This day was short, as we were dismissed at 12:40. I held on to my pipe dream of still teaching science until 7th period today, right after lunch, with the O section. I tried to teach science, my intention being to show an old superman cartoon and have everyone comment on the parts that obviously defied scientific law (with OWLSbucks rewards), but because the DVD was fautly, I resorted to a game. We were close to playing heads up seven up, but I borrowed a game from Mr. Wieand called Worst Case Scenario, and we played for the last 15 minutes. In the game a scenario is read (a car is trying to ambush you, what do you do?) and three answers are given. Students who got the right answer got an OWLSbuck.
The S section did a complete lab--the acid and base titration lab I described in Day 76. They did great, mostly got the graph done, and did not hurt themselves. Reed Fry brought in a panasonic camera for me to use in class--thank you very much, Mr. and Mrs. Fry for sharing with the science department. As I mentioned before, my camera at school is starting to go. I have asked for a webcam, which will allow my blogs to be even that much better, but for now, this is great to have.
The W section graphed their results from yesterday and found out that the base was stronger than the acid, as it took on average 18 mL of base to neutralize 20 mL of acid. I was impressed with their effort. We spent the next few minutes building molecular models--I was proud that they worked so hard on the last day before the longest break of the year. They are a fun group to teach.
Well, I'll miss you all for the next two weeks. I hope you enjoy the holidays. See you next year!
Sweet justice.
December 21, 2007
December 20, 2007
Day 76
I think this was the busiest day of the year for me. When I looked back on it, I realized I didn't even have time to check my email.
The reason was that I was preparing for the lab for this week, which is an acid/base titration. A titration is done to determine the relative strength of an acid or base. In our case, we slowly added NaOH to HCl and kept track of the pH through each 2 mL added. The W section did this today. The first halfgroup did well, but I tried explaining it all at once instead of doing it in steps. With the second group, and Mrs. Nolan's help, I succeeded in helping them get done early and done well. It is a great lab, but the setup is massive. I spent a total of three hours setting things up, and I still have to reset up the lab each time we do it--at least a 10 minute job itself. But for the students I teach at L-S, there is nothing I won't try to get my job done well.
The S, O, and L sections got to head back to the molecular model kits one last time, building some hydrocarbons this time, the hardest being C2H2. Many of them succeeded, and though it was noisy it was very productive. Students were helping each other, which always warms my heart. I handed out lots of OWLSbucks for students who were concentrating hard and getting the job done.
I also showed the students how liquid indicators worked for acids and bases, and physically showed them what neutralization is (mixing an acid with a base to reach a pH of 7). At the end I did a demo of elephant's toothpaste which involved a 30% solution of hydrogen peroxide, soap, and food coloring. Ask your son or daughter about it; I'm sure they will remember.
Here is a picture of the team teachers to brighten up your day, or sadden you, depending on your current state of mind.
Notice that we are spelling "OWLS" with our fingers.
Sweet justice.
The reason was that I was preparing for the lab for this week, which is an acid/base titration. A titration is done to determine the relative strength of an acid or base. In our case, we slowly added NaOH to HCl and kept track of the pH through each 2 mL added. The W section did this today. The first halfgroup did well, but I tried explaining it all at once instead of doing it in steps. With the second group, and Mrs. Nolan's help, I succeeded in helping them get done early and done well. It is a great lab, but the setup is massive. I spent a total of three hours setting things up, and I still have to reset up the lab each time we do it--at least a 10 minute job itself. But for the students I teach at L-S, there is nothing I won't try to get my job done well.
The S, O, and L sections got to head back to the molecular model kits one last time, building some hydrocarbons this time, the hardest being C2H2. Many of them succeeded, and though it was noisy it was very productive. Students were helping each other, which always warms my heart. I handed out lots of OWLSbucks for students who were concentrating hard and getting the job done.
I also showed the students how liquid indicators worked for acids and bases, and physically showed them what neutralization is (mixing an acid with a base to reach a pH of 7). At the end I did a demo of elephant's toothpaste which involved a 30% solution of hydrogen peroxide, soap, and food coloring. Ask your son or daughter about it; I'm sure they will remember.
Here is a picture of the team teachers to brighten up your day, or sadden you, depending on your current state of mind.
Notice that we are spelling "OWLS" with our fingers.
Sweet justice.
December 19, 2007
Day 75
The O section got to complete the pH lab, testing 20 different substances to see if they were acids and bases. They did a great job, finished in plenty of time, and had time to relax the last five minutes. Their favorite activity at that time was drawing on the smartboard, which I allow occasionally. The smartboard is a wonderful thing.
Speaking of the smartboard, here is a video clip from the W section, as we went over how neutralization happens when you mix an acid and a base.
The S and L sections also covered this today, but I didn't record the discussion. You can hear some of the students in the background if you listen carefully.
All of the sections spent 20 minutes today finishing "It's a Wonderful Life". We started the movie Monday in LGI, but ran out of time today (and any LGI's later this week), so I volunteered to not show my acid/base video today for the WLS sections and Mrs. K-ershner let the O section watch it in their half group today. This is a holiday tradition for the OWLS team. Since the start of the team 14 years ago, we have shown it every year. It almost brings a tear to my eye to think of all those students and those years we watched it together.
Sweet justice.
Speaking of the smartboard, here is a video clip from the W section, as we went over how neutralization happens when you mix an acid and a base.
