Q: what does the fact that a sodium ion is a cation and an chloride ion is an anion have to do with why the sodium and chlorine form a bond?

(correct answer should have something to do with opposite charges attracting)

A#1: "sodium and chlorine go way back. like it would be crazy if they didn't bond. they make that good good sodium chloride that i use to wash my dog"

A#2: "calcium is good for the bones and carrots help the eyes."

i dont even know how to title this!

Assignment: using the geologic time line, write an essay that describes the history of life on Earth.

student: do i have to do this?
me: yes.
student: but i dont believe in this. it's just a theory, it isnt true.
me: its not a theory, we have fossils. we win.
student: no you dont win.
me: yes, i win. *walks away*

(mind you, we arent talking about evolution here, just the order of events in how creatures started showing up on Earth. Evolution comes up next week. i cant wait!)

assignment: read and summarize this particular article in one paragraph, and include your thoughts on the matter

in a nutshell, the article was about how, a number of years ago, in Antartica, some scientists found fossils of animals that live in warmer climates. the scientists have theorized that it is likely that Antartica used to be a warmer climate, possibly even a jungle, due to the kinds of fossils they have found. we have been covering fossils and how we get clues about Earth from studying these and rocks and what not, in some pretty good detail. so i thought this would be a good way to round it out and give it some real-world context.

one student writes: "Antartica used to have warm climates. By drilling for fossils, scientists have discovered this. About 60 million years ago, Antartica may have looked like a Brazilian rain forest. Scientists have also discovered fossils of marine organisms that can only live in sunny coastal waters. I dont believe this is true. by looking for fossils, scientists can not just assume it used to be warm without better proof."

that last part is where i want to bang my head into a wall and go back and re-do an entire unit.

as a side note-this student observed a day of silence by wearing tape on her mouth for a day as a protest against abortion. i mentioned that the day of silence originated from gay rights, hoping that she would see how hypocritical this was, given that people who are anti-choice tend to also be anti-human rights for all sexualities. she did not seem to make the connection.

these two things (the opinion and the protest) are probably related.