Embedded Files
"Flipping" the classroom in Honors Chemistry:
About seven years ago, I partnered up with another honors chemistry co-worker and we flipped our instruction. We decided collaboratively to create videos for students to watch at night and then use class time for inquiry learning and one on one instruction. An example of a video is to the right. In class students have the opportunity to solve problems, seek help immediately, work together collaboratively, and construct their own understanding of the learning targets.
Experimenting in a 1:1 Chromebook Pilot:
During the 2013-2014 school year I jumped on the opportunity to pilot the use of chromebooks with my key ideas chemistry classes. It was an exciting and unique opportunity since I was the only chemistry teacher to participate. Being mindful to use technology as a way to enhance learning rather than detract, I created short videos as a resource to discuss the daily activities that were done in class. Students who were originally turned off by the new technology quickly learned of the many benefits to watching the videos. They could pause it when necessary and go back to listen again. They could watch the videos at their own pace and begin to take ownership of their learning. By the end of the year, students were making their own screencasts as a review for the final.
Videos Created to Enhance Instruction:
After making videos for students to watch outside of the classroom, I began to create short videos to use in class as part of instructional activities. The first video on the left is a jet engine demonstration. Students were able to watch the demonstration and then work as a team to explain the science behind what they observed. The benefit of making the video was that they were able to study the demo and watch it as much as they needed. Also, once they learned what was happening, they could go back and critique the demo by providing suggestions on how to make the jet engine more effective.
The next video was created using a chrome app called PowToon. After teaching chemistry for many years, I have reflected and identified concepts and skills that students struggle with consistently. The ability to factor label while solving stoichiometry problems would be one of those skills. I made screencasts before on the topic but felt that I needed to make something short and to the point so that students could watch it with ease. Also, I wanted to make it engaging to watch. Students have found it to be helpful!
At the beginning of the Weather Unit in chemistry we first learn about pressure. Traditionally, I would have them do station work and perform various demos in the lab to learn about pressure. This year I assigned groups one demo for them to become experts on and teach the rest of the class. The activity required them to carry out the demo correctly, understand the chemistry behind it, and show how the pressure was changing from a molecular perspective. The video to the left is one that I made using WeVideo to model the expectations. The videos that the students came up with were not only engaging but scientifically accurate!
Digital Workflow:
Since I began teaching, I have always maintained a course website as a resource for students and parents. Many years ago, I created a Google Chemistry Site for the chemistry team.
I have also created a course blog when we moved to a 1:1 Google environment. I chose to use blogs for daily workflow so parents would have public access. I created one for chemistry and one for honors chemistry. Students have access to the daily agenda posts, calendars with links to the daily worksheets and videos, course web page, and course Google drive.
Google Sites
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