welcome to Mrs. Kinney's
Flipped out
Science Class
Welcome!
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
Hi, my name is Mrs. Kinney and I will be your 7th Grade Life Science Teacher. In our science class we will explore science concepts using technology, ISN interactive notebooks, the flip classroom technique, and critical thinking while investigating life science objectives.
I am so excited for your child to be a part of my classroom this year!! I will say though, that this year will be a little different than you or your child may be used to. I will be using a teaching model known as the “flipped classroom” and “project based learning”. Let’s first start with, what is a “flipped classroom”?
In short, a “flipped classroom” takes the traditional model of teaching where I teach and your child goes home and does homework, and flips it! It allows for students to receive a more individualized science education where my actual face-to-face time with them is being used effectively. Because of this difference in teaching your child ends up learning the material at a much deeper level. In addition, it challenges students to learn how to take charge of their learning!. It also is going to provide us much more time in class to have discussions and really dig deeper into the learning through hands on, projects, and inquiry based learning!
(Frequently Asked Questions)
How will “homework” change?
For homework, students will be required to watch videos created by me, where I will teach them the lesson and give examples in the same way they would receive it in class. What’s awesome about the kids having their instruction via video, they can now pause, rewind, or re-watch any part of the video at any time. They can even fast forward if they learn at a quicker pace. Each video covers one concept and each video will be about 4-10 minutes in length. Students should plan on spending TWICE the amount of the time on homework as the video is in length, since they will also be completing a summary page over each video to show they’ve watched the video.
The videos can be accessed on the notes link above. Students can get the videos on a flash drive in order to watch them without internet access or they can download the videos from the iTunes U app at school directly to their iOS device! Because the videos are online, they can be accessed by ANY internet-capable device, such as a cell phone. Other options are available by request, such as getting the videos on DVD to watch on a TV instead of a computer.
If you have concerns about your child having access to the videos, please let me know and I will make accommodations.
When students are done watching a video, they will take notes in their interactive notebooks. When they are done watching a video they will write a summary of the concept they learned about using cornell notes. They will complete their Cornell style notes in their interactive science notebooks. The summary will always be a paragraph explaining the video with the essential questions and key terms described. After the summary, students come up with at least one question regarding the content in their notebooks to bring to class to share. This may be a question that they do know know how to answer and need explained, or it may be a question that they do know the answer to. The could also create a question they could see on an exam based after the content..
There may still be a few nights where homework will look more like regular “homework” (mainly for test reviews)....students will be doing review worksheets for exams. However, now students have access to the lessons online and can re-watch any if they don’t remember key concepts.
I forgot to watch my video!
Students need to understand the responsibility they have. If they choose not to come to class prepared, they will not be joining the class activity that day. Instead they will watch the video on a device in class and then work on worksheets that cover the same concept as the hands on activity everyone else will be completing.
What are we now doing in class??
When students come into class, we begin by discussing their notes in small groups of 3 or 4. Then we discuss them as a whole class.
After we complete our mini lesson portion of the class, students will work in small groups on an activities to help them practice and develop full understanding of the science concepts. These activities are hands on, creation, project based activities that will allow them to really delve deeply into the concepts that we are studying. I am constantly walking around from group to group guiding their discussion and helping them along the way. Students will be active in creating their own content, by writing lab experiments, recording their own short videos, finding resources online, and making engaging and interactive learning activities to share with their peers.
Videos will NOT be given every night, I will post videos and resources on Thursday and notes are due the following Monday. So students will still receive some large group instruction from me. They will also still learn the songs and chants I use often. In addition, there is still time for large group and whole-class reviews if the large group needs to go back over a concept. However, most of the teaching is now focused on smaller groups of students who need help on certain concepts, leading to fully differentiated instruction and support. I will have the students keep a calendar on edmodo so you can be aware of when each video is assigned and due.
What does the “flipped classroom” require of you as a parent/guardian?
What’s great about the “flipped classroom” is that it allows you, the parent/guardian, to be much more actively engaged in your child’s education! I hear quite often that parents don’t remember doing this in science! Totally understandable! What’s great now is that you can “re-learn” the material WITH your child! Here are now several very easy ways you can help your child.
1) Provide your child with a quiet place to watch the video (preferably with headphones to limit distractions). If internet access is not available at your house, provide your child with the time to come before or stay after school to watch the video in my classroom.
2) Ask your child about their notes. Students will learn how to take notes and this will set them up for the future. Note taking is the hardest thing for students to do on their own. But with our help they will be successful.
3) Check out the question/notes they wrote down and make sure it even makes sense!
4) Remind them that it’s ok if they need to pause or rewind the video if the instruction feels like it’s going by too quickly!
5) Watch the videos with them so you can learn along with them! This does not mean you are now the teacher or a homeschool situation. This just means now students are well prepared for the lesson and I can not give them hands on activities and projects to re-enforce the lesson.
If you have any further questions please email me, write them on the contact form on the next page, or use the online “Contact Me” link on my website www.mrskinneyscience.weebly.com
Thank you!! I am looking forward to an awesome year!
