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ACT Science Prep
ACT Science. Scary stuff, right? You can’t even use a calculator! (because you really don’t need one). You can be tested on biology, botany, zoology, microbiology, ecology, genetics, evolution, atomic theory, inorganic chemical reactions, chemical bonding, reaction rates, solutions, equilibrium, gas laws, electrochemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and properties, states of mattermechanics, energy, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, fluids, solids,…
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If We Expect Students to Compromise, Why Not Coffee Makers?
Recently, a local school district decided to start charging teachers for personal use of “refrigerators, microwaves, coffee makers, pizza ovens, toaster ovens and toasters” in an effort to save over $12,500 per year in energy savings (read full story). The cost for using a coffee maker? $10. While this is a seemingly small fee for a…
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Amazon Remembers Science Books
While attending the WSST Annual Spring Conference this last weekend, I made sure to check out the Outstanding Science Trade Books for 2010 session. Highlighting fantastic science books from Science Books & Films (SB&F) and NSTA’s Outstanding Science Trade Books, the organizers of the session also brought in hundreds of books from the collection housed…
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Combustion Day 2010
Here is a compilation of demonstrations I do for “Combustion Day”, which capitulates three days of demonstrations to identify the five main types of chemical reactions. DO NOT TRY THESE AT HOME. Combustion Day 2010 from Brian Bartel on Vimeo.
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Video Quizzes in Science
Using video clips in the classroom is nothing new – a couple companies have even made a business model for this educational niche. But Hollywood movies can also have educational value, especially when trying to find errors and discrepancies within them. To assess some basic properties in matter in my chemistry class, I have been…
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Using Bioinformatics
As bioinformatics grows up into a modern scientific discipline, the rules are being developed alongside its newest tools. The scientific smackdown that arose from discovery of the collagen-like protein from preserved T-Rex protein only illustrates these developments. To make matters worse, simple bioinformatics tools are already becoming outdated. Instead of examining a few simple lines…