The following video was sent on by a coworker. There are two reasons I'm sharing it here:
First: The creation of a Rube Goldberg Machine of that magnitude and complexity, not to mention precise timing is simply too amazing not to share. RGM's show how stored energy can be released, and then converted from one form to another.
Second: The message of the lyrics I think is a great one to share with students in general. "Let it go for this too shall pass." So often we get so wrapped up in trivial stress that we lose sight of the big picture and the importance of knowing when to stop, breathe, and allow life to go on.
So enough preaching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w
Also worth seeing is the "official" video featuring the Notre Dame Marching Band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJKythlXAIY
Sorry to send you to YouTube but embedding is disabled for these videos.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
{Geo B} Quiz and Quiz and Tests, Oh My!
Wednesday this week there was a pop-quiz. Your student may need a hug. Regardless Quiz redoes are available for students and should be turned in no later than Tuesday next week.
Monday next week (Tuesday for 7th hour) is another quiz. They know this one is coming. It's been announced. It's posted here. It will cover 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 and 7-5. The only thing that won't appear on the quiz is the collection of problems related to how Perimeter and Area are related to scale factor. It will appear on the test.
Wednesday next week is the Chapter 7 BA. The preview will be posted in Skyward this weekend for those that want to look over the specific objectives that will be on that test.
Have a great weekend!
Monday next week (Tuesday for 7th hour) is another quiz. They know this one is coming. It's been announced. It's posted here. It will cover 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 and 7-5. The only thing that won't appear on the quiz is the collection of problems related to how Perimeter and Area are related to scale factor. It will appear on the test.
Wednesday next week is the Chapter 7 BA. The preview will be posted in Skyward this weekend for those that want to look over the specific objectives that will be on that test.
Have a great weekend!
Monday, February 22, 2010
{Geo B} {Geo Essentials} Snow Day Extra Credit
On this surprise (for me) snowday here's a little challenge.
Imagine that the snow never stops falling. Either by using your own estimation, or a weather report, find the rate of snow fall at the worst part of today. When you turn in your work, either cite your source or explain your logic.
Then imagine that you are going to take refuge on your roof from the ever rising tide of snow (remember it never stops falling). How long will you have before the snow is so deep all around you that even when reaching your hand straight up, it doesn't reach out of the snow. Assume, to keep the math easy, that the snow gathering on your roof slides down to match the snow building on the ground around your house so that when it does finally stop there aren't little mounds at each house, just a big open expanse of snow.
Otherwise enjoy the extra day of vacation!
Imagine that the snow never stops falling. Either by using your own estimation, or a weather report, find the rate of snow fall at the worst part of today. When you turn in your work, either cite your source or explain your logic.
Then imagine that you are going to take refuge on your roof from the ever rising tide of snow (remember it never stops falling). How long will you have before the snow is so deep all around you that even when reaching your hand straight up, it doesn't reach out of the snow. Assume, to keep the math easy, that the snow gathering on your roof slides down to match the snow building on the ground around your house so that when it does finally stop there aren't little mounds at each house, just a big open expanse of snow.
Otherwise enjoy the extra day of vacation!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
BA Grades - How they are figured
So you've checked Skyward and you see a total of 8 grades listed in skyward for the chapter 6 test. One says "Raw Score" and other 7 have various codes and descriptors. Attached is a file that lists the objectives and shows example problems of each.
But what does it all mean?
Let's take Jenny. She is a student who just took the test. Mastery Manger, the software that grades the test tells me that she got 20 out of 25 questions correct. That gives her a raw score of 80% or a B-. That goes into the system as her Raw Score, or the first grade.
It also tells me that she "mastered" 5 out of the 7 objectives. So in Skyward, each of those objectives will recieve a 1 or a 2 to show if she has been tested or if she has mastered it. So her grades on the objectives might look like this: A E A A A A A E, 5 A's and 2 E's.
This averages out to 71 % or a C.
Because of how the grades are weighted in Skyward, the Objective Grade and the Raw Grade are averaged together equally. Jenny's achievement on this test would be, overall, a 75% or a solid C. Not bad but not as good as she hoped.
For the math minded:
The weights on the test are 4.45 for the Raw score (which is actually out of 22 points) and 7.14 for each specific objective (out of 2 points).
