Monday, April 26, 2010

Week 32, Day 1: A hard easy

Even Block Schedule. More chemistry tests.

My ears were partially plugged up today and I felt kinda groggy. I'm not liking all of the review-review-review.

This is my penance for spending 2.5 weeks too long on Astronomy last Fall.

WE WILL DO A LAB TOMORROW in some form or I will go nuts.

I am developing a new mini lab series for the last unit of the year.  Organic Chemistry.  It only has 2 or 3 questions of the state test and there fore often gets overlooked or just skipped. This took some time.

I review the New chemistry benchmark tests my colleagues and I made.  This took some time.

Kids were in at lunch taken care of missing or miss scored assignments/  This took some time.

A colleague needs some information from me and I just did not have time to get it too him.  This frustrates me to let a colleague down.  He will have it first thing in the morning.

We will be doing the Alka Seltzer (expansion solid to liquid and effect of heat and reaction speed) lab tomorrow if time allows.

My students were really good today despite my frustration and weariness.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 31, Day 5: TGIF Seasonal Burnout

ODD block schedule: bench mark test on chemical reactions.

We were going to take both chemical reactions and periodic table benchmark tests but review went a bit long each period and I wisely elected to have students take only one.

I met my 3 students that were terribly disrespectful to me last class meeting  with light saber on my utility belt. Unlike the picture of Yoda, I didn't use my light saber, but the force was with me. One student was so mad at his new seating location that he left my class in anger to sit in the 8th grade office instead. Oh, bummer for me!  NOT!

Busy review day. Too much. I don't think kids will take much of it. We better do a mini lab next period or even the good kids may get moody.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 31, Day 4: Recovery from yesterday.

Even block schedule. Chemistry bench mark test

After yesterday's unexpected frustration from moody disrespectful students catching me off guard with my armor down, today is better. I am prepared with my metaphorical light saber at my hip.

My even period classes (we are on a block schedule) are my nice classes. A real joy to teach and less stressful than the odd period group.


I decided to use the newly made chemistry benchmark tests this year and they seem much better than the old ones we have used for 8 years.


I do not like this review-review-review for state testing.  Labs are way funner!

Notebooks STILL in the process of being scored.   11 hours I'll toil on these. Ahh.


I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 31, Day 3: Sucker punched

Odd block schedule. Chemistry test review.

I let 6 students ruin my day. 3 for blatant disrespect in period 5, and 3 in period 7 for being totally goofy and almost out of control.  Frustration stacking upon frustration.

I did not expect this behavior. It caught me off guard. I felt like the Jedi Knights in Star Wars episode 3 when Order 66 was issued and their soldiers turned on them.

I managed to stay professional.  My principal dropped in for a quick walk through and thought HE was going to fry from my expression and the tension the air.

A new seating chart is on the way.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 31, Day 2: Never Again

Even block period: conservation of matter lab.

Rainy weather. I have a dept chair meeting today a lunch so I decided to have my lunch with my wife during part of  prep and watch the rain fall and visit with her.

During the meeting my principal made the comment, "With two weeks to state testing, Labs are great but there are no labs on the Star Test.".  He was right. We will need to review.

Notebook turn  grade review. I'm not doing this again. I will find another way. It takes three minutes to score one that is perfectly set up. I have about 220 kids. 660 minutes total grading. That's 11 hours of grading.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Monday, April 19, 2010

Week 31, Day 1: Get me out of here.

Odd Block Schedule: Same lesson, Heat reactions.

State tests looming and I time is getting short to get through the material. Weather is getting warm, WHICH I CAN'T STAND, plus the kids get goofy, especially in the P.M.

I had to get out out school as fast as I could today.


I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 30, Day 5: Heating up the lab...how cool

Even block schedule: Notes on molecule vs compounds and heat 
reactions, endo/exo-thermic lab

Busy with scoring notebooks. Hectic period 2 setting up the lab but 
triple brew Starbucks coffee gave me enough delta V to get it done.  
Fun lab.

Mixing water with CaCl2 (looks like Dip'n dots ice cream) 
yields exothermic (stupid memory clue: Xtrememly hot) and Ammonium 
Nitrate [cheaply acquired from my wife's lawn fertilizer mix]  yields 
endothermic exothermic (stupid memory clue: nICE and cool) reactions. 
We mix a teaspoon of each in 30 ml of water and record temp evry 
15seconds for 3 min, plot a graph, and answer some questions. See my 
lab sheet on my website.

I have been asked to represent 4 students at the Principals Medallion 
dinner next month. Quite an honor, normally you can have no more that 
2. Thank you Casey, Erin, Kate, and Michayla.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 30, Day 4: Finishing a nice couple of days in the library.

Odd block: same lesson as yesterday: Library Research.

Busy setting up final touches to my website data for the notebook turn in.

Wonderful two days in the library. Thank you Mrs. Mammen for making it so relevant, concise, seamless and fun.  This was a very nice couple of days.



