MSM 616: You Can Also Use Your Face

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about simulations, open source, “vacation time”, and more. Dave is eliciting student thinking, scientifically. 

Jokes:  

Did you hear the story of the haunted refrigerator?

  • It was a chilling tale.

If a dude attacks you with wordplay that’s assault with a dadly weapon


Studies show cows produce more Milk when the Farmer talks to them.

  • It’s a case of in one ear and out the udder.

Don’t use double negatives.

  • They’re a big no no.

Where did the IT employee go?

  • Probably ransomeware

If you wear dozens of mirrors and no one comments/notices, you must later take time and reflect.


Always wanted to try procrastination but I can never seem to get around to it


I was going to start a diet, 

  • But I’ve got too much on my plate

If it’s zero degrees outside today and it’s supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?


Seems like just about every baker I meet kneads dough.


Middle School Science Minute  

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

Eliciting Student Thinking

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school science teachers. In this issue, I read the “Editorial” section written by Patty McGinnis.  She wrote an article entitled, “Eliciting Student Thinking.”

Eliciting student thinking is a high-leverage practice in which the teacher utilizes questions and tasks that encourage and promote student thinking and sharing of ideas.

http://k12science.net/eliciting-student-thinking/

To listen to this podcast, please visit: 

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/k12science/id/30073883

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Week Off
  • Michigan History Student Projects
  • Moodle Time on Task
  • MoodleNet Celebrity

The Social Web

Robert Scoble  @Scobleizer

The cult can run it all.  Quote:  Brad Lynch  @SadlyItsBradley  My Windows PC, MacBook Pro, and Steam Deck all streaming their desktop views to my Vision Pro at once And this ALONGSIDE native apps that are also decoding their own video streams.. M2 chip never ceases to impress me.

Megan Basham  @megbasham

I just saw a candle at Nordstrom called “boy smells” and I don’t have any sons, but my understanding is that would not be a good candle.

Jon Erlichman@JonErlichman

“If you want to be successful, I would encourage you to grow a tolerance for failure.” ~ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang

Katie Powell  @Beyond_the_Desk

I swear this is not a paid promotion for Boredom Busters, but @RimmeyAPGov  just delivered the best “elevator summary” of the book I’ve heard. Give his podcast a listen, especially if you’re into the use of games in your classroom. @dbc_inc

BTW:  https://app.suno.ai/song/697710f7-4f3e-4b27-9039-df87c4cdb9ce

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

TIP: As you walk down a trail, use a stick to make first contact with spiderwebs. You can also use your face. Do what feels right.

RUTH BUZZI  @Ruth_A_Buzzi

I carry a stone in my purse to throw at anyone who sings Christmas carols in February. I call it my jingle bell rock.

Robert Scoble  @Scobleizer

We can go anywhere instantly soon.

Quote:  Daniel Pikl  @danielpikl

Beautiful  cathedral in Zagreb, Croatia presented in NeRF with @LumaLabsAI https://lumalabs.ai/capture/E522E6 

Strategies:  

Why Reader Response Is So Important for Students

Most of the time, when readers engage in reading a text of any kind, their thinking is silent and invisible.

When we invite readers to share and reflect on what they are reading, they develop a spirit of curiosity and an appreciation of the text’s messages. Discussions and written responses give rise to student voices, allowing them to acknowledge their connections and thoughts and have ownership over their reading processes.

https://www.middleweb.com/50335/why-reader-response-is-so-important-for-students/

Resources:  

TeachFlix

https://teachflix.org/

50 Classic Poems Read By 12 Celebrities: Morgan Freeman, Jodie Foster, Gary Sinise & more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1W7VK6Yo4s

Carl Sagan Baloney Detection

Through their training, scientists are equipped with what Sagan calls a “baloney detection kit” — a set of cognitive tools and techniques that fortify the mind against penetration by falsehoods:

The kit is brought out as a matter of course whenever new ideas are offered for consideration. If the new idea survives examination by the tools in our kit, we grant it warm, although tentative, acceptance. If you’re so inclined, if you don’t want to buy baloney even when it’s reassuring to do so, there are precautions that can be taken; there’s a tried-and-true, consumer-tested method.

https://www.themarginalian.org/2014/01/03/baloney-detection-kit-carl-sagan/

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

Tween Shopping Network

What it is: A new piece in The Cut interviews several tweens to get a feel for Gen Alpha’s attitudes on shopping, screen time, and skincare.  

