Jokes:  

I just got over my passion for chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts.

• I won’t lie, it was a Rocky Road.

---

My bank called to let me know that I had an outstanding balance. 

• I told them “Thanks, I used to do gymnastics”. It was nice of them to notice and say. 

---

Whoever came up with the word dentures really missed an opportunity to call the substitooths. 

---

I have a friend who just went to work in a factory making plastic statues of Dracula. There are only two of them at a time. 

• So, she really has to make every second count. 

---

I have a friend who can communicate with vegetables.

• Apparently Jack and the Beans talk

---

---

---

Did you hear about the dog who gave birth to puppies on the side of the road?

• She was ticketed for littering.

---

Did you hear about the man who was shot 200 times with an upholstery gun?

• He’s now “fully recovered”

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Middle School Science Minute: Tinkering vs. Engineering

I was recently reading the February 2020 issue of “Science and Children,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. 

In this issue, I read the Editor’s Note Section written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn.  The title of the article was “Tinkering vs. Engineering.”

Tinkerers see possibilities beyond the prescribed or conventional use of things.  Engineers work within a framework of solving problems, with imposed limitations and within guidelines.  But whether we use the term tinkerer or engineer we need to encourage students to think creatively as they design solutions.

Reports from the Front Lines

•  Conferences
  • Apple
  • Educational?
  • MoodleMoot Global Online 2020 
    • Interesting keynote comment, predicting the return of the “Guru” to education.  Imagine a world where the teacher develops and fine-tunes a curriculum and then travels from institution to institution or multiple institutions at the same time and the students follow the guru to the various institutions . . . 
  • Badges
    • 
• Experts
  • District
  • Outsiders
• Failing
  • Formula 409, Edison and the Lightbulb Story, Post-IT Notes

The Twitterverse

Catlin Tucker @Catlin_Tucker

Offline Choice Boards: How Are You Integrating Offline Learning into Your Online Class? – https://catlintucker.com/2020/04/offline-choice-board/… #edchat

Emily Fɾαɳƈιʂ @emilyfranESL

My teacher bookshelf Vs Betsy DeVos’ bookshelf — and she’s making the decisions on how we should teach

#GetAbook #GetEducated

You can send books to the Secretary of Education at Secretary of Education DeVos, 400 Maryland Ave SW, Washington D.C. 20202  

Matt Miller @jmattmiller

30+ digital escape rooms (plus a step by step guide for creating your own)

30+ FREE digital escape rooms you can use TOMORROW!

Step-by-step instructions for creating your own.  A planning template to get you started

http://ditchthattextbook.com/30-digital-escape-rooms-plus-tips-and-tools-for-creating-your-own/… #ditchbook

Jack Berckemeyer @JBerckemeyer

Larry Kudkow announced that getting kids back to school is easy! You can social distance kids it’s easy! Has he been in a middle school classroom with 28 kids? Shake head back and forth – repeat several times!

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

Strategies:  

!COVID-19 LEARNING KEEPS GOING.

To support educators and parents during extended school closures, ISTE and EdSurge have curated a list of free tools and resources as well as an Educator Help Desk where experts will answer your online learning questions.

https://www.learningkeepsgoing.org/

Resources:

Lumi H5P Desktop Editor

Edit your H5P content on your desktop with the Lumi app.  Don’t need to be connected to the internet to work on differentiating your online content.  

http://lumi.education/

Moodle Tool Guide

This online chart tells you which tool to use for which desired outcome, the level of difficulty, and how Bloom’s ties in to the activity.  

https://moodletoolguide.net/en/

How To Protect Yourself

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/07/11/889716534/coronavirus-faq-how-do-i-protect-myself-if-the-coronavirus-can-linger-in-the-air

Web Spotlight:  

8 Ideas to Engage Students Online

1. Sort It Out

2. Online Fishbowl

3. Expert Group Investigations

4. Collaborative Annotations

5. Google Map Adventures

6. Spotify Playlist

7. Scavenger Hunts

8. Online Discussions

8 Ideas Designed to Engage Students In Active Learning Online

A New, Antiracist Canon – Suggested Texts

A word of caution: “A New, Antiracist Canon” is a list of texts designed to highlight the work and voices of BIPOC artists, as well as to help teachers address some of the tough questions of history, justice, and racism. Some texts contain violence, sex, and offensive language, including use of the N-word. Educators should carefully preview any resource before using it to ensure it is appropriate for their classroom, school, and population. They should also ensure they have antiracist training and experience, as well as administrative permission, before selecting more mature texts for their curriculum. To learn more about how this list was developed and what antiracist education is, please see the Letter of Explanation.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BPgH7EUlQUby9k0wr1h3V8lQi4q0SHsCqFJWC90K2ZA/edit?fbclid=IwAR1Z8qpByNaathKNaLmlQ_9flD0_ekU3WmGnfL9bv7k3EOCumYQ5PcQBVkE

University cheating might be up — but don’t just blame students

As universities and colleges shift classes online during the COVID-19 pandemic, some experts are warning instructors to change their teaching approach in order to curb a perceived rise in cases of suspected cheating.

