Thursday, April 30, 2020

Optional Electricity Test and New Non-Profit

If you have completed all of the online assessments for the electricity stuff, you can take this Electricity Unit Test. This is completely optional. You'll only get to take it once, but I'll only put in the grade if it makes your grade go up. All of the problems are taken from the previous online assessments, except I've changed the numbers or wording a little. There are 10 problems worth two points each, and it does go into Synergy as a test.

Next, Kendall Jeong has started a non-profit organization to raise funds for healthcare workers at local hospitals. Here's a description in her own words:

"It is called the COVID Warrior Project, and we sell stickers, pins and cards to raise money for local community hospitals and their healthcare workers! The current sticker I have been working will be donating all of its profits to the TMC Marks Fund, which financially supports the TMC staff during this troubling time. Here is the website for more information: www.covidwarriorproject.com"

Go check it out - looks cool!

And I forgot to put a cat photo on the last post, so here are two:




Monday, April 27, 2020

Restructuring AP Classroom and Random Stuff

Hello all! Some of you are working your way through old labs and tests and completing the new stuff on electricity - thank you! I am grading your stuff and answering your questions as they come in. Remember that there aren't really due dates for those (except the last day of school) and that no matter what, your posted grade at semester will not be lower than your Q3 grade. But it could be higher, and some of you have already achieved that.

Next thing. If you aren't taking the AP test, skip this paragraph. Some people are trying to use the AP Classroom to practice FRQs for the AP test, and it is just not working well. I am going to spend tomorrow restructuring what's in there. A lot of stuff is going to disappear for a bit, then reappear chopped into smaller "assignments" so that you can submit FRQs for me to score one at a time.

Next thing. Remember the Teen Astronomy Cafe? Well they're holding one online in a couple of weeks:

Have you ever wondered about the Universe? How did it begin? Has it changed over time? What will happen in the future? If you have, you’re not alone! For centuries scientists have been trying to answer these kinds of questions. 

To discover the answers by experimenting with the data, we encourage you to come to the next, free Saturday morning online Teen Astronomy Cafés on May 9.  It is entitled “The Expanding Universe” with Dr. Lauren Corlies and Ardis Herrold. 

Please note that owing to ongoing concerns about COVID-19, this event is online and not in-person until further notice.

To participate in our online Teen Astronomy Café,  sign up by May 6 at http://www.teenastronomycafe.org to reserve your spot. On Friday, May  8, we will send you an email on how to connect to the May 9 café through zoom.

Times: 9:30am until 11:30am. (We start on time.)

More information at: http://www.teenastronomycafe.org


Have questions? Contact: Dr. Connie Walker, Director of the Teen Astronomy Café program at cwalker@noao.edu.

And last thing: Ms. Braun has a project you can help with:

COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY

Smiling Messages Project

The project that brings smiles to Seniors

So many are feelings the challenges of COVID-19. Many people in our community are experiencing feelings of sadness, fear, isolation or depression. One Senior community is truly suffering during this time of Social Distancing. Seniors living in Assisted Living Communities are and have been quarantined in their rooms or apartments for quite some time now and this is having a tremendously negative impact on them.

Smiling Messages Project has been created to bring smiles to the faces and hearts of Seniors and to help them to know that they have not been forgotten! It can even do the same for you!

Here’s how you can help:

Make a beautiful, colorful, cheerful card – maybe include an inspirational quote or a picture of yourself dancing or with a pet. Something that would make you smile if it was sent to you.
Mail your card to:

Beth Braun
c/o Esperanza Dance Project
PO Box 90064
Tucson, AZ 85752

Your card will then be delivered to various Assisted Living Communities throughout Tucson to brighten the day of many Seniors!

It’s easy and fun!

If you have questions please email me at Beth.BraunMiscione@tusd1.org

Monday, April 20, 2020

New TUSD Zoom sign-in

TUSD has contracted with Zoom as an official company user, so now sessions hosted by TUSD employees will need a TUSD sign in to access. Here's how you do it:




Friday, April 17, 2020

Zoom Now By Appointment

Hello everyone. I've been getting like one person coming to Zoom office hours every two weeks, so I'm cancelling the set times an going to an appointment system. If you want help with something over Zoom, just email me or message me on Remind and we'll set up a time.

