Planner

 
 

Whiteboard

 
 

A movable whiteboard

I've found a new web application that I think is "da bomb". It has two parts - one is a shareable "whiteboard", the other a web-accessible planning tool.

You can see a sample here. If you sign in for the planner, you can then create a whiteboard. I've made one to share with the other science teachers at my school. (see the example on the post above)

The whiteboards are a neat idea, particularly when you don't share common planning time, or are working with someone in a different time zone. (2nd example above)

CHECK THIS OUT

United Learning has a really cool service. It provides video on demand to your desktop.

The state of South Carolina has bought a 3 year subscription for all schools in the state. The catch is, the teachers have to actually use it. If they don't make use of it, SC may not fund it anymore. So, if you work in SC, find out about it, and actually use it on a regular basis (PLEASE!)

I've already shown some of the videos in my science classes. They range from relatively short (15-20 minutes) to around an hour. They have been decent quality, aligned to the state standards, and have associated teacher's guides.

Think about it. As teachers, we're always trying to find good, visually-oriented instructional resources. We know today's kids are visual, not text-oriented. And the school or local library can't possibly stock a wide enough range of videos to suit us.

Enter the video on demand service. For a set fee, you can have a searchable index of classroom-ready videos. With a projection screen or an digital-to-analog converter for your TV, you can provide virtually unlimited access to teachers.

INNOVATIVE FAILURES

I found this site on Dean's World, a blog that I'm very fond of (yes, I realize that I ended that sentence on a preposition - live with it).

I'm thinking that the links could be best used as a springboard to a discussion that allows students to talk about their (mis)conceptions of basic physics principles. For the more advanced students, each could take a device, and write and present a report about the reasons why they wouldn't work.

APPROPRIATE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

I found the above post on The Education Wonks Carnival of Education.

Much has been written about the inequity of the availability of computers and communications tools between different schools. However, the digital divide between teachers exists even in technology rich schools. As Will points out, there are many teachers who have no idea of the power and potential already sitting in their own classrooms.

So, is it possible to help these teachers move faster in their understanding of how to best use what they have - maybe before the next wave of innovation hits? I agree with Will that it’s going to be difficult to impossible as the gap continually widens.

I agree that many of the computers that are sitting in classrooms all over the US are not being fully utilized. But, I can and do disagree that the problem with full implementation lies with unaware teachers. A far bigger problem is that a desktop computer, by itself, is not as helpful as TARGETED TECHNOLOGY.

What is targeted technology?

For the Math teacher, it's 1 computer, and a class set of graphing calculators. Along with some type of projection system that will let him/her show the students what he/she is putting into his calculator, and how it should look when he/she does. That projection can run from around $300 - $3,000. Better that ALL math teachers in the district get a low-end system, than a few get the bells and whistles, and the rest nothing. That last situation is too often the case. Administrators are often impressed by the Porsche systems.

For the English teacher, it might be computers, laptops (to enable students without one to check them out overnight), or, for the relatively low-end solution, the AlphaSmart. The AlphaSmart additionally is less likely to be ripped off.

For the Science teacher, it's 10 graphing calculators, along with probeware to collect data on. Along with a hefty budget for training. The electronic stuff has a steep learning curve. If you have some equipment sitting, and no idea how to use it, go to the PTRA site, and look into booking a workshop. They work. I know. That's how I was trained.

Tech is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. The amounts needed to different teachers may be different. The egalitarian may complain about that.

Tough.

There is nothing more infuriating to me than equipment not being used, still sitting on someone's desk, just because it's "fair".

No, it's not. If the teacher won't make the effort to learn how to use it, take it away, and give it to someone who will. Unused, it's becoming more obsolete by the minute.

The new Mini-Me 

MODELING PHYSICS

The Modeling program at Arizona State University is ot of funds, and its future is uncertain. But the influence of the program continues.

I was fortunate enough to attend the program in 2004. Due to budget constraints, I wasn't able to go this year. I've been lucky enough to have landed a job this year, teaching Physical Science, and I'm finally putting the modeling concepts into practice.

One major difference is that I plan more time at the back end of a lab. It takes time to de-brief the students about their findings. I'm also answering questions with "what do you think?" as a matter of course. It can be infuriating for the student, at first. They're used to getting a quick, decisive answer from their teachers. But, in time, they learn to stop leaning on the teacher for questions they could jolly well answer themselves, with a little thought.

I also spend more time designing my lessons. For example, today I was planning to move right into acceleration. But, on reflection, I decided to re-visit constant velocity, and then move into increasing velocity with the same equipment.

I'm a little hampered by an embarassing lack of stopwatches. For some reason, all of ours are kaput - apparently, since the last time someone used them, they've run out of battery power. I passed the info to my department head, and she's ordering the MyChrono timers. I've used them before, and they're sturdy and relatively cheap.

My kids may have to use the TI-83, with a LabPro and motion detector. I'll have to play around with the equipment tomorrow, to make sure I have all the parts powered.

I've been using the Ranking Tasks lately. It makes a good review of the concepts, and is a quick check on understanding. It also takes almost no time to grade, which I VERY much like.

PROGRESS REPORTS & GRADING

I've just finished the first progress reports entry onto the computer since I came to SC. I must admit, the programming makes it relatively easy, even for the newbie (i.e., me) to complete.

Grading and such are probably my least favorite part of teaching. Too often, I put it off until the ungraded work threatens to take over my lab table. Then, I usually complete the job in a frenzy of activity, then go home and have a stiff drink (or two). Although, the grades might be more generous if I had the drinks first.

This year, I've been using the lab notebook method. About seventy percent of what I grade is written in the notebook, which I collect about once a week. By staggering the collection schedule, I've kept the notebook grading from becoming an overwhelming task. I only grade about 20 notebooks, max, a day.

When I grade, I look for specific details - have they structured the report in the way I spelled out at the beginning of the year? Does their data table make sense? Is their graph on graph paper (stapled or taped into the notebook, hinge fashion, folded)? Is the graph "good" - scaled appropriately, labeled, clearly showing a trend that relates to the data, visually appealing? That last I encourage by occasionally making a copy of the graph, and using it on the bulletin board or web site as a good example. It spurs them to improve their graphing skills. To me, that's important; they come to realize that graphs are the favored form of communication for scientists. I like to think of it as improving their communication skills.

