Middle School Matters

https://www.newsweek.com/how-strengthen-your-kids-brains-12-weeks-neurologist-11345528

💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/story-wr… 📖 Story Writer – Create high-quality, engaging stories tailored to your specific classroom needs and content #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech #GoogleEDU Infographic: https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:bojmet4wbfkvvy5tnojvzlai/bafkreiep75t46uqp2iresqidcg4soioulj4g3ymjqnzguowhkpkr2dvjli@jpeg

Resources:

AXIS The Culture Translator

Antisocial Media

What it is: Remember when your social media feed was mostly made up of people you actually knew? Well, New York Magazine (paywalled) wrote about how algorithms could be making us more individualistic, instead of connecting us like tech companies promised they would.

Why it matters: “Don’t believe everything you see on the internet” was once a common adage from parents to their children, and it is perhaps more relevant today than it has ever been. But as our algorithms become more tailored, each of us grows more convinced that what we are seeing is true, and that it is other people who have been duped. A leaked Meta memo from 2022 laid out its short-form content strategy, aimed at competing with TikTok, which focused on shifting from “social” to “unconnected” content. The results? Today, no person’s algorithm is like another’s; each person’s feed is a unique silo of their interests, political leanings, and everything in between. Instead of being a place to connect with others, social media has become hyperspecific and insular.

My Short Answer

My Short Answer turns writing into a fun game activity. 5 different games to choose from. Some are competitive and some are cooperative. Never thought my kids would request to do this activity, but they do! www.myshortanswer.com

Web Spotlight:

How To Strengthen Your Kids’ Brains in 12 Weeks, According to a Neurologist

Finite Eyes: The Book

https://matthewcheney.net/blog/finite-eyes-the-book/

https://matthewcheney.net/books/finite-eyes/

The Secrets Behind 5 Optical Illusions

Optical illusions are more than just magic tricks for the eyes — they’re a fascinating peek into the mysterious workings of the brain. At their core, these illusions are about how we interpret visual information: Our eyes take in light and send signals to the brain, but sometimes these signals get mixed up, leading to perceptions that don’t align with reality. Some optical illusions use contrast, perspective, and light refraction to deceive the brain; others work on a more complex cognitive level, tapping into the subconscious mind.

https://interestingfacts.com/optical-illusion-secrets/

Is Educational Technology All It’s Cracked Up to Be?

https://micahblachman.beehiiv.com/p/is-educational-technology-all-it-s-cracked-up-to-be

World Math(s) Day

World Math Day is a 48-hour global contest that in its 18-year history has brought together over 10 million students who’ve answered over 1 BILLION questions. For 2026, WMD is on March 25 and we’re on a quest to make it the BIGGEST math contest ever!

https://www.3plearning.com/world-maths-day/

Random Thoughts . . .

Melvindale Youth in Government Draft AI Bill (Very much in progress!)

Bill No HB 1

Category:

Delegation: Strong Middle School

Introduced By:

This Bill will mandate added restrictions on the use of AI in public schools.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1. Section 1:

2. All students who use AI should be supervised in school so they can only use AI 3-5 times a day. However, if they use it to cheat, they will lose the privilege to use AI. Students who are using AI are encouraging people to cheat like college kids.

3. Section 2:

4. If students continue to use AI throughout the year and don’t obey the policy, then AI will be banned on all devices.

5. Section 3:

6. All kids who use AI should be supervised in school so they can only use AI 3-5 times a day. And if they use it to cheat, they will lose the privilege to use AI.

8. Section 4:

9. The state of Michigan will enforce this.

25% of Harvard students use AI in school

Who or what does it impact:

It impacts kids who want to cheat.

Background:

– Information on its working

Benefits of this bill:

This bill will benefit all teachers, ensuring that their students do not cheat.

Drawbacks:

One drawback is that kids will have to get used to not using AI all the time. And with that being said, kids will have to start learning and paying attention more instead of their work on assignments being done for them, and all they have to do is copy something down. Though this may set a repeat in grades, as kids do not pay attention and fail classes.

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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January 17, 2026January 17, 2026MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 689: The Mythical Paper Dictionary and Your Choppelganger!

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI in the classroom, gamification of writing, and more. Dave focuses on the Museum.

Jokes:

My Laptop keeps singing “Hello”.

It’s a Dell
- Side reference: https://youtu.be/-FlfZ9BI9lM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoxvLq0dFvw

In a perfect world, shopping mall disputes would be settled in Food Court.

Getting a salary for being a subject of sleep research is my dream job.

You’ll never hear a billionaire say, “I feel like a million bucks! “

Why can’t you put two half dollars in your pocket?

Two halves make a hole, so your money will fall out.

Really understanding why Yoda chose to die, instead of answering more of Luke’s questions.

Parallel lines have so much in common.

It’s a shame they’ll never meet.

You can say “Have a nice day” without any problem, but using the phrase “enjoy the next 24 hours” can sound slightly threatening.

I just bought an answering machine.

What should I ask it?

2026/365/16 I Finally Found Later Findlater! — “Findlater” with an arrow pointing left on a road sign. A road extends throughout the image.

Findlater, Saskatchewan, Canada

"Explaining your life to that friend you talk to once every two months" is written above a picture of a man with a "crazed" look on his face. Behind him is a bulletin board with lots of papers and red string forming a web.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

K12Science Podcast: Museum Educator

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of “The Science Teacher”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Career of the Month” written by Luba Vangelova. She wrote an article entitled, “Museum-Based Educator Tammy Cook-Endres.”

Museum-based science educators encourage curiosity and hands-on learning about science. Depending on their areas of expertise, they may work with children, adults, or people of all ages. The field of museum education is most suitable for people who have some teaching experience, enjoy working with people, and can inspire a love of science.

https://k12science.net/museum-educator/

Reports from the Front Lines

My Short Answer
Curriculum & AI
ClassWise
Cell Phone Bill: HB 4141 (Michigan Legislature) https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-4141

The Social Web

Rick Wormeli @rickwormeli2

I love how the word ‘atone’ wears its heart on its sleeve. It began as ‘at one’, because to atone is to bring back unity. Atonement is really ‘at-one-ment’. In the same way, ‘alone’ began as ‘all one’.

