I have been associated with science and education over 40 years. My life adventure has been 9 years as medical laboratory chief tech and hospital management, 19 years medical sales management in cardiac ultrasound imaging, doppler, digital acquisition and analysis, and 8 years doing software applications in the educational marketplace and web development. I retired from this part of my professional life in 2001.

This is my 8th year in public schools and 7th year as Science Department Head. I continue to serve on the county Science SOL Resource committee. During the 2004 summer, Marianne Zeigler and I re-wrote the 8th grade Science Benchmark questions for the Spotsylvania County Schools. In December 2005, I was awarded the Virginia Distinguished Middle School Science Teacher by the Virginia Section of the American Chemical Society. In the spring of 2008, I was surprised to learn that I had been selected Chancellor Middle School "Teacher of the Year".

I was selected to participate in the U.S. Dept of Energy "Academies for Creating Teacher Scientists" (ACTS) formerly called the LSTPD program. Each summer, 2005 through 2007, I was part of a 16 member national team of math and science teachers. The U.S. DOE "Teacher Academy in Physical Science" (TAPS) is a "Teachers as Investigators" program within the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News. During the summer of 2007 I worked as a cancer research associate at JLab with a group of doctors from William and Mary College and the Eastern Virginia Medical School. We worked on improved detection followup techniques for prostate and cervical cancers. In September 2007 I journeyed on the Northrop Grumman "Weightless Flights of Discovery" to experience gravity on Mars, the moon and in space flight. My students helped design the experiments we conducted in microgravity. Now during each summer, I work as a lab specialist for the William and Mary College at the Applied Research Center Materials Characterization and Surface Analysis Lab located on the Jefferson Lab campus to keep my lab technique and experience current.

So you can see that I really like science and technology. And for my students, here is my current Virginia Collegiate Professional teaching license and what I do for recreation.

We will be on a fascinating science adventure all this school year. I enjoy inquiry science labs and science demonstrations. My personal goal is making this educational trip interesting, full of discovery, and on course with the Virginia SOL's for 8th grade physical science (www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Superintendent/Sols/science8.pdf). Parents, this link will take you to the Spotsylvania County Schools "curriculum map" that I will be using as an educational lesson pacing guideline throughout the school year.

As a child growing up in the 1950's, my favorite educational life model was "Don Herbert of the "Watch Mr. Wizard" science program on black and white television. I'll try to make each science concept as interesting for you as Mr. Wizard did for me. Along this educational journey, we will probably share some interesting science lore and history plus a few of life's anecdotes.

I use a weighted scale in my grading. This is how grades are calculated:
50% - Quizzes, Tests & Exams
35% - Lab Experiments, Biographies, Classwork & Special Projects
10% - Homework Assignments
05% - Presentations, etc

Do you want a hint for good SOL scores and grades? You'll earn an excellent grade in my science course if you spend 15 or 20 minutes every evening reading and studying physical science. The labs are always more fun if you have the background information. But remember, I cannot help you understand the many science concepts if you are not willing to put in YOUR share of the effort, too.

So let's have a great school year!

"There is no more difficult job than that of helping an adolescent into adulthood. Few jobs are more thankless and few more rewarding."
- Theodore R. Sizer

Last Thoughts Corner:
1. Remember the Columbia (January 31, 2003)
2. Two Wolves
3. Just for fun, try this clock cursor
3. Just for fun, try this different clock cursor
4. Cool hand-drawn clock
5. Brain Teaser Puzzles
6. Fredericksburg Doppler map
7. Regional Radar map
8. Regional Storm loop map
9. A Fun IQ test. Warning: Many of the questions are tough.
10. A Fun Math Challenge.
11. An interesting look from space and microscopic view of Earth with the Powers of 10.
12. Misconceptions in Science from ENC.
13. US Federal Science sites for Kids.
14. Complete Guide to Science Fair Projects, Topics and Experiments.
15. NASA Headlines: A Black Hole confirmation!
16. NSTA article: Non-Traditional Characteristics of a Successful Science Fair Project.
17. The Straight Dope: An interesting common knowledge archive.
18. Thinking Machine4: Visual interpretation while you play chess.
19. A few science cartoons.
20. Science songs.
21. Biography List of Scientists.

Teacher Resources:
1. Virginia PS SOL Activities List at UVa.
2. The Lesson Plans Page - Weekly Science Experiments & Science Projects.
3. Life & Earth Science sites.
4. NC Middle School Resource Center.
5. PSRC Online.
6. Middle School.net.
7. Operation Physics.
8. Trigonometric Tables.
9. Prentice Hall Science Explorer Textbook - Virginia version.
10. Alan November's Info on Search Engines.
11. Science Misconceptions spread by K-6 science textbooks.
12. Virginia DOE Division of Instruction Standards of Learning Instruction, Training, and Assessment Resources.
13. Spotyslvania County Schools 2009-10 calendar.