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
Hi, my name is Mrs. Kinney and I will be your 7th Grade Life Science Teacher. In our science class we will explore science concepts using technology, ISN interactive notebooks, the flip classroom technique, and critical thinking while investigating life science objectives.
I am so excited for your child to be a part of my classroom this year!! I will say though, that this year will be a little different than you or your child may be used to. I will be using a teaching model known as the “flipped classroom” and “project based learning”. Let’s first start with, what is a “flipped classroom”?
In short, a “flipped classroom” takes the traditional model of teaching where I teach and your child goes home and does homework, and flips it! It allows for students to receive a more individualized science education where my actual face-to-face time with them is being used effectively. Because of this difference in teaching your child ends up learning the material at a much deeper level. In addition, it challenges students to learn how to take charge of their learning!. It also is going to provide us much more time in class to have discussions and really dig deeper into the learning through hands on, projects, and inquiry based learning!
(Frequently Asked Questions)
How will “homework” change?
For homework, students will be required to watch videos created by me, where I will teach them the lesson and give examples in the same way they would receive it in class. What’s awesome about the kids having their instruction via video, they can now pause, rewind, or re-watch any part of the video at any time. They can even fast forward if they learn at a quicker pace. Each video covers one concept and each video will be about 4-10 minutes in length. Students should plan on spending TWICE the amount of the time on homework as the video is in length, since they will also be completing a summary page over each video to show they’ve watched the video.
The videos can be accessed on the notes link above. Students can get the videos on a flash drive in order to watch them without internet access or they can download the videos from the iTunes U app at school directly to their iOS device! Because the videos are online, they can be accessed by ANY internet-capable device, such as a cell phone. Other options are available by request, such as getting the videos on DVD to watch on a TV instead of a computer.
If you have concerns about your child having access to the videos, please let me know and I will make accommodations.
When students are done watching a video, they will take notes in their interactive notebooks. When they are done watching a video they will write a summary of the concept they learned about using cornell notes. They will complete their Cornell style notes in their interactive science notebooks. The summary will always be a paragraph explaining the video with the essential questions and key terms described. After the summary, students come up with at least one question regarding the content in their notebooks to bring to class to share. This may be a question that they do know know how to answer and need explained, or it may be a question that they do know the answer to. The could also create a question they could see on an exam based after the content..
There may still be a few nights where homework will look more like regular “homework” (mainly for test reviews)....students will be doing review worksheets for exams. However, now students have access to the lessons online and can re-watch any if they don’t remember key concepts.
I forgot to watch my video!
Students need to understand the responsibility they have. If they choose not to come to class prepared, they will not be joining the class activity that day. Instead they will watch the video on a device in class and then work on worksheets that cover the same concept as the hands on activity everyone else will be completing.
What are we now doing in class??
When students come into class, we begin by discussing their notes in small groups of 3 or 4. Then we discuss them as a whole class.
After we complete our mini lesson portion of the class, students will work in small groups on an activities to help them practice and develop full understanding of the science concepts. These activities are hands on, creation, project based activities that will allow them to really delve deeply into the concepts that we are studying. I am constantly walking around from group to group guiding their discussion and helping them along the way. Students will be active in creating their own content, by writing lab experiments, recording their own short videos, finding resources online, and making engaging and interactive learning activities to share with their peers.
Videos will NOT be given every night, I will post videos and resources on Thursday and notes are due the following Monday. So students will still receive some large group instruction from me. They will also still learn the songs and chants I use often. In addition, there is still time for large group and whole-class reviews if the large group needs to go back over a concept. However, most of the teaching is now focused on smaller groups of students who need help on certain concepts, leading to fully differentiated instruction and support. I will have the students keep a calendar on edmodo so you can be aware of when each video is assigned and due.
What does the “flipped classroom” require of you as a parent/guardian?
What’s great about the “flipped classroom” is that it allows you, the parent/guardian, to be much more actively engaged in your child’s education! I hear quite often that parents don’t remember doing this in science! Totally understandable! What’s great now is that you can “re-learn” the material WITH your child! Here are now several very easy ways you can help your child.
1) Provide your child with a quiet place to watch the video (preferably with headphones to limit distractions). If internet access is not available at your house, provide your child with the time to come before or stay after school to watch the video in my classroom.
2) Ask your child about their notes. Students will learn how to take notes and this will set them up for the future. Note taking is the hardest thing for students to do on their own. But with our help they will be successful.
3) Check out the question/notes they wrote down and make sure it even makes sense!
4) Remind them that it’s ok if they need to pause or rewind the video if the instruction feels like it’s going by too quickly!
5) Watch the videos with them so you can learn along with them! This does not mean you are now the teacher or a homeschool situation. This just means now students are well prepared for the lesson and I can not give them hands on activities and projects to re-enforce the lesson.
If you have any further questions please email me, write them on the contact form on the next page, or use the online “Contact Me” link on my website www.mrskinneyscience.weebly.com
Thank you!! I am looking forward to an awesome year!