Summary:

Shawn and Troy go through the process of using AI to create a chatbot for special education students. Dave gets the picture of storybooks. 

Jokes:

Time flies like an arrow, Fruit flies like a banana

---

Them: Name as many animals as you can in one minute

Me: (Pointing at the squirrels out the window) Gerald, Billie, Andrew, Jon—

Them: No that’s not what I meant

Me: Well maybe you should have said what you meant

---

Ordered “How to Accept Rejection” online. 

• They never shipped it.

---

I just bought a new television remote control with fifty buttons.

I was quite surprised they allowed me to pay with buttons.

---

I threw away a permanent marker the other day. Today it showed up on my desk again with the word “permanent” slightly bigger and underlined

---

I give respect to everyone that I meet.

It’s up to them to keep it.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Middle School Picture – Books

I was recently reading the September-October 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Interdisciplinary Ideas” written by Katie Coppens.  She wrote an article entitled, “Enhancing Understanding Through Science-Themed Picture Books.”

Embedding a high-interest, science-themed picture book into a unit enhances students’ ability to learn vocabulary and visualize scientific concepts.  The approachable style and ability to convey information visually makes picture books an engaging learning tool for students of all ages.

https://k12science.net/middle-school-picture-books/

Reports from the Front Lines 

• Zip Zap, Wickity Whack picture book  (https://www.matthewdiffee.com/ )
• Creation of Danu
  • Google Gem Construction
    • Files – Resources uploaded/linked, OER
    • Instruction Set 
    • Refining
    • Student Prompt Support:  https://chatgpt.com/canvas/shared/68e9c21d9d348191b23277f5f04e1d47  
  • ChatGPT Does it Better . . .  

The Social Web

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

When hiking, the early bird gets the face full of spider webs. Bring a tall friend and let them lead.

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘tandsmør’, from Danish. It describes bread that is buttered so thickly you can see tooth marks in it after every bite. Its literal translation? ‘Tooth butter’.

Resources:  

Angel Studios – Somebody’s Gotta Do It

“Mike Rowe’s Somebody’s Gotta Do It brings viewers face-to-face with men and women who march to the beat of a different drum. In each episode, Rowe visits unique individuals and joins them in their respective undertakings, paying tribute to innovators, do-gooders, entrepreneurs, collectors, fanatics-people who simply have to do it. This show is about passion, purpose, and occasionally, hobbies that get a little out of hand.”

https://www.angel.com/shows/somebodys-gotta-do-it

Google’s Gemini Platforms for Kids and Teens Pose Risks Despite Added Filters, Common Sense Media Reports Find

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/press-releases/googles-gemini-platforms-for-kids-and-teens-pose-risks-despite-added-filters-common-sense-media-reports

Portrait of a Graduate

Web Spotlight: 

Shade Map

https://shademap.app/@42.33102,-83.04605,16.84972z,1760044344044t,0b,0p,0m!1760009963956!1760050901341,qRGV0cm9pdCwgbWk=!42.3314!-83.04622

How to Get Kids to Give Up Social Media on Their Own

https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/how-to-get-kids-to-give-up-social-media-on-their-own-dc863027

OR

https://archive.is/MQSh0

Photos celebrate the glory of girls on ‘International Day of the Girl’

https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/10/11/g-s1-92962/photos-celebrate-the-glory-of-girls-on-international-day-of-the-girl

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, and more AI. Dave Engineers another great segment.

Jokes:

Every machine in the coin factory broke down all of a sudden without explanation. It just doesn’t make any cents.

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People snapping daily selfies with one of those sticks need to take a good, long look at themselves,

---

We need more things that come in the opposite of a childproof container.

---

During the times I lived on a farm or visited one, I have never seen anyone look for a needle in a haystack.

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Why couldn’t the sailor find their playing cards?

• They were standing on the deck.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Engineering in Middle School 

I was recently reading the September-October 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, “Engineering in the Middle School Science Classroom”

If you are looking for engineering ideas for your classroom, you can peruse sites such as:

teachingengineering.org     or        tryengineering.org

both of which contain a searchable database of Next Generation Science Standards aligned activities.

Engineering in Middle School

Reports from the Front Lines

• Addressing AI with students
  • AI is wrong about 38% of the time. I don’t want you to embarrass yourself.

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Today I offer a reminder of the word ‘forswunk’ (13th century): exhausted from too much work. To be ‘foreswunk’ (my own version) is to be exhausted before you even begin.

