Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Shawn’s new computer, conferences, and more. Dave is all about Cool Water. 

Jokes:

If a pig loses its voice…does it become disgruntled?

---

A panic-stricken man explained to his doctor, “You have to help me, I think I’m shrinking.” “Now settle down,” the doctor calmly told him. “You’ll just have to learn to be a little patient.”

---

A ship carrying red paint and a ship carrying blue paint collide in the middle of the ocean. Both crews were marooned.

---

What is a guitar player’s favorite Italian food? 

• Strum-boli.

---

Why’d the alternate universe Spider-Man do so well on his driving test? 

• He’s an excellent parallel Parker.

---

Never date a tennis player. 

• Love means nothing to them.

---

What did Yoda say when he saw himself in 4K? HDMI.

---

What’s an astronaut’s favorite part of the computer? 

• The Space Bar.

---

Why didn’t the vampire attack Taylor Swift? 

• She had bad blood.

---

Today I’m attaching a light to the ceiling, but I’m afraid I’ll probably screw it up.

---

I hate it when people say age is only a number. 

• Age is clearly a word.

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Cool Water

I was recently reading the March/April 2022 issue of “Science & Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the Science 101 column, written by Matt Bobrowsky.  He wrote an article entitled, “What’s Cool About Water?”

Water is a good example to use when discussing how matter can be in different states — solid, liquid, or gas.  Students are quite familiar with solid water and liquid water but gaseous water is a bit more abstract.  Bubbles in boiling water are made of water vapor (gaseous water).  They are not empty, they are not air bubbles, and they are not made of separate hydrogen and oxygen gases.

http://k12science.net/cool-water/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Spark & Tell – AMLE 
  • SES-09050-S7M6  The Online Tools You Need – H5P   
• ACTEM
• End of year testing . . . lots of testing . . . 
• MoodleMoot IE & UK begins on Monday!  
• Moodle 4.0 Theme:  LearnR https://moodle.org/plugins/theme_learnr  
• Mountain Moot July 20-July 22

The Twitterverse  

Ditch That Textbook  @DitchThatTxtbk

12 FREE social media-inspired Google Slides templates! Yelp Spotify YouTube Netflix LinkedIn Twitter Snapchat TikTok Instagram Facebook Pinterest Get ’em here: http://ditchthattextbook.com/social-media-t… #DitchBook #TechLAP

Typical EduCelebrity  @EduCelebrity

The beginning of May is a time when school isn’t quite yet over but everyone likes to think it’s good enough.  

Monica Burns, Ed.D. #EdTech  @ClassTechTips

Although you might have students create a comic strip using a digital medium, this type of activity is perfect for connecting to print experiences.

Jack C Berckemeyer

Love this

PACE Scholarship Academy  tSernsp18Mytau94:8 t  4at0A Mg7a

REPOSTING AGAIN

Parents PLEASE stress the importance of email etiquette to your children. Students send me emails ALL THE TIME with their entire question in the subject AND NO GREETING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EMAIL. If they send emails like this to me, they will surely do it with a scholarship organization. Another reason why your child may not win a scholarship . Follow us on Facebook for daily scholarship posts PACE Scholarship Academy

#fullridesarepossible

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

Resources:

Voices of Hope

Beginning in May, Maine Public will share stories of recovery from across the state with the program, Voices of Hope: The Rugged Road to Recovery. Voices of Hope is a documentary series aimed at reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorder, interviewing young people sharing their recovery stories. This documentary series was created for use in classrooms to facilitate conversations about the use of chemicals and their consequences. This in-depth documentary series dives into how substance use disorder is affecting lives across the state.

https://www.mainepublic.org/voices-of-hope-documentary-series#annotations:RyayOsvSEey7YweegIqWVQ

11 Mysterious Monuments From Around the World

https://www.interestingfacts.com/mysterious-monuments/YkuaY1m3LQAHz-TC

Web Spotlight:

103 Bits of Advice I Wish I Had Known

https://kk.org/thetechnium/103-bits-of-advice-i-wish-i-had-known/#annotations:LSMJvMjnEey7H5NgPBWSkQ

BeamNG.Drive

The BeamNG physics engine is at the core of the most detailed and authentic vehicle simulation you’ve ever seen in a game. Every component of a vehicle is simulated in real-time using nodes (mass points) and beams (springs). Crashes feel visceral, as the game uses an incredibly accurate damage model.

https://www.beamng.com/game/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqx2KKWI8aM

Most Common Passwords: 

1. 123456
2. 123456789
3. Qwerty
4. Password
5. 12345
6. 12345678
7. 111111
8. 1234567
9. 123123
10. Qwerty123
11.  1q2w3e
12. 1234567890
13. DEFAULT
14. 0
15. Abc123
16. 654321
17. 123321
18. Qwertyuiop
19. Iloveyou
20. 666666

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/27/most-common-passwords-hackers-leak-on-the-dark-web-lookout-report.html

Slang of the Week

Mary Sue: An overly idealized fictional character, the phrase has been borrowed from comic books and fanfiction communities but may now be used to describe any person who presents as a sort of Pollyanna-esque figure. (Ex: “I’ve never seen that girl look anything less than perfect, she gets straight As, and everyone she meets adores her. She’s such a Mary Sue.”)  From AXIS the Culture Translator

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Moodle 4, moving resources to digital, and more. Dave has an Ocean full of good stuff. 

