Change in Plans

Teaching, much like life, throws us curve-balls now and again.
Sometimes those result in a a, "STIIIIIIIIRIKE!"
Other times we hit a home run....this week has bee a HOME RUN!
(See the baseball reference....)

Coming back from spring break (I had one day of break due to working for the Army...whomp whomp) I had the idea of getting out our Keva planks and building some bridges.  We haven't done that in a while. We have been doing a lot of brain work lately with dice and cards, and clay. I wanted to get some things moving with building and breaking things.

When I came into my room, I was happy to find some things I had ordered showed up!  Two big kits of K'Nex and some laserclasrroom light kits.  I received some ZOOB's earlier in the month and had been waiting on the K'Nex to show up so we could do stations.

I threw my bridge idea away and within about 15 min. had a plan to work with our new toys.
It has been a riot watching my students explore with our new gadgets!

I took the light kits to the middle school and it has been great watching 5th graders work together on different light experiments.

As always, you can see more on Twitter.

Better than a Video Game!

he last few weeks I have been trying to give my students some tools to use over Christmas break. I have been giving them simple STEM games that they can play at home either by themselves or with a few friends/parents/relatives/people/whomever. 

Two weeks ago we played "STUCK IN THE MUD" and "KNOCKOUT." Both simple dice games that reinforce the idea of probability. My students had a blast playing, and I had a few come back and say that they had played at home.  You can see my score sheets HERE! Make your own or print these off!

This week we are playing a simple form of YAHTZEE!  I have it scaffolded for EK/K/1, 2/3, and 4th grade. With the younger students I only give them two dice and one roll. The middle group gets three dice and two rolls, while the 4th graders get five dice and three rolls. It has worked well! I was a little concerned (as I often am) with the EK and K groups, but they are adding and having fun. I know that my students will have screen time this Christmas break, but my hope is that they will put the iPad down for a fun STEM game with some of their friends
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SPOOKY SKELETONS!!!

Because it's close to Halloween, we HAD to do something fun with skeletons! It's pretty neat to see what students already know about bones, and how much they don't know!  I have had a few classes that were able to name the largest bone in the body (Femur for those who didn't know....no judgment here.) I have had ZERO classes able to name the smallest bone (Stapes..it's in your ear.) We had some "homework" to do while watching our skeleton video.
1) Where is the largest bone in the body and what is it called? (Upper leg - Femur)
2) Where is the smallest bone in the body and what is it called? (Ear - Stapes)
3) How many bones make up your skull? (21)
4) What do bones make? (Blood)
Then we had some fun making skeletons!
We started by making legs, then arms, then a rib cage.
The grand master challenge was to make an entire skeleton out of our Keva Contraption blocks.
Check me out on TWITTER for more pictures!

All About Apples!

The Kindergarten class went to an apple orchard for their field trip last week.  I thought it would be a PERFECT time to have a lesson about apples.

We watched a short video about how apples go from the tree to the store. (Watch it here) It is DEFINITELY for kids, but it's very informative and the students seemed to enjoy it. They especially liked the "apple river" and sticker machine.

Then we tried to build apple trees. We completed all 5 parts of the, "APPLE STACK CHALLENGE!" If you would like to try the Apple Stack Challenge, here are the Google Slides.  Feel free!

Building the apple trees was a lot of fun. I made a video of all the challenges here.

I was surprised while talking about apples how many students DIDN'T like applesauce....  Even less like applesauce with cinnamon.
I was NOT surprised at how many students liked apple pie, apple crisp, and caramel apples.
It seems that somewhere around 1st grade is when students start to experience apple cider.
Apple cider is one of my favorite drinks on a cold, winter day.

Learning all about apples this week has not only been a lot of fun!

See more on TWITTER!!

Am I a Great Assistant? I hope so!

Kingsford Flivvers

I recently read an article called, "How to Be a Great Assistant Coach."

With the exception of 1 year with the L'Anse Purple Hornets, and one year as an 8th grade basketball coach, I have always been an assistant.

I like to think I'm a good one...

Here are my answers to the questions asked in, "How to Be a Great Assistant Coach."

1) Why did I get into coaching? Great question. I really have no idea.  I guess I just LOVED football so much that I didn't want to be away from it.  When I was in college, I didn't coach at all.  I guess I didn't see the opportunity. I could have found one, but made the choice not to.  When I got to the student teaching part of my education, I asked in my initial interview with my principal and was immediately hired as the assistant coach to the Gwinn Modletowner 7/8 grade team. I have only missed two seasons since that first season of 2005.  In 2006 I was in Iraq and in 2013 I was in Afghanistan.


2) What do I love about coaching? The kids! That is by far the number one. I really enjoy watching them come together as a group of individuals and form a team. I enjoy watching them as they, "get it" and start to understand the game. I enjoy seeing how excited they get over simple things. Stopping at McDonald's is a simple thing... 
I also love the work.  Figuring out what the other team is doing/trying to do. What we can do to counter. What we can do to counter their counter to our counter. I love it!

