Back to School, Back to School

Oh, back to school, back to school...
Tomorrow is my first day with students!  I can't believe that summer is officially over, and that I did not keep up with blogging (like I promised myself I would), but I am excited to get back into a routine and to meet all of my new students.  I am also going to try interactive science notebooks this year, so I have been working very hard preparing for those and hope to share a lot about my progress as the year goes on.
... and of course, it wouldn't be back to school without a HUGE sale!  TpT is throwing a one day sale, and my store will be an additional 20% off!

6th Grade Camp and The Underground Railroad

Several years ago, we brought back sixth grade camp in our district.  For the past six years, we have been taking students for one overnight at a camp in northeastern Ohio called Camp Muskingum.  It is Ohio's FFA camp, and they put on a program called Nature's Classroom that is a wonderful experience for the students.  The staff does a phenomenal job and the students always talk about it for years.  (I mean, I still remember going to camp in elementary school).  Students participate in outdoor education activities, hikes and campfire.

 This year, we decided to take the students for two nights so that they could participate in a program called The Underground Railroad.  We were all a little hesitant about  going for an extra night (I think the teachers more than the kids because most of us have young kids at home), but we thought that we would try it out this year for the students.  It was a unanimous decision that we will be taking the kids for 2 nights from now on!  The Underground Railroad simulation was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had (as a teacher and a student).  The program was a simulation for students of what the underground railroad was really like in the 1860's.  A few other teachers and I decided to shadow a group, and could not believe how amazing this simulation was.  I was a little "scared" a few times, and the students were following every direction to a tee!  Everyone said that was their favorite part of the trip. 

The Underground Railroad at FFA Camp Muskingum takes an afternoon, and I strongly recommend it for any schools that are close enough to do it as a field trip (they will allow schools to come just for this), and or the entire camp for any schools in Ohio.  As always, it was a great experience!!!

AWESOME TEACHER APPRECIATION IDEAS!

Last week was teacher appreciation week and our AWESOME student council, and our fabulous principal gave us these awesome gifts each day.  I love these ideas and definitely want to steal them to use with my students and my son's teachers some day! 

 

A Peek at My Week

This week I am linking up with Jennifer for A Peek at My Week-

5/12-5/16
School is winding down here in Ohio, and the weather is finally starting to get warm.  Actually, we went from unseasonably low temperatures for the past several months to unseasonably high temperatures last week and this week.  Weird!  I love the warm weather though, so I'm not complaining.  We are officially down to ONLY 1 Monday of school left and with the nice weather, we are all starting to get little stir crazy!

This week is proving to be a challenge already with parent and district meetings regarding retentions and the fact that we are on normal schedule this week after being on an adjusted schedule last week for OAA testing.  Furthermore, students know that the test is over so they are starting to check out BIG TIME. 

Today, I am meeting with all of my students that are in danger of failing for the year to help them get a plan together for the last few weeks of school.  Many of them are only a few points away from failing or passing science for the year so I like to sit down with them and make sure that we are on the same page and help them get a plan together that will bring their grades up where they need to be.

I am teaching about the Atmosphere this week, and I have been trying to come up with engaging activities for the students that relate to the Atmosphere so that they will be learning, but also interested so that I do not have a ton of discipline issues.  On Thursday, we are doing a lab using a coffee filter and shop vac where students test our air quality.  I am planning on sharing about this later in the week (providing it's not a disaster).

In addition, I am also collecting and recording the last of the money from students for our HUGE, 3 day Nature's Classroom trip next week.  Students are very, very excited about it (All of the teachers are too). 

Finally, we have some rewards planned Friday afternoon for students that completed all of their Study Island (Math, Science and Reading) requirements.  This is a surprise, and we're not sure what we are doing yet, but we have been kicking around some pretty great ideas.  We try to outdo ourselves each year because it is hard work for the students and we like them to "brag" to the incoming sixth graders about how great the reward was!  Does anyone have any ideas?

