Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about frustrating and empowering students. Dave moves kids from learning about to figuring out. 

Jokes:  

The first time I got a universal remote control I thought to myself, “This changes everything”

---

Did you know? By replacing your coffee with green tea, you can lose up to 92% of what little joy you still have left in your life.

---

In the House of Lords today, Lord Bellamy passed a note to Lady Billingham.

• This is an example of peer-to-peer communications.

---

What do you call two guys hanging out by your window? 

• Kurt & Rod.

does refusing to go to the gym count as resistance training?

---

Hello everyone, welcome to Plastic Surgery Addicts Anonymous

• I see a lot of new faces here tonight

---

Where did you learn to make ice cream? 

• Sunday school.

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Sensemaking

I was recently reading the January – February 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “From the Editor’s Desk,” written by Patty McGinnis.  She wrote an article entitled, “Helping Students Make Sense.”

Creating a classroom in which the emphasis shifts the learner role from “learning about” to “figuring out” requires students to engage in the collaborative task of sensemaking.  The type of classroom discussion is critical to sensemaking.  STEM Teaching Tools, at:

https://stemteachingtools.org/tools

http://k12science.net/sensemaking/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Clocks
• Classwise to ban ChatGPT
• BossJock JR
• Students creating Interactive Books using H5P

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘whiffling’ (17th century): fickle, inconstant, and making it up as you go along.

RTÉ Brainstorm‬ ‪@rtebrainstorm.bsky.social‬

What’s the Irish for catfish? How 3,000 new Irish words are created every year. By Aoife Ryan-Christensen with insights from Gearóid Ó Cleircín @dublincityuni.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2…https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2025/0306/1500101-new-irish-words-gaeilge-tearma-an-coiste-tearmaiochta-national-terminology-database-for-irish/?a  

‪ALTUK.bsky.social‬ ‪@altuk.bsky.social‬

Our Open Education Conference, OER25 will bring together #OE specialists from across the globe to leverage shared expertise for change in policy and practice on 23 – 24 June 2025. Explore the Keynotes from last year – buff.ly/4byRwJP Follow #altc for the latest #OER25 updates. #OEWeek25

‪Rick Wormeli‬ ‪@rickwormeli.bsky.social‬

I wrote this for a middle school journal (AMLE), but as I work with high schools, it applies there, too. It’s focus is on how the adolescents learn best and thereby, what that means when using generative AI in our classrooms, including eight important guidelines: www.amle.org/with-a-i-let…

Per my last post on the cautions of using generative A.I. with middle and high school students, I offer a particularly insightful new book (Feb 2025) from

@biblioracle.bsky.social…

‪Marion McGarry‬ ‪@marionmcgarry.bsky.social‬

For Pancake Tuesday – read all about the Irish traditions of this day via

@rtebrainstorm.bsky.social  www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2…  @atu-ie.bsky.social

Strategies:  

Sherlock Holmes and Covert Thieves of Attention

These covert thieves of attention are not harmless. They negatively impact student motivation, student rating of how important the lesson is, how many notes are taken, and how students perform on assessments. What is especially alarming is the finding that students are pretty good at recognizing whether those around them are attentive or inattentive, but they do not seem to recognize that those behaviors have an impact on themselves. 

https://theeffortfuleducator.com/2025/03/03/sherlock-holmes-and-covert-thieves-of-attention/

Resources:  

‪

Fun Facts

https://www.weareteachers.com/weird-fun-facts/

AXIS The Culture Translator

Reeling

What it is: Last week, the algorithm for Instagram’s Reels briefly went haywire. When they opened the app, some scrollers (including minors) were deluged with pornographic material and videos of people being maimed or killed.

Why it’s revealing: Users often operate with the expectation that social media algorithms will weed out this sort of grotesque content.  

AMLE Free Sticker!

https://my.amle.org/Shop/Store/Product-Details?productid=%7B2fb97e17-65f0-ef11-9341-7c1e5259e86a%7D&fbclid=IwY2xjawI5UgBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHViAgCuzuQLqfAwQ7AVSc1nDqMQHYqT1WlRry2JAfDVHI1gRpAiS8a6PNw_aem_fSP1yGff-87MFzafg-J1Zg

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, break, and more. Dave remembers why we remember. 

Jokes:  

Crocodiles can grow up to 15 feet.

• But most have only four.

---

Just watched a documentary about beavers… 

• It was the best damn program I’ve ever seen.

There exists a quantity of artificial butter flavor beyond which people begin to believe it’s not butter.

• This is known as the margarine of error.

---

If you’re feeling down, why not just go for a run? 

• You’ll quickly realize your physical health is way worse than your mental health.

Going to the park without any food… Is no picnic…

---

Microwave safe? 

• It doesn’t seem like a sensible place to keep your valuables.

I was fired from the keyboard factory yesterday.  

• I wasn’t putting in enough shifts.

I’ve no idea why my new plug-in air freshener won’t work.

I plug it in and switch it on.. nothing!

• It just doesn’t make scents.

---

A new tennis player goes to the library and asks for books about aces.