Jokes:  

After an unsuccessful harvest, why did the farmer decide to try a career in music?

• Because he had a ton of sick beets.

---

I only seem to get sick on weekdays. 

• I must have a weekend immune system.

---

My friend was showing me his tool shed and pointed to a ladder. “That’s my stepladder,” he said. 

• “I never knew my real ladder.”

---

I don’t get why Marvel doesn’t use the Hulk to advertise more. 

• He’s basically one big Banner.

---

What brand of underwear do scientists wear? 

• Kelvin Klein.

---

Did you know your pupils are the last part to stop working when you die?

• They dilate.

---

My wife asked me the other day where I got so much candy.

• I said, “I always have a few Twix up my sleeve.”

---

Where do pirates get their hooks? 

• Second-hand stores.

---

Of all the inventions of the last 100 years, the dry erase board has to be the most remarkable.

---

What do you call a line of men waiting to get haircuts? 

• A barberqueue.

---

What do you call a beehive without an exit? 

• Unbelievable.

---

This morning, Siri said, “Don’t call me Shirley.” 

• I accidentally left my phone in Airplane mode.

---

It’s easy to convince ladies not to eat Tide Pods, 

• but harder to deter gents.

---

I can’t take my dog to the pond anymore because the ducks keep attacking him. 

• That’s what I get for buying a pure bread dog.

---

• Have you heard about those new corduroy pillows? They’re making headlines.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  The Ocean

I was recently reading the March/April 2022 issue of “Science & Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the Formative Assessment column, written by Page Keeley.  She wrote an article entitled, “Uncovering Student Ideas About Earth’s Defining Feature: The Ocean.”

Earth’s ocean is the defining feature of our planet.  Principle #1 of the “Ocean Literacy Framework” states the Earth has one big ocean with many features.  But research shows that both children and adults believe a common misconception that the oceans are not connected and act alone.

http://k12science.net/the-ocean/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Moodle perceptions
• Moodle 4 impressions

The Twitterverse  

Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher

Wow. The stories we tell kids are so important. Hat tip @michaelcatt for this one.

Quote Tweet

  C. S. Lewis  @CSLewisDaily

“Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.” -C.S. Lewis

Brian Mendler  @BrianMendler

#Teachers with few behavior issues have the following in common: 1. Rarely gets offended. 2. Provides very little down time. 3. Talks w kids before/after class. 4. Asks lots of questions. 5. Don’t need the last word. Add to the list #ThatOneKid #edchat

Todd Finley  @finleyt

Some alternatives to final exams | Brain Blast #edchat #assessment #edleadership #cdned #teachers #education #students

Nicholas Ferroni  @NicholasFerroni

Teaching gives me life, but being a teacher is sucking the life out of me.

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

Strategies:  

3 Counterintuitive Findings About Motivation That Teachers Can Use

• Myth: To motivate students for a difficult task, it’s important to make it fun and entertaining
• Myth: A student who needs a bit of a push on homework just needs some advice from their teacher.
• Myth: Getting students to set goals for themselves is the most important way to motivate them.

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/3-counterintuitive-findings-about-motivation-that-teachers-can-use/2022/04#annotations:6c1cnMSmEeyYTvfWy6_mGg

Resources:  

Wick Editor

Free, open-source editor for creating animations. This can also be used to create games.  Web version (great for Chromebooks) as well as a downloadable version. 

https://www.wickeditor.com/#/

DisplayNote

Display the teacher screen on student devices (computers, iPads, etc). Site creates a URL that is shared. Only the teacher needs a (free) account. 

https://www.displaynote.com/solutions/broadcast

Web Spotlight:

‘It’s Life or Death’: The Mental Health Crisis Among U.S. Teens

Lots of interesting points in this article. Important on the changes https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/23/health/mental-health-crisis-teens.html#annotations:U80WisSfEeyScPdiKqMXkw 

Can You Dig This 1940s Slang?

Just some interesting slang to share (*note that “Buzzed” is included)

https://www.wordgenius.com/1940s-slang/YjzGDn-L6wAG0x8Q

Schools are struggling to hire special education teachers. Hawaii may have found a fix

https://www.npr.org/2022/04/21/1092343446/special-education-teachers-hawaii#annotations:NQnzoMWXEeyuczPjOdYRrA

Middle School Go Be Great Digital Journal

116 page journal from Varsity Brands. This is done as a Google Slides. 

https://www.varsitybrands.com/biydigitaljournals

The ‘Science of Reading’ and English-Language Learners: What the Research Says

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/the-science-of-reading-and-english-language-learners-what-the-research-says/2022/04

AXIS The Culture Translator  

Too Much, Too Soon

What it is: A longform feature and a short documentary from the New York Times examines the neuroscience behind the mental health crisis in today’s teenagers.

Why it offers new insight: The reporting here synthesizes several things we know about teens right now. The onset of puberty continues to drop to an earlier age, with many kids starting sexual maturity while still in elementary school. This occurs at the same time that young people are being absolutely deluged with different types of digital information and experiencing a new awareness of social structures around them. However, that doesn’t mean that the “brake-system” in the brains (the prefrontal cortex) is keeping up with these other changes. Some teens feel trapped inside their bodies as they wait for their brains to mature. One mental health professional interviewed reminded parents that talking to teens early about suicidal ideation, self-harm, and other issues isn’t going to introduce or suggest these issues in a way that causes them to happen, but could in fact be a powerful preventative measure.  

