Advisory:

Story Songs

Enjoyed the podcast as always this week.  Especially enjoyed the music link. I also liked the comment about how kids seldom hear stories in their songs.  This may be one of the advantages of ballads. I was talking to one of our ELA consultants and she was saying how Taylor Swift is one of today’s artists that uses songs to tell stories. But I had an interesting comment from my grandson the other day.  He was listening to Abiyoyo:

a song by Pete Seeger that often comes up when we are in the car.  But the other day, he said it was his favorite “story song.” We talked a bit about it and it aligned with what you were talking about – songs that tell a story and there are not a lot of songs that do that.  I am glad I keep playing that song.

Mindful Internet

Share with students. What do they think? Is this worthwhile? How do they monitor their own use of “wasteful” sites?

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Moving Toward 3-D Learning

I was recently reading the August, 2019 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. 

In this issue, I read the section “From the Editor’s Desk” written by Patty McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled, “Moving Toward 3-D Instruction.” She cites some valuable resources that will help with this movement:

Quality examples of science lessons and units: http://bit.ly/2IMzxCz

NSTA classroom resources: http://ngss.nsta.org/Classroom-Resources.aspx

EQuIP Rubric: http://nstahosted.org/pdfs/ngss/equiprubric.april.2014.pdf

NGSS Lesson Screener: http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/NGSSScreeningTool-2.pdf

From the Twitterverse:  

Eric Curts@ericcurts

20 Instant Google Searches your Students Need to Know http://controlaltachieve.com/2016/05/google-search-cards.html #edtech

Amanda Dykes@amandacdykes

OK class, what did we learn today? If you pout about rules, get in fight w/your boss, & air the drama on Insta, you get $15M + $9M signing bonus on a better team.   (Antonio Brown Reference)  

I’m pretty sure those were not any of the “I can…” statements on the board.

Paul Murphy@VirtualMurph

Teachers: trusted with other people’s children and the future of our democracy. Not trusted with the color copier.

Typical EduCelebrity@EduCelebrity

We must work hard to teach students with special learning needs. But we must work harder to teach students with special learning wants.

Responsibility.org@goFAAR

Happy #NationalLiteracyDay! Our friend @Pfagell, author of #MiddleSchoolMatters, told us 5 truths about middle schoolers.  Read them here>> https://t.co/BDjxdmIhcX?amp=1  

Alice Keeler@alicekeeler

Stop wasting your time. If students don’t learn from your comments what’s the point? If you leave feedback, make it actionable and don’t release their score until they respond.

June Cheng 程君 @JuneCheng_World

“Glory to Hong Kong,” the unofficial anthem of Hong Kong, was created/shared on YouTube less than two weeks ago and now people are gathering in malls to sing it together. Incredible.

Quote Tweet

     antiELAB@anti_elab

This evening's #GloryToHK thread.
First off #CausewayBay Times Square pic.twitter.com/vmPzWWUHyn

— antiELAB (@anti_elab) September 12, 2019

This evening’s #GloryToHK thread. First off #CausewayBay Times Square

Orchestral Version:  https://twitter.com/i/status/1171786302527856640   

---

Don’t forget #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST.  Look for your host Todd Bloch to have a middle school topic all ready to go!  Make it a strategic part of your personal professional development.

Strategies:  

Play-Doh/Activity Dough Beginning of the Year Thingy

Perspective (First Day in class in China):  

Resources:

Place Value

https://thelearnersway.net/ideas/2019/9/8/trulyunderstandingplacevalue#annotations%3AXtWO1NPMEemS0HezWc1kqg=

Web Spotlight:

No Copyright Video Backgrounds – YouTube 

Trebek Affirmation

http://trebek-affirmations.com/

A Rare Universal Pattern in Human Languages

Some languages are spoken more quickly than others, but the rate of information they get across is the same.

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/09/people-speak-faster-less-efficient-languages/597391/

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Jokes You Can Use:  

The first rule of Passive Aggressive Club is…

• …you know what? Never mind. It’s FINE.

I’ve decided to become a math teacher, but I’m only going to teach subtraction.

• I just want to make a difference.

Why do Dads tell Dad jokes?

• Because they want to see their kids all groan up.

My calculus professor was 16 minutes late for his first class, 8 minutes late for the second, and 4 minutes for the third.

• At this rate, he’ll never be in class on time.

I’m trying to convince my wife that I want a Segway for my birthday.

• But every time I bring it up, she changes the topic.

Eileen Award:  

• WeChat: Hannah and Helen

Advisory:

Every Noise at Once

Every Noise at Once is an ongoing attempt at an algorithmically-generated, readability-adjusted scatter-plot of the musical genre-space, based on data tracked and analyzed for 3,442 genre-shaped distinctions by Spotify as of 2019-09-06. The calibration is fuzzy, but in general, down is more organic, up is more mechanical and electric; left is denser and more atmospheric, right is spikier and bouncier.

http://everynoise.com

Paper Airplanes

John Collins, better known as “The Paper Airplane Guy,” has devoted himself to designing, folding, and flying the world’s finest paper airplanes. 

https://www.thepaperairplaneguy.com/

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Chris Geerer

I was recently reading the July, 2019 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. 