So for the raw score, 22 * 4.45 puts it at 99.88 points.
For each objective, 2 * 7.14 = 14.28 each * 7 objectives = 99.96 points.
That makes the test a total of 200 points, equally split between raw and objectives.
What if we aren't happy?
Students can retest to show mastery of those missed objectives by providing evidence of improvement (generally additional practice) and then retaking the exam. Missed objectives can be made up this way but the raw score does not change.
Why aren't other teachers doing this?
I am personally piloting this system of reporting this year to see if this specific level of feedback is useful or meaningful to students and parents.
But what does it all mean?
Let's take Jenny. She is a student who just took the test. Mastery Manger, the software that grades the test tells me that she got 20 out of 25 questions correct. That gives her a raw score of 80% or a B-. That goes into the system as her Raw Score, or the first grade.
It also tells me that she "mastered" 5 out of the 7 objectives. So in Skyward, each of those objectives will recieve a 1 or a 2 to show if she has been tested or if she has mastered it. So her grades on the objectives might look like this: A E A A A A A E, 5 A's and 2 E's.
This averages out to 71 % or a C.
Because of how the grades are weighted in Skyward, the Objective Grade and the Raw Grade are averaged together equally. Jenny's achievement on this test would be, overall, a 75% or a solid C. Not bad but not as good as she hoped.
For the math minded:
The weights on the test are 4.45 for the Raw score (which is actually out of 22 points) and 7.14 for each specific objective (out of 2 points).
So for the raw score, 22 * 4.45 puts it at 99.88 points.
For each objective, 2 * 7.14 = 14.28 each * 7 objectives = 99.96 points.
That makes the test a total of 200 points, equally split between raw and objectives.
What if we aren't happy?
Students can retest to show mastery of those missed objectives by providing evidence of improvement (generally additional practice) and then retaking the exam. Missed objectives can be made up this way but the raw score does not change.
Why aren't other teachers doing this?
I am personally piloting this system of reporting this year to see if this specific level of feedback is useful or meaningful to students and parents.
{Geo B} / {Geo Ess} Extra Credit
In honor of our snow day today here is a chance to not miss out on this opportunity to flex the mathematical brain:
Objective: How many snow men worth of snow is in your yard?
Assumption:
A typical snowman is made up of 3 spheres. The radii of the spheres are 4, 2, and 1 foot respectively.
Question 1: How many cubic feet of snow make up a typical snowman?
Question 2: How deep is the snow in your yard?
To answer this, take at least 4 measurements and average them.
Question 3: What is the area of your yard?
To answer this, include how you measured the dimensions.
Question 4: What is the volume of the snow in your yard?
Question 5: How many snowmen is that?
Have fun playing in the snow folks!
Objective: How many snow men worth of snow is in your yard?
Assumption:
A typical snowman is made up of 3 spheres. The radii of the spheres are 4, 2, and 1 foot respectively.
Question 1: How many cubic feet of snow make up a typical snowman?
Question 2: How deep is the snow in your yard?
To answer this, take at least 4 measurements and average them.
Question 3: What is the area of your yard?
To answer this, include how you measured the dimensions.
Question 4: What is the volume of the snow in your yard?
Question 5: How many snowmen is that?
Have fun playing in the snow folks!
{Geo B} Weekly Update
I know it has been a great point of stress this week so I want to apologize for my tardy update. I have lost count of the emails pouring in to tell me what a great resource this has been and so I know exactly how many of you were probably noticing countless new grey hairs from the anxiety of not knowing this week's plans.
Joking asside, this week has it's ups and downs. Monday was the BA exam. Some students were able to complete it but a few bled into 3rd period. Fortunately 7th hour on Tuesday did not have that time restriction but as a result we lost some class time into finishing up and did not get through much content.
Grades for the BA will be posted before holiday break.
This week it is my hope to get through 7-2 before the end of the week but I have a feeling Mother Nature, Father Winter, Cousin Bear of the Snow or who ever is in charge of that 12" of white stuff I had to shovel is going to interfere with this process.
I lied. I have a snow blower.
Joking asside, this week has it's ups and downs. Monday was the BA exam. Some students were able to complete it but a few bled into 3rd period. Fortunately 7th hour on Tuesday did not have that time restriction but as a result we lost some class time into finishing up and did not get through much content.