Lucy Worsley  @Lucy_Worsley

ANNOUNCEMENT! Coming next year to  @bbctwo @bbciplayer and @pbs from @bbcarts and @bbcstudios!!! A palatial new series for you 

MiddleWeb  @middleweb

NEW: How to Grow a Culture of Thinkers in Our Classrooms. When teachers build classrooms around how students think, they unlock a learning environment where curiosity replaces compliance & excitement replaces dread, writes @Kathie_Palmieri #edutwitter  https://middleweb.com/52628/how-to-g

https://middleweb.substack.com/about

Strategies:  

Strategies for Adopting Transformative Technology:  A Brainstorming Session

1. Balance Tradition with Innovation
   1. Problem: Students may prefer shortcuts (copy-paste answers, TikTok summaries) over deeper learning.
   2. Historical Parallel: Roman educators saw youth over-relying on rote memorization of written texts instead of oratory practice.
   3. Response Principle: Schools doubled down on oratory, discussion, and memory work to balance over-dependence on books.
   4. Modern Application: Use technology with tradition—have students debate, speak, and write without screens sometimes, so tech becomes a supplement, not a crutch.
2. Ethical Framing of Use
   1. Problem: Students use tech impulsively—plagiarism, inappropriate sharing, unkind comments.
   2. Historical Parallel: With the printing press, pamphlets spread gossip and heresy; educators stressed the moral weight of words.
   3. Response Principle: Anchor use of tools in community values and ethics.
      Modern Application: Teach “digital character”—every click, post, and share has moral weight, just as every word spoken in public did in earlier eras.  
3. Critical Evaluation and Discernment
   1. Problem: Students binge screens at home without guidance.
   2. Historical Parallel: Early mass-literacy worried adults—so schools restricted texts to religious or civic works before opening wider access.
   3. Response Principle: Provide guided exposure—curated apps, sandboxed platforms, structured time limits.
   4. Modern Application: Train “responsible release”: scaffold school tech use in stages (safe search → guided research → independent inquiry).
4. Practical Skill Building
   1. Problem: Students bring conspiracy videos, fake news, or AI-generated answers into class.
   2. Historical Parallel: During the telegraph/newspaper explosion, educators pushed source evaluation and civic literacy.
   3. Response Principle: Turn “bad habits” into teachable moments by comparing sources, debunking fakes, and evaluating credibility.
   4. Modern Application: Have students fact-check viral content in class—showing that responsible use means slowing down and asking questions.
5. Community & Civic Responsibility
   1. Problem: Students often misuse technology because they never learned its real power—typing with two fingers, sloppy searches, over-reliance on copy/paste.
   2. Historical Parallel: The calculator panic of the 1970s—kids “lost” math fluency until schools explicitly taught calculator literacy.
   3. Response Principle: Teach technical proficiency so misuse becomes less attractive.
   4. Modern Application: Show how AI or search engines work best with good prompts, or how social media can be used for civic projects rather than endless scrolling.
6. Lifelong Learning & Adaptability
   1. Problem: Students lock into bad habits (“this is how I always use TikTok/AI/YouTube”).
   2. Historical Parallel: Every era stressed adaptability (e.g., monks adapting to codices, teachers shifting to films, etc.).
   3. Response Principle: Teach that habits aren’t permanent—responsible use is a skill you can relearn.
   4. Modern Application: Frame mistakes (plagiarism, oversharing, distraction) not as shameful failures but as practice opportunities for course-correction.

Resources:  

Teachable Machine

A fast, easy way to create machine learning models for your sites, apps, and more – no expertise or coding required.

https://teachablemachine.withgoogle.com

Social Media and Mental Health: Considerations from experts this Mental Health Awareness Month

https://news.ufl.edu/2023/05/social-media-mental-health

Social Media Shortens Your Life. Here’s How to Get Time Back.

https://www.thefp.com/p/social-media-shortens-your-life-heres-how-to-get-time-back

Google Gemini 101

https://ditchthattextbook.com/google-gemini

Learn Your Way

Learn Your Way transforms content into a dynamic and engaging learning experience tailored for you.

https://learnyourway.withgoogle.com

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

Enter:  The Wilted Rose

What it is: Teens are swapping out the classic heartbreak emoji () for its moodier cousin: the wilted rose ()

Why it’s trending: The heartbreak emoji  is apparently so overused that it’s lost its edge. For a lot of teens, it feels too basic and obvious now. That’s where the wilted rose comes in. The wilted rose started as a way to say “I’m damaged, I’m heartbroken, I’m tragic,” but with a wink. 

