1) Students will be adding their first reflection this week to their eportfolios. They will be selecting one assignment that they have completed this year, creating a response about what they gained from the assignment, and then writing about what could be done to improve/revise the piece. Students will then create a final draft that incorporates their ideas for improvement. These three documents will be posted to their website, and they will receive their first homework grade for the 3rd marking period.
Some students have asked "why are we creating these" or said "I don't know why we are doing this". I have described the eportfolios to them as more professional alternatives to Facebook. I have also invited students to think of them as a sort of virtual resume - a way to show themselves to the world (including potential employers and universities). It is a place for them to display and reflect upon the things of which they are proud (i.e. activities, achievements, and assignments). I believe that the students are going to experience real educational and personal gains through the use of their eportfolios. It will also be a way for them to share the data that they collect as part of their research projects.
Earth Science students are working on a 25-question multiple choice homework assignment on www.castlelearning.com (all past regents questions). The due date is Tuesday 1/25, and the topic is astronomy and the universe. I am friends with 48/71 Earth Science students on facebook, and I invited them all to the homework assignment as an "event". Maybe that will impact the homework completion rate?
2. I used the Oreo cookie method to teach moon phases to the Earth Science students. I used the document camera to review the 8 phases of the moon diagram. Then each group was given 8 oreo cookies, a plastic untensil, and a a paper plate. They then had to twist open the oreos, and scrape off the cream filling to create the 8 phases, and then place them in the correct sequence on their paper plates. This was a good concrete learning experience for my students. I have also been using a toy constellation projector to remind students that polaris tends to stay in about the same spot in the sky, while the other stars apear to move in circular paths around it. Maybe they just like having the lights off, but the students seem to enjoy the classroom as 'planetarium' experience.
There is a popular rap artist by the name of Lil' Wayne. During the moon phase lessons, I made constant reference to Lil' Wayne. When the light is on the left, the moon is getting little (waning). The moon is little wayneing. 99% of my students will remember this.
3. The Oreo mooon phase lab took a little bit longer that I had anticipated, and two classes did not finish answering the analysis questions. Students spent a lot of time getting the phases exactly correct, and often had to go back to their 'reservoirs' of scraped cream to make repairs to their moons. It was actually a good thing though that students made mistakes, and then corrected them - it facilitated a real learning process for them and gave them a sense of self-efficacy by the end.
4. I went ice-fishing for the first time last weekend. We set tip-ups for northern pikes, and jigged for perch. I caught about 10 small perch, but returned them all to the lake. My big catch was a 29-inch long pike. My neighbor grew up near Oneida Lake, and has a lot of experience ice-fishing. He helped me fillet the fish, and then we fried up the fillets for dinner last night. It tasted great, and it gave me a sense of self-efficacy to provide a nutritious meal for my family with my "own bare hands".
5. "That word foci is so cute" - student in reference to the vocab word meaning the two central points of an ellipse. My classes refer to this as the "f-word".
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Reflection 10 (1/17/11)
1) Seventeen of my students have created their own eportfolios. If you visit my website, you will see that I have added a navigation to the eportfolios in the sidebar. So far, the students have only created a skeleton (photo, introduction, and hypothesis for their research project). Next week, they will add their first reflection and document to their portfolios. Some students were wondering "why are we doing this". I said that it was kind of like a more professional alternative to facebook, and a place for them to display work and achievements of which they are proud (i.e. something to include on a resume).
2) Earth Science is working through the astronomy unit. My son has a toy turtle, that lights up and projects constellations on the ceiling. This toy is desiged for 2-6 year olds, but it is actually somewhat representative of the night sky, and my students loved it. The laser pointer was key here. We compared the projection to Google sky projected from my computer. Students were excited to see their "astrological" constellation. Students also completed the Sun's path lab, and before the lab, I pulled up a Sun's path simulator online to show how the path of the sun changes throughout the year and with latitude. Students also successfully completed the ellipse lab.
3) In the instruction for the sun's path lab, I need to provide more clear instructions on how to use the proctractor to determine the sun's zenith (altitude at solar noon). I should also provide tape for students to use to tape the dome to the "compass" paper.
4) I woke to use the bathroom in the middle of the night a few days ago, and the light was on in Evan's room. I opened the door, and he had every book in his room pulled off the shelf, and opened to the first page sitting on his floor. When he saw me, he ran and hid in his closet. Then slowly, he poked his head around the corner with a hilarious smile on his face.
Today, I am going ice-fishing for the first time. I am looking forward to a new experience, and bringing dinner home for my family.
5) Two girls in my third block class are verbally fighting over a male student in the class. Several other female students in the classroom have been instigating it. This immaturity and childish behavior are the root of frustrations for a high school teacher. Students should be learning, not bickering and worrying about who said what, blah, blah, blah. I realize that these are kids with a lot of things on their minds. My goal as a teacher is to have them care enough about Earth Science to have that on their minds as well.
2) Earth Science is working through the astronomy unit. My son has a toy turtle, that lights up and projects constellations on the ceiling. This toy is desiged for 2-6 year olds, but it is actually somewhat representative of the night sky, and my students loved it. The laser pointer was key here. We compared the projection to Google sky projected from my computer. Students were excited to see their "astrological" constellation. Students also completed the Sun's path lab, and before the lab, I pulled up a Sun's path simulator online to show how the path of the sun changes throughout the year and with latitude. Students also successfully completed the ellipse lab.
