soon as I can. If you have never heard of Prezi, google it.
We started our unit on weather this week. I used the document camera to project an image of a household sponge. As a class, students discussed how much water they thought the sponge could hold before leaking out the sides. After the discussion died down, I slowly poured water from a graduated cylinder. It turned out that the sponge could hold approximately 50 mL of water. I then framed the demonstration in the context of relative humidity and saturation. We had used the sponge as metaphor for the air and the amount of water vapor that the air can hold. This activity was definitely influenced by the Suchman model that we learned about during the inquiry lesson at the MOST.
2) Students did relatively well on the mapping/density exam. I think that I need to revisit isolines (which we will during the meteorology unit), and also contour intervals (I am going to re-teach these, and include them again on the next exam.
3) I am going to start focusing on using formative assessment during my lessons. This is basically using informal methods of checking for understanding periodically throughout a lesson. I already use some formative assessment in my lessons. For example, when I transition from the teacher-guided to the student practice steps in my lessons, I call for all students who still don't understand to meet me at the back table, and I re-teach to these students.
My goal is for some of the formative assessment to become the responsibility of the students. I want them to check themselves for understanding. I am currently working on developing leading questions and group structures that will provide opportunitities for formative assessment, differentiated instruction, and cooperative learning elements. For example, students will be doing poster presentations on various pages from the textbooks (meteorology section) on Tuesday. They will be working in pairs. This will be a new structure for the students, but I want to revisit it consistently throughout the year. I have already implemented this structure with my IB class.
4) Today is Halloween. Laura made chilli, and we are gearing up to hand out some serious quantities of sugar this evening. I am excited to see Evan's response to the costumes/mayhem that are associated with this holiday. He will be dressing up and growling like a lion. Marty will be a dinosaur, back from extinction.
5) Quote with no context: "I'm not black, I'm Bosnian".
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Reflection 1 (10/22/10)
Note: As the first reflection post of the year, this entry may run longer than typical posts in the future.
1) This year I was fortunate to be selected for participation in a grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Enhancing Education through Technology (ARRA-EET: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Fiscal/Appropriation%20Reports/2009AppropriationsReports/4ARRA.pdf). All of the grant participants met at the Syracuse Teacher Center on Tuesday to update each other about progress in our classrooms. Some of the sixth grade teachers have already set up eportfolios for their students - pretty impressive start. It was helpful for me to see some of the sample student eportfolios. Laurie also pointed out the importance of the reflection piece: "without the reflection component, its not a portfolio, its just a folder". I also began to think about my own students' portfolios. My global environment students will create portfolios, but I also want to create portfolios with at least one of my earth science sections. I also want to be sure that the students include work that they are proud of from other classes (i.e. english, social studies, art).
At the meeting, we were given scanners, digitial cameras, and document cameras. These will be important tools for helping my students to convert their work into digital formats that can be included in their eportfolios. This equipment is in addition to the digital camcorders and remote mouse that we have already received. I look forward to implementing these tools in my classroom.
I inherited GPS units from the Environmental Science Teacher before me. I set up a course outside, and students recorded changes in latitude, longitude, and elevation as they moved through the course. Students also used a map of Corcoran's campus.
2) Earth Science students have been working with topographic maps. Students created cardboard cutouts to represent models of specific topographic maps. I think this activity helped them to better understand the maps, and the students seemed to enjoy creating the models. The vocabulary and mapping quiz was successful. When making the unit test for Earth Science last week, I had an epiphany. The Regents exam is obviously cumulative. Therefore, it doesn't make sense to give 'compartmentalized' tests throughout the school year. Each test that I give from now on will be cumulative (include questions from every topic that has been covered so far). This format will provided a more accurate simulation of the Regents exam, and will help to ensure that my students do not forget content that was covered early in the school year.
The Global Environment students have been studying the global heat engine (the mechanisms that transfer heat from the equators to the poles. They created imaginary continents, and have mapped out wind directions and humidity in the various regions of their continent. They had a lot of fun doing this, and I will also try this activity with my Earth Science students during the unit on meteorology. The Global Environment are in the proposal phase of their personal science projects. I have seen a lot of good ideas, but some other students are still struggling for inspiration. The director of the MOST (Museum of Science and Technology) visited as a guest speaker on Friday to help motivate students to enter their projects in the Greater Syracuse Scholastic Science Fair in March.
The ESF students are using my website on a near daily basis. The pilot study was successful. I now plan to gear up the use of my website with all Earth Science classes.
3) Topographic profiles are side views of land features (kind of like surface versions of geologic cross sections). Some of the Earth Science students are having a hard time converting contour line data (i.e. mapview) into profiles. Some are also still struggling with isolines and calculating gradient. I am going to review these three concepts in depth on Monday in preparation for the upcoming unit test.