Web Spotlight: 

“The Atlantic” Announces That Every U.S. High School Get Get Free Subscription For All Students & Staff

Key details about eligibility and how to request access are below and at our high-school access page:

• Open to all U.S. public high schools or districts (includes comprehensive, magnet, charter, and specialized schools).
• Schools may register for access at The Atlantic. The request must be submitted by either an administrator, librarian, or IT professional at the school.
• Access will be authenticated by IP address, giving students and staff access on browsers connected to a school’s Wi-Fi network. No individual accounts are required.

Clues by Sam

https://cluesbysam.com

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk AI, project-based learning, and more. Dave communicates with parents. 

Jokes:  

What do you feel when you accidentally send out the same Morse Code twice

Remorse

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How do you get the farmer’s daughter to fall in love with you?

A tractor.

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Just finished a novel about an immortal cat. 

• It was impossible to put down.

---

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

---

Proctologist: Today I looked up an old friend from school.

---

It’s only a murder of crows if there’s probable caws.

---

Somebody threw a bottle of omega-3 pills at my head. 

• Luckily my injuries are only super fish oil.

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It’s only August and I’ve already crossed nine out of ten things off my 2025 todo list!

I didn’t do any of them. I just wanted them off the list.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Parent Newsletters

I was recently reading the July-August 2025 issue of “The Science Teacher”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Idea Bank” written by Alexander Eden.  He wrote an article entitled, “The Power of Newsletters: Welcoming Parents into the Biology Classroom Community.”

When leveraged correctly, engaging parents and families can have a positive impact on students and the classroom.  It is critical to maintain a line of communication with families that is not solely based on when student concerns arise.  One method of maintaining consistent communication with families involves the construction of a parent newsletter.

https://k12science.net/parent-newsletters/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Last Hurrah of Summer
• The Summer of My “Glow Up”

The Social Web

Thomas@thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io

Fun fact, ~64% of Americans use assistive technology to overcome a disability.

And that’s just one single type of disability: issues with eyesight.

John R. Sowash  @jrsowash

Type the @ symbol in the #Gemini chat box to connect to Google services like YouTube. This lets you pull in content from other places…a great way to find videos for your next lesson! #GoogleEDU  https://x.com/jrsowash/status/1956026875559432513/photo/1  

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

Keep at least 25 yards from bison at all times and never approach a bison to take a photo. If they want a photo with you, they will let you know. Boundaries. Not just lines on a map.  

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘copemate’ (16th century): the friend in life who gets you through.

 

Resources:  

The Tech Exit

“In the last week or so, you may have seen a startling picture of data put together by an analyst for Financial Times. The graph shows changes in personality traits over the last 8 years. Starkly down: conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extroversion—particularly for young people. These are traits that positively affect career, marriages and life expectancy. On the rise, neuroticism. People are more anxious, tense, and emotional. The author of the article blames it on distraction. He points the finger directly at the digital world.” 

https://wng.org/podcasts/the-tech-exit-1755288004

America 250

Merch is now available:  https://ctrk.klclick3.com/l/01K2PRWRTFTJF1Q0XFJP6A4DQE_11  

Embracing the Change:  Middle School 101 for Parents and Families

Embracing the Change: Middle School 101 for Families is a concise brochure designed to support parents and families as they guide their middle schooler through a transformative phase of life.

https://my.amle.org/Shop/Store/Product-Details?productid={354C6C66-E960-F011-BEC2-000D3A4DB114}

Zavala

A good, simple outliner for macOS and iOS.

https://zavala.vincode.io

AXIS The Culture Translator

AI Blues

What it is: OpenAI released “GPT-5,” a new version of their AI that touts better processing, more efficiency, and fewer “hallucinations.” Yet, ChatGPT users are not happy.  

Why they’ve turned: With this new update, OpenAI consolidated all of its models into a single experience, and now just routes a user’s request through whatever tool it deems best for the job (for example, photo requests get sent through the photo generator). However, this means users can no longer access those individual models, which felt to many like losing features. The backlash signals a growing normalization of AI, as users now have their own expectations and preferences about the technology.  

Striking a Pose

What it is: “The Nicki Minaj stiletto challenge” is a TikTok trend where participants balance on one foot in sky-high heels, often on unstable objects like cans or bottles—mimicking a pose from Nicki Minaj’s 2013 “High School” music video

Why it’s risky: A few seconds of internet fame can cost a lot. One influencer fractured her spine just weeks after giving birth, and Mikayla Matthews, star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, faced major backlash after trying the trend blindfolded while holding her newborn. Media outlets estimate that #nickiminajchallenge has racked up more than 1.3 billion views on TikTok, with over 130,000 hashtagged videos posted.

