it's Christmastime in the city

One of my most favorite things about spending Christmas in Europe is going to the Weihnachstmarkt, or Christmas market. It's something that has become a new tradition for me as I learn how to spend Christmas in a new place. Many of the surrounding cities host markets during the Christmas season, with booths selling handmade goods like scarves, wooden items, candles, soaps, ornaments, and other items. Food booths sell local cuisine, as well as warm kinderpunsch and glühwein in special mugs that you get to keep after you finish your drink (or you can return for a small refund!). Visiting the Weihnachtsmarkt always means a good time with friends and getting into the Christmas spirit. I usually get a good amount of my Christmas gifts at the markets, and sometimes I even find a little something for myself.



Colmar, France

 

some of my best friends and I checking out the HUGE tree in Colmar

 

Freiburg (Germany) market was cold and rainy...

...but I had a lovely evening with these ladies!

Hauptstrasse (Main Street) in Kandern

small group Christmas

A few weeks ago my small group gathered to decorate Christmas cookies. Yummy!

While we decorated cookies, my white cocoa boiled over... oops!

For our last small group of the year, we gathered early for dinner and a Christmas party. We couldn't decide between pizza or raclette for dinner, so we compromised and made raclette pizzas! They turned out so perfect and oh so yummy.

The girls brought funny gifts for a white elephant gift exchange, and we also had a meaningful "Secret Santa" gift exchange. It was such a blessing to see my girls give each other, me, and Sue (my co-leader) thoughtful, meaningful, and even handmade gifts! There is so much love in my small group and it makes my heart happy.

I made my famous crispy Christmas wreath for dessert

A few of the meaningful gifts I received!

Love these ladies!!

Christmas Banquet 2012

step into my classroom: rules of heredity

In life science we have continued our cellular biology studies and have spent the past week and a half before break learning about rules of heredity. Students explored how to do a simple cross using a Punnett Square, predicting whimsical traits in offspring such as pointy ears, red noses, and the ability to fly (we were doing Christmas crosses!!).

We did "Easter Egg Genetics" to predict crosses in incomplete dominant traits. Each half of the plastic egg represents one parent, and each color has a specific genotype. Students then complete a Punnett square to predict the outcome of the offspring, opening the egg to check their work. We completed this lab on the very last day before Christmas break and I was shocked by how on task and focused the students were! Here are my focused geneticists at work:

step into my classroom: electricity

In sixth grade science we've been studying electricity and circuits. This is one of those subjects that you just have to try for yourself. Luckily the previous teacher of this class left me loads of supplies that were perfect for this unit. We began by exploring rudimentary circuits using foil and batteries, then upgraded to actual wires, battery holders, etc. and making more complex parallel circuits. I think the students have really enjoyed this unit!

step into my classroom: magnetic mustaches

This week in sixth grade science we have been learning about magnetism. Each day after we got through our lesson, I gave the students time to interact with some very strong magnets and various metal components such as washers, nuts, bolts, and ball bearings. It was so fun for me to watch my students demonstrate and further their understanding of magnetism through this free play. As I walked around the room I heard them using vocabulary words such as attract and repel, and as I watched I saw them used their knowledge of these forces to manipulate the metal objects in a variety of ways. Metal washers darted to and fro as if by magic, a magnetic menagerie of animals paraded across the desks, and some students even rigged up a game of "air hockey" using forces of repulsion!

One particularly funny moment was when we realized that a bar magnet held up to a container of iron filings looked like a mustache. So, we had an impromptu photo shoot.

... but I'll shave it for later.

step into my classroom: gummy bear DNA

This week my seventh graders began the big genetics unit. Between now and the end of the quarter we will cover everything from DNA to cell division to heredity to genetic engineering... it's probably the life science unit that I enjoy the most!

We always begin the whole shebang in a sweet way, using gummies and toothpicks to make DNA models. In our simulation, the four colors of gummy bears represented the four bases Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, and Cytosine. The little licorice whips formed the sugar phosphate backbone of the double helix, and we held it all together with toothpicks! Next we use the models to walk through the process of DNA replication, in which the DNA strand copies itself. This is the first step in cell division.

Ok, I won't bore you with any more nerdy science talk. You and I both know you're just here for the pictures.

Word, yo. Science is hip.

A special thanks to my dear friend Megan, who gave up her prep period to take these pictures for me!

middle school fall party: comics