Enzymes

This is my adaptation of an activity I heard about, but didn't take notes for, and then tried to re-create. I used pool noodles as a model for active sites, competitive inhibition and non-competitive inhibition.

Classroom Management

For years I have been recording classroom behaviors (good and bad) on a roll of masking tape that I wore around my list, then sticking the tape to my desk and hopefully trying to find the time to input the data into my classroom management excel file.

Last night my husband introduced me to classdojo.com. My life has changed forever! While it looks very elementary and I would not display it to the class, I can digitally make and record all the notes I have always made, without having to input data at a later date.

It also has an option to randomly select a student - much better than popsicle sticks! Ian excited to try it out when school starts and will report back to let you know the pros and cons.

Genetic Probability

I made this summary sheet several years ago hoping staring it at it, referring to it, and hoping to cheat off it on a test (but i put it up behind the overhead screen and pull it down during tests) would help my students to remember it, or to remember to make it if they needed it on a test.

Body System Interactions

My freshmen biology students learn about body systems. In addition to learning parts and functions, they also need to learn how the systems work together. So this year, I had my amazing teacher's aide create a grid on the wall for my freshmen to fill in.

The students filled in the papers on the wall as a review for the tests. The students worked together, and for student who struggled, I was able to move around and monitor and lead them to find ways the systems were interrelated. My anatomy classes edited and added to the wall once the freshmen were done, and we kept the wall up until just before the end-of-course exam.

Agenda Frames

Reorganization is a constant theme in my life. I loved having my agenda for the week on the board, so students could quickly tell what we were going to be doing. So several years ago I stole the idea from a fellow teacher/friend to make a calendar on my board using colored masking tape.

But each year I had issues putting it back up (time consuming if you are a touch OCD), and with the tape peeling more and more as I continue to clean the board. So I came up with another plan.

I wanted to get square picture frames from IKEA, but decided they would be too small, so I got giant ones! I put wrapping paper in them and tried to write the name of the class and days of the week - epic fail! It was too busy ... but I loved the wrapping paper. So I amended my plan.

I used white paper to write the name of the class and days of the week and put the wrapping paper behind it. The white paper was thin enough to mute the wrapping paper while allowing my writing to be read from across the room.

Next I used hot glue to glue some magnets to the back of the frames and stuck them to the dry erase board. But they fell ...so next I used super glue ... and they slid, but did not fall. So next, I added additional magnets - now it works. Am I stubborn? A little.

So now I write on the frames with my dry erase markers and I don't have tape peeling off my board. It didn't save me as much room as I was wanting, but three preps makes for lots of information to share! I need to switch out the white page for anatomy for a new white page for forensics this year.

Student Teacher's Aides

I will be missing my teacher's aide from last year. Now, I am not saying this year's aide won't be equally amazing, but last year I asked my teacher's aide to make labels for student folders, and without me asking she color coded the file labels by class. (Yes, I color code my classes.).

I also asked her to measure and cut adding machine tape into 5m long strips. The following picture shows what she did after she measured the first strip. She took the stop in the hall, lined it up with the tile lines and was able to make a quick job out of her tak for the day! Miss you Kim!

Summary Sheets

This is an example of a summary sheet I made as an example for my biology babies. I obviously have to have a rough draft. And I actually made this one into a poster for the room. I started this with my AP students and I am incorporating it into my interactive notebooks this year.

My goal is over this year the students will learn to see some things are more important than others and to get them to make their own study sheets. Wish me luck!

Water on a penny

Looking forward to another year of testing the limits of surface tension.

Okay, I am back.

I am trying to reorganize and simplify my classes and planning. My biggest goal for this year is to have my class information where my students are. For some reason my students don't seem to spend hours reading my respective blogs for their classes. Strange. I have tried getting them too join a Facebook page, and we have talked about tweeting, but the classes are always split on which social media they prefer. So I am going to continue to blog and link all of those Twitter and Facebook and see if that is better.

I want to try flipped classes, but know that access to technology at home is going to be problematic. And of course it is completely new for me and there will be a learning curve.

I am thinking of modifying interactive notebooks this year to allow freshman to have 3 ring binders (they are responsible for) so that we can include more handouts, tests and quizzes more easily. And the biggest change is me providing partial notes to allow more time for activities, labs and class discussions.

AP bio is turning me into knots. New curriculum + ridiculously low test scores + late AP summer institute = STRESS!

Last I heard I am teaching Forensics this year will be a completely new prep. I have started on it, but I haven't seen the finial master schedule yet, so I am reluctant to progress much.

I am trying to decide if I want to decide if I want separate blogs for each class, or combine everything into one blog and use tags to separate things.

I am also planning on utilizing google calendar for classes which kids and parents can subscribe to. And google forms for tests or quizzes and flubaroo for grading those online quizzes.