Emma Smith

Neither does Stevie!

Reading @alfiekohn.bsky.social’s blog posts from 20 years ago. It’s like reading Dewey’s stuff from 100 years ago. Why is this profession so stagnant?

Sharing Bloom’s Taxonomy with my Gr 9s today. Perhaps I’ll share with them my own old Static Electricity quiz, and we can deconstruct it. Then they’ll make their own?

Students are writing their own static electricity test today. Both the questions and the answers. “But won’t we know the answers ahead of time?” they asked. Yes, dear one, that’s the hope.

The bigger hope is a metacognitive understanding of good questions. Still haven’t figured out teaching that.

Will they reflect on a chemical reaction’s usefulness to society? Will they think beyond a classroom? Will they thoughtfully choose a version of the assignment that pushes them but doesn’t make them confused and check out?

Then, they’ll have some choice again with how to present one of the equations. They’ll research where it’s found in society or the world, and comment on its value. Either simply explained on a sheet of paper (mild) up to a TED-talk style oral presentation (spicy).

So I made three versions of the same assignment. Each has four chemical equations to identify, balance and explain, the different versions are tiered ‘mild’, ‘medium’, spicy. Roughly, increasing complexity of equation.

…while also (of course) being differentiated enough for both kids who can’t read and kids who’s parents are chemists, has multiple checkpoints and chunks and scaffolds, and isn’t easily ChatGPT-able.

Attempting to design a Gr 10 chemistry project to enable students to both practice and show their understanding of chemical reactions and equations, while also making radical connections and interrogating society and the environment… without discussing the climate. Wish me luck.

Or finish their entire thermos of coffee before the end of first period?