Today, I slept in, allergies were really getting to me. Then I went to a great workshop that showed several ways to build 3D topographic maps. It gives me a couple of ideas on how to build an activity for bathymetric maps in oceanography. The thing I liked the most was a matching activity where students matched a landform with a satellite picture and a topographic map of the structure. I thought I could make my cards and match, oxbow, playa lakes, bogs, wetlands, swamps, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, watersheds, and reservoirs. I will make a set for my class and then present it at the Collaborative meeting in September.
We had lunch and the drawings for door prizes. I didn't win anything but some of the prizes included a retinal scanner iPAD, FLIP cameras, and six underwater cameras. Maybe next year.
Thursday. June 28
I was up early so that I could get ready for my presentation. Mine started at 9:30 and I had people showing up at 9:00. It was a very small room and only sat 20 teachers. I put up my poster, laid out the "Green Kits" and then set out a lot of material I had left over from CAST.
I was not sure what my audience was so I had everyone introduce themselves. I had biology, environmental science, chemistry, PreAP and AP teachers, middle school and elementary teachers. They were all interested in the aquaponics set up and how it was used in the classroom. I was pleased that the lesson we developed last year for RET continues to be of interest to teachers across the state.
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| RET Poster and Green Electronic Kit |
I was able to attend the Shell field trip though it wasn't what I had expected. I had hoped to tour the labs and show students working. However, what we actually did was listen to three different researchers talk to us. The topic was CO2 capture and storage
This link is a good explanation on what CO2 storage is and why they are looking at it as a way to reduce CO2 gases. It is an interesting concept but not sure what the long term consequences are. But then that is reason for research projects.
Wednesday, June 27
Today, I am at the Texas Reginal Collaborative in Austin. The Texas Regional Collaborative is a great program for teachers - especially new teachers. It offers them a lot of support and a chance to learn new and engaging activities. Once you have completed 105 hours you can purchase supples for your classroom. It is great to work with a lot of different teacher from around the area.
Hello, to the RET teachers. I hope you have a great day today!
It was a very long day. I got to the hotel eary and started to help set up display. it was really interesting. Some of the collobaratives really decorated their boths. Ours was rather simple and we decided we would have to work on it for next year. We need to work on it all year. It was suggested that next year we feature scientists as our booth them. I could be Mrs. Bob Ballard. My students would love that - they think I love him. The don't understand that I ADMIRE him which is different from LOVE.
I wanted to attend the Shell field trip on Thursday and you had to go to the pre-meeting. The field trip was full - I guess you had to sign up online. Anyway, I filled out the trip form and stayed for the meeting. We are going to UT's geophysical lab. Yes, I got to go!!
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fter the meeting, I went back to showcase and took pictures of different booths so we could use them when we develop our booth for next year. Our tables had a few things but needed more dressing up. I brought out our RET poster - even had a teacher from El Paso ask me to do a podcast for him on RET so he could post it on YouTube. Don't know how it turned out there was a lot of noise in the background. I
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| UNT Texas Regional Collaborative Booth |
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| This was a nice booth |
I also brought out one of the "Green" electric curcit kits and a teacher from El Paso came buy and was really excited about it. She taught elementary students and thought it would be a great way to teach alternative energy. She said it was just the kind of thing she was looking for. AWESOME! introducing engineering into the elementary school!!! I also had several other teachers really interested in the "Green" kits.
There were lots of neat activities (STEM) and I picked up a lot of lesson plans for teachers at my school. It was really a fun group. I found something just perfect for my classroom. Education Innovations has a Air Swimming Shark. You use a remote control device and can move the fins so that it swims through the air. I am thinking "Shark Races" down the hall. Way cool!
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| Air Swimming Shark: AWESOME |
Tuesday, June 26
I looked at the gapminder site and it does have a lot of data on water. I think this site will be very useful in the class room.
Surprise, my student intern from Carrolton-Farmers Branch had her dad drive out to Discovery park to present me with a plaque for mentoring her this summer. It was a really thing to do. I walked out with her and met her dad. I told him he should be very proud of her. These are some of things that make you glad you are still teaching.
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I have been trying for find a way to use the aquatics model in my classroom in the fall. Yesterday, on the drive home, I came up with an idea. I have to cement raceways I used to grow aquatic plants. I could tear them down and design two steam ecology models. Each model would contain two pools and one riffle area. Students could help with the design process. We could then monitor the water quality and document the changes over time. How long does it take for algae to colonize? Macroinvertebrates? What types of fish and how many should we put in the models. It could really be interesting for me and the students
Now I just have to convince my principal that this project is workable. I have a meeting with him next week.
Monday, June 25
It is Monday and Texas and very hot! Today I finished up my presentation for the Texas Regional Collaborative. It is hard to know what to bring because you don't know how many people will show up. We have been collecting activities, handouts and things to show. I have my RET posters printed and my borrowed projector.
Everything seems to be going well this week. Teachers are busy working on their projects and we are starting to see some interesting things. I look forward to coming back next Monday and seeing what the aquatics group has come up with.
Dr. Thompson came back with a new internet site I want to check out. It is called Gapminder. It is suppose to have lots of data on water which would be helpful for my aquatics classes.
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