MSM 597: Goblin Tools, not just for the Cafeteria!

/ 0 Comments / , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, tools, students, and more. Dave has Science, Science, Everywhere.

Jokes:  

You’re in a wordplay contest and the topic is “water”.

  • What is your wet pun of choice?

How did the plant go into business?

  • He got seed money.

If you call someone a “stick in the mud” it’s because they are no fun.

  • But if a dog finds a stick in the mud it’s the greatest day of his life.

A prisoner escaped by putting a paper towel over his face and walking out of jail.

  • There’s a Bounty on his head.

Someone told me it was already autumn. I’m not falling for it.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Science, Science, Everywhere

I was recently reading the April 2023 issue of “Connected Science Learning” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the editorial section written by Beth Murphy.  She wrote an article entitled, “Science, Science, Everywhere.”

If we look to the history of science and engineering, it all begins with phenomena-observations of the natural and human-made worlds that cause one to ask questions and identify problems worth answering and solving.  In her editorial she looks at how the formal science education system as we know it came to be.

http://k12science.net/science-science-everywhere/

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Moodle vs Google Classroom
    • USDZ images
  • H5P Presentation
  • AI in MAIne – Legal Aspects
  • Friendly Grandpa

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘struthonianism’: the act of burying one’s head in the sand; an attitude of ‘Problem? What problem?’. From the Latin ‘struthio’, ‘ostrich’.   

Word of the day is another outing for ‘mumpsimus’ (16th century): one who sticks rigidly to their position, despite clear evidence that they shouldn’t.  

Revolving_Door_Admin  @RAD_is_awesome

The reason for your negative walkthrough assessment is because you failed to mention your Clarity Statement for the 60 seconds that I was in your classroom.

Ryan Hazen  @MisterHazen

Ok this is fascinating https://moodle.org/plugins/local_aiquestions #MootGlobal23

Now THAT is a proper Chat GPT prompt that can really help teachers using #moodle #MootGlobal23

PhET is one of the best freely available tools out there for simulations, perfect for a project like

@Edutab_Africa – check them out and play around if you haven’t already! https://phet.colorado.edu

Moot Global | #MootGlobal23  @mootglobal

Lightning Session 3: Maxwell Fundi (Edutab) offered a comprehensive look at offering offline eLearning for primary schools in low resource settings using Moodle. He emphasised how Edutab brings STEM education to life through simulations on portable, single-board computers.

Strategies:  

Let’s scrap the neuromyths: No, you aren’t a ‘visual’ or ‘auditory’ person

Who hasn’t heard the statement that we only use 10 per cent of our brain? That listening to Mozart’s music makes you smarter or that most learning happens in the first three years of life? Or that a person who is “right-brained” is more creative? Another widespread idea is that we are either visual, auditory or kinesthetic (more sensitive to touch) and that we learn better according to these “styles.”

At the Cognitive Health Research Laboratory at Laurentian University, our research team is particularly interested in the neuromyths of learning styles called VAK, for visual, auditory, kinesthetic.

https://theconversation.com/lets-scrap-the-neuromyths-no-you-arent-a-visual-or-auditory-person-141957

Resources:  

Connections

Allows you (or your students) to create groups of connected items. You group four items with four groups.

https://connections.swellgarfo.com/

*Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the Spoiler Answer

Goblin Tools

https://goblin.tools/

Gutenberg Audio Books

Thousands of free and open audiobooks powered by Project Gutenberg, Microsoft, and MIT.

Project Gutenberg, Microsoft, and MIT have worked together to create thousands of free and open audiobooks using new neural text-to-speech technology and Project Gutenberg’s large open-access collection of e-books. This project aims to make literature more accessible to (audio)book-lovers everywhere and democratize access to high quality audiobooks. Whether you are learning to read, looking for inclusive reading technology, or about to head out on a long drive, we hope you enjoy this audiobook collection.

https://marhamilresearch4.blob.core.windows.net/gutenberg-public/Website/index.html

PNGWing

https://www.pngwing.com/

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

An Empirical Question 

What it is: People everywhere are asking each other how often they think about the Roman Empire, and then posting about the answer. #romanempire currently has 1.2 billion views on TikTok.

Web Spotlight: 

Free Classes:

26 of the best MIT courses you can take online for free

Find free courses on everything from game design to machine learning.

https://mashable.com/uk/deals/free-mit-courses-september

22 of the best Stanford University courses you can take online for free

edX is offering learners from around the world access to Stanford University’s extended education, professional development, and lifelong learning opportunities. And you can take advantage of these opportunities without spending anything.

https://mashable.com/uk/deals/free-stanford-courses-september

Current Events:  The World from A to Z with Carl Azuz

Daily 9 minute news program for students.  Carl’s back with all the puns!

https://worldatoz.org/

Patented Podcast

“This podcast investigates the curious history of invention and innovation. Did Thomas Edison take credit for things he didn’t actually invent? What everyday items have surprising origins? And would man have ever got to the moon without… the bra?”  

Random Thoughts . . .  

*Spoiler for Connections: 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MSM 596: Orange Agronomist

/ 0 Comments / , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about starting of the school year. Dave plants the concept of an Agronomist. 

Jokes:  

​​I bought my friend an elephant for his room.

He said, “Thanks!”

I replied, “Don’t mention it.”