Monday, April 13, 2020

Tests are Done

Happy Monday everyone! I finally finished grading all the tests, and they are now in Synergy. Three things:

  • If you emailed me your test and it's not in Synergy, LET ME KNOW. I looked through my whole email but I don't see any more.
  • If you want your test back, EMAIL ME. I will send you a PDF back, but only if you ask.
  • Yes, you can retake this test. You can also retake the SHM test from February. Email me.

Some of you have been asking about your grades, so here is the policy again:

Your quarter 3 grade will also be your quarter 4 and semester grades UNLESS YOU INCREASE your grade.

So, if you are happy with your Q3 grade, you don't need to pay any attention to what is in Synergy any more. It would be nice for you to finish the content, and if you choose to never make up the test or lab from before break I will remember that and will not write any recommendations for you next year, but just dropping everything now won't bring down your grade.

If you want to try to bring your grade UP from your Q3 grade, you can. I have put "missings" in for everything that is left so you can see how far you have to go. Right now, in Synergy, is where your grade would sit if you did nothing at all for the rest of the year. As you complete stuff, that will go up. If you get it higher than your Q3 grade by the end of the year, you will get the higher grade. If you don't get higher than, or even up to, your Q3 grade, you will get your Q3 grade.

Note: I eliminated the Ohm's Law lab picture submission in the online stuff. All that's in there now are the re-doable Google Forms multiple choice things.

And now, today's cat picture:

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Small Grade Update

Hi all, small change from yesterday. While I am keeping track of your Q4 grade in Synergy, I will post your Q3 grade as both your Q4 and semester grade, unless you increase your grade.

Some of you have asked if this means that you really don't have to do anything the rest of the semester if you're happy with your Q3 grade. Sure. But if you blow off the rest of the year with no good reason (I've talked to some of you that have darn good reasons), don't ask me for a recommendation next year. And not learning anything in 4th quarter means you will start behind in August, which isn't really a big deal in my class but may really hurt you in other classes.

Cat picture: Bruce watching me grade tests at the dining table all day today.

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Friday Holiday and Grade Clarification

Happy Wednesday everyone. Officially Friday is a holiday, so if you contact me on Friday I might not get back to you super quickly. I am also cancelling Friday's Zoom office hour.

Per an email about an hour ago, it turns out that even though the sound test and sound lab were from before the closure, I can't have it affect your quarter grade. I don't think that's fair, but that's how it goes. This doesn't really do anything to anyone, though, since you all have been awesome about emailing those to me anyway. If you still haven't made up the test or sent me the lab, though, I guess you could just blow them off and there aren't any real consequences. However if you do that we have been directed to send your name to administration, so they know who is not really prepared for next year and they can keep an eye on you.

I am still inputting everything I said I would input, but it will be recorded as a quarter 4 grade [edit: it won't post, but it will be in Synergy], which can't bring your semester grade down below your quarter 3 grade. If you want to INCREASE your semester grade from the quarter 3 grade, you can totally do that. You can do the new stuff and make up stuff from last quarter - I'll take it all. I want you guys to get the best grade you can and/or want.

You may see your test grades popping up in Synergy - I'm about 1/4 of the way through them. I'll send you PDFs of your graded tests probably sometime next week so you can decide if you want to retake them.

And finally, cat photo:

Monday, April 6, 2020

Sound Labs + Synergy Updated

Today I put the online assessment grades into Synergy. I will check those every few days to keep them updated; please let me know if you think I missed you.

I also found the setting that lets you change your answers on the online assessments after you submit, so you can just go back in and change your answers instead of completely resubmitting the form.

I finally finished grading the hard copy labs some of you turned in before break. You will be getting a scanned PDF copy of your graded lab by email, Remind, or Synergy soon.

