A polynomial equation to the second degree. As it happens, I don't encounter this anymore in my line of work, but many high school students have to deal with this on a daily basis. Hope these links help...
Friday, September 5, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
More Homework Help: Skoool.ph
Intel and the Department of Education have launched www.skoool.ph, a site that provides interactive math and science lessons for students and teachers.
You can browse it according to year level or subject. It requires that you have Javascript installed, which shouldn't be a problem if you watch Youtube on that computer anyway.
HOWEVER, some feedback for the people behind skoool.ph, based on my "surface scan" of the site:
1. Please get rid of the "concept paper" language! And with bad grammar too. For example:
2. The math lesson I tried out was too UK-centric. Is there an effort to localize this? Not to dumb down the content, but only because it's not generally in a Pinoy high school student's experience to pay "2.50" for a sandwich and eat "bonbons."
You can browse it according to year level or subject. It requires that you have Javascript installed, which shouldn't be a problem if you watch Youtube on that computer anyway.
HOWEVER, some feedback for the people behind skoool.ph, based on my "surface scan" of the site:
1. Please get rid of the "concept paper" language! And with bad grammar too. For example:
The learner shall developed the following competencies:The site is online now; talk to your audience directly, instead of referring to them in the third person. Right now it looks like a site targeted to your donor rather than the Pinoy student. And do a grammar check!!!
2. The math lesson I tried out was too UK-centric. Is there an effort to localize this? Not to dumb down the content, but only because it's not generally in a Pinoy high school student's experience to pay "2.50" for a sandwich and eat "bonbons."
Friday, July 11, 2008
Frog anatomy
The dissection of frogs is still happening in high schools all over the country, apparently. Poor frogs!
Here are some links so you can study their anatomy without actually poking through their guts.
Here are some links so you can study their anatomy without actually poking through their guts.
- Youtube: 3d visualization of frog anatomy (see the related videos too)
- Kent School District: Frog Anatomy
- About.com: Male Frog Internal Anatomy (icky photo)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Home Economics: Cross-stitching
My worst subject was Home Economics. I don't know how this is being taught today, but when I was in my co-ed high school (in the '90s) they at least didn't have "boy" and "girl" subjects. Everyone, regardless of gender, had to learn how to sew clothes, cook dinner, and wire series and parallel circuits.
We also had to learn how to cross-stitch. I don't know, maybe high school kids in the Philippines don't have to do this anymore, but just in case...
We also had to learn how to cross-stitch. I don't know, maybe high school kids in the Philippines don't have to do this anymore, but just in case...
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Prepositions: On my mind or in my mind?
Prepositions tell you the relationship the object has to the rest of the sentence.
The necklace is on the table, in the jewelry box, under the pillow, so on and so forth. Prepositions are short words that we take for granted (I interchange them more often than I care to admit), but it's important to get them right because they affect what the sentence is trying to say.
The necklace is on the table, in the jewelry box, under the pillow, so on and so forth. Prepositions are short words that we take for granted (I interchange them more often than I care to admit), but it's important to get them right because they affect what the sentence is trying to say.
- Englishclub.com: English preposition rule - A simple site for English as second language learners.
- The Writing Centre, University of Ottawa: What is a Preposition?
- Betterenglish.com: Preposition quiz!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
1898 events
Happy Independence Day, students!
Here, from Wikipedia, is a page about the other things that happened in 1898.
The US annexed the Hawaiian Islands, Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium, and the carbonated beverage that used to be called "Brad's Drink" was renamed to... "Pepsi-Cola."
Here, from Wikipedia, is a page about the other things that happened in 1898.
The US annexed the Hawaiian Islands, Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium, and the carbonated beverage that used to be called "Brad's Drink" was renamed to... "Pepsi-Cola."
Friday, June 6, 2008
Back to school post! Asian history
Philippine high school students just went back to school... so this blog should be back as well. Today, we look at Asian history -- required for 2nd year students, and it's good for you to do well on this because it might show up again in college. And also, because it's good to understand the region we belong to, and what events led us to where we are now, and world peace, etc etc.
