Friday, November 4, 2011

Hello, to everyone!

I am so very sorry that I have not been on here in such a long time. I got sick the week after my last posting and missed a few days of school. I feel like I have been playing catch up ever since. We completed our cell models and I have to say that there were some very interesting models created! I really enjoy seeing what the students come up with. We are now working on the various body systems. I did my seating charts again, so the students are sitting with new people in here. Each group was given a body system to research and the directions for the project. Here is where the fun part starts! I introduced them to a new way of presenting their projects. It is a computer tool called a wiki. This is a place where they can put images and video clips on the page. It is a web address, so they can access it from home, when they are absent or want to work on it at home. Each class period has their own wiki. They are set up using the class period. For example, my first period class will use www.mmsfirstperiod.wikispaces.com/ as their wiki address. The other classes just change the number of the class period. My fourth period will put fourth where first is, fifth will put fifth where first period, sixth will put sixth where first is, and seventh will put seventh where first is. It would be so nice for you to ask your child about the wiki and have him/her to show it to you! What better way to learn more about something than to teach it to someone else. The directions for their project are on the wiki, too, so they will always be close by. I hope to finish the wiki by Tuesday of next week and do the presentations on Wednesday and Thursday. Do not forget that we do not have school next Friday because of veterans day. Well, I hope all of you have a great weekend and I will talk to you next week!

Friday, October 21

Hello! Wow, have we been busy. We finished up our look at the scientific method and started working on plant and animal cells. The students will be making models of the two cells. I have given them the directions for what they need to do and the analysis sheet to the models. The models will be put together Monday and Tuesday of next week. After that, we will start our body systems projects. These will be put on our class wiki. I am so excited to have them start using another computer tool. This one is very fun. They can even open it from home and work with it. The first nine weeks ends today, so report cards will be out next Friday. The plays that the students have written and performed, using their vocabulary words, have turned out very well. The only mistake was with asexual reproduction. We discussed it after the play were finished, so that they can see where their mistake was. I have to say that it is a hard concept to understand, since there are no males or females involved. They have a hard time understanding an organism can have offspring without a male and a female. Well, have a good weekend and I will talk to you next week!

October 12, 2011

Hello, on this wet Wednesday. We are finishing up with lab safety and moving to the scientific method. I gave the kids the list of steps and had them write down, from the Smart board, what those steps mean. I tried to help them see the connection between the steps and how they are all connected to each other. I think it worked out very well. We will be starting to look at the science fair and what all that means. For those that participate in the fair, their projects will have to be completed on their own time. We will not be using class time for working on projects. The first big obstacle for them is going to be coming up with a question that will work. They need to have an experiment to test something and not a demonstration that shows something. They want to do more of the demonstrations. After our discussion on the scientific method, I am hoping they have a better understanding of the difference between the two. Don't forget that our field trip to Bob Evans Farm Festival is this Friday the 14th of October. Students will need to bring a sack lunch or money to buy lunch there. Crafts are available to buy, as well. I am hoping for good weather that day and it is not too muddy. Well, that is about it for now. Talk to you next week.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Hello!!! What an interesting week we have had. The students have been working on a safety pamphlet in class. I got some very interesting pamphlets returned to me after two days of working. They are really getting into the plays for vocabulary day (Friday). Any free time they have, they want to practice. I think that is totally awesome! Tomorrow, we are going to work with the Smart board and practice with more lab safety situations. Next week, we will begin the scientific method and start talking about the science fair. The science fair is optional. I do give extra credit to those who participate, but the student has to follow the scientific method and it has to be an experiment and not a demonstration. This seems to be the hard part for students to understand. We will discuss it next week. Have a great weekend.

Friday, Sept. 30

Hello! I am sorry that it has been such a long time since I have been on here. I was sick last week and then I have been playing catch up this week. We are working on lab safety right now. Interims came out today, so be looking for them. I only need them signed and returned if your child's grade is a 'D' or an 'F'. We have not included the extra credit, yet, so don't forget those points. They will be added at the end of the grading period. The students will be creating a lab safety pamphlet next week in class. I have a lab safety activity for them to complete on Monday. They will get to use the safety goggles for it. I am sure they will have fun getting to wear them. Since it is Friday, we working on our vocabulary. They are writing a play and using the eight words in their play. This really challenged their creativity and imagination. Some of the students really got into it, though, and worked very hard. It is funny to listen to them work out their plays. I will be back on track with posting on Monday's or Tuesday's next week. Hope you have a great weekend.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Hello!

Sorry I am late this week, but it has been a hectic week. I was not here on Monday and then we had to get things all finished up yesterday. We are currently working on a packet of questions over observation/inference that I put together for the students. We should finish it tomorrow (Thursday). Friday will still be our vocabulary day, so they can finish up the descriptions for any terms left over from last Friday and we can play games using these new terms. Tomorrow, I am going to play Jeopardy with the kids to review observation/inference. I really do not like giving tests on Monday, but the schedule just worked out that they will have one this coming Monday. I will let them work together on it, since we have done everything else together over observation/inference. If you have any questions, please ask me. Have a good weekend.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Hello, All!!

This week we are studying observation and inference. Tuesday will be the day we take down the definitions and discuss examples of them. We will look at qualitative and quantitative observations, too. Wednesday will be a day for activities over observation and inference. The students will be keeping these in their folders. On Thursday, I am going to take the kids to the computer lab so they can work on their class blogs. This blog will be used for classroom purposes only. Don't forget that Friday is our vocabulary day. The students will be getting new terms this week. Next week, we will work on some more examples of observation and inference and then have a test. It will be a different type of test, though. I let them work on this one together. Sometimes, I do tests this way. It just depends on the type of test. Have a great week!