Author: Brian
-
Demo Cam
After being frustrated with my students not being able to see all of my demonstrations, I decided to make a demo cam with some of my electronic junk. The demo cam is simply an old Sony Handicam Digital 8 camcorder mounted on an inexpensive Videosecu Universal Camera Mounting Bracket. The camera has an adapter that…
//
-
Protect Student Information from Surveys
At the beginning of each year, I usually receive an onslaught of survey material for my students to fill out. These surveys are not supplied by the school or district, and usually query students about their backgrounds, interests and future plans. While some teachers diligently have students complete them immediately, others simply use this material…
//
-
Extreme Phase Change
Usually the during the week of homecoming, my Biophysical Science class is just finishing up a basic chemistry unit on the properties of matter. To keep the kids focused on science, I make sure to obtain a little dry ice to have my students observe a unique phase change known as sublimation. We observe: Sublimation…
//
-
Your Role in Education with Technology
As we start a new school year, I challenge all educators to do more with technology in your classroom. I wholeheartedly encourage you to use online tools that can increase your productivity, join social networks that can link you to other educators, and generally make the most of the hardware and software that is already…
//
-
Think Before You Send
If you follow a lot of tech blogs, you’ll notice how a lot of writers talk about how they are frustrated with e-mail. You might wonder why they are so upset about something that has revolutionized how we communicate in the 21st century. Clive Thompson from Wired Magazine blames the asymmetric nature of e-mail, in…
//
-
Education is not a Business
In the latest issue of Newsweek, Jonathan Alter discusses education reform in an article entitled “Obama’s No Brainer on Education.” While making a few sound points (teachers should focus on student learning over job security, assessment can be effective and beneficial, etc), Alter suggests an oversimplified solution on how to fix education in the U.S.…
//
-
Creativity in Science
Recently, our school was fortunate to have a visit from Billy Collins – former poet laureate of the U.S. He read a few entries from Poetry 180 – a collection of poems for each of the 180 days of the school year (geared at high school students). You can see all of the poems here.…
//
-
Is the Internet Making Us Stupid?
While listening to NPR the other day, my ears perked up to a story from On the Media called “The Pleasure Principle.” In it, Ethan Zuckerman (blogger and internet theorist) described a condition called homophily, and its potential danger while using the internet. In short, homophily describes how we tend to flock together, seeking out…
//
-
Buy CFLs for Earth Day
In our recent interview with Bill Nye, he reminded us that “the hardest thing for everyone to understand about the environment is that every single thing you do affects everybody in the whole world.” Inspired by his words, I decided to replace some lightbulbs in my house with CFLs (compact flourescent lightbulbs). While I have…
//
-
Grant Writing Tips
With shrinking school budgets, educators might consider looking to grants for project funds. Here are some tips (from the links below and from personal experience) for you if you are thinking of applying for a grant. Preparation Make sure your idea fits the grant criteria (location, non-equipment, etc) Look for full grants and mini-grants too…
//
Search
Recent Posts
Tags
amazon.com apple Appropriate Use art At School bill nye book chemistry Classroom Activities Communication conference demos Discovery Education e-mail edutopia Experiments Flickr For the Classroom ipad podcasting Privacy Productivity Resources/Recycling Science Communication Science Education teaching Technology Videos Web 2.0 Websensed