Slang of the Week  

Villain Arc: Used by people, especially girls, who are tired of pretending to be “good” and have decided that the events in their life or the world have launched them into a stylized and aesthetic period of “evil”. (Ex: “My best friend’s boyfriend cheated on her, so she bought a ton of tight dresses and started doing really heavy eyeliner. I guess this is her villain arc.”)

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about time off last week, kids decoding, and more. Dave isn’t all wet, he drop lets us in on some water issues for our world. 

Jokes:  

---

---

---

A friend of mine converted his van from diesel to electric. He used a motor from a dryer. He had trouble getting it to start.

• Then he realized he hadn’t shut the door all the way

---

There’s apparently a crime spree going on at the local IKEA. 

• The cops are having a hard time putting it together. 

---

Seven days without a pun…

• Makes one weak.

---

Do they allow loud laughing in Hawaii? 

• Or just a low ha?

---

Can you tie a knot by telekenesis?

• Thought not

---

I’m writing a book about the things I want to do in life. 

• It’s an oughtobiography

---

Why should you never yell into a colander? 

• You’ll strain your voice

---

Walking around the neighborhood last night, I saw an apple pie, a cherry cheesecake, and an ice cream sundae. 

• I thought these streets are strangely deserted.

---

I middle schooler accidentally sprayed deodorant into his mouth.

• Now he speaks with a weird axe scent. 

---

I  can make you laugh, but not as good as a clown. 

• Those are some pretty big shoes to fill. 

---

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Water In Our World

I was recently reading the March/April 2022 issue of “Science & Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the Editor’s Note column, written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn.  She wrote an article entitled, “Water In Our World.”

Water is critical whether we are floating in canoes, learning about waterfowl habitats, saving a local swamp, or building weather models.  With over 2 billion people struggling to find safe drinking water access, the topic remains one of the most critical issues of this century.

http://k12science.net/water-in-our-world/

Reports from the Front Lines

• AMLE Presentation Proposal
  • H5P.org  
  • Lumi – H5P authoring tool. Lumi is a desktop app that allows you to create, edit, view and share interactive content with dozens of different content types. It’s free and open source.
• Vacation
• Moodle 4

The Twitterverse  

Revolving_Door_Admin  @RAD_is_awesome

The superintendent and executive cabinet have decided that teachers are only allowed to input scores to assignments that a student completes. So a student only completing 1 out of 10 assignments will only be graded on the 1 they completed.

ABC News  @ABC

Beijing is on alert after 10 middle school students tested positive for COVID-19, in what city officials say was an initial round of testing.

Larry Ferlazzo  @Larryferlazzo

A Look Back: The 4 Best Websites For ELL Teachers

https://t.co/A5DK4dR0YX

Eric Curts  @ericcurts

Battlesheets! Google Sheets Battleship Game Template http://controlaltachieve.com/2016/11/battlesheets.html  #ControlAltAchieve

Jolita Dūdienė

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Here is this “Lithuania dear”, this last song, sung at “Song Festival”, directed by maestro Lionginis Abaris, was also sung by me…

The joy, love, admiration, pride, and listening to the crowd is impossible to describe. Just need to be there..

And one of those wizards who so enchanted the crowd of thousands of singers was always maestro Lionginas Abarius.

He was respected, loved and listened to, followed every click of his finger, facial expression and eye look from the youngest to the oldest singer.

We looked at him and the melody from each of us walked as if from the very heart..

Hearts, thousands of hearts sang for a.a. Lionginas Abarias…

In the upcoming “Song Festival” we will no longer get the bridges of Lionginas Abarius, but the melodies from the hearts of the singers will definitely be dedicated to the memory of the maestro.

The angels are singing right now!   

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

Resources:  

Guiding Students to Develop a Clear Understanding of Their Cell Phone Use

https://www.edutopia.org/article/guiding-students-develop-clear-understanding-their-cell-phone-use#annotations:SIElFMKSEeyrA_M7lZ10DQ

Web Spotlight:

Why retaining middle school teachers is critical to student achievement

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/4/8/23015094/retaining-middle-school-teachers-critical-factor-in-student-achievement-shortage

The Ethiopian Calendar

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/ethiopia-calendar.html

Today Is…

https://www.checkiday.com/#annotations:N5jTGL_wEey3Bvs297ogCg

Teacher Fellowship Program

https://www.c-span.org/classroom/opportunities/

How Much Garden You Would Need to 100% Survive On

https://lifehacker.com/how-much-garden-you-would-need-to-100-survive-on-1848829190

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Michigan & Maine, kids on vacation, language, and more. Dave takes a look at some land.  

Jokes:  

I have a friend who fell in love with an electrician. 

• He got shocked.

Then he fell in love with a crane operator, but

• He got let down. 

---

Did you hear about the new movie called “Constipation”?

• It hasn’t come out yet.

---

Google can tell you the following:

• tell me the formula for nitrogen oxide
• tell me the formula for sodium hydride
• tell me the formula for sodium hypobromite

---

---

*ABBAKiss

---

If it weren’t for blinds it would be curtains for all of us. 

---

If you share music puns, you will be….

• Band

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Land Loss Lookout

I was recently reading the March/April 2022 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section, “Citizen Science,” written by Jill Nugent.  She wrote an article entitled, “The Land Loss Lookout Project.”  