“There’s so many things [instructors] have to adapt to and they’re not sure how to do that. They tend to rely on the solutions that worked in the classroom setting,” said Skidmore. “You have to develop assessment strategies that are better suited to an online environment.” 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/university-cheating-might-be-up-but-don-t-just-blame-students-1.5618272

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jokes:

The Gene Pool:

---

I have a friend who wants to buy a boat. However, he doesn’t have a place to dock it. 

• Yep, I have a friend without pier.

---

I don’t usually tell dad jokes, 

• but when I do, he laughs

---

Have you heard about the new snail racing sport in France?

• It’s called NASCARgo

---

Why did the housecleaner put a bottle of Coke in the oven?

• The housecleaner was told that baking soda can clean an oven.

---

If you don’t like musical puns…

• You have my symphony.

---

I just realized my kitchen countertop is made of marble.

• I’ve been taking it for granite for all these years.

---

I have a friend who is very afraid of misspelling texts. He’s been looking up symptoms on the internet.

• You could say my friend is a typochondriac. 

---

---

If you adjust your posture….

• Do you stand corrected?

Middle School Science Minute  

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

I was recently reading the Spring 2020 issue of “The Concord Consortium,” a publication of the Concord Consortium.  

In this issue, I read an article written by Chad Dorsey.  The title of the article was “Perspective: Environments for Coherent, Inquiry-based Learning.” 

Robust simulation environments can foster coherent, inquiry-based learning.  Indeed, many topics and phenomena are simply not accessible for inquiry in the science classroom—they may be too large or too small, demand timescales that are too long or too short, or require conditions that are too dangerous to create in a school laboratory setting.  In such cases, technology is essential.  However, while individual simulations can illustrate a phenomenon, far too often they do little more than that—provide an illustrative animation.  There is another way.

Concord Consortium

Concord Consortium

Reports from the Front Lines

• Making Plans to Return to School – Now is the time to prepare!  
  • Plan for a full year of distance learning.  Even if we don’t.  
    • Create contingency plans that include face-to-face lesson design in case we are able to go back to a regular classroom environment.  
  • Seek out teachers who have the remote learning puzzle figured out and learn from them.
  • Consider curriculum options already online.  
  • Push back on unreasonable expectations by the administration.  
• Suggestions for Distance Learning:  
  • Start the online experience like it is the first day of class again.  Establish norms.
  • Remember they will have additional home responsibilities.  
  • Make social interaction a priority.  
  • You don’t need to use 100% of your online time in direct instruction.  
  • Limit the amount of messaging that goes home.  Parents could get overwhelmed.  
• Designing a “learning space” at home:  
  • Avoid windows
  • Avoid noisy areas & distracting environments  
  • Swivel chair if possible
  • Headphones, please  
• Middle School Principles:  This We Believe – Keys to Educating Young Adolescents (2010).  
  • We value young adolescents and are prepared to teach them.
  • We must engage our students and ourselves in active purposeful learning.
  • Our curriculum is challenging, explorative, integrative, and relevant.  
  • We use multiple learning and teaching approaches.  
  • We create varied and ongoing assessments that advance learning as well as measure it.  

The Twitterverse

Brittany Washburn  @BrittanyWTweets

Distance Learning Idea:  “Research Assignment” Internet Scavenger Hunt

https://t.co/9mXLfI3ivy?amp=1  or  http://www.brittanywashburn.com/2020/05/3-types-of-internet-scavenger-hunts-to.html  

John Faig @johnfaig

Cameras don’t work well and a broadcast pedagogy will not work for remote students. #PBL is the only hope of having S’s on and off-campus do similarly engaging work.

Quote Tweet

Rob Elliott  @robiupui

I cannot teach a course with half of the students in a socially-distanced classroom and half in a Zoom room simultaneously. People think I’m being a crank. Am I a crank, #AcademicTwitter ?  Show this thread

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. 

Resources:

Matt Miller – Ditch That Textbook – Remote Learning 101

Free online course in 15-ish modules to get you ready for remote learning.  Comes at the right price and with a certificate at the end of the course.  

https://ditch.teachable.com/p/remote-learning-101

Activity Sheets

The activities below are available for free download, and are to be used in educational and/or private settings. They may not be used elsewhere or for other purposes (such as for profit) unless explicit permission is granted.

