tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324726932024-03-21T17:31:36.125-07:00Busy-Busy-BusyA Blog to describe my teaching experiences. I will be starting my 4th year teaching science. My school population is more than 90% Hispanic and it is a Title 1 school.
I look forward to September to try some new ideas.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-78116508112588861012011-02-27T22:25:00.000-08:002011-02-27T22:26:16.446-08:00Not Dead yetThis blog is not dead yet. The blog author is learning how to manage her time better :pUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-18256668602240219632009-11-25T22:04:00.001-08:002009-11-25T22:26:38.355-08:00We didn't come here for this....Whenever I need to talk to a parent I usually have a problem, that is I don't speak Spanish. last week I took a phone away from a student for texting in class and Mom came to pick it up. Well since Mom was there I figure I'd tell her that the student was not passing the class. Well the student told me "well this isn't what we came here for". I was stunned, and SO WAS MOM. She didn't speak much English, but definitely understood what her child had said. I went next door to a teacher who does speak spanish and got my message across. The student was not very happen with that,..... but too bad!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-15965247252977289382009-04-16T20:29:00.000-07:002009-04-16T21:32:03.776-07:00What about school?Ok, so I blogged how busy I an outside of school, but this is a school blog so whats up at school?<br /><br />I struggle. I've been teaching for 3-1/2 years and I suffer from wanting everything to turn out perfectly, and having it not turn out perfectly!<br /><br />This year I am trying to pay attention to what keeps a student from learning. I have found that one of the biggest obstacle is vocabulary. I am not talking about content vocabulary (I teach science and their is a huge list of vocabulary I have to introduce every week!) I am talking about words such as distinguish, interaction, stalking (for predator and prey), grazing, herds, and so many every day words that I am familiar with, but they are not because they haven't been exposed to that type of vocabulary. I have learned not to assume that they "should"know that word. When students ask me what something means I will usually tell the whole class, just to make sure that everyone knows it.<br /><br />Another area students have problems in is their confidence. They do not have confidence in what they have learned and what they know. I learned this really well this year. One thing that I allow my students to do after every test is to repair it. Repairing the test is a process in which the student corrects every problem on the test that they got wrong . They need to find the correct answer using the book or notes and explain why they got it wrong (what confused them). When the students go through correcting their test they find that they are amazed that they choose the wrong answer. I get responses such as "Why did I choose that?", "I remember that from lecture", and "that was from the lab". Away from the pressure from the test they remember more. I always reinforce these self discoveries in hopes that during the next test they will do better.<br /><br />Another blow to a students confidence is how teachers interact with their students. My students have told me that some teachers do call them stupid. As a teacher I do understand the frustrations when students don't know, but there needs to be that pause in between the anger to analyze what the student doesn't understand, you can't get angry. To call a student stupid in the classroom is really to destroy the confidence of all students in the room. I have done something similar. I had a student ask me what page we were on (after I said what page three times already) and I replied "If you were listening you would know". I immediately felt like such an ass after I said that. I immediately stopped the class and apologized for the stupid statement that came out of my mouth. I told them to please always ask me if they don't know what to do. I rather have them ask me (than sit there and do nothing because they don't want to ask me).<br /><br />I understand why a teacher would get angry or frustrated, that is normal human reaction. The difference is to be able to get over being mad and teach the students what they need to know. I know not to take home being frustrated by what students know and don't know, and I don't. I am disappointed in my fellow teachers that they let the anger spill out and take it out on the students we share.<br /><br />Everyday is a new day, whether its a day in September or June. I teach the kids, and as I teach the kids I also learn from them too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-92136572051697375602009-04-16T19:10:00.000-07:002009-04-16T19:45:57.415-07:00Spring BreakIts Spring break for me. Its Thursday and I'm FINALLY done grading. What has busy me been up to? Here it goes:<br /><br />Visit Family:<br />For Easter Weekend my husband and I decided to visit his Mom and some of his brothers & sisters in Vegas. We usually visit during the spring break because to visit Vegas in the summer is crazy! We had a real nice time visiting. The first night we ate out with his older brother and wife. It was good for us because we haven't seen them in a while, and it was good for them because they could vent about how stressful times have been about having Mom and other (younger) brother and sister (and her husband) move in. They were quite happy to get out of the house.<br /><br />Easter was nice we had a very nice brunch at the house. His older brother made biscuits & gravy and a TON of bacon! I made a fritatta which everyone loved. Afterwards we took his Mom gambling to the Casino. She loves this slot machine thats called Irish Dublin. It makes Irish music and she dances to it. We gambled for about 90 minutes (don't worry its a penny slot machine) and then she got tired so we took her home.