In Search of Lost Time

What it is: A long-form piece in The Free Press explores why time flies by when we’re using social media platforms. (Hint: It’s not because we’re having fun.)  

Google Has Often Failed At AI, But They Have Hit It Out Of The Park – For ELLs, At Least – With New “Storybook”

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2025/08/05/google-often-failed-at-ai-but-they-have-hit-it-out-of-the-park-for-ells-at-least-with-new-storybook/

The biggest mistakes in mapmaking history – Kayla Wolf

Travel through the history of mapmaking and discover what big mistakes cartographers made about the world’s geography.

Here Be The Dragons!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77hLX8jO6e4

Web Spotlight: 

GIFT Validator

https://fuhrmanator.github.io/GIFT-grammar-PEG.js/editor/editor.html

FBI and NSPCC alarmed at ‘shocking’ rise in online sextortion of children

Snapchat logged about 20,000 cases last year of adults grooming children online, more than other social media platforms combined

The NCA said: “Sextortion is a heartless crime, which can have devastating consequences for victims. Sadly, teenagers in the UK and around the world have taken their own lives because of it.”

Tech companies including Snapchat and Facebook reported more than 9,600 cases of adults grooming children online in the UK in just six months last year – the equivalent of about 400 a week.

The children’s charity, NSPCC, described the figures as “shocking” and said they were likely an underestimate.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/aug/09/fbi-nspcc-alarmed-shocking-rise-online-sextortion-children

Behaviorism as Cognitive Science

In his July 24th article, “‘Cognitive Science,’ All the Rage in British Schools, Fails to Register in U.S”, he did not even attempt to be objective as he lionized a form of ‘Cognitive Science’ that is a euphemism for behaviorism.

A cognitive science subset, Cognitive load theory, was developed in mid-1980s by Australian education psychologist John Sweller. His theory pays attention to human cognitive architecture: characteristics and relations between long-term memory and short term memory, and how load on memory affects learning.

As Kohn stated, in the debate between behaviorism and “constuctivism”, Hirch comes down squarely on the side of behaviorism. 

https://tultican.com/2025/08/10/behaviorism-as-cognitive-science/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Grammarian vs. Errorist

Get the English teacher on your team ready for school this year:  https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19aHhX68Ce/  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy discuss using AI to make up lesson plans, develop parent newsletters, and more. Dave has some disciplinary science tips. 

Jokes:  

Just ordered a takeaway from the local Chinese. I ordered a 7, a 13, a 21, and a 33, unfortunately, I had to take them all back, though.

• They tasted odd.

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You can only “ran” through a campsite as it’s past tents.

---

My new thesaurus is terrible. In fact, it’s so bad, I’d say it’s terrible.

---

The biggest knight at King Arthur’s round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from eating too much pi.

---

I was in New Mexico and a cowboy asked me if I could help round up 18 cows. I said: Yes, of course, that’d be 20 cows.

---

I was on the Oreo website and I clicked Accept All Cookies.

• Now we wait…

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If it’s not related to elephants…

• It’s irrelephant.

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Walking into solid objects can be painful, according to a recent pole.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Disciplinary Literacy

I was recently reading the July-August 2025 issue of “The Science Teacher”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Editor’s Corner” written by Brooke A Whitworth.  She wrote an article entitled, “Developing Disciplinary Literacy.”

We can think of disciplinary literacy in two ways, when it comes to science:

1.  Broadly, in terms of how science compares to other content areas.

2.  Specifically, in terms of how the subdiscipline of chemistry differs from biology or physics or earth science.

https://k12science.net/disciplinary-literacy/

Reports from the Front Lines

• What I Did With AI This Week:
  • Team/Building Newsletter for Parents (Sora)
  • First Quarter English & Social Studies Integration 10 Day Unit.
    • Prompt Process:
      • What are the commonalities of these Michigan GLCE standards: RL: 7.1* RL: 7.2* RL: 7.3* RL: 7.4* RL: 7.5* RL: 7.10* W: 7.3a* W: 7.3b* W: 7.3c* W: 7.3d* W: 7.3e* W: 7.4* W: 7.10* SL: 7.1a* SL: 7.1b* SL: 7.1c* SL: 7.1d* SL: 7.6* L: 7.6*
      • Ok. How do these Michigan GLCE standards intersect with those English standards and what are 5 interdisciplinary projects I could propose to the English teacher? Standards: H1.1.1, H1.2.1, H1.2.2, H1.2.5, H1.4.2, H1.4.3 H1.1.1, H1.2.1, H1.2.2, H1.4.2, H1.4.3, W1.1.2, G4.3.2 
      • Please take option 3 and turn it into a two week mini-unit with day-by-day tasks, text sets, and a co-grading rubric with content and language objectives. 
      • Ok. Give me 2 complete versions of Lesson 1. Include student readings, formative and summative assessment questions.
      • Ok. Do the same thing for Lesson 2 in the Unit Plan.  
    • Unit Plan Published
• Results of Last Week’s Poll:  Should Troy do the podcast in a Maine accent?  
• Posted the updated Michigan History Day course to MoodleNet.  

The Social Web

AMLE  @AMLE

Take a bite out of B2S classroom management! @beyond_the_desk shares a favorite boredom buster that’s perfect for building relationships and getting kids moving at the start of the year.  https://x.com/i/status/1953531658579193978  

Will Berard @MrBerard@mastodon.acm.org

I’ve separated the Male and Female voices in a #NotebookLM audio overview (the one backing this video).

The top track is the male voice, the bottom the female voice.

Unsurprisingly reproducing biases of the training data, etc…
#AI #LLM #Podcasts #Sexism #AIBias

https://scholar.social/deck/@MrBerard@mastodon.acm.org/114987255586821177

Laura McFarren  @lauramcfarren

Set your clocks social studies peeps. @CarlAzuz. Is. Back.

Quote

Carl Azuz  @CarlAzuz

BE THERE— Monday, August 18th— When The World from A to Z returns!

John R. Sowash  @jrsowash

Before you can use technology as an instructional tool, there are some basic technology skills students MUST master. Download my free tech skills checklist: https://chrmbook.com/student-technology-skills-checklist/  #GoogleEDU #chromebookEDU

Eric Curts  @ericcurts

 Gemini’s Guided Learning: https://controlaltachieve.com/2025/08/guided-learning.html

 Instead of Gemini giving the answer  Gemini guides students through the learning process  Great for HW, essays, review, learning & more!  Watch my demo video #edtech #GoogleEDU #earlyaccess  @GeminiApp  @GoogleForEdu

Alice Keeler  @alicekeeler

The NotebookLM about @waygroundai  https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/9d88860c-78a0-4f4b-b541-41ca9dade2c5

Check it out, try the chat!

I uploaded almost the entire help center from http://wayground.com to NotebookLM It was a LOT OF PAGES. No way to read them all individually, Google NotebookLM to the rescue!!  

https://twitter.com/alicekeeler/status/1952852131456672227/photo/1

Resources:  

AXIS The Culture Translator

The Third Summer of Turning Pretty

What it is: Popular teen romantic drama The Summer I Turned Pretty is back for a third season, and teens are eating up the melodrama and love triangles.  

Why audiences love it: As of this writing, there are five episodes (about half of the season) available on Amazon Prime, and they’re packed full of soap-opera-esque drama, poor communication skills, cheating, a marriage proposal, and a not insignificant amount of sex and sensuality. It’s also full of themes of responsibility, familial conflict, and yearning. The show often feels cheesy, but it’s also escapism in the purest sense; it’s easy to forget your own troubles when you’re caught up in the drama of fictional characters figuring out their own feelings.  

Getting the News From TikTok

What it is: A recent poll from Pew Research Center found that 39% of 18- to 29-year-olds say they regularly get their news from TikTok.  

Web Spotlight: 

Maybe It’s Time to Make Peace With Your Smartphone

This much we know: Smartphones are making us dumber.

https://archive.is/UaaX0

What Kids Told Us About How to Get Them Off Their Phones

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/kids-smartphones-play-freedom/683742

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about ISTE, accents, and more. Dave has some Real-World Problems.

Jokes:  

Once you get past my sense of humor, intelligence, charm, and good looks, ONLY my modesty will stand out.

---

Planning to take up meditation. I figure it’s better than sitting around doing nothing.

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I got a job organizing opera singers in northern New England. I’m the aria manager.

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Sometimes it would take my entire 8-hour shift to get nothing accomplished.

---

Love ruining the plot of Dorian Gray for people. 

• Never gets old

I think the sailor was a little in to into sweeping the deck.

• He went overboard.

---

I used to work for autocorrect until they fired me for no raisin.

