All entries for Monday 17 January 2011

What's mine is yours

One thing I also wanted to do with this blog is also try and help out where I can. Best way to help is sharing resources I guess. If any of these are of use to you, please just get in touch and I'll email them, and you have permission to alter them as you wish!

So, in year 7 land....

Electric circuits, covering:

key word definitions, circuit symbols, fuses and electrical safety, electricity in the body, series and parallel circuits, practical work.

Energy, covering:

Types of energy, energy transformations and fossil fuels, non-renewable and renewable energies, Sun as an energy source

Year 8

'How to revise'

Then  a series of 4 lessons I did 3 times on how to do a scientific practical. Themes were 'how does a hippo keep cool', 'rates of a chemical reaction', and 'reflection and refraction'. For each, identify the variables, the range, equipment required. Created a plan with a method. Then did practical, obtain results, display results, conclusions....

Year 9

BTEC - EM Spectrum, Radiation

GCSE - Insulation, Conduction, Convection, Radiation, Heat loss in Home, Mobile Phones, Microwaves, Analogue 2 Digital, Total Internal Reflection, Wireless Communications, Transverse Waves, Longitudinal Waves, Stable Earth Marketplace (earthquakes, volcanoes, UV light, Climate Change)

Year 10

BTEC - Surface Area, Rates of Reaction, Catalysts, Concentration, Roles of Science Technicians (4 lessons), DNA, Classification of Organisms, Internal and External Effect on health.

GCSE - Energy Transformations, Power Stations, Steam Trains, Radioactivity, Electrolysis, Surface Area affects on rate of reaction, The Big Bang and Universe, Life Cycle of a Star, Space Exploration, Orbits, Threats to Earth (Near Earth Objects, Cosmic rays, Asteroids and Comets, Solar Flares, Magnetic Fields), Series and Parallel Circuits

I also have a fair bit of year 12physics, and lots of year 11 intervention stuff I have done, revising GCSE science modules.

So if any of the above relates to anything you have in the near future, just give me a shout!

Steve Essex : 17 Jan 2011 18:46 |  Tags: Resources |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Maltesers – lighter than ordinary chocolate

Alriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighty then (in the words of Ace Ventura)

So had a full day at my complimentary school today. Taught all 5 periods. I have a day like that at my main school too once every two weeks, and to be honest, I dread that day. I have break duty and badminton club that day too, followed by a meeting after school, and it just drains me.

Today, however, despite being the saddest day of the year, went surprisingly well. I felt a lot more upbeat at the end of the day, and overall the lessons were quite smooth. My complimentary school do a lot of double lessons, so planning for a 2 hour stint with a class was new to me until today.

Why did it go so smoothly?

Well, number 1, it was a Monday. Fresh off a Chelsea win (a rarity these days), golf in the rain yesterday, and being pleasantly surprised that Colin Firth can actually do some acting, I had some enthusiasm.

Number 2, I was just delighted that when I filled my car up with petrol this morning, the card machine didn't say 'Insufficient Funds'. £54. Oh my giddy aunt. This GTP wage needs to be increased to reflect the cost in travelling me thinks......

Number 3. I got a laminator for Christmas. I was told by a GTP last year that the best thing you can do is get a good laminator and really make your resources look good and also hardy enough to reuse on a later date. Santa got me a laminator (how old am I?) and it made its debut yesterday, laminating information packs on renewable energy resources.

Number 4. My mentor asked to seemy lesson plans for periods 3, 4 and 5 on Thursday. So I had to plan a long way in advance. Needless to say, this does infact pay off.

So, if I was to offer any advice on teaching a full day..... take lots of food with you (I managed to build in maltesers into a year 10 lesson today). Take lots of drink with you. Plan a few days before. Buy a laminator.

Off on the EAL visit tomorrow, looking forward to that. Hopefully pick up some tips to apply in my current classes, when English is certainly not a main language (Is brummy an official language? Is Yam Yam?)

Take it easy boys and girls, Steve

Steve Essex : 17 Jan 2011 17:50 |  Tags: Laminate Petrol |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem