Random Access Musings

I realy wanted to be in school today - you need teaching! The afternoon wasn't really a problem. I will try to get something on the website should you need it

All good things come to an end, and so does year 12! The Chem is over. Just the results to come. Then you hit year 13 ... and the hard work!!!!!!!! Seriously, though, it does get much tougher from here on in. You need to learn everything thoroughly as A2 builds on AS to a large extent. But for now just finish WiaM? Answers to follow ..............

Well. The esters stirred things up! I will post the answers, but I plan to make you work for them! Mass spec problems?

Another hot one - I hate summer! Still Rae enjoyed it! Lot's of early TV with Daddy followed by a chance to run about at church. Part way through she joined the Sunday School party (gatecrasher!). Later she rejoined Daddy, only to be taken out for a buttercup hunt. At the end of the service we had a go on "Uncle" Greg's drums - smiles all round. Then a play on the "double9" (piano to you and me) Next a picnic in the park, a ride on a train, some ducks to feed, and finally an ice cream. If she doesn't sleep tonight........

Well. What's the point? We teach to educate. We question to check. We mark to help. The answer book doesn't need education. It cannot answer questions. It doesn't need help. To paraphrase my daughter's fave track on iTunes... Teach it Set it Get it Mark it Return it Remark it ... Educate It

Today was a pain ... for the students! I know, "we weren't ready", but a deadline iis a deadline! Anyway, you needed to know we meant business! Tomorrow I will make it up to you ... an experiment, and some more homework! Today we looked at TLC, and you were to revise Chemical Ideas 7.6 You should have been taught 13.3 and 13.4 by Dr Gilbert. Check to see if you understand it. If you missed the lesson, read both chapters and make a note of any difficulties. Then either ask me in the lesson or email me with problems ... ... speaking of which, Rachael has chicken pox! Ciao

I know. Boring as ever, I am just updating the "What have I missed" - but a promise is a promise! I shouldn't really have to do this bit because it is DOCTOR G's lesson, not MISTER G! Still, the lesson was spent on more research around the individual investigation as only four people were present. Remember: End of this term we expect an idea of what you want to investigate, as well as a brief outline of what you are going to do.

The three of use went to Chester Zoo today! Rae didn't sleep at all for the journey down. Then she slept for half an hour before staying awake until bed time! She is knackered. The zoo? Brilliant. She loved it - especially when it came to shouting "hello rhinoceros"! Two things sprang to mind; who knew a rhino could look startled?; should a two year old (nearly) know the word "rhinoceros"? Nearly time for TV (watched through half closed eyes, I think!) ... and I'm glad I set up the recorder for Glastonbury... got to catch the Bunnymen and New Order - that really should have a comma; this isn't the name of some new supergroup!

OK, if you are reading this you are bored ... or you need some info! Today we continued our efforts with WM2. Too much product was thrown away - in "The Real Thing" this would have been "like totally, like, at the end of the day, bad" (too much Big Brother ?) The week ahead: Wednesday we will be in A5 finishing the practical; normal lab rules apply. Bring your Chemical Storylines please. Thursday is the "Grand Presentation Day" - you will present your views from WM1 ... prepared or not! Friday we will go over thin layer chromatography from Chemical Ideas 7.6 ... you will benefit incredibly!... as well as going over key points of the practical if not covered already... ...unless it all goes wrong! Peace Out

So. What did you miss? Temperature in the nineties. Near explosions. Lovely smells ("Deep Heat" and burning rubber) A little bit af sarcasm ... Now for the nitty-gritty ... We started the practical to hydrolyse Oil of Wintergreen, using alkaline hydrolysis (WM2). Tomorrow is the purification and working out if we succeeded or not! Lab coats are advisable; eye protection and appropriate footwear are essential! bcnu

We started "What's in a medicine" today. We got into groups to study Activity WM1. The deadline for this is next Thursday (30th June). If you are in tomorrow (Thurs 23rd) be prepared for a lab session in A5 ... proper footwear! Nothing else to say...

I haven't posted for yonks - see the date below! Nothing to say, I guess. What have I been doing? Mostly buying music... Daft Punk, Kraftwerk, New Order (too much time in front of a Mac connected to the iTunes Music Store!) OK. Now the real reason for this resurrection... ... "Hello absent pupils! This is what you missed..."

A few things to say at the moment: Firstly Presentation day is tomorrow (no excuses!) Next; a change to our schedule. Dr G has done the stuff from 13.3 and 13.4 in the Chemical Ideas ... so I won't be doing it in detail - unless you really need me to! Finally: Your fairly accurate plan for the investigation needs to be to us by 9th September; we still want a rough idea by the end of this term.... More later!

