July 22, 2007 by jmmblake.

North Carolina (The Green Swamp, Appalachians)

Great images to use as writing prompts in the classroom. These could be used in a podcast in the science classroom. Also, as part of a Voicethread learning activity. Maybe have the students post the images (if we can ask and receive permission to use these images online first). Closeup images this nice are really fun to look at for students. In Voicethread, have the students each record a comment or fact about the Venus Flytrap plant and draw using the annotation feature in Voicethread to label what they are talking about.

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May 28, 2007 by jmmblake.

During the coming summer break, I would like to take time to create some podcasts about various concepts. 8th Grade science will be tested next year, so this will be a good starting point for podcast topics.

North Carolina Standard Course of Study

Science — Grade 8

All questions and comments about this curriculum should be directed to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Goal 1
The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.

Objective 1.01
Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.

Objective 1.02
Develop appropriate experimental procedures for:
Given questions.
Student generated questions.

Objective 1.03
Apply safety procedures in the laboratory and in field studies:

Recognize potential hazards.
Safely manipulate materials and equipment.
Conduct appropriate procedures.

Objective 1.04
Analyze variables in scientific investigations:

Identify dependent and independent.
Use of a control.
Manipulate.
Describe relationships between.
Define operationally.

Objective 1.05
Analyze evidence to:

explain observations.
make inferences and predictions.
develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.

Objective 1.06
Use mathematics to gather, organize, and present quantitative data resulting from scientific investigations:

Measurement.
Analysis of data.
Graphing.
Prediction models.

Objective 1.07
Prepare models and/or computer simulations to:

Test hypotheses.
Evaluate how data fit.

Objective 1.08
Use oral and written language to:

Communicate findings.
Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
Describe strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and/or data.

Objective 1.09
Use technologies and information systems to:

Research.
Gather and analyze data.
Visualize data.
Disseminate findings to others.

Objective 1.10
Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:

Scientific text.
Articles.
Events in the popular press.

Goal 2
The learner will demonstrate an understanding of technological design.

Objective 2.01
Explore evidence that “technology” has many definitions.

Artifact or hardware.
Methodology or technique.
System of production.
Social-technical system.

Objective 2.02
Use information systems to:

Identify scientific needs, human needs, or problems that are subject to technological solution.
Locate resources to obtain and test ideas.

Objective 2.03
Evaluate technological designs for:

Application of scientific principles.
Risks and benefits.
Constraints of design.
Consistent testing protocols.

Objective 2.04
Apply tenets of technological design to make informed consumer decisions about:

Products.
Processes.
Systems.

Goal 3
The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of the hydrosphere.

Objective 3.01
Analyze the unique properties of water including:

Universal solvent.
Cohesion and adhesion.
Polarity.
Density and buoyancy.
Specific heat.

Objective 3.02
Explain the structure of the hydrosphere including:

Water distribution on earth.
Local river basin.
Local water availability.

Objective 3.03
Evaluate evidence that Earth’s oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms:

Estuaries.
Marine ecosystems.
Upwelling.
Behavior of gases in the marine environment.
Value and sustainability of marine resources.
Deep ocean technology and understandings gained.

Objective 3.04
Describe how terrestrial and aquatic food webs are interconnected.

Objective 3.05
Analyze hydrospheric data over time to predict the health of a water system including:

Temperature.
Dissolved oxygen.
pH.
Nitrates.
Turbidity.
Bio-indicators.

Objective 3.06
Evaluate technologies and information systems used to monitor the hydrosphere.

Objective 3.07
Describe how humans affect the quality of water:

Point and non-point sources of water pollution in North Carolina.
Possible effects of excess nutrients in North Carolina waters.
Economic trade-offs.
Local water issues.

Objective 3.08
Recognize that the good health of environments and organisms requires:

Monitoring of the hydrosphere.
Water quality standards.
Methods of water treatment.
Maintaining safe water quality.
Stewardship.

Goal 4
The learner will conduct investigations and utilize technology and information systems to build an understanding of chemistry.

Objective 4.01
Understand that both naturally occurring and synthetic substances are chemicals.

Objective 4.02
Evaluate evidence that elements combine in a multitude of ways to produce compounds that account for all living and nonliving substances.

Objective 4.03
Explain how the periodic table is a model for:

Classifying elements.
Identifying the properties of elements.

Objective 4.04
Describe the suitability of materials for use in technological design:

Electrical Conductivity.
Density.
Magnetism.
Solubility.
Malleability.