In this issue, I read the “Member Spotlight” section where NSTA highlights a middle school science teacher, from across the United States. This month, Chris Geerer is featured. She is a Sixth and Eighth Grade Science teacher in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. Her advice for a new science teacher is:

“Be open to nontraditional ways of using your skills.”

From the Twitterverse:  

Blunt Educator @BluntEducator

There’s a special place in heaven for certain ppl in schools: 1. Middle school teachers 2. Pleasant receptionists 3. KG teachers who have 20 kids reading by the end of the yr 4. Custodians who clean baseboards & take the time to talk to students What are some others?

Erin Scholes@ScholesE15

Make it your goal to contribute to #mschat this year! (See what I did there?!)

Mr. D’s Dream Team@MrDsDreamTeam

Today was the day we shredded the dreaded reading log and I received a standing ovation lol. It was my promise to them that they will never fill one of these out in my room. So that sheet ended up only where it belongs

@alicekeeler #ditchbook #tlap #xplap @jmattmiller

Michigan History Day@mihistoryday

In case you forgot…a new school year has started which means a new theme, new topics, and new projects. Excited? We are!!! #mihistoryday2020 #NHD2020 #breakingbarriers

Sammy Rebandt @MrsRebandt

Look at these happy faces working together on the Marshmallow Challenge! #EJPride

Jennifer Gonzalez @cultofpedagogy

How to Stop Yelling at Your Students http://ow.ly/HplQ30prO8e #classroommanagement #buildrelationships #classroomclimate #teachertips

Miss D@TeachWithMissD

Imagine being given this card. JUST IMAGINE.

#teachergoals @teachergoals

There is no tired like end-of-the-week tired #teacherlife

DoInk Tweets@DoInkTweets

@GoharHamo

My mind is racing with ideas I can use with a green mask. Thanks for the simple suggestion.

 https://twitter.com/DoInkTweets/status/1169792515589005312 #doink #greenscreen #everyonecancreate

Don’t forget #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST.  Look for your host Todd Bloch to have a middle school topic all ready to go!  Make it a strategic part of your personal professional development.

Strategies:  

Retake Thoughts

When I reflect back on retesting, it was a very positive experience.  I remember one boy in particular who did not seem to try on the first test, but then did well on the retest.  I finally asked him why he does not do better on the first test. He said that he did not like the classroom testing environment.  He enjoyed coming in after school, on his own time, to take the test because he felt much more relaxed. I remember his saying, that he appreciated having a choice of when to take a test.

Resources:

1619 Project

https://pulitzercenter.org/builder/lesson/reading-guide-quotes-key-terms-and-questions-26504#annotations:iP97BMKzEemZ87sJCchUWw

Foundation for Teaching Economics Simulation:  https://www.fte.org/teachers/teacher-resources/lesson-plans/efiahlessons/indentured-servitude-activity/  

Bad News (& Bad News Junior)

In Bad News, you take on the role of fake news-monger. Drop all pretense of ethics and choose a path that builds your persona as an unscrupulous media magnate. But keep an eye on your ‘followers’ and ‘credibility’ meters. Your task is to get as many followers as you can while slowly building up fake credibility as a news site. But watch out: you lose if you tell obvious lies or disappoint your supporters!

Bad News Junior

We also developed a special Junior version of Bad News, intended for children age 8-11. This version can be played here (American English) and here (British English).

http://getbadnews.com/droggame_book/junior/#intro (intended for children age 8-11)

https://getbadnews.com/#intro (

Mentor Texts from NY Times

Web Spotlight:

Here’s What Students Think of our “Powered Off and Away” Policy.

Here’s What Students Think of our “Powered Off and Away” Policy.

Op-Ed: My high school students don’t read anymore. I think I know why

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-08-22/death-of-reading-high-school-cellphone#annotations:mJly1MeXEemMn2v_luwv2g

3700 MOOC’s

3,700+ MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are getting underway in September, giving you the chance to take free courses from top-flight universities. 

Here’s one tip to keep in mind: If you want to take a course for free, select the “Full Course, No Certificate” or “Audit” option when you enroll. If you would like an official certificate documenting that you have successfully completed the course, you will need to pay a fee.

http://www.openculture.com/free_certificate_courses

http://www.openculture.com/2019/09/3700-moocs-massive-open-online-courses-getting-started-in-september-enroll-today.html

Papercraft-inspired math turns any sheet into any shape

https://www.engadget.com/2019/08/25/harvard-kirigami-math-transforms-sheets/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Jokes You Can Use:  

Thirteen Presenters Who Ruin the First Day

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-thirteen-presenters-who-will-ruin.html

Advisory:

Ice Breakers & Beginning The Year Activities:

1. Head and Shoulders, Knees and Cup Activity:  Play it like Simon Says.  Start with a cup for every two people.  Do the “Simon Says” thing, but when you say “cup” whomever gets the cup stays in the game.  Narrow it down to the last few. Issue a prize at the end.  
2. Play Dough “What is Creativity” Activity:  Give each student a mini tub of “Activity Dough.”  Put a timer on the screen and tell them they have 5:00 minutes to come up with the most creative thing they can think of.  Constantly remind them of the time. Update them on the time every 30 to 40 seconds. At the end of the five minutes, do a gallery walk so they can see each others’ ideas.  Ask them to rate their creation on a creativity scale of one to 5. Next, tell them that the second part of this activity, they may take their dough and find one or two other people to work with and come up with the most creative thing of which they can think.  They may combine efforts and dough. Go. Don’t start a timer. Don’t reference time. Don’t even answer their questions about time. Sometime before the end of the class, tell them to stop, do a gallery walk. Have them evaluate their work again. Most of the time they will say that they came up with something more creative that time than they did the first.  Now talk about the planner and how important it is to have enough time to be creative and do good work. Show the advertising company video on the importance of time in creativity and coming up with ideas.  
   1. Activity Dough:  https://www.dollartree.com/kids-activity-dough-8ct-packs/119977  
   2. Video:  https://youtu.be/VPbjSnZnWP0  
3. Cup Stacking:  Take a rubber band and tie different lengths of string at uneven points along the band.  Issue 3-6 cups per table. Ask students to arrange the cups in designs you display at the front of the room.  Start with simple designs, work to flipping the cups, work to stacking higher and higher, etc. The only rules are that they cannot touch the cups with their hands and can only manipulate the cups with the string and rubber band.  They must hold the string at the farthest end. The idea being that they have to communicate with each other to get the rubber band stretched, around the cup, and in position – together.  
4. Table Soccer:  Students line up on either side of a table at chin level.  Put a ping pong ball in the middle. Students may blow, but that is all, to move the ball off their opponents’ side.  If the ball goes off the ends, it doesn’t count. It must go past them. Score it just like soccer. Score it just for fun.  
5. One Thing . . . :  Put a post it note on each student’s desk (or seating assignment).  Have them write their name, date and one thing they are excited for today.  You get a personal message from them, set a positive mindset, and in case you messed up attendance, you also have a paper record of who made it today.  (Kevin Leichtman via Facebook)  

Frayer Model Icebreaker

Icebreaker Idea: Fun with the Frayer Model

Icebreaker Fun Questions

Use with Frayer Model above

https://museumhack.com/list-icebreakers-questions/#funny

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Monitoring Precipitation

I was recently reading the July, 2019 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. 

In this issue, I read an article entitled, “Monitoring Precipitation,” written by Bob Riddle. The author shares NASA resources that teachers can use to help students better understand our Earth System. One of the best resources is the NASA Precipitation Education Website at:

https://pmm.nasa.gov/education

From the Twitterverse:  

Alice Keeler@alicekeeler

We are working to get discounts and flat out funding for what you’re paying out of pocket for in your classroom. Fill out this Form if you would like solutions to you paying out of pocket. http://teachersareprofessionals.com

@PledgeCents  #teachersareprofessionals

Larry Ferlazzo@Larryferlazzo

A Look Back: My Growth Mindset Lessons Usually Go Well, But What I Did Today Was The Best Yet (Student Hand-Outs Included)  https://t.co/svGeJvX32e?amp=1  

Shelley Burgess @burgess_shelley

A3: “Rigor” rubs a lot of educators the wrong way. I prefer talking about “complex thinking or the “complexity of thought” needed to solve the problem or do the work… #LeadLAP

Christine Johnson (aka Dr. J)

When your first year teachers completely get it!!

#betheone #root4Sterling #kidsdeserveit #leadlap #JoyfulLeaders

Stephanie Auditore@steph_auditore

Almost 5% of middle school students vape…I’ve heard different strategies on curbing vaping. What are you doing in your school? #middleschool #vaping #mschat

Don’t forget #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST.  Look for your host Tood Bloch to have a middle school topic all ready to go!  Make it a strategic part of your personal professional development.  

Strategies:  

Edutopia – The Case Against Allowing Retakes

What are the practicalities of allowing retakes and the problems with allowing it with students?  Edutopia takes a look: https://www.edutopia.org/article/case-not-allowing-test-retakes?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR1L8-1fMqe4uW7FzIt114NH56jLHkzPvycFEAZf6rlNZUZSj2C3gMoOnMA  

Resources:

Horrible Histories – BBC

Made for TV series from the books by the same name.  Do watch beforehand. Produced by the BBC, they use British vernacular and reference things that are commonplace on British TV, but not outside the United Kingdom.  

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw9mXdTejPuOhE7eHSWLIKA

Random Thoughts . . .  

Pinky & The Brain: Postmodern Jukebox

The video highlights the original two voice actors.  It’s not the fast paced theme song we remember, but it’s entertaining nonetheless.  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Jokes You Can Use:  

An onion just told me a joke. 

• I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

---

What did the teutonic plate say when it bumped into another one?

• Sorry, my fault.

---

I saw a guy walking along carrying a Scrabble Board. He tripped and the box went flying everywhere. 

• I asked him, “What’s the word on the street”

---

What kind of dinosaur writes romance novels?