Grades for the BA will be posted before holiday break.
This week it is my hope to get through 7-2 before the end of the week but I have a feeling Mother Nature, Father Winter, Cousin Bear of the Snow or who ever is in charge of that 12" of white stuff I had to shovel is going to interfere with this process.
I lied. I have a snow blower.
{E2020} Weekly Update
Some thoughts specifically targeted to the group of students assigned to work 6th hour on their online classes:
1) Your course progress is calculated with the assumption that you will be working over the holiday break next week. That means that if you are caught up now, and you do not log in during the vacation, you ~will~ be behind.
2) From here on out I will be recording your "Actual Grade" in the class every week in Skyward. For those not familar, here is how it is computed:
First they compare where your student is in the course and where they "should be". Every assignment that they are behind is assigned a grade of a zero. If a student is caught up or ahead, then there are no zeroes to record. The grade is then calculated based on the average of all grades.
So, if they are behind a few assignments their "Overall Grade" may be a B but because of those zeroes it shows as a C. Likewise if they are ahead, then their Overal and Actual grades will be the same. If you are unsure you can ask your student to log in for you and you can see their progress in the class for yourself, along with grades.
Also as a reminder, notebooks are required for me to approve them for tests, and there are ~no~ retakes of quizzes unless I have evidence that the system glitched while they were testing.
1) Your course progress is calculated with the assumption that you will be working over the holiday break next week. That means that if you are caught up now, and you do not log in during the vacation, you ~will~ be behind.
2) From here on out I will be recording your "Actual Grade" in the class every week in Skyward. For those not familar, here is how it is computed:
First they compare where your student is in the course and where they "should be". Every assignment that they are behind is assigned a grade of a zero. If a student is caught up or ahead, then there are no zeroes to record. The grade is then calculated based on the average of all grades.
So, if they are behind a few assignments their "Overall Grade" may be a B but because of those zeroes it shows as a C. Likewise if they are ahead, then their Overal and Actual grades will be the same. If you are unsure you can ask your student to log in for you and you can see their progress in the class for yourself, along with grades.
Also as a reminder, notebooks are required for me to approve them for tests, and there are ~no~ retakes of quizzes unless I have evidence that the system glitched while they were testing.
Friday, February 5, 2010
{Geo B} Reminder!
The Chapter 6 BA test is on Monday.
Students should review the packet from class (posted in Skyward) as well as all the assignments to date. Also students may check the document attached to the test itself as it contains a breakdown of the 7 objectives they will be tested on and provides examples of each.
Students should review the packet from class (posted in Skyward) as well as all the assignments to date. Also students may check the document attached to the test itself as it contains a breakdown of the 7 objectives they will be tested on and provides examples of each.
Could this be your student?
From class today:
Me: If I take the time to write on the worksheet "Show the work for problems 3 and 4 on a seperate peice of paper", it is because I expect you to put the work for those on a seperate piece of paper. In the future, if you don't, I won't grade it. I'll take it to the office, shred it, and when you walk in, throw up in the air an shout "Look! It's snowing!"
Student: At least it's not a W.I.N.
The reality:
I expect students to show work for problems when they do their homework. This work is essential for two things:
1) To help them organize their thoughts and track their own understanding of the material.
2) To help me review their work and identify weaknesses that we can together target for success.
I made a commitment in Septemeber to never assign more work then I felt was nessecary to arrive at mastery. Every problem I assign, be it in classwork or homework, is targeted specificaly at skills students need to practice. To that end I do expect students to complete every problem ~to the best of their abilty~.
So as I am collecting and reviewing all homework I will be looking at their work and I will not be grading incomplete papers.
I will also not comment on students who attempt to turn in work totally unrelated to the assignment in an attempt to bamboozle me into thinking that they have actually done the assignment. I do not believe comment is needed.
Hope you all have a great weekend. Go Saints!
Me: If I take the time to write on the worksheet "Show the work for problems 3 and 4 on a seperate peice of paper", it is because I expect you to put the work for those on a seperate piece of paper. In the future, if you don't, I won't grade it. I'll take it to the office, shred it, and when you walk in, throw up in the air an shout "Look! It's snowing!"