This one from Carl Hendrick really has me thinking — and valuing the time spent reading it: The Algorithmic Turn: The Emerging Evidence On AI Tutoring That’s Hard to Ignore https://open.substack.com/pub/carlhendri

‪Ron King‬ ‪@mthman.bsky.social‬

Good morning from a 29° #PNW #PNWONDERLAND

https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/notebooklm-gemini-integration-2026/

Back home from another amazing FETC! It was so wonderful to get to learn with so many amazing educators, catch up with old friends, and make new ones. All of the resources from all of my sessions can be found at www.controlaltachieve.com/2026/01/fetc… #EduSky #FETC #EdTech

Strategies:

Plan, Learn & Present Faster with NotebookLM and Gemini 3 Together

1. Streamlined Research and Information Synthesis

2. Professional-Grade Content Creation

3. Enhanced Learning and Training Tools

4. Competitive Analysis Made Simple

5. Integration with Gemini for Interactive Outputs

6. Customization and Accessibility

7. Applications in Marketing and Strategic Planning

Resources:

Two Truths and AI

Two Truths & AI is an interactive digital literacy game for grades K–12 that teaches students to identify AI-generated content and develop critical media literacy skills. Through an engaging, 60-second challenge, students try to distinguish between real and AI-generated movie posters. It’s a fun way for students to test their AI detective skills, while also building their critical thinking muscles.

https://www.commonsense.org/two-truths-and-ai

Visual Guides for Educators

Part of the work I do focuses on simplifying complex educational ideas, synthesizing research and practice, and turning them into clear, classroom-ready visuals. I design these posters to support teachers, educators, and researchers who want quick, reliable references they can actually use.

Below is a sample of the visuals I created this year. Each one distills a concept, framework, or strategy into a format that works for professional learning, teaching, and discussion.

Please note all visuals and guides shared here are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–ShareAlike 4.0 International License and may be used for educational purposes only. Selling, redistributing for profit, or other commercial uses are not allowed.

https://medkharbach.com/visuals/

LangGuesser

Guess the language’s country by its accent

https://www.langguesser.com

Reach My Teach

Web Spotlight:

Trevor Muir

One of the great gifts of the 21st century is that you never have to be bored again. All you have to do at a red light or in line at the grocery store is pull out the supercomputer in your pocket and pass the time with emails, headlines, or puppy videos.

And one of the great curses of the 21st century is that you never have to be bored again.

https://www.trevormuir.com/e/BAh7BjoWZW1haWxfZGVsaXZlcnlfaWRsKwgNYGEBCQA=–06992ce8de886605fa362b941e4680ca8de7087a

My Short Answer

Short Answer is grounded in research based best practice in formative assessment and writing instruction. Our theory of change below explains how teachers and students can use Short Answer to improve learning outcomes. This theory guides the development of Short Answer. You can read more about it below and check out our efforts to study this theory in our efficacy portfolio.

https://myshortanswer.com

AXIS The Culture Translator

Slang of the Week:

Choppelganger

A hybrid of two words, choppelganger combines the slang term “chopped” with “doppelganger.” If someone is “chopped,” it means they’re unattractive or undesirable (a definition you can find in our updated Parent Guide to Teen Slang!), and a doppelganger is someone with an uncanny resemblance to someone else. Put together, choppelganger basically means someone who looks like someone else but is uglier, like a cheap knock-off. So fathers, if someone calls you Brad Pitt’s choppelganger, it might not be a compliment.

Random Thoughts . . .

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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January 10, 2026January 10, 2026MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 688: Offloading the Cognitive Load

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, standards and benchmarks, and more. Dave has a better approach to Science Fairs.

Jokes:

Did you know you can sing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” whenever you feel like it?

It’s literally a whim away.

Tenor: two hours before a Nooner.

When do cats enjoy Simon and Garfunkel?

When they’re feline groovy.

Lloyd is forming a no-audition singing group—The OK Chorale.

I listen to Ragtime when washing dishes for the sinkopation.

A rock guitarist plays five chords in front of 5,000 people. A jazz guitarist plays five thousand chords in front of 5 people.

If you drive a Subaru backwards, what are you?

Person crazy about old TV shows about maids:

Hazelnut.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

K12Science Podcast: A Better Approach to Science Fairs

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of “Science and Children”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Science 101” written by Matt Bobrowsky. He wrote an article entitled, “Q: How Can I Make Science Investigations More Creative?”

Many teachers do not like science fairs, but there are many ways to have a science festival that avoids most of the issues that impact students, teachers, and families. A science fair can be redesigned to be less stressful and more genuinely educational by shifting the focus from competition to learning.

https://k12science.net/a-better-approach-to-science-fairs/

Reports from the Front Lines

Back to School Blues
The End of the Textbook?
- Magic School
- ChatGPT
- School.AI
- Brisk
AI Perspectives

The Social Web

Ed Hidalgo @EdHidalgoSD

Things students say… via an exit ticket. “The new thing I learned is a common career language.” #RIASEC #WellBeing

AMLE@AMLE

In addition to the volumes of research based materials you’ll find at http://amle.org, AMLE is also a network of more than 35,000 middle level professionals who benefit from sharing best practice. Here’s a tip from a member of our Early Career Educators Committee: we’re accepting applications to volunteer for committee positions through January 16th: http://amle.org/getinvolved

‪Keep Indiana Learning‬ ‪@keepinlearning.bsky.social‬

Actionable steps for HEA 1634 implementation are here! Keep Indiana Learning’s Courtney Flessner details the 5 things every school needs to consider for effective Tier 2 & 3 math support. Start preparing today! Learn more: youtube.com/live/f4SQ_io… #EduSky

https://openquestionsblog.substack.com/p/save-the-student-essay

Big thanks to @aiforhumans.bsky.social for mentioning my NotebookLM Graphic Novel project – www.controlaltachieve.com/2026/01/grap… – on their latest episode – www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Z3… – I watch the show every week and it was awesome to be a small part of it! #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech

Strategies:

Save the Student Essay

How do you learn philosophy? By doing it, of course. You read great texts and understand opposing philosophical views. Then you try to form a view yourself—initially through reflection and dialogue but eventually, and more seriously, by thinking and rethinking on the page.

To do philosophy the right way, the “slow cook” method is recommended. You let ideas stew, unattended, bubbling up to the surface once they’re ready.

Yet at this point it’s educational malpractice for professors to blithely assign slow-cooked (take-home) essays. You’re playing your students. You’re playing yourself.

Learning by getting it wrong (on purpose)

This isn’t about learning through failure or productive failure or productive struggle

or any of those failing approaches that let kids flail.

It’s more a possible extension of retrieval practice with hints of interleaving.

