Comments for never mind the optics http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:41:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on how do pupils like their science lessons? by mrmackenzie http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2011/02/01/how-do-pupils-like-their-science-lessons/#comment-89 mrmackenzie Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:41:11 +0000 http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/?p=1004#comment-89 Thanks for leaving a comment, John. In my opinion, the increasing conflict between practicals and jotter work has arisen due to the school moving from an 8 period (4 doubles) to a 6 (single) period day. When we had 80 minutes for each science class, it was so much easier to set up the purpose of the lesson, what we would do, do it and review/discuss the outcome before recording what had been done. I find it really difficult to accomplish this in a 50 minute lesson. For the past couple of years, I had tried to break up longer activities over two lessons but I am beginning to think that this splitting up of practical work is artificial and breaks the natural flow of learning and skills development. Thanks for leaving a comment, John.
In my opinion, the increasing conflict between practicals and jotter work has arisen due to the school moving from an 8 period (4 doubles) to a 6 (single) period day.
When we had 80 minutes for each science class, it was so much easier to set up the purpose of the lesson, what we would do, do it and review/discuss the outcome before recording what had been done. I find it really difficult to accomplish this in a 50 minute lesson.
For the past couple of years, I had tried to break up longer activities over two lessons but I am beginning to think that this splitting up of practical work is artificial and breaks the natural flow of learning and skills development.

]]> Comment on how do pupils like their science lessons? by John http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2011/02/01/how-do-pupils-like-their-science-lessons/#comment-88 John Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:14:19 +0000 http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/?p=1004#comment-88 I didn't think beetroot worked as an indicator. Red cabbage makes an amazing indicator (even better colours than your average universal) but, as you say, the smell is overpowering. Especially after a few days. I tried 'preserving' it in alcohol. This didn't work! Might as well have eaten the cabbage and drunk the alcohol. I like your thoughts on separating practical and follow-up although I'm always impressed by pupils' willingness to record detailed observations/results when you let them do it in rough. As you say, throw up some photos to make it fresh again and they will soon be back on track. New subscriber. Enjoying the Blog! I didn’t think beetroot worked as an indicator. Red cabbage makes an amazing indicator (even better colours than your average universal) but, as you say, the smell is overpowering. Especially after a few days.

I tried ‘preserving’ it in alcohol. This didn’t work! Might as well have eaten the cabbage and drunk the alcohol.

I like your thoughts on separating practical and follow-up although I’m always impressed by pupils’ willingness to record detailed observations/results when you let them do it in rough. As you say, throw up some photos to make it fresh again and they will soon be back on track.

New subscriber. Enjoying the Blog!

]]> Comment on Is there really “dead time” in the school year? by never mind the optics » teaching scientific thinking http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2008/04/07/is-there-really-dead-time-in-the-school-year/#comment-12 never mind the optics » teaching scientific thinking Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:00:52 +0000 http://fizzics.edublogs.org/2008/04/07/is-there-really-dead-time-in-the-school-year/#comment-12 [...] blogged about the project at the time.  You can download a pdf of the newsletter using the link at the end [...] [...] blogged about the project at the time.  You can download a pdf of the newsletter using the link at the end [...]

]]> Comment on the brightest star in the sky by Penny http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2010/03/12/the-brightest-star-in-the-sky/#comment-84 Penny Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:09:26 +0000 http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/?p=695#comment-84 I love to use stellarium as a time machine to go back to when I was in grade 7 and saw a near total eclipse of the sun. Works for lunar eclipses as well. I showed students a lunar eclipse that was due to happen that night!!! Watch from the earth, then the sun or the moon. WOW! http://cyberspaced.blogspot.com/2008/08/teachers-learning.html This shows a solar eclipse (1976, Adelaide) which I shared with a group of teachers a few years ago. I love to use stellarium as a time machine to go back to when I was in grade 7 and saw a near total eclipse of the sun. Works for lunar eclipses as well. I showed students a lunar eclipse that was due to happen that night!!!

Watch from the earth, then the sun or the moon. WOW!

http://cyberspaced.blogspot.com/2008/08/teachers-learning.html

This shows a solar eclipse (1976, Adelaide) which I shared with a group of teachers a few years ago.