The rest of the grade comes from observation in labs (for that, I use a checklist - it keeps them on task), whiteboard reports, and tests/quizzes.

This was held in my classroom. 

My fellow teachers enjoying the in-service activity. 

This is the state resource teacher that worked with us last Monday on the Physical Science curriculum. Contrary to previous experience, and to my delighted surprise, she was knowledgeable and experienced. The day-long session was terrific! 

PASSING MATH TESTS WITHOUT PAIN

The Viking Pundit has a reference to the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) test. Having taught for a few years, I can believe that students found this problem difficult. Not surprisingly, one student found the question not to be a challenge:

Anandh Swaminathan, a junior at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, was surprised to hear that half of his peers in the Commonwealth answered the question incorrectly. He didn't remember it as particularly difficult.

''It's a typical Algebra I problem," said Swaminathan, 15. ''It seems more straightforward. I actually thought that some of the other ones were harder."

Exactly. It's a problem that students would have been confronted with in the most basic Algebra course. So why the #$%^&*( can't they solve it?

Some math teachers think they have the answer:

Math teachers said the baseball question was a fair one, although puzzling to those unfamiliar with the sport.

''I certainly think our kids who are not speaking English as their primary language may not know the word grandstand or the word bleacher," said Debby Feldman, head of the math department at Brockton High School.

''When kids are reading a math problem and come up against words that are specific to a specific area and they don't know what they are, a lot of times it just freaks them out."

Oh, please. Anyone who has been in the country for less than a year may not know where in the stadium the seats are, but the context is clear - the problem is about seating, not location. For those delicate flowers who "freak out", I have just three words - GET OVER IT!

As the Viking Pundit likes to say:

there are three kinds of people in the world: those who can count and those who can’t.

QUESTIONING AFTER THE ANSWER

I was teaching about density last week, and I used a technique I've been using a lot lately.

Students were able to calculate the density of various objects successfully. In the past, I would have moved on at that point.

This time, I posed the question:

What if I had half the mass and volume of the rice?

The silence that resulted indicated they hadn't made that leap to understanding that density is a ratio. It took several minutes of probing to get students to think about how they could reason through the answer.

I'm doing that additional questioning more this year. In the Physical Science class, I had been talking about the experiment of Galileo's that proved that heavy objects don'[t fall faster than lightweight objects (featherweight objects excluded).

Several students admitted that they didn't believe that heavy objects didn't fall faster. I congratulated them on their honesty, and pointed out that Galileo's conclusions were counter-intuitive. We resist the conclusion that seems to be contradicting common sense.

Tuesday, after I return from my workshop, I plan to use the demonstration that uses a large book and paper, first separately, then with the paper on top of the book (to eliminate air resistance). I'm assigning more observation and reflection writing with this year's students, and it seems to be helping them.

A USEFUL TIME-KILLER

I found a good site for math students looking for a challenge.

Planarity, which provides a neat puzzle, seen below.



The object is to move the vertices so that they do not overlap. There are multiple solutions, and it lends itself to a trial-and-error approach, which novice students might find useful.

MY NEW TECH

I have access to new technology this year. The department head has made the Quizdom set-up available to everyone (sign-up required), there's a digital microscope floating around (haven't made the time to check it out yet), and I have some CBLs and graphing calculators being sent as I post.

Not quite Nerdvana, but close.

BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS

After less than 2 weeks, I feel back in the saddle. I've finally caught up with some of the preliminary paperwork that has been weighing me down, and I'm starting to have a few moments to refresh myself for the next day. Such as today - I actually had time to dip my toes into the blog world, and find out what people are posting about.

On Monday, I have a day of professional development with my fellow Physical Science teachers. Naturally, it's almost more trouble than it seems worth to prepare for the sub. The copying is handled centrally, so I need to be better prepared than I have in previous years (I have a tendency to wait until the last minute to get the copy ready). I currently have a busted overhead, so that's out. And I stupidly picked PERMANENT overhead markers - when shopping, I chose the right kind, then saw a better price. Didn't realize they were different until today. D'oh! As Homer Simpson says.

Still, for all the fish-out-of-water feeling I am experiencing, and the hassle of wanting some equipment that is still in Cleveland, and the loneliness of being without my husband - I am loving teaching full-time again.

It almost makes up for my anxiety about the NTE next month.

FIXING THE WRONG PROBLEM

I've been following the discussions in several states lately (the advantage of having divided loyalties) on education. Everyone wants to improve it, but few can agree on how. One thing that definitely has an impact (it's true in any industry) - if the workers have a high turnover rate, that likely is trouble for the quality of the industry's product. Now, some get offended when the word "product" is used to refer to the educated end result of years of schooling. I understand - people aren't widgets. And one-size-fits-all solutions are also not likely to lead to long-lasting educational improvements. Take one popular solution - raising teacher salaries. Here's what Betsy has to say about that:

Take an example from my field: education. People complain that teachers are leaving the field. Polticians and teachers say that the solution is to increase teacher salaries. Well, I'm all for that. But what if that isn't the real cause of teachers retiring from the profession? What if it aggravation with administrators, nasty children, work overload, poor discipline procedures, nonsupportive parents, or any of a host of factors that could lead to loss of job satisfaction? If you increase the salaries and don't address the other problems, you haven't solved the problem. And you've taken money from a whole host of other areas to do so. How are journalists to find out what the real problem is? That's tough. I don't know. I've talked to many teachers who have decided to do something else and the reasons are many and varied. Sometimes the money was an issue, but often it wasn't. Teachers know what the salary is going in. It's the other stuff that can surprise them.

She has a point. We are aware that we are unlikely to get big bucks in teaching. There are compensations, like good benefits, protections against unreasonable firing, summers off (important for moms), and knowledge that the work is important, and makes a difference in the lives of children.