• “No way”, says the librarian, “You won’t return them”.

---

My new car has a button for everything. There is even one that says, “rear wiper”.

• I’m still afraid to try that one.

---

I bought a new plane the other day.

• I was disappointed they wouldn’t let me keep the hangar.

---

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Why We Remember

I was recently reading the December 9, 2024 issue of “Smithsonian” magazine.

In this issue, I read an article entitled, “The Ten Best Science Books of 2024,” written by Joe Spring, Riley Black, Shi En Kim, Dan Falk, Christian Elliott, and Benjamin Cassidy. 

The book review that I enjoyed the most was “Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold On to What Matters,” written by Charan Ranganath.  Ranganath draws on 25 years of experience studying the mechanisms of human memory to explain how remarkable it is that we remember anything at all.

http://k12science.net/why-we-remember/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Reading
  • Anne Tyler – Three Days in June
  • Fredrik Backman
    • And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer
    • The Deal of a Lifetime
  • Matt Haig – The Life Impossible
  • Hendrik Groen – On The Bright Side – The New Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 85 Years Old
• Moodle Work
  • Filters
  • Competencies
  • Learning Plan

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘blutterbunged’, from 19th-century dialect: to be open-mouthed in astonishment.

Marion McGarry‬ ‪@marionmcgarry.bsky.social‬

For #IrelandReads day, I highly recommend this one! It’s in all good Irish bookshops or you can buy direct from the publisher here www.orpenpress.com/books/irish-… And it’s written and illustrated by me!

‪Michael Dashow‬ ‪@mdashow.bsky.social‬

I’m finally able to share this cover I created for Garrett’s Forester’s book ‘Garrett’s Ventures – First Profit: Gum.’ It’s about a kid learning about financial responsibility as he tries to make money, and also about friendship. See more at www.garrettsventures.com

‪Cassie Rorie‬ ‪@cassierorie.bsky.social‬

Yesterday I had my students doing Catch up Pickle time (catch up on work then pick something to do from a list)…”I shouldn’t hear talking, you are silent pickles! Pickles don’t have mouths so they are silent!” Then heard kids repeating “be silent pickles” to each other. 🤪🤣

Jason Chen‪@chenphilosophy.com‬

One of my top tips for teachers is to use pattern interruptions in class. 

I elaborate on what I mean in the linked article.

https://chenphilosophy.substack.com/p/use-pattern-interruptions-to-retain

Strategies:  

AI Will Stupify Our Students If We Don’t Do These Six Things 

“As a veteran teacher (this is year 39), I, too, fear that our students will not be prepared for the future. Many students lack the grit and willpower to resist the temptation to take the easy way out. If I may be so bold. Many current students will be downgraded by AI, and that future might be inevitable without a radical change in how we do school.”  

1. Reimagine what happens IN the classroom.
2. Deemphasize inappropriate use of technology in the classroom.  
3. Use AI as a tutor when in class.
4. Teach students how to use AI as a collaborator to enhance learning.  
5. Implement the Mastery Learning model at scale.
6. Expect More. 

https://edu-ai.org/ai-will-stupefy-our-students-unless-we-do-these-six-things/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIhbXxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHSP6MdRM-kTE3LnDD5LLi0B1N5RRaqC73FgCUKr-NGrcuZPy5j4WY2eLXg_aem_3mgy5gtMPcHrdyBi3OVbhw

Nordic Baltic Region of FIPLV – BBC English – Running Dictation  

Dictation is a great way to learn English.  Running dictation is having a short text at one end of the room and have a pair of students alternate going to that text then coming back and telling their partner what it says in order to accomplish a task at their table.  

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/165U6eKa3V

Three Ways You May Be Cognitively Overloading Your Students

1. The Seductive Details Effect
2. The Split-Attention Effect
3. The Redundancy Effect

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/cognitive-overload/

Resources:  

‪KwizAI

The quiz is generated by LLM models (like ChatGPT), which are far from perfect and weren’t designed for purposes like this. They may contain errors, confusing questions, inaccurate answers, and repeated questions – especially if the prompt is similar.

With KwizAI’s AI-driven quiz generator, you can currently create single-answer multiple-choice quizzes, true-or-false quizzes, or fill-in-the-blank quizzes. The exact quiz format depends on how you structure your prompt, ensuring flexible and precise quiz creation.

https://kwizai.com

AXIS The Culture Translator

Angling Toward the Light

What it is: A doomed anglerfish swimming from the dark depths to the sunlit surface of the ocean has captured the internet’s heart this week.  

