An archived stack of papers: 'connections'
Heavy Water
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Sep
- 02
- 2007
Yet again, a video on College Humor might provide a good introduction, this time to the concept of density. Science teachers, this one’s yours again.
Similar to Beer Geometry, this video is a bar trick. Oil and vinegar is the obvious non-alcoholic combination to demonstrate in the classroom. Maybe the... read more
Goldberg Physics
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Aug
- 27
- 2007
In my sophomore year, a partner and I had to predict how far away from the table a steel bearing would land after it rushed down a balsa wood ramp. You need to be able to do this if you want a steel bearing to be the first in a sequence of events that will end up, say, knocking a glass of water on your face so you wake up in the morning.
... read more
Sudoku Logic
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Aug
- 26
- 2007
I know, I arrived late on this scene. Only last summer, I caught the Sudoku virus. It’s totally under control now, but for a while I couldn’t go to bed unless I’d worked through whatever Sudoku I was on. Actually, I still can’t leave a puzzle half finished, but I don’t spend time solving five or more of them each day.
Explain Your Thinking
... read more
Personal Ads
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Aug
- 23
- 2007
I gave you beer yesterday and now it’s time to learn how to make fun of people in an educational way. Not much progress on the censorship front involving Fight Club, one of my favorite books and movies. That entry is practically writing itself, though. On with the show.
When Words Matter Most
Just two days ago, my girlfriend came up with an idea that initially spawned... read more
Beer Geometry
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Aug
- 22
- 2007
I’ve got both a video involving beer and a way to make fun of people, each with legitimate uses in your classroom. Stick with me. Meanwhile, I’m trying to justify censoring two lines from an excerpt of Fight Club so I can use it during the first week. If I am personally jazzed about something, there’s a greater chance my students will be. The opposite is also true. I’m... read more
Half Nelson And Planning
In a stack of papers called Personal.
- Aug
- 18
- 2007
I finally watched Half Nelson the other day. 2 stars out of 5. The script needs some serious revision to be worth any kind of emotional investment or to live up to the Academy-Award-nomination hype.
As hard as they both tried, even ... read more
Battlestar Teaching
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Jul
- 12
- 2007
On a friend’s suggestion, I rented and watched the Battlestar Galactica miniseries last night. 2 chicken soft tacos, 1 small bean and cheese burrito, 2 Fat Tire Amber Ales, and 3 hours later, I finished. Some very cool stuff, folks, so grab a copy of it and plunk yourself down on the... read more
It’s All About The Tools
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Jul
- 02
- 2007
While commenting on a colleague’s blog, I stumbled across an idea: maybe School 2.0 isn’t the use of all these funky new gadgets. Most kids don’t want to use those things for educational ends and are bored when forced to do so.
Maybe the next generation school is populated by teachers who feel... read more
Advertising English
In a stack of papers called connections.
- May
- 11
- 2007
The latest Comcast commercials came up in a discussion we had few months ago. My students predicted that the next one would deal with dough, shortly before the “Hang on to your dough” commercial came out. Some kids dig these commercials and they appeal to me, too. There’s something there to use in an English classroom, but... read more
Subconscious Browsing
In a stack of papers called Technology.
- Jan
- 05
- 2007
I’m not quite sure what stream of consciousness led me to this, but I spent some time looking for online magnetic poetry sites. I don’t even teach much poetry.
I started off trying to perfect the way I’ll have my students put together time lines in class (I decided to use the Excel version: not as cool as... read more