• A Brontësaurus.

---

I’m trying to convince my wife that I want a Segway for my birthday.

• But every time I bring it up, she changes the topic.

---

Where can you buy chicken broth in bulk?

• The Stock Market

---

When one pizza guy falls over, several others tend to also fall over. What’s this called?

•  The Domino’s Effect

---

Which weighs more, one gallon of water or 10 gallons of butane?

• Water, no matter how much you have, butane will always be a lighter fluid.

Advisory:

History of Population 

US Population of Each State 1790-2018

US City Populations 1790-2018

[OC] US City Populations 1790-2018 from dataisbeautiful

This Old Town

The Oldest Town in Every US State

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Computational Thinking

I was recently reading the July, 2019 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. 

In this issue, I read an article entitled, “Computational Thinking,” written by Susan German. The author shares her thoughts on the difference between computational thinking and mathematical thinking and how to implement computational thinking into instruction.

---

From the Twitterverse:  

Phyllis Fagell, LCPC @Pfagell

Parents of middle schoolers have more sway over their kids’ decisions than they think–about 50%, to be exact. Popular kids aren’t the strongest influencers—kids’ attitudes fall between those of their parents & peers.”

@mitchprinstein@jpinsk@TheAtlantic

Chad Livengood  @ChadLivengood

17. Winner, Winner, Frankenmuth chicken dinner!

Alice Keeler@alicekeeler

Do math on paper but then take a picture into #googleSlides Allows the students to EXPLAIN their reasoning and for feedback conversations to happen! WIN! 

Stephanie Auditore@steph_auditore

Had a fun time with the @AMLE team promoting the #AMLE19 Innovation Challenge. Submit your pitch video by September 5th! (link: http://AMLE.org/innovation) AMLE.org/innovation #middlechat #middleschool #BackToSchool2019

AMLE@AMLE

The August issue of AMLE Magazine focuses on Exceptional Classroom Management. See this cover story by @VictoriaLentfer (link: http://www.amle.org/)

DoInk Tweets  @DoInkTweets

Looking for inexpensive Green Screens for the classroom? We love using painted pizza boxes. Fun for green screen storytelling. Added bonus is that you can store your green screen “props” in them! #doink #greenscreen #everyonecancreate

June Cheng 程君@JuneCheng_World

“Well-educated Hong Kong youths are learning lessons not taught in school: how to extinguish tear gas canisters, which helmets can best protect against projectiles, and how to administer first aid for tear gas exposure.” How did HK get here?

Jeff Crews@crewsertech

16 iPad Apps Ideal for Social Studies Classes (link: http://dlvr.it/R9zmZv) dlvr.it/R9zmZv

Jordan Shapiro@jordosh

How Parents Can Help Middle Schoolers Build Confidence and Character

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/54064/how-parents-can-help-middle-schoolers-build-confidence-and-character

Don’t forget #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST.  Look for your host Todd Bloch to have a middle school topic all ready to go!  Make it a strategic part of your personal professional development.

Strategies:

Making Number Talks Matter Even More

Number Talks are 15 minute (suggested – length can vary) mental math exercises that help students verbalize their personal math strategies and allow them to hear and discuss math strategies from other students.

Used effectively, Number Talks can produce many desirable results: students build self-confidence, expand their appreciation for math studies, and gain working expertise with flexible strategies rather than just fixed rules.

https://www.middleweb.com/40885/making-number-talks-matter-even-more/

Let Students Read! Why Quantity Really Counts

We have to freely give them time for the kind of reading that is guided by curiosity, joy, and desire to fall deep into story. Pleasure reading. Real reading.

“We serve a wonderful community that includes an increasing number of students who live in poverty. Despite that fact, we consistently are marked as “Exceeding Expectations” on the state report card and have literacy scores that place us in the top 5% of schools in the state.”

My school is successful in large part because our students read. They read a lot. But that tends to drop off as kids enter middle and high school.

Let Students Read! Why Quantity Really Counts

Should We Give Attendance Awards?  

Edutopia Article

https://www.edutopia.org/article/extrinsic-motivation-it-might-be-even-worse-you-thought

Resources:

Build Empathy and Understanding by Pairing Comics With Novels

https://www.edutopia.org/article/build-empathy-and-understanding-pairing-comics-novels#annotations:JIwwfrePEemt-H9iRxr1SA

The Illusion of Life | Principle of Animation | 12 Basic Principle of Animation

Web Spotlight:

Treat Your Teacher

Nominate your favorite teacher to win Sun Basket meals for an entire school year! We wanted to honor the real heroes of back-to-school season: the teachers who make it all possible.

So with your help, we’re going to treat 10 exceptional teachers to free Sun Basket dinners for the whole school year! Know a phenomenal teacher? Nominate them now!

Treat Your Teacher Giveaway

Easing Fears About Shift to Middle School Can Pay Off in Behavior, Grades

https://psychcentral.com/news/2019/08/01/easing-fears-about-shift-to-middle-school-can-pay-off-in-behavior-grades/149074.html

OER Commons

https://www.oercommons.org

Random Thoughts . . .  

