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    • Chemical Equilibrium

The Periodic "Yay!"

Off to a GREAT start!

8/17/2019

2 Comments

 

via GIPHY


​This week's plans:
​

Chemistry will begin looking at the teeny-tiny atom, and learning how the Periodic Table can be friend, not food. (Seriously, don't eat the Periodic Table- too much fiber).

Biology will view a large number of cat pictures, for science.  We will be breaking down (deconstructing) arguments about feral (stray) cat populations into their claims, evidence, and reasoning, so that you will be able to build up (construct) your own.  
Then, you will learn about how group behaviors help these feral cats, and other animals, survive in the wild. This will provide background explanation for the arguments which are being made about feral cat populations.

Environmental Science will begin by looking at Earth's place in the Universe, and how our sun forms the basis of many Environmental questions. Our position in the Solar System, and the age of the Earth and Sun affect our environment, and the changes that are happening.
We had an awesome (but long) first week, and it gave us a solid start to the year.  I do hope you will share this site with your parents, so they can see what we are doing in class each week.

Picture Day is MONDAY! Make sure you are there to get your new snap and update that beautiful, growing smile.  
​
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2 Comments

Welcome Back!

8/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Welcome, students and parents, to a new school year in room 409! We are starting the new 2019-2020 school year on Monday, August 12.  I am looking forward to our shared adventures and investigations this year.

For the first week, we will be getting to know each other and how things work in the classroom.  The two graded assignments will be the same for all classes: 

1) Read, sign, and return the syllabus.
2) Read, sign, and return the lab safety contract.
  

These two documents are essential for your success.  The syllabus contains classroom policies such as makeups, absences, late work, and discipline. The lab safety contract must be signed prior to lab work being done, which will result in a loss of credit if not completed.

If you lose these documents, you can access them on the home page for your course.  The signature pages must be signed and returned by Friday.  

Please visit your course homepage to get to know what you will be studying this year, and familiarize yourself with the resources, as well as the calendar.  More will open up as we move through each unit.  

Keep watch on the Periodic Yay for updates, and to know what we will be doing each week.  This blog is fairly new, and my goal is to update it weekly, though that may change with necessity.

Check out the "Meet the Teacher" page to see who you (or your student) will be spending the year with. And keep an eye out for "Easter Eggs." 

via GIPHY

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Testing Season is here

5/2/2019

2 Comments

 
More and more is starting to show up on this site.  As I work on it, you may find broken links, or know a resource that you'd like to see on a certain page. Feel free to shoot me an email or comment on the blog so I can fix it.  I'd like this site to be as helpful as possible.

​While you are feeling a bit like the blue power ranger here, know that it will all be okay.  I will be out of class a lot while proctoring your tests, so I'll be with you (sorry!)

Know that I am very proud of all of you Juniors, and you will be just fine.  It will be over soon.  Until then, feel free to reach out to me via email if I'm not in class, and I will have plenty of time to respond as I'm doing this:

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

2 Comments

Spring Break is Coming!

4/12/2019

12 Comments

 
We're all excited to get this break started (and kind of brain fried for this year), so let's take a little time to think ahead for next year.
Is there a resource you wish was on the site?
Find one that has been especially helpful for you, or you wish you had known about, before!

​Comment below:
1. Give a link
2. Explain what it is (video, practice, interactive, hands-on, etc.)
3.  What makes it so helpful?
4. What topic is it for? (Keep it specific to the science class you are taking).

The best resources will be placed on the website; if it is, you get a lifeline!

Rest up and enjoy your break! You will be missed!

via GIPHY

12 Comments

Week of March 25th

3/21/2019

1 Comment

 
We are now officially halfway through the second semester! Keep up the momentum, and know that if you have not been doing as well as hoped, it is not too late to start- small steps matter.  Start with asking for help, help with study skills, help knowing what the next step is, anything!

Calendars are now available for each course on the website, which include the warm-ups, what we did in class, and what to do if you are absent. Tools and references are slowly being built in, check back often for updates. The first five people who spot this sentence should comment the keyword and initials/period for a lifeline: Keyword= "First Step."

This week:
Chemistry will begin an exploration of enthalpy in reactions.
Forensics will refine their understanding of forensic anthropology and see how it applies to human evolution.
Environmental science will explore the effects of human activities on Earth's atmosphere.  
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1 Comment

Let's Do This!

3/15/2019

1 Comment

 
This is the start of something beautiful.  The primary goal of this website is to provide students with a permanent resource site for the topics we cover within our classroom.  Over time, it will grow and develop as I integrate these resources, and students and parents provide input on what other functions would be helpful.  These will be considered carefully, and those which are approved will be added as time permits. Building a website takes time, and I want to do it well for it to be the biggest help to you all. I will only add what I know I can maintain.  I value all of your input, and will gladly take polite suggestions. 