Why it’s connecting with people: The tale almost writes itself: an anglerfish, knowing her end is near, chooses to reject the darkness of her home and, as her final act, swims to the surface to see the sun for the first and final time. The light hitting her face—a face some might consider horrifying—is maybe the only “true” light she has ever seen. The internet’s telling of the tale has been poignant, beautiful, and with a hint of tragedy. Of course, a variety of things could’ve motivated the fish’s final exodus, but that doesn’t change the empathy the doomed anglerfish is inspiring in others.  

the case for lowercase

why it matters: for many teens, lowercase letters feel more informal, relaxed, and conversational. even though most smartphones start with auto-capitalization turned on, teens often disable this feature in order to avoid seeming too formal in their texts to friends and family. as gen zer maelle kouman puts it, “lowercase feels like an ongoing conversational tone without a start or end. it removes the serious tone certain texts can exude, without even trying.” gen z artists like olivia rodrigo reinforce this trend with lowercase song titles like “drivers license” (although others, like billie eilish, have resorted to all-caps titles like “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”). in professional relationships and environments, many teens still opt for standard capitalization, and this is sometimes equated on tiktok with growing up

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about snow days, iPads, and more. Dave has ecological habitat tips. 

Jokes:  

A man was caught stealing in a supermarket today while balanced on the shoulders of a couple of vampires. He was charged with shoplifting on two counts.

---

Adam and Eve, the first people not to read the Apple terms and conditions….

---

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

• That’s a frightening statistic.

My sea sickness comes in waves

---

I will not keep reloading my school’s website to see if we have a delay/cancellation for tomorrow due to weather.

I am stronger than this.

I’m definitely going to stop after this next reload.

---

I got fired from my job at the dress alteration company.

• Apparently I didn’t turn up enough.

---

If a Domino’s collapses, do the other stores fall in succession?

---

What is the least spoken language in the world?

• Sign Language

---

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Ecosystems

I was recently reading the November/December 2024 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Science 101” column, written by Matt Bobrowsky.  He wrote an article entitled, “Q: What’s a Good Way of Explaining Ecosystems?”  

An ecosystem is like a big neighborhood where plants, animals, and even tiny things like bugs and mushrooms all live together.

 http://k12science.net/ecosystems/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Break
• Snow Days
• Presentation Tips
  • iPad
  • Image based
  • Teleprompter:  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/teleprompter/id941620509  

The Social Web

‪Marcus Luther‬ ‪@marcusluther.bsky.social‬

The second half of the school year is a great time to start exposing students to more innovative, rule-breaking styles of writing. Feel free to use this resource I lean on if helpful:  docs.google.com/presentation…

‪John Warner‬ ‪@biblioracle.bsky.social‬

If your district, school, or household is concerned about the attitudes and abilities of students when it comes to writing, I think I can help with that. First, why writing matters more than ever in the ChatGPT age: www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/john-…

‪Keep Indiana Learning‬ ‪@keepinlearning.bsky.social‬

As we wrap up our #Resources2Love series, we’re ending with a daily essential: Classroom Management! 🌟 What are your go-to resources that ensure smooth sailing in your classroom? Share your tried and true #Resources2Love with us! #EduSky

‪Languages Direct‬ ‪@languages-direct.com‬

France’s language tests for foreigners seeking citizenship defeat French people buff.ly/4hwYRLU #langsky

‪Alex Spiers‬ ‪@alexspiers.bsky.social‬

#creativeHE Our next meetup will on a topic close to my heart and ears: Podcasting as assessment led by Sophie Renaudineau Check the blog post for sign up information. creativehecommunity.wordpress.com/2025/02/11/p…

Strategies:  

Help Students Set Goals in All Subject Areas

https://www.middleweb.com/51861/help-students-set-goals-in-all-subject-areas/

Small Changes to Make Your Classroom More Neurodiversity-Affirming

• Change 1: Stop Insisting on Eye Contact
• Change 2: Revisit Your Assessment Practices
• Change 3: Be More Explicit
• Change 4: Shift From Compliance-based to Context-based Interpretation of Behavior

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/neurodiversity-affirming/

Why My 7th Graders Memorized the 50 States

https://www.middleweb.com/51788/my-7th-graders-are-memorizing-the-50-states/

Resources:  

‪AXIS The Culture Translator

Slang of the week:  “Bop”

While you might assume “bop” just means a catchy song, the term has taken on an additional meaning for teens. “Bop” is now also a derogatory term referring to a woman who may have had multiple sexual partners. The word itself is a form of “algospeak”—words designed to dodge social media filters and censors (as other words for “promiscuous woman” often get posts flagged and removed). While some online have tried to embrace the term and “reclaim it,” their efforts may have only made the slang term more prominent. “Bop” joins a long list of slang terms designed to tear down women and accuse them of misconduct.

Dinner for One

What it is: An article by Derek Thompson in The Atlantic has sparked conversation about just how much time Americans are choosing to spend by themselves.  

What is happening: People used to go to dinner together; now, many prefer to order takeout and stay home alone. People used to go to the movies; now, many prefer to stay home and watch television alone. In 2023, people spent even more time alone than they did during 2021—which you’ll recall was the tail end of a pandemic. In particular, the amount of time young men spend alone is increasing faster than any other group. When most of us have a window to the world in the palm of our hands, it might feel like the presence of other people isn’t necessary—but whether their presence is good for our well being is a whole other story.

Free Font

https://www.brailleinstitute.org/freefont/

Web Spotlight: 

Meet Younger Self for Coffee

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/meet-younger-self-for-coffee-poem-tiktok-trend-rcna192038

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy are back! Dave addresses misconceptions. 