Books that we are reading

• A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
• Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• Teach Kids to Thrive by Debbie Silver
• Make It Stick by Peter Brown
• PLC Learning by Doing
• The Man Who Could Be King by John Miller
• Ish 
• James Madison Biography
• A Woman of Importance
• Churchill, Into the Lions Mouth
• The Moscow Rules by Antonio Mendez

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

---

Jokes You Can Use:  

---

I was showing my friend my new house.

“So this is my house,” I said.

He said, “What’s upstairs?”

I said, “Stairs don’t talk.”

---

If you boil a funny bone it becomes a laughing stock.

• That’s pretty humerus.

---

People that practice for staring competitions…

Need to take a good long look at themselves in the mirror.

---

I took a video of my shoe yesterday.

It was some pretty good footage

---

My colleagues at work have given me the nickname “Mr. Compromise.”

It’s not my first choice, but I’m ok with it.

---

How did the pharaoh get so rich?

He was running a huge pyramid scheme.

---

Son: “Hey Dad, how does a sundial work?”

Dad hands son a phone…

Dad: “Ok, now just call someone.”

Son: “Why can’t you do it?”

Dad: “Because that would be a daddial.”

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Coteaching

I was recently reading the July, 2019 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. 

In this issue, I read an article entitled, “Assess Your Coteaching Chemistry Through Experience,” written by Kaitlyn McGlynn and Janey Kelly. The authors share 4 methods of coteaching. They include:

1. One Teach, One Assist

2. Parallel Teaching

3. Station Teaching

4. Team Teaching

From the Twitterverse:  

Brandon Brown @branowar

Replying to @branowar@TheWeirdTeacher and @EduCelebrity

Edutwitter is like black metal. It was cool at first, but then everyone started churning out exact copies of each other in their basements, and it became a chore to sort through the garbage to find the good stuff.  

David Knuffke @DavidKnuffke @EduCelebrity

– “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.”

Typical EduCelebrity @EduCelebrity

Do you think you could do my job? Go ahead and be my competition. But I fight dirty…I’ll tell all of your colleagues that you’re the one who asks questions and prolongs faculty meetings!

Quoted Tweet:

Nancy@nancycarnell

Replying to @EduCelebrity

Please stop telling NQTs the wrong information. They need five separate lesson plans- higher, middle, lower plus one for the visual & kinesthetic learners. Also, the CLP. Contingency Lesson Plan for when Jack decides to kick off or Lucy finally punches Abbie cos they have beef.  

Related:  Demotivational Posters  

  Eric Curts @ericcurts

26 YouTube shortcuts everyone should know (link: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/2016/04/youtube-shortcuts.html) controlaltachieve.com/2016/04/youtub… #edtech

9to5Mac.com @9to5mac  

Poll: Are you okay with Apple contractors listening to and grading Siri interactions? (link: https://9to5mac.com/2019/07/27/apple-siri-contractors-poll/) 9to5mac.com/2019/07/27/app… by

@ChanceHMiller

David Plotz@davidplotz

The oak tree in Massachusetts that is live-tweeting its response to climate change. #GreatTrees  https://t.co/DLW8ar2BRx    @awitnesstree  

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”  

Strategies:

Student Graphic Novels

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/student-graphic-novels/

Resources:

Common English Idioms

In this lesson series, we will introduce you to 102 common English idioms. Each is written with an idiom definition, 3 idiom examples, and audio recordings. That way, you will know what the idiom means and how to use it in a conversation.

https://basicenglishspeaking.com/102-common-english-idioms/

Open Up Resources

OER. Math and ELA.

Home

Open Middle

The name “Open Middle” might sound like a strange name for a website about math problems. However, it references a very specific type of problem we try to encourage here. Most of the problems on this site have:

• a “closed beginning” meaning that they all start with the same initial problem.
• a “closed end” meaning that they all end with the same answer.
• an “open middle” meaning that there are multiple ways to approach and ultimately solve the problem.

Home

FluentKey

https://fluentkey.com/

Mountain Moot

http://www.mountainmoot.com/

Web Spotlight:

Walter Wick

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Jokes You Can Use:  

“At the annual general meeting of the professional photographers many high-resolutions were put forward!”

I dug up a worm for fishing. It’s the end of the line for him.

I wasn’t originally going to get a brain transplant, but then I changed my mind.

Yesterday I accidentally swallowed some food coloring. The doctor says I’m OK, but I feel like I’ve dyed a little inside.

A friend of mine tried to annoy me with bird puns, but I soon realized that toucan play at that game.

Did you hear about the guy who got hit in the head with a can of soda? He was lucky it was a soft drink.

I recently took a pole and found out 100% of the occupants were angry with me when their tent collapsed.

A prisoner’s favorite punctuation mark is the period. It marks the end of his sentence.

Advisory:

Internet Live Stats

So, what’s the big picture going on with the Internet?  How many websites have been built today? How many YouTube videos have been viewed today?  

https://www.internetlivestats.com/

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Agriculture Literacy

I was recently reading the July, 2019 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. 

