Laguna’s Lessons

 Here is how we felt before leaving for Christmas break. 

 Here is how we feel now that we have returned from our refreshing break!

(Actually, these are pictures from Sydney’s science fair experiment.  The water in the container represents cerebrospinal fluid and the first egg sustained damage because it lacked enough protective fluid.)

One of the things I like about teaching is that every few months we have a fresh start with a new marking period.  I like to look at the blank grade sheet and realize that every student has another chance to be successful.  Everyone has the opportunity to get on the 100% homework list, go for the honor roll, or strive for the goals they set for themselves. 

I set goals for myself at this time as well.  My goal for this marking periods is to have students take advantage of the podcast kit, cameras, and microphone to create projects that help other people learn about and appreciate science. 

We watched a fun video from Jefferson Labs today that I think can serve as an example.  In the video, two people demonstrate a simple science concept, insulation, using liquid nitrogen to get our attention.  The video was interesting to watch and also helped us appreciate that our observations can be explained by applying science concepts.  What sort of videos can we produce that would make people say, “Wow, now that’s interesting!”  I wonder what ideas the eighth graders on our team can contribute to a video project.