Jokes:  

Cosmetic surgery used to be such a taboo subject.

Now you can talk about Botox and nobody raises an eyebrow.

---

Patron: “Do you have any books on shelving?”

Librarian: “Yes, all of them.”

---

Are houses to be demolished visited by a home wrecker?

---

How do you teach a kid to climb stairs? 

• There is a step by step guide.

What do you call it when a cat wins a dog show? 

• A cat-has-trophy.

I mistakenly leaned against a printer cartridge, and now I have toned abs.

---

Fries, cheese curds, and gravy on a crushed cracker crust. 

• Poutine on the Ritz.

I’m gonna call medium drinks the “mini Grande”

---

There was a leper who failed his driving test…

• for leaving his foot on the gas

---

Why should you never trust palindromes?

• They always go back on their word.

---

Why is 40 a big birthday year in Italy? 

• Roman numerals: XL

Middle School Science Minute  

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

12Science Podcast:  Buoyancy Misconceptions

I was recently reading the November/December 2024 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Early Years” column, written by Alissa A. Lange.  She wrote an article entitled, “Deconstructing Common Misconceptions in Early Science.”  

Misconceptions are common in science—even into adulthood.  Instead of feeling guilty when we discover our misconceptions, what if we, as adults, turn this feeling into curiosity?  What if we help our students to do the same? 

http://k12science.net/buoyancy-misconceptions/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Apple Intelligence
  • Camera
• Competencies vs Standards
• Department Head
• Technology Plan
• Students using H5P 

The Social Web

Lucy Worsley @Lucy_Worsley

Tidy desk = empty mind. Discuss.

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘biblioklept’: the friend who borrows yet another book from your shelves, and quietly takes permanent ownership of it.

Matt Wolfe  @mreflow

Wow… NVIDIA dropped by 17% because of DeepSeek? I wonder if the investors realize that NVIDIA and DeepSeek aren’t competition. DeepSeek was trained using NVIDIA GPUs… People installing and running it locally are mostly using NVIDIA GPUs too… Scratching my head at this…

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘matutolypea’: extreme grumpiness in the morning. From the Latin ‘Matuta’, Roman goddess of the dawn, and the Greek ‘lype’, ‘grief’. Put them together and you get ‘morning grief’.

‪AIwithAileen‬ ‪@aiwithaileen.bsky.social‬

If you are thinking about using #curipod or have just started & are looking for ideas, you won’t go wrong with this webinar on the 19th of Feb. The @eduguardian5.bsky.social will be chatting all things orange with cofounder Eirik Berre

🔗 us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi…

#EduSky #EduSkyAI #feedback

‪The Contingent Professor‬ ‪@contingentprof.bsky.social‬

Ah, the weekend. Time to unwind with these 200 papers I need to grade. #AcademicSky #EduSky #HigherEd

Strategies:  

Whose Notes are They Anyway?

I realized my class notes needed a makeover the day I saw all of my students close their journals and put them away after the lesson when it was time for independent practice.

https://education.apple.com/story/250014117

Notability:  https://notability.com/  

Resources:  

‪8 Words Named After People

https://interestingfacts.com/words-named-after-people/

SceneryStack

SceneryStack is an open-source TypeScript framework designed to create powerful, interactive, and accessible web experiences. SceneryStack offers web development libraries for building engaging simulations, educational tools, or next-generation web applications. Included is support for robust accessibility features like dynamic screen-reader descriptions and alternative input (e.g., keyboard navigation).

https://scenerystack.org/#get-started

Curriculum for SIFE Equity

Open source resources, activity, and professional development. (*Some of the resources are not currently shared). 

https://sites.google.com/ousd.org/ellma-toolkit/newcomer-toolkit/materials/published-curriculum?authuser=0

Safer Internet Day

Each year, stakeholders across the globe join together to make the internet a safer and better place for all, and especially children and young people. We are almost ready to celebrate Safer Internet Day (SID) 2025 on Tuesday, 11 February 2025, and throughout the month of February. Will you join us?

https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en

AXIS The Culture Translator

Suit, Countersuit

What it is: Justin Baldoni’s legal team has published a website of “receipts” meant to refute Lively’s claims that Baldoni sexually harassed her on the set of their film, It Ends With Us.

Why teens are buzzing about it: The website is a trove of gossip fuel that connects a wide web of A-list celebrities. The site, “thelawsuitinfo.com,” contains a comprehensive timeline of events, including texts, interview transcripts, photos, and emails. Like seagulls flocking to a bucket of boardwalk french fries, prominent Gen Z commentators on TikTok and YouTube have descended on this timeline, picking apart the chain of events and adding their own theories and speculations on what went so wrong. The documents have provided an intimate and not-often-seen glimpse at how people in Hollywood actually talk to, and about, each other.

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy discuss the TikTok ban, Supreme Court, and more. Dave is focused on Expanding Science Knowledge. 

Jokes:  

All generalizations are false, including this one.