I admit to never reading more history than what my textbook provided, which is NOT a good thing. We don't need to rely purely on our required books anymore. (In my case, my required book had an obvious political and religious bias, which is difficult to shake off.) Plus, Asian history, like Afro-Asian literature, is just too broad. Just reading one website on the same topic as your assignment this week may give you something new and interesting to bring to class -- or to your test.
I admit to never reading more history than what my textbook provided, which is NOT a good thing. We don't need to rely purely on our required books anymore. (In my case, my required book had an obvious political and religious bias, which is difficult to shake off.) Plus, Asian history, like Afro-Asian literature, is just too broad. Just reading one website on the same topic as your assignment this week may give you something new and interesting to bring to class -- or to your test.
- University of Washington: Asian History sources - Many, many links, covering general Asian studies, Central, East, South and Southeast asia as well.
- History for Kids: West Asian History - Covering the history of areas we commonly know as the Middle East.
- Asiasource: This Day in Asian History
- Columbia University: South Asian History
- Asean Focus Group: History of Southeast Asia
- Newton.uor.edu: History of East and Southeast Asia
Monday, May 5, 2008
The Scientific Method
From sciencebuddies.org:
The process itself goes like this:
The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations and answer questions. Scientists use the scientific method to search for cause and effect relationships in nature. In other words, they design an experiment so that changes to one item cause something else to vary in a predictable way.
The process itself goes like this:
1. Ask a question
2. Do the research
3. Construct your hypothesis
4. Experiment
5. State your conclusion
However, it's not exactly that simple. How do you do research? How do you test your hypothesis? What if your experiment's results don't support your hypothesis, is that OK? There's more reading to do, and these sites will answer those questions and more:
Monday, April 28, 2008
Entrance Exam Cram: Basic English
Even if you feel comfortable enough about basic English (you've been studying it since elementary school, how hard can it be right?), you'll need to brush up on it again for entrance exam season.
My instinct for studying for exams was to tackle the subjects I have the most trouble with -- science and math, for example. That's a good plan, but don't forget to refresh yourself on the basics. It's your chance now to find out if you need to be corrected, and that's better than finding out on exam day.
My instinct for studying for exams was to tackle the subjects I have the most trouble with -- science and math, for example. That's a good plan, but don't forget to refresh yourself on the basics. It's your chance now to find out if you need to be corrected, and that's better than finding out on exam day.
- Big Dog's Grammar: A bare bones guide to English
- University of Calgary: Grammar Tutorials
- English Grammar Exercises - There's a lot of material here and it's been designed for ESL (English as a second language) learners. If some of these quizzes are too basic for you, still look at tests such as "Parts of Speech" or "Prepositions."
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Entrance Exam Cram: Basic Algebra
Comprehensive exams, in my humble opinion, are the worst. There's nothing like having to remember stuff you studied (and already passed) years ago to make you worry and generally feel miserable. What I should have done, looking back, was take better notes and study to understand rather than just pass. Then maybe I wouldn't have tanked my math tests in college entrance exam season so badly.
I got into a good university eventually, but had to take remedial math. That meant I wasted a perfectly good summer going to school for just one math class. Ah, but I learned my lesson.
If any of you fear going through the same thing, check out these links:
I got into a good university eventually, but had to take remedial math. That meant I wasted a perfectly good summer going to school for just one math class. Ah, but I learned my lesson.
If any of you fear going through the same thing, check out these links:
- Math for Morons Like Us: Pre-Algebra Basic Equations - Includes quizzes so you can practice
- Intmath.com: Basic Algebra - Read further to solve verbal problems as well
- AlgeBasics - Multimedia tutorials, from basic algebra to quadratic equations. Best if you have audio!
Sending you positive thoughts for your entrance exam season... you can do it!
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