Week 32, Day 5: MORE FUN with Organic Chemistry!

Even block Schedule: Simple organic chem. Lab, review old released questions form past state science exams.

I forgot to set up the lab last night after sitting for a couple of hours at the D.M.V. awaiting my son's time to take his test for his learners permit.(he passed so no trip back soon is needed!)

Today's lab is about the 3 part of our Organic Chem standards, The large organic molecules of Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins and D.N.A.

The lab is simple.  Test some foods for STARCH with Iodine and LIPIDS with grease smears on paper bags. It is not my favorite lab, BUT IT IS A LAB and it does draw attention to the foods we eat and what is in them.
The Lab tests Bread, Potato chips, raw potato, cheese, crackers, raw bacon and cooking oil.

We had a lunch today by our principal to kick of our state testing next week, that was nice.

The afternoon class FLEW by 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 32, Day 4: MORE FUN with Organic Chemistry!

Odd block schedule: (same lesson as yesterday,models with organic chemistry, A model of butane shown in the photo).

Nice day again. A little review, a little notes, a little lab
Nice to spend a lunch with the teachers together for lunch today go kick off the start off the the jogathon which will really be a swim a thon.

Needed to stay after today to put together the organic chem lab but got told to come home and sit with my son at the D.M.V. while he takes his driver test. He passed! But the LAB was not set up.

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 32, Day 3: FUN with Organic Chemistry!

Even Block Schedule (Organic Chem models-non ring glucose molecule shown in the picture) 

Wow what a terrific day to be a teacher.

Who knew organic chemistry could be so fun! We covered part 1  of a 3 part organic chem standard.  Carbon is the element of life and makes 4 covalent bonds. I broke out the atom model kits for the first time ever. They made all kinds of carbohydrates from methane to octane to decane. Some made vanillin , aspirin and glucose. Even TNT.

We used a set of model set with  wood spheres and springs to make the models.  The kids had soooo much fun. I should have done this 20 years ago.


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 32, Day 2: Review revolt!

Odd Block Schedule. Test review and finish some old labs.

Review revolt! I revolted against review only.  I through a mini lab into the lesson plan.  4 days of review and testing made me psycho.!

A week or two ago we started the exothermic/endothermic lab. WE did not get them all finished back then and I used today to do it. Nice break from review. In one or two classes we even started the conservation of mass lab.

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 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