Endangered Species Website

Here is a link to the website that provides information on all of the Threatened and Endangered Species in Alabama.

Click Here

You can copy the names from this page and search other sites for more detailed information and pictures.

Have FUN!!
Mrs. C'ham

Forestry Introduction

Alabama Agriculture - Livestock/Poultry Introduction

This semester we are going to study all things Alabama! To begin, we are going to discuss a topic that some people may see as boring or even antiquated (out of date/old fashioned). We are starting here for three main reasons. First, farming of all sorts is a large contributor to Alabama's economy. Secondly, I want to make sure that all students know that farming is a very important and necessary part of our lives. Finally, modern farmers implement the latest in scientific research and technology to sustain their farms. I believe some students will be interested in the science behind the food we eat!

I have prepared several short video clips about three agriculture industries in Alabama. None of these films are about Alabama farmers, but they give lots of details about the methods used in each of these industries.

Lets take a look at Poultry Farming:



And Dairy Farming:





And Finally Catfish Farming:



Different grade levels will be completing various activities with these videos.

Interest Inventory (Grades 3-6)
Interest Inventory (Grades 7-8)

Iron Bowl SCAMPER

I know its the week AFTER the Iron Bowl, but this is a great lesson to introduce our next problem solving technique which is called SCAMPER (look below for the definition).

You can use SCAMPER to use information both old and new to help you really examine your surroundings and come to a better solution to the problem you face. You will put each level of SCAMPER to work to help you along in the process.

S=Substitute - what things could I substitute into the situation to solve the problem?

C=Combine - could I combine anything in the situation to help solve the problem?

A=Adjust/Adapt - is there anything I could adjust/adapt in the situation to help solve the problem?

M=Modify - how could I modify something in the situation to help solve the problem?

P=Put to other uses - How could I use something in the situation in a unique way to help solve the problem?

E=Eliminate - What might I eliminate from the situation to help solve the problem?

R=Reverse/Rearrange - In what was might I reverse or rearrange what happens in the situation to help solve the problem?

We will use these questions to assist the universities with their problems.

* If you would like a copy of the Iron Bowl Scamper I can email it as a Word document.*

Thanksgiving Lesson 2009

So this is my last time meeting with my classes before Thanksgiving since we are out of school next week! YEPPIE! So, I decided to write a lesson plan centered around Thanksgiving and tried to incorporate on of our problem-solving themes : PERSPECTIVE.

In my opinion, it is a great lesson because it works for ALL ages. I changed the end products per the grade level, but the assignment was the same.

I did this lesson for myself (I will show my answers in a moment), and I thought that some of you might could use this tool to take inventory of your "thanks" this time of year.

Perspective: The way you view the people, places, things, or events in your life.

Activating Activity: Quickly, list the top 10 things you are thankful for...

ME: 1) my husband
2) God's grace
3) my children
4) my job
5) my home
6) my church family
7) forgiveness
8) stuff - car, clothes, gadgets
9) DVR
10) God's Word/Holy Spirit

Discussion: There is NO one on earth who lives a life without pain, sorrow, or some type of negative things in their lives. The above list is filled with things that it is easy to be thankful for. There are other things in our lives that we must deal with pain, sorrow, grief, personal growth, sickness, loneliness and many more! However, the way in which we deal with this problems (problem solving) and to what degree these things affect our lives, depends very much on our perspective of these things.

Activity: MARK OUT YOUR TOP TEN LIST. It is easy to be thankful for those things. Lets see how you do being thankful for things that are not so easy...List the top 5 negative things in YOUR life - right now.

ME: 1) Sin
2) messy house
3) busy schedule
4) paperwork
5) Cancer - all things cancer related

Challenge: We are going to practice changing our perspective. For each negative thing you listed above complete the following sentence...

I am thankful for (the negative thing),because (give a reason.)

ME:

1) I am thankful for SIN because it is a reminder of the fact that I MUST depend on God's grace to make it in life - and death:)

2) I am thankful for a MESSY HOUSE because it reminds me that I have three wonderful mess-makers who God has given me to care for!

3) I am thankful for a BUSY SCHEDULE because it reminds me that I have a life FULL of friends and family who love me and want to spend time with me!

4) I am thankful for PAPERWORK even though it is not by favorite part of my job, it reminds me that I do HAVE a job!

5) I am thankful for CANCER because it reminds me that life is short, and that we should enjoy and be thankful for EVERY moment - even the tough ones!

So here you have it! The Thanksgiving Lesson. Hope you like it!

Week Four - What's in a Problem

This week we are going to really focus on our problem solving skills.

Students will work in groups to compile solutions to various problems dealing with Japanese history and our story Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes .

Today's Activating Activity: Brain Teaser Worksheet (to get the creative juices flowing!)

The Problem Solving Process is very important. Once you get the process down, you can solve all types of situations and problems!

Take a look at this. Be sure to watch/listen for details that might seem irrelevant, but you never know what type of information might help you solve the problem.



Now, lets discuss the Creative Problem solving method we will use. Will go through this process using the Three Little Pigs' problem.

• Objective Finding - what do we want to accomplish? What would the results look like?
• Fact Finding - what do we know? List as many things as possible.
  
• Problem Finding - what are all the possible issues at hand? Which is the MOST important.
  
• Solution Finding - What are some possible solutions? Again, nothing too crazy!
  
• Acceptance Finding - What is the BEST solution and describe the results?