<br /><br />We headed home on Monday morning and then I had to really start working. Even though its break time for me, its not. I cleaned house and washed clothes from the trip. Tuesday I started grading! YUCK! I did this thorugh Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday I also did the grocery shopping and ran some errands. It was really nice to go to the grocery store on a weekday and not have it be crowded! Thursday was doctor day. Visited the foot doctor and then made an appointment to visit my regular doctor for the biyearly TB test. Then I punched in all my grades into schoolloop. I love schoolloop. Its a way for kids to check their grads online. Hopefully they will check their school grades inbetween myspace and facebook!<br /><br />Friday will be lesson planning. So nothing too exciting really on my break. I think I pretty much did what almost every teacher does on break, catch up with schoolwork, clean house, and plan out the next lessons! Hopefully on Monday I'll be totally ready!...<br /><br />Hopefully.....<br /><br />but then there is state testing around the corner....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-76075012757879786142009-01-23T22:23:00.000-08:002009-01-23T22:39:26.266-08:00First ReporterAll teachers, doctors, nurses, policemen and other county workers (I think) are supposed to be first reporters (It could also be called first responders, I'm not sure). Essentially if I suspect any type of child abuse at work, at home or if I'm out shopping, I must report it. For me not to report it leaves me liable and I could lose my job and even arrested.<br /><br />So I had to report something the other day. I'm glad it wasn't something horrible-horrible-horrible, but it left me stressed. I was stressed because I had to make the call and was unsure of all the CORRECT paperwork and stuff I had to gather. At the time I had no one to ask advice because all the counselors were at a meeting and all the administrators were out. I was stressed because I was giving a test the next period and I had to have a teacher watch my class. And I was stressed because I don't like that bad things/situations happen.<br /><br />I basically found an aspect of my job that I don't like. I don't like that bad things happen to kids (again nothing horrible-horrible-horrible), I don't like NOT KNOWING what to do, and I don't like looking like I am freaking out (I felt like I did).<br /><br />So it was a sucky day.<br /><br />I know I did the right thing, I felt sure in myself about that. It was better the next day because I did ask the counselors If I did the right thing and they said I did what I was supposed to do. That helped it be a little less sucky.<br /><br />Sometimes the world sucks!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-44488836207600343142008-08-24T11:30:00.000-07:002008-08-24T11:39:26.614-07:00Dreams of schoolSo one of the teachers at the workshop that I attended would tell me she had nightmares about her school. She said in one dream she was at the photocopy machine, and she really needed to make copies, BUT she couldn't find her master copies to start photocopying.<br /><br />I've never had a nightmare but I guess all the talk about dreams finally entered my subconscious because I did have a dream about school. It wasn't a nightmare, but it something that could happen.<br /><br />First I dreamt that my class was physically longer and that they had added 6 more benches to my room so it was now able to hold 54 students. One of the students sitting in the back, of course, was a knucklehead I had for only one semester last year (THANK GOODNESS!). In the back of the classroom in the other corner was 2 boys who were being smart asses. They would say something and I'd reply back, knucklehead from last year would laugh every time the 2 boys would talk back. The dream ended with me kicking them out to guidance. It wasn't a bad dream, definitely something that could happen, except for the way larger classroom. That wouldn't happen.<br /><br />So that was my crazy dream. It wasn't bad, and I'm still looking forward to the new school year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-2736186035472815042008-08-24T11:05:00.000-07:002008-08-24T11:30:36.502-07:00Last week for my worshop: A reflectionI just finished the last week for my inquiry workshop. I really enjoyed it and it has fired me up the start of the school year. At the end of the workshop we had to evaluate the program and fill out a HUGE questionnaire. One of the questions I had trouble answering was what I liked the most. I really couldn't decided. There were two aspects that I liked equally.<br /><br />One, I liked learning! We spent three weeks going through common procedures in microbiology and molecular biology. Two subjects that I really enjoyed in college. We made plates, cultures, Inserted genes using plasmids, examined digested pieces to cut p the DNA, examined the DNA on an agarose gel and ran a PCR. I was so bummed that my PCR didn't work! It was such a short course that I did not get the chance to run the PCR again. Most of this workshop was HANDS on. It required me to remember and review what we would be doing before, or after, we did it. We had very active discussions about what we were learning, and I enjoyed the learning! It made me miss going to school myself and learn more on the subject.<br /><br />The second thing that I enjoyed about this workshop was the dive right in attitude. It was essentially good, but to dive right in without really knowing what your doing, or having time to review what you will be doing, is hectic. Without really knowing what the product is we were asked to perform many complicated laboratory techniques that most of us have never done before. I had done some of these things in my undergraduate classes and in other workshops, but very few others had done this. Its not so much that I enjoyed the feeling of being unsure, its that I realized that this is what most of my students must experience when expected to learn some very complicated biological processes. This dive in attitude put me in their shoes.<br /><br />Using Inquiry learning strategies in the class can help lower the amount of students not sure of what to do. Unfortunately I have found that most of my students do not like science. I found this out by asking them if they like science at the start of the year. So when I give instruction or lecture on a biological process they don't pay close attention because its something they are not interested in. Using Inquiry strategy I can get them hooked in by allowing them to choose what they want to investigate(within current topic of study). Now I'm not dumb, I know its not going to get all of them. But even a 10-20% increase in students who become interested in what we are learning because they get to find out information that they are interested would be excellent.