Anchor Phenomenon

 This is a buzz word lately especially in science. You start each unit with an anchor phenomenon and then as you go through the unit you try to explain what happened. It's a great idea. It's also a tiny bit difficult to incorporate into daily teaching, at least for me. I tend to lose track of it and forget to go back to it during the unit. So that is something I need to build into my lessons so that it becomes a natural thing. 

For my next chemistry unit, counting things, I'm really having a hard time coming up with an anchor phenomenon for the unit. It's learning to count atoms and so I thought of having a jar filled with a candy and we try to figure out how to count it during the unit. But the very first activity we do will answer that question, so that doesn't seem like it will work. So I'm kind of stuck with this one and not sure what I'm going to do. I even thought about it right before falling asleep hoping that my subconscious would come up with something. Nothing, stupid subconscious. Oh well, I'll keep working on it. 

I literally just had a thought about sand on a beach. How could we figure out how much sand is on that beach. They have to do this to replace sand when it gets washed away. Hmmmm.....I'll have to work on that a little bit and see if I can come up with something for that. 

Otherwise it's going really well. I need to do a little more planning and get those things laid out, but things are well. Going to place a bunch of orders this morning for new toys for the lab. Woo hoo. I mean they are things we need, but also things we can live without. But if they are going to give us the money, I'm going to spend it. 

I seriously got nothing else. Nothing. I just need to keep typing until the tree grows. Good it's almost done, so I'll sign off and get ready to roll.