The S and L sections also covered this today, but I didn't record the discussion. You can hear some of the students in the background if you listen carefully.
All of the sections spent 20 minutes today finishing "It's a Wonderful Life". We started the movie Monday in LGI, but ran out of time today (and any LGI's later this week), so I volunteered to not show my acid/base video today for the WLS sections and Mrs. K-ershner let the O section watch it in their half group today. This is a holiday tradition for the OWLS team. Since the start of the team 14 years ago, we have shown it every year. It almost brings a tear to my eye to think of all those students and those years we watched it together.
Sweet justice.
December 18, 2007
Day 74
Today, the S section finally got their wish, and mine. I showed them the amazing hydrogen ballon demo, as well as the potassium dichromate demo, and now all is right with the world. When I show these, it isn't just a show; it is education at its best. I write the chemical formulas on the smartboard, show which type of reactions they are, comment on balancing the formulas, then I let it rip.
So the S section today also learned how to balance equations and to differentiate between the four different types of basic chemical reactions. I have a video of this to post, but left it at school. Tomorrow morning it will show up right here:
The W and L sections also learned about the types of reactions. They had time to take a quiz, which demonstrated they knew what they were doing, and that I was a good teacher. I had over 75% of them get a perfect, and offered those that scored low the chance to retake before I record scores. I also offered the chance to balance equations for extra credit. I gave them a sheet and offered 1 pt for each correctly balanced equation (balanced equations obey the law of conservation of mass). There are 15 equations, but some are very tricky. Encourage your son or daughter to take advantage of this opportunity.
The O section learned about acids and bases. We discussed the pH scale (0 - 6 = acid; 7 = neutral; 8 - 14 = base) and watched a short video with a pre-test and post-test. Tomorrow in class we will practice using our knowledge of pH testing. We learned that mixing an acid and a base gives you salt water. An acid provides an H+ ion, or more correctly, is a proton donor. A base is a proton acceptor. Many bases have an OH- ion in solution, which is what accepts the proton. Our hydrogen bark lab dealt with HCl, a strong acid, reacting with a metal (Ca and Mg) to produce H2 gas.
Three school days to the holiday break.
The best part about today was taking our donations over to the Clare House on Chestnut Street in downtown Lancaster. Kate Hurd organized this for us, coming up with the idea and accompanying us today along with her mother and young sister. The people at Clare House were very nice and appreciative. I estimated our contribution at over $500 worth of household supplies. Thanks to everyone for helping with this. I had sent a call out on Friday night through the automated calling system. It doubled our collections. Perhaps this will become an annual event for the OWLS team.
Sweet justice.
So the S section today also learned how to balance equations and to differentiate between the four different types of basic chemical reactions. I have a video of this to post, but left it at school. Tomorrow morning it will show up right here:
The W and L sections also learned about the types of reactions. They had time to take a quiz, which demonstrated they knew what they were doing, and that I was a good teacher. I had over 75% of them get a perfect, and offered those that scored low the chance to retake before I record scores. I also offered the chance to balance equations for extra credit. I gave them a sheet and offered 1 pt for each correctly balanced equation (balanced equations obey the law of conservation of mass). There are 15 equations, but some are very tricky. Encourage your son or daughter to take advantage of this opportunity.
The O section learned about acids and bases. We discussed the pH scale (0 - 6 = acid; 7 = neutral; 8 - 14 = base) and watched a short video with a pre-test and post-test. Tomorrow in class we will practice using our knowledge of pH testing. We learned that mixing an acid and a base gives you salt water. An acid provides an H+ ion, or more correctly, is a proton donor. A base is a proton acceptor. Many bases have an OH- ion in solution, which is what accepts the proton. Our hydrogen bark lab dealt with HCl, a strong acid, reacting with a metal (Ca and Mg) to produce H2 gas.
Three school days to the holiday break.
The best part about today was taking our donations over to the Clare House on Chestnut Street in downtown Lancaster. Kate Hurd organized this for us, coming up with the idea and accompanying us today along with her mother and young sister. The people at Clare House were very nice and appreciative. I estimated our contribution at over $500 worth of household supplies. Thanks to everyone for helping with this. I had sent a call out on Friday night through the automated calling system. It doubled our collections. Perhaps this will become an annual event for the OWLS team.
Sweet justice.
December 17, 2007
Day 73
I was frustrated today in the S section. Just as we got to the end of the lesson, my camera failed to work and I ran out of time trying to fix it. Consequently, they did not get to see the potassium dichlorate decomposition reaction, nor the hydrogen and oxygen synthesis reaction with the balloon full of hydrogen. I was already working from behind with them because I lost one period with them last week. Oh well! We'll do it tomorrow. If you have an old video camera at home that you don't use anymore, but it still shows an image, and you'd be willing to donate it to the school, please let me know. I think this one is close to being done.
The S section made it through two lessons in one day, more or less. We took our counting atoms quiz first (they did awesome) and then watched the United Streaming video on chemical reactions with a worksheet quiz they filled out. After this, I planned on showing the demonstrations, but alas no time.
The W section went over the rest of the homework for Unit 5.2, which covered ways to speed up reactions (increase surface area, heat up the substance, and increase the concentration of any liquids) as well as what activation energy is (the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction). I showed them the two demos mentioned above that the S section did not see. The balloon exploding was awesome, as always.
