Great Science Demonstrations

Here's a nice site to check out for great science demonstrations you may use in your science classroom.
I have incorporated some into my lessons and I am certain that the kids will love it. These computer simulated demos give the students a chance to visualize concepts. Teaching certain concepts would be much easier this way.
http://phet.colorado.edu/

Have fun!

Making Water Boil Using Ice

 Did you ever think it is possible to boil water using ice? Here's how.

So, do you really think the water is boiling? Something to think, ha?

My First Teaching Block

As part of the teacher training program in the College of Education at Brock University, the teacher candidates are mandated to teach in three teaching blocks to put their teaching methodologies into practice and gain experience as a teacher in a real classroom. Each teaching block is four weeks long and every teacher candidate is assigned to an experienced teacher (the associate teacher) who teaches the same teachable subject as the teacher candidate, in a public school. But prior to that, there are four observation days on four consecutive Fridays to observe the associate teacher and gather information about the classroom, teaching styles, resources, lessons, etc.

The school I am assigned is a High School in Burlington and I am very lucky to have a motivated, energetic, and enthusiastic female teacher who teaches high school chemistry. She has graduated from Brock University several years back. My associate teacher has her own classroom, where one half of it is the chemistry laboratory. I found it very convenient for both the teacher as well as the students. The classroom is equipped with an overhead projector, a TV and video player, and of course a SMART BOARD. Although Smart Board is new to me, I presume it will be a very useful and effective tool in terms of presenting my lessons efficiently and successfully to my students.

Micro Teaching

Before the first teaching placement, we were required to do a micro teaching on a topic from the first teachable subject for 15 minutes. My first teachable is Chemistry and I was very excited to prepare a lesson and present that in front of the class at Brock University for the first time. The Faculty Associate advised everyone exactly how to plan the lesson and do the micro teaching. 

I selected the concept Elements and Compounds from the grade 10 curriculum. I came up with different ideas to present the very basic but really important theory in chemistry so that the content would be interesting and easy to understand and remember. One important thing I leaned at Brock was the importance of the beginning of the lesson, which should motivate and engage the students to have their minds on in the lesson. It is the "hook". Therefore, rather than the traditional style of teaching the definitions of elements and compounds, which is teacher centred, I created my lesson to have students involved to construct knowledge and understanding, which is student centred learning. In order to differentiate between elements and compounds, I introduced the class with an Aluminum foil and a glass of water and asked if they could imagine breaking down Aluminum and water to find the smallest building blocks. I had atoms and molecules from my molecular model kit ready to show to the class. Everyone could visualize what exactly an element and a compound meant. I also used transparencies to present definitions and examples of elements and compounds. Once the definitions were clear, I gave the class an activity to make models of some common elements and compounds using the model kit. This made everyone very excited and they all seemed to understand the concept very clearly. 

The feedback from the faculty associate and others was very impressive and encouraging. 

I can't wait to go and teach in front of a real high school class in my first placement. Hope it will be a wonderful experience. 

Metaphor of Sun

The sun is the teacher and the earth is the classroom. There are various types of living organisms and ecosystems on earth; so as the diversity among students in a classroom. All the organisms depend on the endless energy the sun radiates to survive. Similarly, in a classroom, the teacher gives her knowledge and guidance to students to develop their potential. The sun never gets bored but generously and continuously serves the earth. It does not expect anything in return from the earth and despite all the criticism, never fails to shine again the next day.