Student: At least it's not a W.I.N.
The reality:
I expect students to show work for problems when they do their homework. This work is essential for two things:
1) To help them organize their thoughts and track their own understanding of the material.
2) To help me review their work and identify weaknesses that we can together target for success.
I made a commitment in Septemeber to never assign more work then I felt was nessecary to arrive at mastery. Every problem I assign, be it in classwork or homework, is targeted specificaly at skills students need to practice. To that end I do expect students to complete every problem ~to the best of their abilty~.
So as I am collecting and reviewing all homework I will be looking at their work and I will not be grading incomplete papers.
I will also not comment on students who attempt to turn in work totally unrelated to the assignment in an attempt to bamboozle me into thinking that they have actually done the assignment. I do not believe comment is needed.
Hope you all have a great weekend. Go Saints!
Monday, February 1, 2010
{Geo Essentials} Weekly Update
This week we've got some real creative opportunities for students:
Due Wed (4th hr) or Thrus (3rd hr) is the School House Rock song that helps students remember the relationships between the various quadrilaterals.
On Friday we'll be doing an art based project to explore the concept of Similarity. Students will need to bring a picture from the comics about 2 inches by 2 inches in size. We'll be then drawing a similar picture using the rules of Similarity covered in chapter 7.
Due Wed (4th hr) or Thrus (3rd hr) is the School House Rock song that helps students remember the relationships between the various quadrilaterals.
On Friday we'll be doing an art based project to explore the concept of Similarity. Students will need to bring a picture from the comics about 2 inches by 2 inches in size. We'll be then drawing a similar picture using the rules of Similarity covered in chapter 7.
{Geo B} Weekly Update
We're at February finally and things are starting to shape up. This week's highlights include:
Speaking of, kudos to two students who were absent last week, went to Skyward, printed the worksheets and turned them in today. Good initiative guys!
- Quiz on Monday (2nd hr) or Tuesday (7th hr).
- BA Reviews will be passed out on Wed (both classes)
- We need to finish chapter 6 which includes talking about:
- Coordinate Geometry Proofs
- Trapezoids (and their Isoceles cousins)
- Kites (as in Let's Go Fly...)
Speaking of, kudos to two students who were absent last week, went to Skyward, printed the worksheets and turned them in today. Good initiative guys!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Death of an Icon
I apologize for the off topic post but as a teacher and a student I feel I can't let this pass without comment.
NY Times: JD Salinger dies at 91
I pulled that portion of the article to post here because I have come to think of Cather in the Rye as a rite of passage myself, a common experience that we as adults (and teachers) share with our students coming through the grades. As students come into my classroom with that book in hand I know that they will love it, hate it, not care about it, but we have a common place to talk as I read it too when I was in school.
For my part I enjoyed the novel mostly because I blessed with an amazing teacher to cover it with me. Mr. Horschak (no, not from Welcome Back Cotter) was a brilliant instructor and lecturer with a style of discussion that I can only still hope to aspire to someday. His class "Utopia and the Search for Human Identity" was my favorite of all English classes in school, and a contender for top class of all. Holden Caufield was someone we all knew like a brother by the end of our time on the novel, and I think many of us felt we knew him better than we knew ourselves.
Catcher in the Rye remains one of my favorite books. Salinger's death is a loss for all of literature.
NY Times: JD Salinger dies at 91
With its cynical, slangy vernacular voice (Holden’s two favorite expressions are “phony” and “g-d--m”), its sympathetic understanding of adolescence and its fierce if alienated sense of morality and distrust of the adult world, the novel struck a nerve in cold war America and quickly attained cult status, especially among the young. Reading “Catcher” used to be an essential rite of passage, almost as important as getting your learner’s permit.
I pulled that portion of the article to post here because I have come to think of Cather in the Rye as a rite of passage myself, a common experience that we as adults (and teachers) share with our students coming through the grades. As students come into my classroom with that book in hand I know that they will love it, hate it, not care about it, but we have a common place to talk as I read it too when I was in school.
