1) Earth Science students are learning about the Earth's interior. I created a voki to introduce the topic (http://www.voki.com/mywebsite.php). Xtranormal is better because you can actually create a conversation, and the program is very user friendly. Xtranormal's downfall is that you are only given enough "points" to create one video (although this video can be very long). A Voki account allows the user to make unlimited videos. However, the voki only allows for monologues, which are not as natural as 'socratic' conversations. Also the Voki avatars tend to read through text too quickly, and there is a limit to the number of characters you can use. But, in the end, you cannot beat Voki's price. I plan to create an additional Xtranormal account and use Voki more throughout the remainder of the school year.
On March 10th, there was an earthquake off the northern coast of Japan. The quake generated a massive tsunami that washed away entire cities and caused significant damage to several nuclear reactors. Dangerous amounts of radiation were potentially released within a 20 mile radius from one of the reactors. Fortunately, a complete meltdown of Chernobyl proportions has been avoided. The utter destruction and loss of life for the Japanese people places one's own personal stresses in stark perspective. Current economic conditions threaten (in very real ways) to undermine the educational experiences offered by our schools. But at least our schools and our students are still standing. Our problems pale in comparison.
2. Earth Science students are beginning their unit on "The Dynamic Crust". Obviously I have used the events in Japan as a 'teachable moment'. I used several video clips from National Geographic, BBC News, and CNN to frame our discussion of earthquakes. Students had already completed the vocab for the unit, and these video clips helped to connect the vocabulary to the real world. Students asked several good questions about the earthquake and tsunami. These before and after photos worked really well with the Smartboard: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html
3. ESF students have been busy preparing their independent research projects. Many of my students will be participating in the GSSSF (Greater Syracuse Scholastic Science Fair) at Solvay High School next Sunday. I think that the lesson I learned here is to provide more guidance with independent research. Students picked their topics in October, and I reminded them periodically to make sure they were keeping up with the research, and also required students to reflect on their progress. Next year I will provide much more rigid guidelines in terms of due dates and expectations. I will also factor in more time for peer critiques of progress (as would be done in a college research seminar).
For me personally, there has been a significant learning curve with the use of the new Windows 7 Excel program. It takes some getting used to, but young scientists can actually do more with it, and it is somewhat user friendly after completing a lot of trials and errors.
4. Spring arrived in Syracuse this week (March is finally converting itself into lamb form). It was 60 degrees in Syracuse on St. Patrick's Day, which made for nice conditions during Syracuse's annual city/county-wide party. The participation level of Syracuse residents on this holiday is impressive, albeit perhaps a bit excessive.
Be sure to check out the moon tonight (March 19), its going to be a clear night. The moon is at its perigee (closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit). This happens once a month but rarely coincides with a full moon like tonight.
5. Student 1: "Oh, you have coffee, I always wanted to taste coffee. Is it good?"
Student 2: "It not like really good, but its good to drink...its a good thing to drink with like toast".
Student 1: "Do you like Dunkin Donuts coffee?"
Student 2: "No, its too sweet".
Student 1: "That's why people like it. My grandma be tearin' up some Dunkin' Donuts coffee".
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Reflection 14: Return of the Teacher (3/12/11)
1) It feels like much time has elapsed since I last contributed. If you check my website, you will see that I added a link in the sidebar to a few examples of xtranormal videos that my students made (inspired by Jim Ciciarelli). Here is an exemplar: http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/11374652/
It was set up as one 15 minute station in a review activity for the upcoming exam on rocks and minerals. Xtranormal is a cool site, but you can only make one video for free. I still need to figure out if you can delete a movie, and then make another for free, I'm not sure that you can. I really want to use this site again in a more substantial assignment. You can really get going with a Socratic dialogue in these videos.
The ESF students have been progressing with their research projects and worked on creating charts and graphs this week (they will analyze and evaluate next week). My goal is to have everyone participate in the Greater Syracuse Scholastic Science Fair (GSSSF). As a teacher, I have had some difficulty with these projects. There is a delicate balance between giving students too much guidance and ensuring they claim authentic ownership of their research projects. The students should be using their own ideas - not mine, and that should make these projects exciting. I am currently participating in an on-line training seminar that discusses this same conflict with regards to student projects. In the future, I plan to give students mini-projects with more guidance at the beginning of the year, and gradually wean them. Then, by mid-year, when it is time to begin the research project, they will be able to approach the problem/question more independently and with more ownership.
2. Students were really into the xtranormal videos. Even though it was just one station, it promoted engagement throughout the entire lesson as students were anticipating their opportunity to make a video. The rock identification labs were also a success. I think that students are really going to do well on the rocks/minerals exam next week, despite the homework disappointment...
3. Students were assigned 30 multiple choice questions on www.castlelearning.com, and were given 8 days to complete the assignment. Only 20 out of 70 students completed the assignment, despite daily reminders from me, and having the assignment posted on the blackboard. What can I do to increase my homework completion rate?
4. Monday is my 30th birthday. Looking forward to a night out at Dino BBQ with the family.
5. A student walked into my room yesterday and said "Mr. Williams, a girl in my class said that your 40th birthday is coming up! I thought you were only in, like, your early 30's". Perhaps I will shave off my beard in celebration of the upcoming spring (vernal) equinox.
It was set up as one 15 minute station in a review activity for the upcoming exam on rocks and minerals. Xtranormal is a cool site, but you can only make one video for free. I still need to figure out if you can delete a movie, and then make another for free, I'm not sure that you can. I really want to use this site again in a more substantial assignment. You can really get going with a Socratic dialogue in these videos.
The ESF students have been progressing with their research projects and worked on creating charts and graphs this week (they will analyze and evaluate next week). My goal is to have everyone participate in the Greater Syracuse Scholastic Science Fair (GSSSF). As a teacher, I have had some difficulty with these projects. There is a delicate balance between giving students too much guidance and ensuring they claim authentic ownership of their research projects. The students should be using their own ideas - not mine, and that should make these projects exciting. I am currently participating in an on-line training seminar that discusses this same conflict with regards to student projects. In the future, I plan to give students mini-projects with more guidance at the beginning of the year, and gradually wean them. Then, by mid-year, when it is time to begin the research project, they will be able to approach the problem/question more independently and with more ownership.
2. Students were really into the xtranormal videos. Even though it was just one station, it promoted engagement throughout the entire lesson as students were anticipating their opportunity to make a video. The rock identification labs were also a success. I think that students are really going to do well on the rocks/minerals exam next week, despite the homework disappointment...
3. Students were assigned 30 multiple choice questions on www.castlelearning.com, and were given 8 days to complete the assignment. Only 20 out of 70 students completed the assignment, despite daily reminders from me, and having the assignment posted on the blackboard. What can I do to increase my homework completion rate?
4. Monday is my 30th birthday. Looking forward to a night out at Dino BBQ with the family.
5. A student walked into my room yesterday and said "Mr. Williams, a girl in my class said that your 40th birthday is coming up! I thought you were only in, like, your early 30's". Perhaps I will shave off my beard in celebration of the upcoming spring (vernal) equinox.
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