Land Loss Lookout is a citizen science project from Healthy Gulf and Northeastern University designed to monitor land loss in the Mississippi River Delta region.  Students can help categorize wetland impact patterns by looking at color infrared aerial images online.  For more information, please visit the project’s website at: 

Contact

Reports from the Front Lines

• Markdown in Google Docs – Cheatsheet
  • Must be turned on in Preferences (Tools | Preferences)
  • Teach your students
  • Mermaid – Flowcharts using Markdown like language (Live Editor)
  • ADA compliance
• Middle Schoolers & eMail Vacation settings 
• Ramadan
• The TESTing season is upon us!  
  • Gao Kow
  • State Testing Truc et Chose!  

The Twitterverse  

Christine Thielen @cmt215il

@Pfagellreminding us that we NEED to take care of ourselves. #AMLE22Recharge

Katie Powell  @Beyond_the_Desk

“We need to be the thermostat even if kids are thermometers.” We need to be steady even if kids’ emotions go up and down.  @Pfagell  @AMLE  #AMLE22Recharge

Secretary Miguel Car-don’t Care   @SecCarDontCare 

I love to hear from our educators in the field, but please no complaints during my lunch hour. I can’t problem solve on an empty stomach.  

  Detroit Free Press  @freep

It’s soda, not pop.  https://t.co/agiQwn5iH4  

Typical EduCelebrity   @EduCelebrity

Today is #NationalCrayonDay. To commemorate this day, I would like to suggest to @Crayola new teacher-inspired colors: 

-High Importance Email Red 

-Faded Bulletin Board Paper Black 

-Sharpened Pencil Graphite Gray 

-Vintage Overhead Projector Blue 

-Florescent Light Off-White

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

Strategies:  

International Fact-Checking Day

https://factcheckingday.com/

Resources:  

Virtual Reality Fieldtrips

Earth Day (or any day) is a great time to explore the globe. This school year, jumping around from one corner of the world to another might be out of this (sic) question. But even if your field trip budget is currently at zero, digital tools can help you transport students around the world. If you want to take students on a tour of our planet this April 22nd, try out these virtual reality field trips for Earth Day.

10 Virtual Reality Field Trips for Earth Day

Fun With Language  

Luis Van Rooten made a book of English nursery rhymes with French words in nonsensical context.  

“Lit-elle messe, moffette

Satan ne te fête,

Et digne somme coeurs et nouez.

À longue qu’aime est-ce pailles d’Eure.

Et ne Satan bise ailleurs

Et ne fredonne messe. Moffette, ah, ouais!”

You can get a copy of all the poems here, but it is outrageously pricey!  

Latvia for Ukraine – “Resistance”

“Musicians from Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, and Ukraine have united in a song called “Resistance”. The song calls on everyone to support Ukraine in its fight against the military aggression of Russia. It honours the bravery and strength of its defenders and stands firmly for European values and the right to freedom of every nation. The musicians appeal to everyone not to be ignorant and encourage to support Ukraine in any way possible. The singers also call on other artists to create projects that keep Ukraine and its people in the spotlight. All proceeds from the streaming and performing of “Resistance” will be donated to support Ukraine.”  

Video:  https://youtu.be/GAtlZjkdkVs?list=RDGAtlZjkdkVs  

Purchase:  https://fanlink.to/resistance_latviaforukraine  

AXIS – The Culture Translator

Fake Skews

What it is: A political PR firm paid for by Meta may have partnered with local media outlets across the US to make TikTok look bad, according to the Washington Post. 

Slang of the Week

Material gowrl: from Saucy Santana’s song “Material Girl,” a cheeky, endearing description of a person who prioritizes buying the things that they want over the things that they need; can also simply refer to having wealth and a confident attitude. (Ex: “Fridge might be empty but my closet’s full of Zara. MaTeRiAl GoWrL.”)

Web Spotlight:

Vietnam Draft Picker

During the Vietnam War young American men faced the possibility of being involuntarily drafted into military service, but there were many ways to avoid it with certain connections. “If you’ve got the dough,” it was said, “you don’t have to go.”

As the war went on, selective service requirements, deferments and exemptions changed in an effort to make the draft appear more fair. One of those changes was the institution of a draft lottery, which gave young men a random number between 1 and 366 corresponding to their birthdays. Lower numbers were called first.

The draft lottery did not fix all the inequities of selective service, but it did force young men with low numbers to directly face the prospect of going to war or actively seek a way around being drafted into active duty.

If you had been born in 1950, what would your draft number have been?

https://www.usatoday.com/vietnam-war/draft-picker/

WordTune

Say exactly what you mean through clear, compelling and authentic writing. Chrome add-on. 

Free version allows for 10 per day. 

• Focused on Rewrite

Explore new ways to rephrase sentences

https://www.wordtune.com/

Quillbot

Your words matter, and our paraphrasing tool is designed to ensure you use the right ones. With 2 free modes and 5 premium modes to choose from, QuillBot’s paraphraser can rephrase any text in a variety of different ways, guaranteeing you find the perfect language, tone, and style for any occasion. Just enter your text into the input box, and our AI will work with you to build the best paraphrase from the original piece of writing.

https://quillbot.com/

Google Docs Assistive Writing

https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2022/03/more-assistive-writing-suggestions-in.html#annotations:KysrCrHFEeyLqJtXPOv1Ng

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Spring Break, Learning Loss, and more. Dave journals Nature. 