Puns about actress Alison Brie can be rather cheesy.

John’s getting several rabbit tattoos on his bald head so he can have hares there again.

If your Canadian bacon keeps curling in the frying pan take away the broom.

A plateau is the highest form of flattery.

I often chortle a bit when I see a no-reply e-mail has a reply button at the bottom.

It’s still a bit odd when computers ask us to confirm we’re not a robot.

We’ve probably all kicked a pregnant woman.

Instead of a curse jar I have a pessimist jar.

At the moment it’s half empty.

Going with chimney jokes today. I have a stack of them.

(No charge — they’re on the house).

Pirated movies get 3.14 stars.

I’m starting a sarcasm society.

Would be honored if you joined.

Just realized I’ve never had an epiphany.

Self esteem is generated by heating water within your mind.

You don’t have to tell me twice because I don’t listen either time.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Agronomist

I was recently reading the July/August 2023 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Career of the Month” column, written by Luba Vangelova.  She wrote an article entitled, “Agronomist.”

Agronomists, or agriculturists, use their knowledge of soil and plants to help farmers row crops more effectively.  They can work for government agencies, nonprofits, academic institutions, or private enterprises.  The article features Lee Briese a Certified Crop Advisor who lives in Jamestown, North Dakota.

http://k12science.net/agronomist/

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Start of the Year
    • Fans
    • New Rooms

The Social Web

LRT English  @LRTenglish

In the first instalment of LRT tapes, we bring you an odd TV report from 1994 about, well, we are not really quite sure about what. But it’s something about bananas.  https://twitter.com/i/status/1702622445033685179  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hF05ik5TFQ

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘shotclog’ (17th century): an unwelcome companion who’s only tolerated because they are buying the next round. (I like to think it can be used affectionately too.)

Etymology of the day is ‘conspire’: from the Latin for ‘breathe together’ – the idea is of hugger-muggering at close quarters in order to plot mischief.  

Word of the day is ‘sudoriferous’: sweat-inducing.  

A reminder, if you need it, that the word ‘swullocking’ means swelteringly and meltingly hot.

MMS MainStage Company, Director Louise Hickey  @Theatricalteach

Jabberwocky in Sixth Grade Theatre! #MelissaSchools  @MMSCardinals

Shannon McClintock Miller  @shannonmmiller

Here’s the Dot Day Choice Board, friends.  Let’s help our kids make their mark on the world by celebrating through singing, creating, playing, reading and more.  You will find it here…and a link to make a copy for your own too.  https://buff.ly/3Ex8Teb #DotDay… https://twitter.com/shannonmmiller/status/1700244959562215895/photo/1  

David Pogue  @Pogue

Oh wow. After Apple blocked cookies in its Safari browser, Google has now built, RIGHT INTO CHROME, a tracker that “track[s] the web pages you visit and generate[s]a list of advertising topics that it will share with web pages whenever they ask.”

umichvoter   @umichvoter·

the red in northern michigan and blue in ann arbor cancel each other off (2020 election)

Bodo Hoenen  @BodoHoenen

My son keeps getting homework he does not know how to do! So the Digital Twin AI tutor he built over the summer is now his go-to Teacher! It’s teaching him in ways I never could. Proud dad moment and a big high-five to the future of learning!  #EdTech #AI #HomeworkHero

Strategies:  

How to Cure Writer’s Block

https://www.languageisavirus.com/

Resources:  

Antique Book Patterns

A collection of antique book patterns from front or end papers. Spanning from 1890-1930. Ordered by theme.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bergen_public_library/albums/72157633827993925/

Photogrammar

The 170,000 photographs taken between 1935 and 1944 under the direction of the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and the Office of War Information (OWI) constitutes one of the richest photographic archives in the United States, arguably the world. One of the most famous documentary photography collections of the twentieth century, the “Historic Section” created visual evidence of government initiatives alongside scenes of everyday life during the Great Depression and World War II across the United States. Photogrammar provides tools to explore this abundant archive: maps to see photos taken in thousands of locations across the United States, a “treemap” to explore them categorically and thematically, a timeline to concentrate on a given moment in time or a specific photographer, and individual photographer pages with oral histories.

https://photogrammar.org/maps

The Anti-Ownership Ebook Economy

Something happened when we shifted to digital formats that created a loss of rights for readers. Pulling back the curtain on the evolution of ebooks offers some clarity to how the shift to digital left ownership behind in the analog world.

Publishers and platforms insist that you only buy a license to access the books, not the rights to do anything else with them.

https://www.nyuengelberg.org/outputs/the-anti-ownership-ebook-economy/

Learn with Carlos

The Carlos App is an AI and machine learning-powered application that provides a real language immersion experience. It works on both mobile and desktop platforms and includes an audio feature for enhanced learning. The app is powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology.

https://carlos-app.com/

Puzzlemaker

https://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/

Google Tools for Art

https://www.techlearning.com/news/google-tools-and-activities-for-art-education

Kimstudies

English Language Resources

“Syftet med Kimstudies är att inspirera lärare till god undervisning och elever till att vilja lära sig mer engelska genom att goda exempel på undervisningsmaterial görs lättillgängligt.”

https://www.kimstudies.com/

Web Spotlight: 

Fighting Inequality Through Softball: Maya Women Make a League of Their Own

Oh, this is delightful: a short documentary about a group of Mayan women in the tiny town of Hondzonot in the Yucatan peninsula who formed a softball team called Las Diablillas (Little Devils).

https://kottke.org/23/08/maya-women-make-a-league-of-their-own

How Do Kids View Themselves? This Survey Shares the Answers

More than 80 percent of kids surveyed feel they can make a difference in their communities.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2023-09-07-how-do-kids-view-themselves-this-survey-shares-the-answers

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

What TikTok Did 

What it is: The legacy of TikTok may be the total implosion of social media—or at least a marked, permanent difference in the way people use it, argues Kate Lindsay in The Guardian.  It’s contributing to another phenomenon, called “ghost watching,” where thousands of users passively consume social media content and nobody who isn’t an influencer already wants to post anything on Meta-owned apps.  

