Summary:

Welcome back to school. ClearMask as a potential retirement plan. Dave talks about the importance of Lesson Closure. 

Jokes:  

If this is a pair of scissors:

What is this? 

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Why do they call them apartments? They are all stuck together.

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Shouldn’t the word ambiguous have more than one meaning?

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I told my carpenter not to carpet my steps. 

• He gave me a blank stair

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Lance is an uncommon name these days. In Medieval Times people were named Lance A Lot. 

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Why can’t you run through a campground?

• You can only ran, it’s all past tents. 

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I just built a car using the motor from a washing machine. 

• I’m taking it for a spin later.

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Here’s a question for all you mind readers out there. 

Advisory

Eating Lunch To Go Around The World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPfXegudHdw

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Lesson Closures

I was recently reading the July/August 2021 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section “Science For All” written by Kaitlyn McGlynn and Janey Kelly.  They wrote an article entitled “Wrapping It Up: Meaningful and Inclusive Lesson Closures to Recap the Day’s Learning.”

Lesson closure provides a time for students to pause and ponder what they have just learned during the lesson as well as where their level of understanding currently lies.  They discuss their favorite lesson closures, which include:

• Whip Around
• Elevator Pitch
• Thumbs Up, Middle Thumbs, Thumbs Down
• Stick it!
• Any Questions?

Reports from the Front Lines

• Larry Ferlazzo’s First Day Back
• I’ll take the crap that they give me
• A story from Shawn – Mara
• Read the directions
• Finding Employees
  • Bus Drivers
  • Teachers
  • Admins 
• Story:  Class Pets & Quail Eggs
• Observation:  The kids have been on the computer a lot – Page 3.  

The Twitterverse  

Apple Education  @AppleEDU

That’s a wrap of week two of our Creativity Challenge! The #MotionGraphics ideas you designed were so good, we had to share a few of them. Get ready for next week’s challenge at http://apple.co/creativitychallengetwitter

. #MadeOniPad #EveryoneCanCreate  

Alice Keeler  @alicekeeler

I coded a way to get a list of your YouTube videos. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1V-FPuN3q0nhkiikFdcjmf9dHF3ngHQ7yDelQXt5LT18/copy

#googleEDU #appsscript

Alice Keeler  @alicekeeler

Exporting Scores from Google Classroom Description:Google Classroom is limited in the reports that you can create. Create your own reports https://youtube.com/watch?v=Oyk0fWJEJZQ

#BackToClassroom

Stephanie Howell  @mrshowell24

Reading Choice Board https://youtu.be/kliVTGO_4v0 #edtech #ditchbook #tlap #ETCoaches #hacklearning #GSuiteEdu #GoogleEDU #celebratED #cuechat #k12artchat #masterychat #EduGladiators #edchat #LeadLAP #eduprotocols #googlei #educoach

@eduprotocols

@Flipgrid

TCEA  @TCEA

Make student thinking VISIBLE via

@finleyt #edchat #globalED #learning #edutwitter #teachertwitter

Russell Stannard  @russell1955

How to use Moodle for teachers: Useful design tips #moodle #onlineteaching 

Video: https://bit.ly/2H01yWY

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

Resources:  

#46 – Do bigger animals take longer to pee? 3 more CER examples based on FUN science

https://www.realsciencechallenge.com/46-more-cer-examples/#annotations:zeC_DgmbEeyjuQeEVnQ0fg

AXIS – The Culture Translator

The D’Amelios Are Here

What it is: TikTok’s biggest star, Charli D’Amelio, will take on a (slightly) bigger screen with a reality show based on her family, debuting on Hulu today.

Why it could be the new Keeping Up with the Kardashians: Charli, her sister Dixie, and their parents started out living an ordinary suburban life in Connecticut just a couple of years ago. That was until Charli’s dance videos on TikTok turned her into a breakout star with countless brand deals and promotional contracts. The D’Amelios aims to explore how the family navigates the dynamics of TikTok fame. It’s a very similar premise to Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which touted the concept of “family above all” as it followed the daily doings of the California-based clan. But while KUWTK turned one family into stars, Charli and Dixie don’t necessarily need a television show to become more famous. It’s unclear why, exactly, the D’Amelios feel the need to even do a show like this, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be a significant amount of young fans tuning in and comparing their own family to what they see on TV.  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about COVID restrictions reopening school. What can you do? How do you handle group work? Dave colors our world with sunshine. 

Jokes:  

The FBI showed up at my house. I just got back from an international trip. First I went to China. Then I went to Peru. Next up, Greenland, which is a territory of Denmark. Finally, I went to the province of Ontario in Canada. 

• The algorithm detected one red flag after another. 

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How do you roast a cobbler?

• Make fun of his shoes

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Where do bad rainbows go?

• Prism
• But, they always get a light sentence

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I got hit by a rental truck: 

• It Hertz

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My cellphone took about 30 minutes of video of me walking. 

• It was pretty good footage. 

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If a medium can communicate with the dead, just think about what a large can do. 

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Eileen Award:  

• Facebook:  Jack Berckemeyer 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

What Color is the Sun?

I was recently reading the May/June 2021 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section “Science 101” written by Matt Bobrowsky.  Matt wrote an article entitled “What Color is the Sun?”

The fact that the Sun is white is why we can see so many different colors in the outdoor world.  If sunlight were purely green, then everything outside would look green or dark.  We can see the redness of a cardinal and the blueness of a blue jay because sunlight contains red and blue light.  The same is true for all the other colors.  All of these colors combined make the light from the Sun look white.

http://k12science.net/what-color-is-the-sun/

Reports from the Front Lines

• “Open House” 
  • DaVinci Resolve
• COVID Policies in the Classroom, Who takes the blame if the kid gets sick?  
  • Lunch Room
  • Group Work
  • Lockers
  • Hall Passes
  • Water fountains
• Building Relationships & Dealing with COVID 
  • Project Adventure
  • Growth String
  • Question to Leave
• And now for the “Maine Idea!”  