Jokes:  

---

I’m thinking of getting trained to use trucks in reverse.

• It’s a backup job

---

I talk to myself. 

• Sometimes I need expert advice.

---

I asked my German student if he knew what 10-1 was equal to.

• He told me no.

---

I just saw a Cure cover band. They were amazing. If anything, they were even better than the Cure. 

• They’re called Prevention.

---

---

There’s a contest to name a bridge. The leading name is currently Chuck Norris. I don’t think that is going to work. 

• Nobody crosses Chuck Norris

---

My day started out really bad. I rear ended a car so I got out with my documents. Out of the car I hit came a dwarf looking angry. I said you’re not Happy are you…that’s when the fight started.

---

I just saw a car being driven by a sheep in a swimsuit.

• It was a Lamb Bikini

---

---

A friend of mine called and asked to meet at the music shop in 45. I made it in 33; which is record speed.

---

Did you know the word “gullible” is not in the dictionary? True, you can look it up. 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Nature Journals

I was recently reading the March/April 2022 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section, “Interdisciplinary Ideas,” written by Katie Coppens.  She wrote an article entitled, “Creating Confidence and Community Through Nature Journals.” 

Nature journals are a great tool for teaching students how to think about and express science in a way that’s individualized to their needs, while also connecting them to their classmates, teacher, and nature.  Nature journaling also allows students to grow in their ability to observe, reflect, and document their own scientific understanding.

http://k12science.net/nature-journals/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Summer PD
• Moving buildings – chip shortage
• Tools that you have
• Instructional Coaching
• Router Update
• Apple Learning Coach

The Twitterverse  

Jack Berckemeyer  @JBerckemeyer

Middle School Educators- I am working on a list of what teams need from their admin. Some examples- Permission to be flexible with core time, ability to create reward systems for our students on our team, one parent communication log verse one per core teacher…… What else?

dailySTEM (Chris Woods)  @dailystem

Hey teachers…here’s a fun paper project on @instructables for your students… Instructions: https://instructables.com/Easter-Egg-3D-

The Kyiv Independent@KyivIndependent

Award-winning film composer Hans Zimmer interrupted his own concert in London on March 25 to show a video of Lviv-based pianist Alex Pian performing Zimmer’s pieces from the film Inception “Time,” amid air raids.  https://twitter.com/i/status/1507515074264641538  

RandomTeacher

@TheReelRandom

I was today years old when I learned you can just drop an emoji on the GIF search bar and “POOF”… you get results… proving once again that I’m old as dirt.

Yasin Dahi  @ymdahi

5 New #H5P Content Types now available on #LibreStudio, bringing the total number to 55! There are also 6200+ openly licensed (mostly #CC) H5P in the Catalogue, making it the largest openly shared @H5PTechnology repo (I think?!) #OER https://studio.libretexts.org

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

Strategies:  

Readlee

Effortlessly identify struggling readers, monitor progress, and automate differentiated scaffolding. 

https://www.readlee.com/

Resources:  

Analyze My Writing

Several interesting choices. These could be used by students or teachers. 

• Basic Text Statistics
• Common Words and Phrases
• Readability
• Lexical Density
• Passive Voice
• Cloze Test

https://www.analyzemywriting.com/index.html#annotations:g5Y2bKeUEeyhIU8loz1lYA

TEACHING THE HARD HISTORY OF AMERICAN SLAVERY

https://www.splcenter.org/teaching-hard-history-american-slavery#annotations:-TX61KxhEeyaLQvee9dPMw

Civics Connected

https://www.civicsconnected.com/virtual-field-trip/#annotations:klM-5KncEey9V89QUdS6KA

Incredible Comparisons

https://magazine.lensvid.com/article/tw/1170023852/incredible-comparisons-show-us-things-in-a-new-way/#annotations:0N4_TKxcEeyluBvrtWiPag?pg=34

The Art of Luca

https://disney-studios-awards.s3.amazonaws.com/luca/books/flipH45pEt23wR/index.html#annotations:CU9g-Kk0Eeyk7fNzJkiIBA

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Julius Caesar, go on a rathole or two, and conferences. Dave is all about implicit bias. 

Jokes:  

Where do you go if you are injured while playing Peek-a-Boo!?

• The ICU

---

If the first picture is a pair of scissors, what is the second?

---

What if my dog only brings back the ball because she thinks I like throwing it?

---

Intentionally losing a game of rock, paper, scissors is just as hard as trying to win.

---

---

---

What has four letters, never has five letters, and always has six letters?

---

I was having dinner and the waitress screamed “does anyone know CPR?” I yelled, “I know the entire alphabet” and we all laughed and laughed. Well, except for this one guy.

---

People have always told me that icy is the easiest word to spell. Now that I think about it, 

• I see why

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Implicit Bias

I was recently reading the March/April 2022 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.  She wrote an article entitled, “Implicit Bias Has No Room in the Classroom.” 

The tendency for stereotype-confirming thoughts to pass spontaneously through our minds is what psychologists call implicit bias.  One way to cultivate an awareness of our own implicit biases is to participate in Harvard University’s Project Implicit:

https://bit.ly/3rpscjM

The project website contains numerous tests designed for individuals to uncover their biases.

http://k12science.net/implicit-bias/ 

Reports from the Front Lines

• Julius Caesar Forums
• Conferences going in-person
  • ISTE hybrid
• Looking forward to break
• Surprise!  