Not So Fast

What it is: Newly published data from the Pew Research Center suggests that the majority of Americans see job satisfaction and close friends—not marriage and family—as the essential elements of a fulfilling life.  

Sweden Brings More Books and Handwriting Back to the Classroom

“As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country’s yearslong focus on the digital.”

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MSM 595: Kanso or NoKanso?

/ , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy discuss back to school, AI in schools, Moodle and more. Dave names the Dinos. 

Jokes:  

Student: If the main parachute malfunctions, how long do we have to deploy the reserve?

  • Instructor: The rest of your life.

What do rich people say when tickling their little kids?

  • Gucci, Gucci, Gucci.

Where can you get a powerstrip to plug all of your devices in to?

  • The Outlet Mall

I was reading while getting my hair permed. 

  • I was curled up with a good book.

They should end soccer games with an art competition.

  • That way it would be win, lose or draw.

I once knew a bunch of guys who thought they were really exceptional at statistics.

  • They turned out to be average.

I was a little late with my dog’s dinner last night.

  • Yeah…he gave me a negative “yelp” review.

In space, no one can guess your weight.

I once drew a fish. 

  • It wasn’t to scale.

A great thing about twins is that they enter the world pre-paired.

I sold my vacuum today.

  • All it was doing was collecting dust.

Problems?

  • Dissolve some table salt in a glass of water for a simple solution.

I keep hitting “Accept All Cookies” but, so far, NOTHING.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Dinosaur Names

I was recently reading the July/August 2023 issue of “Science and 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, “Origin of Dinosaur Names.”

Most of our English words have their roots in other languages.  In this podcast we look at the origin of:

  • Dinosaur
  • Stegosaurus
  • Tyrannosaurus rex

 http://k12science.net/dinosaur-names/

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Gearing up 
  • HDMI Fun
  • AI in schools
    • Think long term
    • Advantages

The Social Web

AMLE  @AMLE

Imagine if a film maker spent a year in a school talking to tweens. Changing by the Minute offers an authentic glimpse into young adolescence, and is now available to the AMLE community complete with a toolkit of PD & student activity resources.  https://okt.to/oCPXwe

Teacher2Teacher@teacher2teacher

Up for a quick game?  “Groups of 5. Take turns rolling the die and answering the questions. The first person in each group to roll all numbers and answer all questions wins.” – T

@GingerAaron 

Edutopia  @edutopia

Fixing Education  @FixingEducation

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!

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Etymology of the day is ‘mugshot’: the use of ‘mug’ for a face looks back to 18th-century drinking mugs that often represented a grotesque human face. Their unintelligent expression probably introduced ‘mug’ as an insult for a stupid or gullible individual.

Cian McCarthy  @arealmofwonder

Words for the Weekend

Strategies:  

Speakable

Speakable is your go-to for creating auto-graded speaking activities in over 100 languages, eliminating the hassle of grading hours of recordings, so you can focus on what you do best – teaching

BASIC

  • Always Free

When you’re getting started and just want the basics.

STARTER

  • $12/mo

When you need to view your gradebook

GROWTH

  • $56/mo

When you need short respond cards and analytics.

PROFESSIONAL

  • $99/mo

When you need everything Speakable has to offer.

https://speakable.io/

Resources:  

American Government 3e

American Government 3e aligns with the topics and objectives of many government courses. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and arranged to provide a logical progression from the fundamental principles of institutional design at the founding, to avenues of political participation, to thorough coverage of the political structures that constitute American government. The book builds upon what students have already learned and emphasizes connections between topics as well as between theory and applications. The goal of each section is to enable students not just to recognize concepts, but to work with them in ways that will be useful in later courses, future careers, and as engaged citizens.

https://openstax.org/details/books/american-government-3e

OER Resources

https://oercommons.org/groups/openstax-american-government/1093/?__hub_id=27

American Government 3e Audiobook

We produced a free audiobook of American Government 3e, an OpenStax textbook. This textbook provides an introduction to US government and civics, and is used widely in college-level Political Science courses. We believe that this project will be helpful to everyone, and especially to those who are auditory learners, students with disabilities, and students who speak English as a second language.

The audio recordings are all offered under a Creative Commons license (CC-BY-SA 4.0). You are free to use, revise, remix, and share these recordings as long as you give proper attribution and share any derivative projects under the same license.