Advisory:  

Amazing Designs

https://dailytimewaste.com/movies/fb/161878301/the-most-amazing-design-ideas-people-have-come-across/

The Twitterverse  

Shabana Basij-Rasikh  @sbasijrasikh

In March 2002, after the fall of Taliban, thousands of Afghan girls were invited to go to the nearest public school to participate in a placement test because the Taliban had burned all female students’ records to erase their existence. I was one of those girls.  Nearly 20 years later, as the founder of the only all-girls boarding school in Afghanistan, I’m burning my students’ records not to erase them, but to protect them and their families.   https://twitter.com/i/status/1428776691820908548  

MiddleWeb  @middleweb

NEW TEACHERS!  25 Best Posts for New Teacher Mentors   #mschat #middleschool

@AMLE #ntchat #newteachers #mentoring #educoach #profdev #teachingtips   https://middleweb.com/23435/25-of-mi

Matt Miller  @jmattmiller

Why your students need a podcast: How to do it fast and free http://ditchthattextbook.com/2018/02/28/why-your-students-need-a-podcast-how-to-do-it-fast-and-free/

Cheryl Morris  @guster4lovers

Teacher friends, I wrote a MS/HS unit that can be taught in person, remote, or hybrid that covers #growthmindset, neuroplasticity, emotions, #sel and the science of happiness. Please use/share freely: https://bit.ly/gmselunit It would be a great way to start the year

@jcorippo  https://t.co/HWWlxIvFGg?amp=1  

From a Facebook post:

Write a scary story using *exactly* four words.  There was this response:  

Shawn McGirr Elliott wrote a story one time when she was probably in second grade. The title was “The Teacher Without Coffee”

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

Strategies:  

Manual Water Pump for 5 Gallon Water Bottle

Need to get around the water fountain/hall pass issue?  Put a 5 gallon water jug on the table and insert the pump.  Water bottle filler and your students don’t have to ask for a hallway pass.  https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B087PCMSVV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  

Clean/Dirty Dishwasher Sign

Use the Clean/Dirty dishwasher sign on your door to tell custodial if you’ve been in the room today.  

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B078MMXJPC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mask Extenders – Save your ears!

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08K3RDC6H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Resources:  

3D Periodic Table

https://artsexperiments.withgoogle.com/periodic-table/#annotations:tQtVJACCEeyyWFfoKUYuiA

Welcoming Staff Back to the Building

• Be mindful as you plan for return to school team-building activities. Consider your staff’s comfort level.
• You can survey staff prior to the start of the school year.
• In this post, you will learn some suggestions on how to build school culture at the beginning of the year.

https://www.teachbetter.com/blog/welcoming-staff-back-into-the-building/

10 Secrets to Raising Good Listeners

So my principal changed my schedule yesterday and I now have to take a project and interactive simulation based class and turn it into a lecture based class.  They’re going to have to learn differently.  

https://www.janetlansbury.com/2011/03/10-secrets-to-raising-good-listeners/

Web Spotlight:  

Can you fix middle school by getting rid of it?

Proponents of K-8 schools, or “elemiddles” as they’re sometimes called, say they promote strong relationships between not only teachers and students but also teachers and parents and offer stability to young teens during a tumultuous time in their lives. 

The research comparing outcomes of students at K-8 and middle schools remains inconclusive.

…many of the new middle schools had been built for pragmatic reasons, rather than ideological ones, they tended to resemble the junior highs they’d replaced. They were “middle schools in name only,” said Mary Beth Schaefer,

Can you fix middle school by getting rid of it?

LMS Showcase

https://michiganvirtual.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LsMWNUV4SoKcsv05uqBSMQ

Axis – The Culture Translator 

No Emoji is Safe

What it is: Digital natives tend to use emoji less sincerely than their older counterparts, which makes for some confusion when it comes to the family group text.

Why it’s best to stick with words: As we’ve written about before, the “cry-laughing face” emoji has long been banned from the Gen Z-approved emoji lexicon. Now, as the Wall Street Journal reports, your emoji keyboard is practically a buffet of faux pas potential. That pained-looking frowny-face guy? He’s what Gen Z uses to express desire, not frustration. And that smiley face emoji, once the most straightforward of fellows, is mostly interpreted by Gen Z as a passive-aggressive dig. (After all, nobody looks that happy in real life.) You might want to ask your teen if your emoji-vocabulary needs some brushing up.  

Slang of the Week

Caught in 4K: Capturing someone’s reaction on camera or catching someone “red-handed.”

For Example: 

“You tried to pretend you were over that girl, but your face says it all! Caught in 4k!”

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site   

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about how the Delta variant has changed back to school plans. Dave is all about Digital Literacy. Teachers will need to relearn how to project. Mask mandates? What will the school year look like? Groupwork?

Jokes:  

Just in from the world’s biggest producer of yardsticks. They aren’t making them any longer. 

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A Rancher burst into the bar and shouted “can somebody help me round up18 cows?” 

• I stood up and said I will help, it’s 20 cows

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If you’re on the road to nowhere, how do you know when you get there?

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I strained myself getting through the screen door. 

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What is the best time?

• 6:30 – hands down

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Digital Literacy

I was recently reading the May/June 2021 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section “Editor’s Note” written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn.  Elizabeth wrote an article entitled “Digital Literacy.”

Digital Literacy, according to Cornell University, is the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the internet.

http://k12science.net/digital-literacy/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Reopening Plans
• Delta Difference
• Tech in Schools

Advisory:  

50 Little Etiquette Rules You Should Always Practice – Reader’s Digest  

Do one or two a week in Advisory perhaps?  

https://www.rd.com/list/etiquette-rules/?fbclid=IwAR3RNR3Ik3Fc7iwFXVPmF3S1A5n1Etj-7BK6JfIpaNswkSw1GmnGA4_ibC0

The Twitterverse  

The Modest Teacher  @ModestTeacher

Does your school lock the only color printer in a bank vault guarded by Navy Seals too?

Fixing Education  @FixingEducation

For the new school year, let’s remember THIS. Asking teachers to do ‘ONE MORE THING’ and not removing anything else from their plate doesn’t help anyone. •It doesn’t help Teachers! •It doesn’t help Test Scores! And it certainly doesn’t help STUDENTS!

Chairman Meow  @catsaysnyaa

Breaking News: Wilson has defected to the USA.

Matt Miller  @jmattmiller

100 Remote Learning activities, templates, and tutorials This post keeps growing!  Video project ideas Digital writing activities Sites for early finishers LOTS of File > Make a copy templates http://DitchThatTextbook.com/elearning-acti

Jason Neiffer, Ed.D.  @techsavvyteach

5 Ways to Effortlessly Transcribe Your Podcast for Free https://buff.ly/3jW8nvo #accessibility

https://t.co/4jvkFdVDPP?amp=1

Lisa C. Sproul   @MrsRCSproulJr

Gossip has no friends, just addicts.

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

Strategies:  

Picking Up Words On A Walk

“Walking isn’t just a form of exercise, or a way to clear your mind (although it is very good for both of those things). It’s a way to learn about nature and the associated vocabulary. Next time you go for a walk, really pay attention to where you’re going. Not just so you don’t trip over, but so that you notice all the things around you. Then when you get home, you’ll have a collection of new words to practise with your students. And a free pass to eat a big slice of cake.”

Picking up words on a walk

Resources:  

You Need Soup.  Here’s the Best:  

12 Principles of Modern Learning

AXIS – The Culture Translator

Slang of the Week

Thirst Trap: A photo or post that is an obvious ploy for attention; typically a post where the person looks attractive or enticing.

For Example:  “Why did she even bother with writing a caption, that IG post was such a thirst trap.”

