Well, here we go again!

Well, here we go again. Another school year begins on Tuesday. Lots of years since 1973, but I'm still having fun!

Kettle Moraine Ice Age Center

I met parents and students last night for our open house. It  was great to see the enthusiasm from 8th graders when told about our field trip to study glacial deposits next Friday.

More to come on this next week!

Parnell Tower

Photos from Wikimedia Commons

Book Talk Tuesday | Quiet by Susan Cain

This is the first of a few reviews on the book that I am currently devouring, processing, and reflecting upon. I can't get enough of the book, but I can only read short bites at a time because there is so much to process!

As a self-proclaimed "introvert" this book peaked my interest on a whim. I was looking for something new to read from my local e-library (have you tried Overdrive Media App? That's a post for another day.) I stumbled across Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking and decided to give it a go. I thought maybe it would help me "fix" my introverted behavior.


Regardless of where you fall on the introvert-extrovert scale, as a teacher, parent, friend, or sibling, I urge you to read this book. My whole world has been opened. Until I read this book, I thought that there was something wrong with me.

As it turns out, I'm good as an introvert. I don't need fixing. I just need to re-frame my perspective and this book helped me to do just that.

Cain takes studies, interviews and puts them into an easy-to-follow story line where every word packs a punch. She explores the concept of introversion in our very extroverted culture.

I think one of my favorite paragraphs is, "Yet inner behavior was still behavior, thought [Dr.Elaine] Aron, even if it was difficult to catalog. So what is the inner behavior whose most visible feature is that when you take them to a party they aren't very pleased about it? She decided to find out."

I laughed out loud as I read that because I have never been able to explain why I dread (with anxiety attacks) going to a party.

Cain catalogs old and cutting edge research on the topic of introverts, high-reactive personalities, and sensitive personalities. I have already benefited from reading the book in my own personal life, and with the way I talk to my three year old son who I suspect is a sensitive type. Maybe he's introverted like his mama, maybe he's more like his dad. Whatever the case, if you know someone who is an introvert or one yourself, your interactions will benefit from reading this book. Your introverted students will thank you - and if these findings are true, you may propel them into a very bright future by acknowledging and fostering their introversion.

Back to School Link Up | What Friday

Last day of the Back to School link up at Blog Hoppin'. Today's topic is What Friday. What do you like teaching the most?

I like to teach any lesson that's hands-on. So I attempt to craft my lessons following four criteria:

1. The lesson must challenge students.

2. The lesson must be novel.

3. It must be hands-on.

4. Finally, it must be applicable to real life.

To give you some examples, in studying the rain forest, I will actually have my students build a full-sized rain forest in the classroom. Or when studying rockets, we will build and launch rockets.

In this photo, students are solving a challenge with a limited number of supplies and time!

When students have an opportunity to build something with their hands and apply it to real life, the lesson immediately has meaning for them. And a bonus is that the kids love the activity. So they are learning and loving learning at the same time. Can you think of a better way to create passionate learners?

Be sure to check back in the coming days for a brand new FREEBIE at our store! In the meantime, check out our two favorite FREEBIES already available to you right now!

A Maker Space in Every Classroom
Quicksand in Your Classroom

Enjoy your weekend...it's my last of summer. I head back on Monday!

~Jerry

Back To School Link Up | When Thursday

It's When Thursday at Blog Hoppin' linky party!

Part of the benefit of being a middle school teacher is the chance to work with so many students throughout the day. My schedule looks different than many of those that I've read on the linky post as they are primary grades. I taught 4th grade for a large part of my career, and I loved having the same students in my room all day long. But I'm looking forward to the rotations and the ability to focus directly on science all day!

My day begins with homeroom where I'll have{20} 6th grade students. Following homeroom, I'll have those same 6th graders for science class. We're beginning the year studying astronomy. Part of our studies will include reducing the solar system to approximately 1,000 yards and we'll be making Constellation T-Shirts.

After 6th grade science, I'll jump to the first (of two) eighth grade science classes. Eighth graders will begin the year studying glaciers and glacial deposits. We'll take our first field trip on Day #4 of school! After glaciers, we'll breed fruit flies.

After 8th grade science, I head to the Makers Lab to work with various grade levels.

After Makers Lab, I have a planning period that will no doubt be used for working really hard {insert science shenanigans here}.

My planning period will run into lunch which, no doubt, will be one of the best parts of the day {and not because it's lunch!}!

I plan to show science-related movies during the lunch hour and it will be open to students. I with show movies with a science theme including, "Gravity", "The China Syndrome", and "October Sky" (based on the Homer H. Hickam Jr. book, Rocket Boys).