Audio recordings of all 17 chapters to help you study and succeed!

https://www.openaudio.us/

Middle School Connection:  

Michigan YIG:  https://www.myig.org/Middle-School

A Simple Process and Template for Student Podcasting

“Maybe you’ve heard the saying that whoever is talking is the person learning. Or, the teacher should do less talking in the classroom than the students. Both of those sayings have truth to them. With that in mind, let’s see if there are benefits to student-generated podcasts.”

https://blog.tcea.org/simple-process-template-student-podcasting/?fbclid=IwAR2TbLVB0ZfCuwncRm4qUOviypcvszpyqdeHv2pFinOX15bcUEp5nASziv0

Organic Maps

Organic Maps is a free Android & iOS offline maps app for travelers, tourists, hikers, and cyclists based on top of crowd-sourced OpenStreetMap data. It is a privacy-focused, open-source fork of Maps.me app (previously known as MapsWithMe), maintained by the same people who created MapsWithMe in 2011.

Organic Maps is one of a few applications nowadays that supports 100% of features without an active Internet connection. Install Organic Maps, download maps, throw away your SIM card (by the way, your operator constantly tracks you), and go for a weeklong trip on a single battery charge without any byte sent to the network.

​​Organic Maps is the ultimate companion app for travelers, tourists, hikers, and cyclists:

  • Detailed offline maps with places that don’t exist on other maps, thanks to OpenStreetMap
  • Cycling routes, hiking trails, and walking paths
  • Contour lines, elevation profiles, peaks, and slopes
  • Turn-by-turn walking, cycling, and car navigation with voice guidance
  • Fast offline search on the map
  • Bookmarks and tracks in KML, KMZ, GPX formats
  • Dark Mode to protect your eyes
  • Countries and regions don’t take a lot of space
  • Free and open-source

https://organicmaps.app/

AXIS The Culture Translator

Something in the Air

What it is: TikTok posts and YouTube shorts called “subliminals” are taking over teens’ feeds, promising to fix the effects of “school air.”

Web Spotlight: 

A New Chapter for Richard Byrne

 I’m starting law school this fall at Vermont Law and Graduate School. I’m enrolled in a JD program designed for working professionals. 

https://freetech4teach.teachermade.com/a-new-chapter-for-me/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MSM 594: Brim’Tud Will Be Easier Than Puggle!

/ , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about preparing for the new year, living at the school, and more. Dave brings in biomimicry with all its advantages.

Jokes:  

My wife likes to tell me my shoes are untied while we’re doing our morning jog.

  • It’s kind of a running joke.

John bought a sundial for the yard.

  • He also installed floodlights so he could use it at night as well.

Hmm. 2070 is closer to us now than 1970.

Two blood cells fell in love.

But it turned out to all be in vein.

Jokes about time travel are a thing of the future.

I am currently boycotting any company that sells things I can’t afford.

Saw it will be humid another 4 days.

  • Read it on a sticky note.

The undertaker’s favorite element is barium.

The coroner is a last responder.

Today I’m shooting for whelmed.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Biomimicry

I was recently reading the July/August 2023 issue of “Science and 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, “Inspired by Nature: Biomimicry.”

Biomimicry is a powerful approach to designing and engineering sustainable solutions by taking inspiration from nature.

http://k12science.net/biomimicry/

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Moving
  • Prepping for new teachers

The Social Web

Erik M. Francis@Maverikedu12

NEW FOR 2023-2024! Depth of Knowledge IS NOT a taxonomy! It could serve as a multitiered systems of support #MTSS for delivering instruction, responding to intervention & extending #learning. Each #DOK level functions as an #RTI.  @solutiontree  http://solutiontree.com/truedok #rtiaw

Dad Jokes! @dadgivesjokes

Did you hear that NASA is about to launch a new mission to say sorry to aliens for Earth polluting space? It’s called Apollo G

Matt Miller   @jmattmiller

UNBOXING VIDEOSto show what they know Add some FUN to your video activities! Example unboxing videos to watch Downloadable student planning guide 20 video activity ideas Microsoft Flip tips http://ditchthattextbook.com/unboxing  #ditchbook

Cian McCarthy  @arealmofwonder

Words for the Weekend 

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘gadwaddick’ (19th century): to go on a merry jaunt.

Todd Finley  @finleyt

8 Classroom Ice Breakers  | Brain Blast #teachers #classroom #backtoschool #principalchat #ukedchat #students #firstdayofschool

Jim Thompson  @Schoolguy

In lieu of an “icebreaker” to launch the new school year..think about having each grade or team in your building have time to share, put their accomplishments together, share them with colleagues, students, parents and the community. Would celebrate teacher voice !  

Dr. Catlin Tucker  @Catlin_Tucker

 Looking for fun ways to help students get to know each other? Check out this fun slide deck activity! https://catlintucker.com/2019/08/fun-with-frayer

Kristen Engle  @MsEngleTeach

Replying to @JulieSHasson

At least from my experience, this has been a fun icebreaker activity to do with students and teachers, faculty, and staff!  https://t.co/eYTRHJcVTQ  

Mrs. Lammey_Art @JenLammey

My A1 class is awesome. There are a lot of seniors in there and they were game for the silly icebreakers. I already had a new student excited to show me her personal art. Here are some adorable pigs from the pig personality test!  https://www.csap.org/fall_meeting_files/Fall2012/Personality-Test.pdf 

Strategies:  

Teaching the Long-Term Value of Annotation

Annotation can be a difficult and stressful process for high school students and educators alike. It’s an essential skill across subject areas, something we expect students to just do, but rarely do we actually teach them how. Students don’t understand how to annotate and, more often than not, why it would be a useful tool in the first place. 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-annotation-high-school/

Resources:  

EduAide

We offer teachers a set of Ai tools to express their creativity, cultivate their expertise, and align educational planning with what works for their students. We provide infrastructure for a new way of sourcing educational resources.

https://www.eduaide.ai/

Add annotations to your presentations in Google Slides

We’re introducing a feature that lets you highlight or emphasize key content while you present in Google Slides. With the new pen tool, you can circle, underline, draw connections or make quick notes directly on your presentation. 

