Powerpoint Games

If you haven't seen them before, with a little hyperlinking we're got ourselves a bit of jeopardy in powerpoint form.  Finally, a reasonable use for PP!  =)  If you didn't know by now, PP is the bane of my existence, waaaaaaay too many boring pp's in freshman chemistry. alas

K, here is an example of what you can expect for some of our review sessions to come.  At the very least you should see how well you can do on your own:

download the powerpoint game 

You may run into an issue with the hyperlinks showing when you've clicked on them or not after viewing a question.  Oh well, quizzing yourself more than once isn't a bad thing.  =)

twiitter nation

Not sure if that phrase is copyrighted or not, but oh well.  Just wanted to keep you up to date on my feed.  Follow me at KMscienceguy.  I'll be doing my best to tweet the fun stuff I'm learning and teaching.  I may be using this for reminders as well at some point.  Please let me know what you want from my feed. 
Twitter has a ton of users out there who are just like us, always learning more about science and sharing sweet links, so yeah, this has been a total learning experience for me because I used to think that twitter was nothing more than mundane stream of consciousness'.  Oh no, I'm starting to see some serious possibilities for what we can do as a class with this - sharing links, tweeting study q's etc., i mean this could be a great way for sharing extra credit with those of you who want that extra little push eh?

Oh well, enjoy

Prezi presentations

So here is a nifty tool that I discovered recently I think it will totally change the way that we as a class do presentations.  I think that powerpoint has had its day and, quite frankly, its time for a regime change.  Here we go... enter Prezi.  This bad boy has features out the wazoo and is SO pleasant to view.  Here is my first stab with a basic little show about traumatic brain injury.  There is a video as part of the slide show that if the presentation were live I would skip around in, but feel free to watch the whole thing in one shot if you like, it is 30 minutes long though.




I think that we well be using this more often in class because I find it much more engaging and visually appealing.  What are your thoughts?  I'm thinking that this would be a fun way for you guys to create slideshows that look more professional, so for our next set of group presentations let's plan on using prezi.  The key to using prezi is to have zooms at the proper times.  I'm no expert at this yet, but I want everyone to start thinking about our subject matter in terms of big picture and details.  In this class, and in life its the big picture that matters most (except of course the detail of when your mother's birthday is - better not forget that!)  So when designing your presentation, try and make things work together to teach the concept.
Like I said, I'm not even close to pro yet, but there are some cool ideas you could use, like have the presentation focus around one main word (with zooms into details) or even around a main photo or diagram.  Be creative!


Kyle

ESC - the Pit and the Pendulum!

Many of you, like me, had a blast when we visited the Eyring Science Center at BYU.  It was a TON of fun and we all learned a lot about physics and geology.  For those of you who couldn't make it, and for those who want to relive some good memories, check out this video about the ESC's amazing pendulum:



So, make sure you know the basics about pendulums: what determines the speed of a pendulum's period and why?  If you can answer those questions then you have a jump start in getting ready for our next test. 

Let me know if you have any questions!

Enjoy!


Mr. Miller

copyrights and copycats

Time for public service announcement number two!  Aren't you excited??  Hopefully the title of the post is self explanatory here - copyrighted material is original work that cannot just be used willy nilly - that'd be copycatting.  And you wouldn't want to be that would you?? lol

So, here are the rules for class assignments when using outside media.  Trust me, you don't want to end up like him:

(http://www.sffaudio.com/?p=2837)

Here we go:
1) fair use allows short segments of copyrighted work to be used without permission from the copyright owner - if in doubt, ask for permission.
2)  Since this is an educational setting, you really shouldn't have to worry about what sort of material you are using - all this changes though if you decide to post it online onsites such as youtube.  There are strict copyright rules, so don't be surprised if your soundtrack gets stripped form the video.  (yes they can tell.)
3) Always provide citations when using someone else's work.

Well, that should do it.  Moral of the story: don't be a copycat.  If you do, give 'em credit.  If you're unsure if you can legally use someone's work, you should probably ask for permission.  Hope that helps, if you have any questions, just ask a teacher, we're here to help.

Internet Usage

Alright folks, here comes the obligatory public notice about internet safety and usage.  Safety!?  The internet is... dangerous??  Well, we don't want it to be.  The internet is a great place to learn and research (go wikipedia!!), connect with friends (gotta love facebook), and occasionally waste some time on youtube (you know you love it too)  =)    But at the same time you need to be aware that there are some people online that want to ruin it for everyone.  Yeah, I know, jerks, right?  Well they are.  These are the guys that try and get your address or phone number, say uncomfortable things in chat rooms, or try and get you to download harmful programs.

OK, time for a true story.  So, once upon a time there was a dumb, I mean 'inexperienced', young man who wanted to watch a movie online... for free.  What a silly child.  All he had to do was fill out a questionnaire and the next hour and a half would be bliss.  Yes, it would be, except for this:  The questionnaire got his phone number, he was then charged $20 in texting fees, oh yeah, and he didn't get the movie.  I think the moral of the story is fairly obvious here.

As an educator (and your parents too) we're going to help you along the way the best we can.  If we see something suspicious (like you spending an inordinate amount of time online, or turning off the monitor when we walk into range) we're going to ask what's up.  So don't try and be sneaky, be honest with us because we're going to be honest with you.

I'm sure you've noticed that all the computers in class are in public spaces, and each has a firewall and search filters.  This isn't because we don't trust you.  It's because we know that it's easy to just start surfing and run into something that's not appropriate.  It's happened to all of us. 

Now, if you're feeling a little bored, make sure to check out some of the science videos we've got posted on the website, oh yeah, and get your homework done!  ; )

see you all in class!

- Mr. Miller

website is live!

Well, if you haven't noticed by now, the official Oak Canyon Science Central website is Live! and ready to go. I hope you all realize that I have had a really fun time designing and implementing this amazing tool. Please take some time to look around and get familiar with what we've got here because we're definitely going to be referring to it throughout the year. This will be a place that you can get assignments, follow the blog, and even tune into a live feed if you're sick and can't make it to class. Like any classroom tool, the website is a work in progress, so please feel free to leave me feedback and let me know what is working and what may need some revision. OK, enough blabbering, time for you to look around and get to know the place. Enjoi.

-Kyle

Summer Fun

It's been a life-long dream to visit the Grand Canyon, and this was the summer to do it.  Talk about a geology fest of epic proportions.  If you've never been, I highly recommend it.  Check out some of the pictures and visit some of the links if you want to learn more about how this amazing natural treasure was formed.

 

National Park service site


wikipedia (our favorite encyclopedia)


extra credit to anyone who can write me two pages on the formation of the Grand Canyon!