Sparking Student Motivation: Fun with QR Codes Scavenger Hunt

I teach sixth grade science for a majority of my day.  However, for ACE (named for our mascot) Period, used as an intervention period for reading and math, I teach math.  As a former math teacher, I really enjoy teaching math one period of the day.  Last week, I designed a scavenger hunt using QR Codes and our new IPads to spark student motivation for our upcoming math achievement assessment.  I used this web-site to design the scavenger hunt.  It was VERY easy to use, and created the QR codes for me to print.  All  I had to do was print them and then "hide" them around the school.  Our wonderful tech coordinator downloaded a free QR Code Reader to all of the IPads for me (this would be time consuming if you had to do it yourself, but would only need to be done once).  When students scanned the QR code for each question, it took them to the Math Mania Scavenger hunt question for the respective number.

 

I turned the scavenger hunt into a competition for my students, and split them into pairs.  Making it a competition made it really exciting for the students.  We didn't finish it the first day, and students were talking about it all afternoon and the following morning.  Students loved searching for the codes (some of them were in plain sight and really easy to find, and others were hidden from view and took them quite a while to find).  Additionally, students were not allowed to move on to the next question until they had successfully solved the question that they were working on (and I made them explain how they found the answer and show work to prevent cheating).  This made the hunt even more exciting, because the lead changed between several different groups over the course of the two days.  Students were so focused on the scavenger hunt, that they didn't realize they were working on some very challenging math problems.  It was great to see them working/ learning and having fun at the same time

Be sure to check out more great ideas to spark student motivation here:

Coaster Creations Continued...

Our coaster creations continue in the sixth grade!  I was very proud of my students last week with all of the amazing coaster designs that they were able to come up with.  It was one of the best weeks I've had in my teaching career.  I love teaching science for those rare moments when students don't even realize how much they are learning because they are having so much fun!  However, like everything else in the world of education, it could use a few tweeks for next year.

Coaster Creation Lab

Pros

• Very inexpensive 
• excellent lab to use with groups; also worked excellent with my inclusion class and students with disabilities
• video taping- students loved this, and it allowed them to identify design errors
• labeling the actual coasters with potential and kinetic energy
• discussing potential and kinetic energy (and completing interactive notes) before beginning coaster designs

Cons

• need. more. time.  We only have 40 minute periods so students had to rebuild their coasters the second day which wasted A LOT of time.  I am kicking around the idea of buying a lot more pipe insulation for next year and then using an empty space where groups can leave their coasters set up for day 2.
• A few groups got carried away with their designs at first and had a very hard time correcting all of their mistakes in order to create a successful coaster.  I was able to help most of the groups get on the right track, but a few of them slipped past me at first and then struggled toward the end.

This week, we are working in teams of 2 using the BrainPop Coaster Creator activity.  It is also our OAA testing week, so I thought using the coaster creator would be great this week because the students are usually fried after the test and it is very hard to keep them interested.  However, they love BrainPop and they love anything that they perceive to be a "game".

In this activity, students get to design a coaster.  They get to choose everything from the shape, color and number of cars, to the coaster's track.

After creating their designs, students can play a simulation of their coasters in which it either succeeds, gets stuck or crashes  They can go back to the design process and tweak their coasters as many times as necessary.

 Additionally, they get a final score for their design based on the coaster's difficulty, which I of course turned into a challenge for them to see who can get the best score.

So far, they are loving this!  What I love about it is that the activity includes fun aspects of the design process for the students, but it also shows the formulas for kinetic and potential energy, and the transfer between the two throughout the coaster, so students can see where their coaster was gaining and/ or losing energy.

We also used an app on the Ipads last week called Coaster.  I believe it is $0.99, and these two web-sites:

www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/coaster/section1.html

www.funderstanding.com/educators/coaster/rollercoastergame

After having such a great experience with this unit, my head is buzzing with possible ideas for next year.  I am thinking everything from a Physics Day at school to a Physics day at an amusement park.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week, and a HUGE TpT Sale!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!  We are testing this week, so it is not going to be that great around here this week. Everyone is usually a little stressed out during this week!