Whether in a board meeting or a brainstorming session, annotations can help make your presentations more engaging, interactive and impactful. 

https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/08/add-annotations-to-your-presentations.html

Tome

From your mind to theirs, in fewer steps.

Tome is a new medium for shaping & sharing ideas.

*There is a Free level for Tome for individuals. 

https://tome.app/

MIT Press’s Direct to Open (D2O) achieves second year goal, opens access to eighty-two new books in 2023

https://mitpress.mit.edu/mit-presss-direct-to-open-d2o-achieves-second-year-goal-opens-access-to-eighty-two-new-books-in-2023/

Lego Instructions

Created on May 29, 2023, the Internet Archive’s LEGO Building Instructions collection contains “a dump of all available building instruction booklet PDFs from the LEGO website” as of March 2023, according to the description on the site.

https://archive.org/details/lego-set-instructions?tab=collection

The Action Mindset Workbook for Teens

When you think about the future, are you consumed by fear and self-doubt? Do you feel stuck in your life? Does your inability to move forward cause increased anxiety, sadness, or insecurity? It’s easy to avoid or withdraw from the situations that make you anxious or worried—it can feel safer at the time—but the fact is, until you find a way to confront discomfort head on and take action anyway, you’ll remain stuck in a cycle of disappointment and frustration. So, how can you break free, get unstuck, and fully embrace life?  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1648480462?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

AMLE Early Career Educators Membership

“At AMLE, we know it is essential to our mission to support early career educators. We also know what a challenge those initial years in the classroom can be. That’s why we’re launching a membership specifically for early career educators designed to help them to thrive.

Launching in August, 2023 the new membership category is open to any first year teacher, or in their first year of teaching students aged 10-15. It is offered without charge and provides:

  • All of the benefits of professional membership, including the Successful Middle School Online Course Series
  • A print subscription to Middle School Journal
  • Access to the forthcoming AMLE Early Career Teacher Support Network, including monthly cohort check-ins moderated by a veteran teacher
  • The opportunity to be paired with a trained AMLE mentor
  • Additional discounts in the AMLE Store and on registration for events and conference

https://www.amle.org/early-career-educators/

AXIS The Culture Translator

Chef’s Kiss

What it is: Physical gestures that originated on TikTok have become an integral part of how Gen Z communicates in real life.

A Shorts Story

What it is: YouTube’s TikTok competitor, Shorts, is gaining traction—and, The Wall Street Journal argues, limiting attention spans.  Anecdotally, some parents have noted that short-form content is harder for their teens to disengage from, and researchers worry that users with developing brains will be impacted long-term by shorter attention spans. As of this writing, parents can’t disable Shorts content within the YouTube app or set a time limit just for Shorts, though some third-party plug-ins do have the ability to block them.  

Web Spotlight: 

Wonders of Street View

Random wonderfulness of the world. 

https://neal.fun/wonders-of-street-view/

That Nick Powers Guy

https://www.thatnickpowersguy.com/

What Major Web Sites Looked LIke

https://mashable.com/article/90s-web-design

Vape Pens that Look Like Highligters

https://highlightvape.com/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Cursive is Optional?

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(o1mtosjkkjtnj2kskxluqdok))/mileg.aspx?page=smartlink&objectname=2023-HB-4064

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MSM 593: The Exact Right Size to Not Be Useful

/ , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy are back after a break. Dave has a total MEGA movie that eclipses all others (and you can get involved). 

Jokes:  

I’m looking at the periodic table and there is no element of surprise.

What kind of music is best for a fishing trip?

  • Something catchy.

What do you do with dirty nuts and bolts?

  • Get a washer.

Can you name the six senses? The first five are easy:

Sight.
Smell.
Taste.
Hearing.
Touch.

But most people forget about Humor.

Guy driving a truck with an attached trailer hauling pigs zoomed by me earlier.

  • Now that’s pulled pork.

Never ask a contortionist to tell you a joke

  • They have a twisted sense of humor.

My back goes out more than I do.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Megamovie 2024

I was recently reading the July/August 2023 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the “Citizen Science” column, written by Jill Nugent.  She wrote an article entitled, “Megamovie 2024: A Project to Eclipse All Others.”

The primary goal of the Eclipse Megamovie Project 2017 was to produce a high definition, time-expanded, video of the total solar eclipse that crossed North America from the northwest to the southeast on August 21, 2017.  With new knowledge in-hand they are ready to initiate Eclipse Megamovie 2024.  The goals are to characterize transient plasma features in the solar corona while improving the quality of the Eclipse Megamovie aesthetically.  For more information, please visit:

https://eclipsemegamovie.org/megamovie

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Summer Projects
  • Prep for the upcoming year
  • Social Studies Enrichment
  • Classes for Recertification
  • Moving update

The Social Web

Susie Dent @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘ingordigious’ (17th century): motivated primarily by greed.  

