Summary:

Shawn and Troy are back to talk about seventh graders, writing, AI and more. Dave talks about Mercury Hazards.

Jokes:

I’ve only got two, maybe three MoTown puns left. Four tops. 

---

This morning I saw my neighbor talking to her cat; it was obvious the poor woman thought the cat understood her. When I got home, I told my dog… we laughed a lot.

---

Writing poetry about cats is purr verse.

---

Do you know where you can get chicken broth in bulk? 

• The stock market.

---

Three years ago, my doctor told me I was going deaf.

• I haven’t heard from him since.

---

Why is Peter Pan always flying?

• He neverlands.
• I like this joke because it never grows old.

---

You can summer in places and winter in places, but you don’t fall in places or spring in places.

---

What internal organ is located on children’s legs but not on adults?

• Kidneys.

---

For a town whose motto is “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” they sure sell a lot of souvenirs.

---

I got fired on my first day as a car mechanic after I was asked to change a tire.

• They didn’t like that I went missing for an hour and came back in a three-piece suit.

---

A man asks another man to lend him $10 until next payday. The second man says, ‘Sure, here you go. When’s payday?’ 

• ‘I don’t know. You’re the one with the job!’

---

Even Bob Marley seems concerned about this…

---

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast: Mercury Hazards

I was recently reading the April 10, 2026, NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this blog I read an article written by Ken Roy. He wrote an article entitled “Mercury Spills in the Science Instructional Space: Hazards, Risks, and Safety Actions.”

Use of mercury in high school and middle school science classrooms and laboratory instructional spaces has well-known safety and health hazards and risks. Bottomline is don’t take any chances with safety and health-even to learn important science.

https://k12science.net/mercury-hazards

Reports from the Front Lines

• Subs
• How Many Days?
  • 25 days
• Break
  • Shawn’s Podcast Vacation
  • Troy’s Travel
• Email catch up
• Workflows

The Social Web

Susie Dent@susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘frobly-mobly’, meaning ‘indifferently well’ – essentially the 19th-century version of ‘meh’. 

‪Eric Curts‬ ‪@ericcurts.bsky.social‬

EdTech Links for the Week of 4-27-26 – www.controlaltachieve.com/2026/05/LOTW… ⭐ Constellation Draw 📜 Talkie – AI from 1930 👀 Seek-and-Finds 🛟 TeachAid 📰 What’s New in Google 🧳 Google Takeout for Schools 💎 New EduGems #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech #GoogleEDU

‪Dublin City University‬   ‪@dublincityuni.bsky.social‬

Is it just a busy semester, or is it burnout? Writing for Wonkhe, Dr Sabrina Fitzsimons DCU Institute of Education explores the specific reality of educator burnout, moving past the “eye-rolls” to address a serious occupational phenomenon. Read more: launch.dcu.ie/3QDt0R8

‪Susie Dent‬   ‪@susiedentwords.bsky.social‬

A question: what are the things you wish there was a word for? And have you come up with your own word to fill that gap?

‪MiddleWeb‬ ‪@middleweb.bsky.social‬

REVIEW: A Human-Centered Approach to Using AI in Writing Instruction. Vogelsinger’s book models productive, reflective approaches to using AI, where student voices are centered & human thinking trumps artificial intelligence, writes teacher Michele Haiken. #edusky www.middleweb.com/53356/a-huma…

Strategies:

What’s Going On in This Picture? | April 27, 2026

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/23/learning/whats-going-on-in-this-picture-april-27-2026.html

Resources:  

AXIS The Culture Translator

Slang of the Week:  “You the Birthday”

The phrase “you the birthday” (also spelled “you da birthday”) can be used to refer to someone who has made themselves the center of attention—like it’s their birthday—either for a flattering or an unflattering reason. The phrase started because of the rapper Hunxho’s song “Birthday Girl,” where he says, “She eat, she the birthday girl,” with just enough space between the words “birthday” and “girl” that some listeners thought he was calling someone “the birthday.”

ATOMENCY

A browser-based chemistry platform for high school students and teachers. 12+ interactive simulators, a full assignment builder, and real-time feedback — all aligned to NGSS, AP Chemistry, and IB standards.

