1) My ESF students completed their research projects by the deadline, and nine of the students entered the GSSSF (Greater Syracuse Scholastic Science Fair). One project (on Onondaga Lake's pH levels and fish populations) won the top prize in the environmental science category. Another student won an award from Syracuse University (a $5000/yr scholarship for four years). It was a very positive experience for my students, and the use of excel really helped to bring their projects to the next level. Personally, I have become more confident in my skills to help students with the newer version of excel. Upon arrival at the science fair I was recruited to judge the 5th grade projects. Some highlights:
"Help, I want to make pumpkin bread, but I don't have any baking powder, what do I do?": The student explored various pumkin bread recipes utilizing several alternatives to baking powder.
"Homemade Telephone": showed that empty yogurt containers and fishing line will allow for telephonic communication up to distances of 150 meters.
"London Bridges": Determined that graphite reinforcement on steel bridge components will accelerate corrosion. This seems a little advanced for such a young student, but he was incredibly well-spoken. In this case, I was NOT smarter than a 5th grader.
Earth Science students have been modeling the Earth's layers (both graphically and by manipulating food items such as peanut M&M's and Milky Way bars. They have also successfully learned how to locate an epicenter using 3 seismograms, a map, a compass, and page 11 of the Earth Science Reference Tables. I cannot really imagine teaching this skill without a document camera and a projector. Smart Notebook allowed me to add colored lines to illustrate examples on page 11 from the reference tables.
2) Earth Science students seemed to enjoy drawing scale models of the Earth's Interior, and I think it really helped them to conceptualize the difference between layers (density, etc.). The model were constructed on receipt paper, and are now decorating the walls in my classroom.
The ESF students have been very interested to learn about the historic nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl (25 years ago). It is also timely, as we have been making connections to Japan's current nuclear crisis. We are learning about all of this within the context of energy use.
3) I assigned a lab that included a map of NYS, and students were required to plot New York's historic earthquakes on this map (to show the relationship between quake locations and bedrock fractures). The map didn't print out darkly enough, and the longitude and latitude were difficult to read. I need to recreate this map for the next time I assign this lab.
4) We are watching some final four basketball. Butler just defeated VCU. That Butler team plays well. I hope they win the championship.
My wife just said "did you hear that they are marketing mini-giraffes that fit in the palm of your hands in Russia". I did not hear about that. But it sounds intriguing and disturbing, I need to look into this. Apparently over 5,000 people are on the waiting list for these mini-giraffes that fit in the palm of your hands. Maybe I can come up with a lesson out of this.
5) One of my top students of all time was injured from a hit and run on Friday evening. She is a good, strong, bright kid, and I am hoping for a speedy and full recovery. There should be good things to come in her future.
No comments:
Post a Comment