3) In the instruction for the sun's path lab, I need to provide more clear instructions on how to use the proctractor to determine the sun's zenith (altitude at solar noon). I should also provide tape for students to use to tape the dome to the "compass" paper.
4) I woke to use the bathroom in the middle of the night a few days ago, and the light was on in Evan's room. I opened the door, and he had every book in his room pulled off the shelf, and opened to the first page sitting on his floor. When he saw me, he ran and hid in his closet. Then slowly, he poked his head around the corner with a hilarious smile on his face.
Today, I am going ice-fishing for the first time. I am looking forward to a new experience, and bringing dinner home for my family.
5) Two girls in my third block class are verbally fighting over a male student in the class. Several other female students in the classroom have been instigating it. This immaturity and childish behavior are the root of frustrations for a high school teacher. Students should be learning, not bickering and worrying about who said what, blah, blah, blah. I realize that these are kids with a lot of things on their minds. My goal as a teacher is to have them care enough about Earth Science to have that on their minds as well.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Reflection 9 (01/09/11)
1) The Earth Science students have a break through with using facebook. Several students used the vocab list that was posted on facebook to study for the astronomy vocab quiz, and the average score on the quiz was passing. The classmarker quiz was not a success - not enough students took the quiz. The success rate with the castle learning homework assignment was better but not stellar. Castle learning uses the same login and password as district computers, which I think makes it more user-friendly for students. I have also asked that students change their profile picture to their favorite planet for extra credit. In the classroom, we have used the LCD projector to view videos on the expanding universe and images of the planets of our solar system. Astronomy is not something that students can "touch", so I think the video supplements were very important.
2) The Big Bang Theory is quite, well, theoretical, and it is not really possible for students to fully grasp the concept by just talking or reading about it. The "Expanding Universe" video provided some exciting images to illustrate the theory of how the universe originated. I paused the video frequently to discuss the material, and pointed out that for all the complexity of the theory, the supportive evidence is simple, namely, Hubble's "red shift" evidence for an ever-expanding Universe. Sagan's "Pale Blue Dot" and "Cosmos" really informed my understanding and teaching of these concepts.
3) The introductory notes (powerpoint with graphic organizer) were too long. After teaching it to my first block class, I decided to break the notes into two class periods, and inserted vocab activities and video clips in order to provide the lessons with variability.
4) A virus has made its way through my entire family the last few weeks (on the bright side, we now possess herd immunity). I was the last to get it, and had to take the first sick day of my career on Thursday. The ESF students were studying the Tragedy of the Commons, and looked at an Onondaga Lake article as a case study. Earth Science students completed a graphing lab about sunspots and solar activity. We've had some lake effect snow, and Evan has enjoyed playing in it. Marty is four months old, and is starting to show his personality. He laughs almost constantly - could not have asked for a better baby. The kids really enjoy visiting their grandparents, and their grandparents enjoy having them. As a bonus, Laura and I get some time to just be.
Laura has committed to consuming meats that are local and/or free range. I have always enjoyed the meals she cooks, and now they are even better. For example, I ate the best bacon of my entire life this morning (nitrate-free!).
We watched I Heart Huckabees yesterday, which is relevant because it addresses our interconnected existence with regard to the universe. Also, I am reading Chris Hedge's "Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle".
5) "You are a genius" -student's flattering exclamation in response to my verbal introduction to the universe.
2) The Big Bang Theory is quite, well, theoretical, and it is not really possible for students to fully grasp the concept by just talking or reading about it. The "Expanding Universe" video provided some exciting images to illustrate the theory of how the universe originated. I paused the video frequently to discuss the material, and pointed out that for all the complexity of the theory, the supportive evidence is simple, namely, Hubble's "red shift" evidence for an ever-expanding Universe. Sagan's "Pale Blue Dot" and "Cosmos" really informed my understanding and teaching of these concepts.
3) The introductory notes (powerpoint with graphic organizer) were too long. After teaching it to my first block class, I decided to break the notes into two class periods, and inserted vocab activities and video clips in order to provide the lessons with variability.
4) A virus has made its way through my entire family the last few weeks (on the bright side, we now possess herd immunity). I was the last to get it, and had to take the first sick day of my career on Thursday. The ESF students were studying the Tragedy of the Commons, and looked at an Onondaga Lake article as a case study. Earth Science students completed a graphing lab about sunspots and solar activity. We've had some lake effect snow, and Evan has enjoyed playing in it. Marty is four months old, and is starting to show his personality. He laughs almost constantly - could not have asked for a better baby. The kids really enjoy visiting their grandparents, and their grandparents enjoy having them. As a bonus, Laura and I get some time to just be.
Laura has committed to consuming meats that are local and/or free range. I have always enjoyed the meals she cooks, and now they are even better. For example, I ate the best bacon of my entire life this morning (nitrate-free!).
We watched I Heart Huckabees yesterday, which is relevant because it addresses our interconnected existence with regard to the universe. Also, I am reading Chris Hedge's "Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle".
5) "You are a genius" -student's flattering exclamation in response to my verbal introduction to the universe.
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