Atomency started as a personal frustration — the chemistry tools available at school were either locked behind expensive licenses or too simplified to be useful. So I built something better. This is how it happened.

https://atomency.com

Web Spotlight:

We’re Training Students To Write Worse To Prove They’re Not Robots, And It’s Pushing Them To Use More AI

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/03/06/were-training-students-to-write-worse-to-prove-theyre-not-robots-and-its-pushing-them-to-use-more-ai/

A Big False Assumption About AI In Schools

https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2026/04/a-big-false-assumption-of-ai-in-schools.html

Slang Added to the Dictionary in the Last Five Years

https://wordsmarts.com/new-slang/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, AJ Juliani, Conferences, note-taking, getting “Clipped”, and more. Dave is out of this world this week. 

Jokes:

Imagine if you walked into a room and there was a long line of people waiting to take a swing at you. – That’s the punch line.

---

Cleaning windows is a pane.

---

Last night a cinema near me was robbed of over $1,000.

• The thieves took one large bag of popcorn, two large drinks and a pack of Skittles.

---

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.

---

When I was 6, my dad took me into his workshop and said, ‘Son, someday, this awl will be yours.’

---

My grandfather invented the cold air balloon.

• It never really got off the ground.

---

And the award for best neckwear goes to…

Well, would you look at that! It’s a tie!

---

People make such a big deal about vegans, but I don’t get it. I’ve never had beef with one.

---

Light travels faster than sound.

• This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

---

A quarter-acre of undeveloped land may not seem like much to some people, but to me, it’s a lot.

---

I bought a new pair of gloves today, but they’re both lefts.

• Which, on one hand, is great, but on the other, it’s just not right.

---

I was 16 minutes late for my first math lecture, 8 minutes late for the second, and 4 minutes late for the third. 

• At this rate, I’ll never be on time.

---

A friend of mine has a bank account purely for buying raisins. 

• It’s a current account.

---

What’s the difference between a literalist and a kleptomaniac? 

• A literalist takes things literally. A kleptomaniac takes things, literally.

---

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast: Artemis II

I was recently reading the April 2, 2026, NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this blog I read an article written by Christine Anne Royce. She wrote an article entitled “A New Dawn on the Lunar Horizon: #WeAreGoing.”

On April 1, 2026, the Space Launch System engines ignited, lift off occurred, and Artemis II headed to the moon. It carried the first four humans to venture into the deep-space proving ground in over a half century.  

https://k12science.net/artemis-ii/

Reports from the Front Lines

• A.J. Juliani
• Conference Notes

The Social Web

‪Eric Curts‬ ‪@ericcurts.bsky.social‬

EdTech Links for the Week of 4-6-26 – www.controlaltachieve.com/2026/04/LOTW… 📓 NotebookLM Webinar 🗯️ Graphic Novels Webinar 🎲 AI Games & Activities Webinar 📜 Poetry Projects 💎 New EduGems 🚦 Traffic Lite 🏫 SchoolAI Extension ⚛️ Atomency 🚨 Factile 

💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/gallery-… 🏛️ Gallery Walk Activity – Design engaging, interactive Gallery Walk activities where students move around the classroom to explore bite-sized texts, images, and primary sources

💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/reading-… 🎚️ Reading Level Analyzer – Determine the reading level of a text and help adapt the material as needed to make it appropriate for your students

💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/pbl-gene… 💡 PBL Generator – Design Project-Based Learning (PBL) units that prioritize student agency, sustained inquiry, and real-world connections

🎲 Upcoming Webinar: AI Games, Interviews & Activities for Student Learning www.controlaltachieve.com/2026/04/webi… 🔠 Games, interviews, debates, CYOA, more! 🧒 Whole class or individual 🏫 Any grade or subject 🗓️ Apr 21 @ 3pm ET ▶️ Live-streamed & recorded ✅ Register at link above

‪Ron King‬ ‪@mthman.bsky.social‬

Good morning from the #PNW #pnwonderland

‪AMLE‬ ‪@amleorg.bsky.social‬

Dive into AMLE’s SMS Course! The series lets you explore foundational, research-supported middle grades best practice in a flexible, self-paced, virtual format. Get real results with exercises & reflections throughout to help you embed these principles into your daily practice: amle.org/smsonline  

Resources:  

The Reason You Study Wrong (and why the system never told you)

