Mex As A Celebrity

We took the daughter to State College airport as she left again for school in Texas -- she is now a junior. Anyway, the wife picked up a copy of "Town and Gown" to see a photo of our former superintendent, Dr. Richard Mextorf. The article was about his history in education as he takes the reins as superintendent of State College public schools. Needless to say, we snatched a handful of copies of the magazine and I dropped off a few at the district office, Schick elementary and the middle school.

Our New Principal
Although I have yet to meet Mr. Gaetano, our new middle school principal, a few parents in the district stopped me recently to say they think he is a real charmer. That's great that parents like him. It is tough to move into a new neighborhood and make such a great impression. I think I'm gonna like this fella. I hope you all welcome him to our district.

More New Faces
Well, our boys' and girls' gym teachers have moved to the high school, and the newbies have been assigned to the middle school. I will meet them, nxt Wednesday. Apparently, they subbed or student taught in our schools. Also, I am eager to see who gets the learning support teaching job for sixth grade. Mrs. Pulizzi's classroom is now the new learning support room, and Mrs. P. has moved into the old learning support classroom -- right next to me. Poor woman does not like loud music and in the mornings, I crank the tunes until the windows rattle.

Mr. Johnson has moved into the old middle school computer lab and is now the 7th grade reading teacher, while Mrs. Krout, came down from the high school to each 7th grade language arts. She is a nice lady and the kids will be very pleased with her.

I Was Correct!!!
For a couple of years, I've been harping about not permitting flip-flops in school. My reason is sanitary. Click on this link for a neat article about the footwear. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32453516?GT1=43001

Have a great night, folks.

New Year, New Principal, Returning Friend, Same Z

I see we have a new middle school principal, Mr. Gaetano. He comes to us from Millersburg, where he was the high school principal. Yes, he has three grown children - two college grads and one still in college. He was officially hired by us, last night. The man has an ominous task as we get down to just a few weeks before school begins. Welcome aboard, Mr G.

Howdy Newbies
It appears we are getting a large incoming sixth grade class to be shared among only four teachers. That means we will be crammed into a small science classroom, where I have all our science-related gadgets, supplies, and tables, stored. Remember, when working in such close quarters -- to shower, often. LOL!!

She's Back
Our own Mrs. Fry, sixth grade reading teacher, is back, after a two-year hiatus. I saw her earlier this week getting her classroom ready for the upcoming year. She looks great and is eager to get back to work.

Earth and Space
Pay close attention in class, this year. It's the only time you will receive instruction in Earth and Space science, while at Loyalsock. That means, you've "gotta" remember all this stuff for not only your 8th grade PSSA science test, but, for the 11th grade test, as well.

You Will Need. . .
This is complicated. You need a notebook, pen/pencil, notebook paper. The trick is, you need to bring them, everyday, to class. Last year's group wiped me out of more than 100 pencils. You are responsible for your own pencil and paper. If I give you a pencil, be prepared to contribute $0.25 to the "Money I Raised For Charity" jar.

Nobody Messes With My Newbies
I am a daddy. My oldest is in the Air Force, a military cop. My baby is in her third year of college at Texas A&M in Galveston, studying to be a marine scientist. Expect me to treat you the same as I would my own children. I will guide you, protect you, hug you, hold your hand, listen to your problems and concerns, and -- "yell at 'ya," when you misbehave. Most importantly - I will love you as if you are my child. Anyone "messes" with you, must answer to me!! Or worse, to Mrs. Antonacci, our sixth grade math teacher, resident dynamo, and mommy of two elementary school kids.

Send Me E-mail, or Comment on this Blog
I love hearing from you and/or your parents. Comments, quips, queries, quandries, etc., are always welcomed. I post homework and copies of our current unit on my website. Please visit, daily.

Okay, let's get started. Click the web address to get to my website. http://www.ltsd.k12.pa.us/497970223125916/site/default.asp

Gonna revamp my curriculum

okay, folks. what did you like and dislike about 6th grade science, this year.

let's start with geology. our study of rocks and things. making rocks, identifying rocks, making sand from rocks by shaking in a jar, understanding the three main types of rocks.

how about the timelines we made of earth?

how about the computer powerpoints on earthquakes?

water? fresh and salt. great mixing bowl. the sand in the soda bottle experiments. how wells work? ground and surface water? life in the oceans? life zones in the oceans? motions of the ocean?

the atmosphere? layers, jet stream. . . weather?

space? c'mon, we need more space. i need more space. send me your ideas, thoughts, reactions.

have a great summer, kids

Fence Posting and Michael

Well, well. Lookie who stopped by my classroom to explain how to convert the speed of light from miles/second to miles/year - or, light-years.

Michael, an 8th grader, utilized the mathematics comparison weapon of fence posts, to explain how to convert that number. Michael used my smart board to construct the fence post and then painstakingly explained each step of the process. The only problem was that 8th graders were enroute to lunch at that time, and my cherubs were more concerned about watching them, than Michael.