I still don't have enough textbooks for all of my Global Environment students. So far I have been able to find meaningful supplemental readings on the web for students to read as homework (I think the reading on El Nino and La Nina was too involved, and I will use a more focused assignment next year). But students have their first presentations next week, and some had to sign out textbooks in order to work at home on their posters/powerpoints. I am looking forward to having a class set of textbooks. A few students unfortunately seem to have lost interest in the course, and will probably be dropping. They are extremely vague when I ask why they have lost interest.
4) On Wednesday, we had a Superintendent's Conference Day. All the science teachers met at the Museum of Science and Technology. We met with the district director of science, saw two planetarium presentations, and learned about really cool free software called Stellarium (www.stellarium.org). Then all the Earth Science Teachers met to discuss our favorite labs. It took some time, but I think the meeting was very productive. We put together a pretty good pile of labs that we will send to the science director. He is going to post them as links on the district website so that we all have digital access to them. Finally, we had a meeting about open inquiry in the science classroom. The meeting was facilitated by a professor from Syracuse University, and I think he will be visiting Corcoran to help us find ways to implement the Suchman method in our classroom. I stayed for a very cool IMAX movie about the Hubble Telescope (I would like to read a book about Hubble the Astronomer).
I also sat down for my exchange conference with my administrator. I chose Student Development (diversified instruction) and Reflection (nice!) as my areas of focus. We mainly talked about aligning grades with standardized test performance. He also mentioned that the main finding of our recent site review is that expectations are kept high for IB students, but dropped down for non-IB students. I think that this is a pervasive problem that should be addressed in our school as a priority, and I intend to address this personally in my classroom immediately. I now explicitly keep this notion in my mind while planning lessons.
My family is going to take a tour of the YMCA later today. We are going to become members next week. I really like the downtown building for basketball. But we will probably have to use the facilities in Fayetteville most often because they offer free childcare while your work out.
On a sad note, I took a half day on Tuesday. Laura's Uncle Bill passed away. I really enjoyed spending time with him - he will be missed. Marlyn and Billy are in my thoughts. Bill was buried next to a tombstone in the shape of the Carrier Dome. I think that he would appreciate that.
5. "It is getting Brick outside". "Cedar trees are ideal if you want to break wind".
The grades are really hurting in my fourth block class. A couple students get kicked out frequently; they have a hard time staying focused. But I think they are finally starting to come around. I am going to show them their grades compared to other classes on Monday. Hopefully that will inspire some motivation.
Two students want to design a new kind of mousetrap that will act as a guillotine. I needed to veto the idea for obvious safety reasons. I look forward to sharing other student projects with you in the future.
1) This year I was fortunate to be selected for participation in a grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Enhancing Education through Technology (ARRA-EET: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Fiscal/Appropriation%20Reports/2009AppropriationsReports/4ARRA.pdf). All of the grant participants met at the Syracuse Teacher Center on Tuesday to update each other about progress in our classrooms. Some of the sixth grade teachers have already set up eportfolios for their students - pretty impressive start. It was helpful for me to see some of the sample student eportfolios. Laurie also pointed out the importance of the reflection piece: "without the reflection component, its not a portfolio, its just a folder". I also began to think about my own students' portfolios. My global environment students will create portfolios, but I also want to create portfolios with at least one of my earth science sections. I also want to be sure that the students include work that they are proud of from other classes (i.e. english, social studies, art).
At the meeting, we were given scanners, digitial cameras, and document cameras. These will be important tools for helping my students to convert their work into digital formats that can be included in their eportfolios. This equipment is in addition to the digital camcorders and remote mouse that we have already received. I look forward to implementing these tools in my classroom.
I inherited GPS units from the Environmental Science Teacher before me. I set up a course outside, and students recorded changes in latitude, longitude, and elevation as they moved through the course. Students also used a map of Corcoran's campus.
2) Earth Science students have been working with topographic maps. Students created cardboard cutouts to represent models of specific topographic maps. I think this activity helped them to better understand the maps, and the students seemed to enjoy creating the models. The vocabulary and mapping quiz was successful. When making the unit test for Earth Science last week, I had an epiphany. The Regents exam is obviously cumulative. Therefore, it doesn't make sense to give 'compartmentalized' tests throughout the school year. Each test that I give from now on will be cumulative (include questions from every topic that has been covered so far). This format will provided a more accurate simulation of the Regents exam, and will help to ensure that my students do not forget content that was covered early in the school year.
The Global Environment students have been studying the global heat engine (the mechanisms that transfer heat from the equators to the poles. They created imaginary continents, and have mapped out wind directions and humidity in the various regions of their continent. They had a lot of fun doing this, and I will also try this activity with my Earth Science students during the unit on meteorology. The Global Environment are in the proposal phase of their personal science projects. I have seen a lot of good ideas, but some other students are still struggling for inspiration. The director of the MOST (Museum of Science and Technology) visited as a guest speaker on Friday to help motivate students to enter their projects in the Greater Syracuse Scholastic Science Fair in March.