The strategies that produce the strongest feeling of knowing are frequently the strategies that produce the weakest actual retention.

https://www.ajjuliani.com/blog/the-reason-you-study-wrong-and-why-the-system-never-told-you

AXIS The Culture Translator

Slang of the Week:  Clipped

Getting “clipped” has a few definitions, but we’re going to focus on the idea of someone candidly taking a bad photo of you. With the ubiquity of camera-equipped smartphones, there’s always the threat of someone snapping a picture when you’re mid-hamburger bite, with bad posture, or asleep on an airport bench. “Clipping” is often a harmless way to lovingly poke fun at each other, especially in a world with a “camera-ready” veneer, but, of course, it could also be used to bully someone.

I’m not a Regular Pimple, I’m a Cool Pimple

What it is: Pimples, a longstanding and infamous insecurity for young people, have evolved into an unexpected opportunity for accessorizing. 

Why people are putting stickers on their faces: Pimples are par for the course for teens. Now, instead of crossing their fingers, hoping nobody would notice their blemishes, young people are decorating them. Brands like Starface and Hero Cosmetics rose to popularity during the pandemic, but when in-person rhythms resumed, the patches remained— perhaps because it is easier to resist picking at your skin when you have a nice little sticker on it. And it’s not just teens—adults at the airport, grocery store, or even at work will rock them. While the trend has its haters, it also has influencers cashing in, including Hailey Bieber. Her brand’s newly-announced hydrocolloid patches, debuting next week, come in fun shapes like mushrooms, jelly beans, and bubbles, and retail for $16.  

Z.ai GLM 5.1 Open Source LLM 

GLM-5.1 is our next-generation flagship model for agentic engineering, with significantly stronger coding capabilities than its predecessor. It achieves state-of-the-art performance on SWE-Bench Pro and leads GLM-5 by a wide margin on NL2Repo (repo generation) and Terminal-Bench 2.0 (real-world terminal tasks).  

https://z.ai/blog/glm-5.1

Download at Hugging Face:  https://huggingface.co/zai-org/GLM-5.1  

Web Spotlight: 

Charcuterie

A visual explorer for Unicode. Browse the character set, discover related glyphs, and learn more about the scripts, symbols, and shapes that make up the standard.

https://charcuterie.elastiq.ch/#1D4E6

How to Deal With Teacher Burnout (Without Quitting Right Away)

https://truthforteachers.com/how-to-deal-with-teacher-burnout-without-quitting-right-away

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, yes again, vacation, and more. Dave celebrates Citizen Science Month. 

Jokes:

What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?

---

So a duck walks into a pharmacy and says “Give me some chap-stick… and put it on my bill”

---

What do you call a romantic dinner on a hot air balloon?

• An update.

---

Don’t buy anything from a blacksmith!

Everything they have is forged!

---

I like the buzz I get swimming a mile off shore. 

• It’s pretty far out.

---

I thought about going on an all-almond diet. 

• But that’s just nuts.

---

It’s difficult to say what my wife does, she sells sea shells by the sea shore.

---

To be Frank, I’d have to change my name.

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast: Citizen Science Month

I was recently reading the April 1, 2026 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this blog I read an article written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled “Spark Curiosity This Spring.”

Citizen science refers to public participation in science. Opportunities for students to participate in authentic science practices can deepen their understanding of the world. One way to provide such opportunities is by incorporating citizen science experiences in the classroom and schoolyard during Citizen Science Month, this April.  For more information about Citizen science, visit the following websites:

https://scistarter.org/citizensciencemonth

https://scistarter.org/citizen-science

https://k12science.net/citizen-science-month/

Reports from the Front Lines

• “Vacation”
  • Math
  • Social Studies – 5th Grade
    • Michigan Open Textbooks – 5th Grade
    • Question Banks
    • Notebook LM -> Explainer Videos
    • American author: Phillis Wheatley
• Student Decisions
• Security
• Screens in Schools
• Artemis

The Social Web

AMLE@AMLE

Final Call! Today is the deadline to participate in this year’s global Middle School Student Sound Off: submissions must be completed by 11:59 p.m. ET.