For years, cognitive science has told us something that still feels counterintuitive in classrooms: trying to remember (retrieval practice) beats rereading, even when it feels harder. Retrieval practice has earned its reputation as one of the most reliable learning strategies we have.

https://paulkirschner173727.substack.com/p/learning-by-getting-it-wrong-on-purpose

Resources:

Tamagotchigogy: A Pedagogical Framework of Care, Feedback, and Responsiveness

Tamagotchigogy is a new pedagogical framework that uses the Tamagotchi digital pet as a metaphor for learning itself. It emphasizes care, feedback, responsiveness, and engagement as essential to sustaining cognitive and emotional growth. This article outlines the theoretical foundations, instructional implications, and practical applications of Tamagotchigogy. Drawing from constructivism, self-regulated learning, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), care ethics in education, and active learning research, Tamagotchigogy proposes a learner-centered approach that repositions teaching as a responsive act of developmental stewardship.

https://geoffcain.com/blog/tamagotchigogy-a-pedagogical-framework-of-care-feedback-and-responsiveness/

AXIS The Culture Translator

2026 Teen Dictionary

Have you ever 100% felt like you definitely needed a secret decoder ring to understand teen culture? You’re not alone! Culture moves fast. Like — blink-and-it’s-a-new-slang-word fast…BRUH!… Sorry, that was so cheugy of us, we apologize. Don’t worry, as always, AXIS HAS YOU!

Link: Teen Translation Power Pack

Web Spotlight:

Standard Ebooks

Standard Ebooks is a volunteer-driven effort to produce a collection of high quality, carefully formatted, accessible, open source, and free public domain ebooks that meet or exceed the quality of commercially produced ebooks. The text and cover art in our ebooks are already believed to be in the U.S. public domain, and Standard Ebooks dedicates its own work to the public domain, thus releasing the entirety of each ebook file into the public domain. All the ebooks we produce are distributed free of cost and free of U.S. copyright restrictions.

Standard Ebooks is organized as a “low-profit L.L.C.,” or “L³C,” a kind of legal entity that blends the charitable focus of a traditional not-for-profit with the ease of organization and maintenance of a regular L.L.C. Our only source of income is donations from readers like you.

https://standardebooks.org/ebooks

We Need to Talk About How We Talk About ‘AI’

“AI” is not your friend. Nor is it an intelligent tutor, an empathetic ear, or a helpful assistant. It can not “make up” facts, and it does not make “mistakes”.

The problem with anthropomorphic descriptions is that they risk masking important limitations of probabilistic automation systems, which make them fundamentally different from human cognition.

Rephrasing the language we use to describe these interactions is truly swimming upstream, because not only do the companies selling these systems describe them as communicators, they also make many design choices to support this illusion.

People may form friendly feelings towards inanimate objects or technology, but they are entirely unidirectional — surely, we would not call a child’s plush toy a friend of theirs without at least a prefix of “imaginary”.

A more deliberate and thoughtful way forward is to talk about “AI” systems in terms of what we use systems to do, often specifying input and/or output. That is, talk about functionalities that serve our purposes, rather than “capabilities” of the system. Rather than saying a model is “good at” something (suggesting the model has skills) we can talk about what it is “good for”. Who is using the model to do something, and what are they using it to do?

https://www.techpolicy.press/we-need-to-talk-about-how-we-talk-about-ai

‘I feel free’: Australia’s social media ban, one month on

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mpmgn3jv2o

https://archive.is/QHWZ2

Reading Whole Books, and “Miracles” in Education

https://nataliewexler.substack.com/p/reading-whole-books-and-miracles

Random Thoughts . . .

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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January 3, 2026January 3, 2026PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 687: AI, I Want To Know

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk more about AI and break. Dave looks beyond our earthly planet.

Jokes:

An author who wrote from his basement had a best cellar.

Wasn’t one of The Mamas and the Papas a Rolling Stone?

I always regret making a good first impression because there’s no way I can keep that up!

What’s the worst part about being a cross-eyed teacher?

They can’t control their pupils!

As a child, it was my dream to make a perfect bar of soap, but somehow it just slipped away…

A man stumbles upon a lamp, and a genie pops out and offers him three wishes.

Man: For my first wish, I’d like to be rich.

Genie: Alright, Rich, what’s your second wish?

The worst part about parallel parking is the witnesses.

They always make you feel like you’re on trial.

A shoplifter stole an entire case of Red Bull from my store today. I have no idea how he can sleep at night.

Our new IT guy just moved here from Australia.

He comes from a LAN down under.

Two images side by side, first is a caucasian blonde woman, smiling, with the text "This is your A.I. girlfriend".

The second image is a stack of 4 computer parts, GPU, circuit board, etc., with the text "This is your A.I. girlfriend without makeup."

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

K12Science Podcast: Life Beyond Earth

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Scope on the Skies” written by Bob Riddle. He wrote an article entitled, “Is Anyone Home?”

We have always been curious about life beyond Earth, but we still do not have a definitive answer about that life beyond Earth. In a “big picture” sense, what we learn because of our curiosity, our intelligence, and certainly our technology offers us a chance to shape our future and, as educators, to increase our student’s curiosity and appreciation for the magnitude of the universe and the possibilities of life beyond Earth.

https://k12science.net/life-beyond-earth/

Reports from the Front Lines

Moving Web Hosts
- Mail
- DNS
Nesting

The Social Web

H5P @H5PTechnology

Harness the Magic of Open Source with H5P! Dreaming of crafting interactive videos, engaging quizzes, dynamic presentations, and so much more—all without a single line of code? H5P is your golden ticket to creativity! The best part? It’s open source!

Matt Miller @jmattmiller

Pedagogy over tools! Matt Miller, Holly Clark, and Ken Shelton discuss the future of AI. The big takeaway: stay skeptical, be transparent, and use AI to build rigor, not just shortcuts. Don’t miss out: Join for free at http://DitchSummit.com!

https://killedbygoogle.com

AMLE members are invited to a free Leadership Roundtable on AI in education, happening Wednesday, January 21, 2026, from 4–5 p.m. ET. Join the conversation with middle school media specialist Barb McCarty as we explore practical implications of AI for middle level educators.

Leadership Roundtable. Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 4 p.m. ET. (https://amle.org/airoundtable)

AI Policy Paper

Resources:

Killed by Google

Dark Web Reports
Tables by A120

How To Teach With No Resources

Imagine walking into class to find there’s no textbook, no projector, no printer, and not even a whiteboard marker that works. Most teachers would panic. But the truth is, you don’t need any of it. Great lessons don’t depend on stuff — they depend on you, your students, and a few flexible ideas you can pull from your back pocket.