However, looking on the bright side- at least we will be done with state testing by the end of this week.  That is definitely something to celebrate!


In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Teachers Pay Teachers is throwing a HUGE Sale!  Many TpT stores (including mine) are offering 20% off and TpT is giving an additional 10% off with the code below.  The sale runs 5/6-5/7.  It's a great time to stock up on some new materials for next year, or get some great resources to finish the year strong.  Have a great week everyone!

Sparking Student Motivation: Coaster Creations and Ipads!

Spring Fever has hit the sixth grade here in central Ohio.  Students and teachers alike.  We have had such a terrible winter with snow days galore and a very cold and rainy spring.  Finally, the weather is getting nice and we are all getting a little nuts!  However, we pushed our state testing to the latest possible week this year because we missed so many days which means that we need to stay focused for a few more weeks.  Also, we have another month of school left to keep kids focused.  YIKES!  Our sixth grade students are especially crazy because we have begun the count down for our sixth grade over night camp, and they are VERY excited!  They try to consume every period with questions about camp. 
That said,  I saw the link up at Head Over Heels for Teaching encouraging teachers to share their magic tricks to get students motivated for the end of the year.  There are some awesome ideas on this link up.  I was consumed by them the other night when I was trying to think of something of my own to share.

I always save our kinetic and potential energy unit for the end of the year because we design "roller coasters"  and the students LOVE it!  They don't realize how much they are learning because they are having so much fun.  Additionally, we make a challenge out of the project and let students vote for the best coaster, which they eat up because they love the competition.  This year, I was able to check out our new Ipad cart, so I have been able to incorporate the Ipads into the project which has made it even better.

To begin this project, pairs of students completed a vocabulary charts using Ipads.  I created a blank chart as a template using google drive ( I am loving google drive more and more each day!!!) and then shared it with all of my students.  They were able to open the template, make a copy in their own drive and then edit it to create their charts.  The best part is, when they were finished, they simply shared their charts with me allowing me to grade them.  

**Side note:  We've been talking about how much paper google drive has been saving us in honor of Earth Day last week.**

Although, students were doing a simple vocabulary unit, students were much more engaged simply because they had the opportunity to use the Ipads. 

 

Next, we reviewed vocabulary and then discussed kinetic and potential energy using the Smart Board and students used the Coaster App on the Ipads ($0.99) which plays a roller coaster simulation showing the conversion of kinetic and potential energy throughout the ride.  We discuss the places where kinetic and potential are highest and where the transitions occur.  Students were very interested in the simulations yesterday, and to my surprise paid very close attention to the energy changes that were occurring.

Today, students began using pipe insulation (cut in 1/2) to create their marble coasters.  I gave each group of 4 6 pieces of foam insulation, 4 pieces of tape and one marble and cut them loose with 4 goals: 

 1)  all pieces of the track (insulation) must be used

2)  the track must independently stand (they can tape it to things, but can't be holding it)

3)  the marble must stop on its own after completing all features of the track

4)  they must have at least 1 hill and 1 loop

Here are some pictures from the start of our coaster creations:

Tomorrow, students are finishing their coaster creations and testing them.  They are also going to video their marbles completing the tracks, label potential and kinetic energy along the tracks and snap pictures of their tracks all using the Ipads.  Finally, students will get to vote on the best coasters.  I plan to share how things turn out later in the week.

Be sure to check out all the other great ideas here:

                                                                 

Outfits for Spring- Week 2

Week 2- Improvement!

Faux Leather Jacket:  JC Penny

Shirt:  Target

Pants:  Kohl's

Sandals:  Sam Edelman (6 PM)

Necklace:  Lia Sophia

Watch:  Toy Watch from local Jewelry Store

Bracelet:  Stella and Dot

A "Moonth" of Phases- Lab Activity

Yesterday in science class, we completed a lab activity called A "Moonth" of Phases.  This activity is from our Prentice Hall Science Explorer Textbook, which is a 6-8 textbook and can include some lab activities that are very challenging, and confusing at times, for my sixth graders.  This lab was GREAT!  It was very clear for the students to understand and allowed them to get a very clear picture of each moon phase. 