— Mark Twain

---

What do you get when you cross a chicken with a skunk? 

• A fowl smell!

Rumination has nothing to do with rum, rummy or a nation that loves both.

---

What do you call a guy lying on your doorstep? 

• Matt.

Time may be a great healer but it’s a lousy plastic surgeon.

---

Why do nuns have problems with disposing of their clothing?

• Because old habits die hard

---

What’s the best thing about elevator jokes? 

• They work on so many levels.

Remember, if you misspell armageddon it’s not the end of the world.

---

What is Intermittent fasting?

• Driving between speed cameras

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast: Expanding Science Knowledge

I was recently reading the November/December 2024 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Guest Editorial” column, written by Emily Adah Miller and Ayca Fackler.  They wrote an article entitled, “Expanding Science Knowledge Through Expansive Science Teaching.”  

To prepare students for future scientific endeavor and to be scientifically literate world citizens, teachers must challenge the status quo, pushing the limits of science education by using local place to contextualize and increase science understanding.

http://k12science.net/expanding-science-knowledge/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Live Supreme Court Feed
  • https://wng.org/podcasts/legal-docket-the-courtroom-artist-and-the-pursuit-of-justice-1734233264  
• PowerSchool Breach
• Assessment season

The Social Web

Keep Indiana Learning‬ ‪@keepinlearning.bsky.social‬

Registration for TIE-IN 2025 is open! Educators, explore the “behind the scenes” of industries across the state to see what employers are looking for in new hires & the jobs your students may have someday. Stipends available upon completion! Register now! buff.ly/3DzH4ED

‪Rick Wormeli‬ ‪@rickwormeli.bsky.social‬

As you do some prof reading over this holiday, consider how you will process and apply it instead of just highlighting it or simply grunting, “Hmm, that’s interesting,” and move on, never to retrieve it again. Here’s a piece w/some ideas on that: www.amle.org/just-did-som…

Ken Burns  @KenBurns

Our next film, The American Revolution, will air on @PBS starting Nov. 16. Leading up to the broadcast, we’ll have a national conversation about this important event and how it helped define us as a people – and changed the world. More info is here:  https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1877402515198623744/9Y71_Ln3?format=jpg&name=medium  

Lucy Worsley @Lucy_Worsley

Tonight on @BBCTwo on 9 – I’m in the very room at the@TowerOfLonwhere Guy Fawkes was interrogated after being caught trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament. This week on #LucyWorsleyInvestigates, we investigate THE GUNPOWDER PLOT! https://bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00

Lucy Worsley @Lucy_Worsley

NEWSFLASH! It’s a new year and a new life for me … if you’d like to join me on my latest adventures in the past, subscribe to my brand-new newsletter! lucyworsley.substack.com  

MiddleWeb  @middleweb

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP – Six Keys Unlock Innovative Instructional Change. Successful school innovations have clear vision & purpose, full collaboration & a commitment to monitor & adjust. Ron Williamson and @BarbBlackburn  share 6 keys. #edleaders #educoach https://middleweb.com/51702/leading-  

‪Rick Wormeli‬ ‪@rickwormeli.bsky.social‬

ICYMI, here’s my latest piece w/ideas on what to do when you have an extra 15 minutes in a lesson or at the end of the year after testing is done & students are less focused. Let’s use the time well, in substantive activities that advance student learning and creativity. www.amle.org/when-the-les…

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘uhtcearu’ [ucht-kay-aru, with the ‘ch’ as in the Scottish ‘loch’]: Old English for ‘the sorrow before dawn’, when you lie awake in the darkness and worries crowd your mind.

Strategies:  

How Students Learn to Be Generous Listeners

https://www.middleweb.com/51719/some-ways-we-might-teach-generous-listening/

Resources:  

Book:  The Queen Like Closet

Free book of recipes and an example of language back in the day . . . 

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14377

ClassQuiz

Can use Markdown to create. 

Free. Open source. 

Privacy Policy

https://classquiz.de/docs/privacy-policy

Follow on Mastodon: https://fosstodon.org/@classquiz 

‪https://classquiz.de/ 

A Collaborative Math Classroom that Works

https://www.middleweb.com/51715/a-collaborative-math-classroom-that-works/

Web Spotlight: 

OATutor

OATutor revolutionizes personalized education by offering an open-source, adaptive learning platform tailored to every course by utilizing leading edge GenAI research. Whether you’re a teacher, researcher, or student, OATutor provides the tools you need to succeed.

Completed:

• OpenStax Elementary Algebra
• OpenStax Intermediary Algebra
• OpenStax College Algebra

In Progress: 

• OpenStax Statistics
• OpenStax Physics

https://www.oatutor.io/ 

ActivityWatch

ActivityWatch is an app that automatically tracks how you spend time on your devices.

It is open source, privacy-first, cross-platform, and a great alternative to services like RescueTime, ManicTime, and WakaTime.

