who says learning is not FUN?

September 6, 2011 [6:00 AM-5:00PM]
Junior & Senior Students Field Trip

“There is no royal road to knowledge”

It has been always a common notion that learning is associated with a lot of challenges --- assignments, problem sets, projects, exams and a lot of requirements, but nowadays, learning can be equated to fun or else, learning is funny! A lot of learning theories suggests that injecting fun in the learning process makes it more effective. Gone are the days of terrorism inside the classroom (case to case basis, hehehe). But with regard to teaching strategies, I would leave it to our teachers, they are the one expert when to apply what kind of strategy.

Motivational activities in the form of games and different activities is now a part of teaching-learning process.

But it is always a fact and we have to admit it that learning does not always takes place inside the four corners of the classroom. The teacher is not the sole source of knowledge. And learning by doing is one of the most effective. Educational Field Trip is one of those activities. Well, exposure is much more effective than just telling it to the students.

Today is a great day for Junior and Senior Students of our School – it’s their day! It’s their Field Trip. Originally scheduled two weeks ago, but due to some reasons, it was postponed and rescheduled today. So, the long wait is over.

Bus No. 4

Out of 21 buses for Junior & Senior Students Educational Field Trip, we were assigned to Bus No. 4. This bus is loaded with 58 students, that’s 40 students from IV-3, 10 students from IV-44 and 8 students from III-40; and two teachers, together with me is Mr. Raul Tanola. We were joined by our Tour Guide, Mr. Alexis Cajulao from Palanca Tours and of course our Coach (the bus driver).

ITINERARY

1.      SCIENCE Discovery Center, Mall of Asia (MOA) [7:00-9:00]

Those were the good old days...

·         Robotics Section

·         Explore the Ocean Depths

Meet the Celebrity Fish, Mr. T.

·         Digistar Planetarium

·         Other Interesting Exhibit

i play, i learn... they dance, they box!

What's so funny after experiencing the Earthquake?

Philippines First Automobile?

Sniff Sniff... Ewenesssss!

Urine Game

Body Machine

2.       Heritage Trail, Rizal Park, Manila [9:30-10:00]

Rizal Monument

Clock

3.       Rizal Shrine, Calamba, Laguna [11:00-11:30]

Miniature of Rizal's House

4.       Biggest Monument of Rizal (Calamba, Laguna) [11:0-12:00]

Image Source: spiya.net

     The biggest monument of Dr. Jose Rizal was inaugurated last June 19, 2011, which marks his 150th Birthday. It is erected just in front of Calamba City Hall. The monument stands 22 feet representing the 22 languages known by our National Hero. The monument was staged in a flat form with 15-step stairs representing the 15 decades of his birthday, and also representing the 15th President of the Republic who inaugurated the monument.


5.       Makiling Highlands Resort (Swimming) [12:30-5:00]

Image Source: panoramio.com

The Beige Family

Image Source:
Photo of Biggest Rizal Monument. Courtesy of espiya.net.
Photo of Makiling Highlands Resort. Courtesy of panoramio.com

SCI-DAMA: As Teaching Strategy in Science?

by: J. Policarpio

What's SciDama?

With the objective to promote academic excellence and get the students interested in Science, the Department of Education (DepEd) has come up with an indoor table game that will now become a national contest - the SciDama.

SciDama is a board game somewhat similar to "Checkers" of Americans. It is patterned to a Filipino Checkers commonly known as "Dama" and "Perdigana" and integrated with Mathematical Operations such as Multiplication, Division, Addition & Subtraction  (or MDAS) and Science Concepts. Thus the name, "SciDama" is a combination of Sci (for Science) and Dama (for Dama, ma for Math). SciDama (as well as eDamath) was invented by1981 Presidential Gold Medallion Awardee, Juan L. Huenda.

There are 4 Variations of SciDama for High School

1. ELECTRO SCI-DAMA

Target Learners: First Year Students
Science Concept: Electric Power Consumption

2. DAMA SCI-NOTATION

Target Learners: Second Year Students
Science Concept: Scientific Notation

3. THI SCI-DAMA

Target Learners: Third Year Students
Science Concept: Temperature Humidity Index

4. THERMO SCI-DAMA

Target Learners: Fourth Year Students
Science Concept: Thermodynamics (Heat)

General Rules in Playing SciDama
            Basically the rules in playing the Filipino checkerboard game called ‘dama’ will be used with some modifications in integrating mathematics and science as follows:

              

1.      Set the starting positions of the chips

2.      After the startting position of the chips have been set, the first player is  determined by drawing lots.

3.      A chip is allowed to moved diagonally forward only to an adjoining vacant square.

4.      A chip has to take the opponent’s chip diagonally forward or backward thus “pass” is not allowed. Mathematical operations (x,÷,+,-)  will be used depending on the vacant square’s operation symbol where the “taker” chip lands by jumping over the “taken” chip (the latter chip has to be removed from the board after performing the indicated mathematical operation and recording same in the score sheet).

5.      In taking more than one chip, the “taker” chip is always the addend, minuend, multiplicand, or dividend as the case may be.

6.      In taking a chip or more than one chip,the dama rules on ‘dama’,’mayor dalawa or mayor tatlo’,’mayor tatlo over dalawa’,and ‘mayor dalawa or tatlo’,over ‘dama’ prevail.

7.      A chip is declared ‘dama’ upon reaching terminally on the following designated squares:

For Red chips:                         (0,7)  (2,7)  (4,7)  (6,7)

For Blue chips:                         (1,0)  (3,0)  (5,0)  (7,0)

8.      A ‘dama’ chip is allowed to take a chip or more than one chip,or move to any unoccupied square along its diagonal path.Moreover, a dama’s score is doubled in taking a chip or chips,and quadrapled if it takes the opponent’s dama chip.Similarly, an ordinary chip’s score is doubled if it takes a dama chip.

9.      A ‘move’ (e.g. 2→ (6,3) is good only at the most for one minute including its corresponding entries in the score sheet; while the game’s duration is twenty (20) minutes.

10.  The game ends when any of the following situations occur:

·         If no show of one player is declared after ten minutes.

·         Repetitive moves of any or both players

·         A player resigns

·         A player’s chip is cornered

·         A player has no more chip to move

·         The 20 minute game duration ended

11.  The remaining chips have to be added to the respective players’ total score.

12.  The player with a lesser total score is declared winner for which he/she is entitled to one point in the tally sheet of contestants or (0.5) in case of a draw.

13.  Only one score sheet is allowed to be accomplished alternately by the two players whereby incorrect entries in the score sheet,shall be their responsibility.

  

In case of incorrect entries in the score sheet,a player has to call the attention of the competition facilitator by raising one’s hand, that is, after stopping the time. As determined by the said arbiter/facilitator,the appropriate corrections will be done by the erring player in as much as the formers decision is final and unappeasable.

Sources: 
Huenda, J. L. SciDama Inventor.

Cudis, N. R., Sun Star. Checkers used as science teaching strategy.
DepEd Memo No. 465. s. 2009. Juan Day Math Storytelling at the Library Hub. from, deped.gov.ph/cpanel/uploads/issuanceImg/DM%20No.%20465,%20s.%202009.pdf