MSM 472: Tiny Tales for Learning This Fall

Jokes:  







What’s the worst part of ancient history class?

  • Teachers tend to Babylon.

I made a playlist for hiking. It has music Peanuts, The Cranberries, and Eminem. 

  • I call it my Trail Mix


I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. 

  • I’ll let you know which one comes first.

If a cow doesn’t produce milk, is it…

  1. A Milk Dud
  2. An Udder Failure

I had a bunch of Beatle puns, but that was

  • Yesterday

I was watching an Australian cooking show. The chef made a meringue. The audience Cheered! I was totally surprised. 

  • Usually Australians boo meringue

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Middle School Science Minute: Waves

I was recently reading the July/August 2020 issue of “Science Scope” a publication, for middle school teachers, of the National Science Teaching Association. 

In this issue, I read the Editor’s Note Section written by Patty McGinnis.  The title of the article was “The Seemingly Endless Uses of Waves.”

We interact with waves on a daily basis.  When teaching the topic of waves, teachers may want to consider starting with a phenomenon that focuses on how waves transmit energy, interact with materials, or are used for communication purposes.  Simulations can help students interact with waves in order to visualize how waves transmit energy and information.  Two websites to consider are:

The Wonder of Science — https://thewonderofscience.com

PhET — http://phet.colorado.edu

Reports from the Front Lines

Advisory:  

The Twitterverse

Eric Sheninger @E_Sheninger

Teachers Will Get Covid-19. What Will Schools Do? https://buff.ly/2EuRbMN

Rich Czyz @RACzyz

Remote Learning Tips for Teachers #4OCF #satchat

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Michael Sharrow @MichaelSharrow2

Agree!

Rich Czyz @RACzyz

Remote Learning Tips for Parents #4OCF #satchat

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Dave Burgess @burgessdave

50…yes, FIFTY… Back to School Activities for the Remote Learning Classroom!!! Special thanks to @jmattmiller for this guest cross-post! https://daveburgess.com/50-back-to-school-activities-for-the-remote-learning-classroom/… #tlap #DitchBook #techlap #LeadLAP #remotelearning #edtech #distancelearning #4ocf

Look for your host, Todd Bloch, to have a middle school topic all ready to go!  Make it a strategic part of your personal professional development.

Strategies:  

Standards Based Learning in Middle School History

https://edtechhistory.blogspot.com/2020/07/standards-based-learning-in-middle.html

Resources:

AMLE:  Middle School Reopening Strategies

https://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/1167/Middle-School-Reopening-Strategies.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0hUtxWYIhWm0o50rmuaIp6NS9psaHJjj6nTUvaFU2FHj93jcuPSjcf14I

SOAR – Online Virtual Learning Matrix from PBIS

https://www.pbisrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/pbis-behavior-matrix-virtual-classroom.pdf

Education and Racial Justice

A growing playlist of virtual webinars and workshops focused on racial justice and equity in education- Spring and Summer 2020.

Google Meet Plug-ins

Google Meet Enhancement Suite:  https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-meet-enhancement-s/ljojmlmdapmnibgflmmminacbjebjpno?hl=en-US  

Tiny Tales

Each book contains two hundred of these tiny stories. For each book, I write three hundred tiny stories here at the blog. 

Each completed book is free to read online as a Pressbook or you can download a free digital file (PDF, MOBI, EPUB); you can also listen to a free audiobook. In addition, you can purchase a Kindle version or paperback version from Amazon. There are four books available as of July 26: three books of stories, plus a teaching guide.

https://microfables.blogspot.com/2020/06/tiny-tales-series.html

Web Spotlight:  

Middle Graders Reflect on the COVID Closure

I wrote a survey seeking information from students in our schools.

This is What A Scientist Looks Like

I Am a Scientist is an effort to introduce children to scientists outside of the narrow stereotypes that our culture typically offers (old, male, white, nerdy).

https://theplenary.co/public-blog/2020/6/5/i-am-a-scientist-program-is-live

https://www.iamascientist.info/

#AMLE20 is Virtual

http://www.amle.org/annual/Home/tabid/244/Default.aspx

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site  

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