Below will find: Blank Comic Book Pages, Special Activities, “How to Draw…” Instructions, “Finish This Comic!” Comics, and Drawing/Writing Prompts.

Activities

Choose Your Own Fake News

Choose Your Own Fake News is an interactive “choose your own adventure” game. Play the game as Flora, Jo or Aida from East Africa, and navigate the world of disinformation and misinformation through the choices you make. Scrutinize news and information about job opportunities, vaccines and upcoming elections to make the right choices!

https://chooseyourownfakenews.com/

Web Spotlight:  

 #Hashtag180 Your Classroom  

WHY: To Improve Student Learning Experiences.

#Hashtag180 began as one fifth grade science teacher’s journey to enhance and supplement curriculum. It grew into: Hashtag A Community Around Your Curriculum.

HOW: See: How To Hashtag North Carolina Science Essential Standards and North Carolina Curriculum Hashtags.Tweet one experience on each of the 180 school days of the year, and hashtag it with your learning objective and #hashtag180.

UPDATE: Also see: #Hashtag180 Central, including: Look Out for Learning and Hashtagging ISTE Student Standards

WHO: ALL Educators

WHAT: The #Hashtag180 Challenge was originally designed for educators to access and share learning resources very specifically by tweeting life and classroom experiences, hashtagged with learning objectives and #Hashtag180. Where does it go from here? The possibilities are endless…

WHERE: #Hashtag180

#Hashtag180

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jokes:  

---

Why did the police officer pull over the moving van?

• He wanted to bust a move.

---

What do dentists call their x-rays?

• Tooth pics

---

The re-opening of LEGO stores was a big event. 

• People were lined up for blocks

---

---

There was a HUGE sale on long paddles at the store. 

• You could say it was a Big Oar Deal.

---

I’m going to name my next dog Rolex.

• Yep, he’s going to be a watchdog

---

Why do dogs float in water?

• They are good buoys

---

I was going to look for my watch. 

• But I could never find the time

---

Did you hear about the guy on the phone pumping gas when his wife called. 

• He had to his Exxon hold

---

Today, I was ironing bored and I noticed that the cover of my ironing board was wrinkled, and I laughed at the irony. Then I laughed because “irony”. 

---

I witnessed an altercation between two sketch artists. 

• Guns were drawn

---

I’m changing all my passwords to “Kenny”. 

• Yep, I’ll have Kenney Loggins. 

---

Communists’ jokes aren’t funny. 

• Until everyone gets it.

---

Goth anti-vaxxers will never listen to which band?

• The Cure

---

I just sold my homing pigeon on eBay.

• For the 22nd time

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Middle School Science Minute: Environmental Health Scientist

I was recently reading the April / May, 2020 issue of “Science Teacher,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. 

In this issue, I read an article written by Luba Vangelova.  The title of the article was “Environmental Health Scientist.”

Environmental health scientists study how environmental toxins impact human health, and work to mitigate such risks.  The article features an interview with Casey Bartrem, an environmental health scientist who serves as the executive director of Terragraphics International Foundation in Moscow, Idaho.  Casey is a graduate of Michigan State University.  

Reports from the Front Lines

• Dateline Shijiazhuang:  China pulls students from schools – July 11 final exams.  期末考试  COVID-19 Round 2.  
• Summer Plans? 
  • Training the kids
  • Training the teachers
• OER

The Twitterverse

Scott McLeod @mcleod  

Episode 13: Remote Teaching and Home Learning: Examples from South Korea and Singapore https://bit.ly/2YAyAVR #silverliningforlearning @AASAHQ @NASSP @NAESP @NSBAPublicEd @ASCD @ISTEEdLeaders @pdkintl @Chalkbeat @MindShiftKQED @hechingerreport @futureready

Michigan History Day

We are excited that Tara Fugate of Fraser PS is the MI nominee for the 2020 Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award. The winner of the award will be announced during the NHD Award Ceremony on Sat. 6/20. Good luck Tara! #mihistoryday2020 #NHD2020

Chris Kenniburg @kennibc

#Moodle, say hello to #Jitsi Meet! The new Moodle 3.9 version of the Fordson theme introduces a simple Jitsi Meet launch button for every course… automatically! Just add a Jitsi server URL and you are now ready for remote learning! #opensource #edtech #onlinelearning

Typical EduCelebrity @EduCelebrity

I think we all can agree that required face mask use will create an interesting challenge in ventriloquism schools.

Fixing Education @FixingEducation

Why is there a teacher shortage in the U.S.? Some of the best teachers are leaving the profession. In fact, in the past year, 80% of teachers have thought about leaving their job. Additionally, 22% of college students used to major in education. CURRENT numbers are at 4.6%!

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.

