The M in STEM.

Hello All,

Math and science are beautifully intertwined.  No surprise, I have a great appreciation for many things STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) related.  The University of Cambridge NRICH is a wonderful resource for math and STEM activities.  There are elementary and secondary offerings for both students and teachers.  Curious, I clicked the lower level secondary link and followed the STEM link at the top of the page. This led to some interesting math based STEM activities under the Living World and Physical World.  I especially enjoyed exploring the genetics option.

Alcumus is another site that caught my attention in the online world of mathematics. If you are familiar with Math Counts, Math Counts Minis are available here. Students can compete with other students through AoPS for the Win, FTW!  FTW! encourages students development of skills for middle school level math competitions. Students can also take advantage of the adaptive curriculum that chooses questions based on the students previous performance.  There is quite the selection of short math videos.  If one prefers, there are math and programming courses that may be paid for as well.

Happy calculating,

Mrs. A

Where to Draw the Line: ADHD or Creativity and Imagination

Hello All,

There is much labeling in the educational system.  I understand the need for having systems of classification for the purpose of communicating.  Sometimes I’ve wondered if the labels lead to limitations and excuses for students, families, and those in the educational system.  Don’t get me wrong, sometimes these labels lead to students and families receiving much needed services from exceptional professionals and programs.  The last two months I’ve run across the article Why French Kids Don’t Have ADHD in a variety of publications.  I’m not here to argue on the matter, I rather you form your own educated opinion.  It reminded me of a great TEDTalk from a few years ago, Sir Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity.  Don’t worry, it is upbeat and relevant to teaching today no matter the grade level or subject area one has vested interest.  If anything, I hope you walk away with an appreciation for TEDTalks, a wonderful resource for educators.  Matter of fact, I recommend listening to the TEDTalk if you only have time to view either the article or the video.

Celebrating human creativity and imagination,

Mrs. A

Modern Technology or More 'Traditional' Paper Based Methods

Hello All,

Humor is important.  I believe both modern electronic technology and more 'traditional' paper based methods can be effective in the classroom. 

Happy viewing,

Mrs. A

Secondary Content Review...

On and off, it’s good to brush up on content.  Sometimes it is more a matter of looking for a source that will better reach students or to save the teacher time in creating videos/presentations for flipping lessons. Online learning is a great place to start.   Two sites I like that cover a variety of subject areas including science are Khan academy and  Hippocampus.  SparkNotes is another outstanding site covering many branches of science and other subject areas.  While the first two sites have video presentations, SparkNotes is truly in a written note format. 

Happy learning,

Mrs. A 

Lab Safety Training

Hello all,

The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI) and BioRAFT are offering a free lab safety webinar on June 25 from 1-2PM EDT with James Kaufmann, PhD presenting.  View the link for more information on topics to be covered.

The use of Flinn Safety Contracts and tests are popular in school districts around this area.  Flinn offers free online high school and middle school laboratory safety courses with a certificate option.  The site includes other safety related courses and PD opportunities as well.

Stay safe!

Mrs. A

Digital Footprints...

Hello all,

I find it ironic Google’s executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, thinks the Internet could use a delete button, since Google is busy collecting users information as they surf and contribute on the Internet in order to improve its search engine and marketing database.  This seems a change of heart from his previous anti-privacy comments from a few years ago.  Let’s face it, the youth we are teaching represent a significant portion of the data being collected.  Do they get it? Do they care??   

While I like to believe the majority of schools are doing their best to educate students and their families, I don’t think some students truly comprehend how what they post today could impact their university or employment prospects later.  As a digital immigrant, I’m still learning about privacy settings and how to protect my digital footprint, not to mention trying to keep up with the popular apps students are using such as Snapchat and Instagram.  The May 17, 2013 posting of the study, Learner Profiles: Middle School Learners and Technological Privacy, takes a closer look at the understanding middle school students have of their online actions.  While the study focuses on one specific school, it raises the question of how comparable these results are to the students we are teaching in our schools.

Enjoy the statistics,

Mrs. A

Some Music for Science

Hello all,

I was in a classroom last week with students singing the Bill Nye the Science Guy theme song.  OK...I gave them permission to sing it, if they knew it.  The brief encounter reminded me music can be a great hook for a lesson.  It can also be useful in helping students recall information and encourage them to become more familiar with vocabulary.  Here are some of my favorites in no particular order:

Greg Crowther Music Links  Plenty available for Biology, Life Science, and Biochem.

Coma Niddy University Science Raps  Dark Matter, String Theory, Nanotech, Gen Science.

Educational Science Raps Great Water Cycle Rap.

Mr. Lee Gen Science, Earth Science, Life Science.  Huge fan!!

Rhythm Rhyme Results  Gen Science, Earth Science, Life Science (some require payment).

AGHS Lab Safety Rap FREE Lab Safety Rap, uses the Lab Safety rap from Rhythm Rhyme Results.

The Singing Zoologist  The name says it all.  May be better suited for elementary students.

Have Fun Teaching  Quite a variety here, including subjects other than science.

The Hurricane Song Classic song about hurricanes.

The Element Song Classic by Tom Lehrer.  Updated list, including elements Fl and Lv from 2012.

Mr. Edmond’s Density to the tune Popular  He has many other, mostly Physical Science, videos with visuals here.

I’ll save the Mole Day goodies for closer to the special date ;-).

Happy listening,

Mrs. A