Coupla Things v23 (2/16/13)
Post date: Mar 03, 2013 8:17:2 AM
Dear Parents and Students:
This teaching job has got to be the best gig around – rewarding, rigorous, and week-long vacations every couple of months. I try hard not to gloat when I chat with my cubicle-confined contemporaries on Facebook or at various reunions. Thanks to all of you who make the job so great.
This Week in Review: The past week contained some good activities designed to teach about the characteristics of acids and bases -- some hands-on and some online. The two online simulations gave the kids some exposure to the theory and details of the pH levels of various fluids, but I think it was the hands-on experiences that were the most effective and beneficial. The kids predicted and then tested the pH levels of 8 different household items using cabbage juice as an indicator. I was impressed at how well the kids followed directions and what evidence was discussed during the prediction-phase. To prepare for the test I did discuss with the kids the various levels of preparation that I've observed and I also required them to do a page of chapter summary from the publisher's resource CD. I also had the kids ask questions about the test stems that I provided, and the resulting discussion seemed to really benefit many of the kids -- test scores were much higher this time.
Coming Up After Vacation: The packet for units 5 and 6 (chemistry) will be coming home a few days after we get back to school. The next unit (7) will be on electricity and I have been working with Joe Rogers and Thomas Zscherpel to design some more good hands-on experiments for the students during that unit including the construction of electronic circuits. Suds Jain will also be coming in to do a presentation on the energy consumption and ecological impact of various types of modern lightbulbs. The kids will also come home with Kill-A-Watt devices in order to measure the amount of electricity being used by various home appliances.
Cal-Coast Walk-About: I've decided to move forward with the idea of planning an optional 3 day trip for 8th graders and parents interested in hiking through some of the local territory of the coast (Santa Cruz to Marin Headlands) May 22, 23, 24. Details are here (mostly from last year), and I'm hoping to hear from students and parents who would like to go... the number of students who can come will be determined by the number of parents who can drive and chaperone.
Check Your Calendar:
March 6: Prospect and Westmont administrators come to DCS
March 8: 8th grade to "In the Heights" in San Jose
March 15: Teacher learning day
March 22: Possible GPS trip to SF
April 1-5: Spring Conferences
April 8-12: Spring Break
April 23-May 2: STAR Tests
April 25: "Being Ernest" at Mt. View Center for Performing Arts
May 6: Asian Art Museum
May 14: DeAnza Planetarium
May 22, 23, 24: Possible dates for the possible (optional) Cal Coast WalkAbout
May 27: Memorial Day
June 10: Graduation
June 11: Last day of school