I am so embarrassed. I forgot to mention Allie, yesterday. Allie is one of my sixth grade cherubs. Knowing I am diabetic, this sweet monkey brought in a package of Quaker Instant Oatmeal Weight Control Cinnamon-flavored. That was just so sweet. She wrote on the packet, "Mr. Zdun, Hope you enjoy this!!! My mom got this for us at Giant if you would like to get it. From, Allie." She added, "If you need to know many calories are in this there are 160." Well, I tried it and it is great. I thought I would have a reaction to the high-fiber cereal, but I did okay. Thanks, Allie. It is so nice to have my kids worry so, about me. They are well aware I worry so, about them.
Science
It all made sense to some kids. Ocean water has 35,000 parts-per-million of salt, while humans can only tolerate 500 ppm. Hmmm, is that why drinking ocean water can dehydrate you? Yep, the salt pulls the moisture right out of your body. The more saltwater you drink the higher the chance of dying from thirst. Wow!! And, Mr. Z, do you mean to tell us that of all the water on Earth, only 1%, is available for life on Earth, to use? Yep, the same water you drink today, could have been ingested by a dinosaur a 100 million years ago.
Social Studies
What's Right With America. This fictional video is about a family that lived in Africa for several years, but, returned to the United States, only to find the Constitution has been repealed and the Bill of Rights are non-existant. Brrrrrrr. Kinda makes you think how good we have it.
Maroon BASE
We started Star Wars Episode 1, today. Students learned the genre has shifted to a new hero, (Obi Wan Kenobe), new mentor, new nemesis and new problem. They connected that today's hero Obi Wan, became the future mentor to Luke Skywalker's hero persona. Unchanged are the comic relief antics and narrators of the story, C3PO and R2D2. In future years, these kiddoes will make the connections with Beowulf and Illiad.
Have a great weekend. Grab a drink of water and read a good book.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Did You Read Pages 80-91, In The Textbook?
"Ketch-up" work in science, today. Most kids finished the vocabulary words and read the assigned pages in the textbook.
Social Studies
We organized the student-led parent conference folders and talked about why we have these conferences. I told the munchkins not to be nervous. No nasty things will be said and that I will be there for support, encouragement and approval.
BASE
Today, we started a study of weather. I used a nifty video from United Videostreaming. It entailed discussion and demonstration of clouds and moisture. My BASE thought they knew it all, until I asked them why we needed smoke in a sealed chamber to make a cloud. Duh. Okay, I let them in on the secret about water molecules clinging onto the dust particles present in the smoke. Kind of a need introduction into our water unit in science. Tomorrow, in science, they will learn that it takes about a million water molecules, clinging to one dust particle, to make water visible. This process is what forms a cloud -- it is simply water as a gas turning into water as a liquid.
Have a good night.
Social Studies
We organized the student-led parent conference folders and talked about why we have these conferences. I told the munchkins not to be nervous. No nasty things will be said and that I will be there for support, encouragement and approval.
BASE
Today, we started a study of weather. I used a nifty video from United Videostreaming. It entailed discussion and demonstration of clouds and moisture. My BASE thought they knew it all, until I asked them why we needed smoke in a sealed chamber to make a cloud. Duh. Okay, I let them in on the secret about water molecules clinging onto the dust particles present in the smoke. Kind of a need introduction into our water unit in science. Tomorrow, in science, they will learn that it takes about a million water molecules, clinging to one dust particle, to make water visible. This process is what forms a cloud -- it is simply water as a gas turning into water as a liquid.
Have a good night.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
The Water Cycle
The cherubs watched a really neat 17-minute video on the water cycle. Although it was geared for third through fifth grade, it had the neatest animation and graphics to explain how water molecules react in each of its phases of evaporation, condensation and precipitation.
We are also working in the textbook, pages 80-91, Fresh Water on the Surface of the Earth. Today, they looked at and define the vocabulary in this part of the text. Tomorrow, they will read the material and on Friday, hopefully, they will be able to discuss the material. Next week, we work on this, together.
Student-led Conferences
Next Wednesday and Thursday. My social studies class is meeting with me. Today, we went over the steps of introduction, what to discuss and what work samples will be shown, and all this must be done in a 15-minute time period. This is not a time for parents and teachers to discuss grades or behavior, but, to focus on what good the child does in school.
The Daughter Called
Here I am writing this blog and the cell rings. It's the daughter, Krysia. She just got back from a field trip. Remember, she is at Texas A&M's marine science campus in Galveston. Anyway, they took an afternoon boat trip around the bay collecting specimens of stingrays, jelly fish and squid. She is a first-year college student. I guess she did pick the right school to go to. It sounds like she is having a blast. I remember all my first years of college -- I gotta bunch 'o' college degrees. We never had fun that first year, it was all basic book learnin'.
Are you having fun your first year of middle school?
We are also working in the textbook, pages 80-91, Fresh Water on the Surface of the Earth. Today, they looked at and define the vocabulary in this part of the text. Tomorrow, they will read the material and on Friday, hopefully, they will be able to discuss the material. Next week, we work on this, together.