---

Why are button-controlled remotes better than voice command? 

• It goes without saying.

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I had a thought…

• Then poor little thing died a lonely death.

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My sock collection is by far the best.

• It is simply unmatched.

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Why don’t vampires bet on horses? 

• They can’t handle the stakes.

---

“Have you seen the dog bowl?” 

• “I didn’t know he could.”

---

The fear of long words is called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. The 36-letter word was first used in the first century BCE to criticize writers with an unreasonable penchant for long words.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Real-World Problems

I was recently reading the July-August 2025 issue of “Science and Children”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Editor’s Note” written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn.  She wrote an article entitled, “Exploring Real-World Problems.”

Students in classrooms are encouraged to act as problem-solvers, inventors and young scientists.  Real-world problems, big or small, offer meaningful opportunities to engage students in authentic science that matters.

https://k12science.net/real-world-problems-2/

Reports from the Front Lines

• ISTE Session:  Student Agency in Education

• Poll:  Troy’s Accent:  https://app.wooclap.com/KARKFY?from=status-bar  

The Social Web

MiddleWeb  @middleweb

Review: MOVING PAST MATH ALGORITHMS TO DEEPER REASONING Developing Mathematical Reasoning is a valuable resource offering fresh insights. An eye-opening read that will reinvigorate your approach to teaching #math, says

@Kathie_Palmieri . #mtbos #mathchat https://middleweb.com/52456/math-rea

NEW: Strong Sentence Frames to Support Your ELLs. Sentence frames built on clear objectives serve as effective scaffolds for English language learners. Ortiz-Agib & Cummins share their classroom-tested strategies.

@SundayCummins  #ELLs #ESL #edutwitter https://www.middleweb.com/52443/strong-sentence-frames-to-support-your-ells/

AMLE  @AMLE

How to hire for middle school success? Resumes aren’t enough. In his fifth and final leadership lesson, Dr. Cedrick Gray outlines his 5 must-haves for middle school staff. Don’t miss our new Strategies for Middle School Leadership video series: Full video: https://ow.ly/PfI150WrZ2E Summary article: https://ow.ly/Hi9b50WrZ2B More resources for leaders: https://ow.ly/J6BW50WrZ2A

https://middleschool.org/resources

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

There’s nothing wrong with following your heart, but it doesn’t hurt to check the map now and then.

Strategies:  

AI Use Case

How can we use AI to intersect standards to set us up for interdisciplinary lesson design?  Here’s one idea.

1. Find your priority standards.  Find one other team member’s priority standards.  I’d recommend putting those in a two column Google document for future reference.  
2. Ask Perplexity.ai to:  “Create a table correlating my state’s ELA standards (put standards codes here) and Social Studies standards (put standards here).  Apply the pedagogy of Rick Wormeli, Jack Berckemeyer, Judith Baenan, and Katie Powell to create a table with the English standards in the left column, correlated Social Studies standards in the next column, Interdisciplinary lesson ideas next, and 2 culminating project ideas in the last column.”   Insert your own two curricula selections, I just happened to use English and Social Studies.  It should be noted that none of the AIs I tried this on have the actual text of any of these authors.  According to them.  
3. Mash Return.  

Here’s a sample of what it could look like.  Add a twist to yours by asking for another column suggesting products from Imogene Forte & Sandra Schurr’s Curriculum Planner.  Have fun with it!  

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/i-d-like-them-organized-with-t-8aS6oGG9Rh6RlV6cVLHZQg?fbclid=IwY2xjawLt3WlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHj3IDDvp531ASXOdjub2nrL7q7IIbhBGa42vVAcGIE70Tjdd_q0nl35GdnBr_aem_8vjlbHxo9HZ929ydQqxa9g

Before You Decorate Your Classroom, Here’s a Better Idea

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/classroom-decor-one-word

Resources:  

Our 2025-26 Student Contest Calendar

• Sept. 10-Oct. 22, 2025 – New! Growing Up With A.I.: A Multimedia Contest for Teenagers and Educators
• Oct. 22-Dec. 3, 2025 – My Tiny Memoir: Our 100-Word Personal Narrative Contest

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/learning/our-2025-26-student-contest-calendar.html

Word Lab

Think Wordle. Pick 3, 5, or 7 letter words (or do all three choices). 

https://www.weareteachers.com/interactives/word-lab

AXIS The Culture Translator

Slang of the Week:  Chopped

This week’s slang of the week is the term chopped, defined as “something messy, ugly, sloppy, or unattractive.” Using chopped as an adjective is the Gen Z equivalent of something looking “busted” or “beat.” It can be used as an insult to describe a person, but it can also describe a thing that was poorly executed or just didn’t turn out the way you hoped it would. (Ex: “I’m so glad he’s not my boyfriend anymore—he’s looking chopped.”)

