Category Archives: In the Classroom

Balanced presentation policy?

The Alachua County School Board met recently and judging from this story, it was a fightin’ affair from start to finish. All sorts of people were irritated about all sorts of things. Near the end of the story is an … Continue reading

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5th-graders get their hands dirty

It’s good to see kids continuing their science learning in the summer … and actually getting engaged in it to the point where they like it. Alachua’s outdoor classroom is a labor of love for fifth-grade paraprofessional John Goettel, known … Continue reading

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Science education starts young

The St. Lucie School System is taking a step in the right direction concerning science education. Science understanding requires a firm foundation built as early as possible in children’s lives. So, a group of elementary school teachers were treated to … Continue reading

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Launching eggs wins out over graduation

I got a press release from Boynton Beach Community High School about a couple of students who decided that sending raw eggs sky high was more important than attending their own graduation. Here’s the press release: Two seniors from Boynton … Continue reading

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Not all animals eat out of a bowl

A biology teacher attracted some attention recently when he showed students a boa python eating a rabbit. Live. It seems that a video of the demonstration shot by a student was posted to YouTube and the video may have been … Continue reading

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Why are science FCAT scores low?

Low science FCAT scores (see previous post) were mentioned in many news stories yesterday and today, and a few even made that element the story’s hook. (“But scientists they are not.”) There is no in-depth analysis of the problem, though, that … Continue reading

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2007 science FCAT scores

Florida’s science FCAT scores were released today. For those who don’t know, the FCAT is the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test given annually to all Florida public school children in grades 3 through 11. The FCAT is supposed to measure what … Continue reading

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Florida teacher heading to Space Academy

Fourth-grade teacher at Laurel Oak Elementary School, Jodi Vidaurri, is heading to the Space Academy for Educators program in Huntsville, Ala., this summer. This story tells us why this “spacy” teacher deserves it. Vidaurri lobbied to have her new school, … Continue reading

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