<br /><br />I also realized that I do want to go back to school. I want to increase/sharpen what I know.<br /><br />So its a bummer that the workshop is over, but I did gain alot from it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-60995874857885995072008-08-20T19:08:00.000-07:002008-08-20T19:10:38.494-07:00Something funny.If you saw the last Batman movie, here is a funny spoof based on the interrogation scene in the movie. Enjoy!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w2yv8aT0UFc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w2yv8aT0UFc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-53212042591641092992008-08-16T12:19:00.000-07:002008-08-16T18:05:42.009-07:00TurtlesWell I am at Cal Tech this week. I took my camera to take pictures of the campus, but my dumb rechargeable batteries died. Need new ones :(<br /><br />I did get some pictures. Here is the hallway for the building that my workshop is in. Its Spanish style. The Hallways are very beautiful as they have the plastered arched ceilings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOjyExKo2QKq4_faRq67YqtYY7w8Lt7_DaSh2680H3f0_65aiK8nKP-iWs3CsmHjA07Py1CSdRkkSpv4og2Eh-xhh9IdNcdb2MIy7TioFV5bte0IscUZEFN-tS5r9aS9pmdr_NQ/s1600-h/P8150171.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOjyExKo2QKq4_faRq67YqtYY7w8Lt7_DaSh2680H3f0_65aiK8nKP-iWs3CsmHjA07Py1CSdRkkSpv4og2Eh-xhh9IdNcdb2MIy7TioFV5bte0IscUZEFN-tS5r9aS9pmdr_NQ/s320/P8150171.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235198817851874242" border="0" /></a>On the way to lunch we pass by this little turtle pond. I have never been interested in having a turtle as a pet, but these guys are cute!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AYVW_fcZsZA10LIFbdr9ufNelA6sgKbCoTaPGJRxTKS_q4-PEIWKvqvZDHMyQKo6DuYxySnVUWrqq0a7CH8rKTJAUeEoSjsQyrrMA8LL2hyphenhyphenMpuQ_yiUh_7oQzAZs6uv5Y8kHRA/s1600-h/P8150187.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AYVW_fcZsZA10LIFbdr9ufNelA6sgKbCoTaPGJRxTKS_q4-PEIWKvqvZDHMyQKo6DuYxySnVUWrqq0a7CH8rKTJAUeEoSjsQyrrMA8LL2hyphenhyphenMpuQ_yiUh_7oQzAZs6uv5Y8kHRA/s320/P8150187.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235198828524454402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNRvLyE7iYz-Yi5_LHzQhCec99XPhafa8uerGNxgEecT-UHoDVPY5FbI9E3D8vU7Qpbor-zuuP-GAljyMB__F-k-IV9JNkrVFgDgU8Eec04Zu-oa7HY0830QfLlEcuBdVg6sHOg/s1600-h/P8150184.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNRvLyE7iYz-Yi5_LHzQhCec99XPhafa8uerGNxgEecT-UHoDVPY5FbI9E3D8vU7Qpbor-zuuP-GAljyMB__F-k-IV9JNkrVFgDgU8Eec04Zu-oa7HY0830QfLlEcuBdVg6sHOg/s320/P8150184.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235198832075482434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hhwWSRMMlRGAgW3kI_i85Tcd3R6A0EmmWNo9RslkqqOKMUMMR7f4EP9at6AEGPk2o1cnuy3tAUvF7ZOm3JWAa4MztU2rTAX8WhaOFPebdN9lBoIs07zNSnAmFe3lc8-oAJfQ6g/s1600-h/P8150198.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hhwWSRMMlRGAgW3kI_i85Tcd3R6A0EmmWNo9RslkqqOKMUMMR7f4EP9at6AEGPk2o1cnuy3tAUvF7ZOm3JWAa4MztU2rTAX8WhaOFPebdN9lBoIs07zNSnAmFe3lc8-oAJfQ6g/s320/P8150198.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235198834314238258" border="0" /></a><br />Right past the turtle pond is this large park area with a water feature. Its a nice area to sit, feel the breeze and enjoy how peaceful it looks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixu6em1WiXaX9VVK4RbsAtHSXaeu8WGBHMfLSXJrG0c0_pYWpsGRc6RA7KUwdUrnLaCW6ES6iyxvU3q2zhtohBYhvjswAOgM_nGSVmxTAroTmtN6ePveR_7bTqCwkDFq0fUFOEhA/s1600-h/P8150196.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixu6em1WiXaX9VVK4RbsAtHSXaeu8WGBHMfLSXJrG0c0_pYWpsGRc6RA7KUwdUrnLaCW6ES6iyxvU3q2zhtohBYhvjswAOgM_nGSVmxTAroTmtN6ePveR_7bTqCwkDFq0fUFOEhA/s320/P8150196.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235198840327095266" border="0" /></a><br />And thats all I got, cuz then my camera died. Oh well next week!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-26826093180849342332008-08-16T10:19:00.000-07:002008-08-16T12:31:50.989-07:00Frustration & Learning<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5SG0rgXnTCpFweu75yNoXI0SdFEPRK23vyupgzSpzgNxTjhIPe86PPcG4LMS3BvCSnxBmJAm_pFtvvtOmaEemfEAJVUgS0AnxKwyaJLjhuoMsJCpRVpSWnIoZt9VBElTNF3veg/s1600-h/P8150177.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5SG0rgXnTCpFweu75yNoXI0SdFEPRK23vyupgzSpzgNxTjhIPe86PPcG4LMS3BvCSnxBmJAm_pFtvvtOmaEemfEAJVUgS0AnxKwyaJLjhuoMsJCpRVpSWnIoZt9VBElTNF3veg/s320/P8150177.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235194791544659954" border="0" /></a><br />In my second week in my inquiry learning workshop I have been frustrated, but I have also learned about frustration and how it interferes with learning.<br /><br />During the second week we transformed some bacteria with the GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein).<br />Now I do teach Biology and I am familiar with the steps required to do transformation, but is something I have only done once before in another workshop, over 4 years ago.<br /><br />Now the first part is easy. We are given plasmid DNA that has DNA from a Jellyfish. A Plasmid is a piece of DNA that is found in bacteria, but is not connected to the bacteria's DNA. The Plasmid can move in and out of the bacteria and this is one way that bacteria can pass around the genetic information that makes them antibiotic resistance. What molecular biologist have learned how to do is to take a plasmid from bacteria and splice in another gene. Now this is one way that they make insulin for diabetics. They take plasmids, splice in the gene making insulin, put it into a bacteria and the bacteria will make insulin. They grow billions of E-coli and these E-coli produce insulin.<br /><br />The plasmid DNA that I received came from a jellyfish that naturally glows green.