Spilling the Tea

What it is: A social media app called Tea Dating Advice (or just “Tea”), designed to be a platform where women could warn each other about specific men, was hacked this week.

How it went down: Tea’s creator, Sean Cook, cites his mother’s “terrifying experience with online dating” (which included her being catfished and unknowingly dating men with criminal records) as inspiration for creating this app. It was meant to be a way women could verify information about men before going out with them. Some men, however, became concerned that they were being wrongfully defamed on the women-only app with no way to defend themselves. As retaliation, a group of hackers on the anonymous forum 4Chan stole and began posting images and personal information of women who used the app. The whole debacle creates many opportunities for conversation, including around questions like “What should accountability look like in an online world?” “Where’s the line between a healthy warning and gossip?” and “How can we know whether meeting up with someone we met online is safe?”

Web Spotlight: 

WORLD Magazine:  ChatGPA

“Flaming is among the first generation of young teachers receiving their diplomas in a world where generative AI tools are fast becoming near-ubiquitous.

The moment feels symbolic—a point of no return for educators who have spent the last few years scrambling to keep up with an ever-expanding universe of labor-saving tools while playing cat-and-mouse with plagiarizing students. While some hail AI tech as a revolutionary key to learning—opening the door to more tailored and accessible strategies—others argue tools like ChatGPT are eroding students’ capacities to think critically and pursue truth.”  

https://wng.org/articles/chatgpa-1752553977

Middle School Cheerleaders Made a TikTok Video Portraying a School Shooting. They Were Charged With a Crime.

https://www.propublica.org/article/social-media-arrests-school-threats-law-tennessee

The Science of Sesame Street

https://www.techlearning.com/news/the-science-of-sesame-street

Teens say they are turning to AI for advice, friendship and ‘to get out of thinking’

https://archive.is/gQxD0

Random Thoughts . . .  

AMLE Interdisciplinary Teaming Survey

Help AMLE better understand interdisciplinary teaming practices across middle schools! Complete the member survey by August 22nd AND we’ll select 5 survey takers to receive an amazon gift card. The results will be posted on September 2nd at amle.org/resources. 

AMLE periodically conducts surveys on emerging or hot topics in middle level education to further our understanding of trends across schools. Have a suggestion for a future survey topic? Submit it to membercenter@amle.org. 

Dan Olinger

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Summary:

Shawn and Troy continue to talk about ISTE. Dave moves outside the classroom.

Jokes:  

People who confuse entomology and etymology bug me in ways I don’t know how to put into words

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The great thing about stationery shops is they’re always in the same place…

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I can hear opera coming from my wallet..

• I think it might be the 3 tenners

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I have a bunch of old batteries

• they are free of charge!

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Saw an ad for very expensive mens wigs… 

• I thought it was way too much toupee…

If I stand on a copy of Clarissa to reach a corner I need to paint can I say I’m working on a novel

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How do you fix a broken pizza? 

• With tomato paste.

a yawn is a silent scream for COFFEE

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My mother warned me against giving my daughter a silly name, but I called her bluff…

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast: Outside the Classroom

I was recently reading the July-August 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, “‘Science Beyond Classroom Walls.”

Moving science beyond the classroom can cultivate a sense of environmental stewardship.  

https://k12science.net/outside-the-classroom/

Reports from the Front Lines

• ISTE Sessions
  • AI to the Mean
  • Craiyon.ai
  • Claude

The Social Web

Alice Keeler  @alicekeeler

Read here: https://alicekeeler.com/2025/07/13/5-google-releases-to-be-excited-about/

5 Google Releases To Be Excited About Which ones are you the most excited about? #GoogleEDU #GoogleWorkspace  

Want a magic AI button to create lesson plans that collects NO DATA?! Try Educator AI Assistant Install: https://workspace.google.com/marketplace/app/educator_ai_assistant/336256034275?flow_type=2

Fully transparent prompts Editable and shareable Add-on for Google Sheets Outputs are in Google tools #GoogleEDU #GoogleWorkspace #AIteacher

Midwest vs. Everybody  @midwestern_ope

Europeans can’t comprehend driving 10 hours and still being in Michigan

Quote:  

Edison Carter 𓅃  @EdisonCarterN23

The American mind can’t comprehend that 80% of car trips could be taken in a car like this.

