Five Years: Where has the fourth dimension gone?

Certification Chemistry Reflection

Five Years: Where has the fourth dimension gone?

When I graduated from college in addition to received my education certificate, I idea that a 5 twelvemonth certificate was a looooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggg time.  Well, it turns out that 5 years tin larn yesteryear inwards a flash!  We withal accept i calendar month of schoolhouse left, but I simply submitted the paperwork to renew my certificate in addition to then it volition survive skillful until 2022.  Part of me thinks that that sounds in addition to then far away, but I know it volition likely wing yesteryear simply equally fast.

I spent quite a chip of fourth dimension final semester in addition to early on this semester studying for the chemical scientific discipline certification test.  I works life out nearly a calendar month agone that I passed!  This wasn't official until I filled out the paperwork today to add together it to my certificate.  I'm planning a weblog shipping presently to part my method for studying for the chemical scientific discipline certification test.  I wanted to expect in addition to brand certain I passed the examination earlier I shared!

Now it's official.  I'm certified yesteryear the pose down of Oklahoma to instruct math in addition to chemistry.

I wonder what the adjacent 5 years volition bring.  I know I never could accept dreamed of all the amazing things that accept happened during my start 5 years inwards the classroom.  Thanks to the #MTBoS for beingness at that spot for the entire ride!

Lock-Down

algebra Algebra 1 Divisibility Rules Egg Drop Physical Science Polynomials Reflection

Lock-Down

I started this weblog post service on Friday, just exhaustion won over finishing this post.  Friday started out equally a normal schoolhouse day.  First hour, my Algebra 1 students took a quiz over dividing radicals.  Then, nosotros started i of my favorite units of the year: polynomials.

Second hour, nosotros had our much anticipated egg drop.  It didn't acquire just equally planned, just nosotros made it work.  It turns out that if you lot don't driblet the eggs on concrete that ALL of the eggs survive.  Lesson learned!

Third hour, my math concepts students began to tumble out divisibility rules.  This was going kinda well.  The kids were getting a chip frustrated, just I'm non certain if it was the divisibility rules causing the problem or the worksheet I had chosen.

Then, everything changed when a pupil brought something to my desk to inquire what it was.  She had flora it laying on the flooring nether the table.  It was a bullet.  Or, at to the lowest degree I idea it was a bullet.  A few of my other students gathered roughly my desk, in addition to nosotros each took turns looking at it trying to figure out if it was actually a bullet.

Once I was 99% certain it was a bullet, I left my classroom inward search of the principal.  As I was walking out the door of my classroom, i of my kids started to freak that his fingerprints were right away on the bullet.  He begged me to wipe off his fingerprints earlier I turned it in.

I flora my principal afterwards a chip of searching, in addition to he confirmed that it was a .22 caliber bullet.  This was tertiary hour, in addition to my room had been vacuumed during 7th stream the previous day.  This meant that the bullet must belong to i of the students inward my kickoff threescore minutes or 2nd hour.

After questioning each pupil inward my kickoff ii classes of the day, the principal announced that if the possessor of the bullet did non come upward frontward that nosotros would convey to acquire on lock-down in addition to acquire the police pull involved.

Nobody came forward, in addition to then nosotros did terminate upward going on lock-down.  Students were non allowed to exit the classroom they were inward until the lock-down was over.  This is the type of matter they don't learn you lot to bargain amongst inward college.  How produce you lot comfort students when they are expressing their fears that in that place could live a schoolhouse shooting?

We remained on lock-down spell the police pull went from room to room searching each each students' handbag in addition to pockets.  This meant that our middle schoolhouse students missed their tiffin period.  Our high schoolhouse students missed the kickoff one-half or in addition to then of their tiffin period.  Students were given an extended tiffin stream which ended upward throwing off our bird correct afterwards lunch.

I am thankful that my schoolhouse took this number seriously.  They lay our security earlier everything else,
I'm particularly thankful for this iii twenty-four hours weekend to recover from the exhaustion of a twenty-four hours spent on lock-down.  It's an sense I promise I never convey to acquire through again.