Resources:

NCSS – Position Paper on Teaching Civics

A call to action for introducing policies and civic practices in schools needs to occur at local, state, and national levels. NCSS members are encouraged to use this position statement to urge their policymakers, educators, families, and communities to adopt a vision and plan for providing all students with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed for effective civic life.   

https://www.socialstudies.org/positions/revitalizing_civic_learning

Politicraft – Card Game for Civics   

“Civic mindedness is not something you are born with. The knowledge, skills and dispositions of effective civic engagement must be acquired and practiced in a safe environment. That is the purpose of PolitiCraft.”  

https://www.politicraft.org/how-to-play-politicraft

Currently $14.95 per deck : https://www.politicraft.org/buy/politicraft-base-card-deck-second-edition

The Governor’s Decision Room  

Video Introduction:  http://seekingmichigan.org/thedecisionroom/#  

Main Site:  http://thedecisionroom.org/  

Sample Materials:  http://seekingmichigan.org/thedecisionroom/sample.pdf  

Article:  “Our ‘Secret Weapon’ In An Age of Us-Against-Them”  

“Instead of firing back, Crenshaw built a bridge. Instead of shaming and scolding, he spoke tenderly. Instead of seeking vindication through retaliation, he sought friendship through peacemaking. Instead of adding to the cycle of outrage, he soundly defeated outrage with a gesture of unconditional love.”  

Our “Secret Weapon” in an Age of Us-Against-Them

CSPAN:  What to do with the Confederacy?  

Statues – Keep ‘em:  https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-5/debate-confederate-monuments  

Statues – Lose ‘em:  https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-7/confederate-monument-controversies  

Statues – Estonia:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/18/what-lithuania-can-teach-us-about-grappling-with-confederate-statues/?fbclid=IwAR1POG5GylgK2ZzRcZSebjmU5Q8n0Jt02YNaRaBgbAKQV9l8nNR2r52P9KU  

Historical Meanings of the Battle Flag:  https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-8/confederate-battle-flag-debates  

Should Confederate Heritage be Preserved:  https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-8/confederate-battle-flag-debates  

Competing Memories:  https://www.c-span.org/video/?448679-6/competing-memories-civil-war  

Revokable Citizenship:  https://news.err.ee/1103931/government-can-now-revoke-citizenship-of-convicted-traitors  

Accidental Courtesy – Movie

Musician Daryl Davis has an unusual hobby. He’s played all over the world with legends like Chuck Berry and Little Richard, but it’s what Daryl does in his free time that sets him apart. Daryl likes to meet and befriend members of the Ku Klux Klan.  

Videos

Amazing Grace (2006) – Movie

Based on the true life story of William Wilberforce, a leader of the British abolition movement, Amazing Grace chronicles his epic struggle to pass a law to end the slave trade in the late 18th century.   

https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/amazing-grace-2006/id270356352

Youth in Government – Involvement and Action  

From modeling legislators at the local, state and national level to advocating for change, Youth and Government™ allows students to expand their worldview and shape public policy. 

https://www.ymca.net/youthandgovernment & http://www.myig.org/middle_school-2/  

Frederick Douglas Archives – Library of Congress

https://www.loc.gov/collections/frederick-douglass-newspapers/about-this-collection

“It has long been our anxious wish to see, in this slave-holding, slave-trading, and negro-hating land, a printing-press and paper, permanently established, under the complete control and direction of the immediate victims of slavery and oppression…that the man who has suffered the wrong is the man to demand redress,—that the man STRUCK is the man to CRY OUT—and that he who has endured the cruel pangs of Slavery is the man to advocate Liberty.”  

William Wilberforce Papers – Duke University

Political and personal correspondence of William Wilberforce (1759-1833), member of the House of Commons. Many letters relate to his leadership in the movement for Britain’s abolition of the slave trade. Correspondence discusses the evils of the slave trade; the slave trade in Dutch, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish colonies; slavery, especially in the West Indies.  

https://repository.duke.edu/dc/wilberf

William Lloyd Garrison Archives  

Selected copies of The LIberator key to the abolition movement.  

https://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/garrison/  & https://transcription.si.edu/project/11766  

Slidesmania – Hyperdocs based slides

Google Slides and PowerPoint templates for Hyperdocs style lesson design.  

https://slidesmania.com/free-templates/

TinEye

Reverse Image Search – easy to use

https://tineye.com/

Link to Fragment

Browser extension that allows for linking to arbitrary text on a page.

This extension allows for easily creating a special link to the currently selected text on a page via the context menu. When opening such a special link, a compatible browser will scroll the selected text into view and highlight it.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/link-to-text-fragment/pbcodcjpfjdpcineamnnmbkkmkdpajjg

Web Spotlight:  

Flashbulb Moments

How accurate is your memory?