I’ve always loved the way language is punctuated by places: jeans are ‘from Genoa’, denim is from Nîmes in France, suede from Sweden, mayonnaise from Minorca’s Port Mahon, damask from Damascus, sardines and sardonic from Sardinia, and spruce (both the tree and a neat appearance) from Prussia.  

Alice Keeler  @alicekeeler

Did you know that Khan Academy offers a free course on animation from Pixar? Join the fun with Pixar in a Box at https://khanacademy.org/computing/pixar

Monte Syrie  @MonteSyrie

When my (former) principal literally pulled my projector screen up to make sure I had a learning target during a walkthrough (despite the live, kick-ass learning experience going on in front of him), I quit learning targets. Oh, I post them, but they’re not for us. #playthegame

Richard Byrne  @rmbyrne

How to Generate Concept Maps With Artificial Intelligence

Richard Byrne  @rmbyrne

Three Good Tools for Recording Brainstorming Sessions https://freetech4teachers.com/2023/07/three- 

Shottr  @shottr_cc

Shottr v1.7 is officially out! Meet freehand drawing, spotlight tool, text highlighter, and image resizer

Cian McCarthy @arealmofwonder

Words for the Weekend  Pick your winner  A B C D (Follow for more)

Pixton @Pixton

Create a personalized classroom banner with your new students’ avatars in the first week of school!! They’ll absolutely love seeing their pictures up on the wall  Once you’re in the class on the Pixton site, go to Printables > Themed Avatars > Print All 

Matt Miller   @jmattmiller

Looking for some creative digital projects for the end of the semester? Check out some of these ideas: Annotated Wakelet collection Digital storytelling A podcast series … and more! http://ditchthattextbook.com/10-ideas-for-digital-end-of-semester-final-projects/

#DitchBook

Strategies:  

Gamification

https://ditchthattextbook.com/gamification/

Resources:  

AXIS The Culture Translator

Who Are They Talking To?

What it is: Light language is a style of speaking that claims to channel vibrations and communicate with beings not from earth. Posts that feature #lightlanguage are trending, with 237 million views on TikTok.

IJBOL

What it is: A new acronym is taking the place of “LOL” and “ROFL.” The replacement? “IJBOL,” short for “I just burst out laughing.”

Slang of the Week

Beige Flag: If green flags are positive things someone brings to a relationship and red flags are the negative things, then it would make some sense that “beige flag” would be the boring things someone brings to the relationship. Apparently, that’s what the term was originally supposed to mean, but browse #beigeflag on TikTok, and you’ll see that “beige flag” has morphed to mean the odd (often cute) habits or idiosyncrasies an individual has. Some examples of “beige flags” include thinking black clothes are all “goth” and not being able to eat without spilling food on yourself. The term seems to be most frequently used by baffled girlfriends trying to understand the weird things their boyfriends do.

Acronymy

Can we define every word as an acronym?

https://acronymy.net/

Skype A Scientist

https://www.skypeascientist.com/

Web Spotlight: 

Random Thoughts . . .  

Tech in Education

Should all teachers teach technology?

https://troypatterson.me/2023/08/11/tech-in-education/

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MSM 592:  Scrolling Like A Boomer

/ , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about summer, microphones, ChatGPT, and more. Dave shines the light on the Great Eclipse of 2024.

Jokes:  

Do you think it’s strange that my daughter talks about Cheers characters

  • or is that the Norm?

“Have you noticed any patterns with your balding?” asked my doctor.

  • “Yes,” I replied, “whenever it happens I look in the mirror and have a little cry.”

What did the southern math-focused acorn say when he grew up?

  • “Gee, Ah’m a tree!”

The dictionary publishing facility burned down overnight.

  • Locals are at a loss for words.

John’s coffee table book about renovated basements has made the best cellar list.

Little Johnny had a chance in band to switch from bass drum to trumpet.

  • But he blew it.

John fell asleep at the hobby table with his face on his jigsaw tiles.

He woke up with a puzzled look on his face.

A new club that assembles wooden furniture has been formed.

  • I hope they let me join.

I tried to apologize to Sharon for saying her skin felt a bit leathery today but she is not suede.

Looking to hire someone to be in charge of my TV controls.

  • Must work remotely.

In his whole life, Caesar never once said “Thank you.”

  • He also didn’t speak English.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Solar Eclipse 2024

I was recently reading the July/August 2023 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Commentary” column, written by Kurtz Miller.  He wrote an article entitled, “Preparing for the Great American Eclipse of 2024.”