Why it’s surprising: In a follow-up radio interview with WNYC, writer Casey Lewis observed that much of the conversation around today’s tweens characterizes them as Tik-Tok-addled Stanley hoarders, eager to accumulate expensive athleisure and adding yet another layer of acidic serum into their skincare routine every night. Perhaps there is some truth to that stereotype. But the middle schoolers Lewis talked to trawl Sephora and Lululemon as browsers more than buyers, and their fashion staples skew toward the sentimental. A band tee from a first concert, a used pair of low-rise jeans, and a friendship bracelet made from a kit found at Five Below ranked as treasured possessions. The whole piece pushes back on assumptions about tweens, with one exception— young people continue, for some reason, to totally shun coats.

New Shade

What it is: The term “she’s not a girl’s girl” has evolved into a layered and low blow, with some even saying it’s now “the internet’s worst insult.”  Failing to be a “girl’s girl” is leveled as an insult, the concept becomes a cruel way for women to police each other’s behavior. Ironically, a heavy emphasis on being a “girl’s girl” can make girlhood even more complicated and confusing. (For more on the complex social hierarchies of Gen Z, check out our new 7 Minute Video on “Mean Girls” and the power of words).

Who’s Watching?  

What it is: AI monitoring tools may be able to detect some red flags for teens who are at a higher risk for suicide. Some researchers have expressed concern.

Web Spotlight: 

AI and Math Tutoring

Khanmigo, a ChatGPT-powered bot, made frequent calculation errors during a Journal reporter’s test

https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-is-tutoring-students-but-still-struggles-with-basic-math-694e76d3

Weird Old Book Finder

https://weird-old-book-finder.glitch.me/

Random Thoughts . . .  

SiteSucker

I used to use this app, looooonnnggg ago. 

https://ricks-apps.com/osx/sitesucker/index.html

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

MSM 615: The Bisontennial

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, jokes, and more. Dave builds quality science instruction.

Jokes:  

People are shocked when they discover that I’m not a good electrician.



A sweater I purchased was picking up static electricity, so I returned it to the store.

  • They gave me another one, free of charge

While I may not always return the affection of those who like me, I always admire their good judgment.


Have you ever seen fruit preserves being made? 

  • It’s jarring.

In the news a courtroom artist was arrested today, I’m not surprised, he always seemed sketchy.


Will Buffalo (incorporated as a city in 1832) have a bisontennial in 2032?


Ordering takeout merely by thinking about it would be food for thought.


There’s a point where every sentence ends.


I accidentally left an apple outside my local doctors office.

Now he wont be able to get in.


What do you call friends you like to eat with? 

  • Tastebuds.

District supervisor: “You missed work yesterday?”

Employee: “No, not really.”



Middle School Science Minute

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

K12Science Podcast:  Building Quality Science Instruction

I was recently reading a WestEd blog post on the Next Gen Science website, dated January 10, 2024.

In this blog, I read the post “Seeing is Believing: Building a Shared Vision of Quality Science Instruction.” It was written by Vanessa Wolbrink.

In the years following the adoption of new science standards, states and districts must begin to navigate the complexities of transitioning to new learning goals — including updating instructional materials, professional learning, course descriptions and requirements, and assessments.  In order to determine what changes are needed and how to enact them effectively, we need to ask the question, “What does it really take to build a shared understanding of the shift in teaching and learning expected in today’s science classrooms?”

http://k12science.net/building-quality-science-instruction/

Reports from the Front Lines

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is a reminder of ‘empleomania’ (19th century): the obsessive desire to be in power, no matter what the cost.

James Woods  @RealJamesWoods

South Carolina patriot Christopher Gadsden is born   On this day in history, February 16, 1724, South Carolina patriot Christopher Gadsden is born. Gadsden was one of the most prominent patriots in the south during the American Revolution. 

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

Visitor: When will you tell us where you keep the unicorns?  

Us: As soon as visitors stop feeding squirrels and taking dangerous selfies with bison, we’ll let you know where the horses with giant spikes on their heads roam.

Historic Vids  @historyinmemes

Al was asked to generate this iconic NBA moment but with Greek gods

PUNS  @ThePunnyWorld

I once swallowed a bunch of synonyms. It gave me thesaurus throat I’ve ever had.

What did the whale say after eating a ship? “I can’t believe I ate the hull thing.”  

Ancient Library opSdetnors01 :Pc4u13Mbfa1ey3 rihl5 hcgtga t05c031Fft27m8grgu

An Australian mathematician cracked the code of a famous 3,700 year old Babylonian clay tablet revealing that they were doing more accurate trigonometry nearly 1,500 years before the Greeks.

AppleInsider @appleinsider

Apple owns hundreds of website domains but now it’s added “iWork.ai,” which could indicate that it has plans to highlight AI features in its applications suite.
https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/0

Strategies:  

AI Character Conversations

https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-character-conversations/

https://beta.character.ai/

The Idea – Individual Student Learning Plans

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2024/02/03/a-look-back-i-am-intrigued-by-the-idea-individual-student-learning-plans-that-are-co-created-asset-based/

Resources:  

Women in Chemistry

https://www.compoundchem.com/category/women-in-chemistry/

Take Care

https://www.gonoodle.com/videos/EY9D9w/take-care-with-peanuts-speak-from-the-heart

Best Books I Read 2023

AXIS – The Culture Translator

Country Roads

What it is: In a Super Bowl ad, Beyonce announced that she is releasing new music—and the lead singles, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “Sixteen Carriages,” hit with a country twang.

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

MSM 614: Confabulation, Constultation, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Summary:

Shawn and Troy update the Vision Pro Experience, share teaching tips for Gifted & Talented (and all), and more. Dave is counting in the backyard. 

Jokes:  

Did you guys hear about the beaver that had to stop eating wood?

  • Its because his pallet changed.

I walked down a street where the houses were numbered 64K, 128K, 256K, 512K and 1MB.

That was a trip down memory lane!


Had a Covid test and they asked if I had a recent loss of taste.

  • I said No, I’ve always dressed this way.

I learned something about my car when I crashed into a tree

  • My Mercedes Benz

Expect the worst, it’s the least you can do.


Why should you never trust a pig with a secret? 

  • Because it’s bound to squeal.

A priest, a monk, and a rabbit walk into a blood donation centre.

“I’m sure I’m type A,” said the priest.

“I do believe I’m type B,” said the monk.

“I think I’m a typo,” said the rabbit.


Times are tough, I’m taking a knight job: 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Great Backyard Bird Count 2024

I was recently visiting the Cornell Labs website.

While visiting the site I was reminded of the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count.

The Great Backyard Bird Count takes place February 16-19, 2024.  During this time you are encouraged to observe birds for at least 15 minutes and then report the data.  You can observe for longer than 15 minutes and for more than one day.  To learn about how to identify birds and how to submit data, please visit:

https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/gbbc/

http://k12science.net/great-backyard-bird-count-2024/

Reports from the Front Lines

The Social Web

Bluesky @bsky.app

You can now sign up for Bluesky without an invite! 🎉

Moodle | Online learning, delivered your way.  @moodle

Watch our webinar replay, where Svein-Tore Griff With (founder of H5P) takes us through the process of creating H5P content in a fraction of the time it used to take with the help of generative AI.  Watch now: https://youtu.be/6-Aa6q8ImgM #MoodleAcademy #Moodle #h5p

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘constult’ (17th century): to act stupidly together. It’s one of several I vote to resurrect from the historical dictionary.

Strategies:  

Some Things To Do When Gifted Students Struggle

https://www.middleweb.com/50271/some-things-to-do-when-gifted-students-struggle/

Resources:  

Study State

StudyState is a free, AI-powered study tool that helps you learn faster and retain more information.

Hi, I’m a 17-year old senior in high school with a passion for frontend web development. Out of frustration with Quizlet’s high cost, I created StudyState in October 2022 as a free alternative with additional features. I had a lot of fun creating it (especially the AI-powered stuff!), and I hope you enjoy using it!

https://studystate.net/

List of Common Misconceptions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptions

Bonus Link:  Man Suffocated by Potatoes by Wiliam Marzano     https://www.amazon.com/Suffocated-Potatoes-Intelligence-Reports-Planet/dp/0708840574/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1707586790&refinements=p_27%3AWilliam+A.+Marsano&s=books&sr=1-1&text=William+A.+Marsano  

Ambient Music

Make your own ambient music.

https://ambiph.one/

Welcome to ESL Video!

Online listening and speaking practice for English language learners.

  • Chatty Bot
  • Video (Music) with questions

https://eslvideo.com/

Web Spotlight: 

Fliff Flaff

What it is: An app called Fliff lets younger users place bets on sporting events, like this weekend’s Super Bowl.

Why it’s so controversial: Fliff is just one of the so-called “social sportsbook” apps that don’t require age verification and operate legally in most US states. Users can bet on various sports outcomes using a free in-game currency called Fliff Coins. This allows the app to legally define its operation as a sweepstakes game rather than a sportsbook operation. The CEO of Fliff says that the app is intended as an “introductory experience” to the world of sports gambling, and emphasizes that users have to be 18 to buy Fliff Cash, a different in-game currency option that does cost real money. But gambling harm prevention experts aren’t convinced—they say that by providing an on-ramp to sports betting for users that has virtually no safeguards, social sportsbook apps are building a gateway for youth to develop real-life gambling problems.

DignifAI

Putting clothes back on people.  A dress code violation corrector?

https://www.dignifai.net/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

MSM 613: I’m Just Gonna Put You Over Here

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about the Vision Pro, conferences, math, and more. Dave has his head in the clouds.

Jokes:  

My part-time job repairing computer keyboards might not work out.

  • I can’t get any shifts.

My propensity for making dry salads needs addressing.


Archaeology really is a career in ruins.


Just read a few facts about frogs. They were ribbiting.


I was in an 80’s band called the Prevention. 

  • We were better than the Cure.

I woke up this morning so sure I was an 80s pop star… 

  • I was adamant.

I got an email today promising to teach me how to read maps backwards.

  • It turns out it was SPAM

Does anyone know if I can buy the entire chess set at a pawn shop?


What do you call a crowd of chess players bragging about their wins in a hotel lobby? 

  • Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.

I been watching a channel on TV that is strictly just about origami 

  •  it is paper-view.

It’s difficult to say what my wife does, she sells sea shells by the sea shore.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Clouds and the Middle School NGSS

I was recently reading a community blog post on the GLOBE website, dated January 18, 2024.

In this blog, I read the post “GLOBE Clouds and NGSS (Elementary and Middle School.”  It was posted by Marile Colon Robles.

A new resource is now available created by GLOBE educator Mr. Roger Rose as part of his NASA internship in 2023 titled, GLOBE Atmosphere Clouds and NGSS.  This document compares portions of the clouds protocol to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for elementary and middle school with tips and resources to use in the classroom.  To view this blog post, please visit:

https://www.globe.gov/globe-community/blogs/community-blogs/-/blogs/120484191/maximized

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/k12science/id/29753518

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Vision Pro
  • AI applications
  • Conferences
  • Moodle Login Page

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘constult’ (17th century): to act stupidly together. It’s one of several I vote to resurrect from the historical dictionary.

Word of the day is ‘explaterate’ (19th century): to waffle on continuously as a means of avoiding a difficult question.

tonyvincent@tonyvincent@mastodon.cloud

Aftel.net is an online timer made for teachers.

📺 Full screen

💬 Show description

⏯️ Pause/start with spacebar

🔗 Share a link to a specific timer duration

🚫 Prevent screen sleep

🚦 Show progression with colors

🎁 Free, no login, no ads

Aftel.net - Online timer made for teachers

Robert Scoble  @Scobleizer

Apple Vision Pro is the best consumer electronics appliance of my life. By far.

Faygo Beverages  @Faygo

What does a Lions victory taste like? Grit, hard work, determination, and another not-so-secret ingredient. #Lions #Detroit #DetroitLions #Faygo

Strategies:  

Stop Using These Four Words in Math Class

https://www.middleweb.com/50208/stop-using-these-four-words-in-math-class/

AI Text Adventure

https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-text-adventure/

AI Guided Notes

https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-guided-notes/

STUDENT EXAMPLE OF TEACHING A COMPLEX TOPIC “TO A FIVE YEAR OLD”

Periodically, to test out the idea and to also provide a change-of-pace in my IB Theory of Knowledge classes, I ask students to present complex topics so that a five year-old could understand it.

I ask them to search online to get an idea of a five-year-old’s vocabulary (I generally tell them they can stretch it to a seven-year-old), and that they have to use accessible words in both their slides and in their oral presentation.  They also have to create slides that they think would look interesting to a child.

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2023/04/22/student-example-of-teaching-a-complex-topic-to-a-five-year-old/

Resources:  

Dollar Street

DOLLAR STREET

In the news people in other cultures seem stranger than they are. We visited 264 families in 50 countries and collected 30,000 photos. We sorted the homes by income, from left to right.

https://www.gapminder.org/dollar-street

Math Teachers Advice for Parents

Find experiences of math that will develop an affinity for the subject itself, a joy that’s more robust, a want-to that goes beyond mere pride in their know-how.

Guard the candle of your want-to, and the know-how will carry you far.

https://mathwithbaddrawings.com/2024/01/29/a-math-teachers-advice-for-parents/

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