The L section completed the pH lab. They tested 20 different substances to determine their pH and whether they were an acid or a base (or neutral). They did very well. There is an excellent tutorial in this on explorelearning.com (the link is to the right on this page). Go to your homepage there and click on pH analysis. It is self-explanatory.
The O section learned to tell the difference between three reaction types: synthesis (A + B --> AB), decomposition (AB --> A + B) and replacement (AB + C --> BC + A). We mastered it in class then took a quiz to make sure we had it. They did excellent. The couple of students who did not do as well will retake the quiz to make sure they understand. I will give them their better score. At the end of class I showed a short demonstration of a decomposition reaction with ammonium dichlorate. It looks like a small volcano. We talked about the various evidence to support the conclusion that this was a chemical change.
Sweet justice!
The S section made it through two lessons in one day, more or less. We took our counting atoms quiz first (they did awesome) and then watched the United Streaming video on chemical reactions with a worksheet quiz they filled out. After this, I planned on showing the demonstrations, but alas no time.
The W section went over the rest of the homework for Unit 5.2, which covered ways to speed up reactions (increase surface area, heat up the substance, and increase the concentration of any liquids) as well as what activation energy is (the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction). I showed them the two demos mentioned above that the S section did not see. The balloon exploding was awesome, as always.
The L section completed the pH lab. They tested 20 different substances to determine their pH and whether they were an acid or a base (or neutral). They did very well. There is an excellent tutorial in this on explorelearning.com (the link is to the right on this page). Go to your homepage there and click on pH analysis. It is self-explanatory.
The O section learned to tell the difference between three reaction types: synthesis (A + B --> AB), decomposition (AB --> A + B) and replacement (AB + C --> BC + A). We mastered it in class then took a quiz to make sure we had it. They did excellent. The couple of students who did not do as well will retake the quiz to make sure they understand. I will give them their better score. At the end of class I showed a short demonstration of a decomposition reaction with ammonium dichlorate. It looks like a small volcano. We talked about the various evidence to support the conclusion that this was a chemical change.
Sweet justice!
December 14, 2007
Day 72
Now, this was an explosive day for two sections. The O and L sections met in the afternoon. First, we went over homework, talking about balancing equations, telling the difference between synthesis, decomposition, and replacement reactions. We also discussed activation energy and things that speed up and slow down a reaction. This was followed by a short video from unitedstreaming.com that covered all of unit 5.2. We filled out a 10 question quiz while watching the movie, then went over it. Following this, I showed two reactions. The first used potassium dichlorate which was heated in a test tube (a decomposition reaction), releasing oxygen gas. I then dropped a jolly rancher into it and flames shot out. The heat and presence of O2 gas made the reaction take off. This was all done in the fume hood, of course. For the finale, I filled a balloon with H2 gas and put it in the fume hood. Using a long meter stick, I lit the balloon with the window closed and wham! a huge (but safe) bang shook the entire fume hood. This is actually just H2 reacting with the O2 in the air (a synthesis reaction), but it was incredible to watch. I did not assign homework for these two sections, though we will have a quiz on reaction types (Monday for the O's and Tuesday for the L's).
The W and S sections both had a pH lab in the morning, testing 20 different substances with pH paper (1-14) and neutral litmus paper (turns red for acid, blue for base). They were short periods because of our late start, but we got the lab in fine. I did not assign homework from the lab.
Sweet justice.
The W and S sections both had a pH lab in the morning, testing 20 different substances with pH paper (1-14) and neutral litmus paper (turns red for acid, blue for base). They were short periods because of our late start, but we got the lab in fine. I did not assign homework from the lab.
Sweet justice.
December 13, 2007
Day 71
Today, the O section finally got the big bang from creating water that the other sections got yesterday. I told them this was how to make water in the desert--you just need a tank of compressed Oxygen, compressed hydrogen, and some liquid soap solution. Oh, and a match. You don't get much water, but with the big explosion, who cares?
The O, W and L sections learned how to count atoms. Here is a video of my own explanation of how to do this. The sound quality is not very good--I will work on this. For now, though, let's call this an experiment in how it is done. I'll get better at it. Everyone took a quiz over it, and everyone got an A+. How can I be such a great teacher? The answer: I have Mrs. Nolan in my room. She is awesome and was able to troubleshoot areas of weakness for students as we went along. Check out the video if you don't have dialup. If you do, well, as SpongeBob would say, "Good luck with that."
Well, I've tried it myself, and it doesn't work at school. Maybe it will work for you (it does work for me at home, but the sound is awful). I'll keep working on the system. I'm all about customer service.
We got out early today, so the S section sadly missed the lesson for today :( We will make it up tomorrow, assuming we are here. As to getting out early, sweet justice.
The O, W and L sections learned how to count atoms. Here is a video of my own explanation of how to do this. The sound quality is not very good--I will work on this. For now, though, let's call this an experiment in how it is done. I'll get better at it. Everyone took a quiz over it, and everyone got an A+. How can I be such a great teacher? The answer: I have Mrs. Nolan in my room. She is awesome and was able to troubleshoot areas of weakness for students as we went along. Check out the video if you don't have dialup. If you do, well, as SpongeBob would say, "Good luck with that."
Well, I've tried it myself, and it doesn't work at school. Maybe it will work for you (it does work for me at home, but the sound is awful). I'll keep working on the system. I'm all about customer service.