It can be used to keep track of your productivity, time spent on different projects, bad screen habits, or just to understand how you spend your time.

https://activitywatch.net

Ansel Adams

In 1943, Ansel Adams (1902-1984), America’s most well-known photographer, documented the Manzanar War Relocation Center in California and the Japanese-Americans interned there during World War II. For the first time, digital scans of both Adams’s original negatives and his photographic prints appear side by side allowing viewers to see Adams’s darkroom technique, in particular, how he cropped his prints. Adams’s Manzanar work is a departure from his signature style landscape photography. Although a majority of the more than 200 photographs are portraits, the images also include views of daily life, agricultural scenes, and sports and leisure activities (see Collection Highlights). When offering the collection to the Library in 1965, Adams said in a letter, “The purpose of my work was to show how these people, suffering under a great injustice, and loss of property, businesses and professions, had overcome the sense of defeat and dispair [sic] by building for themselves a vital community in an arid (but magnificent) environment….All in all, I think this Manzanar Collection is an important historical document, and I trust it can be put to good use.” The web site also includes digital images of the first edition of Born Free and Equal, Adams’s publication based on his work at Manzanar.

https://www.loc.gov/collections/ansel-adams-manzanar/about-this-collection

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Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about break, competencies, learning, and more. Dave expands upon teaching. 

Jokes:  

Why did the burglar hang his mugshot on the wall? 

• To prove that he was framed!

What do you call a religious man who talks alot but doesn’t say anything?

• A hot air friar

Coffee was just voted the best drink in the nation.

• But it was unfair, there were absent tea ballots.

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What kind of tea is hard to swallow?

• Reality

My friend who works as an upholsterer was in a bad accident.

• Right now he’s recovering in a hospital…

A person may have five thousand LinkedIn connections and not one soul to water their plants while away.

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I just broke my guitar. 

• It’s okay, I won’t fret

My complimentary hotel breakfast did not tell me I looked nice even once.

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Do you know what the death rate around here is?

• One per person

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Not to  brag, but I remember 2024 like it was last week.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Expansive Science Teaching

I was recently reading the November/December 2024 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Editor’s Note” column, written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn.  She wrote an article entitled, “Expansive Science Teaching Practices.”  

Expansive learning theory, rooted in activity theory, provides a framework for how learners create new knowledge and practices for novel situations.

 http://k12science.net/expansive-science-teaching/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Back to Work
• Competencies
  • Real world based
  • Moodle tracking
  •  Learning Plans in Moodle
• Curriculum vs Resources
• Keybow2040

The Social Web

Dru Tomlin@DruTomlin_AMLE

Get the  @FearlessSchools  podcast now! We are now live on Apple Podcasts. Like, subscribe and share! Help us spread the word.

OER Project @OERProject

Looking for fresh world history instructional ideas and great conversation? Check out OER Project’s Age of Exploration Community Board! Let’s share strategies, insights, and spark discussions on this pivotal era in history. https://tinyurl.com/3a8fyrrt

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘hunch-weather’ (19th century): weather so cold it makes you hunch your shoulders when you walk outside.

MiddleWeb  @middleweb

REVIEW: Creating Classrooms Where Students Feel Included. Belonging in School is packed with evidence-based modules, actions & strategies that will create a place where students feel included and teachers want to stay, writes NBCT Ruth A.S. Miller. https://middleweb.com/51680/creating

‪Dr. Kerryane‬ ‪@drkerryane.bsky.social‬

This.

Always telling my college students that success in anatomy is all about memorization-you have to actually know the names of structures. To do that requires practice with repetition & time in between. That’s it. Then you can develop understanding of rlships and physio concepts. #AnatomyEdu 🍎

‪John Warner‬ ‪@biblioracle.bsky.social‬

Reply to  John Warner

Writing should be hard, but it’s that difficulty that ultimately makes it “fun” and a way for students to develop self-regulation, self-esteem, self-knowledge. It’s an amazing vehicle for personal development. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/blog…

Hart Wilson‬ ‪@riversidehart.bsky.social‬

What versions are you moving from and to? I have an extensive “what’s new” doc for going from 3.11 to 4.1 that you’re welcome to adapt. docs.google.com/document/d/1…

Resources:  

AXIS The Culture Translator

Five Conversation Starters for 2025

• What are some things you’re most excited about for 2025?
  
• Is there anything you’re nervous or worried about for this year?
  
• What’s something you’d love to learn or try this year?
  
• What’s been on your heart lately? Is there anything you’ve been thinking about?
  
• What qualities do you admire in others, and which ones would you like to develop in yourself?

National History Day

A National History Day^® (NHD) project is your way of presenting your historical argument, research, and interpretation of your topic’s significance in history. NHD projects can be created individually or as part of a group. There are two entry divisions: Junior (grades 6–8) or Senior (grades 9–12). After reading the Contest Rule Book and learning about the annual theme, you’re ready to dig in!  

https://nhd.org/en/

Open Historical Map

OpenHistoricalMap is an interactive map of the world throughout history, created by people like you and dedicated to the public domain.

https://www.openhistoricalmap.org/#map=5/51.468/-0.088&layers=O&date=1925-01-04&daterange=1825-01-01,2025-12-31

How To Help Kids Use Devices Responsibly

In this episode of the 10-Minute Teacher Podcast, I sit down with Jordan Shapiro, author of The New Childhood: Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World. We tackle one of the most pressing challenges for parents and teachers today: how to help kids develop healthy relationships with their devices. From cell phone bans to managing screen time, we dive into the heart of the frustrations many adults face when navigating technology with children.

