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outlines for student notes

8/27/2015

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Wow, for some classes have already begun, for others it’s after Labor Day, but everyone is getting into high gear very soon!

For inexpensive chemistry labs to expand your repertoire, buy my lab book Chemistry on a Budget for $21 at amazon.com or $23 at lulu.com.

Chemistry on a Budget contains several labs that are great for the beginning of the school year!  Topics used include Significant Figures, Density (2 labs) and Physical Separation techniques -- they are very handy for the beginning of the school year.

There are two versions of each lab, one with a ten-question conclusion and one with directions for a full lab report.  This way the teacher has the option!  Each lab is two pages to allow for one two-sided handout. 

It will take a week or so to get to you, so Order Now!

http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Budget-Marjorie-R-Heesemann/dp/0578129159/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389410170&sr=1-1&keywords=chemistry+on+a+budget

http://www.lulu.com/shop/marjorie-r-heesemann/chemistry-on-a-budget/paperback/product-21217600.html

Years ago, during my  first year of teaching (with four preps), I had 45 minute classes and needed a way to make lectures more efficient, with the students listening and thinking more and writing less.

To accomplish this, I would hand out partially completed outlines and use an overhead projector to complete the notes.  I would have the partial outline on one overhead page, and another blank page over it to write on.  This allowed that main page to be used over and over.

This can be accomplished easily if you are fortunate enough to have access to a SMART board.
Here's one design:
http://education.smarttech.com/en/products/6000-series

Years later, I accomplished partial outlines with Power Point presentations. 
Powerpoint prints out the entire slide show – I prefer partial note pages to keep students involved.  To produce a partial outline, you would have to edit it for student use (delete or white out some information).

I like to use animations in the Power Point so that information appears along with the lecture (as opposed to all at once) -- again, this was to keep the students involved and paying attention to the lecture.

This does take longer when preparing a slide show from scratch, but it’s a worthwhile investment.

Some Power Point presentations are published online (thank you to those who have shared) so you could download them and edit for your use.

Here's a site that has several Chemistry PowerPoints that I have listed under Teaching Resources:
http://www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/GNPS/SHS/dept/science/blumberg/Regents%20info%20page.htm

There is research to support the use of partial notes.  According to one article:
“Partial notes … may provide a nice balance in terms of providing students with some notes, which they report as helpful, and still requiring encoding and higher-level processing of information, which will ultimately improve learning and performance.” (p. 11)

Reference: Cornelius, T.L., and Owen-DeSchryver, J. (2008). Differential effects of full and partial notes on learning outcomes and attendance. Teaching of Psychology, 35 (1), 6-12.
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/researchers-recommend-providing-students-with-partial-notes/

Here is another proponent of partial notes or “skeleton notes” :
http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/interactive/skeletonnotes.html

Another benefit of partial notes is that it provides an easy outline for you, the teacher, to follow.  This is very helpful to the beginning teacher where every lecture is brand new!

*Here is a blank note outline that may be useful:
http://www.nova.edu/yoursuccess/forms/outline-notetaking-method.pdf

Remember: DO NOT LECTURE FOR THE ENTIRE CLASS!  I usually kept my lectures 7-10 minutes (15 maximum).  Students could then break into small groups to solve worksheet problems and/or put homework answers on the board, a brief, teacher-led demonstration that supports the lecture material could occur, or students could complete a “mini-lab”.

Reminder, you will encounter lots of ideas for improving your teaching, and you’ll want to do everything  -- pick one goal each semester – as you gain experience you will also gain techniques!

This Blog contains several entries that would be helpful to your chemistry classroom.  Remember, you can check out the Topic List to help you to find past Blog entries.

Good luck with beginning your 2015-16 school year!

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    Marjorie R. Heesemann is a chemistry teacher with 15 years of experience who is now working to develop resources for the Chemistry classroom.

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