Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Thermochemistry Unit Review
This unit covered some new material and my chemistry classes handled it well. In this unit, I did a couple more demonstrations and lab activities than I usually would. We ended the unit doing Stoichiometry, a topic that was covered in a previous unit. I differentiated instruction to help those students that didn't fully comprehend the material the first time around, and I got a really positive response.
This time around, more students understood the concept of Stoichiometry and the factor/label method. I actually saw that "a-ha" moment with a handful of students. The differentiation forced me to identify which students were is desperate need of help, and work with them one on one. Their improvement in this area automatically gives them a better understanding of chemistry in general. That is a tool they can take with them when they leave my classroom, and it can be used in several different areas.
Moving forward, I want to continue providing opportunities for my students to get hands on experience with science. Our next unit, Gas Laws, will allow me to bring in some dry ice, maybe even liquid nitrogen. That alone will keep students engaged for a week!!
This time around, more students understood the concept of Stoichiometry and the factor/label method. I actually saw that "a-ha" moment with a handful of students. The differentiation forced me to identify which students were is desperate need of help, and work with them one on one. Their improvement in this area automatically gives them a better understanding of chemistry in general. That is a tool they can take with them when they leave my classroom, and it can be used in several different areas.
Moving forward, I want to continue providing opportunities for my students to get hands on experience with science. Our next unit, Gas Laws, will allow me to bring in some dry ice, maybe even liquid nitrogen. That alone will keep students engaged for a week!!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Free Tech For Teachers
After reviewing Richard Byrne’s blog I feel like I found some useful material. I found a link on his favorite resources page that fits right into the next step in this blog. I currently use Google Docs so my students can review classroom material from their homes. I have a pretty good understanding of how they work, what benefits they have, and their limitations. In the past, I have made a couple simple Google Forms, but I haven’t used them in my classroom. I was excited to fine a link titled “How to Create Self-Graded Quizzes in Google Docs”. The link included a how to video and a couple examples of questions and responses. I feel that after some practice and patients, I can utilize this technology in my classroom to check for understanding and give faster feedback to the students. I will continue to visit Mr. Byrne’s blog, as it seems it is constantly updated with new, useful information.
Monday, March 5, 2012
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