The Great American Eclipse of 2024 will pass across the United States on Monday, April 8, 2024, from Eagle Pass, Texas to Presque Isle, Maine.  It is important to consider how to prepare for this upcoming event.

http://k12science.net/solar-eclipse-2024/

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Books To Read:
    • Lead From Where You Are
    • 10 Mindframes for Leaders
  • Microphones

The Social Web

𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬   @Principal_H

Good teaching is ¼ preparation and ¾ theatre. #education #teacher #leadership #school #autism #sped #teachertwitter #twitteredu #fridaymorning

Eric Curts  @ericcurts

 Google begins to roll out NotebookLM – https://blog.google/technology/ai/notebooklm-google-ai/

 Train the AI on your own Google Docs  Get summaries, ask questions, generate ideas  Great potential for students working with class notes & content #edtech #GoogleEDU 

Larry Ferlazzo  @Larryferlazzo

This site provides short descriptions of every kind of known writing system developed by humans https://worldswritingsystems.org

Alice Keeler  @alicekeeler

Quick and Dirty: start a lesson plan with STUDENTS thinking. 5 E’s lesson plan: Engage, Explore, EXPLAIN, Extend, Evaluate

Lizisthemeanestmom  @Lizb7Rawlins

Educators, what are some quick and easy ways you keep your families engaged in what is happening in the classroom? I set myself up with the goal to make positive phone contact with each parent each week, but I couldn’t keep up.

AMLE@AMLE

Ready to hit the ground running his school year? Check out some of AMLE’s most popular #B2S workshops, like:  Onboarding new #middleschool parents  The changing young adolescent  Teaming & Advisory program development & more!

Toby Price  @jedipadmaster

Principals … here’s an awesome ice breaker your teachers are guaranteed to love…it’s called “Go work in your classroom.” #edutwitter

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

My regular reminder that to be ‘thunderplumped’ is to be soaked to the skin in seconds by a heavy downpour.  Resistentialism is the belief that inanimate objects are out to get you (in case anyone is having a morning like mine).

Strategies:  

Google Bard

You can now access Bard in new languages and countries, customize responses, add images to your prompts and more.

Interact with Bard in new places and languages

Starting today, you can collaborate with Bard in over 40 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi and Spanish. 

Get more customized responses

Listen to responses

Easily adjust Bard’s responses – You can now change the tone and style of Bard’s responses to five different options: simple, long, short, professional or casual.

Boost your productivity

Pin and rename conversations

Share responses with friends

Use images in your prompts – Whether you want more information about an image or just need help coming up with a caption, you can now upload images with prompts and Bard will analyze the photo to help. This feature is now live in English, and we’ll expand to new languages soon.

https://blog.google/products/bard/google-bard-new-features-update-july-2023/

Resources:  

Scam Spotter

According to the FTC, consumers reported losing more than $8.8 billion to fraud in 2022, a 44% increase over the prior year.

https://scamspotter.org/

Magnetic Poetry

You could also have kids create these themselves. 

http://magneticpoetryplayonline.com/ 

World In Data

https://ourworldindata.org/

https://ourworldindata.org/teaching

AXIS The Culture Translator

Looking Like a Snack 

What it is: Loaded snack plates dubbed “girl dinner” are being posted on TikTok and Instagram.  Start the conversation: What would be on your ideal snack plate?  

Thumbscrollers 

What it is: A survey from the makers of mobile game Candy Crush indicates that younger people are embarrassed to use their index fingers to scroll on their phones.  Start the conversation: Have you ever noticed who scrolls with their thumb and who scrolls with their index finger? Why do you think it’s different across generations?    

OER:  Go Open Michigan

Welcome to #GoOpen Michigan. Explore our library of open education resources and join a network of Michigan educators who are dedicated to using high quality, openly-licensed educational resources. 

https://goopenmichigan.org/

HERE IS A LIST OF GAMES CHATGPT SAYS IT CAN PLAY WITH ELLS TO HELP THEM LEARN ENGLISH

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2023/07/11/here-is-a-list-of-games-chatgpt-says-it-can-play-with-ells-to-help-them-learn-english/

Web Spotlight: 

Michigan Electronic Library

Curated library resources. You’ll need an EBSCO account, Michigan local library card, or a Michigan Driver’s License.  Sorry Maine* . . . 

https://www.mel.org/welcome   

* Check your statewide library (and local library), there are now lots of resources. 

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MSM 591: Filled With Prosody

/ , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about teaching kids to read, summer activities, and more. Dave takes a teachable moment with the sun not in his eyes. 

Jokes:  

Most knowledgeable doctor treating children:

Encyclopediatrician.

Worried about appropriate discussion topics on your first date?

Go with global warming. It’s a real icebreaker.

A tear cascaded down her cheek as we dropped the last box off in her kitchen, she was so moved.

At culinary school I was told to improve my soups.

But I didn’t put much stock in that.

The exhausted weight lifter gave the circus owner his too weak notice.

Piano is the hardest instrument to pick up.

Does the arachnophobia group have a website?

13 out of 12 folks can’t explain what a baker’s dozen means.

After writing a book on puffins, John realized paper would have worked better

John hoped to go to the costume ball as Houdini in a straight jacket but feared he couldn’t pull it off.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Teachable Moments

I was recently reading the July/August 2023 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “From the Editor’s Desk” column, written by Patty McGinnis.  She wrote an article entitled, “Hurrah for Teachable Moments.”

Two wonderful teachable celestial events will occur during this school year in North America, allowing plenty of time to plan.  A solar eclipse “double-header” occurs on Saturday, October 14, 2023 (an annular eclipse) and on Monday, April 8, 2024 (a total eclipse).

http://k12science.net/teachable-moments/

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Medical Course in Moodle
  • Treasure Hunt Activity
  • Podcast Update
    • ID3 Tags
    • Removed links

The Social Web

Timothy Shanahan  @ReadingShanahan

Can we really teach prosody and why would we want to? https://shanahanonliteracy.com/blog/can-we-re 

By contrast:  https://www.ted.com/talks/benjam

in_zander_the_transformative_power_of_classical_music?language=en  

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the morning is ‘snudge’ (17th century): to remain snug and quiet; to nestle.

