Summary:
Shawn and Troy are back! We chat about Washington D.C., MLTI, China, and more. Dave gets your attention.
Jokes:
Studies show people that have more birthdays…
- live the longest…
Starting my career as an inferior designer.
Went to see The Joker last night, and some guy dressed in a full clown outfit held the door open for me into the theater.
- I thought that was a nice jester.
Dropping a sewing needle is like a cross between Where’s Waldo and The Floor is Lava, except if you don’t find Waldo, he’s gonna stab you!
Without geometry, life is pointless.
I tried calling the tinnitus hotline, but there was no answer.
- It just kept on ringing.
Did you know on the Canary Islands there is not one canary?
Same with the Virgin Isles – not one canary there either.
What do you call an underwater dog?
- A subwoofer.
Had a power surge in the house that blew every lightbulb I had…
- I was de-lighted…
I have a very good feeling about my job interview today…
The manager said they were looking for somebody responsible.
‘You’ve found your man,’ I responded. ‘Whenever there was a problem in my last job, they always said that I was responsible!’
Which is heavier: a liter of water or a liter of butane?
The water.
No matter how much you have, butane will always be a lighter fluid.
Lost another audiobook.
I’ll never hear the end of it.
Middle School Science Minute
by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)
K12Science Podcast: Stop Competing for Attention
I was recently reading the April 22, 2026, NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.
In this blog I read an article written by Tara Graham. She wrote an article entitled “Stop Competing for Attention. Start Using It.”
Ask any middle school science teacher what their biggest classroom challenge is right now, and there’s a good chance that attention ranks near the top of the list. This isn’t a new problem, but it is an accelerating one.
https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/k12science/id/41206550
Reports from the Front Lines
- Atomency – Dave (Middle School Matters Warrior) does a review: I took a look at this website. I am sure that if I spent more time, I could do more. But it is impressive what the student has done. I think I may need to bone up on my Chemistry to benefit more from the website.
Hello,
I was listening to episode 700 and wanted to thank you for mentioning Atomency. I really appreciate the article and the shoutout.
I also wanted to send a quick pronunciation correction for my name and school in case it’s ever mentioned again:
Ky’lin Spears = “KAI-lin”
Suitland High School = “SUIT-lan”
If possible, I’d really appreciate having my full name added somewhere to the article or post connected to the episode since Atomency is a project I created as a high school student, and having my name attached to it would help people correctly identify the creator behind the project.
Thank you again for covering Atomency and taking the time to talk about it.
Ky’lin Spears
- MLTI Student Conference
- Washington D.C.
- China Teachers
- AMLE
The Social Web
Erin Fogg says Free Link @criminalerin.bsky.social
“This works similar to a normal camera, the difference being that in our case, radio waves instead of light waves are used for the recognition,” explains the cybersecurity expert. “Thus, it does not matter whether you carry a WiFi device on you or not.” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260522023127.htm
Eric Curts @ericcurts.bsky.social
💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/letrs-le… 📖 LETRS Lesson Plan – Build a comprehensive, 4-day ELA lesson plan for any book rooted in the science of reading and the LETRS framework.
✏️ Want to sharpen your students’ thinking? Better questions = better learning. ICYMI, check out this great article + podcast with Connie Hamilton on the power of effective questioning in middle school: ow.ly/Ye2950YZO00
Resources:
Your Name in LandSat
Type your name to see it spelled out in LandSat imagery on Earth
https://science.nasa.gov/specials/your-name-in-landsat
Minute to Win It
Get ready for some fast-paced fun! These printable game cards contain 16 different “1 Minute to Win It” challenges. Each card lays out a fun one-minute task, with simple instructions and a quick rundown of the materials you’ll need to dive right into the action.
Fun Music Games for Kids
https://kids.carnegiehall.org/games
Web Spotlight:
AMLE Sound Off Winners Announced
What’s it really like being a middle schooler in 2026? Hundreds of students from around the world shared their thoughts on this question, responding to AMLE’s Middle School Sound Off contest, held to mark March as Middle Level Education Month.
While “sounding off,” students could consider a variety of prompts for inspiration but were encouraged to tap into their creativity and choose a format that most appealed to them. The submissions were profound, offering keen insights into the modern middle grades experience.
How AI Changes Student Thinking: The Hidden Cognitive Risks
If you use Google accounts, it’s time to do a free security checkup
https://www.popsci.com/diy/google-free-security-checkup
AXIS The Culture Translator
Gore Core
What it is: Gore content—depictions of violence, bloodshed, traumatic injury, and death—is finding its way out of niche forums and on to TikTok, where teens are consuming it. AI might be a contributing factor.
Why it’s a thing: Some might argue that for teens in 2026, encountering violent content is just part of the bargain of being online. A 2024 study by Ofcom, the UK’s equivalent of the FCC, showed that exposure to gore content can happen as early as elementary school. Gore content is exactly what it sounds like: gory. The genre includes photos and videos depicting suicides, torture situations, graphic war and conflict footage, and traffic accidents. In the past, actual footage of these traumas was preferred. Now, AI-generated overlays can sneak it past the algorithm’s filters and onto social media feeds where teens aren’t necessarily looking for it. One teenage girl who enjoys watching gore videos told Slate (paywall) that her hobby started at age 11, when she came across an AI-edited video of the Christchurch mosque shooting on TikTok with Minions (yes, the yellow blobs from Despicable Me) in place of people. After that, she started watching and exchanging gore with her friends. Boys between 10 and 14 reported feeling forced to regard this material as amusing, out of fear that they might not fit in if they were to respond negatively.
Stanford professor teaches his classes ‘tech-free’—here’s the skill he wants his students to build
Real signals or artificial stereotypes?
https://kucharski.substack.com/p/real-signals-or-artificial-stereotypes
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