Teaching Middle School Science

There seems to be a problem viewing Authorstream if you are using Internet Explorer.  It works fine if you use Firefox, I don’t know about other browsers, if you are using Safari or any other browser, please leave a comment about the Authorstream function.  It might be a flash thing, but I find it interesting that I can view it on my blogger site.

Here is the link for this week’s homework.  it is a scavenger hunt to help stundents learn about their textbook. Click Here.

Here is the link to the Glencoe Text website Contact Mr. Warner for the password to access the on-line edition of the textbook

This now seems to work

I must remember to have text on both the top and bottom of the embed.
Weird

Well, we are off to a flying start!  Here are the highlights of the week.  Students received textbooks today.  The expectation is that the books go home and stay there for homework and study.  Speaking of homework, everyone got a homework assignment that is tdue this week.  Physical science will be completing the scavenger hunt for their text, earth science will read chapter one and complete the section review questions.

Below is the video showing how to assemble the science notebook.

Wow, the first week of school is nearly over.  Things are off to a good start, I am struggling to learn my students names and trying to teach how we do science here in grade 8.  If you need papers from our class click on the handouts tab and you can download the file of your choice as a PDF file.  My introduction PowerPoint is on this page as well as some of my thoughts.  I hope to have some student work to show off soon so keep checking back.

Welcome back, I hope you all had a great summer.  I am really looking forward to a fantastic year.  I think you will find the 8th grade a good place to learn.  I will be using this blog to communicate classroom stuff and you will be posting comments up soon.  One thing I will use this space for is to view my PowerPoint presentations,  I use an app called Authorstream that allows PowerPoint files to be saved as PowerPoint, flash video or downloaded to i-tunes for viewing on an i-pod.

You should be able to view this with-out any trouble, however, to download the file you will need to join Authorstream. Authorstream is free.

By the way check out Mrs. bichler’s blog HERE.

I really got a lot done today.  I set up my classroom computer with Bluesoleil, so I now have an interactive white board, based on a Nintendo Wiimote and a homemade IR pen.  On  the way home I stopped by my Mother’s office and helped her fix a computer problem so she could finish a class she is taking on-line.  When I got home, my order from Newegg had arrived so I set up turbo boost on my Vista machine (it really is not as bad as you think).  I then put in the new dvd drive on my XP machine.  Then I made pickles.  Of all the technology I used today, the pickles were the most intimidating.  According to the History of the Pickle web site (no, I am not making it up) people have been pickling for over 4000 years, so what’s the big deal?

Well, I was trying to make my Grandmother’s dill pickles, cause then I would be the one.  The one in my generation who makes pickles like Grandma.  That is a little pressure.  I messed up and had to call for tech support.  My Grandmother is my pickling IT department, she very patiently walked me through the process that I had see her do a hundred time and I couldn’t get. As I write this I am waiting to see if the jars seal the second time around.  I am not quite ready for beta release on pickles, but I will get there.  I have good people behind the technology.

What is there to learn from this weird confluence of technology?  Because make no mistake about it, the technology of preserving food was as important to my Grandmother as any computer is to me.  If she didn’t do it correctly, her children might go with-out some food in the winter, (refrigeration had been invented but hadn’t reached Loma, Colorado) or she might serve Botulism infested food and kill her family. What I am trying to do for pride and nice dill with just the right bite of Jalapeno,  she did for survival.  Maybe I am playing up the role of canned food in her life, but only a little.  Some of today’s hobbies were yesterday’s needed skills.

I was at my Grandmother’s yesterday, helping her find where Vista (it really is not as bad as you think) had stored her quickbooks files.  Some find it annoying, I think it is cute, the computer is just playing hide and seek with your data.  She was surprised I found it so quickly,  and I felt smug.  Maybe she feels smug when I call for details about pickles.

I love technology.  I want to understand it and be proficient in it in all forms. I can put a razor edge on a knife by hand, weld with oxy-acetylene, MIG or a hot fire and an anvil.  Cut a straight line with a laser guided chop saw, my Grandfather’s Disston hand saw or a Japanese ryobi.  I learn by books, videos, web pages, magazines and listening to those who know more than I.  I may be wrong but some things you have to experience first hand.  You learn how to make pickles off the internet, but they won’t be my grandmother’s pickles.

What is the take away message?  People matter.  Technology has been with us a long time and has always played a big role.  Eighty four year old women can use Vista (with a little help) so get over it.  Everyone has something to teach you.  Something I missed?  What do you think?