Presentation proposals are now being accepted through April 10th for the 53rd Annual Conference for Middle Level Education. Do you have what it takes to present at the largest and most impactful conference for middle level educators in the world?   https://t.co/h1J5TlRMZm  

CETLUWI mona@CETLMONA

Join us for our upcoming workshop: “If This, Then What? Designing H5P Branching Scenarios ”  Build “choose your own adventure” style learning experiences, where student choices lead to different outcomes! Register here: https://tinyurl.com/4y7983uh See the flyer for more!

CETLUWI mona  @CETLMONA

Introducing our “Let’s Deal With It: Teaching Emphasis Series!”   Official Launch: April 1, 2026  12:00PM – 1:30 PM  Kickoff includes: H5P Page Tool Webinar “Teaching with AI” Libguides Exhibition  Happenings all throughout April & May: workshops, seminars & more!

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

As an aside, an unspoken rule in English known as ‘ablaut reduplication’ means we never dally-dilly on the way to a game of pong-ping while the bells go dong-ding. Nor, sadly, do we ever eat a KatKit.

‪MiddleWeb‬ ‪@middleweb.bsky.social‬

Review: CREATE A CLASSROOM OF MATH PROBLEM SOLVERS Word Problem Workshop offers a structured, daily routine that makes math problems less scary by building confidence, connections & wonder into each session. #edusky #iteachmath #mathED @routledgebooks.bsky.social www.middleweb.com/53257/creati…

Strategies:  

8 Ways to Squeeze Writing Instruction Into a Few Minutes

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/quick-writing-lessons

Resources:

Best Deaf Awareness Lessons & Activities

The following free deaf history and awareness lessons and activities highlight the accomplishments of deaf people in the arts, education, sports, law, science, and music.

https://www.techlearning.com/news/best-deaf-awareness-lessons-and-activities

Scholastic TV

Watch Scholastic TV

Now Free to Stream

https://www.scholastic.com/site/ScholasticTV.html

AXIS The Culture Translator

MeaningMaxxing

What it is: Teens are adding the suffix “maxxing” to anything and everything—why?

Where the trend came from: The concept of looksmaxxing, or maximizing one’s looks, was born out of the incel (involuntary celibate) community in the 2010s. What started in a niche online community has now spread far beyond it, and the original meaning of “maxxing” has evolved in the process. What is actually a sinister idea—spending all of one’s resources to fixate on upgrading one’s appearance—has given rise to adding “maxxing” to everything: Chinamaxxing. Matchamaxxing. Friendshipmaxxing. Boyfriendmaxxing. Fibermaxxing. Jestermaxxing. Yogurtmaxxing. You could be drinking a 16-ounce latte and call it “coffeemaxxing,” and nobody would correct you. Which means this suffix is doomed to the fate of most slang these days—to mean nothing at all.  

Web Spotlight: 

“Write In English” Is A New & Free AI Tool I Created That Is A Rough Approximation Of Something That Could Be Very Effective In Helping ELLs

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2026/03/27/write-in-english-is-a-new-free-ai-tool-i-created-that-is-a-rough-approximation-of-something-that-could-be-very-effective-in-helping-ells/

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy discuss teachers, certifications, AI, and more. Dave shares advice for new Science teachers. 

Jokes:

Whoever’s job it is to perforate these paper towels they just aren’t cutting it

---

What’s the difference between a fly and a bird? 

A bird can fly, but a fly can’t bird.

---

The KFC Bluesky account only follows 11 people: the 5 Spice Girls and 6 guys named Herb, because of their ‘secret blend’ of 11 herbs and spices.

---

So if a bishop and archbishop cross paths, do they have to fight to the death?

---

People saying boo! to their friends has risen by 85% in the last year.

That’s a frightening statistic.

---

A ton is heavy, but not backwards.

---

What part of the bread factory do lobsters work in?

The crust station.

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast: Advice for New Science Teachers

I was recently reading the November 24, 2025 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

 In this blog I read an article written by Jason Strohl. He wrote an article entitled “Embrace the Chaos: Advice for New Science Teachers.”