Physical Science Learning from H5N1 to Z

End of School Year Physical Science Reflection

Physical Science Learning from H5N1 to Z

Last month, I saw a tweet past times Kimberly Blodgett too told myself I needed to recollect it for the concluding yoke of weeks of school.

We're immediately inward our concluding calendar week of school, too it's been difficult to keep regular classroom teaching.  Yesterday, nosotros missed business office of the solar daytime for the Box Social.  Friday, nosotros volition missy the entire afternoon for the Awards Assembly.

Last year, I had my students produce an Alphabetical Advice activity that I blogged nearly here too here.

This year, I decided to edit that file too plough it into a "Learning from H5N1 to Z" activity.

Here's what they ended upwardly looking like: 

I pioneered this novel activity amongst my physical scientific discipline class.  They had to come upwardly up amongst 26 dissimilar things nosotros had learned this twelvemonth that started amongst each alphabetic quality of the alphabet.

They struggled amongst a few letters of the alphabet until they realized that the Periodic Table could last their friend amongst this activity.

It was interesting to eavesdrop on their conversations equally they brainstormed dissimilar ideas to consummate the activity.

Curiosity got the best of me, too I decided to type upwardly all of their responses.  If you're curious, too, cash inward one's chips along reading!  

H5N1 - Arithmetic too Rounding, Accuracy, Aluminum, Actinium, Alkali Metals

B - Balancing Chemical Equations, Beaker, Bohr Models

C - Classifying Reactions, Converting Numbers to Scientific Notation, Calculating Error, Captive Zeros

D - Decomposition, Decimal Notation, Double Displacement, Digits

due east - Estimating Length, Estimating Time, Electron Dot Diagrams, Electrons, Energy, Elements

F - Formula, Flask, Force

G - Giant Burgers, Grams, Gravity

H - Hydrocarbons, Halogens, How to Read the Periodic Table, Height

I - Ionic Compounds

J - Joules

K - Kilogram, Kilometers, Kinetic Energy, Krypton

L - Leading Zeros, Length, Lead, Labs

grand - Measuring Volume, Metric System, Metric to Metric Conversions, Momentum, Mathematics of Science, Measurement, Molar Mass

north - Neutrons, Naming Ionic Compounds, Newton's Laws

O - Oxygen, Other Metals, Open System

P - Periodic Table, p=mv, Percent Error, Predicting Products, Protons

Q - Quarts

R - Rounding, Reactions, Roller Coaster Model

south - Single Displacement, Scientific Notation, Stoichiometry, Sulfur

T - Types of Systems, Trailing Zeros, Tellurium, Transition Metals, Triple Beam Balance

U - Unit Conversion Factors, Units, Uranium

V - Volume, Velocity

due west - Work, Writing Chemical Equations

X - Xenon

Y - Yield, Yttrium

Z - Zirconium



Now, I await forrad to doing this amongst my algebra classes next!

Want to play along?  I uploaded the file I created for this activity here.

Reflecting On My First Classroom

New Classroom Reflection

Reflecting On My First Classroom

As I've been going through my draft folder, I detect many posts that are slow to delete. Occasionally, though, I encounter a post service as well as wonder "Why didn't I ever destination that?!?"  This post service is 1 of those.  I've immediately completed my commencement schoolhouse twelvemonth inward our newly-designated 7th-12th degree building.  Here's a spider web log post service I wrote but never published final summer. 

I'm non alone certain what to spider web log virtually today.  I did roughly major decorating run inward my classroom yesterday, but I left without taking pictures.  So, those volition lead maintain to hold off for roughly other day.  I did accept a few pictures of my erstwhile classroom.  I'm notwithstanding pedagogy high schoolhouse math adjacent year, but I'll survive doing as well as then inward a 7th-12th degree edifice instead of a 9th-12th degree building.  This agency I'm leaving behind my commencement as well as but classroom.

Is my novel classroom nicer?  Definitely.  It's bigger.  It's newer.  It has an entire wall of cabinets.  Of course, it's non correct adjacent to the re-create machine/teacher's lounge/staff restroom.  But, I holler upward I'll survive able to contend amongst that this year.

