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Live Class: Children log into the conferencing application. They are dressed in their “school uniform”, that is their first name then last initial- always. They may chat and have fun before and after class and in “The Hallway,” but they must follow class protocols once live class begins. That means raising their hand to speak. Waiting to be called on for a question. I have noticed the children all interact very well and learn to “listen” to what classmates are saying. The students use the chat input line to indicate if they have a question or comment. The voice conferencing allows for spontaneous discussion and overcomes typing issues. Usually class is comprised of lecture, Q and A, and some fun multi/media to enliven the topic and make it more understandable. Some times we have a discussion- sometimes on current events or religious issues that relate to the topic. I sprinkle in some multimedia clips here and there, and I use the “Socratic Method.” This means asking questions that make the students think critically on the material in order to train the mind and help with understanding the topic. The white board is published after class so it can be referenced later if desired. Sometimes we have quiz game with teams to prepare for an upcoming test The students all get their turns to be team captains. The captains must manage a team discussion, create consensus, and give the answer within one minute for his or her team. This is a favorite class activity with the kids. White board: We use this conferencing application when we have work to do together as a class. You can think of it as both and overhead projector, as well as a “chalk board”. Students and all see me write live on it, put up diagrams and pictures and work sheets. They can write on it and point to parts for explanation or clarification. The White Boards are also maintained in an archive online that the students can re-visit for review if they like. Here is a fun white boards of the past year here and here Your child will complete easy “kitchen type labs” using easily obtained items from grocery or hardware stores. He or she can post pictures of those completed labs to share with classmates. Group experiment results. Student demonstration sample. Another set of demos here and here and here. A “rain making” experiment here. Other course activities: Your child will be assigned chapter quizzes and unit Tests (every 2-4 chapters) Student do reports for each unit, and post them in the forum for sharing and increased learning opportunities from each others work. They must read at least one other student report and post a question about that report to that student. He or she will answer a question posted about his or her own report. Here is a sample self-check game to drill material over a chapter. Here is a sample graded quiz. Here is a sample chapter test. Some questions are auto-graded, long answer are individually graded. The students must submit work on time and grades go into an online grade book that is always there for them and their parents. They know exact assignments and due dates. When students say they have turned something in, parents can check. There is also premium online course content provided by the publisher for use with the text book: online macromedia flash interactive tutorials, and movie clips for illustrating interesting or complex concepts. Access to this is free for enrolled students. |
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“Science is the organized knowledge of God’s creation.” Sr. Mary Matthew RSM ~a beloved science teacher from my grade school and high school years. |
