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Anyone out there ever taught chemistry without books? This is my second year teaching and I'm teaching a lower level chemistry class (something like Chemcom which is the only one I'm familiar with) but it appears I will be getting no books. I also don't have a chemical order yet. I'm being told I'll get that as soon as they verify we have budget for chemicals but I"m starting to think that will be never.
I could use some strategies for teaching chemistry without books. Many of my students are lower level and they don't take notes well. I'd go with guided lecture notes but I'm limited to 35 sheets of paper per child per semester unless I want to print things on my printer at home (which gets expensive really fast ).
Any veterans out there who've survived this? I need to figure out how to get kids who aren't good at note taking to take notes well enough that they can study from them without using paper and how to run labs with little in the way of chemicals. Actually, I have lots of chemicals but no idea what labs they're intended for. The previous teacher took his lab manuals with him and what I have doesn't match the lab manuals I own.
It's the second week of school and I"m already punting. I thought I'd be halfway through the year before they started telling me we didn't have budget for any more chemicals or supplies. How do you make this work?
I teach an elementary grade, but we are moving to putting more online. We all have online courses through Blackboard. Do you have something like that? This is where we post our 9-week plans, newsletters, projects, discussion boards, etc. Could you post information such as notes and assignments and have students print them off at home?
By manuals, do you mean the district's program of studies? Does your system have their program of studies available online?
I have no thoughts on the chemical supply issues. Sorry.
I teach an elementary grade, but we are moving to putting more online. We all have online courses through Blackboard. Do you have something like that? This is where we post our 9-week plans, newsletters, projects, discussion boards, etc. Could you post information such as notes and assignments and have students print them off at home?
By manuals, do you mean the district's program of studies? Does your system have their program of studies available online?
I have no thoughts on the chemical supply issues. Sorry.
Unfortunately, I can't count on kids having computer access at home. We do have lap top carts for my hall but they're shared so I can only have them some days. I could build something on line for those days. I believe I have access to blackboard through the county education organization. I've never used it but I'm pretty sure I just have to ask for it. Thanks for the reminder on that. It was on my to do list for the summer but I never found that round tuit.
The manuals I'm referring to are lab manuals. Usually you have one that goes with your books but I don't have lab manuals for any of the books I do have (and none of them fit the format you'd use for a lower level chemistry class, though I may be able to borrow pieces).
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 09-16-2009 at 07:36 PM..
Honest to God IT, how does your school get past the state requirements to be certified/accredited?
No ideas about your question, I'm Social Studies.
There are no state requirements for funding chemical purchases. Just for material taught. As long as I teach the core content expectations, no one cares how it's done. IMO, chemistry without labs is boring. I only did about 14 labs last year and that was not enough. Chemistry wihtout books for lower level learners, I have no clue how to pull off. I can lecture the college bound crowd and tell them to take good notes. Many of my kids don't know what to write down when they sit through a lecture. They try to write every word I say and don't hear what I say as a result.
What's frustrating is my school is a for profit organization and they're making money. If my kids went here I'd be up in arms.
Unfortunately, I can't count on kids having computer access at home. We do have lap top carts for my hall but they're shared so I can only have them some days. I could build something on line for those days. I believe I have access to blackboard through the county education organization. I've never used it but I'm pretty sure I just have to ask for it.
The manuals I'm referring to are lab manuals. Usually you have one that goes with your books but I don't have lab manuals for any of the books I do have (and none of them fit the format you'd use for a lower level chemistry class, though I may be able to borrow pieces).
That's too bad. We are pushed constantly to put more and more online. The use of Blackboard is a huge push and mandated. My third graders are expected to use it at school and at home, but I am pretty much guaranteed computers in the homes, so that's different.
As high school students, I am surprised they have to share laptops.
How large is your system? Is there another teacher of the same subject from which you could borrow manuals or even a few student texts? I spoke with my wife about her lab manuals and she said the county has them all available online.
Chemicals/labs should be included in the curriculum. In MD we have a Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC), which isn't really voluntary since we're required to follow it, that has required labs and enrichment labs included. Schools, including charters, are expected to follow it. The charters do have some leeway but if they don't do the minimum the charter is pulled.
Anyone out there ever taught chemistry without books? This is my second year teaching and I'm teaching a lower level chemistry class (something like Chemcom which is the only one I'm familiar with) but it appears I will be getting no books. I also don't have a chemical order yet. I'm being told I'll get that as soon as they verify we have budget for chemicals but I"m starting to think that will be never.
I could use some strategies for teaching chemistry without books. Many of my students are lower level and they don't take notes well. I'd go with guided lecture notes but I'm limited to 35 sheets of paper per child per semester unless I want to print things on my printer at home (which gets expensive really fast ).
Any veterans out there who've survived this? I need to figure out how to get kids who aren't good at note taking to take notes well enough that they can study from them without using paper and how to run labs with little in the way of chemicals. Actually, I have lots of chemicals but no idea what labs they're intended for. The previous teacher took his lab manuals with him and what I have doesn't match the lab manuals I own.
It's the second week of school and I"m already punting. I thought I'd be halfway through the year before they started telling me we didn't have budget for any more chemicals or supplies. How do you make this work?
1) Have you also asked this question on the Chem Teacher mailing lists?
2) Do you want a donation of some Chemistry books?
Unfortunately not an immediate solution, but for longer-range plans, try posting on Donors Choose and see if you can find someone to fund your class.
Regarding paper, what I've done in the past is head to WalMart in the couple weeks before school starts. They typically sell 70-page spiral-bound notebooks for 15¢, and packs of looseleaf paper for 75¢ (150 pages, I believe). I'll stock up on as many of these as I can afford and have them in my room for the kids, along with pencils and pens -- again from the cheapie aisle at WalMart. Binders, also, are often available for something like 50¢ each -- kids could keep everything in a binder IN your room, so they don't get lost.
My district pushes the Cornell note-taking system. It's something you can demonstrate on the board and then let the kids practice. They can pair off to see if they each "got" what you were teaching.
I don't teach science (thank goodness!), so can't offer any suggestions on lab materials (other than the possibility of a Donors Choose grant).
That's too bad. We are pushed constantly to put more and more online. The use of Blackboard is a huge push and mandated. My third graders are expected to use it at school and at home, but I am pretty much guaranteed computers in the homes, so that's different.
As high school students, I am surprised they have to share laptops.
How large is your system? Is there another teacher of the same subject from which you could borrow manuals or even a few student texts? I spoke with my wife about her lab manuals and she said the county has them all available online.
We are too. We're supposed to have all tests on line this year. We're going to have teachers fighting over the lap tops and our testing will have to wait until we can get them. Realistically, I could be a week into new material before I can give the test on the old material if I didn't sign the lap tops out in time.
My problem is it's hard to say which day two weeks from now I'll give a test on. I"m sure teachers who have been teaching more years than me can do it but I usually need to let tests flex a day or two.
There is no other chemistry/physics teacher. I'm it.
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