ClearMask  

Medical grade see-through mask that is comfortable to wear.  So far, so good.  

https://www.theclearmask.com/

Clear Fog-free face shields – Blany.co

Yes, it looks like a fly-by-night website.  Yes, they’re made in China.  But they have fog-free face shields.  

https://blany.co/product/transparent-face-shield/

Free eBooks

Catto Creations supports ePub3 and makes the following books available for download. They work well with AZARDI’s desktop eReader. They are also available as free eBooks in the Apple iBookstore.

http://www.cattocreations.com/ePub3.html 

Web Spotlight:  

Blended Learning: What It Is and What It Is Not

https://catlintucker.com/2021/07/blended-learning-what-it-is-and-is-not/#annotations:THuAdOybEeuGI0ccjUR8hQ

Hitting the Books: How our lying eyes trick the brain into seeing motion during movies

“What a projector actually does is exactly this: It brings each frame into fixed position with the light source blocked. That’s the function of the shutter. Then the shutter opens and the illuminated frame projects onto the screen. Then the shutter closes. Then it opens again, and the illuminated frame is projected a second time onto the screen. Then the shutter closes and the next frame slides into position, and so forth.”

https://www.engadget.com/hitting-the-books-biography-of-the-pixel-alvy-ray-smith-mit-press-153048574.html

5 Tips for Making Digital Learning Accessible to All Students

In many ways, Rhianon Gutierrez did not have a typical education growing up. Born hard of hearing, she learned early on the difference that the accessibility of educational content can make.

https://www.iste.org/explore/tools-devices-and-apps/5-tips-making-digital-learning-accessible-all-students

Random Thoughts . . .  

Dr. Edward Panosian 

https://livestream.com/bju/panosian?t=1628886549&fbclid=IwAR2sJFm6N2EPoDnkLX8Sz96kOhcF_wV4eSfqMQg_zfQKsISqan92fg4ocWM

Personal Web Site   

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary: 

Shawn and Troy talk about taking a break, resetting, and more. Dave talks about weather predictions and NOAA. 

Jokes:  

Hey, do you remember the chiropractor joke I told about a week back? 

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Hey, did you hear that it now costs $1.50 to air have put into your tires. 

• That’s the cost of inflation these days

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Do you want to hear a joke about a ghost?

• That’s the spirit

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Did you hear about the fraudster who was installing kitchen worktops? 

• He was charged with counter fitting

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How come the penguin charged with a felony didn’t have to post bail?

• Not a flight risk

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Did you hear about the kid who didn’t want to make butter? 

• He had to anyway; it was his churn.

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A guy was walking through a jungle and saw a lizard on his hind legs telling jokes. He turned to his friend and said, “That lizard is really funny!”

The friend said, “That’s not a lizard, that’s a stand up chameleon”. 

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Did you hear about the guy who talks with sneakers? 

• Well, actually, he converses. 

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To the person who stole my glasses. 

• I will find you. I have a contacts. 

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

NOAA Satellites Predict and Protect

I was recently reading the May/June 2021 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section “Scope on the Skies” written by Bob Riddle.  Bob wrote an article entitled “Earth Watch.”

The planet Earth is currently the only place where we can live, and just like our homes, classrooms, and local communities, there is a constant need for environmental awareness.  This should highlight both the importance of thinking globally while dealing with local circumstances and the importance of monitoring our ”home” from a global perspective, using for example, NOAA Satellites.

http://k12science.net/noaa-satellites-predict-and-protect/

Reports from the Front Lines

• PD
  • Text grabber
  • Logoist 4
  • GIMP
• Reset
• Tech Use

The Twitterverse  

Typical EduCelebrity   @EduCelebrity

People who see a horse in this image are right brain thinkers. People who see a dolphin are left brain thinkers. If what you see looks like a blurry closeup of my living room wall, then you’re using your whole brain.  

Lisa C. Sproul   @MrsRCSproulJr

Gossip has no friends, just addicts.

Ryan Hazen  @MisterHazen

For everyone that missed @moodler‘s keynote @mtmoot yesterday, here it is! We’re still processing all of the videos from #mtmoot, I’ll update as we add more. Lots of info about #Moodle 4.0, @brickfieldlabs, @moonamihq, @MLC_Moodle, and @ElearningExp

Phyllis Fagell, LCPC  @Pfagell

I reassure parents that middle schoolers aren’t lazy – most just lack planning skills. But sometimes kids won’t produce because of an approach-avoidance conflict — e.g. they may WANT to complete & share an assigned poem but worry they’ll get teased. Try to ID any unspoken fears.

Social Studies@socialstudiestx 

#Socialstudies educators: we are looking for people that are interested in joining our #ssunconference this December. It will be free and we need help with planning presenters and more. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedAmLwA2EYqIDGLX8QDenN0uGTuomFqOjb4xJlLRARUezehg/viewform?usp=sf_link  Join us! #sschat #sstlap #education #teachertwitter  

Wesley Fryer, Ph.D.   @wfryer

Closing #digiURI challenge from @khokanson: Write a letter to your future self with @futureme https://futureme.org (or write an analog letter, seal it in an envelope, w/ the cover message, “Do not open until…”) #MediaLit #change #YouCanChange #teaching #learning #pedagogy

Evan Robb @ERobbPrincipal

A simple leadership tip- Look for more reasons to elevate than to criticize. It will change a school culture.

Mike Szczepanik@MikeSzczepanik

Everything is Formative until it’s not! –@rickwormeli2 from #12hourlive #Teachbetter

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

Strategies:  

Cognitive Learning Review

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/evidence-reviews/cognitive-science-approaches-in-the-classroom/

Three Ideas for Encouraging Students to do Research in Digital Archives

Richard Byrne has a great example of a search challenge. Help your students learn how to search. 

https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2021/07/three-ideas-for-encouraging-research-in.html

And the Follow UP:

https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2021/07/what-car-did-harry-lyon-drive-answer-to.html

Resources:

Three Strategies for Productive Teacher Mentoring – Edutopia

Teacher mentoring programs, no matter the locale, tend to provide yearlong, one-to-one guidance to less experienced teachers, with mentors and mentees typically meeting at least once a week. Through those meetings with veteran teachers, plus impromptu classroom visits, lunchtime chats, texts, and phone calls, new teachers gain professional knowledge, skills to reflect on the status quo, and a vision for the future.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-strategies-productive-teacher-mentoring?fbclid=IwAR1QI5P99J12VyiOWRAHGaKaGbNVvt5U1Tn4RWtnNMVe7mT9N_a4SF23Cpk

The Three Most Effective Instructional Strategies for Science—According to Teachers

• ‘My Favorite Word Is the F-word’
• Revising Models
• Play

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-the-three-most-effective-instructional-strategies-for-science-according-to-teachers/2021/07

House Flipper:  How Not To Fall For A Sower of Dissatisfaction – World  

“Now that our money isn’t worth anything anymore, we see prospectors like flies around carrion making offers on our house. Sign of the times. As when Joe Kennedy discerned the signal to exit the stock market the day a shoeshine boy gave him stock tips.”  

https://wng.org/articles/house-flipper-1625880652?fbclid=IwAR2J3x6Ti_QFD3hOON3NoMyUWnC86AKOFHMdJxFhPIW6QVJTip_y61d-eyc

Slang of the Week:  

bussin: something really delicious or enjoyable, usually food-related. (Ex: “Check out what my mom made for dinner last night… Bussin!”)  

