Week 33, Day 1: Teacher Appreciation Week and STATE TESTING

Odd Block Schedule: same lesson as yesterday - organic chem lab, starch and lipid test.

I've got this lesson figured out after a rocky start last Friday.

State testing starts tomorrow. We have done a nice review over the past 10 days, I feel that I have fully prepared them for the state tests.

Frustration with talkative students in period 5. I had difficulty with one of them last week. This one student will not stop talking.  I had to remove this student and the one sitting beside to go fill out a TIME OUT SLIP. I have a pre-made time out slip that I can quickly check some behavior boxes to get the kids out of class quickly but make them have to answer some questions about their behavior. They usually sit out side but today I had them go to the 8th grade office.


I get a balloon delivered with a bag of candy ballast and a note saying how much I am appreciated. That was a welcome surprise.


As I prepare for tomorrow's class and the state test proctoring, our student councilor calls me to say the parent of the talkative student wants a conference. Now I'm frustrated (there were some accusations made about my professional ethics by the talkative student). I decide it's time for a walk home NOW


Warm weather. Hot walk home.
Can't focus on grading papers. I decide to call it a night early.
Not feeling very appreciated.

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 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 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