Jason interviewed Madeline Grygiel, a science instructional support teacher for the Richmond (Virginia) Public Schools.  The article shares four keys to successful science teaching:

1. Redefine what science looks like
2. Connect lessons to the real world
3. Collaborate with fellow educators and professional organizations
4. Remember your “Why”

https://k12science.net/advice-for-new-science-teachers/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Hiring Teachers
• Lippy ChatGPT
• Meta Prompts
  • Meta prompt
The only really thing you need to remember is to give AI tools permission to ask you questions. One ‘meta’ prompt that I’ve come across which can be useful is:
    
  • Don’t answer my question yet.
  • First do this:
  • 1. Tell me what assumptions I’m making that I haven’t stated out loud
  • 2. Tell me what information would significantly change your answer if you had it
  • 3. Tell me the most common mistake people make when asking you this type of question
Then ask me the one question that would make your answer actually useful for my specific situation rather than anyone who might ask this.

• Only after I answer — give me the output
• My question: [paste anything here]

• Marcus Aurelius
  • Book of Meditations
• Vocabulary Support
  • Prefixes, Suffixes, Roots
  • H5P – drag/drop (prefix to the root, and new definition), Glossary, Board, Speak the Word, Context Clues 
  • Moodle – self-paced, groups (Android-iPhone), DOK level, 
• Macbook Neo

The Social Web

‪AMLE‬ ‪@amleorg.bsky.social‬

Brain science is not a fad! When an entire faculty understands how learning works, collective efficacy rises & students benefit. Glenn Whitman joins our podcast to share guiding principals from his school’s 18-year focus on the science of learning: ow.ly/AStP50YwwTH

‪Eamon Costello‬ ‪@eam0.bsky.social‬

New article from the amazing “Alternatives to Instrumentalist Online Learning in Higher Education” project with Jason K McDonald and James Brunton. I learned so much working with them. “Agentic Online Learning: How University Staff Make Their Work Matter” doi.org/10.1007/s424…

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-026-00634-8⁠�

We found: Their work gave staff a sense of purpose, Their work reflected staff’s senses of identity, Staff coped with challenges that their work raised, Staff confronted work realities by investing themselves, Staff navigated tensions between being the shepherds or originators of work concepts.

We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings, particularly critiquing the trend to fit staff into our theoretical notions of what online education practice should look like. We call on researchers and practitioners to be

‪Eric Curts‬ ‪@ericcurts.bsky.social‬

💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/deca-rol… 🗣️ DECA Role-Play Sim – Interactive practice tool designed to help DECA students prepare for impromptu role-play events #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech #GoogleEDU  

‪AMLE‬ ‪@amleorg.bsky.social‬

Don’t forget! The deadline to participate in this year’s Student Soundoff Contest is 4/3! amle.org/soundoff Students can sound off on their middle school experience by responding to one of our prompts in any format of their choosing, eg: ✅ Artwork or photography ✅ Video or music ✅ Essays or poetry

‪Keep Indiana Learning‬ ‪@keepinlearning.bsky.social‬

Stop searching and start discovering! 💡 Get edtech tips, book studies, fast teacher tips, and monthly shows – all on our YouTube channel! PD that fits your schedule & interests! Check it out! youtube.com/KeepIndianaL… #EduSky

Strategies:  

Suno

Make some music to fit the motivation . . . 

Historian’s Anthem:  https://suno.com/s/ceSPS2Glit3eV9ue  

Washington D.C. Trip:  https://suno.com/s/d933R5KGKCaqHC1K  

Resources:  

Survival of the Best Fit

While Survival of the Best Fit demonstrates how automated decision making can be biased, modern Large Language Model (LLM) based tools can do more than just classify candidates as good and bad. They can summarize work your experience into a resume, generate realistic job descriptions, screen resumes, and even conduct initial interviews. These other tools are based on the same framework where algorithms are trained on massive datasets.

https://www.survivalofthebestfit.com

Web Spotlight: 

Early Grade Retention Harms Adult Earnings

https://www.chalkbeat.org/2026/03/10/third-grade-retention-study-in-texas-shows-long-term-harms-on-graduation-and-earnings

Click to access JMP.pdf

The Most Common Jobs for Women in the 1920s vs. 2020s

https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/most-common-jobs-women-1920s-2020s

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Gemini training, AI, teacher cognitive load, and more. Dave takes on AI and what happens if it’s wrong. 

Jokes:

What do you get if you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter?

• Pumpkin pi

---

What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?

• Tinselitis.

---

I just want everyone to know that Dove chocolate tastes way better than their soap.