Never to be dissuaded, Michael announced, "I'll be back, tomorrow."

Light travels about 186,400 miles per second. How far will it travel in a year?

Have a great night, folks.

The End Is Near

Chapter test on Atmosphere, this week. We reviewed today, tomorrow, they get study guides. Test on Wednesday, except Section 64, their test is Thursday.

Then, we do the universe. I'm gonna cover that unit in light-speed.

Look to edline

Progress reports are due, today. Students with a "D" or lower will have a hard copy of the progress report sent home. I have 'lotsa' hard copies to send, today.

Please, parents, I update edline each week, when needed. If your kiddo did not turn in a paper a month ago, that means I have already spoken to that child three times. Please do not ask me to print-off a copy of that assignment, now, and give it to your child to redo. That time has long passed and we are working on something completely different.

You would not believe how many requests I get for such action or to do extra credit work. Why?

I post my entire unit on my website for easy download and printing. My homework page is always up-to-date. I monitor my email to provide quick response to queries. Short of calling each of you, daily, I am doing things at my end trying to make your child successful.

Feels like pigs flying
Just because I went to San Antonio, last weekend, and am now sick as a dog, means my allergies turned into a cold. I do not have "swine flu."

Have a "cough-free" day, folks.

Know The Chemical Formulas

Okay, folks. Leaving to go see my boy graduate from basic training. I will be back on Tuesday. In the meantime, wewill be in the textbook. pages 15-19. Homework Monday.

Have a great weekend.

Whadd'ya Mean, Not Enough Time?!?

This is a good one. I gave a chapter test. In that test, I returned all homework and project papers several days prior to the test, so kids had something to study. I did two days of review and even handed out study guides to those that asked. The entire chapter is on my website.

The test?
-Well, they had the entire period.
-It was 20-questions.
-They were permitted to use their science notebooks.
-Each question was in chronological order, according to homework.
-I even provided information from which homework assignment that particular test question was taken.
-Each question was worth 5 points, but, I gave partial credit when appropriate.

From the e-mails I received, it appears there was a sale on wool -- the kind that can be worn over the eyes.

Have a great night, folks.

Test on Friday

As we finish the ocean chapter, students are well aware there is a test on Friday. The test also entails the Mixing Bowl project. So, on Wednesday, I will hand back all the papers I have been keeping so the kiddoes can study.

Have a great night, folks.

Did y'all read the newspaper?

Both of our middle school OM teams are advancing to world competition. The older middle school group won first place for Lost Labours of Herakles -- yes, this was a story about a Greek hero, named, Herakles. By the time the Romans stole the story, the name was perverted to Hercules. Sorta like how white men perverted the Indian name of Lawasaquik (Loyalsock). The Teach Your Creature gang -- mostly my current students - won second place.

Long live creativity and intelligence!!!!

Did y'all read the newspaper?

I Done Yolked My Meringue

We restarted clubs, today. Me, the guy that burns water, is helping Mrs. Beard and Mrs. Helminiak, with the cooking club. I did have a ball, today, however. Mrs. Beard taught and I copied making Baked Alaska. It is ice cream sandwiched in a cake and layered with whipped meringue. My first task? Separate the eggs - whites and yolk. Apparently, even the slightest bit of fat from egg yolk, interferes with the protein egg whites in creating meringue. It was only a sliver of yolk, yet, once we added cream of tartar, sugar and set the hand-mixer on super, deluxe, maximum thrust high, were we able to whip those egg whites into a frothy meringue.

From there, it was a matter of encasing the ice cream/cake sandwich in merigue to form a super-tight seal. We baked it in a preheated 500-degree Fahrenheit oven until the meringue turned golden brown. Then, it was matter of slice and serve the 36 kids in our club. Folks, home ec is a small kitchen and how Mrs. Beard managed to squeeze those kiddoes in there is testiment to her remarkable teaching skills.

Oh, Mrs. Beard did admit that she was my teacher, when I was a Loyalsock student back in the 70s. And, I might add, she has the patience of a saint.

Look out, Food Network, here comes your next combination of Paula Deen, Alton Brown, and Rachel Ray!!!!!

Have a great weekend, folks.

Seaweed and Rice Crackers

Gave most of the cherubs a treat - a rice cracker infused with sea salt and sea weed. Although the boys enjoyed the snack, the girls were a bit less receptive. A couple of girls wanted to go the water fountain to wash-down the foul biscuit. Oh well, no accounting for taste.

Three Kinds of Plankton
we use to gauge the health of the Chesapeake Bay: phytoplankton, zooplankton, and macrozooplankton. Ask your kiddo about them.

Have a great night, folks.

Features of the Ocean Floor

Gave an intesting test on the features of the ocean floor. How did your kid do? I handed back the tests to sections 63 and 61. The others will get their test back, tomorrow.

I will be updating my edline gradebook before Thursday. Still grading those pesky Mixing Bowl paragraphs.

Have a great night, folks.