REMINDER OF THE OLD DAYS

Plaque for the Hampton Colored School.

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This is a marker for a restored building that was designated as the Colored School, pre-integration. The local high school is about 50-50 black & white today.

THE OLD COLORED SCHOOL

The Old Colored School, Hampton, SC

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THE DREADED PRAXIS

I've been informed that, due to the move to SC, I will need to take the PRAXIS II for Physics, Chemistry, and General Science.

When I heard that, I'll admit it, I panicked.

I was certified in OH as the last group of teachers that did not have the PRAXIS required. I'm probably admitting that I'm dumb, but I never thought that I would have to take a test at this late date.

Another teacher in my school hasn't passed it, either, so we're going to study the areas we're weak in (for both of us, Chemistry), and shore up any special topics we might need. Along with the usual grading, planning, and meetings (not to mention extra-curricular mandates).

I've since looked over the practice tests. Although they ask some challenging questions, most of it appears to be stuff I know. I do know this: if they ask me anything about equilibrium reactions, I'm going to assume I missed that question. There's no way a month's worth of cramming will prepare me for THAT!

INNUMERACY

I've posted about Alliteracy (not INability to read, just a disinclination) before. A potentially bigger problem is INNUMERACY - inability to understand math.

Unlike alliterates, innumerates don't understand the basics; they can add, subtract, multiply, and divide (at least with a calculator), but they often have absolutely no clue when to perform which operation in real life. Hence, you have the problem of cashiers who cannot give proper change without prompting (and will unhesitatingly accept whatever the display tells them, no matter whether it makes sense or not), restaurant customers who cannot calculate the 15% tip (hint: try figuring out what 10% is, then adding half again as much), and even the large numbers of taxpayers who enrich the commercial preparers by paying for the 1040EZ to be filled out.

Many students confuse the process for entering division problems into a calculator with the procedure for hand-calculating them. In fairness, it's anti- the standard American practice of reading left to right.

Even more students (and their parents) have difficulty with understanding or using fractions and decimals. Too many elementary teachers are not totally comfortable with those functions - they can do it, but they can't coherently explain the process, and the mathematical reasoning for it.

One suggestion I've heard over and over again is - no calculators until at least middle school - some would raise that to high school. It's not that use of calculators mysteriously inhibits learning math, but that students' facility with the tool keeps teachers from learning who still doesn't understand the process.

Where, in this scenario, can technology fit?

Possibly, some of the better programs may be able to help students. I've heard good things about CAI programs such as Successmaker. At least in improving basic skills, they have been known to be of assistance.

However, too often, computer use in elementary and middle schools is a huge waste of time.

• When researching, many students are uncritical consumers, blindly accepting the first few sites to pop up in a web search.
  
• Often, teachers spend an inordinate amount of time monitoring students' activities, & keeping them from playing games, aimless browsing, and reading about sports, music, and tv/movies.
  
• Most webquests are a joke, replete with factoids, trivia, and role-playing. They seldom are worth the time they take.
  
• One exception to the general rule - The Jason Project is excellent. It is well designed, packed with activities that are aligned to standards (Science, Math, English, and Geography), and easy to use. It also has Student Journal, book reading and discussion forum, and teacher interactions. That last is important, as it gives inexperienced or isolated teachers the benefit of collegial feedback.
  
  One advantage to Jason is the training program - teachers are taken through the curriculm, and try out selected activities. Each year, teachers can return to learn about the new mission (it changes yearly).

What can be done if a student is behind 2 or more levels in math?

• Thorough evaluation, followed by individualized program of remediation.
  
• Use of a Mastery approach. Math is cumulative - failure to understand a basic concept leads to later failure, particularly when the math is taught via an integrated curriculum.
  
• Grades should be Pass/Fail. "Effort" Ds are all too common. A "D" indicates that the student does NOT understand the concept.
  
• Proficiency tests are a floor. If a student can't pass them, that indicates a serious problem. I've heard students say they "only missed passing" by 1 or 2 questions. EVERY students should pass these tests with room to spare.

Graduation should mean more than just barely managing to fulfill requirements.

Tracking has a bad reputation. Sorting students by presumed ability level is said to discriminate against miniorities.

I have an alternative suggestion: tracking by desire to learn.

All students who want to be in the highest-level, can.

There's just one catch - they can be dropped if they can't keep up. Any student in the lowest section of the class (1/4 to 1/3), must work extra (tutoring, before/after school assistance, CAI, online help, etc.).

What about the student who is chronically absent? What about them - if they work to keep up, they can stay. But if they can't cut it, good-bye.

This may sound harsh. But it's realistic. In high school, I had struggled with geometry, due to many absences (I had chronic brochitis, & was later diagnosed with asthma). Some things in life go to those that work harder. would American Idol contestants win if their performance was lacking, but they hadn't been well or had family problems or had a cold & couldn't hit the high notes? I think that's a major reason the "reality" shows are so popular - they don't take excuses for failure. They do't allow "do-overs".

In professional sports, it's similarly a game of survival of the fittest. Lebron doesn't get spotted a few extra points because he's jsut a kid.

If you play in the big boy's game, you play by the big boy's rules.

No exceptions.

I'M BACK AT WORK, FULL-TIME

I'm in South Carolina, teaching science to 9th grade students. They are generally very nice, the teachers and the administration have welcomed me warmly, and I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about the future.

As I get acclimated, I'll try to post a few pictures of the surroundings - it's really lovely. Most of my spare time over the next month or so is going to be dedicated to making sure I'm prepared to teach. I moved down with virtually no equipment or supplies, so I will be improvising a lot.

Tom Senior demonstrating the use of his Light Fluctuation Detector (solar cell inside a cheap pen barrel). It works beautifully!

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Our PTRA host this year

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Mountains surrounding Salt Lake City, Utah

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YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN EXAMS LIKE THIS

On the Common Sense and Wonder blog, I found an exam. According to the blogger:

This is what happens on your final when you drink beer and party instead of studying all semester

SUPRISING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND MATH PEOPLE

Winnie Cooper, the girl from The Wonder Years, is grown up and working as an actress. But, did you know Danica McKellar is also a math whiz?