After lunch I have an RTI period which is a focused reading group. Then I finish out the afternoon with the second section of 8th grade science, and back-to-back 7th grade science.

Seventh graders first area of study will be to build their own chargeable batteries from lead sheet and magnesium sulfate. They will charge the batteries on a harness and doing experiments and math to measure force and distance.

I'm excited to get started. We're going to do a lot of creative things this year. I'm going to focus on hands-on activities and students evaluating themselves and the work that they do. I have scoped out our field trip destination and you'll hear more about that in future posts!

~Jerry

Why Wednesday on the Blog Hoppin' Link Up

I'm linking up with the Back to School 2014 Blog Hoppin' topics...and today we're talking Why Wednesday...Why our organization style works!

I have to laugh at this one. As I sit at my desk typing this post, I my house is cluttered. It's usually a little cluttered. But during the summer, it gets out of control. I watch my niece (10) and nephew (6) along with my son (3) anywhere from three to five days a week during the summer. We are usually on the go. Today we hit the beach with a friend and enjoyed one of the nicest days of the summer. But I leave a trail in my path.

I'm so embarrassed to show this. But this is my desk. Pretzels blocking my screen from my husband tossing them there yesterday. And a Cabela's ad {once again, not mine!}...this is my honest-to-goodness what my desk looks like on a regular basis. I might as well admit it!

It's funny, because I'm pretty sure I take after my dad on this one. My dad has always had his own "organizational system" that has forever driven my mom crazy. As they moved from their big country home to a smaller condo in town this summer, they had to eliminate everything from wheelbarrows and lawn mowers outside, to two sets of living room furniture and scores of other household items they have had for years! My dad has always been able to find what he needs as long as none of the rest of us touched it. Not easy to do with FIVE females floating around his house for so many years. Plus, most of my sisters and my mom are extremely organized and dislike clutter.

For the record, I dislike clutter too. I can't stand it. But I live in a small house and we're always in and out and my desk fits only in our prime living area, so I've learned to look past it...for now. I have more important things to worry about than whether my desk is perfectly organized. I can generally find what I need and that's enough for me! 

My dad organizes his classroom in a different way. Last year, I noticed a sign in his Maker Space that read: Clean up or DIE!!!!!!!! {A nod to Mythbusters.}

Truthfully, I was pretty impressed at how he kept the Maker Space organized because his classroom hasn't always been the shining example of Type A personality. But then again, he's not a Type A personality so why should he be forced to follow what works well for one personality but not as well for someone who is more of a creative? I think we'll let him off the hook on this one.

I'm off to read some others who linked up and pass them on to my dad. We could both use some help in this area!

One Day Back to School BOOST SALE!

We're offing up a chance for additional savings as we head back to school!

I love a good sale.

Our store is up to 20% off PLUS if you use the promo code: BOOST you can get additional savings from Teachers Pay Teachers. 

Seriously.

What are you waiting for?

Blog Hoppin' - Where Tuesday

More on this fun Blog Hoppin' Week! Join in and read more!

Where are we at? We're in a kindergarten through eighth grade school in Southeastern Wisconsin. More specifically, I'll be in a middle school science lab and our Maker Space.

What is a Maker Space you ask? It's an incredible place for your students to invent and design using STEM/STEAM and engineering design principles. Last year our school received a grant to open a Maker Space for K-8. I eagerly took on the challenge of setting up the Maker Space, facilitating the students and managing the grant money. This year I will be working partially in the Maker Space and also as the middle school science teacher.

I shared a few days ago about what we'll be beginning the school year with in middle school science.

Our Maker Space is also getting up and running. Last year our eighth graders built an aquaponics lab from the ground up. They built the tanks from donated materials, built the plant stand from lumber and one student even created a robotic fish feeder to automatically feed the tilapia!

We grew lettuce, fish, and red worms in this particular set up. My role was to facilitate the project, but I encourage the students to problem solve, to research, to investigate and to invent on their own. I believe in the student-led education in the Maker Space. The students are more excited to learn and often dig in deeper than if they were teacher guided.

Aquaponics lab in our Maker Space

Our students also made a pneumatic tube system to sent items from our Maker Space to another classroom!

Pneumatic Tube from our Maker Space to another classroom!

I'm really looking forward to developing our Maker Space even more than our first year. This is in addition to my already packed middle school science curriculum! I head back to school next week, and the kids follow right after Labor Day. I'm anxious and excited to get back and see what my students come up with this year!