Axis – The Culture Translator 

#narcissisticparent

What it is: A TikTok trend called #narcissisticparent (paywall) started as a way to vent about emotionally abusive relationships. Now it has become a catch-all for posting about complicated family dynamics.

Why it’s affecting your relationship with your teen: The rise of “therapy-speak” has equipped young adults with a way to talk about abusive behavior and hurt they have experienced. Unfortunately, it’s also armed a generation of teens with overly-simplistic explanations for human behavior that they don’t like. Videos that use clinical diagnostic terms like “narcissistic personality disorder” (NPD) and “borderline personality disorder” (BPD) to describe behavior in their families have hundreds of millions of views, each with dozens of commenters congregating underneath to cheer on the OP (original poster) in any efforts to ditch these “toxic” relationships. When caretakers try to establish boundaries or enforce discipline on their children, there’s an army of cyber-warriors standing at the ready to offer teens validation while they villainize their parents.  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jokes:  

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I had a dog named “5 miles” so I could tell people I walked “5 miles.”  But today I ran over “5 miles.”  

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Did you hear about the Dad who had his worst fear happen when the family bunnies escaped? 

• Yep, hare loss

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My friend loaned his girlfriend $100. Three years later, they broke up. She paid him back the $100. I guess you could say he lost interest in that relationship.

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My friend started a new band. The band is called “Duvet”. 

• They’re a cover band. 

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We went to a new restaurant. It has a “Mary Poppins” theme. 

• Super cauliflower cheese but the lobster was atrocious

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

What the 2020-2021 School Year Taught Us About Science Teaching and Learning

I was recently reading the May/June 2021 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section “Editor’s Corner” written by the editor, Ann Haley MacKenzie.  Ann wrote an article entitled “What the 2020-2021 School Year Taught Us About Science Teaching and Learning.”

The school year has drawn to a close, although many schools have extended learning into the summer to address the gaps in learning experienced this year due to COVID.  Some schools were remote all year, some have been face-to-face, and others have been hybrid.  The year was surreal and reminded many of their first year of teaching or starting teaching all over again.

http://k12science.net/what-the-2020-2021-school-year-taught-us-about-science-teaching-and-learning/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Shawn has delayed summer vacation AGAIN!  
• Summer Conference Series  
  • The Future of Conferencing?  

Advisory:  

Google Arts & Culture – Art Freefall

Click a pic and watch an exploding ball of art.  Use the mouse to navigate around the “ball” and see individual pictures from Google Arts & Culture.  Pick a pic and share what draws you to it.  Alternatively, they could pick a pic that describes them that day.  

TWO-MINUTE TALKS – Edutopia  

Hand out a few slips of paper to each student and ask them to write down questions they’d like to discuss as a group. These can be prompts like “Which restaurant serves the best pizza in town?” or “Would you rather _____ or _____?”

Once you have the questions, you can set aside two minutes at the beginning or end of class—depending on your other classroom routines—for student-led discussions twice a week. Arrange a schedule that allows for each kid to have a chance to lead the talk. Put the schedule on the whiteboard and encourage the class to take ownership of this activity by having the students design a set of discussion norms.

On the designated days, all you need to do is hand a prompt to the facilitator. After that, stand to the side and listen to the conversations, but don’t participate—this is a chance for students to chat about a non-academic topic of interest.

Introverts may be anxious about leading a discussion; you can ease this worry by allowing students to co-lead with a peer. To encourage self-advocacy, you can ask them to arrange this before their turn to lead comes.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/4-ways-foster-positive-student-relationships

Design a Team Sticker – Sticker Giant

These folks have sponsored educational events in the past and been generous.  Make a sticker, pass them out to your team.  Create a team identity together and build your learning community for the year.  

https://www.stickergiant.com/

The Twitterverse  

Eric Curts  @ericcurts

How to Play YouTube Videos Safely in School http://controlaltachieve.com/2016/01/play-youtube-videos-safely.html… #ControlAltAchieve  

John R. Sowash  @jrsowash

Explore your #Chromebook with @ThingLink_edu http://bit.ly/2CgOdcj #ChromebookEDU #googleEDU

Phyllis Fagell, LCPC  @Pfagell

With my 13-year-old, I would get the death stare if I became visible to his Zoom classmates. With my 19-year-old—who took a summer course from my car during a road trip—I had to beg him to warn me if he was going to turn the camera on me & announce: “Say hi to my mom, everyone!”  

The Daily Wire  @realDailyWire

Radioactive Boar-Pig Hybrids Emerge From Fukushima Disaster Site, According To Study http://dlvr.it/S2spZt 

Joy Kirr @JoyKirr

This summer: Realizing that I don’t need to go many places, do many things, or see many people in order to be content and recover from last year. I appreciate it when it happens, but I’m loving the life I’m fortunate/privileged enough to have. Working on learning + relaxing. 

Thomas Sowell  @ThomasSowell

Advice to the young: You don’t have to listen to anybody. You can learn everything from your own personal experience. Of course, you will be at least 50 years old by the time you know what you need to know at 25.

Michael Fricano II  @EdTechnocation

Top secret! @CoSpaces_Edu is working on a new virtual tour creator tool! #ARVRedu #edtech #cospacesedu

MindShift  @MindShiftKQED

It is the inherent messiness of this stage that gives parents an opportunity to “get in there and make a difference.”

Joy Kirr   @JoyKirr

I understand giving students choice. As it shows here, though, what’s the learning objective?  As a reader, I don’t do any of these when I finish a book. If it’s good, I want to share it (or part of it) w/someone. Other ways students can “prove” they’re reading? #ShiftThis

 Typical EduCelebrity   @EduCelebrity

My new learning pyramid… Students remember: 10% of what they hear, 20% of what they see, 40% of what they see and hear, 100% of what’s on Tik Tok!  

Mountain Moot @mtmoot

keynote #2 Martin Dougiamas will be joining us from Australia to talk about Moodle, changes and what is coming soon. @moodler Friday 9:00am (MST). #mtmoot

Typical EduCelebrity  @EduCelebrity

Listen, I am all about knowing classical languages, but there are better ways to learn the Greek alphabet than through Covid variants.