Danica took a hiatus from acting for college, and she graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics! While she was there, she even co-authored a math proof - new research proving an original math theorem - highly unusual for an undergraduate. In fact, she was the only undergraduate invited to speak at Rutgers University's biannual Statistical Mechanics conference a few years back. Although she has returned to acting full time, she still retains a passion for it, and likes to stay active.

Another surprise in his diversity of interests is Dolph Lundren, the action film actor.


Lundgren attended the Royal Institute of Technology. Spending time abroad in the United States on various academic scholarships, he attended Washington State University and Clemson in South Carolina. In 1982, he received a scholarship to complete his Masters degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Sydney in Australia. The following year, he was awarded a Fullbright Scholarship to the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

BEAM ME UP

It's been an eventful summer.

First, for all those trekkies out there, the man known as "Scotty" has died. The Canadian-born James Doohan, the Enterprise's engineer, passed away at age 85 of pneumonia and Alzeheimer's.

Mr. Doohan's life was not uneventful, apart from the Star Trek series.

He was among the Canadian forces that landed on Juno Beach on D-Day. "The sea was rough," he recalled. "We were more afraid of drowning than the Germans."

The Canadians crossed a minefield laid for tanks; the soldiers weren't heavy enough to detonate the bombs. At 11:30 that night, he was machine-gunned, taking six hits: one that took off his middle right finger (he managed to hide the missing finger on the screen), four in his leg and one in the chest. Fortunately the chest bullet was stopped by his silver cigarette case.

MID-SUMMER UPDATE

It's been an interesting summer, so far. I took a temporary job, which brings in immediate cash, but leaves me unable to take advantage of many summer workshops. OTOH, I do get to spend the day in air conditioning. The last few weeks, that was a definite advantage.

I am keeping busy, however. I've been posting to my other blog regularly. With all the activity happening in current events, there is much to comment on.

I've been learning how to draw Manga - it's a Japanese cartoon style. It's kind of fun to learn something so removed from other aspects of my life. I'd really enjoyed drawing when I was a kid, but, like so many of us, once I'd decided that I wasn't talented enough (how much is "enough"?), I gave it up. This time, the point isn't to satisfy someone else, it's just to make me happy.

Have a wonderful summer!

CREATE YOUR OWN LEGO FIGURE

If you click on the titel of this post, you will find a page called Chris Doyle's Reasonably Clever.Com. He has an application there to create a customized Lego graphic, just like the one below.

My Lego Figure

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Don't have room to store every poster? Try taking a picture of the end project.

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Escher picture

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When good chess pieces go bad

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JUNE SITE OF THE MONTH

You have absolutely GOT to try this new game I found - it's the most addictive thing I've found in years.

Some of you will remember 24 - the math game that became very popular, both as a teaching tool, and because it's fun to play. Eventually, educational uses of the games led to tournaments.

This game is even better. Many of the puzzles can be completed in 10-30 minutes, so it's nice to have some puzzles available in the classroom for those students who finish a lab or project early. It doesn't require a partner, although students can team up to solve more challenging puzzles, so it lends itself to use in home schooling as well as classrooms.

According to the developers of the software version (pictured above),

Lots of puzzles and games teach you some kind of math. Such as simple arithmetic in parchisi, calculating the odds in backgammon, or combinatorial theory in poker.

Sudoku is different. It's not mathematical. It's one of the few puzzles and games that rewards Applied Logic. It encourages you to apply principles of deduction and induction – skills which you don't often get to exercise. It sharpens your powers of concentration and reasoning.

I'm not a player of most math games. I've never been very proficient at mental math, preferring to use pencil & paper to solve problems. I'm more of a visual processor, and need to literally see the problem laid out to get a handle on it.

But, this number game, I'm good at. Because it doesn't require me to juggle numbers in my head, it works with the way I think.

THE TRUTH HURTS

I was checking out a favorite blog, Critical Mass, a blog devoted to education. The question arose, how should writing be taught to ensure that students will become competent writers?

My belief, based on my experiences, is that nothing beats practice, practice, practice. You have to slog through the process of assigning the initial writing, marking it for errors, and helping students go through the correction and re-writing process.

It takes time. It takes effort. It takes some knowledge of the English language.

I have a small suggestion how teachers whose subject matter isn't English might approach the matter. Make an agreement that, each week, you will assign a short essay (3-5 paragraphs). You will provide the expertise about your subject (including spelling and usage), but the English teacher will correct for syntax, organization, and the like. If you share the load, students could get credit for both classes.

Too many students dash off the first draft, and assume that one pass at the assignment is sufficient. The essence of writing is re-writing.

ANOTHER USE FOR LEGOS

I found this cool use of Legos and CDs on Natalie Solent, a blogger who sometimes posts about technology issues.



The completed sextant

What can this sextant be used for? It fulfills the state objective for teaching about the early history of science, as well as giving students the opportunity to make an instrument that they can use to locate their position on Earth.



An early sextant

A good follow-up activity is to show them how to use GPS units.

DON'T BE SHY - TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK

WARNING - THIS LINK IS NOT WORK-SAFE. THE LANGUAGE IS OLD-FASHIONED, ANGLO-SAXON, AND VULGAR. IT ALSO IS HIGHLY INFLAMMATORY.

But the link is also funny, pointed, and from the heart.

The subject?

Have you ever wondered why colleges and universities have to offer remedial reading, writing and math classes?

The obvious answer is because your precious little gift to mankind is an idiot. That is the primary reason.

After that shot, the post gets REALLY straightforward. You may not agree, in full or in part, but I think it's worth reading.

MEETUPS

I'm waiting for a Meetup of the Cleveland Webloggers group. I just checked the site, I'm early - it's not until 7 pm.

So, I'll be using the time before the others arrive to update my blogs.

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I'm still waiting to hear about the job, but, as it's 2 1/2 weeks since my interview, offhand I'd say that I didn't get it. They did say that they would be interviewing for 2 weeks, but my experience is that when you're the chosen one, you hear sooner.