​As this site is designed for my students and their families, the language and subject matter of comments must be appropriate and on topic, or comment functions will be removed.  

Last week, I asked some students to provide input via an anonymous survey on what features would be helpful.  What's gonna work?...Teamwork! 

Below are some of their suggestions and my responses:
  • Simple layout, easy access, colorful and fun to read  - 1st priority DONE! (I hope, but let me know if improvements can be made). Things may be rearranged occasionally as the site grows, and I appreciate your patience!
  • Topical explanations and links - 2nd priority once the site is up and running. I'm already working on it!
  • Walk-through examples of problems, basic knowledge, vocabulary, and notes - 3rd highest priority!
  • Different types of ways to do something so we can choose which one is the most helpful to us - Gladly!!! I plan on having homework "menus" to choose from at some point in the future.
  • Provide practice sheets - Absolutely! See above.
  • One or two little games of chemistry - Yes, Ivan, I'll be adding these as I find them.  I'm taking suggestions, though, so let me know if you find any!
  • Answer sheets to check answers - This may be provided in the future for some assignments, but to prevent the temptation of cheating, probably not all of them.
  • A Calendar including assignments, warm-ups, homework due dates, and upcoming tests/quizzes or labs - Medium priority; in class announcements are made when these dates are known.  Schedules change with the needs of the students as a whole, and school events. This blog may include that information at some point in the future. As far as knowing if you can "dress cute ahead of time" (student quote), labs which require protective clothing have always been announced ahead of time.
  • Evening homework help from Ms. Salvatore - Currently, I have scheduled tutoring time on campus, but my family (and my personal well-being) deserves my evening time, and for me to be off work when I'm off work. This is one of the reasons homework is not frequently assigned (students need "off" time, too!). If homework difficulties arise, email me at hsalvatore@farmersville.net or inform me first thing in the morning and help/extension arrangements can be made as appropriate. Also, see "Group Chat."
  • Group chat for real-time interaction - Will be carefully considered at a later date.  Posting is already permitted for students in Google Classroom and will continue to be as long as it is used wisely. Helping each other with homework would be a great time to use this capability. There are some student safety and district policy aspects to consider and research, as well. While I can definitely see the potential helpfulness this could provide, I am currently in the "no" camp on this one. 
  • "My name in Italics" - I don't know for sure (Lendy?) who said this, so here you go: "my name."
  • Being able to see scores right away - Some linked websites used for assignments already do this. If assignments require teacher grading, this takes time, sorry!
  • Make it as simple as possible to understand - This is a huge part of what I try to do every day: make concepts understandable to everyone.  That is the reason for all the little weird analogies (I'm looking at you, Financial Guru Joel) and in-class student volunteer interactions (reaction types and relationships, anyone?). However, at the high school level, some concepts are hard, and will take repetition and deep thinking for students to make those connections.
  • ......and energy points!!!! - see www.khanacademy.org if you want these- However, I'll give you three lifelines if you can beat my energy point score ;) Currently sitting at 1,300,494.  Good luck, Elias, you've got this!
1 Comment

    Author

    My name is Heather Salvatore, I have been teaching high school science since 2016. I hold a B.A. from Regent University, and a M.A.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia Irvine. 

    ​Previously, I worked as a chemistry and radiological controls tech in the Navy, and was trained in the mechanical engineering and operation of naval nuclear power plants.

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  • Home
  • Meet the Teacher
  • Chemistry
    • Chemistry Calendar
    • It's Elemental >
      • Periodic Table
      • Radiation
      • Nuclear Energy
    • The Bonds We Share >
      • Physical or Chemical?
      • Compounds
      • Be Trendy
    • Don't OverREACT >
      • Chemical Equations
      • Types of Reactions
      • Don't Drop the Base
    • Mass in Chemistry >
      • I have this weird Mole
      • Stoichiometry
      • I have the Solution!
    • Energy in Chemistry >
      • Intermolecular Forces
      • Heat in Reactions
      • Enthalpy
    • I Only Eat Organic >
      • Hydrocarbons
      • Biomolecules
      • Circle of Life
    • Final
  • Integrated Science II
    • Matter and Energy >
      • Matter and Its Properties
      • Energy and Matter
    • Heat and Energy >
      • Behavior of Matter
      • Behavior of Energy
      • Earth's Interior
    • Properties of Matter
    • Chemical Attractions
    • Energy In Reactions
    • Human Impact on the Atmosphere
    • Chemical Equilibrium