Well, the final day of the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teacher Academy (MEMTA) is here. It's a bittersweet day because I have so enjoyed learning so much that I wish I could stay longer, but I also am ready to come home and get started using what I've learned!
I had to take just one more look out of the beautiful Hyatt Regency on the Hudson River. It's such an amazing location and the staff was absolutely wonderful!
I had to take just one more look out of the beautiful Hyatt Regency on the Hudson River. It's such an amazing location and the staff was absolutely wonderful!
Our first session was called Iron Scientists, Mathematicians, and Engineers We did a lot of studying about how kids learn best when they learn to create their own science problems to solve. Instead of a traditional science fair where kids pick from a stack of science experiments, it's really best to let them think of a problem in the real world they would like to solve. So, we got to try it out!
My group decided that we wanted to discover how long it would take different liquids put in a small container with Alka-Seltzer to explode! We tried many liquids including water, skim milk, Dr. Pepper, tea, coffee, decaf coffee, half and half, and Coke. We had to make a prediction, take our data, create a chart, and come up with results. We then had to present our scientific findings to the group a few members at a time.
My group decided that we wanted to discover how long it would take different liquids put in a small container with Alka-Seltzer to explode! We tried many liquids including water, skim milk, Dr. Pepper, tea, coffee, decaf coffee, half and half, and Coke. We had to make a prediction, take our data, create a chart, and come up with results. We then had to present our scientific findings to the group a few members at a time.
This was Alka-Seltzer in milk! It still made the lid pop off!
After that session, we had an hour to work on a lesson plan we were to bring to the academy. We took that lesson plan and transformed it into a much better lesson with all of the tools we had learned the entire week! My lesson was on camouflage. I can't wait to have you experience it during our animals unit.
Here's a picture of the "PURPLE" group for the week!
Here's a picture of the "PURPLE" group for the week!
Next was lunch where we all got to spend our final meal together. There were lots of pictures and exchanging of phone numbers. We were excited to be heading to our final group meeting.
We went to the theatre of the Liberty Science Center. There were speeches from several different staff members and finally from pro golfer Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy. They both spoke so kindly of teachers and all of the hard work they do. They told stories of the importance of science and math to their own children and family. They shared the reasons why they got involved in the creation of the academy and thanked the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association), Math Solutions, and ExxonMobil who have all supported the program in its anniversary 10th year! Most importantly they spoke of the intention of this academy. They wanted to have teachers leave the academy equipped, inspired, and feeling a little spoiled. They told us the future of science and math education was in our hands and it was up to us. We were now Mickelson ExxonMobil Teacher Academy ambassadors and we needed to spread the word because every child deserves to have a teacher with this experience. Both Phil and Amy spoke so kindly of teachers and showed a passion for learning you don't get to see very often.
At 2:15, we all walked to the great front steps of the Liberty Science Center. We stood posed and Phil and Amy took their spots part way up. A photographer showed up to take a great big group photo. Immediately after the photo, we were given directions to head for the bus to take us to the airport. I went that way as a few others stayed behind to get some extra photos with Phil and Amy. I would have stayed, but didn't want to hold up the bus (or get left)! You can see my super quick selfie as we waited for everyone to get settled on the steps.
We were bussed to the airport and after a little confusion about which bus our bags were located on and the outside ticket agents not being able to get our tickets printed, we FINALLY made it through to security. There, they scan everything you are bringing on the airplane and scan your body to keep everyone safe. It's very easy. Have any of you had to do that?
This is my last blog for the MEMTA week. I can't say enough how so very special they made me feel during this week. They really made me feel like the teaching profession I belong to is one of the most important in the world! I'm inspired. I'm ready to share the knowledge from all of free books and thousands of dollars of online resources I now have access to. I'm ready to be challenged and to challenge all of your third grade minds reach your highest potential.
So, from Mr.Sammons to MEMTA and the nation's best teaching faculty of science and math, I want to say thank you for helping me grow and change. To my new science and math fellow teaching friends from all around the country, I want to say we'll be chatting soon! To the future third graders of Aplington Elementary, I want to say buckle your seat belts, THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE CRAZY RIDE!
Thanks for following our blog!
Sincerely,
Mr. Sammons
This is my last blog for the MEMTA week. I can't say enough how so very special they made me feel during this week. They really made me feel like the teaching profession I belong to is one of the most important in the world! I'm inspired. I'm ready to share the knowledge from all of free books and thousands of dollars of online resources I now have access to. I'm ready to be challenged and to challenge all of your third grade minds reach your highest potential.
So, from Mr.Sammons to MEMTA and the nation's best teaching faculty of science and math, I want to say thank you for helping me grow and change. To my new science and math fellow teaching friends from all around the country, I want to say we'll be chatting soon! To the future third graders of Aplington Elementary, I want to say buckle your seat belts, THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE CRAZY RIDE!
Thanks for following our blog!
Sincerely,
Mr. Sammons