Ms. Johnson's Site

Good morning! First of all I want to thank you all for coming to my google hang outs and completing the work assigned last week! This virtual learning has certainly been a transition but you all are showing that you are up for the task! Work is posted for this week! Forensic Students you have a short video on DNA fingerprinting with some questions, a DNA fingerprinting worksheet, and as always a Forensic Files. Chemistry students, you have the Chemical Reactions Gizmo. The worksheet is on iLearn, and you know how to get to the gizmo! (if you don’t look at previous blog posts!) Make sure that you complete the assessment questions on the gizmo as well as the worksheet. All work is once again due Friday at 10 am.

This week we will be following the same schedule as last week in terms of checking in with me. I am going to be trying to meet via the Big Blue Button on iLearn instead of google hang outs, as this is a more secure way of meeting as a class. All you will have to do is log into iLearn before your scheduled time, and there will be a link just like an assignment link. I will send out info right before our meeting like last week. This is going to be a first for me, so if we have any issues we will default back to google hang outs. As a reminder the schedule is:

Monday: First Hour 1:00-1:40 Second Hour 1:40-2:20 Third Hour 2:20-3:00

Tuesday: Fourth Hour 1:00-1:40 Fifth Hour 1:40-2:20 Sixth Hour 2:20-3:00

Wednesday and Thursday from 1:00-3:00 will again be open office hours.

I will respond to any and all remind messages and emails from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Monday-Friday. If you email or message me outside of these hours please do not expect a response until the next business day. Last week I received many questions about topics I covered during office hours, from students who did not attend the optional office hours, I will not accept late work from students who do not attend Wed/Thurs office hours other than in cases of extenuating circumstances beginning this week.

I am looking forward to meeting with all of you this week. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns, or just want to chat! Have a great week.

Happy Sunday students and parents. I know that you have received a LOT of information this weekend from the district, from our building, and from individual teachers, with that in mind I will try to keep this brief and welcome you all to reach out with any concerns or questions. Dearborn Public Schools has received word that our virtual learning plan was accepted. I have been in many meetings over the past week trying to iron out the details, and figure out what it would look like for our classes. Your work for the week is currently up on iLearn. Forensics Students- you have notes on DNA along with a guided notes sheet, you have DNA questions, and a forensic files viewing guide. I suggest you pace yourself and do one assignment today, one Tuesday, and one Thursday. All work will be due on Friday at 10:00 am. I know that most of you said you liked the Friday at midnight deadline, however we decided as a building to have common due date/time. Chemistry Students you have a gizmo on Balancing equations. When you log onto iLearn it looks as though you only have one assignment, but this assignment is designed to be spread out over a few days. I have suggested stopping points embedded in the document.

All students, starting TOMORROW Monday 4/20/2020 you will be checking in with me via a google hangout. Checking in with me is a requirement of the virtual learning. You have likely seen the schedule from the school, I know that many of you are used to my office hours I have been doing the past month, so I have created a compromise. I am going to try it out this week and then look forward to your feedback, as always I remind you that I am open to suggestions, this is all new to me too! Monday I will be meeting with First hour students from 1:00-1:40 via google hang out, 1:40-2:20 with second hour, and 2:20-3:00 with third hour. I will send you a nickname to join the hang out via remind right before the hang out begins. Please make sure you are ready to check in. I will go over expectations for the week, I will have a bellwork question, and then I will have a chance for questions. Please make sure you are ready at your start time, I do not foresee our meeting lasting the whole time so you should have plenty of time to get ready for your next class. Tuesday I will be meeting with my 5th hour from 1:40-2:20 and my 6th hour from 2:20-3:00. Monday/Tuesday check ins are mandatory. On Wednesday and Thursday I will have my open office hours via remind from 10-12. If you would like to speak with me via google hang outs at that time I am happy to do so, if you are unable to meet during that time slot Wed/Thurs please let me know and we will make alternate arrangements. I know that Ramadan begins this week and that will certainly be changing many of your schedules, I will do my best to be flexible.

Work is up! Your schedule this week is Monday: 1st hour 1-140 google hang out; 2nd hour 140-220 google hang out; 3rd hour 220-3 google hang out Tuesday: 5th hour 140-220 google hang out; 6th hour 220-3 google hang out. Wednesday: open office hours via remind and/or google hang out 10-12 Thursday: open office hours via remind and/or google hang out 10-12 Friday: All work due by 10 am

The district has created a plan, it is still being finalized and you will be getting information by the end of this week. Chemistry students I posted on iLearn an assignment today that I would like you to complete by Friday at 11:59 pm. If you have not yet made an account on explore learning follow these steps go to explorelearning.com find where it says ‘enroll in a class’ if you are in 5th hour your code is DHZKHZ and if you are in 6th hour your code is QKRTWF Let me know if you have any issues. Forensics Students you should be finishing up any missing work from the last three weeks, we will be posting a Forensic Files tomorrow.