For my part I enjoyed the novel mostly because I blessed with an amazing teacher to cover it with me. Mr. Horschak (no, not from Welcome Back Cotter) was a brilliant instructor and lecturer with a style of discussion that I can only still hope to aspire to someday. His class "Utopia and the Search for Human Identity" was my favorite of all English classes in school, and a contender for top class of all. Holden Caufield was someone we all knew like a brother by the end of our time on the novel, and I think many of us felt we knew him better than we knew ourselves.
Catcher in the Rye remains one of my favorite books. Salinger's death is a loss for all of literature.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
{E2020} Notebooks are notably not optional
We're in!
As a pleasant and gentle reminder, notebooks physical "I wrote my notes in this" notebooks are ~not~ optional and are required for all students to have. Before they take an exam they need to show me that they have been taking notes in them. For now students may print out what they have.
As a pleasant and gentle reminder, notebooks physical "I wrote my notes in this" notebooks are ~not~ optional and are required for all students to have. Before they take an exam they need to show me that they have been taking notes in them. For now students may print out what they have.
{Geo B} Extra Credit?!?
Since I said I would do this sometime, why not do it now?
If your student brings to class on Friday 1/29 (2nd hour) or Tuesday 2/2 (7th hour) a heirarchy of something interesting to them, they can recieve extra credit in the homework category. This extracredit cannot, however, take them above 100% in that category.
Examples:
Top level: Movies
Next level: Action, Romantic Comedy, Horror
Under Action: Kung Fu, Guns and More, Cars and Planes
Under RomCom: Chick-Flick, Guys Only, Couples Comedy, Anything with Vince Vauhn
Under Horror: Psychological Horror, Gore, Just Plain Scary
To get Extra Credit, students must have:
* 3 levels minimum
* illustrated the hierarchy in a Tree Diagram (like we did for most of class on Wed) or in a Venn Diagram (which we also reviewed).
Have fun!
If your student brings to class on Friday 1/29 (2nd hour) or Tuesday 2/2 (7th hour) a heirarchy of something interesting to them, they can recieve extra credit in the homework category. This extracredit cannot, however, take them above 100% in that category.
Examples:
Top level: Movies
Next level: Action, Romantic Comedy, Horror
Under Action: Kung Fu, Guns and More, Cars and Planes
Under RomCom: Chick-Flick, Guys Only, Couples Comedy, Anything with Vince Vauhn
Under Horror: Psychological Horror, Gore, Just Plain Scary
To get Extra Credit, students must have:
* 3 levels minimum
* illustrated the hierarchy in a Tree Diagram (like we did for most of class on Wed) or in a Venn Diagram (which we also reviewed).
Have fun!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Back in the game... finally... sorta
My humblest apologies to everyone for the late start to my blog and the school year. I will save you all the gory details and simply state that Sunday night, at roughly 1:34 am, I was struck down with the flu. I was well enough to return to my post Wednesday.
As such things are off to a bit of a rocky start.
E2020 -
This is my rockiest start as the class is still sorting out technical issues and accessability. We hope to have everything sorted out by Friday this week. Monday I will start recording grades for this group and talk to the students about reasonable pacing, expectations, homework checks and journaling.
Essentials of Geometry -
We have two fun projects coming up in addition to our core class practice.
In "Show Me the Figure" students are making a mini poster featuring the properties and picture of a given shape. Each group has a different figure so the class will have all 4 parallelograms covered.
Then the groups change for the second project "Geometry House Rock (chapter 6)" where the students are to write lyrics set to a popular song of their choice that describe the relationship between the various quadrilaterals. For more details on both projects check the attached PDF's in Skyward.
Also due:
Friday: October Sky Reaction Paper. Students were tasked to compare contrast their High School experience with that of the characters in the movie. This is intended to be one part self reflection and one part "get to know you" activity. I am hoping to use these reactions to help me get to know the students a little more and try to tailor what we do in class to what they percieve as their needs and plans.
Monday: Our weekly Quiz!!!
And finally Geometery:
First I'd like to remind everyone enrolled in 7th Hour that they have made a commitment to a class that runs from 2:30 until 4:15 three days a week. Early dismissal for practice, concerts, performances and the like ~must~ be parent intitiated through the attendance office.
In this class we are continuing our explorations of quadrilaterals and parallelograms. If you want to engage your student ask them brain teasers like "Are all squares rhombuses? Are all rhombuses squares?"