We got out early today, so the S section sadly missed the lesson for today :( We will make it up tomorrow, assuming we are here. As to getting out early, sweet justice.
December 12, 2007
Day 70
Thanks to everyone that has posted recently or tried to post. If you are unable to get your post to work, you can always email me directly at jay_lance@L-Spioneers.org . Or you could send in a note with your son or daughter; I'm not picky.Today was an unusual day with a concert in the morning (which was awesome). During LGI today I finished discussion of my bike trip across the U.S. 16 years ago. I showed slides and told about my adventures. I'm not sure how much of what I said was believed, but it was all true.
In the O section today, we finally made it through both half-groups with the hydrogen bark lab. It is an awesome experience for my students; they become real scientists. Kudos to Cody Wilson and Josh Moyer who prepared over 28 test tubes of hydrogen gas today in only 40 minutes. This was their second time through, and they definitely knew what they were doing.
In the W, L, & S sections today we took our combining atoms quiz, after a complete review. I am proud to say that the average score for the test (in all three sections combined) was 19.8/20! This is what I'm after, and shows that when students spend time studying (even if it is teacher directed studying in class), they can do great things. We used the not-so-smart boards, which helped me to pinpoint weaknesses before the quiz began.
I ended class with trying to blow my hand off, or so it appeared. I did a simple reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to make water, and it is awesome. I put the two gases into a soap solution and made bubbles. I took a handful of bubbles and held it up to a lit Bunsen burner, and then WHAM! they whole school shook. At least I think it did; I had headphones as earmuffs on at the time. My hand survives, I believe, because the process takes gases and turns them into a liquid with a much smaller volume. So the explosion is not heading out, but rapidly collapsing. So far, I've been right. Sweet justice. Oh, and I didn't assign any homework for today, but we are taking another quiz tomorrow on counting atoms. I look for another 100% day.
December 11, 2007
Day 69
I also offered students the chance to earn some points back on their unit 5.1 quiz--7 points if they can convince a parent/guardian to log onto this site and make a post. My goal is two-fold: one, to let parents know that I am blogging about science class, and two, to reward students for making an extra effort (and to get them looking at the posts as well). I am hopeful that doing this will help parents keep up with our difficult material and help their son or daughter with this great but sometimes difficult subject. Science really is awesome and very important to understand in our rapidly changing world.
I wish that I could take a picture of my fume hood right now to confirm the mess that I made today and yesterday showing what happens when sodium (Na) is put into water (H2O). Sodium is an alkali metal and is very, very reactive, with only one valence electron. When placed in water, it has a greater attraction for oxygen (O) than hydrogen (H), so the water molecule splits and hydrogen gas (H2) is released. The formula for the reaction, which we learned about today in all sections, is Na + H2O --> Na2O + H2 (gas). The activation energy for this reaction is very low, so it doesn't take any additional energy to make it happen. In the L section, I destroyed a test tube for the best demo of the day. In the W section I accidentally set a paper towel on fire, and then a cloth towel (it got hit by sodium, which was wet and still hot--not a good smell). But it all happened in the fume hood, without which I couldn't show this demo at all.
For the WL & S sections today (lesson 5-6), we looked at three EQ's: 5-7: What would be convincing evidence that a chemical change had occurred? Several things, actually. A color change, a precipitate forming, an energy change (exothermic or endothermic), gas given off, and I also added seeing fire and/or smoke. This is not always conclusive proof. Conclusive proof is when a new substance is formed. For EQ 5-8: What is a chemical equation? we looked at the parts of an equation (the left is the reactant side--it reacts; the right is the product side--it is produced). The sodium equation above is a good example. Finally, we looked at how mass is conserved in a chemical reaction (EQ 5-9). Whatever goes in, must come out. We distinguished between an open system that is not contained, and a closed system that is. I showed the disgusting nasty experiments I have hanging on my fume hood--salami, a hot dog, jello, a tomato, and even a pancake. I took a bite out of a nasty rice krispie treat in each section (it was only 8 weeks old--no mold!) and savored the joys of teaching middle school, where nonsense like that still helps students pay attention. I assigned 5-10 and 5-11 for homework.
Here is a video from youtube showing a similar reaction. (This is what makes science fun to learn).
The O section moved on to lesson 5-7. We reviewed combining atoms using the not-so-smart boards (they are small dry erase boards), and then took a quiz on it. Almost everyone got a perfect on the quiz, which made me very happy :) I made sure that we understood it before the quiz, which was a good idea. Somehow this took the whole period, but considering the quiz scores, it was worth it.
And to that I say, sweet justice.
I wish that I could take a picture of my fume hood right now to confirm the mess that I made today and yesterday showing what happens when sodium (Na) is put into water (H2O). Sodium is an alkali metal and is very, very reactive, with only one valence electron. When placed in water, it has a greater attraction for oxygen (O) than hydrogen (H), so the water molecule splits and hydrogen gas (H2) is released. The formula for the reaction, which we learned about today in all sections, is Na + H2O --> Na2O + H2 (gas). The activation energy for this reaction is very low, so it doesn't take any additional energy to make it happen. In the L section, I destroyed a test tube for the best demo of the day. In the W section I accidentally set a paper towel on fire, and then a cloth towel (it got hit by sodium, which was wet and still hot--not a good smell). But it all happened in the fume hood, without which I couldn't show this demo at all.
