Or should I say I love watching students doing chemistry and having fun while doing it. This week my Year 10 start is student driven topic looking at acid bases and salts. I first saw this in action at Rangitoto College and it worked really well with the students their and worked really well last year at my current school. The way I run the lessons is very simple the 4 periods a week we have in the lab are wet, that students are doing the experiments, getting there hands dirty doing chemistry. The one lesson a week when we are not in the lab is theory or the learning outcome for this topic that is dry - looking at the effect acid has on the environment. This lesson is going to be ICT based and will focus on group research to complement the notes I have given them.
The way I run the wet labs is very simple, the students come in sit down and I give them a brief - 5-10 minutes max run down of what I expect to be achieved in that lesson, I may go over some concepts on the board if specifically ask and then I let the students loose. I have very strict rules in my lab and they were put in place on day 1 and my students are very comfortable with the expectation and consequences. The students for the most part work in groups of there own choosing, this is novel for them as the rest of they were assigned. They are pretty good at it they have worked out who they work well with and who they don't. I have yet to have to step in (except with my new internationals) and change groups. As long as they stick to the size limit and don't do anything silly I leave them to it.
Today was the first full day of lab work and both classes had a double period. The amount of work one of the classes got through was amazing, they were working really hard and getting through all the experiments, asking question of each other and me, answering their own questions when asking me to give them the answers (it doesn't work that way any more). The other class was the stark contrast, they are admittedly a slightly less able class and there work ethic and and self reliance is lower and they are more needy. I have a rule, one of my golden 5 that only only explain things twice, 3 at a stretch. This class really tested my patience today, especially after coming from the other class this morning and they are self starters and motivators (for the most part). One of the experiments I covered in the intro and briefing, what need to be achieved, what was in their group trays etc. I then set them to work. 2 groups got started right away, they were happy with what they were doing. I asked the class as a whole before went to the benches of they understood, no comment. sweet I though to myself, this should be as easy as this morning, no hassles students happily working way. How wrong was I, about 5 minutes later I had to stop the entire class and explain 2 experiments again. This time with a fine tooth comb, they couldn't or wouldn't stop to figure it out for themselves. I had already directed 3 groups this way and they kept asking. So to save my sanity I stopped them, the explained it bit by bit on the board, purely to save my own sanity. It wasn't rocket science, all they were doing was test 5 indicators to see what happened when a few drops of an acid or a base was place on them. they were then to use those results to identify 4 unknown solutions. As a class we wrote the method for that second part of the experiment at the beginning of the lesson so in my mind and previous experience it was a very straight forward task. Anyway once we got over that irritating hurdle the rest of the double went well, that figured out I wasn't going to give them the answers of do the experiments for them. I was answering questions with questions and occasionally answers and supervising the use of 2mol H2SO4.
It will be very interesting to compare the progress of both class on Monday, I have my suspicions that one will be much further ahead of the other. Oh well, just gives me an excuse to watch Cosmos.
In saying all of this the main aim of science is for the students to have fun while they learning and they were so I am a happy science teacher!!!
Thursday, 28 August 2014
Thursday, 14 August 2014
The week that was......
You know its been a good week when P3 on a Friday is a McFlurry run. So this week started as such a downer from an amazing weekend. figuring out how to implement some of the awesome ideas into the topics I am already teaching or am going to be teaching, I will be honest is a very daunting prospect especially working with in the framework I am in. I am finding it is much easier with my Yr 8 class as they are a lot more open to new ideas and approaches that either of my Yr 10 classes. I fact that saddens me a lot. My year 10 want me to give them all the information and not do any fun activities to acquire it. To be fair I do hand them all the notes they need but my reason for doing this for both my Yr 8's and 10's is that they just take so damn long writing notes and it is time wasted.
What I would love to be able to do is give them the notes, and use that as a platform to build on there knowledge and to build on the key competencies in class, not just run them through them and move on.
On Monday it was a pretty cruisey couple of lessons we were looking at speed time and distance time graphs, just the theory behind them and getting the students to work through the tasks in their booklets and too practice their graphing, boring but very practical. On Tuesday and Thursday we had the real fun.
The lab that I planned for them was to set up 3 obstacle course for the students to complete in groups. The premise behind it was really simple, the students take turns completing the course and time how long it takes them to complete each stage. Once we had the data we all went back to class to do the analysis and calculations to enable them to draw distance/time and speed/time graphs. One of the biggest thing I saw the students take from this activity was cooperation and problem solving. I gave them there instructions once for doing the activity and the analysis. The rest of the time it was up to them to work together and figure it out as a group. Everyone got stuck in, even my 3 new international student. The students made sure each other was on task and that everyone was doing there bit. Each of the groups showed good levels of leadership, team work, cooperation and problem solving. With out each of these attributes this activity would not of work as well as it did, and most importantly physics was fun!!!!
