How Laptops Transformed

How I Teach Chemistry

Holly Sullivan, NBCT

Lugoff-Elgin High School
Lugoff, SC
lhs.kcsdschools.com
Holly.sullivan@kcsdschools.net

Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
All links and documents mentioned in this
presentation (including this presentation!)
can be found by going to
http://delicious.com and searching
chemed09.

For the uninitiated, this is a great

introduction to Web 2.0.

Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
 A Little About Me…
• BS Chemistry, NCSU, 1989
• MBA, East Carolina University, 1992
• Career-Changer!
• Working on EDD through Nova Southeastern
University
• 14 years in the classroom; 9 as AP Chemistry
teacher
• AP reader for first time this year
• National Board Certified (Chemistry)
• Past-President, South Carolina Science Council
(NSTA Affiliate)
– GET INVOLVED!!!
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
 About My School and District
• I teach in a rural though increasingly suburban
area 30 miles from Columbia, SC
• My school has about 1600 students and growing
• Other two high schools in my district:
– 1000 in a small town, suburban setting
– 500 in very rural area
• Few parents have college degrees; many in
poverty
• My AP Chemistry class fluctuates between 10
and 20 students; only one in the county

Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
 i-Can Program in Our Schools
• Beginning Fall 2004, all incoming
freshmen in the 3 high schools in our
county were issued a laptop computer to
use for the 4 years of high school

• Now, all high school students in our district

have a laptop and they expect to use them
in most lessons

Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
 Technology
Teachers 9th grade students
HP Notebook with: HP Notebook with:
Docking station appropriate software
Extra battery Extra battery
Projector Backpack/cases
Digital camera MS Office Pro
Promethean Whiteboard MS One Note
Backpack/cases CompuTrace
Wireless Keyboard/Mouse SynchronEyes

Consortium for School Networking (www.cosn.org)

eChalk (www.eChalk.com)
Kershaw County (www.kcsd.k12.sc.us)
Holly Sullivan 6

ChemEd 09
Phyllis
 Online resources using eChalk
• http://lhs.kcsdschools.com
• I use this as a starting point for my
students and parents
• Links to online resources I use
• Notes
• Lesson plans and weekly calendar
• Discussion boards
• Ability to email all my students
• The list goes on! Feel free to borrow…
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
 In-class lectures using PowerPoint
• Most everyone uses PowerPoint now, so
this isn’t so exciting
• I try to create more of an outline and have
my students fill in as we go through topics
• Because they all have computers, they
can download the notes should they miss
class

Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
 Promethean Interactive Whiteboard
• http://www.prometheanworld.com/
• ActivInspire software – free personal
edition; very versatile
• Mounted projector connected to computer;
board is direct or Bluetooth connected to
computer; use pen as mouse, etc.
• Can create interactive lessons, or
download from Promethean Planet
• Kid LOVE to use the board
• Only issue is having to turn back on
Holly Sullivan
class… ChemEd 09
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
 Online homework using WebAssign
• www.webassign.net
• Students are given a choice of paying the $9.50
or using the book
• Uses the actual problems in my textbook, but
“randomizes” by changing numbers
• Students really like the immediate feedback
• We can work them on the overhead if they get
stumped
• Lots of extra problems for review
• I DON’T HAVE TO GRADE HOMEWORK!!!

Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
Delicious – social bookmarking (go there and find
hollsull to access all links in this presentation)
Gcast – podcast hosting
Audacity – recording software
Lame – mp3 converter (kind of confusing)
VoiceThread – use a picture as a conversation
starter
Blogger – use blog to post assignment; have
students post their work; require them to respond
to peers; blogger.com is good and you can invite
students to be authors via email
SchoolTube – post videos and pictures; can also
have students submit and respond to peers
Lab data collection and analysis using Vernier
LoggerPro software and LabPro probeware
• www.vernier.com
• LoggerPro is idiot-proof. Once loaded and
connected to interface and probe, it
practically takes data by itself.
• Great for data analysis. You can really
see trends and bad data.
• Makes great graphs that my students
include in their lab notebooks

Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
Lab data collection and analysis using Vernier
LoggerPro software and LabPro probeware
• Vernier probes and interfaces are hardy
and easy to use.
• LoggerPro site license is very reasonable.
• Advanced Chemistry with Computers
(Vernier AP Chemistry lab book) covers all
22 labs and a few others.
• New inquiry book is WONDERFUL!
• Chemistry with Vernier is next level down,
but very comprehensive.
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
 Online Tutorials and Resources
• http://www.ausetute.com.au/
• http://www.sciencegeek.net/APchemistry/index
• http://apdl.rice.edu/
• http://www.adriandingleschemistrypages.com/
• www.chemcollective.com
• youTube videos if your school allows them
– The Periodic Table of Rock and more!

Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
Online grades using Mygradebook.com
• www.mygradebook.com
• Very reliable, easy to use, and powerful
• Parents LOVE it! Kids usually aren’t so
happy with it…
• Great for keeping students up to date on
what they are missing or where they aren’t
doing as well
• Can work from school, home, McDonald’s,
anywhere you can get online.
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09
 Wouldn’t you love to work in our district?
We are always looking for great
science teachers!
Kershaw County School District
www.kershaw.k12.sc.us

Holly Sullivan
Lugoff-Elgin High School
Lugoff, SC
Holly Sullivan
ChemEd 09