If I never got a hard copy or electronic copy of that sound lab, it now says "missing" in Synergy. Since this was work from before the closure, it WILL affect your semester grade. Please send me pictures of your labs if you haven't already. There are no late penalties.

Tomorrow I will start grading your sound tests. Since these are also from before the closure, they WILL affect your semester grade. The sound tests are the last thing that will affect your semester grade.

Today's cat photo:

Friday, April 3, 2020

Online Content Done! + Info on AP Tests

I have finished online content and assessments at http://volkeningphysics.blogspot.com/p/electricity-unit-remote-learning.html . Remember that this content is self-paced - I will never count anything late. There are little Google Form assessments at the end of each underlined content section. Those little assessments count as homework. There is one picture of one lab you need to send me. There are no other things you HAVE to do for a grade. I will make an optional unit test later, but I want to get your labs and tests from before break graded first.

The College Board released more information about AP tests today. You can read all about test dates and how tests will work at https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students. See my AP Review Resources page for more details about the Physics test in particular.

Note: when you look at the times, look at the "pacific" time because without daylight savings time Arizona is always at GMT -7, which right now is what they're listing as "pacific.". For example, the AP Physics 1 test will be at 1 PM our time on May 14th. They ask students to be online ready to go half an hour before the test start.

Next week we are having a UHS Wellness Week - see flyer below.


Thursday, April 2, 2020

School/District Updates

I received two important announcements today. Please read through these:

A message from the CCCC

ATTN JUNIORS AND FAMILIES:

Future Senior Meetings – All Juniors and parents should plan to attend!

These events are replacing the annual Future Senior Night that prepares students and families for the college application process. Since we can’t meet in person, a series of meetings will be hosted online.

It is really important that ALL juniors and their families attend these meetings as the following will be covered:

• Things to consider when researching and deciding on colleges to apply to
• The college application process, specifically how this works at UHS
• Financial aid & scholarship opportunities
• What you can do prepare for applications and senior year

Meeting dates/times are assigned by your last names because of restrictions with the number of people who can attend a virtual meeting. Each part of the alphabet will have 2 sessions available to attend (you do not need to attend both, we are just offering two dates for flexibility). To join a meeting, click on the link about 5-10 minutes before it starts.
_______
Juniors with last names that start with A through G – choose 1 to attend


Monday, April 6 at 10am: https://tusd1.zoom.us/j/362983165…
OR
Monday, April 6 at 6pm: https://tusd1.zoom.us/j/687282516…
_____


Juniors with last names that start with H through O – choose 1 to attend


Tuesday, April 7 at 10am: https://tusd1.zoom.us/j/733661013…
OR
Tuesday, April 7 at 6pm: https://tusd1.zoom.us/j/785609865…

____


 Juniors with last names that start with P through Z – choose 1 to attend


Wednesday, April 8 at 10am: https://tusd1.zoom.us/j/192893820…
OR
Wednesday, April 8 at 6pm: https://tusd1.zoom.us/j/628902917…


If you know a Junior family that does not have access to a computer or internet, please email Mrs. Palos so that she can give you instructions on how to call in via phone.

Questions? Email Ms. Palos at megan.palos@tusd1.org


A message from District about food pickup:
Good morning,

We are thrilled to share the the Arizona Department of Education has approved the waiver to allow parent/guardian meal pick-up so children do not have to be present to receive meals effective today, April 2. Below is the process.

Parents/Guardians will be asked to provide one of the following for meal pick-up to the TUSD Grab and Go employee:

1) A student ID card, report card, or other school issued documentation with a child’s name such as enrollment, class schedule, IEP etc.

2) Show a video call home to show their children at home.

3) For children not enrolled in school: documentation with a child’s name and date of birth such as a medical document.

4) If none of the above is available, staff will ask for the parent/guardian’s name, child’s name and school (or date of birth if not enrolled in school) which will be logged by staff.

*Staff providing the meals will not be collecting or touching any of the documents, they will just just need to be shown the information.

Thank you!