The Twitterverse  

Dr. John Spencer  @spencerideas

Debunking 5 Myths About Project-Based Learning https://edutopia.org/blog/debunking-five-pbl-myths-john-larmer

Via  @edutopia

Nick LaFave @NFLaFave

Transform text with this awesome font generator. Choose from a variety of popular fonts from products to video games to movies and TV shows. https://ift.tt/HmAzTPC #EdTech #EdChat #Fonts

TeacherGoals  @teachergoals·

For real! 

𝓓𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓢𝓬𝓱𝓶𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓸𝓾 𝓔𝓭.𝓓.   @daveschmittou

Dear Principals- This spring, ask your staff if they can identify your three most important principles. You are a more effective principal if you have clearly defined and explicitly activated principles.

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

Strategies:  

Resources:  

Axis:  The Culture Translator

1. Tokking Points:  What it is: The White House briefed TikTok stars on the Russian invasion and subsequent humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.  
2. Slang of the Week:  Flop era: a period in your life when it feels like everything is falling apart. (Ex: “That time my face was breaking out, my parents grounded me from my phone, and I couldn’t pass advanced calculus… that was my flop era.”)

Hemingway App

Useful for students to review their own writing. There are two modes, write and edit. Students get lots of feedback. 

https://hemingwayapp.com/

Habits for a Healthy Democracy

The principles, habits, and behaviors that are important to support a healthy democracy

https://www.globalonenessproject.org/lessons/habits-healthy-democracy#annotations%3AIYSPGKYAEeyywstBe3ljlw=

StorySet

https://storyset.com/#annotations:RD3ECqRoEeymeN_6oLq8xQ

Web Spotlight:

Does Teaching Experience Increase Teacher Effectiveness? A Review of the Research (Tara Kini and Anne Podolsky)

Does Teaching Experience Increase Teacher Effectiveness? A Review of the Research (Tara Kini and Anne Podolsky)

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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Summary:

Troy and Shawn share thoughts about kids starting a podcast about book club, going to Europe, and more. Dave has some tips about teaching science. 

Jokes:  

When you clean your vacuum, you become the Vacuum Cleaner.

---

---

Had a debate with a flat earther. He said he’d walk to the edge to prove me wrong. I said, “you’ll come around eventually”. 

---

---

Shout out to the people who want to know what the opposite of in is. 

---

Hey, now that things are opening back up, the re-opening of the Lego store was a huge event.

• People were lined up for blocks.

---

---

---

Your fingers have fingertips, but your toes don’t have toetips.

• Yet, you can tiptoe, but not tipfinger. 

---

• The word Queue is just a Q followed by 4 silent letters. 

---

You recite in a play and play in a recital. 

---

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Classroom Success

I was recently reading the January/February 2022 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section, “Focus on Physics,” written by Paul G. Hewitt.  He wrote an article entitled, “A Personal Journey to Classroom Success.” 

There are some central rules to heed, in order to be, an appreciated and effective science teacher:

1. Attitude
2. Do Less professing and more questioning and listening
3. Not knowing everything is okay
4. Pace your class well
5. Exam coverage
6. Don’t frown on the notion of “teaching to the test”
7. Exam fairness
8. Grade exams in a timely manner and post scores quickly
9. Respect is a two-way street

http://k12science.net/classroom-success/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Podcast from kids
• PD for next year
• Tech use moving forward
• How is student behavior different

The Twitterverse  

Alan See @AlanSee

20 Enduring Proverbs Written By Ben Franklin!

https://t.co/YJDjn3z1st

Joy Kirr (she/her)  @JoyKirr

My #DailyGoodness for today: Student who was failing (how can you fail Mrs. Kirr’s class?!?!) put in effort today and got all answers right. I asked, “Hmm… why do you think that is?” Answer: “I actually read the article.” Small successes are still successes.

Ramona Towner @rmbtowner_tech

Apple Elements of Learning – Personalized Learning https://bloglovin.com/blogs/tales-an-icoach-10950069/apple-elements-learning-personalized-learning-8404359267 on @bloglovin

Dr. Joanne Freeman  @jbf1755

Want Americans to understand their government? Teach them history. Want them to know the rights & duties of citizenship? Teach them history. Want them to understand present problems? Teach them history. Want numbed disoriented Americans? Close history dept’s

Natalie Arias, M.Ed.  @natariastx

Students don’t hate technology. They hate the substitution of technology for work that was already busy-work on paper.

Fixing Education  @FixingEducation

When educators are given way too much to do.

When educators are given way too much to do. pic.twitter.com/AxBbYYdS1g

— Fixing Education (@FixingEducation) March 9, 2022

Revolving_Door_Admin  @RAD_is_awesome

The Coordinator of Curriculum and Director of Curriculum can’t agree on the latest flavor-of-the-month acronym they want teachers to implement. So instead of arguing, they decided that teachers will be required to use both in their classrooms.

Typical EduCelebrity   @EduCelebrity

Principal: What is a good opening activity that will tie in to my presentation? Me: “Turn to a partner and discuss a moment in which you needlessly wasted everyone’s time.”  

Warren Smith  @WarrenColeSmith

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

Resources:  

France24:  Truth or Fake?