---

I've been working on another business deal, involving ads for blogs. The idea is to aggregate many blogs, so the lesser-visited ones can also benefit from the arrangement. If you have a blog, and would like details, email me, and I'll send you information about it.

SOME NEAT ANIMATIONS

I've been doing sound lately, and I found several sites with animations and information on the topic:

• Interactive Sound Ruler (Flash version)
  
• Fundamental Frequency & Harmonics
  
• The Physics of Sound
  
• Sound Site - some hands-on activities

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Have you ever found a site that irritated you? Made you wish you could wipe it off the face of the planet?

Well, now you can.

Netdisaster - Destroy the Web! is the answer to your problem. You enter the web URL, and select the disaster you want to befall the site. Among the choices are:

• Slow burn
  
• Dinosaurs
  
• Nuke
  
• Meteor shower

Have Fun!

THE GREATEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY YET

OK, I know you've gotten used to the hyping of great technology from me, but trust me - this is ABSOLUTELY the greatest invention yet.

INSIDE THE SAUNA

This is the time of year that I HATE teaching.

Nothing to do with the kids, the job, or the parents - it's the fact that schools never seem to get the temperature level correct!

If the building doesn't have windows that can open, you can bet the air conditioning won't work.

If the windows should open, they'll be stuck shut. Or, like some at a school my husband taught at - fall out if you try to open them.

Worse, I was treated to display of skin that I didn't want to see - and that was just the student teachers!

I'm hoping that tomorrow is cooler.

When lab partners go BAD! 

Not only fulfilling the instructions, but really pretty, too. 

Another approach to the set-up instructions 

One approach to the roller-coaster challenge. 

MAY WEBSITE OF THE MONTH

I found this gem on the Joanne Jacobs website. Though he is not a technology or science teacher, I selected it because he writes about his struggle to teach in terribly difficult circumstances in London, England:

Possibly the choicest, fruitiest discovery of the extended Easter break was realising I'd contracted worms from my delightful students.

Threadworms. Pinworms. Intestinal parasites.

Think about that.

At some quiet, unnoticed moment, these paragons of hygiene, this new model army of well-scrubbed cherubs have passed from their hands to my hands trace fecal matter, and I have gone on to ingest the stuff.

Ugh.

I need to say that again, just once. Ugh.

AN EXCEPTIONAL WOMAN

This is not technically related to teaching or education. It is the story of a VERY brave woman



who used the technology she had access to, in order to stand up for what was right:

During the tense days of Ukraine's presidential elections last year, Dmytruk staged a silent but bold protest, informing deaf Ukrainians that official results from the Nov. 21 runoff were fraudulent. Her act of courage further emboldened protests that grew until a new election was held and the opposition candidate, Viktor Yushchenko , was declared the winner...

Go - check out the link - you won't regret it.

HOW-TOS ON BLOGGING

I've been blogging for some time, but there's a lot I don't know. So, I appreciate it when someone explains how some feature or concept works.

The Mudville Gazette offers some pointers on blogging, including using Blogrolling to "ping" when you've updated your blog. Now, I'm sure that many more experienced bloggers know about this, but if I ever read it, I'd forgotten it. Apparently, without using a ping, those Blogrolls don't show the Update Message next to the link.

I can't wait until summer - I'm going to go into learning mode, and get up to speed on all the features of my favorite software and services. I know I'm going to learn how to do all the things I probably should already be doing, but just don't know are easily within reach.

TOO IMPORTANT TO IGNORE

Normally, this blog is strictly non-political. I prefer to limit my posts to the technology and profession of teaching.

However, an action by the Association of University Teachers (AUT) of Great Britain, declaring a boycott of Israeli universities led me to make an exception.

The Council of the AUT -- a trade union and professional association for over 48,700 UK higher education professionals -- unanimously passed the two motions to boycott the institutions of higher learning at an executive union meeting held on the eve of Passover, evidently to deliberately exclude its Jewish members.

That action was not opposed, as

AUT executive president Angela Roger cut short the session and moved to deny a right of reply to opponents of the motions. The session was then directed towards a vote, and a "lack of time" was cited as the reason preventing challenges to the motions from being heard

Previous actions included discrimination against Israeli students, and

In July, two Israeli academics were fired from their posts at two linguistics journals as part of a larger boycott of Israeli academics and educational institutions.

Prof. Gideon Toury of Tel Aviv University and Dr. Miriam Schlesinger of Bar-Ilan University were removed from their posts by Egyptian-born Prof. Mona Baker of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.

Baker was one of more than 100 academics who signed a letter in The Guardian newspaper in April calling for a boycott of Israeli academics "until such time as the Israeli government abides by U.N. resolutions and opens serious peace negotiations with the Palestinians."

I believe that we need to act pre-emptively to forestall any similar actions by our professional organizations, and to go on record as opposing the AUT actions. Follow the links below to send a comment to your professional unions:

• NEA - National Educators Association
  
• AFT - American Federation of Teachers
  
• American Association of University Professors

Or, you can add your support in an email to me, along with your professional affiliation, and I'll forward it to the appropriate group.

CROSSING MY FINGERS

I'm waiting to hear about the results of an interview; I really want the job. It would mean getting back into teaching Physical Science, and the excitement of a new program.

I've been trying to get my mind off the wait by looking over some Social Studies textbooks for middle school. They're pretty bad - too little text, too many meaningless pretty pictures, and jam-packed with inaccuracies, distortions, and implied untruths. Just dreadful, in other words.

When I finish my review, I'll post it here.

HOW NCLB WILL AFFECT YOUR STATE

I found this source of information about NCLB's impact on state education budgets. How does your state compare?

For teachers, the Department of Education site also provides the Teacher's Toolkit, which helps explain the provisions of NCLB, and how it could affect you, including information about becoming a Highly Qualified Teacher.

