MInneapolis, Minnesota / NSTA Convention

Aloha from Minneapolis, Minnesota! We've been here for a week now and I'm sorry that it has been a while (10/16) since I've added an entry to my sabbatical blog. You are probably wondering what we've been up (or not). Well … CC and I left Kansas and drove up to Council Bluffs, Iowa to visit Mike and Tammy Pavich. Some you know that Mike is a retired Punahou teacher/coach and is now coaching football and track at Western Iowa Community College. In addition to his coaching activities he is doing a great service tutoring his athletes daily so that they can achieve more in the classroom. Tammy, along with her brother Pete, runs the Pork Belly Ventures (PBV), a charter service for cyclists riding RAGBRAI (Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). As many of you know, this is an annual bicycle ride across Iowa during the last full week of July. The charter service has grown nicely over the years, so it is now almost a full time job for Tammy. In addition, Tammy is currently writing her doctorate thesis and is a couple of months from completion (she hopes!). It was great spending quality time with Mike and Tammy as was seeing Tammy's mom, who had us over for dinner. Nothing like a home cooked meal while on the road!!
We left Iowa on a rainy/snowy day to drive to Minneapolis. The roads were wet but not icy (thank goodness) during the 6-hr drive to the Twin Cities. It has been great being on the road, but it is also nice to get to Minneapolis to see CC's mom and to be able to unpack our stuff for a few months. We will be here through the Christmas holidays, so I'm sure my wish of a snowy winter will come true. While here in Minneapolis, I've been attending the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) convention. Today was the second of the three-day convention with a lot of good science and technology ideas shared. Here is a list of sessions that I've attended:
Day 1-
1. Chemistry and the Atom – This was help in learning some new ideas on how to get the abstract concept of atoms across to middle schoolers who are mostly concrete learners.
2. Inquiry Investigation: Using Technology in the Science Classroom – This was a hands on session where we learned the basic of using Frey Scientific's Data Loggers and Virtual Lab technology.
3. Enhancing the Cell Unit with Models and Manipulatives – An elementary (mostly boring) sessions using magnetic pictures (magnetic to a white board) and stuffed models to teach concepts regarding cellular structure and function.
4. Forensics Science Across the Curriculum – This session taught us how to use TI graphing calculators the gathering and analysis of data collected for a Forensics Crime Scene unit. We specifically learned how to determine the time of death using a simulated dead body at a murder scene.
5. Digital Microscopy – We learned (saw) how to use Swift's digital microscopes (and software) to display cells to class. We also learned how to use the microscopes in determining various aspects of cells such as cell count on a slide, cell diameter, cell volume and cell circumference. Data collected automatically is organized in a spreadsheet, which can be exported to Excel.
Day 2-
1. Digital Microscopy in the Classroom – A little redundant from the last session listed above, but using Boreal digital microscopes and Motic 2.0 software. A nicer setup for Macs than the Swift microscopes. Microscopes come with or without a digital camera. Attachable cameras can also be purchased and easily attaches to the any microscope. These scopes have a lifetime warranty and, with the software, seems to be able to accomplish more than Swift's set up. These digital microscopes can take still pictures and video. The trend seems to be to take photos and videos to include in a lab report rather students drawing the cells. There is also an optical staining feature instead of staining the cells (killing the cells) themselves. Nice set up that is relatively affordable… I'm already preparing my next capital budget list!
2. Stop Faking It: Chemistry and the Periodic Table – A very dynamic speaker that gave us several ideas of demos and labs to convince students (esp. the concrete learners) of how we know that subatomic particles exist. The presenter was obviously trying to sell his 'Stop Faking It' books. I checked the books out at the HSTA bookstore … seemed to be very good!!
3. Tough Topics in Chemistry, States of Matter – This was a Pitsco Co. presentation that allowed us to use there new handheld 'Spark' technology that contains all the lab procedure, data collection and essential questions all built in together. A very nice system to use … worth looking in to.
4. Frog Dissection – This was a 'hands on' Carolina Biological Supply sponsored presentation where we dissected frogs that were preserved by a new product called 'Perfect,' a better alternative to other specimen preservatives. I've many frog dissections in class, but not for a few years now. It was nice to dissect again and share what I knew with others, including the presenter, of what I've done in class. The nice perk in this session was we all got t-shirts and were allowed to keep all the utensils and the dissecting pan (all top quality stuff!).
5. Web Adventures, Online Forensics and Biological Effects of Alcohol – This was showing a FREE online forensic simulations (with built-in games) called 'Web Adventures' designed by Rice University. A good idea worth exploring (http://webadventures.rice.edu), but a very presentation (sorry for the commentary … but these presenters are supposed to be teachers!!).


Tomorrow brings another half day of presentations. I'll report to you on those in my next blog entry in a few days. Next week, I will be setting up school visitations around the Twin Cities area.
For those that are interested, the weather here has been mostly drizzling and chilly (30's – 50's). We have had a few partly cloudy days w/o rain and even one gorgeous day where CC and I actually cycled about 35 miles. In my experience, there isn't a better city to cycle in. Miles and miles of dedicated bike paths (some rails to trails program) without ever having to mix it up with cars. I say this even after I was stopped by the police (no ticket, just a warning) for not coming to a complete stop. I guess you actually have to put a foot on the ground to indicate a complete stop. Some of us cyclists with true skills, can come to a complete stop and be completely still (and balanced) without having to place a foot on the ground. In any case, I'm afraid that there will not be many more cycling days left (if any). I hope that you are finding these blog entries interesting. As always, I love to hear your comments … so please keep them coming! Special props goes to one of my former students, Emily Jampel, who seems to be faithfully following my blog and commenting each time (sorry Jamps, you're probably very embarrassed by this). I hope more of my students read and respond!