Fuel - Practice
To keep this bus moving, you've got to have something to keep the engine going. The struggle bus requires the best, most innovative, and least generic fuel there is. It has to be fuel that works for every single passenger. Now let me tell you, this is a challenge, but it's also fun. Trying new fuels, seeing what works and what doesn't. Every year you get better and better at picking which fuel will work each day. If you're lucky, you find one that you think will be the fix all, the one you'll use everyday, but the bus will reject it at some point. I'm getting better and better at picking fuels, here are a few I have learned work really well with my students.
Most people say I am too childish to be a high school teacher. My kids do coloring pages, they eat candy, they fold paper, and they do fun projects. Sometimes the kids complain about this stuff, but secretly I know they love it (when they fill out evaluations, they always say that these things help them retain what we are learning).
Here are a list of examples and pictures of some of my favorite ways of teaching.
Here are a list of examples and pictures of some of my favorite ways of teaching.
Scientific Method in Movie - World War Z
-The scientific method is laid out perfectly in this movie. There is a zombie outbreak that seems unstoppable. It’s fast spreading and deadly to all those around. Brad Pitt’s character then begins using the scientific method to sort through what is going on. The students are asked to identify each part of the scientific method that Pitt’s character uses. They are also asked to make their own hypotheses. The students love this movie because it’s thrilling and action packed. This is always one of the most raved about assignments of the year. |
Article Discussions - Cell Phones
-This year I found an article about the dangers of cellphone radiation. I use it to introduce my electromagnetic spectrum unit. It’s a great way to get the kids talking about radiation. Most students only think of radiation as a bad thing. It gives you cancer, and is dangerous, but they don’t understand that radiation is given off all the time. I got this idea from Timothy Brennan on BetterLessons. He uses the article for the same thing. My students in physical science love this discussion because they have never thought of the dangers of radiation from a cell phone. We talk about how scientific discoveries of the past have been proven harmful, like Olestra, PVC, and lead-based paints. Many students keep talking about this article for weeks after we have discussed it in class and they all want copies to share with other people. (Document at bottom)
Holiday Fun - Easter/Thanksgiving
- I like to be a very festive person! I enjoy the holidays and love to find ways to incorporate the festivities into my classroom. The day before Thanksgiving break my kids complete a worksheet on atomic structure purchased from teachers pay teachers. (I have very few students in class this day, and typically this is a great review without moving on to anything new.) Our unit before Thanksgiving break is always about the periodic table, this worksheet doesn't go as in depth as we do in our unit, but it's a good way to keep their brains working while letting them enjoy the work a little more. (Document at bottom)
- I also love Easter and the day before Easter break is another day when attendance is low. Therefore, I reward the kids who come to school with an Easter Egg Hunt. I hide Easter eggs all around my room. The kids have to find at least 5 eggs and then return to their seats. (At this point it’s the 4th nine weeks and the students need some review for their final exam.) Inside each egg, I have a number of an element. The color of the egg tells the students what they need to do for that element. So if they get a pink egg with the number 7, they would have to give the electron configuration of nitrogen. For every correct answer, the students get a piece of candy. This is a great way to review and something I may do outside of easter in the future during the last couple weeks of school. It helps the students review while also not making them sit down and complete a worksheet.
Note Taking - Foldables
- In my class we take a lot of notes. Though I try to incorporate other forms of instructions, a lot of my instructions are notes. I hate boring notes, so I try to make my notes as interactive and organized as possible. The students know can more visually see how to organize information when it is given in a foldable and they can quiz themselves more easily with a foldable. Many teachers use foldables to reinforce instruction. They give it to the students for independent practice, but I like to give them their notes in foldable form, and then have a worksheet where they need to apply the notes that they’ve taken.
Creativity
- Finally, I love to let my students have some freedom for some creativity of their own. If I can give them the opportunity to draw or color, I think that can really help some students remember what they should be learning. Typically if you can grasp a concept well enough to draw a picture to describe it in some way, you know what is being taught. Some of my students are fantastic artists and I love to see the work they come up with.
-This year I found an article about the dangers of cellphone radiation. I use it to introduce my electromagnetic spectrum unit. It’s a great way to get the kids talking about radiation. Most students only think of radiation as a bad thing. It gives you cancer, and is dangerous, but they don’t understand that radiation is given off all the time. I got this idea from Timothy Brennan on BetterLessons. He uses the article for the same thing. My students in physical science love this discussion because they have never thought of the dangers of radiation from a cell phone. We talk about how scientific discoveries of the past have been proven harmful, like Olestra, PVC, and lead-based paints. Many students keep talking about this article for weeks after we have discussed it in class and they all want copies to share with other people. (Document at bottom)
Holiday Fun - Easter/Thanksgiving
- I like to be a very festive person! I enjoy the holidays and love to find ways to incorporate the festivities into my classroom. The day before Thanksgiving break my kids complete a worksheet on atomic structure purchased from teachers pay teachers. (I have very few students in class this day, and typically this is a great review without moving on to anything new.) Our unit before Thanksgiving break is always about the periodic table, this worksheet doesn't go as in depth as we do in our unit, but it's a good way to keep their brains working while letting them enjoy the work a little more. (Document at bottom)
- I also love Easter and the day before Easter break is another day when attendance is low. Therefore, I reward the kids who come to school with an Easter Egg Hunt. I hide Easter eggs all around my room. The kids have to find at least 5 eggs and then return to their seats. (At this point it’s the 4th nine weeks and the students need some review for their final exam.) Inside each egg, I have a number of an element. The color of the egg tells the students what they need to do for that element. So if they get a pink egg with the number 7, they would have to give the electron configuration of nitrogen. For every correct answer, the students get a piece of candy. This is a great way to review and something I may do outside of easter in the future during the last couple weeks of school. It helps the students review while also not making them sit down and complete a worksheet.
Note Taking - Foldables
- In my class we take a lot of notes. Though I try to incorporate other forms of instructions, a lot of my instructions are notes. I hate boring notes, so I try to make my notes as interactive and organized as possible. The students know can more visually see how to organize information when it is given in a foldable and they can quiz themselves more easily with a foldable. Many teachers use foldables to reinforce instruction. They give it to the students for independent practice, but I like to give them their notes in foldable form, and then have a worksheet where they need to apply the notes that they’ve taken.
Creativity
- Finally, I love to let my students have some freedom for some creativity of their own. If I can give them the opportunity to draw or color, I think that can really help some students remember what they should be learning. Typically if you can grasp a concept well enough to draw a picture to describe it in some way, you know what is being taught. Some of my students are fantastic artists and I love to see the work they come up with.
cell_phone_dangers.docx |
thanksgivingatomicstructurewordpuzzlereview.docx |