For the WL & S sections today (lesson 5-6), we looked at three EQ's: 5-7: What would be convincing evidence that a chemical change had occurred? Several things, actually. A color change, a precipitate forming, an energy change (exothermic or endothermic), gas given off, and I also added seeing fire and/or smoke. This is not always conclusive proof. Conclusive proof is when a new substance is formed. For EQ 5-8: What is a chemical equation? we looked at the parts of an equation (the left is the reactant side--it reacts; the right is the product side--it is produced). The sodium equation above is a good example. Finally, we looked at how mass is conserved in a chemical reaction (EQ 5-9). Whatever goes in, must come out. We distinguished between an open system that is not contained, and a closed system that is. I showed the disgusting nasty experiments I have hanging on my fume hood--salami, a hot dog, jello, a tomato, and even a pancake. I took a bite out of a nasty rice krispie treat in each section (it was only 8 weeks old--no mold!) and savored the joys of teaching middle school, where nonsense like that still helps students pay attention. I assigned 5-10 and 5-11 for homework.
Here is a video from youtube showing a similar reaction. (This is what makes science fun to learn).
The O section moved on to lesson 5-7. We reviewed combining atoms using the not-so-smart boards (they are small dry erase boards), and then took a quiz on it. Almost everyone got a perfect on the quiz, which made me very happy :) I made sure that we understood it before the quiz, which was a good idea. Somehow this took the whole period, but considering the quiz scores, it was worth it.
And to that I say, sweet justice.
December 10, 2007
Day 68
This was lab day for the L section. They did an excellent job in the hydrogen lab, first making hydrogen gas and then testing it by placing a lighted splint into a test tube filled with H2. They did an exceptional job cleaning up as well. This lab fell just ahead of our discussion of chemical reactions in class, but we will be discussing them soon. There were three in this lab: putting magnesium into hydrochloric acid, putting calcium into HCl, and finally, setting the H2 gas on fire.
The S and W sections took their quiz on unit 5.1 today (lesson 5-5). This was a difficult quiz on a difficult concept, but they did ok. Five students in the S section actually scored a perfect on the quiz. Way to go! We went over the test in class, as Mrs. Nolan was able to grade the tests for me quickly, record them, and then help me hand them back. Concepts covered on this quiz were covalent bonds, ionic bonds, and metallic bonds. How valence electrons are involved in all types of bonds was also big, as valence electrons (the outer shell electrons), have everything to do with chemical reactions. I also showed a couple of demonstrations--lighting a match (the friction with the box brings about the activation energy needed to light it) and putting magnesium in HCl and water, showing that both produce a chemical reaction. Homework 5-7, 8, 9 was assigned for the next full group.
The O section completed unit 5.6. We went over homework (5-7, 8,9) and I assigned 5-10, 11 for tomorrow. We looked at evidence for chemical changes, chemical equations (what is a reactant and product) and how is mass conserved in a reaction. We talked about open and closed systems and I got share some of the disgusting reactions that are going on in my room all the time (salami in a bag, jello in a bag, a rotten hot-dog in a bag) all of which are closed systems. For the finale today, we put sodium metal into water and watched it react. The second time it exploded and accidentally destroyed a beaker. Whoops!
I can tell that the students have holiday fever. It is tough to focus and study. My hope is that the unit is interesting enough to get them paying attention so that they learn these important concepts.
Sweet justice.
The S and W sections took their quiz on unit 5.1 today (lesson 5-5). This was a difficult quiz on a difficult concept, but they did ok. Five students in the S section actually scored a perfect on the quiz. Way to go! We went over the test in class, as Mrs. Nolan was able to grade the tests for me quickly, record them, and then help me hand them back. Concepts covered on this quiz were covalent bonds, ionic bonds, and metallic bonds. How valence electrons are involved in all types of bonds was also big, as valence electrons (the outer shell electrons), have everything to do with chemical reactions. I also showed a couple of demonstrations--lighting a match (the friction with the box brings about the activation energy needed to light it) and putting magnesium in HCl and water, showing that both produce a chemical reaction. Homework 5-7, 8, 9 was assigned for the next full group.
The O section completed unit 5.6. We went over homework (5-7, 8,9) and I assigned 5-10, 11 for tomorrow. We looked at evidence for chemical changes, chemical equations (what is a reactant and product) and how is mass conserved in a reaction. We talked about open and closed systems and I got share some of the disgusting reactions that are going on in my room all the time (salami in a bag, jello in a bag, a rotten hot-dog in a bag) all of which are closed systems. For the finale today, we put sodium metal into water and watched it react. The second time it exploded and accidentally destroyed a beaker. Whoops!
I can tell that the students have holiday fever. It is tough to focus and study. My hope is that the unit is interesting enough to get them paying attention so that they learn these important concepts.
Sweet justice.
December 7, 2007
Day 67
The W section wrapped up Unit 5.1 today and got ready for their test tomorrow. They seemed to pick up combining atoms pretty well, understanding why it is done (so that the oxidation numbers negate each other) as well as learning the simple criss-crossing of oxidation numbers.
The S section had a fantastic performance in the hydrogen bark lab. Things went very smoothly and safely, and I was proud to see the clean up especially at the end. Ask your son or daughter about this lab--I told them they were real scientists now, and they certainly looked and acted it.
