Supplies: open house/meet the teacher/first week of school

Here are some organization ideas for supplies your first week of school.

They (and sometimes siblings younger and older) are using sorting skills, problem solving skills, and most importantly they do most of the work and your don't have to! This also is modeling and showing organizational skills.

Happy Birthday 115!!!

The article and video from CNN about 115!
Today my class celebrated a birthday... the birthday of a new element on the periodic table! As the CNN article and video shows the element 115 nicknamed "Ununpentium" for now. 
Since at birthday parties there is usually cake, cookies, or cupcakes I brought a brownie cake and each of my students got a small piece of brownie to celebrate.
Until another idea pops into my head,
Chelsea

Their (there?) where (were?) you're (your?) going to? huh?

Well I was helping a friend with grammar (funny, I know!), especially with homonyms. I thought of where being a place and then noticed that there is the word "here" inside where and there. Since they are all places I decided to show this visually and of course my mind just started going crazy with ideas as usual!

Along with the difference of were and we're.

This would be a great visual for the wall or inside journals, as shown here folded up on a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of computer paper.

I also showed the difference of you're, you are, they're, and they are using a flip up sheet that was taped down. Notice the colors and which letters are which colors.

Next I decided to show a visual for their. My mom helped me with "heir" and their so this is what I came up with for my visual to go along with the princess, king, queen, theme I started with.

On the left is my original and then (I am not perfect.... ha) my boyfriend Steven noticed I spelled throne wrong and left out "to." So of course my creative mind started turning again cause I wasn't about to redraw the whole thing again! This is when I decided to make a 3-D gold colored throne.

Until another idea pops into my head.

Chelsea

 

Safety in the Science Classroom

I have decided that my main form of teaching science safety will be using pictures from the internet and videos from YouTube. I have seen multiple safety videos made by students on YouTube and while going through them to find the best one I noticed that none were completely 100% flawless. I will show this video on the left (provide an example as how the video should be "graded" using the rubric. Then we would continue to watch the video which sums up and explains many of the rules and regulations we are to teach concerning lab safety and see if they caught them all. 

This is when I decided to give each group of students a select video to view and then do a rating on the video including any flaws the video had. In essence they would be "grading" the certain lab safety YouTube video using a rubric I have given them. In the rubric the comments section should include how they would change be video and specific things that were "wrong" in the video concerning presentation and lab safety rules. 

Here are a few videos I thought about using. Most of these videos use the rap by Rhythm, Rhyme, Results from educationalrap.com

Here is another video which can be used for younger students as well as a link. It would not let me post the video. 

Lab Safety Video for Younger Grades

Then they can use the discussion from the first video and their knowledge to do this cartoon activity almost as a pre assessment before giving the lab safety test which must be passed in order to do labs in science class in the future.

 http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/safety.html

At the bottom of the cartoon after the questions is also a "Lab Safety Teacher Guide" that provides possible answers.

I have also decided that I would have a final project that the students would complete choosing from these two options and possibly if a student has an additional idea they may ask me for permission.
1. A fashion show where they are to walk down and show improper lab attire and proper lab attire and explain why for both not only on a note card for me to grade and have a sample but as they make it to the end of the runway. (one I think my VERY talkative/outgoing always wanting to show off girls will REALLY go for and like)
Here is the video I used for the background music (of course not showing the video to the students)

I searched for a video that had a great flashy background to show as my students walked down a butcher paper "red carpet"
2. A personal sketch that must contain at least 4 colors /presentation using http://www.kerpoof.com/  /cartoon using http://www.toondoo.com/ /or another video or book site that I have showed my students or one they have used in the past. These must also show the improper and proper lab attire with a paragraph explaining. I will also have them present this to the class to work on social skills and speaking in front of their peers.

If you have other ideas or videos that would be great to use in a lab safety lesson please comment below.
Until another idea pops into my head,
Chelsea

The popular "Carol never wore her safety goggles" poster 2.0 (YOLO version)

Safety is the first thing that I must teach and instill in my students other than procedures when it comes to a science classroom that readily uses a lab. I have on many levels connected with my current students generation when it comes to social media, viral YouTube videos, television shows, and musical entertainment. I found this picture and couldn't help but put this on my website and eventually as a poster in my classroom.

As I found this I was searching for safety activities that are hands on and entertaining to students. Although, I taught safety last year it was most likely the least liked unit by the students and myself. I would LOVE input on how you teach lab safety in fun and exciting ways in your upper elementary/middle school classrooms.