You all received a remind message from me asking about what type of ‘check-in’ you would like me to use. I know that some of your classes have been using google hang outs/zoom for video check ins. Please let me know via remind if you are interested in me doing something like that, or staying with just remind. I am all ears with suggestions for what would help this next 5-8 weeks (depending on if you are a senior or underclassman) go smoothly!

**Caution this ended up being a LONG post, please read it all! If you MUST skip ahead at least read the last paragraph!** Good morning everyone! I hope that you all had the chance to have as much fun/relaxation as possible over break. I know that for many of you this break was supposed to be a fun trip with classmates to celebrate your final year here at DHS, or a trip to visit family, or something else that had to be canceled due to this virus that has been seriously disrupting our lives! I can’t imagine how frustrated you are. I am truly sorry that this is happening, to all of us. I want you to hear, as often as possible, that what you’re feeling, whatever you’re feeling is okay, and you are not alone. I personally have felt MANY emotions since all this started (it feels like forever ago doesn’t it? But the last day I saw you all in person was just one month and one day ago), as I was talking to a friend of mine who works in the area of psychology she explained to me that most of us are going through a lot of emotions because we are literally working through the stages of grief, not only processing the loss of normalcy, but also processing the gravity of this situation. What I am trying to say is this is a LOT. I am HERE for you if you need anything, the entire DHS staff is. Please let us know if you need anything, even if you just want to chat about your cat! This week I personally have been trying to work on some self care, and self reflection. I would love to hear about what you did on your spring ‘break’.

Heres what I did: I have been starting every morning with a walk with my dog, its good to get out in the morning especially before there are too many people out. When I get home I have been working on a 30 day work out challenge (and you know I hate working out guys) and I just started a yoga challenge over break. I haven’t done yoga since I was probably in high school, I find it to be really nice to spend a few minutes focusing on my breathing while also getting in some physical activity. There are lots of free yoga videos on youtube I recommend it! After all my physical activity is done I have been working on wood burning an carving. It is a super fun hobby my boyfriend started doing, I thought it looked awesome so I started creating as well! I haven’t deep cleaned my house, or started a side hustle, or drastically changed my life, but I have been trying to stay busy and positive. I can tell you that the more I do and the less I netflix the better I feel! (I am still watching a LOT of netflix though…..)

Okay, so if you are still with me after all the droning on about my activities and how I want to motivate you all to be doing school work, and staying active and not just watching TV I thank you! Heres the update as it pertains to school work. Before we went on break we know the Governor ordered the end of the school year IN PERSON but not the end of the learning. In her executive order she said that the details of how virtual learning looked would be up to each district. So here is what I know about Dearborn Schools, the district is working on a plan, that plan then needs to be sent to what is called our ISD (or all the school districts in wayne county) they then need to approve our plan and then submit it to the state. Our superintendent has said that we will be submitting our plan this week and they expect a more ‘formal’ virtual learning experience to start next week. Us teachers are being asked to continue until that point as we did before break. SO what does that mean for YOU? My forensic science and chemistry students will continue to have roughly 3 assignments per week posted on iLearn with a due date Friday at 11:59 pm. I know many of you don’t want to be working on school work but I HIGHLY encourage you to stay up with the assignments that are being given. For your first assignment this week I will be sending you a survey to check in with you and see what modifications you would like to see. I am looking for your HONEST feedback you WILL NOT be penalized for telling me the truth! Please complete this survey as soon as possible. I will be sending it out on remind and posting it on iLearn shortly. As always please continue to check all your teacher’s blogs, the superintendent’s blog, and your email regularly. Stay safe, healthy, and well!

Good morning everyone. I am sorry that I didn’t reach out yesterday, honestly after the governor’s announcement I needed to decompress. I am very saddened by the news that I won’t be able to see your smiling faces for the rest of the year. I understand why the decision was made, and I am happy that Governor Whitmer put the safety and health of all the students first. I am not sure yet what district leadership will decide in terms of how virtual learning will continue, among a slew of other questions. The order from the governor states that schools will be closed but that the online learning will continue, and how that looks will be different depending on the district. I know you want answers (I do too) but please be patient. Remember that this situation has never happened before, district and state leadership are doing everything they can to make the best choices possible putting students first. As for right now I would advise you that now more than ever it is important to be completing your assignments and checking your email/remind/teacher’s blogs. We will hopefully know more over the coming days. I hope that you take the chance to relax, reflect, and enjoy your spring break over the next week. I know that many of you planned on being away for the week and those plans have changed. Try your best to make the best of this situation. Its okay to feel frustrated, and sad, and any other feels. Let me know if you need anything, even if its just to vent. During break I will be checking my email and remind periodically, but will not be practicing office hours.

Forensics Students- there is a great forensic files posted. Please make sure all three of the assignments from this week are completed by tonight at midnight.

Chemistry Students- you need to have the project shared with me as well as a view only link posted in iLearn by midnight tonight. You must also complete the mole worksheet using the gizmos website, and complete the assessment on gizmos. Please message me if you have any concerns!

