New Year, New Habits

Gearing up for a new school year? It is about this time you may be thinking about how this year will be better than they last. It is a challenge and sometimes a downright struggle to get into routines that require a bit of ”work.” even when we know that they deliver great results!  To make these good routines stick, you must keep at it, be persistent and FOCUS on the outcome. Doing the assignments even when you don’t feel like it or when you don’t think you can takes willpower and resolve – both of which are choices you make and perspectives you choose to take. Not liking something is a very poor excuse for not doing the task that needs doing.  Success is then a habit based on consistently good choices.  If you haven’t made the good choices in the past (or didn’t need to for whatever reason), you know what to do!   

                                                                     ”If it is to be, it is up to me” 

 Here are some more quotes to think about as you consider my words and what they mean to you. Remember that only YOU can make the changes necessary to be a success.  Talking a good game doesn’t mean you play a good game.

            ”Do not let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.” John Wooden 

“You don’t concentrate on risks. You concentrate on results. No risk is too great to prevent the necessary job from getting done.” Charles Yeager 

                    ”Your FOCUS needs MORE FOCUS“  Mr. Han

                                         “People do not lack strength; they lack will.” Victor Hugo 

 “There’s no such things as coulda, shoulda, or woulda. If you shoulda and coulda, you woulda done it.” Pat Riley                                                                                                                                     

                                                ”Just DO it!” Nike

College Night – Harborside 9/22/10

Thinking of going to college?  See college representatives in person to see what they have to offer you.  Click here for more information. 

1. Seniors, you should be working on your applications, scholarships, and getting recommendations for those things. 
2. Juniors, you should be working on selecting possible majors and then finding schools that offer your majors. 
3. Sophomores, you should begin working on the skills that will help you be successful in an academic world  where advocating for your own education and right to learn is paramount.

Sumobot Battles 2010

I have posted video footage from our super fun culmination of physics – Sumobot battles.  From a box  filled with assorted items like plastic gears, hardware, sheets of aluminum, wheels, motors and wires my awesome students planned, designed and built robots that battled for the title of Sumobot Champion.  On group had 7 class days and another group had 3 class days to build before battling.  100% of the robots were prepared for battle.

Enjoy the footage, we did!  

Sumobots 2010

Mrs. G

Test Correction Reflection

Test Correction Reflection

 Make the appropriate test corrections. Then answer the following questions:

The SPECIFIC CONCEPTS that I did not really understand were:

 For each concept: 

I thought the concept was ________________________, but it was really __________________

The strategies I need to use do well on the next test are:

Very Cool Solar Images and Videos from NASA

Check out this link and you will find some very cool images of the sun that won’t blind you! 

You can see eruptions, temeratures, magnetic fields, and solar flares.  Very awesome!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/21/solar.observatory.images/index.html?hpt=C1

FREE AP Exam Review from Florida Virtual School

While there is no AP Physics, Chemistry, or Environmental Science review, there are reviews for US History, English Language, English Lit, Calculus, and US Government.  Check the Link below.  Exams begin the first week of May.

http://www.flvs.net/areas/flvscourses/pages/testreviewap.aspx

Smashing Atoms – Ununseptium

They finally did it!  The final “missing” element on the periodic table – Ununseptium (or Element 117).  In a few years, it will have a name.

Read the article below at this link. 

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/08/element-finding-atom-end-material-world/

Smashing Protons at LHC – March 30, 2010

Something very cool is happening at the Large Hadron Collider.  They are smashing protons to learn about some of the tiniest things we know about.  Science helped create the technology to create the LHC.    The technology will help us unfold more mysteries about the world we know. 

They have a live webcast now that will be replayed (morning of March 30, 2010).  How amazing is it that such a momentous occasion in science could be shared with the WORLD.  It is truly amazing the things we can do.

Here’s an article from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/science/03/30/large.hadron.collider/index.html?hpt=T1

Here is the link to the recording of the live webcast: http://cdsweb.cern.ch/collection/Videos

In a future post, I will have links for you to help you understand what it is they are trying to do.  Mrs. G  (THIS IS SOOO COOL!)

Pitch your Glitch

So you took the test and I asked you to do it again so that you could focus on finding your glitch. Hopefully you were able to find it. Read on for recommendations on how to pitch your glitch.