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeS5iQA2dE21Gy3Fp7RrPSMOm25GTd-1QGE3CfKqad20oh7XSSo-nGHXZJXR-w6Zjqh-IVVmXTsW0vpI1S_NCSJy1h4BO018jzkbxpXtWW1oZ_HQDtDjrcT0kdCZc74Jtl5zf0w/s1600-h/Aequorea+victoria+Jellyfish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeS5iQA2dE21Gy3Fp7RrPSMOm25GTd-1QGE3CfKqad20oh7XSSo-nGHXZJXR-w6Zjqh-IVVmXTsW0vpI1S_NCSJy1h4BO018jzkbxpXtWW1oZ_HQDtDjrcT0kdCZc74Jtl5zf0w/s320/Aequorea+victoria+Jellyfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235178402545745714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Each plasmid only carries one gene and each had a different gene from the jellyfish. So some might of have the gene for making the protein that glows, one might of have the gene for making the slime on the outside of the jellyfish or any other part of the jellyfish. We first had to transform the bacteria, that is trick the bacteria into taking in the plasmid. Once the bacteria takes in the plasmid it will produce the protein that was on the plasmid.<br /><br />So this is what I grew. The top 2 rows have growth, but too much. When you have this much solid growth its called a lawn. In the third row only the first plate had growth, but these were colonies, basically little dots of growth. It was the same for the 4th row as well.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LSljfia4Td3XXmDDvrmW3RtGC_8rwludsozfSDd-jt9uJhyTPBLwJ80kfOnhWq-F_MgDGCvwqFmMM8tY8l_bkve_ytx488dCPYuFado7YKDZjfBpwR0IVavUZoaweHfRn4RqKA/s1600-h/P8120134.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LSljfia4Td3XXmDDvrmW3RtGC_8rwludsozfSDd-jt9uJhyTPBLwJ80kfOnhWq-F_MgDGCvwqFmMM8tY8l_bkve_ytx488dCPYuFado7YKDZjfBpwR0IVavUZoaweHfRn4RqKA/s320/P8120134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235178410475937858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Me and my lab partner had success, we had one dish that grew bacteria that had taken in the plasmid with the Green Fluorescent Protein Gene! You can see the glowing green little colonies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaC5z_9h-Sek6qmhYFYbh2tJ9ayguEGAG3H2PGx3sklP9DhUpb5UGargR0BiW_qaaxnsqk43Mb9zpgRB7hSeZ46f0IKuntMneRPTaWD8FxBeHHZcJoHAteLzclDYvKm1oRGWxCw/s1600-h/P8120131.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaC5z_9h-Sek6qmhYFYbh2tJ9ayguEGAG3H2PGx3sklP9DhUpb5UGargR0BiW_qaaxnsqk43Mb9zpgRB7hSeZ46f0IKuntMneRPTaWD8FxBeHHZcJoHAteLzclDYvKm1oRGWxCw/s320/P8120131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235178412343854498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />What was frustrating? The Stoichiometry (calculations) needed to figure out the concentration of bacteria cells per sample on the plates with colonies. This is something I have never done. Fortunately for me one of the classes I teach I do show how to do conversions, which is similar to what I'm supposed to do. So I kinda know how to set it up. I was also lucky is that my lab partner new what to do. So she showed me what to do. Thats good and bad, I learn better when I puzzle it out myself.<br /><br />The next step is verification. When you transform bacteria to produce a protein you need to verify that you have the correct protein inside the bacteria. So you go through a process where you take the plasmid out of the bacteria and place the plasmid DNA on an agarose gel to see the length of DNA that you are interested in. Basically you look to see if the plasmid in your transformed DNA is the one you wanted in the bacteria.<br /><br />So what was frustrating about this? The steps to do this were complicated as well as the calculations to make all the solutions we needed to make to perform the experiment. Now in the workshop we first meet to discuss what we are going to do, then we do it. The moderator/teacher of our workshop was going over what we had to do. She was going over the instructions in a fast manner and assuming we knew all the reasonings why certain things need to be done. This was all so frustrating. I was trying to listen and write down instructions. That is something hard for me to do because when I write I am comprehending what I heard, but then I get behind in what is being said. SO at one point I got lost and looked up to see who I could ask for what I missed and I saw that everyone was lost. I teach, I know what the "lost-look" looks like. The moderator (a post-doc student) didn't know we were lost. She didn't know because some of the teachers were nodding their heads lie they knew what she was talking about, and when the moderator asked "any questions?" no one raised their hand.<br /><br />Now the kind of person i am is that when I don't know something I NEED TO KNOW NOW! I raised my hand and asked "I'm lost, I think everyone else is lost, please raise your hand if you are on the same page as the moderator" and no one raised their hand. So we had to back peddle a bit and we figured it out.<br /><br />This was a good experience because this is exactly what happens to students in a classroom. They get lost and they just nod there head and wait until the bell rings. Whats worst is that students will not raise their hand to say they are lost. They have learned by high school (through bad teacher experiences) that if your the one that raises their hand to critique something in class you, as the student, risk of being embarrassed or made fun of or even in trouble. So I learned to pay attention to how I give instruction and to gauge their facial/physically reaction. so I don't lose them.<br /><br />So once we did that we went to the lab. I actually did partially figure out how to do some calculations for the solutions we needed. We went through all the chemical steps to separate the plasmid and reculture it. We actually did this part on more than 1 samples so we would have more than one plasmid sample to test. Then we cut up the plasmid for just the DNA for the gene we grew in the bacteria. Once we do that we use a micropippete tool to place the DNA samples in the agarose gel.<br /><br />SO these are micropippetes, you use them to distribute microlitres of fluid. That is 1/1000 of a ml, very small amounts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2Jz_DFzvFUa11Nd1W216GzMBPJ4kzbakdiVBc4X7cCFgPqK2__6Wd1dwKJH1J4yycWmvRoA1f2IQWovDLpY90dwLw3W3WzSHupSDHumS_SQ9WqBxaVmS5iBT23Xq38AKA4pL2w/s1600-h/Micro_Pipette.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2Jz_DFzvFUa11Nd1W216GzMBPJ4kzbakdiVBc4X7cCFgPqK2__6Wd1dwKJH1J4yycWmvRoA1f2IQWovDLpY90dwLw3W3WzSHupSDHumS_SQ9WqBxaVmS5iBT23Xq38AKA4pL2w/s320/Micro_Pipette.