Until another idea pops into my head,

Chelsea

Twitter in the classroom

So I have decided that since I'm doing fifth and sixth science next year (meaning I will have my last years fifth graders again in which I have built a strong relationship with many of them) that I want to incorporate more ways for my kiddos to contact me (other than school email... something they use more of.... meaning social media!) or message me with their opinions and ideas or just their kind words (hopefully haha).

I've created a "teacher" twitter account that I plan on using for reminders for homework, exciting things in the classroom, retweets of scientific knowledge, and school reminders as well. This will also be a great way for parents to see upcoming tests, homework, and activities too if their child never brings home the weekly newsletter. 

I've decided on a vague twitter "handle" as they call them because being in a small district I could become a math, reading, social studies, second grade, fourth grade, heck even HS with the proper previous testing in the future. I also decided that one day my last name/email for which ever district I work in may change so I decided on @TeachOpenMinded which also goes along with my philosophy and this blog name. Consistency seems to help with many things in life.

If you are new to the twitter vocab here is a great resource THE TWITTER GLOSSARY!

Scientific Method on the show The Big Bang Theory

Big Bang Theory!

One of my favorite shows used in the classroom. As soon as I heard the sentence while watching the show I immediately went to YouTube to find the scene!

Tide Teaching Moment

I am staying right on the beach in Homer, Alaska where it is said to have one of the most drastic tide differences. I have decided to do a little daily record for myself. I am just truly amazed! I have taught about tides but I have never seen it myself. I can't wait to teach about tides with my own pictures : )

I took these pictures with HDR turned on, on my iPhone and then used a text in picture editor app to add the time on top. I'm a little obsessed with this app now... It's so fun and you can keep your original picture clean without the text as well in your photo library! 

I started to take these on 6/10/13

It is officially 6/11/13 now and I'm still watching the tide!

I can only view on my phone so anyone viewing on a desktop or laptop may be able to see it better but it was about as dark as Alaska gets at this time of the summer. 

More pictures from this day and the tide to come!

Vacation In the classroom

This glacier ice is not from Ruth's glacier but rather from another glacier we viewed after a boat ride from Seward out to resurrection bay which is in the Kenai Pennisula. Glacier Pictured below 

Ruth's glacier is below

I am currently on a FABULOUS trip in Alaska and have been thinking about science and teaching about 50% of the time! So many things tourist guides have told me, multiple Alaska children's books, and beautiful pictures and videos I have captured can be used in the science classroom. I am in heaven for many reasons! I have decided that I want to visit every biome possible and take pictures because it will be so fun to teach about the tundra and glaciers considering I have now not only touched glacier ice but landed on a glacier in a plane! 

This is a picture of the plane we rode around Mt McKinley (the first picture below) and eventually landed on Ruth's glacier(the picture above).

4 pictures 1 word in the classroom

So I have seen many people posting on Facebook about these 4 pictures and saying help and not knowing what the heck it was really... I began to think how I could use this in the classroom with vocabulary and I'm not sure if I was asleep and dreaming or if it was one of those morning where I couldn't sleep and thought up this idea.

I finally decided to ask someone what the name of the game was and they told me that it was called four pictures one word. I downloaded the game from the App Store and started playing it. It was super fun and kind of addicting.... ha who would have thunk it... A game that is an app on the iPhone that's addicting.

Here is my first one I created (I am still working out details on how to separate te pictures and mine is more than 4 pictures and the answer is more than 1 word) using pic jointer which is also a free app from the apple app store and don't forget it is for fifth grade science... I plan on starting easy and this being kind of a bellwork idea possibly and after they figure out the word they think mine is from the four pictures they will have to create their own with different pictures but using the same vocabulary word.

I hope to have a few more up in the next few days and maybe better quality with actually 4 pictures and 1 word. This was just a quick one I thought up to get my mind rolling.

Hope you enjoy this and can maybe use this in your classroom.

Science/Reading correlation with Dr.Seuss book!

Watch our reading garden grow! With my partner teacher in reading my students listened to The Lorax being read to them. They then planted different seeds inside a plastic cup. They are going to compare and contrast the rate they are growing. Yay! Science tek in reading... Go Mrs. Jackson!
Later we talked about how the book actually has A LOT to do with science and the effects if change on animals and their environment and even the scientific method in the book!