My Yr 8's have had a pretty fun week. We have been looking at the spectrum of light as an extension of refraction so lots of hands on activities with the light box kits and prisms. The weather has been playing ball to with lots of rainbows to have discussions about. We even tried a really cool activity (it failed but who cares) where the students put the spectrum on a piece of circular card divided into eights and spun it to make it look white. the concept is awesome, but who new finding indigo and violet would be so. Really obscure colours that are not in students pencil cases. They loved making them and connected with the idea behind them so it is a win in my book.
Friday, the McFlurry run was my solace for a pretty interesting double first thing. In hindsight I pitched the work a bit to high, but in saying that though it was really nice to see the students really get stuck in the give it a really good go. lots of positive encourage and hints and tips. They showed me up which was embarrassing but to be expected, it is reassuring when they prove me wrong and really stick to their guns. The double was suppose to be P1 recap P2 next part of the topic but ended up being P1 and half P2 recap and just intro of the next part. And you know what I don't care. It was a really good extension exercise for them and it made them think and problem solve and work together, yes it was messy, yes it was confusing for my less able students at time, but by the end of it they finished and all had the right answers and the ways of getting to each answer were numerous which is great, and they proved that I am a fallible human not some super, knows everything science teacher. The other Yr 10 class I had P6 and 7. Completely different class completely different outcome. P 6 was finishing up the first part of the topic, looking at acceleration, it went smoothly, I have to take a different approach with this class as the ability is slightly lower and it is majority boys. We had more fun, more laid back, it is P 6 and 7 on the Friday after all. Anyway we did the equation work a detailed answer on the board to get everyone up to speed and on the same wavelength then set them to work for 30 mins. P 7 was a recap lesson that pretty much end up with students catching up with work that they either hadn't finished in class this week, or hadn't completed for homework. I was generous, the music was playing and a lot of really good work was achieved, questions were answered and confusion cleared up. It was a great success topped of with one student at the end remarking it was "the fuunnest lesson this year". High five, pat on the back. Teacher win!!!
What I would love to be able to do is give them the notes, and use that as a platform to build on there knowledge and to build on the key competencies in class, not just run them through them and move on.
On Monday it was a pretty cruisey couple of lessons we were looking at speed time and distance time graphs, just the theory behind them and getting the students to work through the tasks in their booklets and too practice their graphing, boring but very practical. On Tuesday and Thursday we had the real fun.
The lab that I planned for them was to set up 3 obstacle course for the students to complete in groups. The premise behind it was really simple, the students take turns completing the course and time how long it takes them to complete each stage. Once we had the data we all went back to class to do the analysis and calculations to enable them to draw distance/time and speed/time graphs. One of the biggest thing I saw the students take from this activity was cooperation and problem solving. I gave them there instructions once for doing the activity and the analysis. The rest of the time it was up to them to work together and figure it out as a group. Everyone got stuck in, even my 3 new international student. The students made sure each other was on task and that everyone was doing there bit. Each of the groups showed good levels of leadership, team work, cooperation and problem solving. With out each of these attributes this activity would not of work as well as it did, and most importantly physics was fun!!!!
My Yr 8's have had a pretty fun week. We have been looking at the spectrum of light as an extension of refraction so lots of hands on activities with the light box kits and prisms. The weather has been playing ball to with lots of rainbows to have discussions about. We even tried a really cool activity (it failed but who cares) where the students put the spectrum on a piece of circular card divided into eights and spun it to make it look white. the concept is awesome, but who new finding indigo and violet would be so. Really obscure colours that are not in students pencil cases. They loved making them and connected with the idea behind them so it is a win in my book.