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235194184912503650" border="0" /></a><br />The idea is that you cut up the DNA into little pieces. Then you make a gel, a jello like substance, that is about 1/4-inch thick and rectangular in shape about 3 inches by 4 inches. The gel is made in a mold that creates 12 small wells, or holes, on one end of the gel. You then micropippete a small amount of one of the DNA samples into one of the wells in the agarose gel. Then it is placed in a Electrophoresis tank and an electrical current is applied to the gel. DNA is polar, which means it has a positive end and a negative end. So when the electrical current is applied to the gel the DNA moves within the gel. This makes the DNA bands that TV uses in all there CSI shows. This is the Electrophoresis tank.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5SG0rgXnTCpFweu75yNoXI0SdFEPRK23vyupgzSpzgNxTjhIPe86PPcG4LMS3BvCSnxBmJAm_pFtvvtOmaEemfEAJVUgS0AnxKwyaJLjhuoMsJCpRVpSWnIoZt9VBElTNF3veg/s1600-h/P8150177.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5SG0rgXnTCpFweu75yNoXI0SdFEPRK23vyupgzSpzgNxTjhIPe86PPcG4LMS3BvCSnxBmJAm_pFtvvtOmaEemfEAJVUgS0AnxKwyaJLjhuoMsJCpRVpSWnIoZt9VBElTNF3veg/s320/P8150177.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235194791544659954" border="0" /></a><br />This is what we got after we took the gel out and put it in the UV ray to see the bands. IT WAS WAY COOL!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCymm5vlnLGnjJ726rsF0V0rylWlXBxB1J9EK2T-yRuNPMbEe1dtinENNWu6R1GhHOuQRbd7WbSaOj8wqA7MgZ6jnac7bmtIElhu7r0699l8IPHgdI_Bxb2Cb6oJ26VlBXipP1Ag/s1600-h/P8150204.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCymm5vlnLGnjJ726rsF0V0rylWlXBxB1J9EK2T-yRuNPMbEe1dtinENNWu6R1GhHOuQRbd7WbSaOj8wqA7MgZ6jnac7bmtIElhu7r0699l8IPHgdI_Bxb2Cb6oJ26VlBXipP1Ag/s320/P8150204.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235194198100912562" border="0" /></a>This is all we could do this week. next week will run a PCR, a way to reproduce the gene of interest in great amounts.<br /><br />We ended the day having a discussion on inquiry learning and how we could incorporate the inquiry process in our classes. All teachers in my group realize that what we are doing would not be entirely possible in a basic biology class. Most of us, including me, do not have the tools or equipment for most of what we are doing. But we do take away our experiences with these procedures and an understanding how important it is to allow students to dig and figure out things on there own. This way they are engaged and when they are engaged they are learning.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-14619609970877550442008-08-07T19:43:00.000-07:002008-08-07T22:18:29.791-07:00Inquiry Learning<span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">I am currently in a 3 week workshop on inquiry earning. Yes I know its August but there are no regrets. I made the commitment to attend the workshop, it was something I was looking forward to going to, and I AM SO GLAD I DID!.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">First let me explain my summer situation. I really needed my summer vacation this time. This last year was particularly tough because of two things. First, I DID NOT PREPARE FOR THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR! I made the STUPID assumption that I could just do what I did last year for the first week of school and catch up with lesson planning over the weekends. Well that TOTALLY didn't work.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I was just as bad as the kids :( .</span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">This compounded the second reason that made a tough year for me, my school changed its pacing plan for biology. It threw me for a loop and I never felt caught up. Part of that extended year-long feeling was also due to mismanagement of my time from time over the year.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">So at the end of this school year I decided to make sure to prepare and plan for the next school year. One of my</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255);">GOALS</span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255);"> <span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">is to have lessons that meet the California standards but are not specific to my text book. This way when my school changes books, I'll be ready. In addition for preparing lessons I also planned to attend 2 different workshops over the summer. One workshop met for 2 weeks in the summer and will meet once a month over the upcoming school year. This workshop is on literacy, a focus on reading and writing. It's a good workshop that shows how to use strategies to engage students in their content reading. Basically it gives prereading strategies, build up, post writing strategies and rubrics to help grade what is written. The best part of the rubric is that shows examples of 1's to 6's. Thats helpful for me so that I can see examples of what a 3-6's is and compare it to my students. In addition I also got some free books on literacy strategies. English teachers got a GREAT binder that had 9 lessons that each teach different types of grammar.<br /><br />I'm really happy about the latest workshop that I am attending this week. It is on inquiry learning. Before taking this workshop I thought Inquiry learning was hands on learning, nothing more of that. I'm learning that its so much more. I signed up for the workshop because I was told that it consists of a cohort of Biology teachers who are grouped together and </span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">we would work laboratories for the classroom. If you are a science teacher having new and interesting labs are a MUST HAVE. If they are fun its a bonus! That is why I signed up for this workshop. Thats not quite what we are doing, but I don't care. In the 4 days I have been there I'm really learning alot about Inquiry learning and I am excited to take what I learned into the classroom this September.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">When my year ended last year I knew my lesson needed work. Part of the change in my school's science pacing plan was to shrink it down from 36 weeks to 30 weeks for teaching all the Bio standards. The reasoning behind this is to have the students 100% prepared for state testing in May. I don't think this is a bad idea. The nice thing is that you have the last 6 weeks to investigate any area in Bio, such as classification, plants, biotechnology or microbiology. My lessons for the last year were mostly textbook driven with the focus of activities on reading, Cornell notes and Lecture. Followed by a test or quiz. The Labs were either grouped, demo's, or very truncated. What my lessons needed was more laboratory activities that engage the students and get them thinking.