Whether you’re a parent worried about your child’s constant attachment to their phone or a teacher managing the disruption devices can cause in the classroom, this episode is for you.

https://www.coolcatteacher.com/how-to-help-kids-use-devices-responsibly

Web Spotlight: 

Postpone Your Pleasures

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/12/postpone-your-pleasures/681019/ https://archive.md/xC1vo 

Random Thoughts . . .  

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Summary:

Troy and Shawn talk about Common Courtesy, pedagogy around Social Studies, some jokes, and more. Dave not only is a Gem, but shares a Gemologist perspective. 

Jokes:  

I used to be a banker, 

• but I lost interest.

What do you call a convicted criminal going down the stairs? 

• Condescending

As we were driving down the road, Sweet Caroline came on the radio. I said to my son, Little known fact, Neil Diamond used to be called Neil Coal. Until the pressure got to him.

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if you like telling dad jokes and you’re not a dad.

• You’re a faux pa.

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I used to work at a stationery store.  But, I didn’t feel like I was going anywhere.

• So, I got a job at a travel agency.  Now, I know I’ll be going places.

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I failed my fire safety course when I was asked what steps I would take in case there was an explosion.

• Really large ones was an unacceptable answer apparently.

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I tried taking some high resolution photos of local farmland, but they all turned out a bit grainy.

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Did you know that you can be a world famous writer in only two steps?

• Choose a selection of words 
• Put them in the correct order

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Gemologist

I was recently reading the November/December 2024 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Career of the Month” column, written by Luba Vangelova.  She wrote an article entitled, “Gemologist Nathan Renfro.” 

Gemologists study and assess the properties, quality and rarity of gemstones.  They can work in jewelry stores, appraisal firms, gemstone trading companies, or laboratories.

 http://k12science.net/gemologist/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Books
• Family Time
• Social Studies Enrichment Curriculum
  • Politicraft Article
  • Michigan Youth in Government
  • Scenarios – Foundation for Teaching Economics
  • Memorization Resources:  https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/year-of-memory-work/  

The Social Web

Cult of Pedagogy  @cultofpedagogy

Even the best-laid plans can fall apart. This week I interview Claire English from The Unteachables about how to get your classroom management back on track.  https://t.co/Lo7PtvW5GU  

Randy   @Randy_Man_h

I found the route that my parents took to school and back.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1872821807138652310

John R. Sowash  @jrsowash

Student Skills Checklist: Help students master essential tech skills with this comprehensive checklist, tailored for all grade levels:  http://chrmbook.com/back-to-school-survival-kit-13-classroom-templates-every-teacher-needs/ 

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

A few potential words of the day: Joblijock: a disturber of domestic peace (small children, cantankerous uncles, etc). Yule-hole: the furthest notch in your belt that you need to resort to at Christmas. Confelicity: joy in other people’s happiness.

Susie Highley  @shighley

This article also shares many of the benefits for those who do read. (Also connected to fewer readers- loss of certified librarians and well-stocked libraries.)  https://www.upworthy.com/teacher-reveals-the-really-obvious-reason-teens-no-longer-read-its-not-just-the-phones  

Quote from the article:  “Adults have lowered the bar for how much you should read as a teenager so far that the bar cannot be found.”  

‪Gerard Elwood‬ ‪@gerardelwood.bsky.social‬  

The annual release of State Papers reveals details of events from 1994 to 2004, including Boris Yeltsin’s Shannon Airport mishap and government disputes over Israeli arms deals. 📜🇮🇪

www.rte.ie/news/2024/12…  

Christopher Harris‪@principalh.bsky.social‬

Teachers affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops.

#education #teachers #EduSky

Resources:  

86 Stories of Progress from 2024

https://fixthenews.com/86-stories-progress-2024

Create Art or Modify Images

https://openart.ai/home

Three Keys to Being A Great Teacher

https://blog.acthompson.net/2024/12/three-keys-to-being-great-teacher.html

Image Accessibility

Enhance the accessibility of your course images with our intuitive tool. Designed to effortlessly generate alt text and detailed descriptions, as well as extract text from slides and images that are not accessible, our tool simplifies the creation of inclusive content. Just upload your image and hit ‘Create Image Details.’ Within seconds, you’ll see the generated content appear on the right side of the screen. Need to tailor the descriptions further? Easily add more specifics with the ‘Add Details’ option and generate updated descriptions to perfectly meet your needs.