WeAreTeachers  @WeAreTeachers

Asking for a friend…how’d we go from June 9th to July 9th in the blink of an eye? #teachertwitter #teachers

cpjones FCCT  @icpjones

Very very concerning …. Millions of pupils in England had no language teaching in lockdowns – survey

https://t.co/kcuGpSy8RM?amp=1

Mark Glynn @glynnmark

#Moodle Board is now Available – a plugin design to improve student engagement http://enhancingteaching.com/2021/07/09/moodle-board-is-now-available/

Phyllis Fagell, LCPC  @Pfagell

I have my best ideas at 3 am, then forget them by morning. So last night, I decided to end this frustrating cycle by emailing myself the idea right away. Anyway, here’s the brilliance I found in my inbox this morning. Getheng all as is at cosdoqnsis wto being good at wvwetryitb

Social Studies @socialstudiestx

#Socialstudies educators: we are looking for people that are interested in joining our #ssunconference this December. It will be free and we need help with planning presenters and more. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedAmLwA2EYqIDGLX8QDenN0uGTuomFqOjb4xJlLRARUezehg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Join us! #sschat #sstlap #education #teachertwitter  

H5P  @H5PTechnology

Major new features coming soon to H5P: – The H5P OER Hub – Virtual escape room – Real time competition mode (http://H5P.com) – Augmented reality – Paragraph sorting – Cornell notes https://h5p.org/june-2021-roadmap-update

Kevin Honeycutt  @kevinhoneycutt

Mr. Taylor Lewis  @TeachMrLewis

Make the venn diagram shape squares , not circles. Much easier for students to type into and a better use of space.

Matt Miller  @jmattmiller

20 useful ways to use Padlet in class now http://ditchthattextbook.com/2014/11/03/20-useful-ways-to-use-padlet-in-class-now/

#DitchBook

Launch Michigan @launchmich

#Michigan teachers are retiring in record numbers. Our latest statewide survey of 5,000 educators revealed retirements are up 44%, and college graduates with a teaching degree are down 70% over the last eight years.

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

Strategies:  

20 Questions – Matt Miller’s Ditch That Textbook!

Summer is a time of reflection for teachers.  Matt Miller has some questions to get your thinking started.

https://ditchthattextbook.com/teacher-questions/

Taking Middle Schoolers’ Reading Journals Online

Talking Through Reading and Writing you make a case for a broad definition of text. You draw the students in through discussions about song lyrics, tv shows, YouTube, poetry, and art.

Taking Middle Schoolers’ Reading Journals Online

Resources:

AMLE Schools of Distinction

AMLE Schools of Distinction is both a recognition and continuous improvement program open to any school that educates students aged 10-15. Schools will be celebrated for their commitment to the middle grades best practices outlined in AMLE’s foundational text, The Successful Middle School: This We Believe, while also being guided through a process of self-assessment and strategic vision setting to help foster ongoing growth and success.  https://www.amle.org/amle-schools-of-distinction/  

Truth & Propaganda – World Radio

Before we can spot lies, we have to know what’s true

https://wng.org/podcasts/cal-thomas-truth-and-propaganda-1623303304?fbclid=IwAR1PhsfKq-lE0dZbmi7yW5n9nyh_JHD1iLPxmcZoNvK0EwnYDOGu96dHH4U

Reference:  

• US Dept. of Education report:  https://medialiteracynow.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/U.S.-Media-Literacy-Policy-Report-2020.pdf  
• StateScoop Article:  https://statescoop.com/secretaries-state-dhs-expand-anti-disinformation-fight/  
• https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/05/12/oral-testimony-secretary-homeland-security-alejandro-n-mayorkas-senate  

Gamification:  Netflix Binge Learning

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JjU5dz2YdaHk-UPYxTPsfaJUNlGnTe-Hm-RLZbMqmDI/copy

Turn binge watching into binge LEARNING with this fully editable template inspired by Netflix!  This Netflix-inspired “Binge Learning” Google Slides Template offers students a low stress, low hassle way to give your students a “big picture” overview of a concept and the possibility to zoom in with individual “episodes” related to a particular topic of your choice. 

Netflix Binge Learning

Google Arts & Culture – X Degrees of Separation

Click on two pictures and watch Google build you a timeline on how the history of art got from that art piece to the other one.  

https://artsexperiments.withgoogle.com/xdegrees/

HackEducation – Audrey Watters

Remember the book?  Well, the website is now on hiatus until further notice.  I get the feeling it is gone, but that could be the beans from breakfast.  Audrey has completed a book on Teaching Machines.  You can order it from MIT Press, or save some money and pre-order it from Amazon.  The book ships August 3, 2021.  

Moodle Close and GIFT Code Generator V3.31

Download a code generator for creating simple Moodle compatible embedded answer (cloze) question strings and GIFT formatted import strings in Excel.  Thanks to Jordan Svien of the Bunkyo English Communications Center for producing this handy tool.  https://dl.orangedox.com/e9uS92  

Compass Classroom – Word Up!  – Complete Set

Dwane Thomas of Visual Latin fame stars in a zany show teaching Latin and Greek roots, as well as hundreds of English words. Utilizing a new approach to learning, WordUp! seriously expands a student’s grasp of the vocabulary used in literature, science, and standardized tests.  Includes Vol. 1 – 3.  $65.00 while on sale.  

https://compassclassroom.com/shop/product-category/latin-vocab/vocabulary/

Civic Online Reasoning

Students are confused about how to evaluate online information. We all are. The COR curriculum provides free lessons and assessments that help you teach students to evaluate online information that affects them, their communities, and the world.

https://cor.stanford.edu/#annotations:DYnoJtEFEeu9woc6YTwGRA

Spelling Words

We’ve dropped the Merriam-Webster definitions beside them, to help if you’re testing your friends and family (National Spelling Bee competitors are allowed to ask for this, so your loved ones are, too).

https://mashable.com/article/words-2021-national-spelling-bee

BBC COUNTRYFILE MAGAZINE

Explore the British countryside and delve into the big rural issues with the team at BBC Countryfile Magazine. Follow us on walks into beautiful places and meet fascinating people. Lots of sound scapes available.

https://play.acast.com/s/bbccountryfilemagazine/

Lift Every Voice

For more than a century, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” has held a powerful place in American history. The hymn is known as the Black National Anthem, but it’s more than that. It’s a history lesson, a rallying cry, a pledge of unity, and as people gather to fight for equality and justice, it is an ever-present refrain.

Here’s a tour of the historical and cultural meaning behind the lyrics.

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/09/us/lift-every-voice-and-sing-trnd/#annotations:m0L4HuXYEeu07svorWkJzw

Web Spotlight:  

Flippity

Turn your spreadsheets of information into flashcards.  

https://www.flippity.net/

The Class is LAVA! – Edrenaline Rush  

Back to school activity where students accomplish tasks to collect things like furniture for the classroom.  As they navigate the room, they encounter the . . . LAVA!  