The O and L sections did not perform well on their unit 5.1 test. The average in both classes was an F. I warned everyone at the beginning of the unit that it was a very hard test, and though a couple of people studied, for the most part no one did anything except come to class. That is simply not enough at this stage of the study of science. These concepts are so new and so different, they just don't fit into student's mindsets without a lot of work. I am most disappointed because the online test was taken by only a handful, and this test was very similar to the one we took in class. The only glimmer of sunshine here is that it was only a 25 point test, and our other grades will more than make up for a poor score here.
Next up for us is unit 5.2 on chemical reactions. I think this one is even harder than 5.1; I hope I can convince the students of that. Have a good weekend!
Sweet justice.
The S section had a fantastic performance in the hydrogen bark lab. Things went very smoothly and safely, and I was proud to see the clean up especially at the end. Ask your son or daughter about this lab--I told them they were real scientists now, and they certainly looked and acted it.
The O and L sections did not perform well on their unit 5.1 test. The average in both classes was an F. I warned everyone at the beginning of the unit that it was a very hard test, and though a couple of people studied, for the most part no one did anything except come to class. That is simply not enough at this stage of the study of science. These concepts are so new and so different, they just don't fit into student's mindsets without a lot of work. I am most disappointed because the online test was taken by only a handful, and this test was very similar to the one we took in class. The only glimmer of sunshine here is that it was only a 25 point test, and our other grades will more than make up for a poor score here.
Next up for us is unit 5.2 on chemical reactions. I think this one is even harder than 5.1; I hope I can convince the students of that. Have a good weekend!
Sweet justice.
December 6, 2007
Day 66
This was a short day, as we had a two hour delay before it all began. The O section began with my L lesson for yesterday, going over HW 5-6 (10 questions out of the book) concerning the three different bond types (ionic, covalent, and metallic), and then learning about how compounds form from two different elements. This involved a discussion of oxidation numbers, a number given as an exponent, that indicates whether an atom will lose or gain electrons in a chemical reaction. When atoms bond, the oxidation numbers must total zero. This is accomplished by changing the ratio of the atoms. So, for instance, if H (+1) bonds with O (-2), it will take two H atoms (2 x +1 = +2) to negate the O atoms -2. So we get the compound H2O. They worked on a worksheet with this for a while, and then we were sadly done.
The W section had the most fun today, making hydrogen gas as the O section had yesterday. They did a great job, especially with cleanup. I rewarded students who cleaned well with an OWLSbuck, and everyone got one. It is a pleasure to teach students who work so hard and have such respect for the school's property, and my sanity :)
The S section met at the end of the day for a 25 minute period (they are normally 45), and we raced through the HW questions and learned about oxidation numbers. They picked this up superfast, even though I did not have access to my smartboard, teaching on the 7th grade side of the building today. They did sing a nice spanish song to the theme of La Bamba at the beginning of the period. I suspect that it was a challenge of some sort. I noticed that the other teachers in the area closed their doors. This often happens when I teach. Is this a sign of something?
The quiz on Unit 5.1 (25 questions) is tomorrow for the L and O section and Monday for the S and W section. I hope they study!
Sweet justice.
The W section had the most fun today, making hydrogen gas as the O section had yesterday. They did a great job, especially with cleanup. I rewarded students who cleaned well with an OWLSbuck, and everyone got one. It is a pleasure to teach students who work so hard and have such respect for the school's property, and my sanity :)
The S section met at the end of the day for a 25 minute period (they are normally 45), and we raced through the HW questions and learned about oxidation numbers. They picked this up superfast, even though I did not have access to my smartboard, teaching on the 7th grade side of the building today. They did sing a nice spanish song to the theme of La Bamba at the beginning of the period. I suspect that it was a challenge of some sort. I noticed that the other teachers in the area closed their doors. This often happens when I teach. Is this a sign of something?
The quiz on Unit 5.1 (25 questions) is tomorrow for the L and O section and Monday for the S and W section. I hope they study!
Sweet justice.
December 5, 2007
Day 65
This was not a good day for me--I made it through fifth period, and by the time lunch was over I was on my way home. Perhaps it was a chemical reaction gone bad, but I was out for the count. I showed a video on explosions to the classes I missed in the afternoon; I hope you learned a bit about chemical reactions in my absence.
I feel better now, later in the day. The best period of the day was the O1 section and the hydrogen bark lab. In this packed lab, the students used a chemical reaction between HCl and magnesium and calcium to produce hydrogen gas, which they stored in test tubes and then set on fire at the end. It had everything students want: fire, explosions, strong acid and bubbles (of H gas). We will be discussing the reactions in the following week, learning more about what happened as we learn to read chemical equations.
In the L section, I had a massive headache, but we did make progress, going over the review homework 5-6 and learning how about oxidation numbers and how to combine atoms to make compounds. By the end of the period, I think most students had a good understanding of how compounds arrive at the ratios they have. We will go over it again tomorrow and make sure, as well as take the Unit 5.1 quiz.
Sweet justice for ibuprofen.
I feel better now, later in the day. The best period of the day was the O1 section and the hydrogen bark lab. In this packed lab, the students used a chemical reaction between HCl and magnesium and calcium to produce hydrogen gas, which they stored in test tubes and then set on fire at the end. It had everything students want: fire, explosions, strong acid and bubbles (of H gas). We will be discussing the reactions in the following week, learning more about what happened as we learn to read chemical equations.