The ESF students are using my website on a near daily basis. The pilot study was successful. I now plan to gear up the use of my website with all Earth Science classes.
3) Topographic profiles are side views of land features (kind of like surface versions of geologic cross sections). Some of the Earth Science students are having a hard time converting contour line data (i.e. mapview) into profiles. Some are also still struggling with isolines and calculating gradient. I am going to review these three concepts in depth on Monday in preparation for the upcoming unit test.
I still don't have enough textbooks for all of my Global Environment students. So far I have been able to find meaningful supplemental readings on the web for students to read as homework (I think the reading on El Nino and La Nina was too involved, and I will use a more focused assignment next year). But students have their first presentations next week, and some had to sign out textbooks in order to work at home on their posters/powerpoints. I am looking forward to having a class set of textbooks. A few students unfortunately seem to have lost interest in the course, and will probably be dropping. They are extremely vague when I ask why they have lost interest.
4) On Wednesday, we had a Superintendent's Conference Day. All the science teachers met at the Museum of Science and Technology. We met with the district director of science, saw two planetarium presentations, and learned about really cool free software called Stellarium (www.stellarium.org). Then all the Earth Science Teachers met to discuss our favorite labs. It took some time, but I think the meeting was very productive. We put together a pretty good pile of labs that we will send to the science director. He is going to post them as links on the district website so that we all have digital access to them. Finally, we had a meeting about open inquiry in the science classroom. The meeting was facilitated by a professor from Syracuse University, and I think he will be visiting Corcoran to help us find ways to implement the Suchman method in our classroom. I stayed for a very cool IMAX movie about the Hubble Telescope (I would like to read a book about Hubble the Astronomer).
I also sat down for my exchange conference with my administrator. I chose Student Development (diversified instruction) and Reflection (nice!) as my areas of focus. We mainly talked about aligning grades with standardized test performance. He also mentioned that the main finding of our recent site review is that expectations are kept high for IB students, but dropped down for non-IB students. I think that this is a pervasive problem that should be addressed in our school as a priority, and I intend to address this personally in my classroom immediately. I now explicitly keep this notion in my mind while planning lessons.
My family is going to take a tour of the YMCA later today. We are going to become members next week. I really like the downtown building for basketball. But we will probably have to use the facilities in Fayetteville most often because they offer free childcare while your work out.
On a sad note, I took a half day on Tuesday. Laura's Uncle Bill passed away. I really enjoyed spending time with him - he will be missed. Marlyn and Billy are in my thoughts. Bill was buried next to a tombstone in the shape of the Carrier Dome. I think that he would appreciate that.
5. "It is getting Brick outside". "Cedar trees are ideal if you want to break wind".
The grades are really hurting in my fourth block class. A couple students get kicked out frequently; they have a hard time staying focused. But I think they are finally starting to come around. I am going to show them their grades compared to other classes on Monday. Hopefully that will inspire some motivation.
Two students want to design a new kind of mousetrap that will act as a guillotine. I needed to veto the idea for obvious safety reasons. I look forward to sharing other student projects with you in the future.
Attention: Reflection Formats
From now on, each post will attempt to follow the format below:
1) Update on use of technology in the classroom
2) Specifics on positive aspects of the week's lessons
3) How could the week's lessons have been improved?
4) Brief personal update (i.e. diary)
5) Behavioral anecdote or Student Quote
1) Update on use of technology in the classroom
2) Specifics on positive aspects of the week's lessons
3) How could the week's lessons have been improved?
4) Brief personal update (i.e. diary)
5) Behavioral anecdote or Student Quote
Six Week Reflection
Sleep deprivation has been a personal them for me these last two months. My wife and I have been adjusting to life with two kids (and the dissapearance of feet-kicking up). It has been a lot of work, and we are still acclimating to the new routines, but it is also exciting and incredibly fun to have established our family unit.
Unfortunately, due to lack of time, this reflective blog seems to have fallen by the wayside. As I write this, I am simultaneously holding my two-month old son, and monitoring the other as he loads and unloads his toy school bus with imaginary school children. As a personal mandate, I will now begin contributing to this blog on a weekly basis. Please bear with me, as in the interest of time, my writings may not always exude elocution.
Unfortunately, due to lack of time, this reflective blog seems to have fallen by the wayside. As I write this, I am simultaneously holding my two-month old son, and monitoring the other as he loads and unloads his toy school bus with imaginary school children. As a personal mandate, I will now begin contributing to this blog on a weekly basis. Please bear with me, as in the interest of time, my writings may not always exude elocution.
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