Objective 4.05
Identify substances based on characteristic physical properties:

Density.
Boiling/Melting points.
Solubility.
Chemical reactivity.
Specific heat.

Objective 4.06
Describe and measure quantities related to chemical/physical changes within a system:

Temperature.
Volume.
Mass.
Precipitate.
Gas production.

Objective 4.07
Identify evidence supporting the law of conservation of matter.

During an ordinary chemical reaction matter cannot be created or destroyed.
In a chemical reaction, the total mass of the reactants equals the total mass of the products.

Objective 4.08
Identify evidence that some chemicals may contribute to human health conditions including:

Cancer.
Autoimmune disease.
Birth defects.
Heart disease.
Diabetes.
Learning and behavioral disorders.
Kidney disease.
Asthma.

Objective 4.09
Describe factors that determine the effects a chemical has on a living organism including:

Exposure.
Potency.
Dose and the resultant concentration of chemical in the organism.
Individual susceptibility.
Possible means to eliminate or reduce effects.

Objective 4.10
Describe risks and benefits of chemicals including:

Medicines.
Food preservatives.
Crop yield.
Sanitation.

Goal 5
The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in organisms and landforms.

Objective 5.01
Interpret ways in which rocks, fossils, and ice cores record Earth’s geologic history and the evolution of life including:

Geologic Time Scale.
Index Fossils.
Law of Superposition.
Unconformity.
Evidence for climate change.
Extinction of species.
Catastrophic events.

Objective 5.02
Correlate evolutionary theories and processes:

Biological.
Geological.
Technological.

Objective 5.03
Examine evidence that the geologic evolution has had significant global impact including:

Distribution of living things.
Major geological events.
Mechanical and chemical weathering.

Objective 5.04
Analyze satellite imagery as a method to monitor Earth from space:

Spectral analysis.
Reflectance curves.

Objective 5.05
Use maps, ground truthing and remote sensing to make predictions regarding:

Changes over time.
Land use.
Urban sprawl.
Resource management.

Goal 6
The learner will conduct investigations, use models, simulations, and appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of cell theory.

Objective 6.01
Describe cell theory:

All living things are composed of cells.
Cells provide structure and carry on major functions to sustain life.
Some organisms are single cell; other organisms, including humans, are multi-cellular.
Cell function is similar in all living things.

Objective 6.02
Analyze structures, functions, and processes within animal cells for:

Capture and release of energy.
Feedback information.
Dispose of wastes.
Reproduction.
Movement.
Specialized needs.

Objective 6.03
Compare life functions of protists:

Euglena.
Amoeba.
Paramecium.
Volvox.

Objective 6.04
Conclude that animal cells carry on complex chemical processes to balance the needs of the organism.

Cells grow and divide to produce more cells.
Cells take in nutrients to make the energy for the work cells do.
Cells take in materials that a cell or an organism needs.

Goal 7
The learner will conduct investigations, use models, simulations, and appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of microbiology.

Objective 7.01
Compare and contrast microbes:

Size, shape, structure.
Whether they are living cells.

Objective 7.02
Describe diseases caused by microscopic biological hazards including:

Viruses.
Bacteria.
Parasites.
Contagions.
Mutagens.

Objective 7.03
Analyze data to determine trends or patterns to determine how an infectious disease may spread including:

Carriers.
Vectors.
Conditions conducive to disease.
Calculate reproductive potential of bacteria.

Objective 7.04
Evaluate the human attempt to reduce the risk of and treatments for microbial infections including:

Solutions with anti-microbial properties.
Antibiotic treatment.
Research.

Objective 7.05
Investigate aspects of biotechnology including:

Specific genetic information available.
Careers.
Economic benefits to North Carolina.
Ethical issues.
Impact for agriculture.

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January 10, 2007 by jmmblake.

While strolling around the iPod accessories section at the Crabtree Mall Apple, Inc. store today, I noticed a very small lapel microphone almost on out of reach from the the floor. The company, Xtrememac was one that I had read about on a blog.  The box was labeled MemoMic.  I read the description on the package and it said “This product is compatible with all digital recorders.” Hum, could this work with my Belkin mic?  Last summer, I purchased a new iPod Video and a matching Belkin TuneTalk Stereo microphone.