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” Lou Holtz

Going into anything with a bad attitude will get you bad results. Saying that you are going to fail is a sure path to not achieving “the grade.” Your perception is your reality. Your beliefs color your experiences and affect the way you react in your experiences. Additionally, complaining about having to take a test will not change the fact that you are taking one. Do the work that you are asked to do. Know the language (vocabulary) that will be on the test and what will be tested. Always do your personal best (and only you know when you have done that). If you go into a test knowing that you studied and that you have the responsiblity for proving what you know, I would think that a test would be a good means to prove to YOURSELF and others that you know it.
And then to envision that good grade on the test would be even better. Going in with this perspective and attitude can translate beyond your academic career. In my experience in the “real world,” I find I have to demonstrate my competence in all aspects of my life. Knowing that I can only give what I have and that I know what my personal best helps me handle life’s “tests.” My results aren’t always the best when I compare myself to what someone else has done. In fact, there is usually someone better than me. That is OK. I am not them. When I have reached or exceeded my personal best, it is time to celebrate and move on to a new goal. When I haven’t met my personal best, I make the effort to do it again when I get the opportunity.

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” Mahatma Gandhi

Didn’t understand what the test was on? Well, what you did to prepare for the test didn’t work. Learn and understand the vocabulary, do the assignments, ask questions, think about how it relates to your reality in some form or fashion. Be responsible for your learning.

We all have abilities. The difference is how we use them. Stevie Wonder

Second guessing oneself is a classic glitch. Your first answer is right, and your second choice is wrong. When evaluating how you did on your tests, are you usually right on your first choice? If the answer is yes, TRUST that you are CORRECT the first time. Yes, the answer can be that easy/obvious. As long as you read the question for what it is, stick with your first answer. You may even go so far as to only recheck questions you are unsure of. Pay attention to your physiology you may pick up cues that let you know “Yup, that’s the answer” or “hmmm, I should look at that one again”. Feel the need to check all of your work? On the questions you are confident about, just read the question to see if you read it correctly the 1st time around. If you did, just check to see that you marked your first choice (which should be marked on your test book) on the scantron/answersheet if it is a multiple choice or gridded response

Character gets you out of bed; commitment moves you to action. Faith, hope, and discipline enable you to follow through to completion. Zig Ziglar

Rushing through the test is another glitch. Your desire NOT to take the test is not a good reason to speed your way through the test for the sake of finishing quickly. (Very few people like taking them…) Overconfidence can result is rushing though a test. Slow down to a reasonable pace. You are missing keywords and phrases that will unlock questions. Critically read your questions and what THEY WANT. Then look at the answers and select the one that best answers the question being asked. You will finish when you finish. Your quality of work and attention to DETAILS are more important. Do it right the first time and chances are you won’t have to do it again.

Dwelling on a question is another glitch. I observe this in students who want perfection, who are not confident in their abilities as a thinkers or testers, or in those who didn’t study as well as they should. Here is the deal. POINTS ARE POINTS. Get the ones you can get – no cheating, of course!.

An average person with average talent, ambition and education, can outstrip the most brilliant genius in our society, if that person has clear, focused goals.
Brian Tracy

HOW to MAXIMIZE YOUR AWARDED POINTS:
Follow this strategy. For any test, you should go through the test at least 3 times.

First time through: Do 3 things.
(1) Answer the questions you “know cold” and can do quickly -less than 30 seconds after you have read the question,
(2) Circle the questions you need some time on – more than 30 seconds;
(3) And “x” the questions you don’t know.
You should still have a bit of time after this go-through.

Second time through: Do 2 things.
(1) Allocate a certain amount of time per question for the ones you need time on. Remember – points are points so get them where you can (not with cheating, of course).
(2) Then answer those marked questions.

Third time through: Do these things.
(1) Re-read the questions you answered to see if you interpreted the question as intended.
(2) If you did, check to see that you correctly marked the answer you originally chose (MC) or read through your answer to see if your answer addresses the question directly.
(3) If you didn’t read the question as intended, check your answer to make sure it answers what is asked.
(4) Check to see that you have answered enough questions to do well.
a. If you don’t have enough answers or if you have time remaining, re-evaluate the remaining questions again to see if you can reason your way through the question to get to a “comfortable” 50:50. Then pick an answer. You have a better shot at getting it right.
b. Comfortable with what you have answered and have less than 5 minutes? Then look at steps 5 and on.
(5) Taking a MC test that has no penalties for guessing? Try to answer the question. It won’t affect your score
(6) Taking a MC test that has penalties for guessing? If you can reason your way through the question to get to a “comfortable” 50:50, pick an answer and bubble it in. You have a better shot at getting it right. Straight out guessing/bubbling is not encouraged as chances are low you will get it right.
(6) Taking a short response test? Write something down, anything that is related to the question asked. You may get lucky. You can’t get points for a “blank space” so write something down.

I hope this helps.

Knowledge when applied is POWER.

Mrs. G