Why teaching with no resources works

Here’s why the magic happens when you strip everything back:

It builds connection. Students interact with you and each other, not a page.
It develops independence. They learn to listen, speak, and think instead of fill in blanks.
It grows your confidence. Once you can run a lesson anywhere, you’re unstoppable.
It deepens learning. Active recall and personalisation beat passive reading every time.

https://www.barefootteflteacher.com/p/how-to-teach-with-no-resources

AXIS The Culture Translator

Five Conversation Starters for 2026

What’s one thing you hope changes in 2026?
What’s one thing you hope stays the same?
What’s something new you’d love to learn or try this year?
What’s one thing you’re excited about for 2026?
Is there anything you’re nervous or worried about for the new year?

Web Spotlight:

Public Domain Day

https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2026

A 1 Percent Solution to the Looming A.I. Job Apocalypse

The fund could be run by an independent nonprofit that would coordinate with corporations to ensure that the skills being developed are exactly what are needed. This is a big task, but it is doable; over the past 15 years, online learning platforms have shown that it can be done for academic learning, and many of the same principles apply for skill training.

https://archive.is/uTkVt

Random Thoughts . . .

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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December 27, 2025December 27, 2025MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 686: Not Educationally Social

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about translation, the break, AI, and more. Dave has part 1 of the Microbiomes.

Jokes:

You never hear of accountants getting attacked.

There must be safety in numbers.

What do you call a man lying in front of a door?

Mat.

My tailor really likes fixing my clothes.

Or sew it seams.

What washes up on tiny beaches?

Microwaves.

I can’t believe I was arrested for impersonating a politician…

I was just sitting there doing nothing.

I made a playlist for hiking. It was music from Peanuts, The Cranberries, and Eminem.

I call it my Trail Mix.

They should make another Taken movie about Liam Neeson being under-appreciated for trying to keep his family safe.

Taken 4: Granted

Alarming news!

A clock factory was on fire.

Second-hand smoke everywhere!

People were gathered around to watch. I think they were all cuckoo.

I’m a little ticked off about what some people will do just for a hot time.

If you don’t understand this joke…

I’ll give you a minute.

Never debate me on which vowel is most important…

I will always win.

Is a stolen Hershey bar considered

hot chocolate?

Dad, how do you cast spells?

Dad: You just follow the instructions.

Which instructions?

Dad: Yep, they’re the ones.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

K12Science Podcast: Microbiomes

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Citizen Science” written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled, “Meet the Microbiome.”

The human microbiome refers to the microorganisms that live on and in the human body. Colony B is a citizen science project that invites learners to engage in science and contribute to what is known about the human microbiome. Colony B was designed by researchers at McGill University, and it involves sorting and analyzing microbiome data that were gathered as part of the American Gut Project. To learn more about this citizen science project, visit their website at:

https://scistarter.org/education/colony-b-homeschool

https://k12science.net/microbiomes/

Reports from the Front Lines

Translation by Apple
- Spanish – worked well
- Arabic – classic vs regional
- HeyGen
Break Time Activities
- Reading
- Photography
- Writing
Google Certification
AI in Social Studies

The Social Web

https://www.middleweb.com/52511/4-simple-strategies-for-student-self-assessment/

A few of my favourite words from the season. Some are beautiful, others might be necessary. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. https://twowords2.page.link/play

Strategies:

4 Simple Strategies for Student Self-Assessment

Muddy Point Board
Reflective Journals
Video Confessionals
Which Road Are You On?

4 Ways to Reach the Disengaged Learner

Unleash Agency Through Choice
Cultivate Radical Relevance
Focus on Competence, Not Just Grades
Build a Culture of Relatedness

https://esheninger.blogspot.com/2025/12/4-ways-to-reach-disengaged-learner.html

Resources:

A250 iCivics Teacher Challenge

Join iCivics for A250 Teacher Trivia—25 weeks of fast, fun civics that celebrate 250 years of the Declaration of Independence!

Teacher Trivia Challenge

AI and the Future of Pedagogy

Click to access ai-and-the-future-of-pedagogy.pdf

At Sixes and Sevens

The whole ‘six seven’ thing couldn’t just be for fun, could it? Jonah Goldberg / December 26, 2025

https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/gfile/six-seven-meme-coincidences/

The Teacher’s Game Plan: Winning With Students from Day 1 by Kim Campbell

New book! The Teacher’s Game Plan: Winning With Students From Day One is a playbook for new teachers who want to step into the classroom with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

Drawing on lessons from the basketball court, veteran educator and coach Kim Campbell shows you how the same strategies that build winning teams can help you build strong, lasting relationships with students, set high expectations, and create a classroom culture where everyone can succeed.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G25BPF6P

Web Spotlight:

Maybe More Experienced Teachers Can Afford To Be Less “Data-Driven”?

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2025/12/14/maybe-more-experienced-teachers-can-afford-to-be-less-data-driven/

The Important Work

Since ChatGPT was released in 2022, writing instructors from across the world have found each other on social media, at conferences, and through newsletters to share information, teaching ideas, and more. While there are some great repositories of assignments and approaches to teaching writing in the era of generative AI, there’s no substitute for talking to colleagues about what works, what doesn’t work, what problems we’re encountering, and what we’re discovering.

The goal of “The Important Work” is to bring some of those conversations to a wider audience. Each newsletter will be a dispatch from someone’s classroom—a reflection on an assignment that incorporates AI or one that actively doesn’t, a reckoning with what we’re gaining and losing, a call for advice or feedback from others who are experimenting in the classroom.

https://theimportantwork.substack.com

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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December 20, 2025December 20, 2025MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 685: Middle School is Tittle-ating!

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI in social studies, conference material, and more. Dave (well, not Dave, but Fred) sings science.

Jokes:

My tailor really likes fixing my clothes.

Or sew it seams.

Where does an angry sailor go?

Anchor management.

Do I enjoy making courthouse puns?

Guilty.

The new password for my computer now is ‘fireplace.’

It’s so I can log in.

My son’s math teacher called him average.

I just think he’s mean.

I quit my job as a mailman when they handed me the first letter to deliver.

I looked at it and realized: ‘This isn’t for me.’

Why is ‘dark’ spelled with a K and not a C?

Because you can’t ‘C’ in the dark.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

Traditional Christmas Songs and Science

As the holiday season approaches, I am reminded of some of the songs that I recorded with the group, Science Explosion. All of the songs that we sang were written by group member Fred Ribits. Many of the songs were written to familiar tunes and some of them were written to the tunes of traditional Christmas songs.