Boy, Did Nature Get Me On April Fool's Day

Started my day, cranky and lazy. I got sick at the gym, yesterday, and spent the night with a high fever and dashing to the potty. Thought I was better, today, until I found myself ill first period. I left school at the start of third period.

The cherubs are reading about the continental margin, turbidity currents, and submarine canyons. While I was there I clarified there is no food chain, but, a food web. Afterall, the continental shelf is a plethera of life, more abundant than anyplace on land.

Glad You Feel Better
A really good guy went under the knife, yesterday, but, reportedly was feeling better by the evening. That's great. Perhaps, we will both be mended enough by tomorrow to function normally.

Have a great night, folks.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Since 2000, I have been teaching about the Chesapeake Bay as part of my ocean unit and as an ecology lesson. This year, my voice is being heard about our responsibility to save the bay. Before it was a buzz phrase, I said, we needed to make changes in order to save that ecosystem. Today, those of us living along the Susquehanna River, are now faced with the multi-million dollar penalty for our inaction the last 20-30 years. My kids understand just a bit more, about saving our environment, at least, being good stewards of our watershed.

Tomorrow, I mark the end of our project, The Great Mixing Bowl, for yet, another year. I really enjoy this unit and miss teaching ecology and the environment.

I Guess It Is Official
Our own superintendent, Richard Mextorf, is leaving 'sock. I know its official because its mentioned in Mr. Fausnaught's blog, today. I have enjoyed working with "Mex." He was a super principal and is a nice guy that takes the time to stop into your classroom, shake your hand and just chat. Yeah, I will miss, him, but, he is moving onto a school district that boasts over 7,000 kids, compared to our teenie 1,500. Good Luck, Boss.

Have a great night, folks.

Redoing Hydrometer Experiment

A couple of classes are redoing their experiment. This time, read the rubrics.

Good Luck!
The manly man will hide his pain whenever friends and women are around. Remember, ain't nothing like a good pillow to muffle those cries, after they leave. Good luck with surgery, buddy.

My Smart Board Is So Cool
Thanks to Mr. Fausnaught, I have an interactive whiteboard in my classroom. It goes through the computer, onto a projector and is flashed on a screen. Imagine a computer image background with an overhead projector foreground -- TOTALLY COOL!!!! Thanks, boss.

Have a great night, folks.

Down Came The Hammer

Okay, I had the cherubs begin activity 2 of the Great Mixing Bowl, last Friday. It is a two-class period lesson. And, Activity 3 is a 15 minute activity. However, enough is enough. I started today's class with a stern warning that both activities are due at the end of the period. No, I will not accept any packets, except from those children that were absent from class yesterday and/or, today.

Since today is the last day of the marking period, the Great Mixing Bowl project will go onto the 4th marking period.

Thanks, Parents
Thanks go out to the parents that took time from their busy schedule to meet with the sixth grade team, regarding your child. To be honest, I don't want them back for another year. Once they've heard my cornball jokes, they do not react a second time. Better to move 'em on to 7th grade. Okay, folks, let's get those kids hustling this last marking period and get those grades - UP!

It's Not Like The Recruiter Described!!
LOL My boy just called, basic training is not at all as the recruiter described. He gets very little sleep, everyone is sick with the flu, and he spent the last two nights on guard duty. HA ha ha. If the recruiter had been truthful, would you have joined the military? At least, the boy said, the food is good. Five more weeks and then graduation and 65 days of tech school. Funny. the boy called his girlfriend, first, then, dad. Hmmmm. I wonder why?

Daughter also called. Seems she wants to stay in Texas all summer and maybe even until Christmas. Ain't parenting grand? The empty nest did not feel so empty with my two precious phone calls.

Have a great night, folks.

Back to the books, today

Yeah, we went about reconstructing our plastic straw hydrometer and testing it in fresh and salt water. Also, we modified our simple device by creating a scale for the straw which will make it a valuable tool in measuring the density of fluids.

Got my smartboard
Talk about a totally cool toy. A white board that you can draw on from the computer and even touch the screen to give the computer commands. Well, the board was installed, today. Mr. Gee and Mr. Black still need to install the software.

Got a letter from the boy and my daughter is now 20.
All alone on the Galveston campus during Spring break, my baby observed her 20th birthday on Sunday. I got a letter from my boy, today. He is in week #2 of Air Force basic training. He is doing a mile and a half in 13 minutes -- hee hee, I do three miles and on the treadmill in an hour -- not bad for an old man in his fourth week at the gym, eh?

Have a great night, folks.

Some Shocking News, Today

I repaired a van de Graaff generator, over the weekend. This electro-static generator delivers a low-voltage lightning bolt. There was absolutely no educational value to today's class, other than electrical safety. Hey! I just wanted to have some fun after last week's PSSA tests.

Okay, we did learn a little about positive and negative polarity, but, most importantly, we saw some phenomenal sparks.

Back to the Chesapeake Bay project, tomorrow.

Have a great night, folks.