]]> Comment on quadrat sampling on a smartboard by jayne http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2010/03/23/quadrat-sampling-on-a-smartboard/#comment-85 jayne Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:57:24 +0000 http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/?p=715#comment-85 needed a visual to demonstrate quadrat sampling for lesson to be done in Black Rock Forest..... this is great... thx needed a visual to demonstrate quadrat sampling for lesson to be done in Black Rock Forest….. this is great… thx

]]> Comment on Finding a way through Curriculum for Excellence by Vicky http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2009/05/03/finding-a-way-through-curriculum-for-excellence/#comment-46 Vicky Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:09:40 +0000 http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/?p=227#comment-46 This is just my opinion - feel free to comment or critisise... I wouldn't attempt to assess within the 4 capacities. These capacities reflect exposure to ways to strengthen a character - in other words, we cannot or shouldn't assess sonmeone for their personality. Instead, assessment needs to reflect the responsibilites for all, although again, necessarily all 3 for every subject area. Schools will be developing their own reports, perhaps a space for each subject, space to mention interdisciplinary. There has been a lot of discussion on whether the level should be broken up - otherwise pupils will appear to be at the same level for a long time - however, I don't really agree with this, as we should instead be concentrating on depth, progression etc. Also I feel there still should be something summative on there, as it wouldn't be as if we are going to stop tests althogether.. What do others think? This is just my opinion – feel free to comment or critisise…

I wouldn’t attempt to assess within the 4 capacities. These capacities reflect exposure to ways to strengthen a character – in other words, we cannot or shouldn’t assess sonmeone for their personality.
Instead, assessment needs to reflect the responsibilites for all, although again, necessarily all 3 for every subject area. Schools will be developing their own reports, perhaps a space for each subject, space to mention interdisciplinary.
There has been a lot of discussion on whether the level should be broken up – otherwise pupils will appear to be at the same level for a long time – however, I don’t really agree with this, as we should instead be concentrating on depth, progression etc.
Also I feel there still should be something summative on there, as it wouldn’t be as if we are going to stop tests althogether..
What do others think?

]]> Comment on the brightest star in the sky by never mind the optics » counting air http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2010/03/12/the-brightest-star-in-the-sky/#comment-83 never mind the optics » counting air Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:20:44 +0000 http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/?p=695#comment-83 [...] wrote a post last term about my S2 class asking to base their lessons for the remainder of the year around the [...] [...] wrote a post last term about my S2 class asking to base their lessons for the remainder of the year around the [...]

]]> Comment on how stuff works by sinclair http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2010/03/27/how-stuff-works/#comment-87 sinclair Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:04:04 +0000 http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/?p=721#comment-87 They are quite good and I have linked to some of them before on my other blog. Sometimes hard to get one that fits exactly with our NQs, so I might suggest that pupils focus on, say, the first 3 minutes of a video. Definitely worthwhile though. They are quite good and I have linked to some of them before on my other blog. Sometimes hard to get one that fits exactly with our NQs, so I might suggest that pupils focus on, say, the first 3 minutes of a video. Definitely worthwhile though.

]]> Comment on how stuff works by jim henderson http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2010/03/27/how-stuff-works/#comment-86 jim henderson Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:06:41 +0000 http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/?p=721#comment-86 Sinclair what do you make of the Physics lessons here? http://www.khanacademy.org/ Sinclair what do you make of the Physics lessons here?

http://www.khanacademy.org/

]]> Comment on the brightest star in the sky by Jim Henderson http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/2010/03/12/the-brightest-star-in-the-sky/#comment-82 Jim Henderson Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:58:26 +0000 http://blog.mrmackenzie.co.uk/?p=695#comment-82 Thursday 25th March there is a national Glow Meet on the solar system between 2-3pm See https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Glowing%20Potential/Lists/Pages/Glowing%20Thursdays.aspx Thursday 25th March there is a national Glow Meet on the solar system between 2-3pm
See
https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Glowing%20Potential/Lists/Pages/Glowing%20Thursdays.aspx

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