Since we were learning about the CO2 cycle I thought it would be great to put our model CO2 cycle of respiration and photosynthesis around the reading bulletin board. Each student is going to add a petal to their stem each time they read and take an AR test on a book.


Up on the wall also was a song we learned. I got the last part if the song from another blog and then added the beginning and adapted it a little myself.

Here it is....
(We whisper) "RESPIRATION is when animals (breathe in big) absorb oxygen just like you (point to people) now let's conclude the cycle of CO2!
I soak up all the water
My roots are like a straw
I absorb CO2 the animals give it off
I hold out my leaves the sun gives me a kiss I make my own food it's photosynthesis!"

Enjoy : )

Songs, songs, and more songs

I taught my kids a song last week for transformations!
I got the idea from a fellow teacher of mine and elaborated on it... It's to the Cupid shuffle!
Tell your students to grab a partner.... (Some of mine chose a partner that was as close to congruent as possible.... I was one proud teacher!)
You can choose to tell them to grab a congruent partner if you'd like.
Here is the song!

Translate to the right, to the right, to the right (motion: slide to the right)
Translate to the left, to the left, to the left (motion: slide to the left)
Now reflect your partner, now reflect your partner (motion: put your arms out like a T and face your partner)
Now rotate by yourself, now rotate by yourself (motion: turn in place.... ((Explain to kids Like the earth rotating on its axis **science tek!**))
Down, down translate down
Down, down translate down (motion: twist down to floor/get low)
Do your transformations, do your transformations! (Motion: Let them be silly and free dance)
--second verse--
Translate to the right, to the right, to the right (motion: slide to the right)
Translate to the left, to the left, to the left (motion: slide to the left)
Now reflect your partner, now reflect your partner (motion: put your arms out like a T and face your partner)
Now rotate by yourself, now rotate by yourself (motion: turn in place)
Up, up translate up
Up, up translate up
(motion: jump and raise hands to the sky)
Do your transformations, do your transformations! (Motion: Let them be silly and free dance)


Next week I plan on teaching another song with my median, mode, range lesson! Here it is short and sweet!

Home on the RANGE where the deer and the antelope play
Where subtraction is neat
From greatest to least
And the skies are not cloudy all day!

This not only teaches them that range is greatest number - smallest number but hopefully is normal subtraction too that the bigger number is first!

Hope you and your students enjoy!

Dr. Seuss, Read Across America Day, Super Cool Science (and some math) Find!

I hit the jackpot around 2:30am when I couldn't sleep!
I found out that Dr.Seuss has stuff for math and TONS more for science!
There are some videos and full episodes of Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! On http://pbskids.org/video/

Below I copied all the math problems I fixed specifically for my class from another sites story problems ( http://www.mathstories.com/bookstories/Book_12_Dr_Seuss.htm )


I also found a neat prezi to show my kids this morning to introduce Dr. Seuss!
http://prezi.com/w6nomihkxqxw/drseuss/


Seussville ( http://www.seussville.com/Educators/educatorPlanningCalendar.php ) has activities for everything including neat programs like The Lorax Project
http://www.seussville.com/Educators/lorax_classroom/educatorlorax_discuss.php

There are so many neat science resources I had no idea about... I am considering the whole month of march doing a small lesson everyday to review and go along with my science curriculum! My kids LOVE The Magic School Bus and many times they have seen the same episodes year after year (not that they or I complain) I believe they will be intrigued for another cartoon/ books about science. These are the books that I am going to use as my intro (some of which are going to be VERY hard to find!) into lessons and reviewing.
http://www.librarything.com/series/The+Cat+in+the+Hat's+Learning+Library

Here are some more resources to use with The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library http://www.seussville.com/Educators/educatorCITHLearningLibrary.php

Here are some lessons that have math activities also that I found!
http://lessons.atozteacherstuff.com/80/dr-seuss-activities/

Pictures to come!

