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.
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
- DNS
- Nesting
The Social Web
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!
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!
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.
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.
Random Thoughts . . .
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