You can also get FREE (I love that word) video workshops on topics, including:

• Math/Science
  
  Developing Computational Fluency in Addition and Subtraction
  
  Early Steps Count: Teaching Arithmetic to Prepare Students for Algebra
  
  Feedback: A Powerful Tool for Raising Student Achievement in Mathematics
  
  Measurement and Geometry: Building Conceptual Understanding in Young Children
  
  Patterns to Symbols: Algebra
  
  Standards-Based Differentiated Math
  
  Taking the "Dense" Out of Density
  
  Using Technology to Enhance Algebra Instruction

If anyone has any experience with these or other Teacher-to-Teacher workshops, email me with your take on them.

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND, THE LATEST INFO

After a conversation with my daughter, a teacher-in-training, I checked out the current status of the No Child Left Behind act (NCLB). There have been some changes recently, including:

Secretary Spellings announced that the first example of this "workable, sensible approach" would be to apply the latest scientific research and allow states to use modified assessments for their students with persistent academic disabilities who need more time and instruction to make substantial progress toward grade-level achievement. These scores will be limited to 2 percent of all students for accountability purposes; this is a separate policy from the current regulation that allows up to 1 percent of all students being tested (those with the most significant cognitive disabilities) to take an alternate assessment.

Worried about an "unfunded mandate"? To help states implement these above changes,

Secretary Spellings also announced that she was directing an additional $14 million in immediate support for these students and that the Department would provide states with a comprehensive tool kit to help them identify and assess students with disabilities.

Yeah, but what about funding in general? Didn't the NCLB cause major expense for the states, without any additional money?

Federal resources have increased substantially during this period, including:

* An $8 billion, or 46 percent, increase for No Child Left Behind programs;
* A $10.3 billion increase in overall funding for federal elementary and secondary education programs;
* An increase of $4.6 billion, or 52 percent, for Title I Grants for economically disadvantaged students, which go directly to local education agencies—the key drivers of NCLB reforms; and
* A $4.8 billion, or 75 percent, increase for grants to states under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B.

Further,

The president's budget provides nearly $1.5 billion for this High School Initiative, and includes $1.24 billion for a High School Intervention initiative that would focus on strengthening high school education and providing specific interventions. The president's high school program also includes $250 million to help states develop and implement new annual High School Assessments in reading/language arts and mathematics by the 2009-10 school year.

The graph below shows the increase in federal money, which includes an especially significant increase, compared to spending under President Clinton:

April 24th, Cleveland 

STATISTICS, EXPLAINED

I've been a long-time reader of Number 2 Pencil, a blog by Kimberly Swygert. She's a Psychometrician, who describes her work:

My job is similar to other jobs in my field in that it requires a Ph.D. in Quantitative Psychology, Educational Measurement, or Psychometrics, and that my work requirements include both theoretical research and operational duties. Translated, that means I must spend time thinking up new ways of assessing people and also make sure that the current tests we use get administered and scored on time.

A feature that she's been periodically updating is explanations of common statistics terms and concepts, for example, this discussion of probabilities. Browse the archives, I've found the posts to be both entertaining and understandable to novices.

TRACKBACKS, EXPLAINED

NOTE: I was going to call this Trackbacks for Dummies, but, wisely, changed my mind when I considered that I was a Dummy until about 2 months ago.

Using trackbacks is not difficult, but it does take some time to set up. The major online trackback sources (HaloScan, WordPress, Movable Type, etc.) all use similar systems.

1. Go to one of the above providers. I use HaloScan, so I'll use them as an example. You have to create an account.
   
2. When you reference a blog using trackbacks, first create your post. If you use FireFox or a browser that allows tabbing, open a New Tab. Then, in that new tab, sign into HaloScan, and select Manage Trackbacks. The blog name and the blog's URL will be already filled in.
   
3. At the bottom of your post will be the Permalink ? the permanent reference to the individual post. Copy that link, and switch to HaloScan. Paste the link in the 2nd field, Your Permalink URL. Put the Post Title in the 3rd field.
   
4. Switch back to the post, and select an excerpt from your post. Copy and Paste into the 4th field, Your Excerpt.
   
5. Go to the original post, and find the Trackback link. Copy, and Paste into the last field, URLs to Ping. Once you've done that, click on the Ping Now button. If the message returns as Success, you're done. Otherwise, you need to send another ping.

You will want to install the Trackback capability on your blog. By doing so, you can easily manage comments and references to your post.

TOO CUTE

Virtual Me 

I found this Online Lego Creator, and couldn't resist trying it out. Once you make your Lego person, you can save it, and add it to your website, Windows background, or screen saver.

THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION

I've been pondering this question for some time - what is the purpose of education?

When I was a kid (I graduated in 1969 - no sleazy jokes, please, I've heard them all), most parents would agree that their school system's job was to prepare graduates for a good job. In the process, the schools would also provide some literacy, basic math skills, and some general knowledge. If the kid could handle all of these, they were considered educated.

At that time, most of my class did not intend to go to college. Among the middle-class, it just wasn't considered necessary. A few students of the middle to lower classes DID plan to attend, but they were generally very smart, and expected to be able to get some scholarship money.

The average student prepared himself/herself for work (or marriage) upon graduation. Many of the girls anticipated working for a year to two, until they married, and retired to raise a family.

In general, the schools did reasonably well. Even the kids on the lower-track levels could read, write, and handle math.

Guidance counselors had two basic functions - to help college-bound students get into their intended school, if possible, and to help everybody else get a job. Whether or not the student was happy or well-adjusted wasn't their problem.

I've been subbing, and, as I move from school to school, I've been asking questions of the staff, teachers, and counselors. The question:

What's the purpose of education?

I've gotten a wide variety of answers, including:

• Get into college
  
• Get a good job (definition varies)
  
• Prepare students for the future (too often, fuzzy beyond that)
  
• Various vague answers relating to happiness, fulfillment, and inner peace

I'm getting a feeling that too few people have a real sense of their educational goals. I'm now wondering about the educational organizations. What do they see as their mission?

The NEA (National Education Association) says that its mission is:

To fulfill the promise of a democratic society, the National Education Association shall promote the cause of quality public education and advance the profession of education; expand the rights and further the interest of educational employees; and advocate human, civil, and economic rights for all.

