Summary:
Shawn and Troy discuss AI options, presentations and more. Dave doesn’t cross the stream, but enlightens us on the ecology.
Jokes:
Not many people know this but I actually studied Dad Jokes in college.
I majored in sighchology
Why are jack o’lanterns more clever than other pumpkins?
- The candle makes them brighter.
The other day I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in years.
- It got really awkward when we had to exchange insurance info.
I asked the librarian if they had any books on amplifiers.
- She said, “Yes, what volume would you like?”
Strange I know but I decided to lock myself in a cage to cure my acne.
- I haven’t broken out yet.
What’s the worst season of the year for tightrope walkers?
- Fall.
Fun fact of the day: Ironing is decreasing.
What is the most difficult train to catch?
- The 12:50, because it’s 10 to one if you catch it.
Did you hear about the badly written book about graveyards.
- It had no plot
Middle School Science Minute
by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)
K12Science Podcast: Stream Ecology
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, “Citizen Science” written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled, “Study Stream Ecology This Season!”
The Leaf Pack Network citizen science project was developed by the Stroud Water Research Center, a global leader in freshwater ecosystem research, education, and restoration. To learn more about the project and how to get your students involved, visit their website at:
https://k12science.net/stream-ecology/
Reports from the Front Lines
- Science Conference
- Focus on Pedagogy
- Things that Make students think/do
- Focus on Pedagogy
- AI in Middle School
- Google GEMS
- Student Privacy Agreement
- A little more work/freedom
- Canva Code
- School AI
- DOT
- Reporting
- Brisk
- Magic School
- Jove
- Diffit
- NoteBook LLM
- Google GEMS
- Michigan Youth in Government – Early Conference Info is Posted!!!!
- Etiquette Lesson Required
- Mandatory Parent Meeting
- Maine Youth in Govt. – Any High School age student in grades 9 to 12 may participate.
- Poetry Memorization
- Gettysburg Address – 272 words
The Social Web
Very happy to read that ‘hurkle-durkle’, meaning to stay in bed *long* after it’s time to get up, is being revived in current US slang, having lain dormant for 150 years! It’s about time.
The etymology of the word ‘thrill’ may surprise you. Originally applied to making a ‘thirl’ – ‘hole’ – in someone with a sword, it thankfully moved on to piercing someone with excitement. That ‘thirl’ survives in the word ‘nostril’, originally a ‘nose-thirl’, nose-hole.
The H5P Matrix discussion platform is open to everyone! Matrix is an open-source communication space where educators, developers, and creators can connect, collaborate, and share ideas in real time. Join the public Matrix channels here:https://h5p.org/node/1536211
Calling all passionate middle grades educators! Applications are now open for AMLE’s 2026 Constituent Committee appointments. AMLE relies on volunteer committee members to guide the work of our association. Make your mark on the future of the profession. Learn more and apply by January 16: https://amle.org/get-involved/
Resources:
Slang Dictionary
https://www.merriam-webster.com/slang
AXIS The Culture Translator
What it is: As weed becomes part of everyday life for many teens and young adults, doctors are seeing a painful side effect they didn’t expect: Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS).
Why it’s alarming: Many teens see marijuana as safe, especially with how commonplace (and in many states, legal) use of it has become. But higher-strength products and daily use are sending more young people to the ER with painful side effects that doctors are only beginning to understand. In an article by The Free Press, emergency medicine doctor Dr. Chris Colwell said, “There’s no question that as higher potency products have been available, incidents of CHS in emergency departments have gone up.”
Day of AI
Our middle school curriculum expands students’ understanding with deeper AI concepts, including machine learning, neural networks, and real-world applications. Interactive projects encourage experimentation with AI tools and help students grasp both the capabilities and limitations of AI systems. An optional AI ethics debate provides opportunities for deeper reflection.
https://www.dayofaiusa.org/curriculum/grades-6-8
Web Spotlight:
Why Even Basic A.I. Use Is So Bad for Students
A.I. is hardly the first technology to threaten our cognitive competence. Long before ChatGPT, the smartphone and the calculator, Plato warned against writing itself. Literate human beings, he foresaw, would “not use their memories.” He was not entirely wrong.
Random Thoughts . . .
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