Summary:
Shawn and Troy talk about Maine Events, finding joy, presentations, unboxing videos, and more. Dave takes Science Out the Door.
Jokes:
You know why chicken coops only have two doors?
If they had four doors they’d be chicken sedans.
I really like the word aesthetic, it’s so pleasant on the eye. I wonder if there’s a word to describe that.
I don’t even walk a mile in my own shoes, why would I do it in someone else’s?
I accidentally rubbed ketchup in my eyes.
Now I have Heinzsight.
Folding paper into a depressed donkey: Eeyorigami
Paper airplanes are soarigami
When your paper folding hobby becomes too much work: choregami
Rumor has it that if you look up from your phone this time of year, you can see all sorts of pretty colors in the trees.
Middle School Science Minute
by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)
K12Science Podcast: Teaching Outdoors
I was recently reading the Fall, 2023 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.
In this issue, I read the section, “Practical Research” written by Samantha Lindgren, Meghan McCleary, Susan Gasper, Amanda Nieves, Kara Stengren, and Amira Shabana. They wrote an article entitled, “Outdoor Teaching and Learning in Natural Spaces and Outdoor Classrooms.”
When we consider topics like climate change and the complex impacts it has on our students’ futures, learning in outdoor spaces and using the natural environment as a primary learning resource becomes an important and timely approach to science education. This type of learning draws on the fields of outdoor and environmental education, which emphasize place-based and experiential pedagogies, interdisciplinarity, and the relationships between people and nature.
Word of the Day Just For Dave: Runcible Spoon
Reports from the Front Lines
- Unboxing Video
- No Slides
- Copy/Paste
- Vonnegut’s Letter
- “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.”
- https://troypatterson.me/2023/10/25/3883/
- TypeWriters
- Maine Events
The Social Web
The Word of the Day (#Halloween2023 is approaching!)
Word of the Day is a reminder of the beautiful Old English ‘uhtceare’ [ucht-kay-ara]: ‘dawn sorrow’, for those moments when you lie awake in the darkness and worry.
How to Play YouTube Videos Safely in School http://controlaltachieve.com/2016/01/play-youtube-videos-safely.html
Strategies:
6 NEW THINGS “I’M” DOING IN THE CLASSROOM – & THEY’RE WORKING OUT WELL
- Fruit Basket
- Cell Phones Banned For Use In Classroom
(Here’s the deal: I work very hard to provide engaging and useful lessons, and also work very hard to support all of on a personal level. What I ask in return is that you respect your classmates and me, you try your best, and you don’t make me have to “police” cell phone use. Do we have a deal?) - Positive Calls To Parents
- Voluntary Homework
- Permanent “Pods” In My Second Classroom For ELL Newcomers
- Weekly Oral Presentations By ELL Newcomers
How to Be Strategic with Scaffolding Strategies
Scaffolding strategies need to be used strategically. For example, a strategy intended to support executive functioning or language development may not be effective for deepening content knowledge and thinking.
- Myth #1: Scaffolding is the same as differentiation.
- Myth #2: Scaffolding is always temporary.
- Myth #3: Scaffolding is used to change the overall intended rigor.
Three common areas of support can be useful for educators to consider when helping students develop the skills needed for accomplishing more challenging tasks or understanding complex information.
- deepening content knowledge,
- facilitating executive function, and
- supporting language and vocabulary development
https://www.middleweb.com/49785/how-to-be-strategic-with-scaffolding-strategies/
Resources:
HyperCard Simulator
Avalon Project
Tons of Primary Sources.
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/major.asp
H.E.L.P. How to Enjoy Living with a Preadolescent
https://my.amle.org/Shop/Store/Product-Details?productid=%7B6F1D07E3-3A67-4ABB-9C9A-8C9178167B97%7D
Author: Judith Baenen
If you’re looking for a resource to share with parents and caregivers, look no further. These fun, easy-to-read pamphlets are designed for busy parents of 10- to 15-year-olds. These inexpensive pamphlets help parents know what to expect of young adolescents and why. They offer compassionate, practical solutions to common problems such as forgetting, irritability, power plays, friendships, chores, and more. New behaviors, changes in attitudes and values, and changes in relationships are normal. These pamphlets share characteristics of young adolescents, situations that might happen at home, and ideas for parents to continue to support and love young adolescents through this rollercoaster period of life.
Web Spotlight:
Keep It or Ditch It: A Litmus Test for School Technology
In 2019, 40% of schools in America had a 1-1 device policy. In 2023, it’s 96%.
https://www.trevormuir.com/blog/ed-tech
AXIS: The Culture Translator
Gradeflation
What it is: A teacher in Greenwich, Connecticut offered comments on how the grade of “A” became, and continues to be, the most common grade given in America.
Slang of the Week
girl math: refers to the sometimes strange, sometimes silly ways that women see their finances. Examples include “cash doesn’t count as money so anything bought with cash is free” or “if I stop myself from buying one $35 skirt then that means I’m being very frugal if I buy seven other things that are only $5 apiece.” The trend is fun and a lot of young women find themselves relating to it, but it also has the potential to imply that women can’t be smart with finances, or are all irresponsible with their money. Several girls on TikTok have pointed out that women are still working hard to be taken seriously in STEM fields, and terms like “girl math” could contribute to those difficulties.
Education Legislation
Michigan Legislature Bill Book: http://legislature.mi.gov/(S(r3c1onq3xgjzf2mpxlozlu5s))/mileg.aspx?page=home
Random Thoughts . . .
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