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/schacterlab/files/hirst_etal_jepgeneral_2015.pdf

Visual Guide to Coronavirus

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-visual-guide-to-the-sars-cov-2-coronavirus/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jokes:

Don’t be mad at lazy people. 

• They didn’t do anything

Are people born with a photographic memory?

• Or does it take time to develop?

We can’t allow this year to end. 

• That would be admitting 2021

We’re thinking of getting a new dog. We’re naming it Family or 10 miles. 

• That way when people ask what I’m doing on the weekend, I can say, “hanging out with Family”. 
• Or, I’m always picking up after Family
• Or, I can say that I walk 10 miles three times a day

I was feeling lonely, so I bought some shares of stock. 

• It’s nice to have some company

Did you hear about the blank playing card? 

• He showed up at a party without a suit

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Middle School Science Minute: Social Justice in the Science Classroom

I was recently reading the May, 2020 issue of “Next Gen Navigator,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. 

In this issue, I read an article written by Philip Bell, Guest Editor of Next Gen Navigator  The title of the article was “Social Justice in the Science Classroom: Social Justice—Centered Science Teaching and Learning.”

Science education can be used to support more just, sustainable, and culturally thriving futures—especially for those who have historically been and continue to be disenfranchised from science.

Reports from the Front Lines

• Summer Vacation?
  • What If
  • Inquiry Driven Instruction
  • U.S. History Curriculum
• Learning over the summer
• Superforecasters on COVID  

Advisory:

President Obama’s Graduation Speech

President Obama shares a message of optimism with the Class of 2020 as a part of  “Dear Class of 2020,” a virtual commencement to celebrate graduates, their families, and their communities. As uncertain as these times may be, President Obama calls on the Class of 2020 to seize the opportunity to create a new normal, one that is fairer, gives everyone opportunity, treats everyone equally, and builds bridges between people instead of dividing them. 

The Twitterverse

Today, join us…

Quote Tweet

Yong Zhao, Ph.D

@YongZhaoEd

· Jun 9

This Saturday 5:30-6:30pm EDT, join @chrs_dede @travelinedman @punyamishra @mcleod @shynicola @YongZhaoEd for #silverliningforlearning episode 13 with Nina Nim from S. Korea and Chee-Kit Looi from Singapore https://silverliningforlearning.org/category/episodes/…

2h

Larry Ferlazzo via Coopmike48 @coopmike48

Three Resources With Good Ideas For Encouraging Online Student Interaction

Three Resources With Good Ideas On Encouraging Online Student Interaction

  I’m adding these resources to THE BEST IDEAS FOR ONLINE ACTIVITIES TO USE WHEN TEACHING ELLS REMOTELY – SHARE MORE!: 7 Strategies Designed to Increase Student Engagement in Synchronous…

larryferlazzo.edublogs.org

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. 

Resources:

Connected Papers

Connected papers is a unique, visual tool to help researchers and applied scientists find and explore papers relevant to their field of work.

https://www.connectedpapers.com/

Web Spotlight:  

What Is White Privilege, Really?

Today, white privilege is often described through the lens of Peggy McIntosh’s groundbreaking essay “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” Originally published in 1988, the essay helps readers recognize white privilege by making its effects personal and tangible.

White people are also more likely to see positive portrayals of people who look like them on the news, on TV shows and in movies. They are more likely to be treated as individuals, rather than as representatives of (or exceptions to) a stereotyped racial identity. In other words, they are more often humanized and granted the benefit of the doubt. 

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really

Last Person to Receive a Civil War Pension Dies

Irene Triplett died last week at the age of 90. She was the last person in America to collect a pension from the Civil War, $73.13 each month from the Department of Veterans Affairs right up until she passed away.

https://kottke.org/20/06/last-person-to-receive-a-civil-war-pension-dies

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jokes:

My friend was doing a crossword. She asked, “What is a unit of power? 4 letters”

• I said, that’s correct. (What/Watt)  

You know with the pandemic, I have a friend living on a houseboat. He dating the girl on the next boat over. Unfortunately, they’ve drifted apart. 

Someone posted that they had just made some synonym buns. 

• I replied “Just like grammar used to make?”
• I tried buttering them up. 
• Now I’m blocked

What do you call someone who takes care of chickens?

• Yep, Chicken Tenders

Did you know I was named after my Dad?

• It would’ve been impossible to be named before him.

If we could get every cat in the world to meow at the same time, how loud would it be?

• Catastrophically loud

What is a rabbit’s favorite restaurant?

• IHOP

What do you call a happy cowboy?

•  A Jolly Rancher

One of my favorite phrases is “bear with me”. It could either mean “please be patient” or “the heist at the Zoo was a success”. 

Just a thought: If you ever get locked out of your house, talk to your lock calmly. 