Prior to owning the Belkin TuneTalk, I used my iMic with my 4th Generation iPod to record podcasts.  My students could not seem to get comfortable with the iPod sitting there.  I experienced the same blank stares from my students when I tried record them with the iPod Video and TuneTalk.  So, I tried using several different external microphones.  I tried using the Griffin Lapel Mic, and a Sony lapel mic.  They did not produce quality audio.  I can not describe the way they sounded.  Maybe I should make a demo of the sound.  You don’t have to believe me, try it yourself.  They just sound crappy. 

I left the Apple Store, and went to eat some lunch and returned to the store.  The store audio expert tried to explain how the MemoMic was designed to work the XtremeMac’s iPod recorder.  I just listened to his canned sales pitch and then after he had finished, I asked a simple question.  I asked him if the MemoMic  would work with my Belkin TuneTalk.  I am one of those customers that love to ask questions that stump the experts.  It must be all those years I spend running my sporting goods business.  Some customers must stay up all night coming up with questions to stump the employees.  I was not trying to “show off”, I just wanted to know if they had heard about anyone trying to use the MemoMic with with a non-Xtreme recorder.  I left the store with that question going round and round in my head.  I walked from one end of Crabtree Mall to the other to my truck in the parking lot.  I dug in my computer bag and located my Belkin TuneTalk and turned around and went back to the Apple Store. 

I walked straight to the XtremeMac MemoMic display, and a different clerk came up to me with one of their new handheld checkout devices that scans the UPC and lets you swip your credit card to complete the transaction.  I think the store clerk and audio expert must have seen me come in and ran to keep from having to listen to my crazy question.   Well,  I bought the MemoMic– BAM!  It would not have been the first or last time I have plunked down money on a tech toy that did not work.  I ripped into the box and plugged it into my TuneTalk mic attached to my iPod.  The first two test recordings did not work.  The audio level was almost inaudible.  Then, I noticed the TuneTalk’s gain switch on the bottom was in the off position.  Moving the switch to on, I tried another short recording.   It was very clear and crisp.  The background noise in the Apple Store was like a middle school classoom on Friday at 5 seconds after the bell to go home.  Well, not that bad, but close. 

I was very excited with the way the Xtreme MemoMic works with the Belkin TuneTalk.  I plan to use the device with my students this week to record some podcasts.  I will link to them when they are posted. 

XtremeMac iPod Audio Accessories: MemoMic™ for MicroMemo

Get crisp, clean recordings of your meetings, interviews and presentations

MemoMic™ is a professional-style microphone that clips to a lapel or shirt. This omni-directional mic is designed to pick up meetings, lectures, or any audio hands-free. It’s perfect for capturing every word into a voice recorder (like our MicroMemo™), video camera or through a public address system.

You don’t have to be a big shot to come across like one. Clip it on, plug it in and you’re all set.

* Omnidirectional
* Uses popular 3.5mm plug
* Ideal for voice recorders, camcorders, VoIP
* Inconspicuous 4-foot cable
* Extra windscreen and clip
* 90° angle mini-plug for comfort

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December 26, 2006 by jmmblake.

This past September, I purchased a new iPod Video.  Thousands of them have been bought, and so far it is working fine.  My Belkin microphone word fine.  I do not like the way it sounds when it is set on stereo.  My favorite audio recording device for classroom podcasts is not my iPod and Belkin mic.  I prefer recording directly into GarageBand with a USB headphone with mic.  My students rehearse their podcast using the built in mic on our classroom iBooks.  To prepare for their segment by reading, researching, discussing, and writing about their assignment.  If we are introducing a chapter in science, instead of outlining the chapter, or reading it out loud, students are assigned short answer questions and are asked to correctly answer on the tape.  I know, you are thinking, but this is nothing more than using technology for as a worksheet.

This criticism is true.  However, this is a strategy I have been using with that are reluctant readers.  I discovered that when given the proper topic, they can develop questions, and conduct very professional interviews.  One that worked for me surfaced last year.  Our district developed a student dress code.  After the students listened to the newly board approved rules, I turned on the recorder in GarageBand and backed away and just observed.  They interviewed each other and discussed their feelings about the new dress code.  I was blown away.  They did not write a word down, it was all live.  After they listened to it, they commented that they wished they had remembered to say “this and that”.  The teachable moment: I reminded them that a good interviewer makes a list of questions before conducting their interviews. If I had made them write ten questions before they started recording, they would have wined and complained and probably never completed the podcast.  So, my constant struggle with having students create podcasts has been pre-writing and rough-draft stuff.  My students want immediate gratification.  They are all about “playing” with computers, and do not like “doing work.”  I have used the podcast templates from Willow Radio.  I was not able to find the link to their page.  Must have been moved. 