Well, another week gone! Congratualtions with the practical - no fires, etc! I was sort of fearing the worst, but you didn't let me - or yourselves - down! Remember to check through the Activity and tackle the problems. Also make sure you have read 7.6, 13.3 and 13.4; there will be questions set on the last 2! Wednesday's lesson will be theory - bring your books

It arrived at BVGS. A lot of white plastic on the walls; I'll post a link when they have uploaded the photos. What a shame so many pupils ruined it by grafitti-ing the band. They had no idea what it was all for; many didn't even know about the events over the weekend. I didn't expect them to be politcally aware to a great degree, but they should at least know "something big" was happening. Another example of some people's "If it doesn't affect me it is not worth thinking about" mentality. Coincidently, my year 8 lesson today covered feeding the world type things. Now turn off the P2P software: they are watching you!

As it says, really. I am trying out a new piece of software to post this blog, so that could count as a reason, I suppose. If you are reading this to find out what we did ... we didn't (or, at least I didn't). If you fancied the "glow sticks" experiment for your investigation, we have some - but only enough for one person. Other than that, Chemical Ideas and Activities on Wednesday. (Oh, and the new software? Nope. I coded in the bold, italic and other such html goodies, and then had to recode it again after posting!) Other stuff: Live8 wasn't as good as the original; there. It's said. I'm officially a grumpy old man! Now, wasn't it impressive? I didn't see all of it - we took Spot to see Nana (Spot = Rachael + Chicken Pox) The highlight must have been "the kid on the video" being brought in 20 years after being given 10 minutes to live. Now it's down to those in power. They can't have failed to see the popular support such a campaign has. Certain World Leaders are still dragging their heels, though, "for the good of the country". If the good of that country involves preventing others from living due to greed of big companies and a lack of fair trade, I'm just glad I'm not in your country. Just don't let agitators drag it through the mud
Makepovertyhistory

Forewarned is forearmed, and all that jazz ... You were supposed to read over the sections on the derivatives of carboxylic acids and the OH group (as taught by Dr Gilbert) from Chemical Ideas (13.3 and 13.4). Did you think I wouldnt check? In one weeks time I want the problems in! Thats right all of them! For marking. No excuses If you did it for Dr G just hand that in. Remember: Problems for 13.3 and 13.4 in on Wednesday 13th July.

Little to say about anything What can you say? If you have friends or family affected, my prayers are with you. Just remember: Muslims, on the whole, are peaceful. Terrorists can be of any religion, race or colour. Peace

Latest update: The Mass Spec problems are up. The site hasn't been tested, and the answers aren't there! I have had to use Word to write the code, then get Dreamweaver to remove the junk! Now it's your turn: Wednesday: 13.3 and 13.4 Thursday: 6.4 Monday: Mass Spec stuff! Peace

School stuff: We made something- aspirin or otherwise. Besides getting hot and making sludge, make sure that the key ideas are remembered - vac filtration and recrystallisation. Not in tomorrow, but mrs t should be. Next week we need to do the esters as well as the purity of aspirin ... hopefully! Peace

Well, Saturday evening and it's time to catch up. It sounds like World War Three is about over for another year ... the fireworks have slowed down a bit now. Today (and my wonderful Friday night) has been sorting through the crap I had to bring back from work. I dumped my desk into a box (and half of it will be in the recycling skip tomorrow), them spent today marking books. Who knows, tomorrow may bring me time to plan what I'm doing on Monday! Still, at least I get the holidays ... to do more of the same! On a lighter note ... no comments on my last blog. I must either be too boring for words or not bad enough to comment on. That's a shame. I thought the image might get a few people to ask about the drink, then perhaps the manufacturer would throw a couple of bottles my way as a thanks for drumming up some more business! Peace

So that's it - another day at the chalkface over. The usual crap - "why are we ...", "why should I ...", "what time is it?". " why do we have homework?", "What do you mean I'm underachieving?" The kids are delightful, in the same way as little yappy dogs are! But seriously what do you expect? There are worse places to work, and I am reasonably well treated as a member of staff. I know, through personal contacts, of other local places where you are treated worse by the managers than by the pupils. As this is my first real post, I had better say a bit about me. I recently started playing around with Garageband on my Mac. I loved it at first, but it was a processor-hog and rather limited. I progressed rapidly to Reason, and finally got Tracktion to go with it. I don't "compose" as such ... just mess about to relieve tension. IIf you heard the sounds emanating from the headphones you would think "composT" was nearer the mark. I have also recently got hold of Dreamweaver. My mini project is down as my current homepage, but there isn't much there. I have a second site, but that remains for family and close friends at present. There are some funny people out there and I don't want to over-advertise pics of my young child for obvious reasons. As far as anything else goes, my recent birthday got me a bottle of rum and some shaving soap. Do I shave now, or have a glass and sit in front of the box 'till bed time? Let me think ......... Yohoho it is! Night all!

11/1/2004 Well ... here it is. My first posting in a Blog! That's it for now! posted by Zoolok at 7:50:24 PM