In this podcast I will share three of the songs. If you enjoy them and want to share them with others, just visit:

http://k12science.net/scienceexplosion/songs

There you will be able to listen to and download the vocal and instrumental tracks for the songs. You will also be able to download a Science Explosion songbook that includes the lyrics, critical thinking questions, and mind-mapping opportunities for each song.

The three songs are most appropriate for elementary and middle school students.

1. The first song will be a life science song entitled “Energy Flow” (1:13) written to the tune of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

2. It will be followed by another life science song, “Natures Way” (1:00), written to the tune of “Jingle Bells.”

3. The final song is a science practices and concept song entitled “Creative Expression” (1:14) written to the tune of “What Child Is This?”

Happy Holidays!

https://k12science.net/traditional-christmas-songs-and-science/

Reports from the Front Lines

Troy’s Meetings, or lack thereof
NCSS

The Social Web

H5P @H5PTechnology

Here’s your reminder People forget up to 70% of what they learn in 24 hours… unless they interact with it. H5P makes content active, memorable, and learner-driven. Get started here: https://ow.ly/g69H50XmmPS

Moodle | Online learning, delivered your way. @moodle

We’ve built AI in Moodle LMS around a clear set of principles — grounded in choice, privacy, and people-first learning. Learn more: https://moodle.com/news/field-notes-where-ai-meets-learning-in-moodle-lms/

‪Glenn K‬ ‪@nerdyheisenberg.bsky.social‬

Which words have bought you happiness this year? I’d love to hear them. And if you fancy a distraction over the holidays, do give my game Two Words a go. https://twowords2.page.link/play

Yesterday was my last day as a teacher/lab technician. I spent the day preparing labs & hiding tiny babies & ducks. My legacy in the dept will be felt for years. They will be finding toys forever. Thanks go to @vimtotime.bsky.social & her Etsy shop for the tiny babies & ducks.

‪MiddleWeb‬ ‪@middleweb.bsky.social‬

Must read. Spot on. And middle grades teacher leader Bill Ivey nails it again! #edusky

‪Education Week‬ ‪@edweek.org‬

Larry Ferlazzo’s 10 Education Predictions for 2026 (Opinion): Gazing into his crystal ball, Larry Ferlazzo divines what’s ahead for education next year.

Larry Ferlazzo’s 10 Education Predictions for 2026 (Opinion)

Gazing into his crystal ball, Larry Ferlazzo divines what’s ahead for education next year.

💎 70 Gems! www.edugems.ai There’s now a total of 70 Gemini Gems on my EduGems site covering: 💡 Curriculum & Lesson Design 📖 Literacy & Language 🧒 Student Activities 💯 Assessment 🔑 Support 💼 Professional Tasks Use, copy & share for free!

Mx. Eddie R@silvermoon82@wandering.shop

💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/historic… ⌛ Historical What If? – Create an engaging “Alternative History” scenario with new narrative, primary sources, critical thinking activities and more #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech #GoogleEDU

George Clooney is an actor.

Put him in the role of a surgeon in front of a camera, and he will do and say things the average non-surgeon viewer will agree are surgeonish. After an hour of that, we are, as average non-surgeon viewers, satisfied and entertained.

Put him in an operating theatre, and the patient will die because he’s not a surgeon and knows nothing about really doing surgery.

This is a post about LLMs.

https://scholar.social/deck/@silvermoon82@wandering.shop/115719385219593342

Strategies:

Concert Etiquette and Communicating to Families

How to teach students concert behavior.

https://mrsstouffersmusicroom.com/concert-etiquette-and-communicating-it-to-families/

Resources:

NCSS Conference Session: AI in Social Studies

AI for Education
1. Legislating AI – What rights should we make sure are in the bill?
  1. The ability to be forgotten.
  2. Argument A: (See website resources)
  3. Argument B: Same as above
2. Simulation: Taxes, am I right?
  1. Prompt generated by AI for quick simulation and conversation.
3. AI Makes Choices – Who decides if these are the right choices?
Essential Historical Thinking Skills
1. Corroboration
  1. The Humanization of Andrew Jackson
  2. Sherman’s March to the Sea
    1. Interesting to see what a student would write and what AI would write.
    2. Write an historical marker that humanizes Andrew Jackson.
  3. Us Critical analysis of AI – Prompting Skills
  4. Using effectively: Center Human Originality, Use the “best fit” tool, Prompting skills to effectively communicate with AI Evaluating and refining AI Outputs
2. Effective Prompt Writing
  1. Say What You See https://artsandculture.google.com/ex
  2. AI for Education – Resources
  3. Image Generation
  4. Tool: Deep AI
Design Learning Activities
1. Cognitive Offloading: the Real Threat in the Classroom
  1. Use AI as a scaffold for cognitive thinking.
  2. What is the productive struggle that supports content specific learning?
  3. What is counterproductive struggle that negates or detracts from learning?
  4. Designing and facilitating AI-Integrated learning activities
    1. Ask AI to generate different perspectives for students to examine.
    2. Note: There is a problem with this in that these presenters are treating this as history. It isn’t even a secondary source. Perhaps this is the advent of the Tertiary Source.

I Don’t Know What to Think About America’s Declining Test Scores and Neither Should You

…anchored by a fascinating report from UC San Diego about their surging remedial math program. She thinks this surge reflects a decline in basic math skills. But there’s no decline on California’s state tests, which instead show increases up until the pandemic (and slow recovery since).

Play around with NAEP scores and you’ll notice that the declines are concentrated in the weakest students. This seems to be the case also for TIMSS, an international assessment. On both the 4th and 8th grade exams, America’s lowest performing students peaked in 2011, while the strongest students continued improving through 2019.

So are American students “getting dumber,” as Matt Yglesias says?

American scores on PIAAC, a test of workplace skills for adults of ages 16 to 65, have also been on the decline, arguably also peaking around 2014.

So it’s not just kids that have lost progress, but adults. How could schools possibly be responsible for that?

But as Aldeman points out, phones are everywhere and declines in TIMSS scores aren’t universal:

> Smartphones and social media are global phenomena, and yet scores in Australia, England, Italy, Japan and Sweden have all risen over the last decade. A couple of other countries have seen some small declines (like Finland and Denmark), but no one has else seen declines like we’ve had here in the States.