• Communication is key

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Middle School Science Minute: The “Story” of Climate Change

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

In this issue, I read the “Commentary” column written by Jason T. Hilton and Patrick A. Burkhart.  The title of the column is “The Facts Do Not Speak for Themselves: Exposing Students to the Powerful Story of Climate Change.”

With the growth of mass media and social media, a cultural emphasis on the stories people tell has quickly displaced a reliance on scientific ways of knowing.  The stories told in classrooms must be relevant to students in the local setting and connected to that which is clearly visible.  Such an approach will allow students to independently arrive at reasoned conclusions that confirm scientifically derived knowledge presented in the classroom.

Reports from the Front Lines

• Brave New World
  • District technology plans 
  • Browser – Brave
• Social Distancing/Facemasks/Numbers
  • Ru’ian Resources for Teachers and Students  
    • https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/WdHRmHXMgSloWhMn5GS_lA 
    • https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/mCmt8_SXGYyl77vUlXx8KA  
• Zoom in the news
• Keep Michigan Learning
  • Timelines
  • Expectations (Roles) of teachers
• Retirement Numbers 
  • Potentially ⅓ of teachers could leave
  • Hiring Middle School trained folk to replace.  Do they exist?  
• Budget

The Twitterverse

Hong Kong Free Press  @HongKongFP 

One of the most nightmarish memories of our generations. It’s the 31st anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre. We remember, we never forget. Freedom and democracy belong to everyone. #64

Watch Can and should creativity be assessed? a discussion among Bill Lucas, James Kaufman, Ron Beghetto and Yong Zhao

Creativity in Crisis Ep1:   https://youtu.be/p7yvjnwwQ1Q  

AMLE @AMLE

Schools likely won’t be fully open until well into next school year. We and 62 other organizations sent a letter to Congress requesting financial support for professional development so ALL #teachers can teach effectively next fall. https://bit.ly/2ZihT3s #education

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:  

5 Levels Video Series

Great idea for teachers and kids. As a strategy, have students develop explanations for 5 levels. 

“Can everything be explained to everyone in terms they can understand? In 5 Levels, an expert scientist explains a high-level subject in five different layers of complexity— first to a child, then a teenager, then an undergrad majoring in the same subject, a grad student and, finally, a colleague.”

https://www.wired.com/video/series/5-levels

Resources:

#BlackLivesMatter

BackStory – Podcast (Ed Ayers)  

Burden to Bear:  A History of Racial Health Disparities in America

https://audioboom.com/channels/4987698.rss

Ryan Bomberger Interview – The World and Everything In It Podcast

https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/media.blubrry.com/the_world_and_everything_in_it/content.blubrry.com/the_world_and_everything_in_it/TWAEII-2020-06-05-1469-6520-Culture-Friday.mp3

Reconciliation vs. Revenge  

Smithsonian TweenTribune Resources on Race

158 Resources to Understand Racism in America

These Smithsonian resources are designed to foster an equal society, encourage commitment to unbiased choices and promote antiracism in all aspects of life.

#MomentsOfResilience

The Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum invites people to share stories of how communities are supporting each other on a day-to-day basis.

Teaching Young Children About Race

Recommended by educators at Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, this is a practical guide for early childhood educators and parents.

Greensboro Lunch Counter

This activity from the National Museum of American history invites viewers to join the student sit-ins through a 22-minute video. Included are focus questions that students should consider while they are watching. 

CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall

“Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism. A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Families” will air on Saturday, June 6, at 10 a.m. ET. The show will talk to kids about racism, the recent nationwide protests, embracing diversity and being more empathetic and understanding.

Washington Post Data Points – A Potential ArcGIS Connection?

Fatal Force:  1,004 in 2019

This webpage is no longer being updated and they have a more current page, however it is behind a paywall and Troy hasn’t given me that raise yet . . .  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/police-shootings-2019/

Downloadable Data:  https://github.com/washingtonpost/data-police-shootings  

Compiled since 2015.  Uses multiple data sources to build a more complete picture that independently self report as being incomplete.  

The Knight Foundation and O Cinema Partner to Offer Free Virtual Screenings of Magnolia Pictures Documentaries I Am Not Your Negro, Whose Streets? and Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am

Each film will be made available to view each Sunday, for free, during a 24-hour window. 

Please register in advance to watch I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO by filling out the below form to receive a secure link and password to view the film. The email with link and password will arrive in your inbox each Sunday at 1pm.  This website will be updated each Monday for registration for the current film of the week.

https://www.magnoliapictures.com/knightfoundationseries?fbclid=IwAR2orrUymJXj8DpI8HdYgvbTFEhtRslep_x9FIq0uAsVb5nkD2GvqTLKOyw

President Obama

https://medium.com/@BarackObama/how-to-make-this-moment-the-turning-point-for-real-change-9fa209806067#annotations:Q9BP1KQoEeq_qItZOelBLA

Simulations: Proceed with Caution

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2008/classroom-simulations-proceed-with-caution

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jokes:

Did you hear about the test pilot who flew over the rainbow?

