Science IV

I am teaching a replacement Science IV course for students that struggle in the classroom and Ecology, Astronomy, or Physics are not the best fit for them.  I am having a hard time because there is not a direct curriculum for them and I have been trying to tap into their interests to find material that is both meaningful and Science related.  I have also created a course on the online platform of Odysseyware. 

 TED Talks have been a go to for me to develop student thinking but I was also trying to find other resources.  I have also had the students use Readworks but they do not seem as interested in the passages.  I am looking for any other resources or ideas that can be of high interest for my students.

Astronomy

I am co-teaching an Astronomy course this semester to seniors.  They are already thinking about next fall and where they will be going to school.  They are not too excited about the curriculum but we are trying to shift their thinking back to the classroom and enjoy the units of study.  Astronomy can really be a fun topic but it is also difficult for students to comprehend.  We were talking about the speed of light and students were shocked to realize that what they are seeing in the sky is not as it is right now. We were talking about how different distances of objects effects what we see.  The fact that we are actually looking into the past for many stars was hard to understand.  Speed of Light 

We are really trying to motivate the students to want to know more and also hold their attention span for the entire period.  Hopefully we will have less snow and more days to learn about the universe!

Great resource to check out- Resources

Biology/Keystone Exams

I am teaching a replacement Biology course this semester but my students are still expected to take the state Biology Keystone Exam.  Their scores will be tied to my teacher evaluation and I will essentially be assessed just as much as my students on their level of learning.  I am very frustrated by this because these students are tested over and over again on content that is beyond their immediate understanding.  I am beginning to think my course should be year long with block scheduling so the students are given a fair chance on the exam.  I know that they will study and try their best but how fair is this when their scores may still not be proficient.  These students are trying so hard to learn the material but I am forced to continue to stretch them even further by moving forward with new material because the exam date in May is not changing.  I will continue to do my best and I know my students will too but this exam is not something we are looking forward to!


SAS/Keystone

What is Science really?

My students are having a very difficult time understanding why they need to know science and why it all matters to them.  Every day I seem to answer the age old question of "Why do I need to know this?"  My answer is always that you may not need to know that 6.02 E 23 molecules is equal to one mole, but you need the skills.  I feel like a broken record telling my students that they do need these problem solving skills to be successful in life.  What happens when you dye your hair and you forget the amount of time that you left the color on and you change you hair color to blue?  You need to know how to chemically change this hair color to the desired shade.  These are the important skills students need to learn!  Even others are asking -Why Science.