In the L section, I had a massive headache, but we did make progress, going over the review homework 5-6 and learning how about oxidation numbers and how to combine atoms to make compounds. By the end of the period, I think most students had a good understanding of how compounds arrive at the ratios they have. We will go over it again tomorrow and make sure, as well as take the Unit 5.1 quiz.
Sweet justice for ibuprofen.
December 4, 2007
Day 64
This was egg day--a tradition on the team that stretches back all of 2 years now. Here is what we did: we divided the team up into 31 smaller teams of students, picked randomly, and gave them a challenge: create a structure out of supplies sold at our store that would allow an egg to fall from a height without breaking. We dropped twice--once in the morning, once in the afternoon. Our goal was multi fold: to let the students work in cooperative groups with people they were not necessarily friends with, to learn from mistakes, to think creatively, to manage money (they were given $200 egg-bucks to start the day), to use the process of scientific inquiry, and of course, to have fun. It was a break from our normal day to day routine, which everyone benefits from.
The first drop today was from 12 feet; nine groups survived. The second drop was from 30 feet; I don't have the data on how many survived, but I believe the number was higher. This is success, to me, that we learned from our mistakes, from the work of others, and made improvements. This is how the United States made it to the moon (to the stars)--with effort.
We took 385 pictures of the day, an amazing amount. This would have been over 10 rolls before the age of digital pictures. We showed a slide show during study hall at the end of the day, which was a great way to end. And to that I say: sweet justice.
The first drop today was from 12 feet; nine groups survived. The second drop was from 30 feet; I don't have the data on how many survived, but I believe the number was higher. This is success, to me, that we learned from our mistakes, from the work of others, and made improvements. This is how the United States made it to the moon (to the stars)--with effort.
We took 385 pictures of the day, an amazing amount. This would have been over 10 rolls before the age of digital pictures. We showed a slide show during study hall at the end of the day, which was a great way to end. And to that I say: sweet justice.
December 3, 2007
Day 63
Today the L section finally got to learn about radioactivity. It was a good lesson, and they progressed through it well and made important insights. One thing I want my students to know is that all elements can be radioactive if the ratio of the protons to neutrons is not close to one. Using an online tool, we figured that out together today.
In the OWS sections, we learned about covalent and metallic bonds, Essential Questions 5-4 and 5-5. We reinforced the concepts with the molecular model kits. The toughest element to create today was O2, a double bonded covalent molecular compound. Everyone eventually got it, and we drew the structural formula and the electron dot formula as well.
The quiz for this unit is soon. The L and S sections take it Thursday, and the O and W sections take it Friday. There is a practice quiz on Moodle right now. I don't know why more students don't take this--it uses questions I will use on the actual quiz and is fantastic practice to get ready for a tough quiz.
Tomorrow is eggsperiment day, a day when we split into teams of three and drop eggs from two different heights. I will report on it tomorrow.
Sweet justice!
In the OWS sections, we learned about covalent and metallic bonds, Essential Questions 5-4 and 5-5. We reinforced the concepts with the molecular model kits. The toughest element to create today was O2, a double bonded covalent molecular compound. Everyone eventually got it, and we drew the structural formula and the electron dot formula as well.
The quiz for this unit is soon. The L and S sections take it Thursday, and the O and W sections take it Friday. There is a practice quiz on Moodle right now. I don't know why more students don't take this--it uses questions I will use on the actual quiz and is fantastic practice to get ready for a tough quiz.
Tomorrow is eggsperiment day, a day when we split into teams of three and drop eggs from two different heights. I will report on it tomorrow.
Sweet justice!
November 30, 2007
Day 62
The S section finally got to have their half group lesson on radioactivity today. This was the first day 2 I have been in school in a while, and they lost out last week when my back went out. Today, though, they learned what radioactivity is, what an alpha particle, beta particle, and gamma ray are, how it is detected (with a geiger tube and counter--at least that is one way), what causes radioactivity (a ratio of protons to neutrons that is not close to 1), and how to protect yourself from it (shielding, limiting exposure, or running away). They got the chance to see some radioactive rocks and saw a geiger tube and counter in action.
The W and O sections completed lesson 5-2 (see notes for Day 61) and did very well with the kits. The L section moved on and completed lesson 5-3, learning what covalent and metallic bonds are. A covalent bond is a sharing bond, where two atoms share their valence electron/s so that they both have a full shell of 8 (or two with hydrogen). This is different from an ionic bond--in an ionic bond, the electron is transferred, leaving each atom as an ion (a charged atom), and the charge draws them together. A metallic bond is different than both of these. For metals, the nuclei sit in a sea of electrons, which allows the metal to be very malleable, ductile, etc. without breaking like an ionic compound would.
The L's also got a chance to use the kits some more, finishing the first two pages, and making O2 among others. It is a great opportunity for seeing how the bonds create compounds, and why certain compounds exist while others don't.
Sweet justice.