Here’s the situation: Americans are getting dumber…well, mostly not. But our lowest performing students seem to be losing ground. And, simultaneously, our adults. Some international tests show a similar decline happening in other countries. On other exams, America is on its own. What gives?

https://pershmail.substack.com/p/i-dont-know-what-to-think-about-americas

Web Spotlight:

AXIS The Culture Translator

Pretty Little Baby

What it is: TikTok’s most-used sound in 2025 was a 63-year-old love song from the late Connie Francis called “Pretty Little Baby.”

Why it’s surprising: According to a press release from TikTok, the song was used over 28.4 million times as the soundtrack for “wholesome videos featuring family, pets, relationships and flowers,” which altogether netted over 68.6 billion video views.

What Parents Can Do When Their Child Is in an Active-Shooter Lockdown

The text, from a fellow ER doctor and former Brown University faculty member, arrived at 4:27 p.m. on Saturday: “Active shooter near Brown engineering building? Is Hannah ok?” Within seconds, I looked on my phone for my daughter’s location—she was on campus in Friedman Hall. I texted her. It was real.

https://contrarian.substack.com/p/what-parents-can-do-when-their-child

Cozy ‘Grandma’ Hobbies Are Trending—and They Have Surprising Benefits for Your Mental Health and Well-Being

And it turns out, knitting, baking, and other cozy pursuits can have plenty of benefits for you (beyond a cute scarf or a delicious batch of cookies). Get the scoop on granny hobbies, their benefits—and how to find the best one for you.

Generally, “grandmacore” hobbies are the kinds of quiet, slow hobbies you can take your time doing. They also tend to be on the crafty and creative side—such as sewing and crocheting.

Sewing
Quilting
Crocheting and Knitting
Embroidery and Needlework
Baking
Canning
Gardening
Reading
Birdwatching
Board Games
Jigsaw Puzzles

https://www.realsimple.com/grandma-hobbies-trend-8786625

Random Thoughts . . .

AI Icons

Ai Icons to inform students

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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December 13, 2025December 13, 2025MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 684: That’s Carl, Who’s The Other Guy?

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about conference skills/tips, NCSS, and more. Dave persists.

Jokes:

What is the difference between Black-eyed peas, and chick peas?

Black-eyed peas can sing to us, chick peas can only Hummus

Why is Santa’s sleigh pulled by reindeer and not cows?

Having problems trying to organize a hide and seek game.

It’s hard to find good players…

The CDC is about to ban laughter because they heard it’s the best medicine.

My Strava app is probably checking the obituaries for my name

I view passkeys as an exciting opportunity to find new ways to lock myself out of my own accounts.

Gary Numan is 13 days older than Gary Oldman.

A man walks into a bar with a newt on his shoulder. The bartender says, ‘What an interesting pet, what’s his name?’ ‘Tiny,’ the man replies. ‘What an odd name, why do you call him Tiny?’ ‘Because…he’s my newt.’

Just bought a suit made from cactus.

I look pretty sharp in it.

I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it…

Some make such a big deal about farewells it’s always much adieu about nothing.

Somebody left an unlabeled box of random parts from IKEA at my door, with no instructions.

I’m not quite sure what to make of it.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

Why We Persist

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of “The Science Teacher”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Editor’s Corner written by Brooke A. Whitworth. She wrote an article entitled, “The Enduring Impact of Science Education: Why We Persist.”

Despite the challenges of teaching, science teaching is not just important work, but essential work. Our students, our communities, and our future need dedicated science educators now more than ever. That is why we continue to teach and why we persist.

https://k12science.net/why-we-persist/

Reports from the Front Lines

NCSS 2025
- iPad Notes
- Street Cred
- Resources
- Mophie Juice Pack: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DYF8Q42Q?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3&th=1
Upcoming break

Eileen Award

Shane McReavy, Calgary

The Social Web

Glen E. McGregor @glen_mcgregor

Interim NDP leader Don Davies opens opens with “My pronouns are broke and irrelevant.” Very strong performance. Jokes that they tried hip, fit leader before, now gone in different direction for interim leader. “Buffy St NDP.” Fire. Best speech of the night. Bringing house down.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1998058364970958849

https://learningaloud.com/blog/2025/12/09/what-does-the-role-of-revision-in-classroom-note-taking-research-offer-pkm-advocates/

Word of the day, should you be feeling a little huffish, is ‘apanthropy’ (18th century): a love of solitude and the desire to be away from other people.

H5P @H5PTechnology

H5P creators, unite! Submit your interactive content for the H5P Awards! Deadline: February 1st, 2026. Submit here: https://ow.ly/nZwQ50XA1nw Winners get prizes! #H5PAwards #Elearning #InteractiveLearning #EdTech #H5P

UBC CTLT @UBC_CTLT

Educators, students, and designers are invited to submit proposals for the 2026 UBC H5P Symposium. We’re seeking examples of H5P projects that showcase truly interactive, transformative approaches to teaching and learning. Submit by Nov 26, 2025 at 3pm. https://bit.ly/4p6GPDN

Resources:

World’s First Film in Ancient Sumerian released by Trinity College – Dublin

The world’s first film shot entirely in the ancient Sumerian language is now available to audiences worldwide to view on YouTube.

Dumuzi’s Dream and Dumuzi’s Demons, performed by Trinity students entirely in the dead language of Sumerian, tells the story of how Dumuzi, a Sumerian shepherd god, repeatedly escapes from underworld demons, until they finally catch him for good.

https://youtu.be/wJxw9TLU0No (Do enable Subtitles, unless you’re fluent in Sumerian.)

What does the role of revision in classroom note-taking research offer PKM advocates?

While studies have focused on whether handwriting is superior for initial learning, approaches that encourage a deeper look at your notes reveal a powerful consensus that transcends the medium: there is unique value in notes that involve not just how notes are taken, but in how notes are revised.

Web Spotlight:

AXIS The Culture Translator

Pretty Little Baby

What it is: TikTok’s most-used sound in 2025 was a 63-year-old love song from the late Connie Francis called “Pretty Little Baby.”

Random Thoughts . . .

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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November 29, 2025November 29, 2025PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 683: Going Bananas on AI

Summary:

Shawn and Troy enjoyed vacation and chat about anagrams, AI and more. Dave creatively talks about creativity in Science.

Jokes:

You can’t run through a campsite.

You can only ran, because it’s past tents.

Some cause happiness wherever they go, some whenever they go.

What do you call a small pepper in late autumn?

A little chili.

The local baker has red hair.

He’s the ginger bread man.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

K12Science Podcast: Creativity

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of “Science and Children”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Editor’s Note” written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn. She wrote an article entitled, “Making Space for Creativity.”