Student-led Conferences
Next Wednesday and Thursday. My social studies class is meeting with me. Today, we went over the steps of introduction, what to discuss and what work samples will be shown, and all this must be done in a 15-minute time period. This is not a time for parents and teachers to discuss grades or behavior, but, to focus on what good the child does in school.
The Daughter Called
Here I am writing this blog and the cell rings. It's the daughter, Krysia. She just got back from a field trip. Remember, she is at Texas A&M's marine science campus in Galveston. Anyway, they took an afternoon boat trip around the bay collecting specimens of stingrays, jelly fish and squid. She is a first-year college student. I guess she did pick the right school to go to. It sounds like she is having a blast. I remember all my first years of college -- I gotta bunch 'o' college degrees. We never had fun that first year, it was all basic book learnin'.
Are you having fun your first year of middle school?
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Sum It All -Up
Okay, the cherubs did a weekend water usage survey, at home. They came in and we converted that survey into gallons -- refer to earlier blog on how we did that. Then, we converted gallons into decimal and then into percentage of water used. Today, students used a graphic organizer of their own choosing and created a water conservation plan to be used at home. Then, they drew an illustration that can be used to remind middle school students to conserve water, here, in the building.
Kidspeak - ain't it great?
Yesterday, my social studies class converted the Bill of Rights into Kidspeak. Today, I threw several scenarios at them highlighting a certain violation to a certain Amendment. They were to determine which Amendment was violated. As a reward, each kid in the groups with the right answer got a "Dum Dum" lollipop. Needless, to say, only one scenario stumped them. I gave away so many lollipops -- some kids bragged about receiving five and even six lollipops. I am so proud of them -- here, on election day, my munchkins have shown they will be responsible and educated citizens of this great country.
Speaking of election day -- gotta run, I have to drive down the road a couple of miles to get to my polling place. Good luck to all the candidates vying for political office -- only in America.
Did you vote, today? Exercise your right.
Kidspeak - ain't it great?
Yesterday, my social studies class converted the Bill of Rights into Kidspeak. Today, I threw several scenarios at them highlighting a certain violation to a certain Amendment. They were to determine which Amendment was violated. As a reward, each kid in the groups with the right answer got a "Dum Dum" lollipop. Needless, to say, only one scenario stumped them. I gave away so many lollipops -- some kids bragged about receiving five and even six lollipops. I am so proud of them -- here, on election day, my munchkins have shown they will be responsible and educated citizens of this great country.
Speaking of election day -- gotta run, I have to drive down the road a couple of miles to get to my polling place. Good luck to all the candidates vying for political office -- only in America.
Did you vote, today? Exercise your right.
Monday, November 05, 2007
The Canals of Bolivia -- an ancient farming practice
Students, today, read an article about how two archeologists rediscovered the ancient Mayan secrets to farming in high country, easily susceptible to killing frost. The scientists discovered a long, abandoned series of canals were once filled with water and knowing that water retains heat longer than air and soil, together, the Indians managed to secure their crops from falling victim to the frost. The method has been resurrected and now, farmers of the area are growing and securing their crops to feed their villages.
My students used Mrs. Fry's "Read Naturally" process, to find the main idea and supporting facts to this story. They underlined the passages that contained the main idea and those supporting facts. Then, using Mrs. Pulizzi's 4-square graphic organizer, assembled that information into a coherent summary.
A few students grumbled and griped and did not want to use a graphic organizer until I told them that as a professional writer, I still use graphic organizers.
I can't wait to see the summaries.
Social Studies
I teach a 9-week curriculum on the Bill of Rights. Today, the munchkins worked together to make those Amendments more kid friendly. We will use the kid-friendly versions to play a game, tomorrow, if they finish. I set-up five scenarios. The teams that figure out the amendments that are violated with these scenarios win lollipops. -- I know, but, its the last class of the day and by the time they get home, the sugar rush should have subsided. Either that, or parents can see what we get at school when their kiddoes come to school with candy.
Have a great night.
My students used Mrs. Fry's "Read Naturally" process, to find the main idea and supporting facts to this story. They underlined the passages that contained the main idea and those supporting facts. Then, using Mrs. Pulizzi's 4-square graphic organizer, assembled that information into a coherent summary.
A few students grumbled and griped and did not want to use a graphic organizer until I told them that as a professional writer, I still use graphic organizers.
I can't wait to see the summaries.
Social Studies
I teach a 9-week curriculum on the Bill of Rights. Today, the munchkins worked together to make those Amendments more kid friendly. We will use the kid-friendly versions to play a game, tomorrow, if they finish. I set-up five scenarios. The teams that figure out the amendments that are violated with these scenarios win lollipops. -- I know, but, its the last class of the day and by the time they get home, the sugar rush should have subsided. Either that, or parents can see what we get at school when their kiddoes come to school with candy.
Have a great night.
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