Friday, the McFlurry run was my solace for a pretty interesting double first thing. In hindsight I pitched the work a bit to high, but in saying that though it was really nice to see the students really get stuck in the give it a really good go. lots of positive encourage and hints and tips. They showed me up which was embarrassing but to be expected, it is reassuring when they prove me wrong and really stick to their guns. The double was suppose to be P1 recap P2 next part of the topic but ended up being P1 and half P2 recap and just intro of the next part. And you know what I don't care. It was a really good extension exercise for them and it made them think and problem solve and work together, yes it was messy, yes it was confusing for my less able students at time, but by the end of it they finished and all had the right answers and the ways of getting to each answer were numerous which is great, and they proved that I am a fallible human not some super, knows everything science teacher. The other Yr 10 class I had P6 and 7. Completely different class completely different outcome. P 6 was finishing up the first part of the topic, looking at acceleration, it went smoothly, I have to take a different approach with this class as the ability is slightly lower and it is majority boys. We had more fun, more laid back, it is P 6 and 7 on the Friday after all. Anyway we did the equation work a detailed answer on the board to get everyone up to speed and on the same wavelength then set them to work for 30 mins. P 7 was a recap lesson that pretty much end up with students catching up with work that they either hadn't finished in class this week, or hadn't completed for homework. I was generous, the music was playing and a lot of really good work was achieved, questions were answered and confusion cleared up. It was a great success topped of with one student at the end remarking it was "the fuunnest lesson this year". High five, pat on the back. Teacher win!!!
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
#edchatnz Blogging Meme
#edchatnz Blogging Meme
Thank you Janna Brewster (@jannabrewsterNZ) for the tag in the #edchatNZ Blogging Meme!
If you get included in the blogging meme: copy/paste the questions and instructions into your own blog then fill out your own answers. Share on Twitter by tagging 5 friends and using #edchatnz. Make sure you send your answers back to whomever tagged you, too!
1. How did you attend the #edchatnz Conference? (Face 2 Face, followed online or didn't)
2. How many others attended from your school or organisation?
I was the only one. I am my schools lone nut and I am dancing loud and proud and ruffling a few feathers in the process. Senior management respect what I am doing, they kind of understand what I am trying to achieve and support me from the shadows. The parents don't like or understand what I am doing or why I am doing it. The students do, and it is getting results so I will keep on dancing!!!
3.How many #edchatnz challenges did you complete?
4. Who are 3 people that you connected with and what did you learn from them?
Meeting Cath from Science Learning Hub. Such a pleasure to meet and chat with her, got some really cool ideas and to continue to persevere with what I am trying to do. Catching up again with chasingalyx. I love this girl, her ideas inspire me and make me think of news ways to put the students first and to work with there strengths and weakness. Finally Pam Hook. OMG with woman blew my mind, I am in love with SOLO taxonomy and has inspired me to make it fit and work with the Cambridge syllabus that I teach. I am going to use the hexagons as a review activity with my Year 8 and 10. So inspire and I am in awe.
5. What session are you gutted that you missed?
Friday, as a whole. I would i love to go to any of those sessions especially the debate #3moreyears.
6. Who is one person that you would like to have taken to #edchatnz and what key thing would they have learned?
That is a really hard question, to be honest I would of loved to take our Business studies teacher Alva. She would of loved it as much as me probably would of really enjoyed the SOLO session and most likely taken ideas from that and she would use them in amazing ways with her students. I am going to break the rules and say maybe even our DP just to open up his mind to the possibilities and how awesome 21st century learning is.
7. Is there a person you didn't get to meet/chat with (F2F/online) that you wished you had? Why?
I would of loved to have a really good chat with Matt Nicoll from StAC. He is such a swtiched on guy and I have a lot of respect for what he is doing and I feel I could learn alot from himl,
8. What is the next book you are going to read and why?
I am not a big reader of non fiction or education books. But I am keen to follow the lead of #nzbookchat and give some of them a read. I am interested in reading about SOLO taxonomy and why and how to use it with my students. That will have to wait till I finish the 2 novels I am currently reading.
9. What is one thing you plan to do to continue the Education Revolution you learned about at #edchatnz?
As a lone nut dancing in a environment that seems to have a severe nut allergy I will continue to take very small steps with implementing the ideas of SOLO and making my lessons more student focussed. It is an uphill battle but I am willing too keep up the good fight because I know it is making a difference for my students and keeping juniors engaged and excited about science is key to me and is one of the main reasons I became a teacher.
10. Will you take a risk and hand your students a blank canvas?
I have already tried this with my year 10s and it went down like a lead balloon. As a result I modified it slight and my year 8 lapped it up and there were know complaints. I teach in a very traditional environment so blank canvases are from upon by everyone. I see the benefits of doing it both for me as a teaching and assessing prior knowledge but also for the students to establish what they know and how much they do know. They are awesome resources that need to be tapped into more often. I just need to find the right ways to approach it in my classes.I tag
@tcliffin
@ariaporo22
@Lasampsonator
@aannekenn
@eMPOWERedNZ
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