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">Inquiry learning is actually teaching kids how to think.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">Let me give you an example with a laboratory that every bio teacher from high school to college does. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">The good old introducing the microscope lab</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">. The day before the lab you introduce the microscope and give the student a handout or page numbers in the book to preview the microscope. The next day you might demo how to use the microscope (10-20 minutes) then allow the students to use the microscope. Now if your class is 50 minutes long the students really only have time to look at a few slides. Forget making them. That will be tomorrow and another demo. Then maybe later you give the kids a test so they can define the parts microscope and what they do.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">This year I will be again doing </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">the good old microscope lab, but using inquiry learning.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">This is what I'm going to do. I will have the students use a blank sheet of paper in their science journal. I will take one microscope from the cart to show them how to properly carry it, I'll show them how to be careful with the stage and objective lenses because the stage can injure the objective lens. Then they will draw their microscope and figure out what all the dials do ON THEIR OWN. They won't be able to use the book initially, which will force them to write in their own words what each dial does on the microscope, but they will get to play (which is what they want to do) while they learn (which is what I want them to do) what the function of each knob or dial does. I'll give them slides to practice with. Hopefully this will also limit the "is this right Miss?" questions.</span><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">Inquiry learning is actually teaching kids how to think, at their pace by investigating.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">Now I'm lucky, I have computers (12 of them, so groups of three students per computer) in my room. They are old Apples, but they work with the internet. The next day I will have students investigate on the web how to make a wet mount slide, INSTEAD OF PROVIDING THE INFORMATION FOR THEM! I know if I give them a hand out most won't read it, let alone write a prelab. I hate having to say "If you don't have the prelab you don't get to do the lab". But if I show them how to search for information on the web then I am also teaching them technology skills. I can show them to look for the domain name as a clue to whether a site is a good source. As a homework assignment I can have them bring in something THEY WANT TO SEE to make a wet slide of for the next day. (Now this I will have to be careful so students do not bring in anything inappropriate into the classroom) I'll also have available your basic letter "e" as well as some thread to show depth. I think the students will (I HOPE) love exploring the microscope on their own as well as remember how they work.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">Let me give you another example. One experiment that I do for Cellular Respiration is to use Yeast. I have the students place yeast, sugar and salt, in different combinations into test tubes. Then I have them place a balloon over the test tube. This is done to show the anaerobic reaction of yeast. The yeast eat the sugar and expel CO2 gas. I wrote the lab (A total late night project) I tell the students how much to measure out in each tube, how warm the water should be and how long. INSTEAD I think when we get to this point we will look up what conditions are good for</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">yeasts and anaerobic reactions , and then I will provide the yeast and sugar and salt and test tubes, BUT LEAVE IT UP TO THEM HOW TO PUT IT TOGETHER! They write up the prelab telling me there plan, then they do the lab the next day. Not only are they learning how to research, learning about anaerobic reactions, and different types of yeasts (classification). They will write a better report because they figured out the procedure and they will improve their reading sills as they do research for their report.</span><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">Inquiry learning is actually teaching kids how to think, at their pace by investigating and creating their OWN experiments. Making their own questions and finding out their own answers!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 255, 153);">So I'm currently in week one, day 4, of my workshop and am looking forward to the next two weeks, AS WELL AS THE START OF SCHOOL! Thats not crazy, thats just the difference between a job and a career!</span><br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-54629970672397651452008-08-01T12:54:00.000-07:002008-08-01T13:31:38.132-07:00Here I go again!Well here I am trying to blog again. I do not have many current teaching experiences to write about because it is summer time. I have been teaching for 3 years and will start my fourth year of teaching this September. SO what have I done so far?<br /><br />I took some time off with my family and friends.<br /><br />I started some literacy classes. These are classes to show teachers techniques and strategies to improve a students reading and writing ability. These classes will meet over the next school year, about once a month. Every few classes is a different presenter. They are good classes because they show me ways to engage the student and help them become better readers, writers and thinkers. While these classes are geared for English teachers I know, even though I am a science teacher, I'm sort of an English teacher too in trying to improve their literacy skills when it comes to science. I was originally shocked that most students don't LOVE science when they come into the classroom. I think as little kids we are all little scientist, but I guess that gets lost along the way. I will admit there is ALOT of reading that is done in the classroom to cover the amount of material that is required by the state. These classes I am taking are showing me how to demonstrate techniques students can use to make sense out of the material they have to read.