Class is Lava!!

Google Arts and Culture

This is the landing place for Google Expeditions and Google Poly.  If you haven’t seen the site in a little while, I’d check it out.  There are a variety of different ways to explore the site, including by timeline.  As you explore the site, you can earn badges.  There was some speculation at #ISTE21 LIVE! that some of the Google Experiments stuff may be moving over to Google Arts & Culture in the future to make the feature more robust.  Looking for Blob Opera?  Sneak over to Google Arts & Culture.  You’ll also find GAC on giphy.  

https://artsandculture.google.com/

AXIS – The Culture Translator

Vax On, Vax Off

What it is: Teens are rebelling against their parents by getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Legal loopholes mean that they sometimes are able to get these shots without their parents knowing.  

This American Friendship

What it is: Survey results reveal young Americans have far fewer close friends than they did thirty years ago.

Why it’s affecting your sons and daughters: In 1990, three percent of Americans reported that they had three or fewer close friends. In 2021, that number jumped to twelve percent. This same data set reports that young men are relying more on their parents than close friends for everyday emotional support, and that men of all ages are far less likely than women to have recently had any type of private conversation with a friend in which they confided a problem or expressed affection. 

The Purge: TikTok

What it is: TikTok deleted over 11 million accounts this quarter for violations of their community guidelines. More than 7 million of those were removed due to violating TikTok’s rules about age.

Why it’s a promising sign: In the past, TikTok hasn’t published numbers that show how many underage accounts they found and expunged from the platform. TikTok’s standard is that a user needs to be 13 or older to manage their own individual account. The fact that the app, which currently has 1 billion global users, is getting publicly honest about younger user’s presence on the platform while doing something to limit their access shows that maybe the platform is taking the rules they adopted in December of 2020 seriously.  

#WatermelonMustard Challange

What it is: A viral TikTok trend you might actually want to try at home: mustard on a slice of watermelon.

Slang of the Week

snatched: a compliment typically used for physical attributes, especially the smallness of someone’s waist, but also sometimes their makeup or outfit. 

Poggers: an expression of excitement that typically refers to something surprising, impressive, or delightful, usually during a video game (see also: Pog, PogChamp). 

Cap: to lie or to exaggerate; sometimes represented with a baseball cap emoji. The opposite of “cap” is truth or authenticity, referred to as “no cap.” 

Ex: “I’ll be swinging by your house to pick you up in the nicest car you have ever seen, no cap.”

Other Data: 20 Signs You’re Actually Making A Difference As A Teacher

Other Data: 20 Signs You’re Actually Making A Difference As A Teacher

Random Thoughts . . .  

Semi-Conductor

If you’re like Troy, you’ve always wanted to be a conductor.  Personally, I’m best at electricity.  You, however, might enjoy Google’s Semi-Conductor:  https://semiconductor.withgoogle.com/  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy catch up on the challenges and changes coming in education. Dave continues his thoughts on computational thinking. 

Jokes:  

---

What do you call it when someone steals your coffee?

• A mugging

---

A friend went into a pet store and inquired about bird cages. He asked one of them was made of. The employee said aluminum. He asked if the bird cage was made of nickel. He was told that it wasn’t. He was thrown out when he declared, “So, it’s a nickel-less cage?”

---

I’m pretty sure that someone hid the final paragraph of my essay on a shelf way up high, but I don’t want to jump to conclusions. 

---

What did they yell at Edgar Allan Poe as he was walking toward a maple tree?

• Poetry

---

I bought a new wig for $1.00

• It was a small price toupee

---

You know, many people enjoy a day off on July 4th. But not fire. 

• Fireworks on July 4th

---

---

---

No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationery. 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

The Intentional Integration of Computational Thinking

I was recently reading the May/June 2021 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section “Interdisciplinary Ideas” written by Raja Ridgway.  Raja wrote an article entitled “The Intentional Integration of Computational Thinking.”

Computational Thinking Practices:

• Decomposition — Breaking down into components.
• Pattern Matching — Finding similarities between components.
• Abstraction — The process of reducing complexity by focusing on the main idea.  By hiding details irrelevant to the question at hand and bringing together related and useful details, abstraction reduces complexity and allows one to focus on the problem.
• Algorithms — A step-by-step process to complete a task.

http://k12science.net/the-intentional-integration-of-computational-thinking/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Changing sunrise by 45 minutes or so . . . 
  • Vocab Quiz:  https://www.visitmaine.net/page/157/maine-slang  
• ISTE21 LIVE! Was last week.  Future of educational conferences.  
  • Interesting interview with Susan Cain about introverts and how schools aren’t supporting the “Quiet” kids by providing individual options to show mastery. Research shows a critical component of creativity is quiet and solitude.  Not exclusively mind you.    https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts?language=en  
• I’m not going to close my Advisory Google Classroom for the summer . . .
• New beginnings
• Video Conferencing this Fall?

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy reflect on the past school year. We share summer plans, thoughts on H5P, culture and more. Dave connects science, math, and computational thinking. 

Jokes:  

The CEO of IKEA was just elected president of Sweden. 

• He should have his cabinet together by the end of the day. 

---

Why did the T-Rex’s business venture fail?

• He was always short handed.

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There are two words which will open a lot of doors for people. 

• Push and Pull

---

I lost my pizza cutter, so I used a Brian Adams CD. 

• It cuts like a knife. 

---

What becomes of the Terminator when he retires? 

• He becomes the ex-Terminator

---

Did you know that if you flip over a canoe you can wear it as a hat? 

• It becomes cap-sized

---

Have you ever tried blind-folded archery? 

• You don’t know what you are missing

---

Where do you go to learn how to make a banana split? 

• Sundae school

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My friend hit rock bottom. 

• So he added “Geologist” to his resume

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Mathematics and Computational Thinking

I was recently reading the May/June 2021 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section “From the Editor’s Desk” written by Patty McGinnis.  Patty wrote an article entitled “Mathematics and Computational Thinking: A Bridge to STEM Careers.”