The W and O sections completed lesson 5-2 (see notes for Day 61) and did very well with the kits. The L section moved on and completed lesson 5-3, learning what covalent and metallic bonds are. A covalent bond is a sharing bond, where two atoms share their valence electron/s so that they both have a full shell of 8 (or two with hydrogen). This is different from an ionic bond--in an ionic bond, the electron is transferred, leaving each atom as an ion (a charged atom), and the charge draws them together. A metallic bond is different than both of these. For metals, the nuclei sit in a sea of electrons, which allows the metal to be very malleable, ductile, etc. without breaking like an ionic compound would.
The L's also got a chance to use the kits some more, finishing the first two pages, and making O2 among others. It is a great opportunity for seeing how the bonds create compounds, and why certain compounds exist while others don't.
Sweet justice.
November 29, 2007
Day 61
This was a fun day for me. Well, all the days are fun, so this one wasn’t special that way, but I did enjoy it. The W section got to go through the half-life lab, with more success than the O section had yesterday. This was because we had technical support from Mr. Nettleton, who not only got all of the Macs running well, but helped me arrange to have several laptop computers so that everyone could have their own computer. With only a few problems, it worked. Students got to see the difference between random decay and theoretical decay, something I’ve never found a good way to show before now.
In full group today, the O section got lesson 5-1 that everyone else got yesterday. For comments on that lesson, please see Day 60. They did very well with it. I also handed their tests back. The high score for the whole test came from that group—Jeremy Jennings. He did not miss one question on the Unit 4 test. Way to go.
For lesson 5-2, the L and S sections went over the first three essential questions dealing with the importance of valence electrons, how electron dot diagrams work (the dots represent the valence shell electrons surrounding the symbol for the element), and finally, ionic bonds. An ion is a charged atom, one that has lost or gained electrons. Make sure you know how an atom becomes positive (loses electrons) or negative (gains electrons). An ionic bond is formed when a positive ion (usually a metal) attracts to a negative ion (usually a non-metal). These ionic compounds are usually crystals, brittle, hard, low melting points, and conduct electricity when put in water.
We also watched a short video, showing the periodic chart like a city, with the highest towers found in the alkali metals and halogens. Finally, at the end of the period, we got to use the molecular model kits. Each student gets their own kit to learn more about how bonds form. We built H2 today, drew its structural diagram, and also its electron dot diagram.
In lesson 5-3 we will continue to use the kits, and also learn about two other bond types: covalent and metallic. Sweet justice.
November 28, 2007
Day 60
Today, the O section learned about half-life, and the downsides of technology. First, they signed up for an account with www.explorelearning.com, which was pretty easy to do. Next we attempted to do an activity on half-life, which is a very good one actually, but many of them could not get the shockwave program to work. Half-life is the amount of time it takes for a radioactive element to decay to one-half of its original level. So, if it starts at 100 atoms and has 50 atoms left after 10 seconds, the half-life is 10 seconds.
In full group today, the W, L, and S section began the unit on atoms and bonding. I handed tests back from Unit 4. These were mostly disappointing for me, as too many students did not study at all on their own, relying only on what we did in class. I even posted a version of the test on my moodle site (https://moodle.l-spioneers.org/course/view.php?id=44) that had some of the same questions I asked on the test, but in most classes only one or two students took it. I will be posting the test for Unit 5 soon. Please encourage your son or daughter to take the test!
This is a hard unit. Today we talked about valence electrons (the outermost electrons around an atom with the most energy) and their role in chemical bonding. In fact, these valence electrons are THE reason why bonding happens. The atoms want to be stable, which means getting an outer shell (valence shell) of 8 electrons. They do this through borrowing or sharing electrons. The three types of bonds are ionic, covalent, and metallic. Parents, ask your child to look at their notes and go over them with them. It might help to review the book as well, making sure they understand the concepts.
We also watched a short video on gold, learning about its properties—conductivity, malleability, ductility, little reactivity, soft, dense, and easy to shape (malleable). I gave time in class to work on their homework, which was 5-1, 2, 3. It is due the next full group.
Sweet justice.
November 27, 2007
Day 59
Today was an unusual day for science, as we spent the day in the library with Mrs. Eberly looking at careers. The students went to the web site www.bridges.com and took some quizzes to discover what their interests and learning styles were. This allowed them to identify some jobs that they would be interested in. This is the second of four sessions the students will be having--social studies, math, and language arts have the other three throughout the school year.
Tomorrow we start Unit 5 on bonding and atoms. This is one of my favorite units of the year, full of exciting demonstrations and surprises.
Tomorrow we start Unit 5 on bonding and atoms. This is one of my favorite units of the year, full of exciting demonstrations and surprises.
November 26, 2007
Day 58
Day 58--Tuesday, November 23, 2007
Unfortunately, I was not in school today--I threw my back out over the weekend and spent the day crawling around on the floor. In school, the O, W, and S sections took their Unit 4 tests on elements and the periodic table. The test is a combination of multiple choice, true and false, short answer, and essay questions. The L section, who took their test yesterday, watched a video on explosions and fire, a topic which leads us into our next unit on chemical reactions and bonding.
This is also the day before Thanksgiving break. Sweet justice.
Unfortunately, I was not in school today--I threw my back out over the weekend and spent the day crawling around on the floor. In school, the O, W, and S sections took their Unit 4 tests on elements and the periodic table. The test is a combination of multiple choice, true and false, short answer, and essay questions. The L section, who took their test yesterday, watched a video on explosions and fire, a topic which leads us into our next unit on chemical reactions and bonding.
This is also the day before Thanksgiving break. Sweet justice.
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