<br /><br />I am also starting a class next week. It is for science teachers. Essentially I will meet other Biology teachers and collaborate on labs that we could implement in the classroom. Labs are an important part of a science class. In a science class the only interesting thing to all students are the labs that are done. Since each class only lasts 52 minutes, having labs that are easy to set up and take down, cost effective AND are COOL, is something I need to work on! Needless to say I am looking forward to these classes coming up.<br /><br />I am also cleaning out my work space. I have way too many books and papers piled up on my desk at home, so I'm doing a little organization and clean up. That includes the computer too! I am almost done going through my fies on the computer. This is good because it reminds what I have done before, and what I can get rid of!<br /><br />Last summer I didn't really prepare for the upcoming school year. There were moments when I wish I had redid some lessons or found something new. Teaching is a refining process and I don't want myself to become stale. I think everyone has had a teacher who has been using the same lesson/worksheet or test for YEARS. I don't want to reinvent the wheel every year,but, I don't want to be old and moldy either.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-84363723595050802582007-09-04T22:01:00.000-07:002008-08-01T13:27:53.218-07:00What I did on my summer vacation.Well I thought it would be important for me to write what I did on my summer vacation before the first day of school. The most important thing I did, if you read my previous post was to finish my BTSA! Yahoo! (and I don't mean the web-site)<br /><br />Summer was my maintenance time. I went to the dentist. I went to see my podiatrist for a "Toe Problem". This turned into a month long "sitting in bed with my foot up" ordeal. Then just for fun (thats sarcasm) I also sprained my wrist. I did it on July 3rd. I was in a brace for 4 weeks, which didn't help, so my doctor put my arm in a cast for 3 weeks! Yeah - Joyous fun! .<br /><br />As for preparation for school, I really gave myself a break. The completion of my BTSA was all I worked on for school. I have a few lessons planned for the first three days and I will work on lessons, lesson labs and activities over the weekend.<br /><br />So now that school officially starts tomorrow, I'm ready for it. We will introduce each other and start on the rules. I'm ready for school. RU?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-47046097208784784332007-07-16T19:01:00.000-07:002008-08-01T12:51:08.249-07:00BTSA is done!I am happy to join the ranks of those that are free from the chains of BTSA! How big was it? Well here it is:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItYAjBoqSxXMWWasKhvxubHU6PphiYxTEHBQ1rqIV3LRNnrJ7k2gqH09LiQC-TY9CPl_QlutE2TsNM9Si7pCy8Fn6a8KmU7BRskMOQAzjNN8va22OA-oyE90cYvMmvTC2y4k6uQ/s1600-h/BTSA+1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItYAjBoqSxXMWWasKhvxubHU6PphiYxTEHBQ1rqIV3LRNnrJ7k2gqH09LiQC-TY9CPl_QlutE2TsNM9Si7pCy8Fn6a8KmU7BRskMOQAzjNN8va22OA-oyE90cYvMmvTC2y4k6uQ/s320/BTSA+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087981989251317314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGjp85fO-GyegKhbhOPCxgP7Rap4FkOxxIPqOxODeXR7MZMGwcaQ2sF7MO4CK0NrPOzUGAhFoLUfmZrKhET6eafuYU18jDg1q6tsIKiB9uI1Dsdz7oj-ihyphenhyphenbruQbKS_aTf7813g/s1600-h/BTSA+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGjp85fO-GyegKhbhOPCxgP7Rap4FkOxxIPqOxODeXR7MZMGwcaQ2sF7MO4CK0NrPOzUGAhFoLUfmZrKhET6eafuYU18jDg1q6tsIKiB9uI1Dsdz7oj-ihyphenhyphenbruQbKS_aTf7813g/s320/BTSA+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087982504647392850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Yes it was over 2-1/2 inches thick. In truth it took 1 semester to work on. Why only 1 semester, well that was my fault. See I have been on the "two-year" plan, but during the first year of teaching I found I was way too busy (hence the title of my web-blog) to really start collecting all the documents and student work. At the end of the first semester of my first year I knew that I really could not gather all that information that are part of the tasks of BTSA, so instead I decided to just attend the classes.<br /><br />Now I think I agree with other BTSA-sufferers. The classes pretty much repeat what you have learned in your credentialing classes. If you are lucky you will have a presenter who understands this and will provide something new on the topic of your class, or at least be energetic! Having attended all the classes I have personally found they provided nothing really new. It was only Health classes that were interesting, and the presenter was excellent! He was energetic, knowledgeable and answered ALOT of questions!<br /><br />My plan was to start collecting the information at the start of the first semester of my second year, unfortunatelyI found out at the start of the year that the long term sub they hired for the teacher next door did not take the position (the regular teacher in that room is on maternity leave). To give the kids in her classes a chance I volunteered myself to create lesson plans and crunch grades for the classes next door.<br /><br />I introduced myself to each of the classes and let the students know if the had any problems to come see me after school (unfortunately not many did). It was a big undertaking, and It's not something I think I would do again. The main reason why I would not do it again is because it did take away from lesson planning for my classes and my students (and it definitely took all the time I had planned for BTSA).<br /><br />That left only the last semester to collect data for my BTSA. I essentially started with one task and sequentially completed each task afterwards. It's not the best way to complete it, but it was the easiest way for me. I really cut it to the wire, having students complete one of the tasks 5 days before finals. But done is done!<br /><br />So now I am enjoying my summer. I need to reevaluate my lessons. They have changed the pacing plan at my school so I need to redo lessons. Thats ok, I am looking forward to teaching without BTSA hanging over my head!