Science practices have changed drastically over the years as a result of digital tools at the disposal of scientists.  As a result, the sheer volume of data available necessitates an understanding of data management and analytics.

http://k12science.net/mathematics-and-computational-thinking/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Summer Time
• Student Screen Time
• Student Reports
• Parent Conferences

Advisory:  

Future Me

https://www.futureme.org/?#annotations:NijADs35EeubsLfMmYJjQQ

‘Dirty Jobs’ host Mike Rowe: Following your passion ‘rarely works out’ — do this instead

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/07/dirty-jobs-mike-rowes-career-advice-follow-opportunity-not-passion.html#annotations:OYFLVMylEeu4CWNRML9Maw

The Twitterverse

CBC Toronto  @CBCToronto

Ontario could see ‘tsunami’ of recovered COVID-19 patients with long-term symptoms: experts https://ift.tt/3wwhWpS

H5P @H5PTechnology

Moodle and Drupal 7 users may now start sharing their content in the H5P OER Hub! Contribute your content and help make sure the Hub is not empty when it releases! https://h5p.org/start-sharing-your-oer

TeacherGoals  @teachergoals

Benefits of Books by Maria Schriven

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

Resources:

Axis:  The Culture Translator

Growing Up and Glowing Up 

For many teens, the pressure to “glow up” during quarantine was acute; now that COVID restrictions are lifting, that pressure is spiking again. According to Urban Dictionary, glowing up refers to improving one’s physical appearance, individual style, and overall attractiveness. Social media abounds with tips, tricks, and models to help “encourage” glow ups—but this encouragement is wreaking havoc on how many teens and pre-teens see themselves.

As Sarah Tong wrote for student news site The Black & White, “Before quarantine, I had never felt especially concerned about my physical appearance. It was only through this new overexposure to tips and tricks on glowing-up that I became increasingly aware of “flaws” that I had never even noticed before. Although I had always been athletic and healthy, that no longer felt like enough. My main focus now was to achieve the model-tier beauty standard these videos advertised.”

The pressure to glow up affects boys as well. As one parent commented to us, “Seeing my eleven-year-old boy be so self-conscious is scaring me.” So what are some principles for parents of faith to help (pre-)teens navigate this sort of pressure?

Here are some questions you might ask your teens:

• Have you felt any pressure to glow up?
• Where do you think the line is between taking good care of ourselves and becoming image-conscious in an unhealthy way?
• Do the accounts you follow tend to leave you feeling better or worse about yourself?

What Teens Need From Parents:  A Counselor’s Perspective 

1. Be relational, but not their best friend.
2. Convey enjoyment of them.  
3. Know what technology changes.  
4. Expect failure along with success.  
5. Care deeply, but care about other things too.  

Slang of the Week

Sigma male: a male who neither submits to nor requires submission from others; a sigma male is seen by some as embodying healthy masculinity and self-confidence. Typically used in memes or YouTube videos about having a certain stoic and independent mindset, the sigma male “mascot” is actor Keanu Reeves.

Ex: “I’m not about being the leader of the pack, I’m about self-reflection and that sigma-male life.” 

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/teens-need/

Slang of the Week, Part 2

Tiktok accountant (or just “accountant”): TikTok slang for an “adult content creator,” typically refers to a person who gets paid through an OnlyFans account or participates in real-life sex work. (Ex: “I know it’s hard to make money these days, but I didn’t expect her to start working as a TikTok accountant.”)

Web Spotlight:  

The Japanese Art of Making Boring Tasks Better

https://forge.medium.com/the-easiest-thing-you-can-do-to-make-a-boring-job-better-7166d9e9e202#annotations:jOFoHMyUEeuJwz8y6XdZmg

Random Thoughts . . .  

Saltibarsciai

Vasaros gardumynai!  

Šaltibarščiai  

Ingredients   2 servings

• 500 g kefir
  100 g beets, boiled or marinated
  2 fresh cucumbers
  several onion leaves
  a pinch of fresh dill
  1 egg
  salt, to taste
  FOR SERVING
  400 g potatoes, boiled
  dill, chopped

Preparation

• Step 1/3
• Finely chop the vegetables: cucumbers, beets (you may grate these), onion leaves and dill. Mix them all in a large bowl.
• Step 2/3
• Pour the kefir over the vegetables, flavor with salt according to taste, mix and let stand for several minutes (the longer the mixed vegetables stand, the tastier the soup will be).
• Step 3/3
• Pour the soup into bowls, cut the boiled egg in pieces into the bowls. The cold soup is served with hot boiled potatoes flavored with dill.

Personal Web Site   

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy are back. We talk about summer plans, coming back in Fall, technology competencies, and much more. Dave talks about an Exploration Geologist. 

Jokes:  

I just grilled a chicken.

• Still won’t tell me why it crossed the road

---

I don’t alway Whoop. 

• But when I do, there it is

---

I own the world’s worst thesaurus. 

• Not only is it terrible, but it’s terrible

---

The Black Eyed Peas can sing us a tune, but the chick peas can only hummus one. 

---

Why are trees so happy in Springtime? 

• They are releafed now that winter is over.

---

What happens if you get ketchup in your eyes? 

• You develop Heinzsight.

---

---

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Exploration Geologists

I was recently reading the March/April 2021 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section “Career of the Month” written by Luba Vangelova.  Luba wrote an article entitled “Exploration Geologist Quinton Hennigh.”

Exploration geologists, also known as prospectors, look for new sources of mineral deposits.  They use a mix of geological, geophysical, and geochemical knowledge to analyze data and test hypotheses about where deposits are likely to be found.  “You identify targets, drill holes, and try to find treasure,” says Quinton Hennigh.

http://k12science.net/careers-in-exploration-geology-prospecting/

Reports from the Front Lines

• The end is nigh!  
• Moodle HQ 3.11 online training.  
• Summer plans
• LMS selection and use

The Twitterverse  

Typical EduCelebrity  @EduCelebrity

It isn’t the technology your school uses that’s important, it’s how your school markets it to the taxpayers.

Alice Keeler@alicekeeler

Try http://fonts.google.com to discover fonts and font pairings. #googleEDU

MiddleWeb  @middleweb

REVIEW: Building School Cultures That Support Us All. #mschat #educoach #leadupchat #satchat #cpchat #JoyfulLeaders Veteran school system admin @StoneyBeavers highly recommends Handle With Care by @casas_jimmy & @JoyKelly5 to culture-savvy leaders. https://middleweb.com/45304/building-school-cultures-that-support-us-all/

Kimberly Isham  @Isham_Literacy

This is my most recent purchase. First book by the creator of Kid President. #pd4uandme

TeacherGoals @teachergoals

For real! @shesatornado

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

Strategies:  

How to Foster Metacognitive Skills for Independent Learning

Resources:

River Runner

https://river-runner.samlearner.com/#annotations:tT5kbskyEeufrMcEibUiPQ

The Day of Mourning and Hope

A virtual discussion of the Soviet deportees from the Baltics to Siberia.  Lines up with some state’s requirement to talk about holocausts.  

https://www.facebook.com/events/814417969186336/?ref=newsfeed

Bean Song

To share with your students.  Beans.  Wonderful stuff.  Josh Groban, take it away  …  

Axis’ The Culture Translator Slang of the Week

sus: someone or something that seems “suspect” or untrustworthy. While it’s nothing new, this term has become more and more popular as a result of the game Among Us in which the goal is to find a traitor in your midst. (Ex: “That leftover meatloaf had green stuff growing on the top… mad sus.”)  