We are also starting in on Coordinate Geometry which uses the distance formula, the slope formula and the midpoint formula. We're also tying back to things like Parallel and Perpendicular from previous chapters. It's a lot of back review that the students need to stay fresh on.
Our next Quiz will be on Monday (2/1), and the BA is scheudled for the following Monday (2/8). In 7th Hour they will be on Tues (2/2) and Tues (2/9), respectively.
Overall I'm excited to be back and reminded again what great kids I have this year and what an honor it is to work with them.
As such things are off to a bit of a rocky start.
E2020 -
This is my rockiest start as the class is still sorting out technical issues and accessability. We hope to have everything sorted out by Friday this week. Monday I will start recording grades for this group and talk to the students about reasonable pacing, expectations, homework checks and journaling.
Essentials of Geometry -
We have two fun projects coming up in addition to our core class practice.
In "Show Me the Figure" students are making a mini poster featuring the properties and picture of a given shape. Each group has a different figure so the class will have all 4 parallelograms covered.
Then the groups change for the second project "Geometry House Rock (chapter 6)" where the students are to write lyrics set to a popular song of their choice that describe the relationship between the various quadrilaterals. For more details on both projects check the attached PDF's in Skyward.
Also due:
Friday: October Sky Reaction Paper. Students were tasked to compare contrast their High School experience with that of the characters in the movie. This is intended to be one part self reflection and one part "get to know you" activity. I am hoping to use these reactions to help me get to know the students a little more and try to tailor what we do in class to what they percieve as their needs and plans.
Monday: Our weekly Quiz!!!
And finally Geometery:
First I'd like to remind everyone enrolled in 7th Hour that they have made a commitment to a class that runs from 2:30 until 4:15 three days a week. Early dismissal for practice, concerts, performances and the like ~must~ be parent intitiated through the attendance office.
In this class we are continuing our explorations of quadrilaterals and parallelograms. If you want to engage your student ask them brain teasers like "Are all squares rhombuses? Are all rhombuses squares?"
We are also starting in on Coordinate Geometry which uses the distance formula, the slope formula and the midpoint formula. We're also tying back to things like Parallel and Perpendicular from previous chapters. It's a lot of back review that the students need to stay fresh on.
Our next Quiz will be on Monday (2/1), and the BA is scheudled for the following Monday (2/8). In 7th Hour they will be on Tues (2/2) and Tues (2/9), respectively.
Overall I'm excited to be back and reminded again what great kids I have this year and what an honor it is to work with them.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Reminders of what you will find here
Welcome to news feed for Mr. Osterman's Geometry classes. I have Geometry 2nd hour and 7th hour, Essentials of Geometry 3rd and 4th, and E2020 mentoring during 6th hour. This first post is a review of what you can and cannot expect to find here.
If you are looking for assignments, worksheets or grades please go to Skyward Home Access. Assignments there with a checkmark indicate attachments to that assignment. It is my intention for every worksheet or packet I use, to scan a copy to post there. These can be printed at home and completed if homework is left at school or a student is absent.
My hope is to establish a routine of updating Skyward with the assignment the moment it is given. This will include a due date and a number of possible earned points. I will also note if an assignment will be collected and graded on "Correctness". Otherwise, recall, that all assignments are otherwise graded on attempt.
This blog will be used, primarily, to flag the big ticket items such as quizzes, tests, and to share general information and relevant news. There will be no political discourse, despite my own views, and I ask that the comments remain free of politics as well.
Here's to the second semester!
If you are looking for assignments, worksheets or grades please go to Skyward Home Access. Assignments there with a checkmark indicate attachments to that assignment. It is my intention for every worksheet or packet I use, to scan a copy to post there. These can be printed at home and completed if homework is left at school or a student is absent.
My hope is to establish a routine of updating Skyward with the assignment the moment it is given. This will include a due date and a number of possible earned points. I will also note if an assignment will be collected and graded on "Correctness". Otherwise, recall, that all assignments are otherwise graded on attempt.
This blog will be used, primarily, to flag the big ticket items such as quizzes, tests, and to share general information and relevant news. There will be no political discourse, despite my own views, and I ask that the comments remain free of politics as well.
Here's to the second semester!
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