Goals for this week in science.....

WHAT AM I DOING TO HELP KIDS ACHIEVE?

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY ARE THERE?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?

     I have to say that I am cautiously hopeful.  I administered both Lawson Tests and the MOSART test to all my classes.  It was quick, painless and provided me with unbelievable information.  I actually have a handle of what students do know, what they do not know and some misconceptions they may have. Regardless of how they do on their SLO's, I think I will probably always do some form of this.  I even found some scoring guidlines for the Lawson test that is helpful.

     The goal for this week...we will be doing Gas laws this week in Academic.  We have already done the particulate level with "scientists tool chest".  I found a great Charle's Law lab that is quick and easy.  I hope to hit the students with the Legos idea we used last year and do a POGIL with the two labs we are doing.  In Accelerated, we are going to hit measurements and sig figs but I also have a POGIL we are doing with Sig Figs.  So far...so good...but it is only the second full week of school....

Assessment Nirvana.....

WHAT AM I DOING TO HELP KIDS ACHIEVE?

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY ARE THERE?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?

     I never thought I would ever put those words together...."assessment" and "Nirvana".  If you were to have asked me last year, I would have described it as the book title, "Alexander's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day".  Thanks to the timu program and a perfect storm of stuff, it actually might work out that something i did worked well.

     

     Here is the scoop.  First, i used the mosart test from harvard and some multi tiered questions on modeling.  I put them into a google form (with permission).  Kids took it on a wide variety of devices.  I got the results and graded it with "flubaroo".  I pasted the raw data and flubaroo results into a pre existing spread sheet that I created.  The spreadsheet did a couple of things.  First, it color coded all the answers based on if they were right, wrong or a documented misconception.  at a quick glance i can tell what kids know, do not know, or think they know but don't.  next each question was put into a category ("bonding", "periodic table", etc).  Finally, i linked each question to a site i created that has a list of pogil, timu or amta activities i can use for that topic.  the results have also started a great conversation with other teachers.

     also, thanks to bob worley, i think i might have a hoffman apparatus that works.  i made it with lead electrodes, some cheap tupperware, marine epoxy and , thanks to cincinnati bell, a modem charger that gives 12 volts.  I will keep you posted on this one.....

Gearing up for 1 more mile

WHAT AM I DOING TO HELP KIDS ACHIEVE?

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY ARE THERE?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?

  Just got back from chem ed 2015.  Friday morning I went for a run in the hot, humid, atlanta weather.  I was debating as I was getting closer to the hotel...do I go for 1 more mile and push myself a bit?

     Kelly Ramey from Tennessee showed me how she does modeling on a budget.  The assessment she gives provides drawings and then asks for a description and then she provides a description and says show me the drawing.

    I was thrilled to talk to the vernier people.  Graphical analysis is now a free chrome app.  once you input the data, just click and drag and it will provide the equation and statistics of the line.

     Erica posthumas adams had some great stuff on modeling.  I learned how to do gas laws but then to do a grid.  The top row has the variables.  the first column has "I" ( initial), "F" (final) and "E" (effect).  Kids see the relationships on multiple levels and looks like an "ice" table for gas laws.  She talked about "for every statement".  Instead of saying "1.8 g per milliter" it is always 1.8 grams for every one milliliter.  In "what makes an atom stick" students use electricity to see if water breaks down, if compounds and elements conduct in different situations.  If that is the case, whatever makes atoms stick must have something to do with electricity.  It is also a really cool way to tell if when you do the copper II chloride and Al reaction, what the "red" stuff is.  If it conducts, it might be a metal, if not, it could be a compound????

     Bob Worley showed some amazing ways to do microscale chemistry that I had never seen before.

     Above all else, Project TIMU came to a close.  We all did 15 minute presentations.  It was standing room only.  The reception was overwhelming positive.

     So the question is....as I am running Friday morning and during the year...do I go the extra mile?

     Absolutely.....