Now more than ever, the ability to think creatively has become most essential. Creative thinking through a discerning lens pushes students to think abstractly, consider diverse perspectives, and embrace unconventional approaches.

https://k12science.net/creativity/

Reports from the Front Lines

Anagrams in H5P
“AI” Yourself
AMLE Search for Executive Director – Thank you to Stephanie Simpson

The Social Web

Teaching kids how to disagree without being disagreeable? Yes, please! Check out this completely FREE Middle Grades Civil Discourse Curriculum created through a partnership between the AMLE and @RonaldReagan. This non-partisan resource is built specifically for middle school advisory periods and aims to help kids: Listen to understand Disagree respectfully Engage in constructive dialogue Through fun, relationship-focused activities, kids build empathy, sharpen communication skills, and get ready to engage with all kinds of perspectives as thoughtful citizens. Download it today: http://amle.org/civildiscourse

BLACK FRIDAY DEAL ALERT! Stock up on the best middle grades resources and save 10% site-wide at the AMLE Bookstore! Use code BLACKFRIDAY10 at checkout. Offer valid through Cyber Monday, December 1st. Shop now: http://amle.org/store

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Here are just a few of the many awesome middle level educators we are thankful for: https://ow.ly/lOm450XunUV

‪Ron King‬ ‪@mthman.bsky.social‬

🍌 Gemini Goes Bananas: The Ultimate Guide to AI Infographics – www.controlaltachieve.com/2025/11/info… ℹ️ 28 Sample Educational Infographics 📄 Infographic Prompts 🎨 Visual Style Ideas 🔄 Layout Ideas 💡 Tips & Tricks #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech #GoogleEDU #Gemini

Good morning from the #PNW #pnwonderland

‪otacke‬ ‪@otacke.chaos.social.ap.brid.gy‬

Didn’t I publish #H5P 3D Hostpots on Tuesday? Hey, that was two days ago already. Time for yet another content type, right? Say hello to StoryMap … www.olivertacke.de/labs/2025/11…

You probably missed the world premiere at #OERcamp global, but here’s a new a #H5P content type for your collection: 3D Image Hotspots www.olivertacke.de/labs/2025/11…

Resources:

Thinking in Public: Ed Ayers and American Anguish, American Freedom: A Conversation about the Civil War with Historian Edward L. Ayers

Edward Ayers combines some of the most interesting responsibilities. He has been president of the University of Richmond, but he is also one of the most published historians of American history. He’s a scholar. He has also been involved in the Academy. Indeed, he has served as president of the Organization of American Historians completing his term in 2017/2018. President Barack Obama awarded him the National Humanities medal in 2013.

https://albertmohler.com/2019/05/20/edward-ayers/

AXIS The Culture Translator – Questions for Teens

What’s something you’re really excited about right now?
What’s the funniest trend or meme you’ve come across lately?
If you could permanently fix one issue in our culture, what would you choose?
What’s one way you’ve changed this year?
If TEMU offered you $2,000 to represent their brand on your platform, would you do it?
What band or musician do you think is seriously overrated? What about underrated?
Has anything you’ve watched, read, or listened to changed you this year? What was it and how did it change you?
What’s one show that you think more people should watch?
Are there any new skills you’re trying to develop, or want to try to develop?
What’s something you’re looking forward to in 2026?
If you could be a social media influencer known for only one thing, what would that be?
Serious question: why do you think so many people started saying “67” this year? Why did that catch on?
Why do you think Daylight Saving Time still exists?
Does a hot dog count as a sandwich? Why or why not?
When the history books mention 2025, what do you think will be included? What won’t be?

Web Spotlight:

Supporting Neurodivergent Teachers: How Schools Can Help the Helpers

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/neurodivergent-teachers

Random Thoughts . . .

Day of AI and Common Sense Media Launch Essential Toolkit for Parents and Families: “Talking to Kids About AI — Privacy, Fairness, and Responsibility”

Second Video in “What Is AI for Families” Series turns complex AI issues into meaningful family conversations

Cambridge, MA — November 17, 2025 — Day of AI and Common Sense Media today announced the release of a new AI literacy video and toolkit for families and educators. These resources come after recent research from Common Sense Media revealed that roughly 75% of teens are using AI companion chatbots — which are unsafe for kids under 18 — but only a third of parents know that their children are using them.

Titled “Talking to Kids About AI: Privacy, Fairness, and Responsibility,” this latest installment in the “What Is AI for Families” series explores key topics such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, misinformation, and the importance of maintaining human connection in a digital world. The video and toolkit are designed to translate complex AI concepts into clear, age-appropriate information to help families use AI safely and responsibly.

As part of its broader national movement, “Responsible AI for America’s Youth,” Day of AI and partner MIT RAISE are working to empower educators, students, and families with AI literacy tools. This toolkit supports that mission by providing parents a pathway to understand and discuss the technology that is increasingly reshaping their kids’ lives.

“Families shouldn’t need computer science degrees to learn how to use AI safely,” said Common Sense Media Chief Program Officer Yvette Renteria. “When combined with comprehensive digital literacy education like Common Sense Media’s Digital Literacy & Well-Being Curriculum, this new toolkit gives kids and families the tools they need to responsibly navigate our ever-evolving, AI-powered digital world. Common Sense Media thanks Day of AI for their partnership in our efforts to bring AI literacy to families everywhere.”

“We’re grateful to our partners at Common Sense Media for joining us in this critical effort to help families understand AI,” said Jeffrey Riley, Executive Director of Day of AI and former Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “Too often, parents are left to navigate this technology without clear information about what their kids are using or how it affects them. Recent tragedies have made clear how risky these tools can be when they’re misunderstood or misused. Families everywhere need guidance, and this resource continues to be an important step toward helping them keep their kids safe and informed.”

The Talking to Kids About AI Toolkit includes:

Conversation starters tailored for different age groups
Hands-on activities that build understanding of algorithms, bias, and digital privacy
Reflection prompts that strengthen media literacy and critical thinking
A glossary and curated resource links for continued learning

Developed as part of the ongoing Day of AI × Common Sense Media partnership, this toolkit supports a growing national effort to advance AI literacy among families and schools.

Watch the video and download the free toolkit at https://dayofai.org/families/family-tools/. Additionally, Common Sense Media and Day of AI will host a LinkedIn Live event on Wednesday, December 10th at 1 PM ET to explore how parents and educators can use the new toolkit to guide safe and informed conversations about AI.

About Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users worldwide, over 1.4 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.