<br /><br />Enjoy Summer!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-10992176090282922282007-02-03T18:27:00.000-08:002008-08-01T12:39:01.970-07:00BTSAWell I actually FINALLY STARTED working on BTSA. I will complete task 17 by next weekend. Its easy to complete because I only need to work on 17.4, not 17.1, 17.2 or 17.3. Basically I create a lesson on equity and diversity and show how I apply my lesson to a class with that has a wide variety of learning styles and challenges. I still have 4 other tasks to complete. When I am completely done with BTSA I will have written a small book that is a reflection of trying - applying and learning from different learning styles. It is essentially a third year of education, but through the State of California verses in a graduate school program. While I understand the importance of it, I would of have preferred to do this in Graduate school, even if student teaching lasted an entire school year, than after my own school because of the large responsibility a teacher has to the students, parents and administration.<br /><br />The new semester has started! Now we are working on evolution, ecology and physiology. I really want to find some interesting things in physiology this year. I have computers in my room so I will be looking for and adding some computer investigations on these topics. That way I can blah blah less. On the plus side the teacher next door has returned so now I only have to worry about my 5 classes that I teach, rather than 10 classes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-80902456682480328402007-01-15T20:46:00.000-08:002007-01-15T20:57:16.847-08:00Now I'm ready for schoolWell, it is the start of the second week back to school from winter break. My winter break was GREAT! Not that I did anything special, I just relaxed at home. Had Christmas breakfast with my family, had Christmas dinner with my husbands family and kicked it with friends at home for new years eve. My break felt Looooong, that was a problem. When I got back to school, it was HARD to get back in the groove of things. From Tuesday to Thursday I had a major case of the BLAHS! It was real work to keep on task. Friday I finally felt better.<br /><br />So Now, I feel pretty good. Its Monday night (thank goodness for three-day weekends), I'm organized for the week and can even go to bed early so I can go to the gym in the morning.<br /><br />In my Intro Physical science we are going over electricity. We will be doing a lab with batteries and Christmas lights. I have never done this lab before so it should be interesting. In Biology we are going over transcription and translation. I have a notesheet for that one. A notesheet is a graphic organizer for students to take notes on AND still pay attention to lecture. In a way it is a way to ensure students have organized notes to study from.<br /><br />My next goal is to look to see how to get students to use their notes effectively!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-1875240655995017502007-01-02T11:31:00.000-08:002008-08-01T12:37:26.169-07:00Jan 2007 Teaching/WorkWell its Tuesday, which means I am in my office going what I have to be done with for next week. I still have 1 week of Christmas break left, but I have a ton of papers to grade and enter into the grade book.<br /><br />I started out well. I got up early, I exercised, and I ate a good breakfast. I cleaned off my desk and unpacked my schlep bag. A schlep bag is the bag teachers schlep from classroom to office which will ALWAYS have the grade book, and sometimes mail from school, field trip ideas, the lunch you have not eaten all week (My lunch was NOT in my bag) and unfortunately for me it has all my Christmas-Break grading. "Lucky me"! I also have some college recommendations to write up for different students. YEAH FOR THEM. I should have one for each of the seniors that I have taught, but I don't.<br /><br />What are my New Years Goals for the 2007 School year (which ends in June)<br />1. Finish BTSA - If you know what this is and have to do it (or are in it) I sympathize with you. If you don't know what it is and are planning to become a teacher just so that you know its a whole 'nother year of paper writing and evidence collecting.<br /><br />2. Try to plan an ecology field trip<br /><br />3. blog more, not just when I have time.<br /><br />Short term goals for just this week<br /><br />1. Fill out recommendations<br />2. Add outstanding grades and late work.<br />3. Make a list of what was gone over in the Intro physics class for the teacher that was on Maternity leave.<br />4. Grade a ton of papers<br />5. Plan out the next two weeks for Finals.<br /><br />Thats all for now. I must go back to #1 on my short term goals this week. Enough wastin time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-1162105195369463042006-10-28T23:54:00.000-07:002008-08-01T12:35:27.492-07:00Photosynthesis and the Cellular respirationWell I am currently revisiting cellular respiration so that I may teach it this year with less complication. Also I need to rework a fermentation lab so my kids can have a laboratory to give them some hands on experience. So I am tired, but I think (and hope) I can go over what I need to show them AND not confuse them so much. It is so important to really show them how things work even when it might not be the most important thing to them right now. Well back to Cellular respiration!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-1156448273509679082006-08-24T12:34:00.000-07:002006-11-09T00:12:33.361-08:00BTSAOne more post for today. I am a 2nd year biology high school teacher who has not completed the BTSA program. I have a good coordinator, I just realized last year that I could not focus on both the first year of teaching AND do BTSA at the same time. So anyone that has advice, suggestions or ideas for both BTSA and Biology Lessons it would be greatly appreciated.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32472693.post-1156448082699970982006-08-24T12:32:00.000-07:002006-11-09T00:12:33.196-08:00Links - So frustrating!Well I tried to put some links on my page , and they won't post. I followed the instructions on the web page on how to post links, I previewed it (looked fine), I republished and BAM they were NOT there! I sent an email for help. Hope I get it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0