• He passed with flying colors. 

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I had a dream last night that I was a muffler

• I woke up exhausted

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Since they cancelled the Hockey season, no one has seen the Zamboni driver. I’m not worried though. 

• He’ll resurface eventually

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I keep trying to come up with a telescope joke. I haven’t given up yet. 

• I’m still looking into it.

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Why are eskimos frustrated with donuts?

• Never any variety. They are always frosted

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I  have a friend who writes songs about sewing machines. 

• She is a Singer songwriter

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When does a joke become a “Dad” joke?

• When it becomes apparent

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Middle School Science Minute: Inspiring Earth’s Future Stewards

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

In this issue, I read the “From the Editor’s Desk” column “Inspiring Earth’s Future Stewards,”  written by Patty McGinnis.

She discusses how we will be turning this world over to a new set of stewards — stewards who must cherish and care for our Earth in its entirety. 

Reports from the Front Lines

• Has schooling changed?
  • https://willrichardson.com/has-this-crisis-really-changed-schools/
• What happens when we go back to full face to face?  
  • So what would a “Disrupting Education” model look like?  
• Online Teaching stories
• Summer Plans  
  • Historical Stalking
  • Parallel Socializing
• Denmark Reopening
  • https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-denmark-reopening/reopening-schools-in-denmark-did-not-worsen-outbreak-data-shows-idUSKBN2341N7

The Twitterverse

AudioMass – A Free, Registration-free Audio Editor http://dlvr.it/RXfMWl

Jeff Crews @crewsertech

Diane Ravitch @DianeRavitch

Carol Burris: Charters Are Looting Federal Funds Meant to Save Small Businesses

Larry Ferlazzo @Larryferlazzo

South Korea closes schools again after covid-19 spike – The Washington Post

CBC Toronto @CBCToronto

“It’s like having your own isolation unit,” said John Krohnert of Platinum RV, a dealership in Erin, Ont.

Ian Jukes

@ijukes

End Zoom meeting…

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.   

Resources:

Return to Sender

https://returntosendermap.eu/map/

AudioMass

Online audio editor.  They compare themselves to Audacity.  

https://audiomass.co/

Why you should read Moby Dick

A whole series of why you should read is available. 

https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-should-you-read-moby-dick-sascha-morrell#watch

The Series:

https://ed.ted.com/series/reading-between-the-lines

Online Color Test

Are you among the 1 in 255 women and 1 in 12 men who have some form of color vision deficiency? If you work in a field where color is important, or you’re just curious about your color IQ, take our online challenge to find out. Based on the Farnsworth Munsell 100 Hue Test, this online challenge is a fun, quick way to better understand your color vision acuity.

Just remember, this is not a replacement for the full test!

https://www.xrite.com/hue-test?pageid=77&lang=en

Web Spotlight:  

Has This Crisis Really Changed Schools?

With respect to those who stand in awe of all that’s changed about schools in the past few months, I would ask “what’s actually changed?”

Has This Crisis Really Changed Schools?

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jokes:

What do you call a Bear with no ears?

• B

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I spent $300 on a Limo with a no driver. 

• That’s a lot of money and I have nothing to Chauffeur it.

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Why did the rancher put his bulls on stilts?

• He wanted to raise the steaks

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My friend is turning 32. I told him not to get too excited. 

• We’ll only be celebrating for half a minute. 

---

That same friend really doesn’t trust trees. 

• They seem kind of shady 

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Why spelling is important:

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Middle School Science Minute: Environmental Health Literacy

I was recently reading the April/May, 2020 issue of “Science & Children,” a publication published by the National Science Teaching Association. 

In this issue, I read the Editor’s Note column “Environmental Health Literacy,”  written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn.

She discusses how empowering students to make decisions about personal health and understand the impact humans have on the environment is critical to preparing literate, well-informed citizens.