About Day of AI

Born at MIT in 2021 through the Institute’s RAISE (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education) initiative, Day of AI enables K–12 students, families, and educators to thrive in the age of artificial intelligence. Now an independent nonprofit, Day of AI continues to collaborate closely with MIT’s world-class researchers to equip educators with the tools and knowledge to teach AI responsibly—fostering critical thinking, creativity, and digital literacy across schools and communities. Learn more and download our free K12 curriculum, access professional development to educators teaching ai in K12 schools and find information free resources at www.dayofai.org

About “Responsible AI for America’s Youth”

Day of AI and MIT RAISE have just launched a year-long, nationwide campaign, “Responsible AI for America’s Youth,” providing the tools of AI literacy to K-12 teachers and students across the country. Last week marked the launch of a series of up to 20 weekly virtual trainings available to all U.S. teachers, the most extensive offering of its kind, with educators from all 50 states already registering for the program. Over the next nine months Day of AI and its partners will be working with teachers from coast to coast and bringing their best-in-class AI literacy curriculum to school communities across the country, hosting events and student competitions in different subject areas, including civics and arts. All of this will build up to a culminating weekend July 2026 at MIT, where 250 top students and teachers will be brought to Cambridge/Boston by Day of AI and MIT RAISE for “America’s Youth AI Festival,” all as part of our country’s 250th anniversary.

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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November 22, 2025November 22, 2025MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 682: To The Annoyance of Everybody Else . . .

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, kids developing skills, annoying others, and more. Dave brings the Life to Science.

Jokes:

Attempted to exercise this morning…
.
.

didn’t work out…

Whoever invented the knock-knock joke…

Should get a Nobell prize.

customer: I’d like to buy a bagel with cream cheese
me: sorry, we only take cash
manager: can I talk to you

I tried splicing the DNA of a cheetah with that of a crab, but things went sideways fast.

The Bible says having 11 ants in charge is too many and 9 is not enough.

We all know there are ten command Ants.

Ordered some Christmas presents online the other day and used my donor card instead of my debit card.

Cost me an arm and a leg.

Guessing brain surgeons appreciate working on like-minded individuals.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

K12Science Podcast: Life Science

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “From the Editor’s Desk” written by Patti McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled, “Life Science Matters.”

Middle school is the age when students develop awareness of their place in the world; as such, it is the perfect age to challenge them to consider how human actions impact our planet.

https://k12science.net/life-science/

Reports from the Front Lines

Michigan Youth in Government Early Conference Report
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Shawn talks about baseball
AI discussions
Music as a connector in class.
- Suno.com AI Music Generation
- MYIG Motivator 1: https://suno.com/s/EOAERnjY4YqbA8Mb
- MYIG Motivator 2: https://suno.com/s/YBh1c8wqKxSo1pJL
- MYIG Motivator 3: https://suno.com/s/X3z5DBhiMr5f628n
- MYIG Motivator 4: https://suno.com/s/WiVf7Jgg2Vl1cPoK
- MYIG Theme: https://suno.com/s/EJ7BDkL4SiiEOonc
- Odd Request: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=1995394317891914

Eileen Award

Tom Acker – Thanks for recommending content from the show to colleagues! Tom points out we mispronounced Henrico, Virginia. The correct pronunciation is Hen-rye-ko. We sincerely apologize to all the fine folk in that lovely region of the U.S. Still rooting for Prince William County Schools in football though!

The Social Web

Tolentino Teaching – Facebook

Schools Are Accommodating Student Anxiety — and Making It Worse, Teachers College of Columbia University

https://www.tc.columbia.edu/articles/2025/october/schools-are-accommodating-student-anxiety–and-making-it-worse

Trevor Muir – The Epic Classroom

Subject area posters for your classroom:

https://www.facebook.com/epicclassroom/posts/pfbid0utHnQ2kp7pkGCutsRaYUPks4YMMhLkCw9PRdvRj6G42k2jxxmuCFXsmnyJMN7tQtl

Matt Miller @jmattmiller

Ready to save time? Use AI to generate comprehensive lesson plans tailored to your teaching needs. Lesson planning with AI: Save time and get ideas https://f.mtr.cool/toplmscikv

https://www.theamazingshake.com/home

Word of the day is ‘quockerwodger’ (19th century): a puppet politician whose strings are pulled entirely by someone else.

Resources:

The Amazing Shake – Pragmatics from the Ron Clark Academy

10 AI image generators for classroom uses

https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-image-generators

Navigating the AI Landscape: Guidance and Insights for Educators

Downloadable resources. These are very much an introduction.

https://www.imaginelearning.com/resources/ai-resources/

Web Spotlight:

Who Wants to Be a Teacher in America?

Effective policy interventions require understanding the dynamics of the teacher pipeline. The teacher pipeline consists of inputs and outputs of where individuals naturally enter the profession.

… Lortie’s seminal sociological work described teaching as a historically gendered profession, shaped by norms that framed it as women’s work that offered limited incentives for men or high-achievers to enter or stay (Lortie, 1975).

https://edworkingpapers.com/ai25-1275

Click to access ai25-1275.pdf

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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November 15, 2025November 15, 2025PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 681: Cyrano for Christmas

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, executive functioning, and more. Dave goes for seven science tips to help students develop scientific literacy.

Jokes:

What do you get if a Wizard gets on a plane?

A flying sorcerer.

What do you call a group of talented musicians performing on a hill?

Musically inclined.

Just finished building a ship in a la croix can.

i mean i think it’s done, i can’t see it

Ever noticed how astronauts on the ISS are never under the weather?

When you’ve seen one shopping centre, you’ve seen the mall.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

K12Science Podcast: Seven Tips for Science Instruction

I was recently reading the November 6, 2025, NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

I read the blog entry “Seven Essential Tips for Modern Science Instruction” written by Jason Strohl.

The Seven Essential Tips are:

1. Focus on Science and Engineering Practices Over Content Delivery

2. Connect Science to Real-World Problems in Students’ Communities

3. Embrace Crosscutting Concepts and Interdisciplinary Connections

4. Be Intentional About Technology Integration

5. Develop a Systematic Approach to Evaluating Instructional Materials

6. Prioritize Student Curiosity and Wonder

7. Scaffold Support for Science Learners

https://k12science.net/seven-tips-for-science-instruction/

Reports from the Front Lines

NWEA testing
AI Results
Veteran’s Day
- Reference: Good to Great – https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996
Thanksgiving Break

The Social Web

Matt Miller @jmattmiller

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