Feb. 8, 2013

It's been a busy week. We've been studying heredity and genetics.

I always enjoy working with Punnett squares and the student responses to how they work. I always learn about their families when doing this unit. I was at an ESSDACK workshop on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) on Wednesday. While I was learning about what is coming to our State's Science Standards, the students were learning about phenotypes, genotypes, and how nice simulated mice are.

  

Before the class period was over they had "bred" over 600 mice and collected data on fur color without having to clean a single cage. 

Eighth grade girls are  have been invited to a CSI day at K-State on March 23. It looks like a fun day. Girls can contact me for a copy of the brochure or visit the website by clicking here.

 

We have Parent/Teacher Conferences coming up on Feb. 18 & 19. The 8th Grade parents will have the results of the EXPLORE Test share with them and their student.

Have an enjoyable Valentine's Day next week.

Jan. 29, 2013 - Happy Kansas Day!

Today is the date that Kansas became a state in 1861. To "celebrate" in science class today we are looking at some items from the past. We begin class with some snippets of video from the PBS series "Frontier House." We are using the episode 5 which talks about the children. I show sections that talk about the chores they have, how hard they work, and how tough decisions have to be made (Does the non-layiing chicken become a dinner?) Then we looked at items from the "Pioneer Foodways" and the "1900 School Days" kits from the Kauffman Museum. I've added some pictures to let you see what I shared. 

School items - hanky, marbles, button, and harmonica for student's
entertainment. The bell to start school and a lunch pail.

Inkwell, pen, penmanship samples, textbooks and a slate.

Lye soap, canning jars, tin plate and cup, bone handled knife and fork,
and coffee grinder.

Potato masher, rolling pin, iron pail and wooden spoon; butter churn,
mold and  ladle.

Cabbage slicer, wooden bowl, bucket tap, hog scraper, meat grinder and
apple peeler.

Great Grandpa Phillip's horse hair coat and lab robe (cira. 1913),
Great Grandma Martin's handmade flour sack quilt (cira. 1930),
Christina's "rag rabbit."

Jan. 27, 2013

Wow, what a week! The students completed their projects and presented them on Friday. We had several teachers and parents come view the students sharing what they had learned. We had a great day. The process moved smoothly and the students learned a lot from each other, as most students were able to share with and view three to five different presentations. 

Before the presentations began.

Waiting to get their table assignments.

Mrs. Sillin learning about diabetes.

Parents enjoying a presentation.

Students had to find the "science" in their chosen topic and demonstrate their technological expertise. They wrote a personal connection paragraph in BuhlerDocs and linked it in their presentation. They also created a project using either Presentation in BuhlerDocs or SlideRocket. They gave their audience  background information, then shared what they had learned, linking to a website, video, or other information source. They also had to use a Web 2.0 tool to share information. Many students did Wordles, but some did posters on Glogster or created iMovies. Everyone learned how to cite their information using either BibMe or EasyBib. 

As I mentioned in my last blog, I attended the Wichita KidWind Workshop at Metro-Meridian HS on Saturday. A big shout out to WindWise Education for helping with the workshop and suppling the resources used. I learned quite a bit and had a good time, working with a high school teacher from our district and meeting some new friends. I'll be working some of the activities into our curriculum as we finish out the school year - Earth/Space and energy in the Physics sections will be taught using some of the resources I gathered at this workshop. 

Hope everyone had as good of week as I did. 

Jan. 18, 2013

We've been working hard this week as we have continued to work on our Technology Assessment projects. Students have spent several days researching their topic and becoming more knowledgeable. We have learned about plagiarism, what makes a good slide, a new presentation program, and how to create hyperlinks. So lots of learning going on!

We will be having presentations next Friday. Students will host a "Gallery Walk" where they show their work and then view the work of other students. Parents and others are invited to view the projects. We hope to have a good turnout. 

Our girls received an invitation to attend the GROW program "All Together for Innovation" on the Kansas State University campus on Jan. 26. I hope that some will be able to attend. I won't be able to go to Manhattan as I'll be in Wichita attending a workshop on wind energy put on by Windwise Education. Looking forward to learning more about wind energy and getting activities for my classroom. 

Have a good week!

Jan. 9, 2013

Happy New Year!

We started our spring semester on Monday, Jan. 7, and hit the ground running. We started a Science project that is the basis for the State Technology Assessment. This will take most of the month to complete and will tie in with our Language Arts classes as we will be learning research and presentation skills

Our students will be researching a "science" topic of their choice and creating a presentation that they will share with their classmates. I have seen topics ranging from automobile aerodynamics, obesity, and tornados, to exotic ones like "welding" flesh, gecko robots and Biome--the strange Mercedes Benz concept vehicle that was literally grown from seeds (picture below). I can't wait until presentation day as I'm sure I'll be amazed with the information presented. 

It just looks like "Science."

Dec. 20, 2012

Update on last week - Bethel College contacted us about using some of last week's post on their Facebook page. You might want to check it out.

Another week is almost gone. We have spent Mon-Wed. reviewing for the Chemistry Content Test which the students are taking today. I have it on my Moodle page and several students have commented that it is the first time to take an assessment using a computer in a Science class. 

 The students will get plenty of computer time in Science when we return from break, as we will be doing a research project for the State of Kansas Technology Assessment. The students will be researching one of the following topics - alternative energy sources; the environment; food, health & fitness; forces & motion; national security & safety (this topic was decided on in November); robotics; and technology.

Here's hoping that you have an enjoyable break with safe travels.
 

Dec. 14, 2012

It has been a busy week at PHMS. The band went to BHS on Monday morning for a workshop. We had combined chorus rehearsals three days this week with one at Memorial Hall where the performance was on Thursday evening. Math contest was on Wednesday and we did well winning several medals. Today the Cougar Singers are on tour and the Ag classes are judging cattle at the fair grounds. 

On Tuesday, Gary Histand, the Chemistry instructor from Bethel College, and three of his students came to class and did a variety of chemistry demos. The students enjoyed this greatly. On Wednesday we had a lot of "How did they do ....?" questions which reviewed a large amount of material we had covered in class this year. But because it was in a different format it had the students thinking. Speaking of what we've covered in class, we will be having the chemistry content test on Thursday, Dec. 20. The students already have the study guide for this. If you want you can get a copy by clicking here.

Here are some pictures from Tuesday, when Bethel gave the demonstrations.

Setting the "mood" for science.

"How did he do that?"

This was a "blast."

Let's see what happens when you add clear liquids.....

.... t becomes yellow ....

...then blue!

Water in two cups ...

put it over your head and move the CD ....

A valve, a balloon, ....

add a second balloon, then .....

Heating a penny.

This is one LARGE molecule!

Halfway point of turning a penny into a gold coin.

Waiting to see what happens next.

Elephant toothpaste.