3) What do I dislike about coaching? That I'm a dork. I spend a ton of time on film, scouting reports, scout cards, etc. Does it matter? Maybe. Have we won a game we would have lost if not for that work? Maybe. I guess for me, I want to be as prepared as possible. If we lose a game by one score, I don't want to think, "Man...If only I would have spent more time figuring out how to...."  I think that would be a huge disservice to the players. So part of what I love in finding out the little things, makes me a dork and I fee like NO ONE else understands besides other coaches.  Even some of them  look at me like I'm a dork.

4) What are my present and future goals? My present goal is to be the best coach I can possibly be for the Freshman Flivvers. We have two more games on the season. I'm positive we can get at least one more win.  Can we get two?  I sure hope so.
My future goal is to be the Varsity head coach of the Kingsford Flivvers. Is that possible?  Maybe.  I know I have a lot to learn before I'm ready to take on that position, but I am in a position right now to learn as much as I can from some really great coaches. In the mean-time, I hope to provide value to the program by helping with what I can, when I can, and learning all I can.


5) Why am I in coaching now? Back to question 1. I love football. I really really do!  I love watching it, coaching it, playing it. It is a wonderful game. I really can't see myself not coaching football.

GO FLIVVERS!!

Football / Life Lessons

Follow the Flivvers on Facebook

Coaching football has taught ME some very valuable lessons. These lessons held true at Gwinn, L'Anse, and here at Kingsford.

I have learned to never (ever) assume that players know what I'm talking about:

"We need to shift into cover three when they show us twins to the boundary."

Blank stares. Gotta put that on the white board, show it on the field, then show them on film VanDusen!

I have learned to over simplify things. A thinking teenager is a slow teenager. I want my players to play fast which means I have to make the thinking easy and/or non-existent.

More importantly, I hope to teach young men valuable lessons.  Not only about the game of football, but also about life.  Here are three lessons that have been prevalent this past season.  They are in no particular order, and this list is FAR from inclusive.

1) Master things that take no talent.  This isn't my quote, but I absolutely love it. In football, this means watching film, reading scouting reports, going hard every play, etc.  Every football coach I know has a story of a player who had the heart of a lion. He gave absolutely everything he had to the game, yet never got very far due to a lack of talent. That player is usually a coaches favorite, despite the lack of output.  This player, although they may not be a great football player, will succeed in life because they are attempting to master the things that take no skill. They will find their skill, whether it's being a plummer, lawyer, or teacher.  They will find out their skill and their mastery of talent-less skills will serve them well. of In life it can mean being to work on time, driving without distraction, and paying bills on time.

2) You play exactly how you practice. One of my favorite stories (I don't know if it's true or not...) comes out of Iraq in 2003.  A group of American Soldiers got into a small gunfight. Prior to getting back in their trucks and moving to the engagement area, a young Soldier stooped over and began picking up his brass. His sergeant yelled at him to get back in the truck and he did, but a VALUABLE lesson was learned.  In training, that Soldier would take the extra minute or two to pick up his brass, because when the training event was over, they would have to go pick it up anyway to turn it in.  He was fighting exactly how he trained.
In football, however you practice, that is how you play. Do you carry out your fakes? Do you block till the whistle? Do you force your players into a tight huddle?  Whatever you do on the practice field, expect it on game night.

3) You can't control what happens to you, you can only control your reaction to it. (Again, not mine, but I love it!) Last night, our quarterback rolls to his left on the second play of the game. He spies an open receiver, squares his hips, cocks the ball and begins his throwing motion. The ball slips out of his hand and the defender who was chasing him down from the back side had a gift land right in his hands. He returned it for a touchdown and we go down 6-0.  We couldn't control the rain making the ball slick. We couldn't control the defender ripping through a great block and pursuing from the backside.  We couldn't control the fact that he was able to take it back for six points.  All we could control was our reaction to it. 
So what did we do?  We got a great kick return. Ran three plays for 45 yards and a touchdown.  Then we scored the two point conversion. Now we are winning 6-8. I like that reaction.
In life all kinds of crazy things can happen. You can set the conditions to be in your favor, but at the end of the day, you can't control what happens to you. Flat tire. Car accident. Hail storm damaging your roof. What are you going to do about it?

I love football.
It is an amazing game and I have build some incredible relationships with coaches and players that I couldn't have anywhere else.

Aaron Rodgers was quoted in ESPN magazine as saying, "I hope I don't just do this."
He said that after winning the Super Bowl. (Read the Article Here)

I can reflect on the past 10 years of coaching and know that I do more than just football. Some days my day seems DOMINATED by football, and it is.  But I also know that those young men who snap their helmets on every week are learning lessons that will help them do more than, "this."

