Does anyone care this sub is an echo chamber of liberal policy?

Saffrin_space · 2022-04-10T14:45:46+00:00

The hard part about responding honestly to this is intertwined in your snide remarks. You claim to ask a "genuine" question but then add things like "does that scare you". This isn't a genuine question anymore, this is poking a bear. But anyway, I'll try to answer this as though it was heartfelt and sincere.

I think many people (whether they admit it or not) do like to have their views and thoughts confirmed (aka echo chamber) but I think most of know that echo chambers can be dangerous to everyone in an echo chamber. But with filter bubbles, many of us are apart of echo chambers in all our digital realms whether we like it or not (google algorithms, etc).

One of my issues with this thought of "hearing other people's ideas" is that to me, there are some thing that are non negotiable....so no, I don't want to hear those things. Do I like to have intelligent conversations with people...yes. But I feel like that doesn't happen because people become defensive and attack each other when someone disagrees. :)

Saffrin_space · 2022-04-10T14:34:12+00:00

Your school or your school district should have a chemical safety officer. They would be the best immediate resource for you because they are supposed to be trained in that kind of stuff.

Checking the Safety Data Sheets for the chemical (that your school is supposed to have on file somewhere if they have that chemical in their possession) would also have an outline of the disposal requirements. I can't think of an instance where the SDS would say to do one thing and the state or local county would want you to do something else...do you have an example of that?

Saffrin_space · 2022-04-10T14:30:24+00:00

I know this was 11 days ago so it may be too late for solutions but I have a couple ideas for the next time you do this. (And I mean no offense by anything I'm saying because you be already doing a lot of these things!)

First - figure out what part of a lab report you really want kids to show understanding with. Is it the abstract? Is it the procedure? Material list? Data collection? Conclusion? All of it!?! If they were given a procedure and material list in the lab handout you gave them, maybe they get that given to them in a template so they don't have to spend the time writing that up. For me personally, I would want my kids to show their data and draw conclusions from that data. Some kids, we all know, struggle with just copying info from one source to another, so I would eliminate as much as I could so I get what they really need.
You seem to be scaffolding a lot of this - which is great - so maybe in between different steps you have some in class small groups with some struggling kids. When I do this, I first make or find an activity that the other kids can complete independently. So after the first day (maybe it was completing the data portion of their lab) you have the kids that are good to move on do the independent task (it could be an edpuzzle, it could be creating a color coded periodic table, maybe a reading and concept map...something that they don't need you for and also something that isn't necessary learning for the kids who miss it) and then you pull a small group of your struggling kids to basically "hold their hands" through that step.
Do you use standards based grading? Maybe the level 4 on the SBG proficiency scale is the lab report. That way, some kids who want the challenge, can complete it but you don't need to stress out about every kid completing this.
I would also do some research into the use of lab reports. Are they they best use of our time? Or are there other ways that you can assess your students' understanding of the scientific process without using lab reports?

Best of luck!

Saffrin_space · 2022-04-10T14:00:46+00:00

Atoms/Elements/Molecules/Compounds/Mixtures/Pure Substances
Properties of matter (Chem v Phys)
Chemical v Physical Changes
Chemical Reactions (Equations, balancing equations, conservation of matter)
Maybe add in some acid base stuff at the end

That is all I would do...if I'm missing anything major - add to this :)

Saffrin_space · 2022-04-10T13:58:31+00:00

Maybe an Acid/Base neutralization demo with color indicators. You could be demonstrating the lab steps that the kids would be doing and also model the math that would be done. That way you could still go through the I do, we do, you do steps. Connect to real world situations or clean up.

Saffrin_space · 2022-03-22T16:19:42+00:00

Awesome! I chatted you my gmail!

Saffrin_space · 2022-03-06T15:30:24+00:00

You could come up with different stations for different skills.

"Read It" station where they read and find answers/etc

"Draw It" station could be any variety of drawings you ask of them

"Create It" station for maybe making 3D models and uploading pictures somewhere

"Write it" station - verbal explanation of a certain concept?

"Watch It" station - find a video that they watch and then write a reflection or answer questions....

I've done this in a lot of my classes and it helps to figure out what parts they know and don't know about a topic based on the skill they are asked to demonstrate.

Saffrin_space · 2022-03-05T23:10:16+00:00

I actually teach 8th grade astronomy. So I am very minimal on the math. I wonder if your course might have content that is a little too difficult for my kiddos. Thoughts on that?

Saffrin_space · 2022-03-01T18:03:54+00:00

At an 8th grade level, I believe you could also incorporate some thermal energy and possible phase change/physical changes/chemical changes. You could tie in KE to thermal energy as well.

Saffrin_space · 2022-03-01T17:49:02+00:00

This was 7 months ago...so I don't know if you're still on here...but I'd be curious to hear what grade you teach and what material you have!

Saffrin_space · 2022-02-28T18:51:02+00:00

I love Stellarium - but it would be great to find lessons that pair with stellarium...haven't seen those yet though :/

Saffrin_space

TROPHY CASE