Web Spotlight:  

The Exploratorium

Ever wondered what a LMS course could be?  Check out The Exploratorium for ideas and examples of what you can create in an LMS like Moodle.  

https://learn.moodle.org/course/view.php?id=27769

Busy Being Born

The Macintosh User Interface wasn’t designed all at once; it was actually the result of almost five years of experimentation and development at Apple, starting with graphics routines that Bill Atkinson began writing for Lisa in late 1978. Like any evolutionary process, there were lots of false starts and blind alleys along the way. It’s a shame that these tend to be lost to history, since there is a lot that we can learn from them.

https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=Busy_Being_Born.txt

The Pandemic Propelled CPS From The Tech ‘Dark Ages’ Into The Modern Computing Age

CPS bought 170,000 laptops and iPads in the last year. Elated school staff wonder if the tech focus can be sustained.

Over the last year during the pandemic, Chicago Public Schools transformed itself from a school district that was woefully behind in technology by adding roughly 170,000 laptops and iPads at a cost of more than $86 million.

The pandemic computer distribution in Chicago Public Schools stood in sharp contrast to the way the school district used to operate.

Historically, it was mostly left up to principals to prioritize technology for their individual schools and then figure out how to pay for it. That meant some schools might have a lot of computers if they fundraised, won a grant or gave up a security guard or a reading specialist to pay for them. Others had little.

https://www.wbez.org/stories/the-pandemic-propelled-cps-from-the-tech-dark-ages-into-the-modern-computing-age/2f5d55ea-964a-43ff-9833-9a5a4e07ea2f

Want to prevent sexual assault? Focus on middle schoolers.

C. Quince Hopkins is the director of the Levitas Initiative for Sexual Assault Prevention at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. Marissa Neuman Jachman is executive director of the Erin Levitas Foundation. They wrote this for the Baltimore Sun.

Want to prevent sexual assault? Focus on middle schoolers.

CONNECTIONS: Is This Really Important?

https://www.connectedd.org/blog/connections-is-this-really-important#annotations:ummgPMnyEeuo2RvJ9sWupA

Random Thoughts . . .  

It is Superman Day

Cartoonist Chad Frye celebrates Superman Day:  

(Scan the Gratuitous QR Code to go to the image.)  

From Dr. Debbie Silver:  

Personal Web Site   

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Summary:

Jokes:  

What’s the favorite music at a golf club? 

• Swing

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Do they allow loud laughing in Hawaii?

• Or just a low ha?

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What did one tectonic plate say to the other when they bumped together? 

• Sorry, my fault

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My ophthalmologist moved to a little island off the coast of Alaska. 

• Yep, my doctor is now an optical aleutian

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The meaning of opaque is unclear.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Scientific Literacy

I was recently reading the March/April 2021 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section “Commentary” written by Andrew Zucker.  Andrew wrote an article entitled “Teaching Scientific Literacy.”

Here are five themes to consider in order to promote scientific literacy:

• Pay attention to the personal and societal contexts of science.
• Relate scientific literacy to traditional forms of literacy.
• Teach about how to find reliable information about science and how to reject junk science.
• Include some important events in the history of science.
• Help females and minority students realize their potential in science.

http://k12science.net/scientific-literacy/

Reports from the Front Lines

• The push to the end of the year . . . 
• Wooclap
• The Eid
• Kids attending school
• What are you keeping?

39 min

Advisory:  

Money Matters

https://www.moneyconfidentkids.com/

Project Database

Student Project Database

The Twitterverse  

Joy Kirr @JoyKirr

How’s your battery, and what will you do to recharge today? What’s that next step towards better mental and physical health?  https://twitter.com/ImpactWales/status/1390933636459925506/photo/1  

𝓓𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓢𝓬𝓱𝓶𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓸𝓾 𝓔𝓭.𝓓. @daveschmittou

When people are redundant in their tweets it feels so repetitive. It’s also like they don’t know what to write too. It’s reading the same words over, and over, and over again. Sometimes 280 characters seems like so much, like a lot.

Soundtrap for Education by Spotify  @soundtrap

Teachers! This year has been extraordinary, and the fact that you have kept students engaged & motivated and feeling loved & supported is remarkable.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! We are grateful for you this week and all year long.

Teachers! This year has been extraordinary, and the fact that you have kept students engaged & motivated and feeling loved & supported is remarkable. 🤩

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! We are grateful for you this week and all year long.

📽️ @audreyoclair, Ed Specialist pic.twitter.com/eV0TmsifZl

— Soundtrap for Education by Spotify 🎶 (@soundtrap) May 7, 2021

Chris Jakicic  @cjakicic

How is your team tracking common formative assessment results? Is this information accessible to all of the people who support your team? #atplc

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

Strategies:  

Team-Based Quizzes

We complete a quiz every single week – students get 4-5 questions to complete individually in 10 minutes, and then the same questions as a team of 4-5 students.

Your online students are using Zoom and placed into random breakout rooms. Students complete 11 quizzes over the term and we take the best 9 scores – overall the assessment is worth 15%. Half of the marks come from their individual score, half from the team attempt.

The quizzes are open book and open internet – I write new questions every single week and students have access to past quiz questions when they are preparing for the class. The questions focus on application of theory in small case contexts.

My observations over the last 5 years

• Students like the idea of frequent assessment to help them stay up to date with their studies
• There has been an improvement in communication skills, especially for non-English speakers. We provide advice at the beginning of the semester about how to communicate as a group – not one person talking all the time, inviting others who haven’t said anything to contribute
• Students feel less pressure to “study for a test” since they do have access to their resources, but they need to be able to apply that knowledge to practical situations.
• I can see lightbulb moments happening during the assessment – a sign of a great formative assessment item.

Team-based quizzes on no budget

Resources:

ASP HOMEROOM

ASP HOMEROOM is a civic engagement collaboration between the Close-Up Foundation and A Starting Point to create a nationwide educational network that will work with middle school and high school educators and students to help educate the next generation of Americans on the most pressing issues of our time. With the goal of inspiring informed participation in our democracy, ASP HOMEROOM creates cross-cultural and interactive learning opportunities between different schools, communities and states on issues surrounding government and politics.

https://homeroom.astartingpoint.com

Free English Books

Best Sites to Download Free English Books ✅

Gratuitous Folk Song Video

Just as the title says . . . 

Belgian Farmer Accidently Moves French Border

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56978344?fbclid=IwAR14VJAeWs2LXeiFwJN0xZDIwfk4kBloGYfhpcjCE2f_fSWXc0qCjsiI-tg

Web Spotlight:  

Is SAMR Dead?

https://www.techlearning.com/news/is-samr-dead#annotations:YxzboKaTEeucaXP5iEc2Qw

Magnus Carlsen’s Mind-Blowing Memory! World Chess Champion tested

World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen is put to the test by English Grandmaster David Howell! How many games can he recognise?

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