We used most of the same supplies that we used on our Reasons for the Seasons lab activity several days ago, so it made prep very easy for me, and the students already had an idea of how to use the light bulbs and where to position their foam balls.  This made the activity move very fast, so that students had a lot of time to work on their questions and we still had time for discussion at the end. SCORE!

In groups of three, students recreated each of the 8 phases of the moon using a light bulb, a foam craft ball and a pencil.  One student held the foam ball at arms length in front of the light bulb while the other two stood behind (representing the earth) to observe what the moon looked like.  Below is a picture of position 1, or the new moon.

 

Next, students holding the foam ball turned 45 degrees to their left, creating a waxing crescent (shown below).  Students continued to turn at 45 degree intervals until they completed the circle (they should have stopped at each of the 8 spots).  The third quarter moon is also shown below.

 At each step, students shaded in the circles on their diagrams (shown below) to represent each phase of the moon.

 

The group above turned in the wrong direction, so their chart is backwards.  

However, this led to a great discussion with this group and I believe the 

students have an even better understanding of the concept after realizing their mistake.

The group who's picture is shown above even labeled each phase, 

which was not a requirement.  I was very proud of them!

After completing the activity, students answered several questions regarding the phases of the moon and making models in general and we then discussed the questions, concerns and misconceptions.  Overall, this lab was great, and did not require a ton of prep or supplies.  I was very happy with the outcome!  I think that it helped to solidify the concept of phases of the moon for my students.  I would highly recommend using a similar activity if you are teaching the phases of the moon.

HAPPY EARTH DAY, and a SALE!

Happy Earth Day Everyone!!!!

 

I love Earth Day (and the solstices and equinoxes), anything that allows me to celebrate with my kiddos in science class!  In honor of Earth Day, I am having a SALE in my TpT store until Friday.  Everything is 20% off!  I'm sorry for my tardiness in posting this- I wanted to get it posted first thing this morning, but should have known today would be crazy after Easter break.

Outfits for Spring- Week 1

Week 1:  Epic Fail!
Last week I talked (in this post) about creating some fashionable spring teaching outfits without buying a ton of new clothes.  Lucky for me, I got some hand-me-downs from my sister last week that gave me a good attitude about starting to post some outfits that I put together out of my own closet.
Looking at my first attempt in these pictures, I am not thrilled.  However, I wanted to post them any way so that I can (hopefully) show some progress with wardrobe selections this spring.  I thought that the bright green shirt, fun bracelet and sling back heels would make this suit look more fun, and also appropriate for spring.  However, it still looks really stuffy to me in the pictures  I'm thinking from now on, I will break up the suit and only wear the skirt or the jacket.  What are your thoughts?  I would love some feedback!  Also, pardon the creepy background (I forgot to take a picture at home and remembered during my planning time.  I promise there was no one in there!).

Suit:  Hand-me-down (from Macy's, I believe)

Shirt:  Banana Republic

Shoes:  Steve Madden

Watch:  Bulova

Bracelet:  Stella and Dot

Reasons for the Seasons (Lab Activity)

We started our Astronomy unit last week.  In middle school, astronomy consists learning about the movements of the Earth, Moon and Sun.  Our Ohio Science Standard states "The relative patterns of motion and positions of the Earth, Moon and Sun cause solar and lunar eclipses, tides and phases of the moon."  I really enjoy teaching this unit because there are many hands on demonstrations that we can do in class, and students can make observations on their own (they love doing this) that we can discuss in class.  

We began last week discussing the difference between Earth's Rotation (day vs night) and Earth's Orbit (revolution) around the sun.  By Wednesday, we were talking about Earth's orbit, the tilt of Earth's axis and the seasons.  On Thursday, students completed the lab, Reasons for the Seasons, in which they investigated the question:  How does the tilt of Earth's axis affect the light received by Earth as it revolves around the sun?