The AFT (American Federation of Teachers says:

The mission of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, is to improve the lives of our members and their families, to give voice to their legitimate professional, economic and social aspirations, to strengthen the institutions in which we work, to improve the quality of the services we provide, to bring together all members to assist and support one another and to promote democracy, human rights and freedom in our union, in our nation and throughout the world.

--From the Futures II report adopted at the AFT Convention, July 5, 2000.

In all fairness, the 2 above organizations were designed to protect and advocate for their members - the teachers. What about the organizations that are "for the children" (I really hate that phrase, particularly as it is so often used as a cover for activities that do NOT benefit children, and, in fact, often make their lives worse).

From the National PTA:

To support and speak on behalf of children and youth in the schools, in the community and before governmental bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children;
To assist parents in developing the skills they need to raise and protect their children;
To encourage parent and public involvement in the public schools of this nation.

From the National Association for the Education of Young Children

NAEYC's efforts are designed to achieve these ends:

1. All children have access to a safe and accessible, high quality early childhood education that includes a developmentally appropriate curriculum; knowledgeable and well-trained program staff and educators; and comprehensive services that support their health, nutrition, and social well-being, in an environment that respects and supports diversity.
2. All early childhood professionals are supported as professionals with a career ladder, ongoing professional development opportunities, and compensation that attracts and retains high quality educators.
3. All families have access to early childhood education programs that are affordable and of high quality and actively participate in their children's education as respected reciprocal partners.
4. All communities, states, and the nation work together to ensure accountable systems of high-quality early childhood education for all children.

The above 2 programs seem to be more focused on providing professional support for the schools, than on the issue of whether or not kids actually learn.

So, who speaks for the kids? It would appear to be no one.

Educational purpose was addressed thusly:

It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and the other is culture. Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life.

Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one's self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices, and propaganda. At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose. A great majority of the so-called educated people do not think logically and scientifically. Even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in many instances do not give us objective and unbiased truths. To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.

The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.

The writer? Martin Luther King, Jr., 1948, Morehouse College.

A specifically Christian viewpoint is here.

From the Maharishi's website

The purpose of education is to culture the mind of a man so that he can accomplish all his aims in life. Education, to justify itself, should enable a man to use the full potential of his body, mind and spirit.

From what I've seen on the web, the people who most often express a stated purpose for education are those who come in from a religious perspective. Non-religious statements tend to be of the wishy-washy, feel-good type, that vaguely state something about how "students will realize their potential" and "become a good citizen (usually adds "of the world").

Their potential for what? Ted Bundy, Johnny Cochrane, and Abraham Lincoln all trained to be lawyers, but they used that training in different ways.

Good citizens? Osama bin Laden, Sandy Berger, and Martin Luther King, all of whom broke laws, did so for different purposes, and had different outcomes.

I think we need to begin thinking about what our educational purposes are, and aim our work at that goal.

HELLO + PICASA

This is an example of using whiteboards in classes. I'm using this picture to test out the BloggerBot feature of Picasa.
With Hello + Picasa, publishing pictures on Blogger is really simple and easy. 

Posting pictures to a web site, particularly a blog, can be frustrating. For a long time, the only pictures I placed on any of my blogs came from other sites. The problem with that is that those sites pay the cost of the increased bandwidth for each time a viewer loads the page. Naturally, the original site would prefer that other pages soak up their own bandwidth, particularly if the referring page gets a lot of hits.

Picasa is software that facilitates finding, editing, and displaying graphics. It really is easy to use. When first started, it finds and loads any graphic format into an Explorer-type window. You can add to those pictures by Importing from a camera, scanner, or other media. They can be viewed as a slideshow. The Timeline is neat, since it organizes your pictures by date (which, for pictures that are taken with a camera, separates them by event, more-or-less).

You can create a CD with a slideshow with a single button (Gift CD).

Sending the photos to a webpage or Hello can be done with a single Action button. First, select any pictures you want to be able to post. Then, select either the Blogger button, or select the Action button next to the selected pictures, Send to Hello choice.

Hello is a web service. You'll need to create a username. When you first open it up, you login. Then another window pops up, and the actions you need to take are not obvious.

From Hello, move the slider, and click on the gray-out thumbnails until the one you want to post is displayed in the tray. You will find that the insertion point appears in the caption box, lower right of the screen. This is where you type your text. Once that's completed, click on the left button of the box to Send.

Where will they go? If you're like me, and have multiple blogs, you will need to adjust the Settings (button bar at the top). When you click it, the Blogger screen shows. You can either use the blog displayed in the drop-down box, or select another. The first time you use Hello, you will sign into Blogger, and select a blog. After, you will post to the default blog, unless you select another.

You can adjust other settings from there, including size of picture, caption placement, borders, and attribution.

It doesn't always work. Sometimes, due to network issues, you need to re-send (button next to the Send button). When you do, the frustrating thing is that you have to type your caption again.

What will post to the blog? The picture sent will be displayed in a single post. That post will have no title, so, if you want one, you will need to edit the post. You will probably will want to do that anyway, to add other commentary to that post. I've done that with this post. To see other pictures I've posted, go to my Family News blog.

I highly recommend this software. It's a free download; just select Hello + Picasa.

REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE

I'm compiling a list of suggestions and comments on how science teachers can improve pass rates on the graduation tests. If you have any lessons/ideas/labs you want to share, Email Me with the info, attachment, or link, and I'll post a round-up of all submissions.

OHIO GRADUATION TEST

I've linked to the Ohio Department of Education web page that references the new Science Academic Content Standards. Over the next few weeks, I hope to provide more information about how the graduation test will affect the classroom teacher, and how to best help students achieve a passing (or better) score.

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I'm adding a new feature - the Educator Website of the Month. April is the first month, and it's fitting that I'm spotlighting a long-time educator whose site is absolutely amazing - and full of useful resources, including demonstrations and lesson plans he has developed.

Heck's Physics is the offspring of Dick Heckathorn. Richard Heckathorn is a Physics Teacher at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. He has long been a leader and mentor in science education at the local, state, and national levels.

