Tuesday a college group came to do Romeo and Juliet for the Freshman and the magnet students. It was first and second periods (and part of homeroom). Many of my students are in the magnet program, so many of my students were gone. I had no idea what to do. I could present something new, and then have 12 kids in two different classes to re-teach it to. So I did something I thought would be review.
They were struggling with the dissolution of polar and ionic molecules. I made them a worksheet with more practice. I thought, well, we’ll do it in class. They can work in partners and then put the answers on the board. It will be a little easy and boring (especially for third period).
That was not the case. I’m really glad we did that. My students said it was helpful, and most of them were quite confused about it. We spent a lot of time reviewing how to identify ionic and polar compounds. I did not spend that long on this last week, because they had learned it already. Or, I should say, they had been taught it already. I think that most of my students are now starting to get it.
We talked about hydrogen, which is sometimes a metal, in the same way that ‘y’ is sometimes a vowel.
Most of them said they understand it better, but only one or two students said that they now get it. I don’t know what to do, spend another day on it. Polar and ionic are two central concepts in chemistry, and they are powerful for explaining things. I’ll have to think of some way of reviewing the material before the test, but we need to get to acids and bases. (If I sound like I’m in a hurry, it’s because I want all of 4th quarter for organic/biochemistry).
I assumed that my magnet students (many of whom are quite good students) would be fine without yesterday, but that is not the case. So I still have to re-teach 25% of my students. Sigh. I just wish they would have assemblies some other period.