---

“I’m gonna’ whack you with the neck of this old Silvertone guitar!”

• “Is that a fret?”

---

How does it feel when you cross a cantaloupe with a herding dog?

• Meloncoly

---

Companies that unclog drains must have a good work flow.

---

Does the name Pavlov ring any bells?

---

The highlight of my trip to the zoo was seeing an antelope.

• I’d never seen an insect run off to get married before!

---

I connected my new phone to the cloud.

• Then I started getting mist calls.

---

---

---

Found it!

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast: What if AI Gets it Wrong?

I was recently reading the February 18, 2026 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this blog I read the section, “From Chalkboards to AI” written by Valerie Bennett and Christine Anne Royce. They wrote an article entitled “What if AI Gets it Wrong? Teaching Students to Detect Errors and Misleading Models.”

When teachers intentionally surface AI errors, students learn that:

•   Authority does not equal accuracy.
•   Confidence is not evidence.
•   Scientific knowledge is always provisional.

It may be best to integrate AI literacy with disciplinary practices rather than teaching is as a standalone skill.

https://k12science.net/what-if-ai-gets-it-wrong/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Gemini Presentation
  • Shawn
  • Troy
• Building Simulations with AI
  • Picasso Story
  • Interrobang
• PD Day
• 313 Day, Pi Day . . . 

The Social Web

Google for Education  @GoogleForEdu

Parenting a middle or high schooler in the age of AI? We’ve got you! @Google

and national nonprofit, @aiedu_org partnered up to launch a 10-episode podcast series designed to help parents guide their kids confidently with #AI. Listen here http://goo.gle/3Wo55EN

Mario Nawfal  @MarioNawfal

Replying to  @MarioNawfal

2. AI in the Classroom Students’ worst nightmare is here: AI now decides who gets called to the board. Using advanced neural networks, the system analyses facial expressions and emotions to spot those who may be unprepared or trying to avoid attention.  https://x.com/i/status/1849037253311627517  

‪Susie Dent‬  ‪@susiedentwords.bsky.social‬

Word of the day is ‘fanfaronade’ (19th century): to strut and swagger about as if you own the stage.

‪Eric Curts‬ ‪@ericcurts.bsky.social‬

📓 Upcoming Webinar: NotebookLM for Schools www.controlaltachieve.com/2026/03/nb-w… 🗃️ Add sources 💬 Grounded chat 🔊 Generate audio, video, slides, reports & more 💡 Uses for staff & students 🗓️ Mar 17 @ 3pm ET ▶️ Live-streamed & recorded ✅ Register at link above #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech #GoogleEDU

Resources:  

Dictionary of the World’s Oldest Written Language – Now Free and Online!  

https://www.openculture.com/2026/01/dictionary-of-the-oldest-written-language-free-online.html

Also: 

https://www.pocket-ireland.com/words

More Hidden Google Easter Eggs

https://blog.tcea.org/more-hidden-google-easter-eggs

Most Popular Teacher YouTube Channels of all time – All with free activities

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xXViYtR184LqHV-ieH6PwY5upeDsaYIwwUIeS_UNIj0/edit?gid=438255169#gid=438255169

Just Too Gross

A book of 288 Wicked Wonderful Wordies

http://runeman.org/wordies/book/justtoogross.html 

Web Spotlight: 

H5P Awards

Want to see what folks are doing with H5P Content Types?  Here’s a look at some exemplars:  https://h5p.org/the-third-annual-h5p-awards  

When Using AI Leads to “Brain Fry”  

Harvard Business Review does a look at how AI is changing the nature of business.  Does it really offload some cognitive tasks?  

https://hbr.org/2026/03/when-using-ai-leads-to-brain-fry

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-brain-fry

AI autocomplete doesn’t just change how you write. It changes how you think

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-autocomplete-doesnt-just-change-how-you-write-it-changes-how-you-think

They See Your Photos

Your photos reveal a lot of private information.

In this experiment, we use the Google Vision API to see how much can be inferred about you from a single photo.

See what they see.

https://theyseeyourphotos.com

The world wants to ban children from social media, but there will be grave consequences for us all

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/02/ban-children-social-media-biometic-data-surveilled

Random Thoughts . . .  