I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 30, Day 3-New solution for an old slow process

Even block schedule
Doing research for element report in the library.
This is a simple 1 page report. After this is done they will have the choice of 4 things to Create (with a Partner (element brochure, atom  Model, high quality poster , or Molecule model.). But first they need to get through this report.

For years I made this lottery system for letting students choose their element.  It took a lot of time to enter in the data in my grade book.   Today I needed to get it done FAST so I had students write their names on paper and then tape them to the element they wanted.  I did use a random number generator website and then have kids go up to the periodic table, based on their test book numbers, to pick their element.  It took less time and was kind of fun.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Week 30, Day 2: Back up your web site.

Odd schedule: bonding notes and oxidation number activity.

Per 1 is behind a class period. They did the pH lab that all others did last week.

Don't show covalent bonding with oxygen gas. The electron orbital diagrams look too much like breasts and the boys start giggling. Perhaps if I write the name in there in place of O.


I thought my school website was a safe repository of info and links. Its not.  Last weekend I accidentally removed all formatting (links, breaks, color, sizing etc) by a simple paste action.  I recommend that as you add cool stuff to your web site make a back up copy of it.  I was 50% lucky,  I had made a copy of my homepage several years ago for a CSTA conference presentation: however, I lost all new lab links and you-tube links.

25 years of marriage today. Best thing I ever did.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Week 30, Day 1: Oops, too much Sodium metal in water

EVEN BLOCK PERIOD: finishing bonding notes and pH lab.  Getting notebook organized for turn in

Today I set off the school fire alarm.  But I did learn two things about showing a Sodium metal in water demo.
1) Clean the tarnish off all sides of the sodium metal.
2) Either do the demo outside or in a flame hood.

After the incident colleagues would greet me with "gobble gobble".  At my school we have and end of the year award called TURKEY AWARDS.

For an excellent Youtube video about this try this.  It's a bit doctored but makes a fun show. Braincell Alkali

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Week 29, Day 4 (Friday): Updating website for notebook

Odd Block Schedule: finished pH lab and scored periodic table quizzes and looked through their notebooks in preparation for Notebook turn in day..

After school I spent a lot of time getting my website organized to have Notebook Notes and Starters ready for my students to access. This is really a chance to pre-organize for next year.

 I got so BUSY during the year that I did not take the few moments each time we worked on notes or starter questions to have them update their tables of contents.  I did not make "Absent" copies of the notes for the kids that were gone.  I did not to weekly or bimonthly notebook quizzes or turn in.


I really need to spend time each week doing long range strategic lesson planning and reminding my self to do the things (notebook organization) that make me consistent and a better teacher.


P.S.  The weekend following this post my website home page lost all HTML formatting and is a solid page of text.  I hope salvation is only a few clicks by a computer tech person..

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 29, Day 3: Notebook turn in?

Even Block Schedule: Same lesson as yesterday, pH lab. And prepare to 
turn in science notebook.

 
TODAY'S BEST PRACTICE: When a lab or video is not finished in class I often collect the papers, by row, and hold onto them until next class period. This reduces the number of lost papers. The time it takes to collect them and then redistribute them is less that the TIME AND FRUSTRATION of trying to get lost papers replaced.


I have NEVER had students turn in their spiral notebooks. 

As the year goes on some kids get lax with them and do not maintain them. 
In past years I did do notebook quizzes. This was my poor-man's notebook check. 
I need to get back to those. 220 notebooks to grade has been a major point of contention for me. Hmm, notebook quizzes are looking good.

Earlier in the year I describe the way I do the notebooks.  I like it.  Makes life easier for students and me.
One of my colleagues does some labs in the notebooks and then scores them later. That's not for me, maybe you can make that work.


The pH lab got squished yesterday so we are completing them today.

On a totally different note: After school and lunches are sooo nice now that I am not coaching. My 
time is mine again.


I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 29, Day 2: The Good, Bad and Ugly

ODD Block Schedule: pH lab

GOOD: I chose to do this lab as a follow-up to the Alien Juice bar lab-logical lesson planning.

BAD: I chose to the Alien lab two weeks earlier than optimum as a nice easy comfy pre/post Easter break activity-survival tactical lesson plan. Good survival tactic, bad pedagogy stratagem .

UGLY: Sometimes you need to adjust. I'd do it again too.

In the pH lab I have nice common houshold chemicals and food that is to be tested with litmus paper and pH paper.  They also get to play around with 3 liquid indicators and add diluted vinegar (50% water) and dilted lye (90% water). Lab sheet is on my website for you to download.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 29, Day 1: Back from Break, and a new E-mail program.


ODD BLOCK SCHEDULE: Students did the Alien Juice Bar pH virtual lab (see previous post).

A wonder 10 days off.  Mostly at home, a couple of quick trips to the Bay are of San Jose to take my wife's sewing machine in for maintenance.

We just had a new email system installed. Most of us opened our e-mail today to find no new messages. Then we remembered. We now have to add new message groups, WAIT...they are a called DISTRIBUTION LIST in our new program.  This took me an hour to figure out after school today. I needed to figure this out because I use group distribution lists all the time.