Among the awards he has received are:

Jennings Scholar 1965 - 1966

Shell Merit Fellow
Cornell University
Summer 1969

Presidential Award
Excellence in Science Teaching
Ohio - 1987

Distinguished Teacher
Berea City School District
2002

His publications include:

"On Selecting a New Text" - Physics Teacher, Vol 20, No.8 (5527) 1982)
"What Do I Really Expect of a Physics Laboratory Manual" - Physics Teacher, Vol 22, No.4 (226) (1984)
"An Evaluation of High School Physics Laboratory Manuals" - Physics Teacher, Vol 22, No. 4 (222-226) (1984)
"A Density Demonstration" - Physics Teacher, Vol 25, No. 1 (39) (1987)
"Retraining Teachers in Physics" - Physics Teacher, Vol 28, No. 4 (230-231) 1990
"Twice Yearly Column" - Ohio Section of AAPT Newsletter, (1984-2001)

Dick's accomplishments are many, and would take up considerable space. I urge you to explore Heck's Physics site ASAP.

BACK IN TOWN AGAIN

I did have to go out of town for a funeral. As deaths go, this one was easy - relatively quick, just like the person had told everyone she wanted. Her expressed wishes were followed to the letter.

It was also a quality experience, as the extended family all gathered for several days of food, consolation, and family story-telling. They're of Irish heritage, so those stories were fueled by coffee and Irish whisky. The wake was memorable and noisy, just like we like it.

One of the grandchildren is a bagpiper, so she received a wonderful send-off.

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I'll be posting again by tomorrow, when I catch up on sleep.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Go to Google, and check out the cool logo in celebration of the day.



This is a link to the story of St. Patrick.

Here's a link to a History Channel video giving some background on St. Patrick.

Also from the History Channel, An Irish Quiz and a Quiz on the History of Ireland.

MAJOR CHANGES IN PROGRESS

I've been thinking about this site, and I've decided to make a major overhaul. It won't interrupt access, I'm going to make those changes over the next few weeks, a little at a time.

I'm going to pose a question for you to think about:

What would an Ideal School look like?

Email me with your thoughts, and I'll post a round-up later.

VERNIER UPDATE

I saw the new Go! Motion in action today at the Ohio Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers meeting, and it looks slick.

The setup is easy (plug into the USB), the cost is low ($ 99.00, no additional parts needed), and the software is Logger Lite (shown displaying the Go! Temp data below.

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Another great science toy presented today was the World Wind software. In the words of the NASA site

World Wind lets you zoom from satellite altitude into any place on Earth. Leveraging Landsat satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data, World Wind lets you experience Earth terrain in visually rich 3D, just as if you were really there. I've placed a sample screen shot below.

TECH THAT'S NOT-SO HIGH

When we think of technology, there is a tendency to limit ourselves to the high end of the tech. But, there is a great deal of science that can be best learned from low-tech applications.

Crystal radio is one of those low-tech apps. Despite advancements in radio - transistors, solid state electronics, and satellite broadcasts, to name a few, building a crystal radio provides a way for students to understand the fundamentals of communications and wave physics.

This link will take you to a page that makes an argument for including Crystal Radios into science classes, as well as including links to plans, kits, lessons, and community resources.

I'M REALLY ASHAMED OF MYSELF, BUT THIS IS FUNNY

OK, this link is a low blow at Whole Language advocates, but it's really funny.

Time and time again, the phonics-based methods and Direct Instruction have been studied, and shown to be better than Whole Language.

Time and time again, these promising methods have been jettisoned from the curriculum. The reasoning varies, but it generally includes complaints that the methods "stifle creativity" in teachers.

Would that it were true - some overly flaky approaches should be stifled.

REALLY TRIVIAL, BUT VERY CUTE

OK, I know it shows my frivolous side, but I couldn't resist linking to this picture. There's a grain of truth here - my son played chess on a computer for several years, before ever playing a live human.

His first tournament, he won.

LOCAL RESOURCE IN SCIENCE

I wanted to remind all teachers that we have a truly great resource in science education in the greater Cleveland area, the Cleveland Regional Council of Science Teachers. They will be having a Spring Symposium on Thursday, April 14th, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.

Dr. Mano Singham, director of the University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education (UCITE) and adjunct associate professor of physics at Case Western Reserve University will share research findings and information from his experience in working with teachers and their students for many years in the Cleveland area.

Dr. Singham will share insights from his work with teachers in the Discovery program and will provide a preview of material in his new book, “The Achievement Gap in U. S. Education: Canaries in the Mine” which will be published in May.

The structure of the evening will be:

* 1 hour lecture
* 40 minute light supper and formulation of questions
* 45 minute Q & A session with Dr. Singham

A Light supper (Catered by Verba’s) will be served.

If you email me, I'll send the flyer with registration details.

MARCH UPDATE

I haven't been posting lately, because I've been busy with family and job issues.

What's happening:

• My daughter had the baby - a boy last week.
  
• I've been working at Emerson, for a teacher out on back surgery. It only lasts about two more weeks, then it's back to day-to-day subbing.
  
• My asthma has had another flare-up, leaving me in the hospital over the weekend. I'm fine now, just a little behine in everything.

I was at a workshop on Saturday on flight. You can find out information on this link.

Apparently, the curriculum (which I had an opportunity to examine - it was great!) was sent to all schools in the Ohio systems. You may want to check with your district's science supervisor or director of curriculum. It may be buried somewhere at the administration building.

Or, you could bookmark this link. They will be coming out with a DVD by summer, which they intend to supply for a small price (less than $10) to educators.

PLAYING WITH MY NEW TI-84+

I've been using my graphing calculator in NoteFolio mode with the keyboard. It actually works fairly well, but I notice that I have made more typos than I normally do. I'm not sure if it's the touch of the keyboard, or my tendency to hit the keys hard.

While playing around, I found
a really cool use for a calculator - Making a Robot.

Is that cool or what! I already have some robot stuff, so I don't think I'll be doing it soon, but it looks like a truly geeky and fun activity.

If you decide to do it, please send the pictures to me.