In this issue, I read the section “From the Editor’s Desk” written by Patty McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled, “Developing ag Literacy.” Patty states that “Whether or not you live on a farm or in a farming community, agriculture is a topic that is integral to our lives.”

From the Twitterverse:  

Michigan’s Past @MichiganHist

The 339th US Infantry Polar Bear unit arrived in Detroit from service in Russia on July 3rd 1919 [Detroit Free Press 7/4/1919] As they were heavily celebrated on July 4th 1919 in Detroit, I will post more images of the unit tomorrow

Monica Burns, Ed.D.@ClassTechTips

Yes! @AdobeSpark for Education Now Available for Schools #edtech #createEDU #GAFE

Alex Corbitt@Alex_Corbitt

Did you know that@Google Slides has closed captioning? The presenter’s speech is transcribed below the slides in real time! Incredible. Thank you for sharing,@PatriciaDunn1! #CTJ_PD #NCTE #EdChat@googledocs

Sammy Rebandt@MrsRebandt

Why do companies still sell teacher supplies in packs of 20? WHO HAS CLASS SIZES THAT SMALL?

Check this out on Wakelet with resources from ISTE19 curated by Cathy Hink (link: https://wke.lt/w/s/5NxAdh) wke.lt/w/s/5NxAdh via

@wakelet

Apple Education @AppleEDU

We’ve curated all our #ISTE19 resources including the free Apple Pop-Up Classroom Workbook in the #AppleTeacher Learning Center! Revisit the activities, recreate this experience in class, and explore project ideas that span subjects! (link: https://apple.co/2RDUzY5) apple.co/2RDUzY5 #EveryoneCanCreate

EDSITEment@EDSITEment

In our “Voices of the American Rev” lesson, students analyze primary documents that illustrate the diversity of religious, political, social, & economic motives behind independence & rebellion. #NEHeducator #inquiry #student #research (link: https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/voices-american-revolution) edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/v…

Kasey Bell@ShakeUpLearning

How to Package Your Digital Assignments (and save your sanity!) (link: https://shakeuplearning.com/blog/package-digital-assignments/) shakeuplearning.com/blog/package-d… #edtech

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”  

Strategies:

Teach the Techniques of Media Manipulators

…my aim is to call attention to some of those techniques in hopes you will consider helping your students become better critical thinkers about media messages and their makers.

Teach the Techniques of Media Manipulators

Resources:

Mountain Moot

A small moot with big ideas. July 17-19, 2019 – Helena, MT. With EIGHT half-day pre-moot trainings and over 40 excellent concurrent sessions, attendees of all skill levels and roles will find the training they need at the MountainMoot.

http://www.mountainmoot.com/

Glossary Lollapolooza

The Glossary Module is one of the most powerful and underutilized tools in Moodle. Come learn how to use the Glossary Module to create “Get to Know You” activities, Word Walls, Grammar Tips, Study for Quizzes and more. You’ll leave this session a Glossary Expert with practical assignments.

https://sched.co/Pa5I

Web Spotlight:

Common Sense Media

Reviewed videos online with age appropriate ratings.  

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

Mary Holden: What Happened When a Veteran High School Teacher Switched to Middle School Teaching

https://dianeravitch.net/2019/06/08/mary-holden-what-happened-when-a-veteran-high-school-teacher-switched-to-middle-school-teaching/#annotations:–Rxipp1EemHD_MB1ux4PQ

Random Thoughts . . .  

America the Beautiful

Nice introduction and rendition of America the Beautiful for your July.  

America the Beautiful

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Jokes You Can Use:  

Why is it impossible to play and hide and seek with Pokémon?

• They always Pikachu

A truck loaded with Vicks Vapor Rub overturned on the highway.

• Amazingly, there was no congestion for 8 hours.

How do billboards talk?

• Sign language

Why should you never iron a 4 leaf clover?

• Don’t want to press your luck.

Advisory:

Missing Maps

https://www.missingmaps.org/#annotations:tAuSJo47EemjwHtX8YTYPA

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Apollo 11 — 50th Anniversary

I was recently reading the July, 2019 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. 

In this issue, I read an article entitled “The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11.” On Sunday July 20, 1969 at 4:17 pm EDT, the “Eagle” spacecraft landed on the lunar surface in an area known as the Sea of Tranquility.

From the Twitterverse:  

Eric Sheninger  @E_Sheninger

Storytelling and Brain Science: This Is Your Brain on Story (link: https://buff.ly/2Lq5m6X) buff.ly/2Lq5m6X #digilead #brandEDU

Apple Education  @AppleEDU

We’ve curated all our #ISTE19 resources including the free Apple Pop-Up Classroom Workbook in the #AppleTeacher Learning Center! Revisit the activities, recreate this experience in class, and explore project ideas that span subjects! (link: https://apple.co/2RDUzY5) apple.co/2RDUzY5 #EveryoneCanCreate

Tami Brass@brasst

Top Google Education News, Tips, and Resources from #ISTE19 | Tech & Learning  https://www.techlearning.com/news/top-google-education-news-tips-and-resources-from-iste19  

