Looking for Task Cards That Will Make Your Students Study?

I don't  know if you have used task cards yet in your classroom.  I had never heard of them until I started hanging around the Teachers Pay Teachers forums, and reading some of the other blogs.  Even after I heard about them, I was afraid they were too elementary.  It seems like the elementary teachers are often the ones talking about task cards.  Boy.....I was missing out.  I haven't used a few sets, in a couple of different ways, and plan to use them more often (I am teaching all high school this year). 

If you haven't used task cards in your classroom yet, they can be used a lot of different ways.  They could be a warm-up or closure activity that is used with a projector (in my set I created a full-size version and a 4 per page, card version).   They could also be used for review activities such as "scoot," "roam the room," or put a few at each station.  Another one of my favorite things about task cards is that they are easy to differentiate.  In my set there are 5 different levels of questions on each topic.  You can certainly pick and choose which cards you use, or which cards are used by each student (you can even assign them card numbers to work on).   

For more information on task cards, click here or here. 

I created my first set to post on Teachers Pay Teachers.  See the picture preview below.  

They are human body systems task cards.  This is a topic that is commonly taught in 4th grade, again in middle school, and again in high school (at least here in NY).  These cards go from a basic level to more complex.  They include a total of 50 cards, where 5 of the cards on the human body systems in general, or together, and then there are 5 cards on each body system.  

Here is my first bit of feedback!   That makes my day!! 

 Do you  have particular topics on which you would like to see task cards?  What tips do you have for using them?

These are also part of a larger bundle of human body activities, which include labs and foldables on the respiratory system, digestive system, circulatory system, skeletal and muscular system, and nervous and endocrine systems

What happens when you are on vacation?

What do you to to be able to rest and relax over vacation?  I have often times used vacation, and school breaks, as a time to catch up/clean up/get ahead/get organized.

I also have a bad habit of procrastinating.  Not usually, but over vacations.  When I know I have a long time to get work done, I still find myself finishing up grades on Sunday night.

This vacation I did something different, and it may be the best decision that I've made in a long time.  I did my school work at the beginning of break, and pushed hard to get ahead on some before school ended.  I am not doing anything except what I need to do (grading, lesson plans for when we go back).  I'm not using the break to work on any projects. I literally put my schoolwork back in the car so I wouldn't see it in the house during vacation.

I'm making a conscious choice to use the break to relax.  I have read 3 novels so far (granted 2 were while I was sick on the couch one day).  I have played several board games with my kids.  I got together with a friend I haven't seen in a while.  My plans for the rest of vacation look similar.  I've been to the gym several times.  I hope to go a couple more.

I think it will make the transition back to school a little tough, but I also think I will be healthier, more relaxed, and more prepared, mentally and emotionally for the rest of the year.

Despite what everyone says, teaching is a draining job.  It requires long days, on your feet, being "on" and being emotionally involved with a lot of needy kids, and a lot of political pressure.

I know I don't always do the best job during school of maintaining balance and making sure that my stress doesn't flow over onto my family.  I'm trying to make up some of it now.

How do you use your vacation time?  Do you get ahead?  Or do you focus on other things?  What do you do to keep some balance for yourself and your family?

Teaching with Poverty in Mind Chapter 1

My school is an urban district with high poverty.  We are doing a book circle this year on the book Teaching with Poverty in Mind, by Eric Jensen.

Every few weeks we are reading a chapter, and then we are meeting to discuss.  The first chapter is basically an introduction to the various types of poverty, and defining poverty.  There were a few quotes that really stuck out to me, and interesting conversation that ensued afterwards.

The author defines poverty as "a chronic and debilitating condition that results from multiple adverse synergistic risk factors and affects, the mind, body, and soul” p. 6

It is a good reminder to me to think about all the risk factors that weigh into students' lives who are truly living in poverty. Poverty is by far not only a financial situation, but something much deeper.  When we stop to think of all the things kids are up against (violence in the neighborhood, poor nutrition, lack of family support, etc, etc., etc.) ....it becomes clear how it could affect the mind, body, and soul.  I think this perspective is important to keep. This leads me to two questions about my teaching practice. We will see if any answers come out of the rest of the book.  My two questions raised were: 

1)      The section on teaching practice noted a change in school culture, to one of empathy, and understanding, rather than pity.  I want to keep this in mind, myself, on a more regular basis, but I also want to think about how this change could take place on a larger scale, and what specifically, this would look like.

  

2)      I also wonder, especially with the importance of understanding being noted above, how to best bridge the gap that is present in many cases between the culture of urban poverty, and those faculty and staff who are not from that culture.  I think understanding is important, but how best to reach that understanding.  I think some level of understanding is relatively easy, but how deep of an understanding can be reached without a shared experience?  There is really a disconnect between this culture of poverty and the culture of school and higher education that we want students to be prepared for.

You can actually read chapter 1 and 2 here

Whether you have read the book or not, please chime in with your thoughts. I would be curious to hear from those who teach in high-poverty districts and those who don't.

My New Year's Resolutions

I was invited to participate in a linky part on New Year's Resolutions.  Here are mine:

And here is the original linky, maybe some resonate with you?  What are your goals for the upcoming year?  Feel free to comment.

Facebook frenzy

If you don't already follow me on facebook, this is a good time to start.

There are almost daily posts of science links, jokes, activities, and articles. 

In addition, next weekend (December 6-9), is a facebook hop. A bunch of secondary teaching facebook pages will be linked together and giving away freebies. 

Come like my facebook page and get freebies!

www.facebook.com/taral.sci

Cyber Monday Sale.

You can get up to 28% off on TpT Monday and Tuesday. Stock up and make it easy on yourself through the holiday season, or into the start of the new year. Get ahead and enjoy your vacation.

In my store, everything will be 20% off through Wednesday! with the site wide sale, you can get 28% off Monday and Tuesday. 

Enjoy!  Get your wish list ready!! 

The Wonderful Power of Videos in the Classroom

I don't know if your students are anything like mine, but if they are, there are days that getting them focused and paying attention is a losing battle. Even if they are quiet, gettting them focused and attentive is a different story!

Here's a strange thing that some of us in my department have been noticing lately. Students pay attention to a video clip much better than they pay attention to me. I have used this in a few different ways:

-- using video clips such as this that I have found online, and then creating a guided note sheet, questions, or an assignment to go with it. Here is one example of a great instructional video. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qhvSX0-I9N8. There are a lot, usually about 5-10 minutes long that can replace notes, introduce a topic, or reinforce notes.  It's similar to the idea of the flipped classroom, in a way, except I'm doing it in class in this case, student can watch together in the board, or in their own on device,depending on the time you want to spend, and the structure of your class/access to technology.  Kids say to me things like "remember on Friday in the video when that man was talking and he said...."  

-- I have also created or found some even shorter video clips and photos to give lab instructions, and to show a model of something. It's big, easy for everyone to see, and they can rewind if needed. For example, I made a video of making the onion cell slide. Not great, but it was my first one. Easily filmed with a cellphone, tablet, webcam. For some reason, they seem to remember. 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7fe0UGOR5s8.   

Do your kids respond differently to a video?  How do you use technology innovatively in the classroom?