Monday, August 16, 2010
New Insight Into Eye Color Genetics!
This article on the Fisher Scientific website sheds new light on the way eye color is determined. Our simple model of blue x blue = blue isn't always the case. The genetics of eye color is much more complex. Read on...
Eye Color Explained
Eye Color Explained
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Final Project, Part 2 - The Prezi
Well, I finally finished it. I was able to complete my first Prezi for my AP Bio class. I made this Prezi for teaching about regulation of blood osmolarity via chemical signaling with ADH between the brain, blood, and kidneys. I will be using this Prezi and creating others to walk students through these various negative feedback mechanisms that maintain homeostasis in the body.
This will be posted to my blog at Lathrop Science when I am ready to introduce this unit.
This will be posted to my blog at Lathrop Science when I am ready to introduce this unit.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Desire 2 Learn, Group 3 Discussion
It seems that the majority of the posts in our group's discussion centered on the obstacles that many of us will face in trying to implement all the Web 2.0 tools we've learned. Most of us deal with failing technology basis in some form or another, while others have limited access in terms of numbers of computers or slow connections and so on. The point is, as we try to move forward into a modern classroom, there will always be hurdles that we'll have to deal with. Some of us will only be able to get our feet wet with these tools while others will be able to implement the whole gammut. The point is, we should do whatever is possible given our individual circumstances. The more you can demonstrate the need for the technology, the more support you will garner on the administration level when they see the educational impact and power of the tech tools.
I have been in this since the beginning, at a time where I had to bring a computer from my house just to keep an electronic gradebook. But by the time I left my schoo this year, I had 30 laptops and several desktops available for use right in my own classroom and a slew of other instruments available to implementation of 21st century learning. Upon moving to a new school, I am once again starting the year out with minimal access. So I have my work cut out for me and plan to do all that I can to make it work.
I have been in this since the beginning, at a time where I had to bring a computer from my house just to keep an electronic gradebook. But by the time I left my schoo this year, I had 30 laptops and several desktops available for use right in my own classroom and a slew of other instruments available to implementation of 21st century learning. Upon moving to a new school, I am once again starting the year out with minimal access. So I have my work cut out for me and plan to do all that I can to make it work.
Guiding Principles Revisited
Here is my initial post on my guiding principles for technology:
"My guiding principles for technology have always been to give students access to information and tools for doing science. I also want them to be able to develop skills in using technology tools for the workplace. I view my role as their teacher to inspire them to pursue their interests, to nurture their natural curiosity, to guide them in achieving their educational goals, and to act as a mentor in developing science skills and knowledge. Technology is an avenue for achieving these goals. I also use technology to give my students more immediate feedback by providing instantaneous test results, online discussions, access to information regarding my class via my class wiki. Finally, I want to encourage my students to be able to collaborate without them having to leave their home, and to interact with each other as well as others in the global classroom to create, discuss, and share information"
Upon re-reading my initial post I would say that these still hold true for me. However, I have a new awareness of so many new forms of technology that are available that I realize I was not keeping up with what was out there! I plan to incorporate many of these into my teaching this year and plan to keep abreast, as much as possible, of the new technology as it becomes available. Also, I realized that I could use these various tools to teach in a completely different way. My goal is to do more science that involves discussions, creating, and sharing. Also, to incorporate professionals into our classroom via the internet and bring my students into the live science community. Additionally, I plan to urge the administration at my new school to also keep up with the technology by providing access for our 21st century learners. I want to be a forerunner in this effort to modernize and plan to share what I've learned through this class in an inservice this Fall.
"My guiding principles for technology have always been to give students access to information and tools for doing science. I also want them to be able to develop skills in using technology tools for the workplace. I view my role as their teacher to inspire them to pursue their interests, to nurture their natural curiosity, to guide them in achieving their educational goals, and to act as a mentor in developing science skills and knowledge. Technology is an avenue for achieving these goals. I also use technology to give my students more immediate feedback by providing instantaneous test results, online discussions, access to information regarding my class via my class wiki. Finally, I want to encourage my students to be able to collaborate without them having to leave their home, and to interact with each other as well as others in the global classroom to create, discuss, and share information"
Upon re-reading my initial post I would say that these still hold true for me. However, I have a new awareness of so many new forms of technology that are available that I realize I was not keeping up with what was out there! I plan to incorporate many of these into my teaching this year and plan to keep abreast, as much as possible, of the new technology as it becomes available. Also, I realized that I could use these various tools to teach in a completely different way. My goal is to do more science that involves discussions, creating, and sharing. Also, to incorporate professionals into our classroom via the internet and bring my students into the live science community. Additionally, I plan to urge the administration at my new school to also keep up with the technology by providing access for our 21st century learners. I want to be a forerunner in this effort to modernize and plan to share what I've learned through this class in an inservice this Fall.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Final Project.... phewww!
This was quite the journey... after much deliberation and frustration, I finally settled on which hosting site to use for my class blog. Although I am somewhat at peace with my choice, I am still not completely satisfied. The problems encountered were which site could give me all the posting and publishing options that I wanted and give them to me for FREE! But oh, no, that was being waaay too optimistic. So I found that every single one of them had some catch that I didn't really like. To get all the features I quickly realized I was gonna have to pay for it! Anyway, after experimenting and building 3 different class blogs, I decided to go with Weebly since it's very easy to use and I already had another site with them for my XC Ski Team that I was pretty satisfied with the outcome. Only the Pro version however, allows you to embed... or so I thought. However, I found a little trick to get around that stumbling block. If you use the custom HTML feature, you can paste the embed codes directly in to that window and get the document, or whatever embedded via the free version. I cannot tell you how happy this made me... or how long it took me to figure this out! So here is my new, school-color-coordinated and customized Lathrop Malemute Science classroom blog.
I was able to add Google calendars to each class page that I can use to post assignments, due dates, etc. etc. My students first task will be to learn how to use the blog via the Tips for Blogging Success page. As for their first science related task, I have made an Ecology Voicethread for my AP Bio students to use for the introduction to their Ecology unit. For Chemistry, I am started with a task involving the Periodic Chart but haven't yet got that fully worked out. Additionally, I am still working on a Prezi for my AP Bio as well but I am not quite finished with it. That is soon to come!
I was able to add Google calendars to each class page that I can use to post assignments, due dates, etc. etc. My students first task will be to learn how to use the blog via the Tips for Blogging Success page. As for their first science related task, I have made an Ecology Voicethread for my AP Bio students to use for the introduction to their Ecology unit. For Chemistry, I am started with a task involving the Periodic Chart but haven't yet got that fully worked out. Additionally, I am still working on a Prezi for my AP Bio as well but I am not quite finished with it. That is soon to come!
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