Continuing with the theme... In my last post I showed a blood model that I use to help my students understand that oxygenated blood tends to be a red color and deoxygenated blood tends to have a deep red color with the blood model. blood models Here is another way I use simple materials to demonstrate a concept to my students. I use baby pop-it beads to show the relationship between amino acids and proteins.     Each bead represents an amino acid (I wrote the names of different amino acids on each in permanent marker) and a long chain of them represents a protein.     I keep my eyes pealed for these babies at garage sales because eventually someday I would like to have so many "amino acids" that I can make a protein chain that is long enough to twist and make a shape that would be a better representative of a protein's tertiary structure. What do you use as models in your class? originally posted on ballinwithballing.blogsp...

In the past my students took Regents Earth Science before taking my class (Regents Living Environment)...that's Biology for those of you not in New York State. So this year I came across a little problem, when we get to the Evolution unit my students don't have any prior knowledge about rock layers and the Law of Superposition. law of superposition 1. Physics See superposition . 2. Geology A general law stating that in any sequence of sediments or rocks that has not been overturned, the youngest sediments or rocks are at the top of the sequence and the oldest are at the bottom.  www.thefreedictionary.com So, one of my amazing students gave me a suggestion at the right time on the right day. When I say the right time on the right day...I was having a great day teaching and I was hungry. She mentioned how much she loved the Cookie Lab (I'll post it on here someday) and how she thinks that everyone in her clas learns better when food is involved in t...

   My students often copy their notes quickly in class and/or may lose a page or forget their binder at home so now I have found a way that my students can read the notes online. I use a website called Flipsnack www.flipsnack.com  (they also have a quizsnack, bannersnack, and other tools that I recommend checking out). flipsnack's website On Flipsnack.com you can upload .pdf documents and turn them into a virtual flipping book. You can even choose the color of your cover and other features such as a solid hardcover book or a spiral book. My students really seem to enjoy it and it affords them the freedom to look up information even if they left their notes in school. originally posted on ballinwithballing.blogspot.com To view this flipping book you need to have Flash Player 9 or newer installed and JavaScript enabled. Flipsnack is a flash video player that allows you to create stylish flipping books out of your PDF document.

Or should I title this: "What could be learned from Online Teaching"? I'd like to give you a glimpse into my online classroom and real life classroom.     I started teaching 16 years ago and taught in a very traditional way for most of that time. I did incorporate cooperative learning and group projects here or there but for the most part I did a traditional lecture from the overhead projector because that was the most efficient way to cover/teach the material. In 2007 I made the transition from the overhead projector to a SmartBoard (interactive white board). This allowed me to use some interactive games with my students but only one student at a time could come up to the board and play the game. Often the students did not want to get up in front of their peers and look foolish as they were playing the game so that was only slightly useful. In  January 2010 I attended a three day Moodle workshop at our local Erie 1 BOC ES ( Boards of Cooperative Educational Ser...

     I'm a celebrity. Yeah, well, not really but now you can learn more about me and what I do in the classroom. Andrew Wheelock was kind enough to interview me for his new iTunes series called " Coffee with a Geek ." Check it out here and subscribe: Coffee with a Geek You can watch the episodes on an iPod an iPad an iPhone or your computer Originally posted on ballinwithballing.blogspot.com

Yay! We are getting a mini grant!      My school district is very fortunate to have an amazing alumni foundation: Lancaster Education and Alumni Foundation (LEAF).  Here is a link to their Facebook page: LEAF . This year they were offering several mini-grants that teachers in our district could apply for if they have a new idea to use in the classroom.  My proposal involved the use of two iPad mini's, and several apps to help students work together to develop higher level thinking skills and to address some common social concerns such as bullying. Although it would have been ideal to have two iPad mini's  which are each slightly cheaper but it looks like we are instead getting one iPad 2. Hey, it isn't too often that a teacher is able to get supplies for her classroom without spending some of her hard earned money every bit helps and I guess I'll just apply again next year. I'll keep trying. An iPad like the one above will be a welcome ...