Summary:
Shawn and Troy talk about AI, executive functioning, and more. Dave goes for seven science tips to help students develop scientific literacy.
Jokes:
What do you get if a Wizard gets on a plane?
- A flying sorcerer.
What do you call a group of talented musicians performing on a hill?
- Musically inclined.
Just finished building a ship in a la croix can.
i mean i think it’s done, i can’t see it
Ever noticed how astronauts on the ISS are never under the weather?
When you’ve seen one shopping centre, you’ve seen the mall.
Middle School Science Minute
by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)
K12Science Podcast: Seven Tips for Science Instruction
I was recently reading the November 6, 2025, NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.
I read the blog entry “Seven Essential Tips for Modern Science Instruction” written by Jason Strohl.
The Seven Essential Tips are:
1. Focus on Science and Engineering Practices Over Content Delivery
2. Connect Science to Real-World Problems in Students’ Communities
3. Embrace Crosscutting Concepts and Interdisciplinary Connections
4. Be Intentional About Technology Integration
5. Develop a Systematic Approach to Evaluating Instructional Materials
6. Prioritize Student Curiosity and Wonder
7. Scaffold Support for Science Learners
https://k12science.net/seven-tips-for-science-instruction/
Reports from the Front Lines
- NWEA testing
- AI Results
- Veteran’s Day
- Reference: Good to Great – https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996
- Thanksgiving Break
The Social Web
Ready to save time? Use AI to generate comprehensive lesson plans tailored to your teaching needs. Lesson planning with AI: Save time and get ideas https://f.mtr.cool/toplmscikv
PD in your pjs! Join the #DitchSummit (Dec. 15 to Jan. 11) for FREE and elevate your classroom with new strategies and tools all from the comfort of you couch! 100+ sessions. Free certificates for PD credit. https://ditchsummit.com
AMLE is pleased to announce the recipients of the Tom Erb Article of Year Award as Clay Simpkins, Donna Pendergast, Rachel Rossiter, and Belinda Hopwood. Using a systematic quantitative review methodology, the authors examined the evidence base surrounding students’ transition into secondary school within the Australian context. Their analysis identified four key areas of focus: student perceptions, mental health, academic motivation and success, and students with learning support needs. Learn more: https://ow.ly/kUES50Xkm3Z
ICYMI: At last week’s Annual Conference AMLE announced the release of two new position statements on AI in middle level education and the use of cell phones in middle grades schools. Both papers offer practical guidance for educators, policymakers, and families—grounded in the research-based developmental characteristics of young adolescents—and call for policies and practices that promote belonging, safety, and agency. Learn more http://amle.org/positions
Keep Indiana Learning @keepinlearning.bsky.social
Discover a wealth of professional development opportunities on our YouTube channel! 💡It is packed with options for teachers, administrators, & counselors, and we’re constantly adding new content. Check it out & subscribe today – youtube.com/KeepIndianaL… #EduSky
Ron King @mthman.bsky.social
Good morning from the #PNW #pnwonderland
Strategies:
15 Tips to Align Your Teaching With Brain Science
https://www.edutopia.org/article/15-tips-to-align-your-teaching-with-brain-science
Web Spotlight:
“Science is Sweet” Fall Conference
https://mdsta.wildapricot.org/Online-Resources
Leading in the AI Era: More Than Just Tech, It’s a Mindset Shift
https://esheninger.blogspot.com/2025/11/leading-in-ai-era-more-than-just-tech.html
Cyrano de Bergerac
Recently posted on YouTube is a theater performance of Cyrano de Bergerac. You can find it here: https://youtu.be/DG_Fq7aUtqE?t=23
Random Thoughts . . .
Math “Magic Trick”
- Pick any four digit number with at least two unique digits — so, you can’t have 1111 or 2222 or 3333 etc. as your selection.
- Take that number and rearrange the digits from highest to lowest — we’ll call that the High value.
- Then take the number and rearrange the digits from lowest to highest, with any zeroes coming at the front. We’ll call that the Low value.
- Subtract the Low value from the High Value. That’ll give you a new number, which we’ll call the New Number. (Creative, huh?)
- Repeat steps two through four with the New Number until the result you get is the same as the New Number.
If you follow that process, you’ll always — always — send up with 6,174.
Pretty neat, right? But also, mathematically just kind of random. The number 6,147 is called Kaprekar’s constant, named after Indian mathematician D.R. Kaprekar, who discovered the idiosyncratic property in 1955. There’s no cool math proof to show why this works, unfortunately (see this Stack Exchangethread for more).
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