In chemistry class, we're learning about atoms and elements and molecules. The accompanying science lab has the students using marshmallows to represent atoms and toothpicks to represent the bonds that connect the atoms together. My kids said it was the best lab ever.
I gave each group a bowlful of colorful mini-marshmallows and some big plain marshmallows. The little ones were supposed to be Hydrogen and Chlorine which both have one electron to give up (forming one bond with another element). The big marshmallows were Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen. Of course my students wanted to know if they could eat the marshmallows. Only after your lab area is clean! And I'm pretty sure they followed that rule. (They would've tattled on each other if someone snuck one while my back was turned!)
Only three days left to write our NaNo stories. A bunch more of my students are finishing their stories. Now they want to add pictures to them. I'm still on the fence about that. To buy me some time, I said "wait until next week."
I also went through the art projects I've been collecting since the beginning of the year. In April, the Lutheran schools of the area band together for the Fine Arts Fair. Each student from our school is required to bring an art project. Well, I've heard enough stories from other teachers about forgetting to save projects (and then rushing to get something to bring at the last minute) that I've come up with a system that ensure everyone has at least SOMETHING they can bring.
The Brainiac Club stuff had to move to a different wall so there's room to hang all their art. I sorted the three projects I had from each student and they got to pick which one they wanted to go to the Fine Arts Fair. That one stayed to get hung on the wall; the rest went home. If we do a different project that they like better and want to bring that one instead, it's an easy fix to just swap them out! Now I just need to figure out how to put them on the wall. I've seen where people hot glue tacks to the backs of clothespins and then push them into the wall... I think that's probably what I'll do. But should I use two clothespins per project, or just one??? I hope I have room on the wall for all 13 projects!
Tomorrow, Mr. D and I made plans to finally change over my computers from the long table to the little back to back ones. My students are now on the opposing team; they want to keep them the same way. But they'll get used to the old way again. The IT guy actually fixed my computer yesterday. Well, he just changed out the mouse (that's what was causing it to go crazy), and now it's working just like it should.
My new object of worry is my car. Sigh. Recently, it's been making weird clunking when I back up and turn. But it doesn't happen all the time. It kind of feels like I'm running over a chunk of ice or something, but there's nothing there. I've checked the tires to see if something's rubbing on it... but I have no idea what I'm looking for. Am I being paranoid? Who knows. When I googled it, the most common ideas were U-Joints, or something with the sway bar. The thing is, I'm pretty sure I had those fixed somewhat recently. I suppose I should have it in to get checked out.
Mr. D thought maybe it was caused by my car being cold and I should let it warm up a little before driving anywhere. But the user manual of my car says that it doesn't need to be warmed up before running. Anyway, I suppose it's worth a shot.
Well, my teacher bag is brimming with spelling books to correct, and they won't correct themselves. I suppose it's about time I head for home.
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