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

One day you’re young and wild; the next, it’s Tuesday, and you’re dialing into a team’s call.

You got this. Go out and paw-sitively crush it today. May your meetings be short, your coffee plentiful, and your problem-solving skills on par with a bear. For example, bears are resourceful creatures and can adapt to changing circumstances in their environment.

Resources:  

ISTE 2025 Session Spotlight:  The Jedi’s Guide to AI Leadership by Karle Delo (Michigan Virtual University)

Useful tools for assessing your AI integration into your curriculum.  Assessment tools and implementation ideas.  Are you AI ready?  Here’s how you can find out.  

https://linktr.ee/kdelo

QuickDraw

Can a neural network learn to recognize doodling? Help teach it by adding your drawings to the world’s largest doodling data set, shared publicly to help with machine learning research.

https://quickdraw.withgoogle.com

Terms of Service; Didn’t Read

“I have read and agree to the Terms,” is the biggest lie on the internet.  

https://tosdr.org/en

Use AI to evaluate Terms of Service

Copy and paste the following prompt in the AI tool of your choice. 

Claude: claude.ai

Perplexity: perplexity.ai

Latimer: latimer.ai

Perspective: Act as an intellectual property lawyer with special interests in AI ethics. Purpose: Review this legal documentation and share your concerns. Parameters: Explain your concerns on a fifth-grade reading level so it is easy to understand.

Language teachers’ associations in the Nordic-Baltic region

FINLAND Suomen kieltenopettajien liitto SUKOL RY (SUKOL)

www.sukol.fi

ICELAND Association of Foreign Language Teachers in Iceland

(STIL) FIPLV http://stil-is.weebly.com

SWEDEN The Language Teachers’ Organization of Sweden

https://spraklararna.se

ESTONIA Eesti Võõrkeeleõpetajate Liit (EVOL) (Estonian

Association of Foreign Language Teachers)

www.voorkeelteliit.eu

LITHUANIA Language Teachers Association of

Lithuania/Lietuvos kalbų pedagogų asociacija (LTAL/LKPA)

https://lkpa.vdu.lt

LATVIA The Latvian Association of Teachers of English (LATE)

https://late.lv

Free Charlie Chaplin Films

A few things to know about Charlie Chaplin. He starred in over 80 films, reeling off most during the silent film era. In 1914 alone, he acted in 40 films, then another 15 in 1915. By the 1920s, Chaplin had emerged as the first larger-than-life movie star and director, if not the most recognizable person in the world.

https://www.openculture.com/2011/12/free_charlie_chaplin_films_on_the_web.html

Web Spotlight: 

Our minds don’t learn or recall like an AI. Embrace the difference

“I see this playing out with undergraduate students, who, for the first time, believe they can achieve the best measured outcomes by fully outsourcing the learning process.” 

https://enewspaper.latimes.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=6ba8c5de-804f-49c1-85f6-27b9da97446d

“A gigantic public experiment that no one has asked for”

…the companies behind popular AI tools are making an aggressive push to make their products a fundamental part of K-12 and higher education.

https://popular.info/p/a-gigantic-public-experiment-that

Drum Machine

‘This is a drum machine where you can search classic literary works for specific words at a defined rate, triggering drums each time your favored terms are found.’

https://10kdrummachines.com/machines/wordsearch/wordsearch

Is Your Partner Phubbing You?

“Phubbing is when you are snubbing your family and friends because you’re immersed in your phone, and you’re ignoring everybody that’s around you,” said Dr. D’Arienzo. “Clinical research shows that we actually have a phubbing blindspot, where we underestimate the negative impact that our phubbing has on other people.”

https://www.vice.com/en/article/is-your-partner-phubbing-you/

AI Will Never Be Your Kid’s Friend

ChatGPT thinks I’m a genius: My questions are insightful; my writing is strong and persuasive; the data that I feed it are instructive, revealing, and wise. It turns out, however, that ChatGPT thinks this about pretty much everyone. Its flattery is intended to keep people engaged and coming back for more.

The chatbots’ appeal to kids, especially teens, is obvious. Unlike human friends, these AI companions will think all your jokes are funny. They’re programmed to be endlessly patient and to validate most of what you say. For a generation already struggling with anxiety and social isolation, these digital “relationships” can feel like a refuge.

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2025/07/ai-companion-children-frictionless-friendship/683493

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