Tami Brass@brasst

Awesome resource! Google Slide Calendars: 2019/2020 Version – i heart edu

https://t.co/QUDpI1Hg34

Tom Murray @thomascmurray

After his best friend died, a 12-year-old Michigan boy raised $2,500 to pay for the headstone (link: https://cnn.it/2zQVNav) cnn.it/2zQVNav #KidsToday

Kathleen Corley @KathleenCorley

Check this out on Wakelet with resources from ISTE19 curated by Cathy Hink (link: https://wke.lt/w/s/5NxAdh) wke.lt/w/s/5NxAdh via

@wakelet

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”  

ISTE Thoughts

Big picture overview

AR/VR

Podcasts by students

Good Poster Sessions

Pedagogy over Technology

Importance of Critical Thinking

Resources:

Privacy Grade

Grades are assigned using a privacy model that we built. This privacy model measures the gap between people’s expectations of an app’s behavior and the app’s actual behavior. For example, according to studies we have conducted, most people don’t expect games like Cut the Rope to use location data, but many of them actually do. This kind of surprise is represented in our privacy model as a penalty to an app’s overall privacy grade. In contrast, most people do expect apps like Google Maps to use location data. This lack of surprise is represented in our privacy model as a small or no penalty.

http://privacygrade.org/home#annotations:XTkEApaMEemvJA-YuO44Og

Web Spotlight:

Synth

For Education

Podcasting.  You’d like to do it with your students.  You’d like them to have an authentic voice that is heard by the outside world . . . but your students are right on the edge of 13.  Synth podcasting is for you. Not into podcasting? Synth is also for you. You can do a 4 minute-ish vidcast or podcast and run a transcription in a matter of minutes.  External link this from your Moodle or another source and use it with students and parents. Brought to you buy the guys who make Swivl. Funded by Swivl sales. From Jeff Bradbury’s Session at #ISTE19.  

Why Tech Isn’t Transforming Teaching: 10 Key Stories From Education Week

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2019/06/why_tech_isnt_transforming_teaching_10_stories.html#annotations:sE63oJmcEemS3A_SHx4Ysw

How to Teach Critical Thinking

Daniel T. Willingham

chrome-extension://bjfhmglciegochdpefhhlphglcehbmek/content/web/viewer.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Feducation.nsw.gov.au%2Four-priorities%2Finnovate-for-the-future%2Feducation-for-a-changing-world%2Fmedia%2Fdocuments%2Fexar%2FHow-to-teach-critical-thinking-Willingham.pdf#annotations:KfTerJkYEemWUe_OEbx3xA 

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Jokes You Can Use:  

Two windmills are in a field. One asks, “What kind of music do you like?”

• The other one says, “Well, I’m a big metal fan.”

My wife asked why I spoke so softly in the house.

I said I was afraid Mark Zuckerberg was listening!

• She laughed.

• I laughed.

• Alexa laughed.

• Siri laughed.
  

Eileen Award:  

• Twitter:  

John Meehan‏ @MeehanEDU

Thank you! Loved the podcast. Tremendously appreciated – and can’t wait to hear how it goes with your listeners!

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Middle School Science Minute: Covey Denton

I was recently reading the April/May, 2019 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.

In this issue, I read the “Member Spotlight” section where NSTA highlights a middle school science teacher, from across the United States. This month, Covey Denton is featured. She is a PreK-Sixth Grade Science teacher in North Caroline. Her advice for a new science teacher is:

“Don’t be afraid to fail!”

From the Twitterverse:  

Eric Curts‏ @ericcurts

New stickers! Will be bringing these to #ISTE19 and all my other summer conferences! #edtech #ControlAltAchieve #ISTE2019

Mrs. Rogers‏ @mrsrogers304

Our third graders did a fantastic job at our Famous Michigander celebration! What a fun way to celebrate all of the wonderful things we’ve learned about Michigan this year. @DublinWL @WalledLkSchools   

Diane Ravitch‏ @DianeRavitch

Mary Holden: What Happened When a Veteran High School Teacher Switched to Middle School Teaching http://dianeravitch.net/2019/06/08/mary-holden-what-happened-when-a-veteran-high-school-teacher-switched-to-middle-school-teaching/ …

Matt Miller‏ @jmattmiller

The newest DITCH book is out! DON’T Ditch That Tech: Differentiated Instruction in a Digital World TONS of practical ideas and solutions for using tech to do great differentiated instruction! https://amzn.to/2MNCc4j  #DitchBook #tlap #gttribe

Billy Krakower‏ @wkrakower

Study questions relevance of learning styles https://buff.ly/2Z7hNrW  #K12 #NJed #NYedchat

Carla Arena‏ @carlaarena

HOW TO START YOUR OWN MICRONATION http://bit.ly/2IqF7KA  microbation, projectbasedlearning

Larry Ferlazzo‏Verified account @Larryferlazzo

Classroom Instruction Resources Of The Week  https://t.co/aJUnXv56zB  

Diane Ravitch‏ @DianeRavitch

Michigan: The New State Superintendent Brings Hope for Real Change http://dianeravitch.net/2019/06/08/michigan-the-new-state-superintendent-brings-hope-for-real-change/ …

Miro‏ @MiroHQ

Our new Mind Mapping tool maintains a good balance of simplicity and function and helps you bring your ideas to life. Give it a try and don’t hesitate to share your feedback with us! https://bit.ly/2HjNFUC

Bored Teachers‏ @Bored_Teachers

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”

Resources:

Comic Master

No registration is necessary. There are limited characters and assets. This could be used to create some printable masters.

http://comicmaster.org.uk/comicmaker/js/main.html

Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936 to 1938

Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-1938 contains more than 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves.  These narratives were collected in the 1930s as part of the Federal Writers’ Project (FWP) of the Works Progress Administration, later renamed Work Projects Administration (WPA).

