1) This week, Earth Science students completed a lab that involved weather maps, and drawing isotherms and isobars on the maps. The document camera was an invaluable tool for me to demonstrate for students as guided practice. After grading the lab, I am happy with the work that my students were able to complete as individual practice. I think the examples (and my thought process) that I projected with the document camera gave my students the understanding and the confidence that they needed to complete the lab successfully. I also introduced the concept of weather station models with the document camera, and have been projecting regents questions as DINS (I want to do this for at least 50% of my DINS for the rest of the year).
2) The ESF students did very well on the MP1 exam. It was a 10 question essay-style test that incorporated all the concepts that we have studied so far this year. The class average on the exam was 78%. Earth Science students are understanding isolines, and did well on the meterology VOCAB quiz. They can also use psychrometer data to fine Dew point and relative humidity.
3) I am finding that students are having great difficulty decoding regents questions. They can usually read the words fine, but have no idea what the question is asking them. For example, I wanted students to answer the following question: "Describe two actions that can be taken to prepare for a forecasted severe snow event". Every student would have answered this correctly if it had said "what can you do to get ready for a coming snow storm". This should have been a gimme question, but it wasn't. Some students did not know what the word "severe " meant". I told my students that on exams they can ask me the meaning of adjectives, and I can tell them what it means. I am just not allowed to define any science vocab for them. As a class structure, I am going to pair students by ability to decode regents questions like this. One student will reword the question in his/her own words, and then the partner will try to answer it. This should increase confidence and ability of all students to correctly answer regents question. I am going to strongly focus on 'decoding' practice. My students understand the science that I teach them, I need to make sure that they can apply and demonstrated this knowledge with the framework of a standardized test.
4) Very unseasonably warm weather today. We are bringing Evan to the zoo, which I think he is really going to enjoy. We are going to become members of the zoo and the Museum of Science and Technology. The MoST is an asset for the Syracuse community, and I am happy to support them as a member. Syracuse football beat Rutgers and have secured a bowl game (nice surprise). Also, played basketball yesterday at Onondaga Park with some Corcoran students. My game is not in very good shape, but it feels good to take advantage of this weather while it lasts. Strong winds today, probably some approaching precipitation.
5) I have an Earth Science students (we will call him QP). On Tuesday he showed up wearing thick black-frame eye glasses. He was engaged for the entire class period, and successfully completed the assignment. On Wednesday, he came to class without the glasses, did not complete the assignment, put his head down, and did not participate in class at all. I told him it is the "Tale of two QPs", and asked that he please wear his glasses to class from now on.
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