"Soil Analysis" Science Class and Other Classroom Things

I asked the students to draw a picture of their scientific findings....hummm...did they all get the concept? Interesting soil...


We had a great science class last week. We analysed what was in the soil in our school yard. The students had a great time but a lot of them didn't get some of the scientific points of the analyses.

This was evident when they filled in their science notebooks. They were supposed to list the ingredients that they put in the groups and then draw pictures of the groups. The did have some it down and some spoke well in their interviews. As far as the science notebook went....Well, they sure did have fun. After all, they are first graders in a second language environment.

I had fun too but at times it was a juggle between loose class management (noise) and science exploration and fun. Where is the line between order and creative expression and learning? I felt I was on the head of the balance tip many times and told myself to error in the favor of creative expression and fun. So, since it is my class, and the school gives plenty of freedom to their teachers, I did. But really, where is the boundary? Especially in an ESL environment.

Usually, when the students come to class at the beginning of the day, there is a lot of bantering and talking - bull shitting in adult terms - going on. How much of this should I let go on? I let some go then cut it off. They do their bantering among themselves in English - their second language. I think their should be a class called bull shitting for about 40 minutes a day to help improve their English. Why not? Imagine your child or you having to learn Chinese curriculum in Chinese text? And you're only in the first grade...

Fish Kill

There' s a news story here about a fish kill off the west coast Taiwan islands caused by a "cold front." They said the cold front caused the water to become cold enough to kill the fish but this didn't make sense to me. Water doesn't get that cold from the air that quickly and it hasn't even been freezing at sea level. Here's the false story on BBC. It just doesn't make sense to me. I thought it had to be human activity related.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7260000/newsid_7260200/7260230.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm&asb=1&news=1&bbcws=1


Then yesterday the real story - it was weather-related. In the past month or so there was a lot of record-breaking snow in mainland China - especially during the Lunar New Year. The weather warmed a bit and all that record snow started melting and pouring into the Taiwan Straits sending massive quantities of near freezing water into the Taiwan Straits causing the cold water to overwhelm and kill the fish. I hope some scientists somewhere are examining this phenomena as it could give insights global warming impacts in the future.

Taroko trip on Scooter

Nice bridge. I've wanted to cross it for two years but it is still closed. Not finished yet. I guess that's okay. I don't want to cross before it's really safe!

Taiwan has some of the most beautiful places in the world, all hidden behind the urban garbage jungle.
"Honey, come on!" My wife doesn't like me taking chances. I love taking chances in nature. I really don't like taking chances in human life....hummm why is that? What about you? Do you love taking chances?

Yet more East Coast

I want to buy any land hear because I know the "Hawaii Effect" and, believe it or not, the "Toledo" effect on the value of coastal lands. People want it, it's only a matter of time here. Even in Toledo the value of lake front property increased. But I just want to live there as I get old. But family here tells me not to buy.

More Lunar New Year East Coast trip

Li-Wen looking at the view from the Boat House Home Stay.
There is a mountain view and an ocean view. As I ask my students, which is the mountain and which is the other?
Humm here is the mountain. The Boat B&B is set between the mountain and the ocean. It's really perfect. We're looking for land to buy like this.



This place reminds me of Hawaii although the price doesen't. Our landlords are aborigial Taiwanese. The father plays guitar. We ordered dinner for $200 NTD each (about $7 US. )
It was really good.

Leaving Changhua on the 5:50am train. Five hours later we arrive in Hualian. In a couple of hours we'll catch a bus south.

View from the Hualian train station.

On the bus South to the Boat House, "Home Stay," another name for a bed and breakfast.

Family New Year Fun

This is the first day of Lunar New Year also known as Chinese New Year. It last six days this year. It's traditional for every one to do their spring cleaning during this period, so the water ways are very dirty. I stayed home in our Taichung house for as long as I could so I wouldn't get stuck with cleaning in our other home in Changhua - bad and babyish I know. Well here I am in Changhua hanging the protection and make money paper.

Here is video of the family New Year dinner. Yummmm!
Of course a New Year Dinner must have some good scotch!

Lunar New Year Costco Shopping

In Taiwan the Lunar New Year is "the" holiday of the year. Most people are off work from February 6 and go back to work February 12. The exception being western type businesses like 7-11, MacDonalds, KFC and even Costco. People shop for food for the special holiday dinner that is tonight Feb. 6. The streets in all the cities will be very empty during that time. However, right now the streets are full of cars and scooters of people going home. I'll be one of the scooter drivers in about 10 minutes. Yikes!

Scooter Accident in Front of our Apartment

Scary, scary and more scary. This just happened a few minutes ago.

I drive a scooter almost every day. It's the way to get around most of Taiwan. In the largest cities, Taipei and Kaoshone, you can use the mass transit mostly because they have an MRT. But here in central Taiwan, I have to use a scooter.

Today I'll drive from Taichung to Changhua, about an hour and ten minute drive. I will have my 360 degree sensors on but what can you do if someone just smashes into you?

This is what happens after a scooter accident. It looks like a van didn't stop and hit the scooter which had the right of way. It's the first day of Chinese New Year holiday and everyone is trying to get home for dinner tonight - including me.

Vacation to Taroko National Park

This is Taroko Gorge National Park. What a place. We went there as part of our winter break \ Lunar New Year trip. Good fun!

Rain wasn't too bad especially if you're equiped with a plastic baggie rain coat (it came with the scooter). The flip flops or slippers weren't a probelem up to this point. I changed here because of the cold.

We took a scooter ride to Taroko Gorge National Park. It was really awesome to be on the scooter. Almost like riding on a "real" motorcycle. We rented the scooters so they were new and in good shape. Taroko is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

This shine was built to honor those who died building the road. I think there were 80 or so who died.This is one of the higher cliffs in Taroko.

Nature Hit

I really needed a hit of nature. It's been too much urban for me. So my wife and I went to a couple of B&Bs on the East Coast of Taiwan. This is really where I'd love to live but finding $$$s there is the problem. We are working on it. Here's the lovely Pacific Ocean.

Vacation Creatures

Annie and I took four nights to a couple of bed and breakfasts on the east side of Taiwan. Here a re a few of the creatures we encounterd. I like some of the background sounds.