Want a resource that focuses on showing how media can be “managed?”  Take a look at France24’s Truth or False? Segment.  Airs daily and you can find it here:

https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/truth-or-fake/

Axis:  The Culture Translator

Outta pocket: This older slang has been making the rounds and is used to mean “out of line” or “acting inappropriate.” (Ex: “This guy is absolutely outta pocket, cutting me off like that.”)

Pi Day

Pi Day – Celebrate Mathematics on March 14th

Annotate With Ease

Try a free tool that does all you need without the bloat. Made for Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome and your web browser.

https://markuphero.com/try/annotate.html#annotations:XfzD_qIREey4UJePmg5V0w

TypaTone

https://typatone.com/annotations:mxi8wJ8UEey7H9enNKsDCw

Vocal Remover

https://vocalremover.org/#annotations:A2mzhJ8UEeysDifKokDbHQ

Teaching Digital Citizenship

InCtrl is a series of free standards-based lessons that teach key digital citizenship concepts. These lessons, for students in grades 4-8, are designed to engage students through inquiry-based activities, and collaborative

and creative opportunities.

Home

Web Spotlight:

Maps

#4: The Highest Paid Public Employees in America

These Maps Portray the U.S. More Accurately Than Anything We Learned in School

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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Summary:

Shawn and Troy discuss technology in Shawn’s room, H5P, world events, and more. Dave has designs on science success. 

Jokes:  

Did you hear about the guy who got hit by a milk truck? I mean, what are the odds?

• Like 2%

---

A cop pulled me over for speeding in my RV. He asked me where I live.

• I said right here. … 

---

Where does Captain Hook buy his hooks?

• At the second-hand store

---

Please welcome our next band, the Subtractions

• Take it away….
• I just hope that there is no division between them

---

My favorite waltz band is called the 75%

• They always play in 3/4 time

---

What part of a person dies last?

• The pupils – they die late

---

My friend named his new dog Liberace because he drinks a lot of water. 

• That’s right, he’s a peeinsist

---

If a wild male pig kills you, doesn’t that mean you’ve been boared to death?

---

What does one tree that has been cut down say to other trees?

• I’m stumped…

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Uncovering Students’ Ideas About Using Designs From Nature

I was recently reading the January/February 2022 issue of “Science & Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the section, “Formative Assessment Probes,” written by Page Keeley.  She wrote an article entitled, “Uncovering Students’ Ideas About Using Designs From Nature.” 

Scientists seek to understand the natural world, while engineers solve problems in a human-designed world.  While there are similarities and differences between the work of scientists and engineers, some students may think the natural world applies only to science.

 http://k12science.net/uncovering-students-ideas-about-using-designs-from-nature/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Current Events
• New H5P – Pickup with Cornell Notes

The Twitterverse  

Typical EduCelebrity 🧠@EduCelebrity·

Teachers, I know many of you go into your school while it is still dark outside. But don’t fret! That same beautiful night sky will be there to greet you when you get home!

Melissa D@Dean_of_math

This.

https://twitter.com/Dean_of_math/status/1497695305608826884/photo/1

Social Media Lab @SMLabTO

Fake viral footage is spreading alongside the real horror in Ukraine. Here are 5 ways to spot it

https://t.co/Yc7Kz1q3ch

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

Strategies:  

Jigsaw

From the wonderful Larry Felazzo

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2022/02/25/heres-a-short-slidedeck-i-made-for-our-school-on-the-difference-between-cooperative-collaborative-jigsaws-2/

Resources:  

Name Picker Ninja

https://www.namepickerninja.com/index.html#annotations:OKV7Po54EeyJI2MmMkf2tA

Axis:  The Culture Translator

1.  Big Sis Tok:  TikTok and Instagram personalities like Tinx are giving advice on dating, fashion, and a new type of lifestyle sensibility.
2. Fake Breaking News:  Some content creators on social media are claiming to offer an inside look at what war looks like in Ukraine right now. A lot of these posts are fake.  
3. Slang of the Week:  Lovebombing: therapy-speak for when an abusive romantic partner or loved one deluges you with gifts, praise, and affirmation as a form of manipulation, this term has made its way to mental health TikTok where it is applied to a variety of different situations. (Ex: “I thought he was really into me because he went all-out Valentine’s Day, but he’s been ghosting me ever since. Total lovebomber.”)

Heardle

Like Wordle but for music

https://www.heardle.app/

Pirate Math Equation Quest

We designed this version of Pirate Math Equation Quest as an individual intervention for use with students at the third-grade instructional level. This version of the program was developed to offer support to Tier-2 and Tier-3 students who require supplemental mathematics remediation in the area of word-problem solving. The focus of the Pirate Math Equation Quest individual intervention is single-digit and double-digit additive word problems that include three schemas: Total, Difference, and Change.

https://www.piratemathequationquest.com/

Podcasts For Kids

https://www.timeout.com/kids/best-podcasts-for-kids-of-all-ages#annotations:JiEi6JlxEeydcYfqZIkFbg

National Anthem Day

Web Spotlight:

Trauma and Learning in an International Context

The Lesley Institute for Trauma Sensitivity invites you to join our inaugural international convening of trauma and learning. Six educators from Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Ecuador, and the United States will facilitate a dialogue on the conceptualization of trauma and responses to it based on the country and cultural context.

Register for this free virtual event.

https://lesley.edu/events/international-convening-of-trauma-and-learning

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about mask mandates, posting lessons, students cheating, and more. Dave has designs on success in science.

Jokes:  

“Do you want a box for your leftovers?” 

