Things I’ll need in my science classroom

So… is that a mole of Beaker or a beaker of mole?

This certainly breaks a fundamental rule of procrastination, but I’ve been slowly compiling a list of things that my science classroom will need. Science must be (or at least become) fun for the kids, and there are certainly opportunities in physics to make it fun. That aside, it never hurts to have adorable mascots along for the ride, even if they are a bit more chemistry than physics. Perhaps its just my memories of Mrs. Stallings’ Avogadro shrine, but I really will need to have Beaker and the mole on my desk… Maybe I should create an Amazon wish list…

On a more serious note, I’ve discovered through my brief interactions with high school students that I don’t like the Elmo (not the one on Sesame Street, but the one that is a document camera). Perhaps I can write a bit more legibly, but it lacks interaction and motion. So, I’ll know when it comes time to find a job that I’ll need to be in a school that still believes in white boards. Or, I’ll have to improvise and find places to hang them… It seems that in the interest of efficiency, many science classes are held in labs. While this does make better use of space and cuts down on scheduling difficulties, the requisite cabinetry for equipment storage coupled with lab benches along the walls really cuts into wall space. I hope that I find “better” alternatives when I begin my job search next spring.