This tool currently utilizes the GPT-4o model provided by OpenAI. We are using their API platform, which ensures the data sent is not retained or stored to improve their training or models.

https://asuo-ai-labs.streamlit.app/Image_Accessibility

Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools List

Web accessibility evaluation tools are software programs or online services that help you determine if web content meets accessibility guidelines. This page provides a list of such tools.

https://www.w3.org/WAI/test-evaluate/tools/list

Public Domain Day

January 1, 2025 is Public Domain Day: Works from 1929 are open to all, as are sound recordings from 1924!

https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2025

Web Spotlight: 

AXIS The Culture Translator

Top issues among teens for 2024

3. Gen Z’s Response to the War in Gaza: At the close of 2023, most conversations around the October 7 attack on Israel were still centered around the hope of getting Israeli hostages back

2. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt: Even though concerns about smartphones and social media aren’t new, the publication of The Anxious Generation by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt seemed to represent a tipping point.

1. “Brain Rot”: Oxford declared “brain rot” to be their word of the year, which refers to the “supposed deterioration” of someone’s brain, caused by engaging with “trivial or unchallenging” (as Oxford puts it) online content.  

The Unteachables Academy 

“You want to run your classroom with calm confidence, but oh boy you know that is easier said than done! That’s where I come in. I’m passionate about providing the training, resources, and support needed to transform the behaviours and culture of your classroom, so you can get back to teaching! Have a browse of how you can have me in your corner.”

https://www.the-unteachables.com

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Summary:

Shawn and Troy discuss Moodle Update, Greek God Projects, Drones, and more. Dave asks “Why”?

Jokes:  

We all know Albert Einstein was a genius

• but his brother Frank was a monster.

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I stayed up all night wondering where the sun went.

• Then it dawned on me.

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Werewolves are notoriously hard to find…

• Otherwise they’d be known as Therewolves.

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My movie about the ceasefire…

• Is on its last day of shooting.

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What kind of bug can you wear?

• A Yellow Jacket

What do you call it when the crew gives the Captain the silent treatment?

• A Muteny

Did you know that now is a good time to buy Angel’s Wings?

• There on Clarence

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It’s time for people to stop looking up and complaining every night. 

• There’s no reason to DRONE on and on about it.
• I won all the trophies at the Janitor Association Awards.
• It was a clean sweep.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Asking Why

Recently, I had the pleasure of reading the November-December 2024 issue of “The Science Teacher,” a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association.

Within this issue, I encountered the “Right to the Source” section, authored by Michael Apfeldorft. His article, titled “Joyfully Asking Why,” provided insightful information on a list of questions compiled by Carl Sagan and his wife, author/producer Ann Druyan.

In the mid-1990’s, Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan conceived of an interesting way to help young learners confidently ask questions and think about the world around them.  Carl and Ann compiled a list of 150 questions to develop a book series, where the title of each book would begin simply with the word WHY?   To download this manuscript of questions, please, visit:

https://www.loc.gov/item/cosmos000083

http://k12science.net/asking-why/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Break Plans
• How Did You Handle the Day Before Break
• Sweets!

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘apanthropist’ (18th century): someone who dislikes company and desires to be left alone.

NJAMLE  @NJAMLE

Happy Holidays from NJAMLE! We wish everyone a wonderful and restful break and a Happy New Year!

Figen  @TheFigen_

So smart Grandma.  https://x.com/i/status/1870248833868874027  

‪Bronwyn Desjardins‬ ‪@bronwynwritehttps://x.com/i/status/1870248833868874027s.bsky.social‬

Just leaving this here #EduSky

Glow Scot  @GlowScot

Looking to create a Christmas quiz for your learners? You can make your own quizzes for learners to complete using H5P in #GlowScot Blogs! Take a look at these examples for some ideas! https://ow.ly/yqAW50UsoVs  @H5PTechnology   #glowspotlight

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/h5pexamples/examples/

Rebecca Gulka‪@yesyoucanteachthat.bsky.social‬

“No, but Rebecca, Google just told me that penguins are mammals’ is why I teach literacy, ok

Matt Wolfe  @mreflow

We’ve been seeing a lot of amazing video models over the past couple weeks from the big companies. But let’s talk about open-source for a minute. LTX Video is generating 5-second videos and it’s taking only 4-seconds to generate them… And you can do that locally on a consumer-grade RTX 4090 GPU! It’s especially good at image-to-video conversion. …And because it’s open-source, the community is helping to improve upon it and iterate off of it, so we’re only going to see this model get better and better. LTX Studio is an ongoing partner and sponsor of mine and I’m super excited to see what they, and the open-source community, build with this technology!

Strategies:  

Gateway to Grammar: Question Tags – What Are They and How Do They Work?

https://www.wrightenglish.com/blog/gtg-questiontags2

Resources:  

Framadate

Useful for collecting information for scheduling. AND, can also collect information in a grid. Privacy forward. Open-source. 

https://framadate.org/abc/en

Trinket.io

Python that runs in the browser

https://trinket.io/python

Web Spotlight:

No Phones?! Now What? Catching Kids’ Attention

https://www.middleweb.com/51606/no-phones-now-what-catching-kids-attention/

The carbon impact of artificial intelligence

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42256-020-0219-9

Random Thoughts . . .  

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