The last few weeks have been crazy for me. It seems like all of the labs happen at the same time so I am setting up for one grade level, cleaning up and then setting up for the next grade level. The 8th grade is learning about chemical indicators and equations so we have made bubbles, tried to create a precipitate, made an exothermic reaction and caused the color or some purple cabbage water to change. The 7th grade is learning about physical and chemical change in digestion so we have created glucose models out of marshmallows and chewed them up and we have modeled digestion with livers and peroxide. The 6th grade is learning about elements and compounds so I used legos for that lab and the 5th grade is learning about force so I made hovercrafts for them with old cd's and bottle caps and then they had to make a vehicle with straws, egg crate, index cards, popsicle sticks etc and then create a mini science fair board. I graded all of that this weekend. I need a nap and some ibuprofen!!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Exhaustion
The last few weeks have been crazy for me. It seems like all of the labs happen at the same time so I am setting up for one grade level, cleaning up and then setting up for the next grade level. The 8th grade is learning about chemical indicators and equations so we have made bubbles, tried to create a precipitate, made an exothermic reaction and caused the color or some purple cabbage water to change. The 7th grade is learning about physical and chemical change in digestion so we have created glucose models out of marshmallows and chewed them up and we have modeled digestion with livers and peroxide. The 6th grade is learning about elements and compounds so I used legos for that lab and the 5th grade is learning about force so I made hovercrafts for them with old cd's and bottle caps and then they had to make a vehicle with straws, egg crate, index cards, popsicle sticks etc and then create a mini science fair board. I graded all of that this weekend. I need a nap and some ibuprofen!!
Friday, October 5, 2012
Periodic Table of Elements
I am in a unique position because since I am the only middle school science teacher I teach science to the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade students so I am able to complete my own vertical alignment. So far this second year of teaching has been dramatically different from the first year of teaching because I was the one laying the foundation for the students last year so this year I know what they should know, what they have learned and what they continue to struggle with. For example, I know my 8th grade students very well and I know that they are project based learners so for the past two days I have had them creating an advertisement where they had to request that a new element come and join their group (vertical columns in the periodic table, that have the same number of valence electrons). This activity was used in order to teach them about trends in the periodic table. We have gone over trends in the periodic table for several days now so this project was a culmination of learning. I created a template for the students to use so they could see what was expected of them and then I let them create their own advertisement. I will grade them this weekend and see how successful the project was, but from what I have seen thus far they seem to have gotten the idea. I will add pictures as soon as I have a chance.
Monday, September 24, 2012
I am proud
I looked through several blogs this summer in order to find ideas for this year and I really enjoyed some of the things I found online, so I thought that perhaps I should share some of what I do so that maybe other teachers could see my ideas and give me some feedback.
The first major accomplishment I had this year was during 3 week testing (instead of one large test at the end of the 9 week period we have to test every 3 weeks now) I decided to do authentic assessments instead of multiple choice tests. These are the tests I gave:
5th grade - Create a six pane comic strip showcasing tests used in lab for the physical properties of matter. I provided the students with the six pane comic strip template and the six words (density, insulator, conductivity, magnetism, solubility and 3 states of matter). The students could draw pictures of the labs we had completed or they could create a comic that showcased the six words.
6th grade - Create a three panel foldable showcasing metals, non metals and metalloids. Students had to write one word on each panel and draw a picture depicting at least one metal, non metal and metalloid. On the inside of each panel the students had to use the periodic table to list 10 metals, 10 non metals and 5 metalloids and they had to list 4 physical properties for each category (luster, sonorous, conductivity, melting point, etc.)
7th grade - Since these students take the state test in writing this year I got a sample writing prompt from the LA teacher and I converted it to a photosynthesis prompt. Students had to imagine they were plants and had to make their own food. They had to write about how they would do this and they had to use the scientific terms.
8th grade - Students had to draw 6 atoms showing charges, labeling all part and including the cell from the periodic table also labeled. They had to write a paragraph about how to use the periodic table to make the model and a paragraph about how to use the model to determine which element the model referred to. They also had to define subatomic particle, proton, neutron, electron, nucleus and valence electron.
I was very proud of my ideas and of the work my students put out. Normally my students work in groups but since this was a test they had to work alone and in silence. They were bummed but they did a wonderful job. I am so proud of them and of myself.
The first major accomplishment I had this year was during 3 week testing (instead of one large test at the end of the 9 week period we have to test every 3 weeks now) I decided to do authentic assessments instead of multiple choice tests. These are the tests I gave:
5th grade - Create a six pane comic strip showcasing tests used in lab for the physical properties of matter. I provided the students with the six pane comic strip template and the six words (density, insulator, conductivity, magnetism, solubility and 3 states of matter). The students could draw pictures of the labs we had completed or they could create a comic that showcased the six words.
6th grade - Create a three panel foldable showcasing metals, non metals and metalloids. Students had to write one word on each panel and draw a picture depicting at least one metal, non metal and metalloid. On the inside of each panel the students had to use the periodic table to list 10 metals, 10 non metals and 5 metalloids and they had to list 4 physical properties for each category (luster, sonorous, conductivity, melting point, etc.)
7th grade - Since these students take the state test in writing this year I got a sample writing prompt from the LA teacher and I converted it to a photosynthesis prompt. Students had to imagine they were plants and had to make their own food. They had to write about how they would do this and they had to use the scientific terms.
8th grade - Students had to draw 6 atoms showing charges, labeling all part and including the cell from the periodic table also labeled. They had to write a paragraph about how to use the periodic table to make the model and a paragraph about how to use the model to determine which element the model referred to. They also had to define subatomic particle, proton, neutron, electron, nucleus and valence electron.
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