Closing Down the Year

My 1st year at Woodland and 1st year as a STEM teacher are almost in the books!  Kids (and teachers) are feeling that summer feeling!  We are still doing some pretty awesome things in STEM class. Last week we had to figure out how to drop a ping-pong ball into a self made wishing well.
Anyone who has been alive longer than a day knows that you don't throw ping-pong balls in a wishing well...you throw quarters! So that's our task this week.  I have some great videos on my Twitter Feed.
I am amazed each week as to the ideas that come out of young students. Third graders seem to have the craziest ideas that actually work. It seems that 4th and 5th graders are more concerned with what others thing of their projects, but 3rd graders are all about trying new things. The critical thinking that comes out of these kids is amazing.  Even though I know that this task will probably never be asked of them again, the brain power they are putting into this will also be put into their math, science, and reading skills.
I haven't done a ton of research on the brain, only what I had to during college and my masters degree, but I'm sure that that more they use their brain in my class, the better they will be in other classes.
I'm looking forward to summer and looking forward to next year and more exciting STEM stuff!

Fidgit Spinners

WOW!!  I have never seen anything storm a classroom quite like the Fidget Spinner!  If you are one of the 13 people in the United States who doesn't know what a Fidget Spinner is...here is an excerpt from Wikipedia (I know....I know...just read about the Fidget Spinner will 'ya! HAHA!)

Double Trouble! A red Fidget Spinner and a white one,
Spinning in the same direction at different speeds.

"A fidget spinner is a type of stress-relieving toy. A basic fidget spinner consists of a bearing in the center of a design made from any of a variety of materials including brass, stainless steel, titanium, copper and plastic. The toy has been advertised as helping people who have trouble focusing or fidgeting (such as those with ADHD, autism, or anxiety) by acting as a release mechanism for nervous energy or stress. Experts were divided on this claim, with some supporting it while others refuted its scientific basis and argued the toy may actually be more distracting."

I am on the side that says it's distracting. In fact, probably the most distracting thing I have ever seen enter my classroom. I'm not saying they aren't fun, because I have fun with every one I take! As a matter of fact, I have to put it on my desk after I take it otherwise I find myself playing with it. So simple, yet so fun! 

I have a friend who wanted to be the, "Cool progressive" teacher and let his students play with them. One day he had his students in groups working on a project. Four of the groups did not have Fidget Spinners and were busy producing Power Points to go along with their YouTube videos. The group with Fidget Spinners accomplished nothing. The next day they were out!

Being a Theme teacher, I see all of the students at Woodland. I haven't seen Fidget Spinners in grades lower than third, but I'm sure they are around. My policy is to take them if I see them, and hand them back to the classroom teacher. Some teachers allow them, some do not. I don't see the students long enough (I only see them 42 min. a week) to find a constructive way to allow them while keeping students on task. 

IF they are still around in the fall (It will be interesting to see if this is a fad or if it sticks) I will try and figure out a cool lesson to do with them for STEM class.

For more Fidget Spinner Awesomeness....Check out my Twitter posts: @Mr_JVD #FidgetSpinner

#MACUL17

I had tried to go to the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) for several years now, and this year was my year!  I finally got to go!  It was held in beautiful Detroit over a 2 day period last week.

View from my 68th Floor Room

First off, Detroit is about a 8 hour drive.  I drove with three other teachers from Kingsford.  That was a great experience and I was able to strengthen some friendships on the ride.
Nick and I were on the 68th floor of the hotel and we had an amazing view of the waterfront of Detroit, and Windsor (Canada).

Sir Ken Robinson

The first day of MACUL started with a keynote address from Sir Ken Robinson. He posted an interesting view on creativity in learning and energized the crowd for our journey through learning for the weekend.

I was able to sit in two conferences with a 3rd grade teacher named Mark Schlaudt (Follow him on Twitter) from Rockford, MI.  He has a great way of integrating STEM education into his students reading. "How Would you Catch a Giant Squid?"  That single question lead his students through research (What does a Giant Squid even eat?), design, prototype development, and production. His students started with zero knowledge about the Giant Squid, and ended with more understanding than Mark ever intended.

Mark also did a great presentation on creating dashboards on Google Docs in order to have a one stop shop for teachers, students, and parents to see how their student is doing and any trends in their performance.  I spoke with Mark afterward about using Google Classroom and how to possibly implement some of those concepts into my Freshman Football team.

I also saw a present ion by Mindy Lynch on blogging and how she uses it as a communication tool.  It works well for her in her position as the Ravenna Middle School Principal and Athletic Director.

Pizza Box STEM

I was also able to meet an amazing educator from Calumet, Mr. Chris Woods (He has a great Twitter Feed). He did a great presentation on how to find STEM in every day life and how to put int in front of students every day so that everyone becomes STEM minded. IT was great!

MACUL will be having it's UP event here in Kingsford on May 5th.  I am going to present.  I'm a little nervous, but I'm going to take the leap and present on Twitter.  My session will be called, "Twitter for non-Tweeters."  I will talk about how Twitter is a fast and easy way to share pictures, and ideas. It is also a fantastic tool for reaching out to other professionals.