• No, but I’ll wrestle you for them!”

---

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Set your wifi password to

2444666668888888

Then when someone asks for your password tell them

12345678

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The other day, at a thrift store, I bought an old record album called “Sounds Wasps Make”. When I got home and played it, I said to myself, “This doesn’t sound like wasps sounds”. 

• Then I realized I was playing the Bee side. 

---

Yesterday I was at physical therapy for an injury and found myself in the middle of a very loud back-and-forth between a couple therapists about a bridge over a local river.  It went like this:

Therapist 1:  It’s a viaduct

Therapist 2:  No, it’s a causeway

Therapist 1:  It’s a viaduct, because of the arches

Therapist 2:  But it’s crossing water, so it’s a causeway

Me:  At least we know it’s not a henway.

Therapist 1 & 2:  What’s a henway?

Me (barely containing myself):  Oh, about five pounds

I was so proud of myself!

---

What is the name of that girl that stands in the middle of the tennis court ?

Annette

---

What kind of shoes do frogs wear?

• Open Toad

---

I asked my dog what’s two minus two.She said nothing.

---

Bono and the Edge walked into an ice cream shop. The server said, “Oh no, not U2 again”.

---

I have a fear of speed bumps! I’m slowly getting over it

---

Why are elevator jokes so classic and good? 

• They work on many levels!

---

Why can’t you hear a psychiatrist using the bathroom? 

• Because the P is silent

---

​​I wonder if the guy who coined the phrase, “One Hit Wonder,” ever came up with another Iconic phrase.

Eileen Award:  

• Tom Acker, Technology Integrator

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Design Thinking

I was recently reading the January/February 2022 issue of “Science & Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the section, “Editor’s Note,” written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn.  She wrote an article entitled, “Design Thinking.” 

• Design Thinking is a solution-based technique used to solve problems.    The basics of Design Thinking are:
• Empathize – consider others’ needs, not just solve the problem
• Define – define the problem and create a meaningful and actionable problem statement
• Ideate – encourage innovation through brainstorming
• Prototype – identify and develop the best solution through multiple iterations
• Test – evaluate prototypes and consider improvements

http://k12science.net/design-thinking/

Reports from the Front Lines

• NWEA discussion
• Mask mandates
• Posting Lessons on line
• Teachers Pay Teachers
  • Richard Byrne https://twitter.com/rmbyrne/status/1494071923076214786 
  • Shawn McGirr

The Twitterverse  

AIMS  @aimsnetwork

7 #strategies for #students who #struggle with executive functioning https://ditchthattextbook.com/executive-func

Ryan Sheehy @sheehyrw

I am scared. Educators are tired. They are getting burned out. How can we keep so many amazing educators in their jobs. Everyone rushes to say pay them more. Money is not the only answer. Society appreciation goes a long way. #BeTheOne

Ian Jukes  @ijukes

First Sign of Spring

Ian Jukes  @ijukes

One Kit Kat left..

Doug Robertson  @TheWeirdTeacher

The announcers for bobsled could say literally anything about the sport and I’d believe it. “This German team trains by push starting the most popular roller coaster in the country- Der ZoomenLooper.” “The Canadian driver wrestles moose in the off season to stay in shape.”    (I wanna say that I regret not adding umaults to Der ZöomënLüper)  

Typical EduCelebrity @EduCelebrity·Want a fun activity to do? Record the presentation of the person running your professional development – the one who tells you to have a positive attitude and just persevere. Then, say those exact same words to your students. Certainly, nothing could go wrong by doing this!  

Janine Campbell  @campbellartsoup

New semester, new set of dots inspired by #thedot from @peterhreynolds – these works will join the collaboration in the hall! #k12artchat #mschat

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

Strategies:  

Hack Your Classroom Activity

No, not you, your students can.  “School Cheats is a revolutionary platform that allows you to gain access to answers for your favorite school platforms. We support platforms such as Quizizz, Edpuzzle, Kahoot, Blooket, Quizlet, Khan Academy, and Classkick.”

https://schoolcheats.net/dashboard/

Blooket Hacks

• https://morioh.com/p/22ed8b2cdf9d  
• Using Github:  https://gamertweak.com/hack-blooket-github/  
• Script source:  https://www.tfrecipes.com/blooket-hack-script/  
• Exploits:  https://www.libhunt.com/r/blooket-hack  

Resources:  

Illusion of the Year

Top 10 Finalists

http://illusionoftheyear.com/cat/top-10-finalists/2021/ 

The Changing Room Illusion

Airzooka

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=Airzooka&crid=1L7C6SLYM9AIP&sprefix=airzooka%2Caps%2C188&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Web Spotlight:

45 Eighth Grade Science Fair Projects and Classroom Experiments

https://www.weareteachers.com/8th-grade-science-projects/

Google Slides is Hilarious

View at Medium.com

Middle Schoolers Launch Boat

The 6-foot-long Rye Riptides, decorated with artwork from the kids and equipped with a tracking device that went silent for parts of the journey, was found Feb. 1 in Smøla, a small island near Dyrnes, Norway, the Portsmouth Herald reported Monday.

Boat launched by New Hampshire middle schoolers lands in Norway

Teachers Are Not Superheroes (And That’s A Good Thing!)

1. The Superhero mentality leads to burnout.
2. Being the “Savior of Students” is an unattainable status.
3. There is a difference between Superhero and Hero.  

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