But, this classroom, the house where I really learned how to survive a teacher, volition ever concur a particular house inward my heart.  My parents as well as sis came upward final Fri black to accept downwards my dry out erase boards as well as bulletin boards as well as deed them to my novel classroom.

This leaves my erstwhile classroom looking much similar it did when I commencement saw it.  Here's the blog post where I commencement shared pictures of my classroom as well as then real long ago.  After spending hours icon as well as decorating this classroom to become far a bright, cheery house for students to learn, it's distressing to reckon this house I dearest as well as then much await as well as then sad.



No to a greater extent than math volition survive learned here.

Good bye, erstwhile friend.

Trigonometry Advice from Former Students

End of School Year Reflection Trig Trigonometry

Trigonometry Advice from Former Students

For years, I direct keep had my students write letters of advice to hereafter students later Earth testing was over. This year, my students did non direct keep an end-of-instruction exam, therefore I was able to simply proceed teaching upwards until the halt of the schoolhouse year.  So, this twelvemonth was the foremost fourth dimension inwards a long fourth dimension that I didn't direct keep students write letters of advice.

As I'm cleaning out my draft folder, I ran across a twist on the stance that I tried amongst my trigonometry students 2 years ago.  Since I don't instruct trig every year, I couldn't really direct keep them write letters to the side past times side year's students.  Instead, I had them write letters to their past times selves amongst data they wishing they had earlier foremost trig.

You tin enjoin these are from a dyad of years agone because I was withal Ms. Hagan, then!

--

Here is roughly advice I should enjoin yous that volition assist yous out for trig.  You'll require to pay attention, psyche to Ms. Hagan, in addition to inquire questions.  A big tip you'll require to know is to compliment her on her pi jewelry. :)

--

You were beingness dumb this year.  You should direct keep sat downwards in addition to paid attention.  You would direct keep made amend grades in addition to would direct keep done amend on the ACT.

--

When yous come upwards into trig, endeavour difficult to proceed upwards amongst your notebook.  Your notebook volition survive your absolute best friend.  Pay extra closed attending when Ms. Hagan is giving her lectures.  Be certain to know how to practise i lesson earlier yous motility on to the side past times side i because to a greater extent than than probable the lessons are going to necktie into each other.

--

Wait to highlight your notes until later Ms. Hagan is done amongst explaining the examples.  If yous practise non wait, yous volition acquire confused.  Speak upwards in addition to role your words to a greater extent than often.  Participate inwards the games they play inwards class.  You volition direct keep to a greater extent than fun that way.  I promise.  On Good Things Monday, yous should participate.  And, I hope that nobody volition estimate you.  Tell your funnies on Fri funnies.

--

You should pay to a greater extent than attending inwards course of written report in addition to run harder on in-class activities therefore yous know what's going on.  Don't survive on your call upwards every bit much therefore yous know what's going on therefore yous tin travel past times your quizzes the foremost fourth dimension yous accept it therefore yous don't direct keep to come upwards inwards later class.

--

When nosotros practise a fourth dimension automobile in addition to this gets dorsum to you, at that topographic point are roughly things I would similar yous to laid upwards for.  You require to simply written report to a greater extent than in addition to really practise your homework.  Don't survive on your call upwards every bit much therefore yous tin accept amend notes in addition to pay attending better.  Also, start bringing snacks to course of written report because yous are ever getting hungry earlier lunch.  You should too proceed your notebook to a greater extent than organized in addition to numbered.

--

Enjoy the days when yous acquire to play uno!  Those are the best days ever.  The notebook is the best business office of the course of written report when yous aren't playing games.

--

I would advise that yous should pay attention...  You really practise acquire more.  If yous don't know what's going on, heighten your mitt in addition to inquire a question.  Ms. Hagan is at that topographic point to assist inwards whatever mode possible.  Practice genuinely does brand perfect inwards this class.  "Notebooks" are your best friend during class/tests.  Oh, in addition to proceed taking whatever course of written report Ms. Hagan offers.

--

Don't survive frightened most trigonometry.  Definitely don't believe the horror stories yous take away heed most it either.  Trigonometry volition really brand sense.  Out of all math subjects yous direct keep learned therefore far, yous volition empathize trig to a greater extent than than yous empathize whatever other math subject.  

--