Good morning. I hope you guys are doing well I know I sure miss seeing you all. Remember I am sitting in front of my computer every day from 10-1. If you need anything or just want to check in and say hi shoot me an email or remind message.

Forensics Students- we posted a Tire Tread Comparison Online Lab. You will also notice two PDFs above the lab, they are copies of the online assignment, so you can either print them or just have them open to make it easier to complete the online lab. As usual this work is due Friday at 11:59 pm

Chemistry Students- You should be working on finishing your project which is now due Friday. Or you should be working on the gizmos mole review.

Hopefully we will know something about the future of school closure soon. I will let you know as soon as I know anything. Hope you all are having as much fun as you can, spending time with your families, and staying healthy.

Good morning! Just a quick check in today. Forensic students please continue your work on the forensics for dummies. Chemistry students please continue work on your project. I also posted a mole review assignment which requires you to visit explore learning.com please make sure you read yesterday’s blog for directions on how to join. Let me know if you have any questions.

Everyone: I know that there are a TON of questions regarding the rumor that Governor Whitmer will be calling for a closure of all schools for the remainder of the school year. Right now you know as much as I know! As soon as we know something concrete you will hear from me, as well as I am sure your other teachers and administration. Until then please continue to do your virtual learning assignments and continue to stay safe and continue to follow the stay in place order. I hope that you are participating in virtual spirit week! Today’s theme is something you have created, my photo is below can’t wait to see yours!

Good morning. I hope that you all had a great weekend. I was waiting on updating the blog this morning until I watched the press conference from the governor, however not a lot of new information was shared. If you missed the press conference she pretty much said that she would be updating again this week about schools and whether or not to extend the stay in place order. I will let you know as soon as I know anything.

Forensics Students we’ve uploaded 3 different things on iLearn. The first is just the reading of the Forensic for Dummies section on tires. Please read the 3 short pages about tires as it relates to forensic investigations – some of it should be review from last week. Then there’s 11 questions that you need to answer about the reading. These questions can be done on iLearn and submitted there. Or if you prefer to print out a copy of the questions and answer them on paper you may, just make sure that you email me your completed work.

Chemistry Students please continue work on your project, I am extending the due date to FRIDAY at 11:59 pm, however I will have other assignments for you this week. Today PLEASE go to explore learning.com, click on ‘enroll in class’ then if you are in 5th hour enter code DHZKHZ if you are in 6th hour enter QKRTWF click continue and then follow the rest of the directions. Please have this done by Wednesday, that is when I will be providing more information and assigning your first task through the site.

Please let me know if you all have any questions, as always I will be available 10 am- 1 pm daily. Don’t forget that its spirit week! I am looking forward to seeing you and all your pets.

On one hand I feel like theres no way its already been two weeks of virtual learning, and on the other hand I feel like theres no way its ONLY been two weeks! I am proud of those of you who are working hard to complete all the assignments given despite the uncertainty. I want to remind all of you that there is no down side to completing the assignments. You keep your brain active, you show your teachers you are willing and able to do what needs to be done to keep learning (building and maintaining professional relationships and a positive professional attitude), you have something to keep you busy, you keep your body on somewhat of a schedule. Please continue to complete the work assigned, and as always I will be letting you know anymore information as it becomes available to me.

Forensics Students there is a really interesting forensic files for you to complete. Some of you are slacking a bit when it comes to the viewing guides, whereas some of you are putting in a TON of work, please complete these to the best of your ability. You have a total of 3 assignments DUE TONIGHT AT 11:59 pm. I re-opened last week’s assignments and they will also close tonight at 11:59 pm. I WILL NOT re-open anything next week. You should have the notes/crossword puzzle, the tire track lab, and the forensic files done by tonight at 11:59 pm.

Chemistry students, I am not posting an additional assignment for you today. Your project planning page was due on the iLearn Wednesday, I will re-open it today if you still need to upload it. You also should have completed the household chemical inventory assignment (due tonight at 11:59 pm) You also should post in the COVID vs. Soap forum. Your initial post needs to be done tonight by 11:59 pm and then you need to respond to classmates by Sunday.

All students: please continue to check ALL your teacher’s blogs daily, continue to interact with us on remind, let us know if we can help you with anything during this scary time.

Next week will be a virtual spirit week, you all know I will be participating! I will be sending you guys my daily picture as well as posting them on social media, I encourage you to send me your pics from spirit week on remind in addition to sharing them on social media.

Hey everyone I hope you are all still doing well, staying busy, and healthy. There is no new assignments today. Forensics you will get one tomorrow, Chemistry students you will not have another assignment this week, please continue work on your capstone, and please post in the forum. This morning we had a google hang out meeting with Mr. Martin, he tried his best to answer any questions we all had but as of right now we don’t have much information, I assure you all as soon as we are told anything I will pass along that information. Governor Whitmer spoke this morning at 11 and encouraged us to continue to stay in. The state medical chief said that the peak of cases is only a few weeks away if we all do our part. Stay safe and smart y’all!