Tales from the science classroom

This year, more than any year in the past, I'm focused on my planning. I want my courses to flow from one topic to the next. I want things to connect with other things. I want it all to make sense to me and my students. Prior to this year that wasn't always my focus. I have had years where I would literally stop teaching something and just jump to another topic. For no real reason, other than I was bored or couldn't figure out where to go with the topic at hand. So I would just stop and move on. Chemistry is weird in that there is no list of things that you have to cover or know. Yes, there are standards, but those are really broad and can cover a multitude of sins. So this year I'm really focused on lesson planning. I am also focusing on setting things up so I don't have to do this every single year. 10 years in, I really should have this down to a science (ha!! pun intended) but I don't. Every single year I have to recreate the wheel because I don't r...

I have been so looking forward to this break, but this year is different. I usually look forward to fall break because I'm behind and need a week to get caught up. This year I'm looking forward to it so that I can change things up in my classes. I have been doing pretty well keeping on up on things and so now it's time to switch things up. I am nearing the end of volleyball - yay!!!  And so that will be gone. It's been a real learning experience this year though. For some reason, I've been more on it and much more interested in setting up established curriculum. Every year in chemistry I have to think, okay, what am I doing now. A couple of weeks ago I purchased some small binders and I'm slowly working on getting things put into units and in them so I don't have to recreate the wheel every single year. I put the one together for the current unit yesterday. Over break I would like to get the ones done that will take me to fall break. Initially I was goin...