Try it, you will like it.  Bottomline, podcasts are not easy, but the kids like them if they think that someone is listening. 

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October 22, 2006 by jmmblake.

In this episode of Classroom III, students researched information online and in the booklet that came with our gecko’s habitat. To listen to the podcast, click on the image below to navigate to our podcast page on Gcast. I am trying to learn how to post the podcasts in the blog, but I have not gotten the hang of it. To subscibe to the podcast in your RSS feed reader, click on the Subscribe Free button below the image of our Classroom III podcast. Also, if you have a MySpace page and want to include our podcast, use the Add to my Page link.



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October 14, 2006 by jmmblake.

This past week in my science class, my students have been exploring the behavior of a gecko. We ordered it from a biological supply along with a new habitat. Students researched the characteristics of the lizard and investigated requirements for its healthy life.

Photographing a moving gecko is not as easy as it looks. I took 5 or 6 shots of it and only have one image that looks half way decent.

technorati tags:Gecko, reptile

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August 12, 2006 by jmmblake.

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April 23, 2006 by jmmblake.

Billboard Podcast,
originally uploaded by The Blake Slate.

I found this cool tool that works with flickr and have not been able to get away from my computer. I know my students will love this! They can upload photos from their computer and edit it to create engaging content for their blogs.

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January 7, 2006 by jmmblake.

PodcasterCon ‘06 Chapel Hill, NC,
originally uploaded by The Blake Slate.

Mr. Blake attended a podcaster conference Saturday, Jan. 7, 2006 in Chapel Hill, NC. He participated in discussions on how schools use podcasting and listened to lectures on advanced podcasting topics.

Attendees for this conference included a wide variety of interests and backgrounds. There were men and women from all over the nation participating in the sessions. Presenters in the sessions talked about how they used equipment to create their podcasts.

The audience participated in lecture by adding comments to the session based on their personal experiences and personal preferences. Participants in the advanced podcasting session were real experts in their fields. I noticed in the presences of internationally famous podcasters and professional musicians, network engineers from universities, recording and news entertainment media and corporations. One important consideration was that this conference tried real hard to (IMHO) to discourage commercial sponsorship. Those in attendance were more interested in sharing how podcasting works. I did not personally attend all the sessions, however topics discussed in those sessions included a variety of issues that included video blogging, copyright issues, and educational podcasting. After lunch, I did participate in Mr. David Warlick’s session on podcasting in education.

Session Description

New information and communication technologies are providing students with unprecedented access to the world they are learning about. Classroom walls are becoming invisible through the Internet and the information it causes to flow. What are the potentials of using podcasting to give voice to that world and to give voice to our students? What are the barriers, and what are the key entryways into leveraging global voices in our neighborhood schools? Join us in discussing the potentials and avenues of podcasting in the classroom

Session Moderator: David Warlick — 30-year educator, 25-year education technologist Here is a picture from that session.

I took some notes on my laptop during the session, however, due to some network issues the wireless network was mostly non-functional. I closed my laptop after becoming frustrated with not being able to blog the session in real-time and probably was able to focus more on what was being said. Steven Dembo was able to login to the wireless network using his laptop and documented some interesting and detailed information on his blog.

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November 25, 2005 by jmmblake.

Show Notes– Mr. Blake’s Classroom Podcast #9, Nov. 23, 2005

1. Students Summary of Weekly Topics of Study
   1. Landforms- Niko’s summary covers the topic of landforms on the earth’s surface.
      1. Plains
      2. Plateaus
      3. Mountains
         • Folded
         • Fault-block
         • Up-warped
         • Volcanic
   2. Mapping- Longitude and latitude are discussed by Demote
   3. Time Zones- Anthony summaries the 24 time zones of earth and the International Date Line
   4. Topographic Maps- Curtis summaries what he learned about topo maps…
   5. Mercator and Conic maps- Leslie summarizes terms she tried to learn this past week…
2. Shout out: Live from the Bronx! Fordham University ’s Regional Educational Technology Center (RETC) in New York City provides lively conversations about technology and education with leaders in the field. Ed tech expert, Mark Gura and RETC Director, Dr. Kathy King, bring the latest resources, updates, interviews and commentary on technology innovations’ meaning for our teachers, students and communities . From software applications, to intimate conversations with notable and experienced educators, ed techies, and authors, this is not your typical podcast!
3. Heard it on a Podcast Music. http://music.podshow.com
   

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