Dr. Seuss Word Problems
1. I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am. You do not like them, so you say. "Have you tried 24 blueberry pancakes with 48 dollops of dream whip on top of 32 green eggs and 16 ham chunks altogether," I asked. If you round these to the nearest ten, how many things would you be eating?
2. The more things that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. If you read 25 pages in 45 minutes on Monday, 25 pages in 42 minutes on Tuesday, and 25 pages in 41 minutes on Wednesday, what is the time in minutes that you read in all 3 days?
If he continues this pattern, how many pages would he have read in the month of February?
3. Poor Mayzie had a daisy sprouting right out of her hair. It grew 3 inches each day. How many inches was this daisy in 2 weeks? In 3 weeks?
4. Congratulations! Today is your day! You're off to Great Places traveling at 160 miles in 4 hours. You're off and away! How many miles would you have traveled in an hour?
5. The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. It rained for 2 inches on Tuesday, 4 inches on Wednesday, 8 inches on Thursday, 16 inches the next day. So we sat in the house all those cold, cold, wet days. If this pattern continues how much will it rain on Sunday?
6. The Cat in the Hat wanted to show the kids tricks. He could hold up 12 cups, 2 bottles of milk, 3 pink cakes, 1 dozen books, 1 goldfish on a purple rake. He could hold 2 toy ships and 2 dozen toy men, and with his tail he could hold a red fan. How many items were The Cat in the Hat holding before he fell?
7. Deep within the woods I spied a pair of pale green pants with nobody in them!!!!!! I wasn't scared. But, yet, I stopped. For if I moved I would have completed a total distance of 200 feet around the square forest. How much would each side of the forest be in feet if all four sides were equal?
8. "Cause you never can tell what goes on down below! This pool might be bigger than you or I know!" If the pool is 16 feet wide and 24 feet long, what is the total perimeter in feet?
If they wanted to fill the pool that is 5 feet, how much water will they need to fill the pool?
9. Left foot, right foot feet! feet! feet! How many, many feet you meet. With 25 classmates and 2 teachers in your room, how many total feet are there?
10. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store." But our presents do. At Wal-Mart I spent $145.25 and at Toys R Us I spent $200.05. If I started with $500, how much money did I not spend?
11. My uncle ordered popovers from the restaurant's bill of fare. "To eat these things," said my uncle, "You must exercise with great care." If my uncle burned 25 calories each mile he jogged, then how many total calories did he burn jogging 7 miles?
12. Fame had knocked on Mayzie's door. Now she had it all-and more. Piles of money, stacked in tens, but what is money without friends? If Mayzie gave Ralph a stack of 13 tens, Judy a stack of 24 tens, and Phil a stack of 33 tens, how much money (in dollars) did Mayzie give away?

I have a picture of my door for Dr. Seuss!

Straight haired Blonde Ms. Frizzle?

We are currently learning about ecosystems and biomes in my class and without even thing about it I wore a dress on Wednesday with leaves, brown tights and cheetah print shoes and headband. My students pointed out that I was dressed as my own ecosystem and even talked about how the leaves represented a tree (one child talked about habitat and we haven't even learned that yet!) as the producer, my shoes represented the consumer, and then proceeded to call me Ms. Frizzle. I was ecstatic, proud, and crazy just as Ms. Frizzle usually is in the videos with excitement!

Valentines day!

Like many teachers I was blessed with multiple presents from my students, some of which were carnations the high school classes were selling for a fundraiser, and with no vase in my room I had to improvise. One of the latest things on twitter right is #--this where you insert the description of you--problems
For example not having a vase in the room I would say #scienceteacherproblems
I believe this would be
#scienceteachersolutions

Measurement Humor

My students may go home and talk about MARY and RIC who aren't members of the class that knows each other and all 25 students very well, some of which have been in the same class since prek.
They will be talking about our new friends of the measurement system.... custoMARY and metRIC.
They are still undergoing "surgery" as I say and are an ongoing process but here are brief pictures from the beginning.

The baseball diamond will soon be on metRIC's stomach.
It stands for
King--kilo
Henry-- hecta
Drank-- deca
Base-- m, L, g
dark-- deci
chocolate-- centi
milk-- milli

I also told my students that getting to 3 (3rd base) is bigger than 1 (1st base) so Kilo is the biggest and goes to milli the smallest.

Here are some updated pictures...

The feet are 1 foot each and the legs are each 1 yard. I have thought about toes at an inch....

Science visuals!

As I have said before I love visuals! Here are a few more. Maybe one day I will organize the pictures on here in categories for easier access.

Math Word Problem Operation books!

So today in class we made books to tape word problems into.
Here are some pictures of the original I made....
There is a 2 with a step to represent two step problems, subtraction, addition, division, and multiplication symbol.
They seem to like the idea of this. We will see who actually uses them as references and how much they like it after a few weeks..... I plan on giving bellwork word problems that they can tape in on the appropriate symbol.