Jennella's ED271 Blog

For ED271, we were introduced to a new software called EdPuzzle. What is EdPuzzle you ask? Basically it's an interactive video that allows teachers to teach outside of a classroom. This includes, but is not limited to: asking questions, customizing a video to suit the class, and adding audio notes along the way. It's a great tool to have around as a way to keep track of how students perform outside of the classroom. This is most beneficial to online students, teachers who want students to learn the topic beforehand or teachers testing students after the lesson.  The topic I chose for EdPuzzle were the three states of matter. Since Crash Course is a popular youtube channel for middle, high school, and college students, I thought it would be nice to explore Crash Course within the elementary curriculum as well. After condensing the video to the length I thought students would reasonably watch, I added questions and audio notes along the video to ensure they understand it. THE ...

It's official. I am siiiiiiiiiiiiiiick. I was unable to attend lab this week. It was going to be at Ypao Beach where they were to feed the fish, but since I still have a severe cold, I decided it was best to stay away from the beach until I make a full recovery. For now, I must make do with nothing but soup and long hot showers to clear away this nasty cold from my system. Be gone, blasted cold!

What are pelagic fish? Pelagic fishes are those that live in the pelagic zone. In other words, it's fish that lives in the open sea. It was interesting since we were given reef fishes to compare with those of the pelagic ones. The main difference between the two is that reef fish live in coral reefs and are closer to the shore. In this week's lab, we were to identify the external and internal features of a fish. Afterward, we were to compare the difference between the organs and systems of the pelagic and reef fish. Our canoe (Dinanche) started right away. After identifying the external organs, we went straight to cutting open the fish. We got to identify the organs that help a fish survive like a "gas bladder". After what seemed to be forever, the class began to clean up the now dismembered fishes. The highlight out of all this was the professors' fish finding - he found worms hiding in the meat of a tuna. It looked interesting yet extremely disturbing up clo...

     For Marine Biology, we had the chance to experience something that falls under "Uniquely Guam". Cetti Bay, known for its marvelous sea life, was where our lab took place this week. It all started at Umatac Bay. Champ, the owner of Cetti Bay, met us on his boat to take us to our destination. With a wide smile, Champ greeted us with warm hospitality and immediately the class knew that it was going to be a great lab day. Since the trip would require a boat ride, our professor encouraged us to bring water and snacks for the day. Once we got out of the boat, the whole class marveled at the beauty that Cetti Bay held. It looked like a picture perfect destination. Champ took us on a small tour around the bay. He told us how important it was for everyone to be responsible for our actions when it comes to the environment. As soon as everyone went to the water, we knew what he meant. Just like Piti Bomb Hole, we easily distinguished the difference in the coral r...

There are some things the human eye simply cannot see. This week for Marine Biology, our class got to utilize two different microscopes. The professor collected some marine species to observe; some animals and planktons. It was great because all groups got to see certain mutations their bodies adapted in order to survive within their respective environment. We got to take turns to observe corals, sea spiders, snails, clams, and seaweed. It all looked a bit out of this world as if I borrowed glasses from someone who was almost blind. The sea spider creeped me out the most due to its multiple legs. I think that the most important part of the lab was seeing the plankton roaming around the water. To think that a colossal amount of animals rely on this tiny species to survive boggles my mind up to now. After all, it is what feeds almost the whole food chain, one way or another. So in that case, hurray for the tiny things that swim around in our oceans! You guys rock!

Lewis Howes, the author of School of Greatness, penned that quote. I used that as my title for this week's blog post because I feel that sometimes we forget to keep an attitude of gratitude. As a college student learning the ropes of how to be an adult, I sometimes forget to take a step back and be grateful for everything that comes to my life. Even more so, I feel that many college students are in the same shoes as me. With trying to balance school, work, and a social life, we end up feeling consumed in it that it almost feels like we're drowning. Sometimes, the best thing anyone can do is to take a step back and be reminded of all the great things that has come into their life, whether big or small. It could be someone complimenting you on something you've done or passing a test, but either way, once we start to develop an attitude of gratitude, then the rest follows. That is why, for Spring Break, I am developing my attitude of gratitude. I am starting and ending each...

Today is the day. LAB PRACTICAL #1. Am I worried? You bet I am. Do I feel prepared? Not at all. This is my first practical so I literally have no idea what to expect. All I know is that it can cover anything from the first lab (learning how to navigate through Ancient Chamorro GPS) or identify and describe the tides. Although the class is allowed to bring a handwritten page length cheat sheet, I still worry that some concepts that I write won't be in the test. I am, however, soothed a bit by the fact that the professor for Marine Bio went over some tough concepts the class could not understand. The toughest one? How to identify the length and height of a wave, as well as the speed it is going at. Nonetheless, I have faith that the class (including myself) will get through this practical. Wish me luck!

My view halfway through the class  My Marine Biology class just finished a lecture on coral bleaching, so we went out to see it up close and personal. Over the past years,  corals have bleached faster than they have grown. Based off what I learned in class, corals bleach when they are under extreme amounts of the stress. The most common of them all is when the ocean's temperature suddenly spikes. The algae that photosynthesize for corals leave, causing the coral to "bleach".  When our class met at the lab site (Piti Fish Eye Park), the first thing I realized was how FAR we were swimming. Keeping in mind that I have not yet experienced snorkeling, I started to panic because I quickly realized I did not bring my gear. A great majority of my classmates were ill-prepared for this lab as well. But with determination, our class set out to see the coral nursery to see how corals are farmed. We walked out until we saw live corals, and from there, we started to swim to ...

This week for Marine Biology, we went to Talafofo to explore the estuary. When you search "estuary" on google, it'll state, "the tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream." The class started around 1:20pm, and everyone had separated into pairs. Before heading to the water, Julie, our teacher assistant (TA), explained a few house rules. She explained how to row using the kayak as a safety precaution. As we strapped on our life jackets, each pair decided who would be the front and back paddler. Julie suggested that the back be the more experienced out of the pair since the back paddler is also the steerer of the kayak. The front merely sets the pace for the pair. By this time, I was extremely excited to just onto the kayak and see the river. My partner had more experience with a kayak so she was the navigator for the trip. Once our professor pushed his kayak out, the rest followed. It was easy to go up the river. The hard part was paddli...

My groupmates Edward and Vanessa, standing on a rock formation at Tanguisson beach. Many wonder how we evolved from land to sea. For Marine Biology, the week was mainly about the Rocky Intertidal Pools. The Rocky Intertidal Pool is the most stressful environment for marine life to live in, or as what I've learned. Our professor thought it would be best to see it up close and personal. And so, in the wee hours of Friday morning (that's the day we go out for lab), I received an e-mail from him saying we would be going out to Tanguisson beach to observe how animals adapted to survive in their environment. Right around 1pm, we went out of our cars and followed our Professor and Julie, our teacher assistant, out to find marine life in the tide pools. After 30 minutes of walking and having a mini hike out in the hot sun, we finally reached our destination. After that, we were told to split in our canoes (aka group) and look for an animal and point out to the professor how they su...