Mrs.+Dubarry-Paul

** September 3, 2012 **
Hello!

This is going to be an exciting year for our 9th grades in Physical/Earth Science. I have been researching great apps and ways that we're going to use the iPads in class.

One app that I am excited to use is the iPlanNotebook Science Labs. This app is used to help write formal science lab reports.



Another app that I'm excited about using is iMovies. I would like to have the students record their labs and make movies for their projects.

** October 4, 2012 **
The kids have had their iPads for about a month now. We're still working out some of the kinks with our apps, but for the most part we've been doing great. The students have gotten used to taking their notes on Notability. We have also completed two lab assignments using Notability. The students were asked to comply their data and email their final answers.

We experimented with our iPlanNotebook Science Lab app recently. Some of the students did fine with it, and it took other students a little longer. I have told the students that by the end of the year we should be able to write a formal lab report using this app. I feel that this will help them when they enter Biology next year and have the experience of writing a lab report.

The students have been using iMovies in other classes. I think that maybe this class should use the app to create a movie based on all the labs we do over the course of the year. A journal of some sort.

** November 13, 2012 **
The first marking period is coming to an end. We have been using iMovies in conjection to our labs. I like how the students just automatically begin recording and taking pictures as we work on our labs. What we have been doing is making iMovies as part of our opening activities in the beginning of class. I like how it reinforces the lab that was just completed.

The students were assigned a "How-to" project over the extended weekend. This 'how-to" project asked them to recreate their ice cream lab. The students were asked to explain scientific concepts while explaining how to make ice cream. So far out of the projects that were presented in class, most students were able to grasp the converison factors. The scientific concepts were addressed after each group presented. I will post some video once all presentations are completed.

I also had the students take an openbook/interent quiz. The students did not realize that an openbook quiz/test could be harder than a closed-book quiz. I found this to be a valuable lesson for both myself and for the students. Since they were allowed to use the internet, most of the students went to google to find the answer. What the students learned is that sometimes the first answer may not be the correct answer. I am allowing the students to complete corrections on this quiz this upcoming Friday. I have encouraged the kids to look over the quiz and the comments that were made.

I am excited for our upcoming unit on Atoms. I have found some promising apps that I think the students will enjoy using. There will also be more projects within the second marking. I would like to see the students not rely so much on Keynote and iMovie, but look into other apps that will make their projects more interesting.

** December 17, 2013 **
The second marking period is in full swing! We started our chemistry unit in the middle of November, and for the most part, the students are doing well. We experimented with "Building Atoms" app. This app allowed the students to practice buidling atoms with the correct number of protons, neutrons, and electrons. My goal for this app was to help the students understand how all three sub-atomic particles relate to one another. I had the students practice it on their own and create a Keynote presentation of 5 different isotopes.

We also compeleted our Flame Test lab. The students liked this lab, but not as much as the Ice Cream Lab. The students were given five solutions and were asked to observe the flame color of each solution. The students are in the habit of recording their labs and we create an iMovie the next day which summarizes the lab activity.

The students were assigned the Atoms project, which is due on January 14th. The students were in debate of when they should have class time for research. In the end, we used Edmodo to vote, and the class decided to use the week before winter break to conduct research and begin their presentations. The students are also researching three different apps they want to use for this presentations. One of our classmates has shared Doceri with us and many others also like the app.

I discovered another app, Pulse News, that the students can use for the current events. This app is free.

I'm looking forward the students presenting their projects in January.