Tomorrow morning we have a Science Dept. Meeting and we will get familiar with he new program.


I hope this helps,

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It's not Magic, It's Science!

richardkinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Monday, April 5, 2010

Week 28, Day 4: Alien Juice Bar pH VIrtual Lab AND EASY ADVICE!

Odd Block-periodic quiz, Virtual pH Lab.

Easy advice: Before any long vacation make sure you are doing a totally fun and easy to make-up activity.  If you can do it in the Library ever better! 


Project GEMS  Alien juice bar-.  A fun goofy an d well done introduction to acids and bases.  
 I highly recommend this site.  You can see the link on my web page under the staff photo and you can go to notes and major assignments to download the worksheet. 

Ahh...10 days off.  I need this, I have earned it.  See you in April!

I hope this helps,
Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!
It's not Magic, It's Science!

richardkinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 28, Day 4: GOT THE JOB working with NASA.

Even block schedule today. Chemistry notes-Brainiac alkali video.

I GOT THE JOB WORKING AT NASA AMES THIS SUMMER FOR 2 WEEKS AS THE TECHNOLOGY TEACHER!  THEY LIKE MY WEBSITE AND THOUGHT I WOULD BE GOOD ON THEIR STAFF.  YIPPIEE

Students took the Periodic quiz and then the great wizzard Kinninium visited class and demanded the students pay me 1 of their Cows, half of their chickens, and every-other-one of their sheep or I, great wizzard Kinninium , would turn their well water into the Blood of the Devil!

This was done with phenolphthalein indicator mixing with dilute base to turn a flash red (okay...pretty pink) and then back to clear with a little vinegar added. I then let the kids do the acid base swirl too.-chem notes-brainiac alkali-rockets and play at lunch.

I humh out at lunch today with some students and we built rocket and gondola models.  Fun.

Science fair awards afterwords in the evening.  I graded papers while waiting for news on my one student up for an award.  Her name is Casey and her goal is to go to state Science Fair every year.  She has success for year 3.  She made it.  I am very happy for her and proud of her too.

I hope this helps,
Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!
It's not Magic, It's Science!

richardkinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 28, Day 3: Applying for a 2 week summer jobe with NASA

Odd schedule today. Open House last night. County Science Fair judging this week

Had a headache today, not bad, just there. 

Did some chem bonding notes and Finished Hindenburg video... this took forever to get through. Collected the student periodic tables. they are sooo cute when the use the picture of them as little kids.

Dept meeting this morning,  we gave our wish list of prep period for next year and we found out which of our kids made it to the interview levels of the sci fair.

After school I went to the Science Fair venue after school to pick up the projects that did not advance. Nice to see old friends there(they were doing final judging) and to have a quick dinner with my wife.

I have applied for a 2 week summer job helping pre-service teachers get some experience using NASA website activities in Math and Science.  Location will be at the NASA AMES research facility in the Bay Area near Mountain View at Moffett field.
I have been riding my bike to and from school the past week. This due to no rain and our car needs a head gasket repaired.
Headache gone by end of American Idol...I grade to while listening.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com
 
http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Week 28, Day 2: Open House

Even Block schedule: students preparing for open house.  Same lesson as last post 

I feel like  the hamster in the rolling cage. Going like crazy but I'm not having as 
much fun.


I was rushing to get student periodic table squares up onto The 
Periodic Table of the Students and taking pictures of those kids that did not have the required photo attached.

I did get "off stage" 25 minutes per period during Bill Nye


I was amazed how easy the night went. Parents and students picked up their survey sheets and went through the questions and left me alone for the most part.  Easiest Open House I have ever had.

You can go to my school website an go the the Teachers page to get a copy of each of the documents and a power point.
I hope this helps,
Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!
It's not Magic, It's Science!
richardkinney@cusd.com
http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 28, Day 1: Open House vs Science Fair Day

ODD BLOCK SCHEDULE: Students choose top 2 assignments from their assignment folders and then answer questions on a sheet explaining why it is an example of their best work from science this year. Ch 5.1 Chemical reactions outline homework due and worked on if not completed.  The H.W. outline was the Ticket out the door today.

I had students prepare for open house tomorrow night by do the above. While doing this I was working with one of my students on finishing her Science Fair Project which she put off doing for 4 months.  Not happy with her for that, nor myself for not being a better coach for her. Helping her made it a  bit hectic for me going back and forth between my room and the prep room. By the end of lunch she was done and it was ready for her grandpa to take to the competition.

I had a quick dinner with my wife at Burger King before I went to Judge at the County Science Fair.  I am still recovering from the intense pace of coaching Science Olympiad but I still managed to give a few hours more to judge the science fair...SOMETHING EVERY SCIENCE TEACHER SHOULD DO JUST BECAUSE ITS THE RIGHT THING TO DO!

I enjoyed the process and learned to like science fair again.

I hope this helps,

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It's not Magic, It's Science!

richardkinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney