MSM 336: Back to School, Make it Real and (don’t use these) because Andy Inhatko is a show host.

 

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

I finally realized that I needed to get in shape, so I made plans to join a club and work out for one full year.

The year I picked is 2028.

 

Why do French people eat snails?

They don’t like fast food!

 

If you’re offered a penny for your thoughts and you give your two cents worth, where does the other penny go?  

 

Eileen Award:  

  • Twitter: Randy Ziegenfuss

 

Advisory:

The 50,000 foot perspective.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Making Science Real

 

I was recently reading the April/May, 2016 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.  

In this issue, I read the the article, “Making Science Real.” It was written by Lauren Swanson, Emily Kang, and Clara Vaz Bauler. The article focused in on supporting English Learners (EL’s) in argumentation and explanation through authentic tasks.

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2016/8/4_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Making_Science_Real.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

David Britten ‏@colonelb

The greatest contributor to job creation and economic growth is a teacher. Pass it on.

MI Virt Teach Talent ‏@MIVirtTeachBnk

 

Send your cover letter, resume, city location and the position you prefer to us today to info@mvttb.com! #MichEd

 

#TeacherGoals ‏@teachergoals

Education should also be more than college prep. It should also be life skills prep and make a contribution prep.

Meme of Pupose

Mark Barnes ‏@markbarnes19

Advocate by giving kids access to #edtech early and often #satchat

Meme: Elementary Twitter

Erik Palmer ‏@erik_palmer

Argument, persuasion, reasoning explained, made teachable: http://goo.gl/c6uso2  #edchat #engchat

 

Scott McLeod ‏@mcleod

10 Easy Ways To Create an Amazing #SchoolCulture as a Principal This Year | @conprin http://bit.ly/2bNFL6I  #cpchat #edadmin

4 retweets 5 likes

 

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”  

 

Strategies:

 

What Doesn’t Work: Literacy Practices We Should Abandon

5 Less-Than-Optimal Practices

To help us analyze and maximize use of instructional time, here are five common literacy practices in U.S. schools that research suggests are not optimal use of instructional time:

  1. “Look Up the List” Vocabulary Instruction
  2. Giving Students Prizes for Reading
  3. Weekly Spelling Tests
  4. Unsupported Independent Reading
  5. Taking Away Recess as Punishment

 

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/literacy-practices-we-should-abandon-nell-k-duke

 

Resources:

FERPA

 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016096.pdf

Vocabgrabber

Quickly create vocabulary lists from text.

https://www.vocabulary.com/lists/vocabgrabber

 

The Hidden Curriculum of Middle School

By: Tracie Cain

 

http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/681/The-Hidden-Curriculum-of-Middle-School.aspx

 

50 for 50 Writing Contest

PBS Education’s 50 for 50 contest invites students in 6th – 12th grade to write a letter of 500 words or less to a Presidential candidate about the issues they care about most and how to get those issues passed in Congress and signed by the President. Two students (one middle school and one high school) will win a trip to Las Vegas to view the final Presidential debate with the media. Click here for ideas on how to incorporate this in your class.

 

This contest is designed to reinforce the importance of giving students in all 50 states the opportunity to participate in the political process.

Teachers – please complete all of the entry fields below and submit letters on behalf of your students. Entry deadline is September 21st!

http://pbseduelectioncentral.com/50-for-50

 

6 Opening and Closing Routines for New Teachers

 

Opening Routines

 

  • Share One Word
  • Quote of the Day
  • The Reading Minute

 

Closing Routines

 

  • Rate the Learning or Lesson
  • Closing Statement or Question
  • Grab a Goal

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/6-opening-and-closing-routines-new-teachers-rebecca-alber

 

Web Spotlight:

 

#Go Open

Openly licensed educational resources have enormous potential to increase access to high-quality education opportunities in the United States. Switching to openly licensed educational materials has enabled school districts to repurpose funding typically spent on static textbooks for other pressing needs, such as investing in the transition to digital learning. Visit our Open Education page to learn how resources that are openly licensed can benefit schools.

http://tech.ed.gov/open-education/go-open-districts/

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site