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Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about using LLM’s, note taking, jokes, inquiry learning, Spelly, and more. Dave cites Franklin and combines water with Citizen Science.

Jokes:

So you’re saying you weren’t really asking for many? 

• Just one would have been un oeuf?

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What do you call 2 ninjas?

• A pair of sneakers

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What do you do when your bunny gets wet? 

• You get your hare dryer.

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How many apples grow on a tree?

• All of them

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Why do cows wear bells? 

• Because their horns don’t work.

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I am terrified of elevators. 

• I’m going to start taking steps to avoid them.

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Why did the worker get fired from the orange juice factory? 

• Lack of concentration.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast: Data and Discovery from the Sea

I was recently reading the January – February  2026 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 “Data and Discovery from the Sea to the Science Classroom.”

Students can follow in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin’s study of ocean currents, by participating in the citizen science “Global Ocean Surface Ecosystem Alliance Project (GO-SEA).”  You can learn more about the project at:

https://goseascience.org

https://k12science.net/data-and-discovery-from-the-sea/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Household Week
• LLM thoughts
  • Cory Doctrow 
• Notes
  • Notability:  https://notability.com/  
  • A4 paper measures
    As the international standard for business documents and stationery (ISO 216), A is slightly narrower and taller than the U.S. Letter size. It is widely used for printing, reports, and resumes globally.
  • Campus
    • Paper Notebook:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E84NAN8?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2  
    • Paper:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NNNUJC?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1  
    • Full Size Binder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012O42AM?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1  
    • Conference Notebook Binder:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNT61TLY?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1  
    • Conference Notebook Paper:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GSQZ5Y?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1  
  • Joplin
• Baseball is back:  https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcitykitties/comments/1rarim8/ernie_harwell_voice_of_the_turtle/  

The Social Web

‪Keep Indiana Learning‬ ‪@keepinlearning.bsky.social‬

Instructional coaches, we see you! 🍎 Take a moment this spring to collaborate and recharge with us. We have great events (virtual + in-person) designed to support your vital work in schools. Learn more & register: keepindianalearning.org/upcoming-eve… #EduSky

‪MiddleWeb‬ ‪@middleweb.bsky.social‬

Review: KEYS TO CREATING A CBE LEARNING SYSTEM. This seminal text by Hess, Colby & Joseph is a comprehensive, practical guide for leaders, teachers & policymakers ready to develop a mastery learning model.  @drkarinhess.bsky.social  #edusky  @corwinpress.bsky.social  www.middleweb.com/53126/creati…

‪Eric Curts‬ ‪@ericcurts.bsky.social‬

💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/job-inte… 🤝 Job Interview Coach – Help students build confidence and competence for the workforce with a friendly and supportive practice job interview #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech #GoogleEDU

💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/mindfuln… 🧘 Mindfulness Break – Quickly manage stress, anxiety, and fatigue with immediate, evidence-based “micro-doses” of mindfulness #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech #GoogleEDU

‪MoodleBox‬ ‪@moodlebox.bsky.social‬

📣 #MoodleBox 4.11.1 is out with #Moodle 5.1+! Install it via #RaspberryPi Imager tool. Thanks

@nmartignoni.bsky.social ❤️ moodlebox.net/en/news/vers… #openedtech #OER

The Guardian‬   ‪@theguardian.com‬

Children’s vocabulary shrinking as reading loses out to screen time, says Susie Dent

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/12/children-vocabulary-shrinking-reading-loses-screen-time-susie-dent?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky&CMP=bsky_gu

Strategies:  

Five Models for Asking Higher Level Questions

https://www.middleweb.com/53033/five-models-for-asking-higher-level-questions/

Resources:  

EdClimb – Micro Inquiry Activities

“We are seeking to disrupt the status quo around how educators receive training and support after they enter the classroom. For too long, teachers and administrators have been reliant on a “one-size fits all model” that struggles to address the variety of strengths, needs, goals, and interests within a single school building. We believe in providing high-quality, research-based, affordable professional development that empowers educators and improves student learning outcomes.”

https://edclimb.com/  or on TpT:  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/edclimb  

Spelly

Get instant, detailed feedback on your pronunciation. Our AI analyzes your speech and helps you improve with precise, actionable insights.

https://spelly.online

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