Federal field workers were given instructions on what kinds of questions to ask their informants and how to capture their dialects, the result of which may sometimes be offensive to today’s readers (see A Note on the Language of the Narratives).

https://www.loc.gov/collections/slave-narratives-from-the-federal-writers-project-1936-to-1938/about-this-collection/

Web Spotlight:

Memorization

I saw John Medina, author of “Brain Rules,” speak years ago and he said something to the extent of “Creation without consumption is the equivalent of playing the air guitar; you might know the motions, but you won’t actually know how to play.”  Yes, you can Google anything you want today, but that doesn’t mean you understand the concept with any depth.

Memorization is Not a Bad Thing

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Jokes You Can Use:  

My son told me he didn’t understand cloning.

• I told him, “That makes two of us”.

Where did Captain Hook buy his hook?

• At the second hand store.

All the comic books I bought from the store are missing the last page.

• I have to draw my own conclusions.

I hate it when people say age is only a number.

• Age is clearly a word.

I often wonder if the guy who came up with the term, “One Hit Wonder”…

• Came up with any other phrases.

I spent hours trying to remember what the opposite of “night” was.

• But, in the end, I just had to call it a day.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Using Critical Thinking to Counter Misinformation

I was recently reading the April/May, 2019 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.

In this issue, I read the section “Commentary” written by Andrew Zucker. He wrote an article entitled, “Using Critical Thinking to Counter Misinformation.” Andrew wrote that “as scientific misinformation proliferates, due largely to growing use of social media, our profession has learned the hard way that it is not enough to teach students accurate science. Science teachers need to help students use critical thinking to examine claims they see, hear, or read that are not based on science.”

From the Twitterverse:  

John Meehan‏ @MeehanEDU

STICKERS! #EDrenaline Rush arrives in just a few weeks. Will be happy to send a freebie sticker or two your way. Just reply to this message and I’ll follow up with a DM to get it your way!

MiddleWeb‏ @middleweb

MiddleWeb Retweeted MiddleWeb

We mailed 26 books out for review today. That may be a record! #mschat #edchat #educoach

MiddleWeb added,

MiddleWeb @middleweb

REVIEW FOR US! Choose a free professional book for review this summer from our lengthy list of choices. Set your own deadline. Keep the book! Details: https://t.co/RJ39wpwDS7

Jacqui Cheng‏Verified account @ejacqui

This trove of previously unpublished photos from the Tiananmen Square protests & massacre is truly amazing, and inspired by the photographer’s own daughter never having learned about it.

John Faig‏ @johnfaig

Lots of words that were not around when I was a kid. We are either more enlightened or more sensitive or both. (via @DavidRozado)  https://twitter.com/DavidRozado/status/1134041329292460032  

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”

Strategies:

Interleaving

The concept of mixing closely related concepts when learning.

• Also free guides (free as in FREE, not even an email address needed).

https://www.retrievalpractice.org/interleaving

Resources:

Nonoseconds

Did a quick search on nanoseconds and how it fits into NGSS.  Here is some information from Educational Innovations:

1-PS4-1

MS-PS4-1

HS-PS4-1

Students can use the Nanosecond Bar in an investigation to illustrate the Speed of Light. The Nanosecond Bar is a great way to demonstrate how fast light travels. This durable, three-dimensional bar is exactly 30 centimeters long – the distance light travels in a nanosecond.

MapMaker Interactive

Wicked Awesome! Cool maps with different overlays.

https://mapmaker.nationalgeographic.org/#/

Word Wanderer

http://wordwanderer.org/#annotations:Al6RlnvAEemyWav_V0y7Mg

Vocabulary Word Options

https://cascadingbytes.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/main-qimg-b4bf1406649dcff04c80de713977f00a.jpg#annotations:gPShFnsDEemhdjeNv5TzBA

https://verbaliststravel.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/the-language-and-vocabulary-wheel-for-feelings-verbalists.jpg#annotations:cJJ7wnsDEem8cXctTHGKnQ

Web Spotlight:

Teenagers Are Skeptical of Praise for Good Effort, Study Finds

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/04/11/teenagers-are-skeptical-of-praise-for-good.html#annotations:3BYcKIFmEemSAUeHsYyAEQ

Finland is winning the war on fake news. What it’s learned may be crucial to Western democracy

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2019/05/europe/finland-fake-news-intl/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!