They used light bulbs (borrowed from the fifth grade teachers electricity unit supplies), foam balls that I found in our craft closet, toothpicks (I brought from home), protractors (borrowed from our math teacher), rulers, and pencils.

 Side note:   I really love completing lab investigations when I can find all of the supplies I need without spending any money.  

Students drew dots at the top and bottom of the foam balls to represent the poles and line around the center to represent the equator.  Next, they used a pencil to represent the axis and stuck it into the south pole of their foam balls.  They used stacks of books to find the right height for their light bulb sun and then used the protractor to measure a 23.5 degree angle, tilting their foam Earth away from the sun representing winter in the northern hemisphere.  

Next, students stuck a toothpick straight into the model Earth about halfway between the equator and the North Pole.  They observed and recorded the length of the toothpick's shadow in millimeters.  

Students then rotated their model Earth without changing the tilt (this was difficult for them) and recorded how the shadow changed.  After rotating the model Earth back to its original position, students tilted the model 23.5 degrees toward the sun representing summer in the northern hemisphere and recorded the length of the toothpick's shadow.  

While doing this, I asked students to pay close attention to the pattern of light hitting the model Earth.  

They discussed these questions:

1. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, which areas on Earth get the most concentrated light?  Which areas get the most concentrated light when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere?
2. Compare your observations of how the light hits the area halfway between the equator and the North Pole during winter and during summer.
3. According to your observations, which areas on Earth are consistently coolest?  Which areas are consistently warmest? why?
4. What time of hear will the toothpick's shadow be longest?  When will the shadow be shortest?
5. How are the amounts of heat and light received on Earth related to the angle of the Sun's rays?
6. Use your observations of an Earth-sun model to write an explanation of what causes the seasons.

This activity took an entire (42 minute) class period, but we discussed and shared answers to the questions the following day which was a great transition in to a discussion on the seasons, equinoxes and solstices.  In fact, at the conclusion of our discussion, I had all groups share their answers to question 6, which lead to our next discussion.  

Data Collection- Cycles Test

Last week, my students took a test on Cycles.  This included the water cycle, carbon and oxygen cycles, and the nitrogen cycle.  About a month ago, I talked about data collection in this post.  Collecting and posting data from each test is something new that I have been doing this year to give students an idea of where they stand in relationship to their peers.  I am working to get students to take more ownership of their grades and their school work.  Since this is the first year that I've done this, I've evolved with each test and quiz.  On the last quiz students took, over earthquakes, I showed them the relationship between quiz grades and students who completed the study guide verses students who did not complete the study guide.  I felt that this chart made quite an impact on students.  It really allowed them to see that completing the study guide really would help them in the end.

This time around, I was very happy that many more students completed the study guide for our Cycles test.  Students also showed a huge improvement on test grades in comparison to the earthquakes quiz as well.  I was also really happy about this, because I was able to compare the two graphs side by side for the students.
I added another bar to this graph, because I wanted to show students, not only the importance of completing the study guide, but also of actually taking some time to study the study guide (crazy concept for them!).  On the top of their tests, I had students jot down the number of minutes that they spent studying and I added a third bar to the graph, showing the relationship between grades and students who actually studied.  This third bar may not be perfectly accurate because I simply surveyed students, but I think it gives everyone a good idea.

I shared the graph with students yesterday, and passed tests back so that students could find which "bar" they belong in.  We also discussed this test with our earthquakes quiz, and my students had some really great feedback for me.  They mentioned that we played a review game (I have, Who has? Cycles) which the students really had fun playing and evidently this helped to review the material better than I thought.  When students took the earthquake quiz, we had been in the middle of some terrible weather, so I gave students time to work on the study guide in class instead of assigning it as homework.  Many of them felt that this hurt their grades because they completed their study guides in class and then did not take them home to study.  I was really proud of the great feedback that they were able to give regarding their learning.  I felt like a proud momma all day!  I am curious if anyone else is collecting/charting data for students in their classrooms... I would really love to get some ideas for the end of this year and next year.