Reports from the Front Lines

•  Middle School Student Reactions:
  • Don’t want to fall behind
  • Frustrated with the kids who aren’t working “same ones that don’t work in school”
  • Respect the teacher and the work that the teacher is doing
  • Don’t want to lose privileges at home
  • It’s the last week of online school, how do I log in?
• Ending the Year – New Stuff?
• Fall Plans

Advisory:

ONE FINE DAY

written by David Byrne and Brian Eno

David Byrne and the Brooklyn Youth Choir

Saw the wanderin’ eye, inside my heart

Shouts and battle cries, from every part

I can see those tears, every one is true

When the door appears, I’ll go right through, oh

I stand in liquid light, like everyone

I built my life with rhymes, to carry on

And it gives me hope, to see you there

The things I used to know, that one fine

One fine day

In a small dark room, where I will wait

Face to face I find, I contemplate

Even though a man is made of clay

Everything can change that one fine —

One fine day

Then before my eyes, is standing still

I beheld it there, a city on a hill

I complete my tasks, one by one

I remove my masks, when I am done

Then a peace of mind fell over me —

In these troubled times, I still can see

We can use the stars, to guide the way

It is not that far, the one fine —

One fine day

The Twitterverse

Typical EduCelebrity@EduCelebrity

In search of profound tweets from other teachers with ideas I can rip off and present as my own in the future social media postings and publications. Original authors will receive my profoundly pretentious gratitude.

Google for Education@GoogleForEdu

To support the millions of educators, we’re announcing #TeachFromHome — resources to help remote teaching.  https://t.co/zrQQsEPsZK?amp=1  

Typical EduCelebrity@EduCelebrity

Antibody Like a Pirate

Quote Tweet

The Modest Teacher@ModestTeacher

Has anyone written a book about “hacking” the coronavirus yet? If not, what a missed opportunity.

DuckDuckGo  @DuckDuckGo

Want to see what  @Twitter  *thinks* they know about you? @sil found this enlightening page listing your so-called interests. Although you can’t stop the data collection completely, you can stop personalization based on it: Settings → Content preferences https://twitter.com/settings/your_

Alice Keeler@alicekeeler

Google Forms: Create a Branching LESSON – https://alicekeeler.com/2020/05/23/goo

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.

Resources:

Greek Myth Resource:  Greeking Out!

https://www.espn.com/espnradio/feeds/rss/podcast.xml?id=27807607

Random Thoughts . . .  

Make a Zeppelin . . . and then eat it!

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jokes:

Due to the quarantine, I’ll only be telling inside jokes. 

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I don’t want to brag, but I finished a jigsaw puzzle in a week. It said  “2-4 years” on the box. 

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What do you call a group of men waiting for a haircut?

• A barbercue.

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My landlord wants to talk to me about how high my heating bill is. 

• I told him “my door is always open”

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An elderly couple was in church. The wife turns to her husband and whispers, “I’ve just let out one of those silent farts, what do I do”?

The husband replied, “Change the battery in your hearing aid”. 

---

A priest, a minister, and a rabbit walk into a blood bank. 

• The rabbit says, “I think I might be a type o”.

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I told my wife to she should embrace her mistakes.

• She gave me a hug. 

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I dig

You dig

He digs

She digs

We dig

They dig. 

*It’s not a long poem, but it is deep. 

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A friend went to a for a job interview. He was offered a glass of water. He filled it until it overflowed a bit. 

The interviewer asked if he was nervous. 

He replied “Nope, I always give 110%. 

As part of the interview, he was told that at the start, he would earn $35,000: later that would increase to $55,000. 

He said, “Ok, I’ll come back later”. 

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I’m really looking forward to 2033. That will be the beginnings of the quaranteens. 

---

I bought my friends an elephant for their room. 

They said “Thanks”. 

I said, “Don’t mention it”. 

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My friend keeps saying “cheer up man, it could be worse. You could be stuck underground in a hole full of water.

• I know he means well. 

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Finland has closed their borders. 

• No one will be crossing the Finnish line. 

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Middle School Science Minute: Unique or Identical

I was recently reading the March, 2020 issue of “The Science Teacher,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. 

 In this issue, I read the Focus on Physics column “Being Unique or Being Identical,”  written by Paul G. Hewitt.

He discusses the Macro World and the SubAtomic World.  Being unique is common in the Macro World.  Being identical is common in the SubAtomic World.  He then goes on to use leaves, faces and ladybugs as examples.

Reports from the Front Lines

• Mass Technology Rollouts.  
  • Meeting Middle Schoolers Needs
• Planning for next year
  • Michigan’s Guidance – 

• Ideas for holding a Zoom (or other App) COVID-19 Scavenger Hunt!  

The Twitterverse

Typical EduCelebrity

I recommend students read their online textbooks with a yellow background to re-create the experience of using a highlighter to mark every word they see.

Michigan History Day

Be there or be square! Or watch the recording later, squares are cool. Live stream starts at 3! http://youtube.com/watch?v=IgapZ_1_QMQ… #mihistoryday2020

Mark Ryan

Welcome back to school

Welcome back to school:  https://twitter.com/i/status/1259074269516095488  

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.

Resources:

Jim Henson on Making Puppets

Jim Henson and Muppeteers show kids how to make puppets from simple things like socks. This video aired on Public Television in 1969, prior to Sesame Street, on Iowa Public Television’s “Volume See” kids’ show. 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download