Friday, December 2

Hey!!! It is me again!!

We are changing our plans for next week. I am going to review with the kids on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. This will make our test on Thursday. The kids will have plenty of time to practice this way. I am hoping it will help them. I, also, changed the vocabulary quiz, too. I have deleted the quiz from this Wednesday and it will be included in on the test next Thursday. I have given the students the directions for what they need to be successful. They have the list of terms, too. I have the directions and words posted on the boards in my room. These words are so important and I am hoping this extra time and practice will help them. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at tphipps@minfordfalcons.net.

Thursday, December 1

Hello to all!!

After we started working on our activity for today, that we labeled LAB #4, I have decided that our test over genetics will be next Wednesday. We will finish our activity from today on Monday and then I have a review sheet that I want to do with them the rest of Monday and Tuesday. This sheet will be like what the test is going to be like. If something happens and we cannot through the review by the end of Tuesday, then we will move our test to Thursday. I want to make sure that we go over that review sheet very well, since the test will be modeled like it. Tomorrow is Friday and it will be our vocabulary day. Some of the students will be performing their songs for us. The others have already done so. I have to say that the songs have been very good, so far. I am looking forward to hearing the rest of them. Have a good weekend and I will be on here again next week!

Wednesday, November 30

Hello!

We had a pop quiz today over six of the vocabulary terms I gave them two weeks ago. I have been telling them since then that they need to know these terms very well and be able to use them in conversation. When we started class yesterday, and they still had trouble with them, even after I had been working with them with the kids, I decided they needed to realize that I was not joking around. They really do need to be able to use these words as they discuss genetics.

I am working on trying to start digital storyboards with the kids, if I can find the right programs for them to use. It would be such a great experience for them to get to use another computer tool. We will try to start it next week. Lucky for us, they have to do drawing and writing at first and then go to the computer. I will have a little more time to find the right program.

When we have our test over genetics, it will be part on paper and part on the Smart board. I can see them in action on the board. It is very cool! The kids love it, too! It may be Monday or Tuesday of next week. It just depends on how long it takes us to get all the review completed. Well, have a great weekend and I will talk to you again next week. Don't forget that we do our vocabulary on Friday's. The songs we have been working on are turning out so good!!!

Thursday, November 17

Hello, All!!!

Sorry I have not been on here before now, but I have been out sick the past two days. I wish I could kick whatever has gotten a hold of me, but it has me good. This week we started the reproductive system and heredity. We are looking at the reproductive system as it relates to heredity and not a sex education class. This is what I have told my classes. They still giggle at some of the terms, but at least they know what we are going to study. Monday, we started on the terms we will be using, but didn't get to finish them. I had the sub show them videos on genes and heredity Tuesday and Wednesday. We are going to try and finish up the terms today, but some classes may not. If that happens, then we will finish them on Monday, November 21st. Remember that Friday's are our vocabulary day, so tomorrow they will be working on their vocabulary. This time around they are writing a song to sing using their words. I have to say that it has been very interesting to hear some of the tunes and lyrics they have come up with! They can be very creative, when they want to be.

Now, next week will be a short one because of Thanksgiving break. We will only be here Monday and Tuesday. We will finish up any of the vocabulary that was started this week on Monday, if we have to, and then I have some heredity activities for them. On Tuesday, we will do some more heredity activities. There is a Punnett square activity that is really fun. It shows all the possible combinations for offspring based on the parents genotype. You will have to ask your child what genotype means. It is one of our vocabulary words. :-) I do NOT send home any work over the break. I don't give homework anyway, but just to make sure you know that there will not be work during our break. Oh, the body systems project turned out very well for our first computer tool project. I am really looking forward to the next one and what the kids can do!!! I need to get the grades in the computer, though, so bear with me. I am playing catch up from being out those days. Well, have a great Thanksgiving and I will talk to you again after the break.

Monday, November 7

Hello! I am trying to get a post in early this week. It is going to be a short week this because of veteran's day on Friday. There is no school. We will not be doing any vocabulary this week, since we will not be here on Friday. The kids are working on their body system projects today and tomorrow and, hopefully, will be completed tomorrow. I would love to start presentations on Wednesday. It should only take Wednesday and Thursday to complete the presentations. I hope you get the time to have your child show you their class wiki. The pages are really exciting. Next Tuesday, November 16, we will be having a 2-hour delay for a teacher in-service. Have a great week and I will talk to you next week!

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!