Word of the day is ‘battology’ (17th century): needless and tiresome repetition in speaking or writing, often used to avoid answering the question.

Word of the day is ‘gloppen’ (15th century): to stare in amazement or gloom (can encompass anything from the weather to the state of the world).  

ISTE  @ISTEofficial

“In the age of AI, what are the uniquely human skills that are essential that we can teach our students?” – @RCulatta

Phyllis Fagell, LCPC  @Pfagell

How to help teens cut back on social media. Tips from ⁦ @nytimeswell

⁩

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

Hello there! We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty…

Phyllis Fagell, LCPC  @Pfagell

While out for ice cream with friends, their kid tracked them down using Life360 & asked them to bring him home a cone. 

Bob Harrison  @bharrisonEDU

Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? is now on #GoogleEarth!  https://t.co/08Xz7Phscs  

The Unboxing Video: A fun classroom video activity: https://ditchthattextbook.com/unboxing/ via

@jmattmiller

pbeens@mstdn.caPeter Beens @pbeens@mstdn.ca

Want to download subtitles from a Youtube video? Simply put “subtitle.to/” in front of the URL.
If you download it as a text (TXT) file you can ask #ChatGPT to summarize it. (I like asking it to use bullet points.)

Resources:  

Prokudin-Gorskii Collection

Around 1907, Prokudin-Gorskii envisioned and formulated a plan to use the emerging technological advancements that had been made in color photography to systematically document the Russian Empire. Through such an ambitious project he intended to educate the school children of Russia with his “optical color projections” of the vast and diverse history, culture, and modernization of the Empire. Outfitted with a specially equipped railroad car-darkroom provided by Tsar Nicholas II, and in possession of two permits that granted him cooperation from the Empire’s bureaucracy and access to restricted areas, Prokudin-Gorskii documented the Russian Empire from 1909 through 1915. He conducted many illustrated lectures of his work. His assistants are sometimes credited on prints seen in other collections.

Prokudin-Gorskii left Russia in 1918, after the Russian Revolution, and eventually settled in Paris, where he died in 1944.

https://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?st=grid&co=prok

How this was Digitized and the background of the collection: 

https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/prok/digitizing.html

Emoji Pack

https://beehive.gay/blobbee

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

The Sound of Freedom

What it is: Sound of Freedom, an Angel Studios film about the human trafficking industry, is out in theaters for a limited time.  Start the conversation: What do you know about human trafficking?  

Web Spotlight: 

Hosting a ‘Bring Your Grown-Up to Class Day’ in Middle School

While family involvement is often promoted in elementary school, there aren’t always opportunities for students to invite the important adults in their lives into their middle school classrooms beyond events like concerts and award ceremonies.  

https://www.edutopia.org/article/family-engagement-middle-school/

Talking the technology talk

https://kappanonline.org/talking-to-students-about-technology-krutka-pleasants-nichols/

Subscribe to Middle School Matters:

iTunes
Google Podcasts
TuneIN
Podvine

OR

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MSM 590: Stitches and Staples

/ , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about H5P, summer, socials, and more. Dave builds some science. 

Jokes:  

Out of the zillions of weddings that have occurred, not one bride has married the best man.

At night cowpokes would tightly tie two lanterns to the ends of a horizontal pole on their steed.

It was the first saddle light navigation.

I heard southern e-mail options have a Reply Y’all.

How did Noah see to navigate at night?

Flood lights.

Finished TWO books yesterday.

Man, that was a lot of coloring.

I saw the electric pencil sharpeners in Staples but failed to find the electric pencils.

Many a helicopter pilot has been active in the Rotary Club.

As a kid you also get to watch your parents grow up.

I told a joke about a one-legged chair.

It didn’t sit well.

John’s doing two sets of crunches a day — Cap’n in the morning and Nestlé at night.

Did the person who coined the phrase “one-hit wonder” ever come up with anything else?

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Building Science Engineer 

I was recently reading the May/June 2023 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Career of the Month” column, written by Luba Vangelova.  She wrote an article entitled, “Building Science Engineer.”

Broadly speaking, building science involves the study of how heat, air, and moisture move through a building’s components.  Andrea DelGiudice is an associate principal and unit manager specializing in building enclosures (exteriors).

http://k12science.net/building-science-engineer/

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Podcast Feed Update
    • Shawn’s suggested show artwork (Diffusion Bee):  
    •  
    • (Prompt:  middle school student 1932) 
  • H5P Presentation
    • Documentation Tool

The Social Web

Fermat’s Library  @fermatslibrary

This is one of the biggest numbers you can find in a physics paper. It’s the expected distance one would travel before encountering another visible-universe-sized region of space with an identical quantum state as ours.

Matt Miller  #ISTELive  @jmattmiller

Have some time for a quick virtual  field trip? Looking for a video to add to a lesson? Want to have your class listen to a fun read aloud? Our TEACHFLIX page has all that and more! Browse through tons of videos all in one spot! https://ditchthattextbook.com/teachflix #Ditchbook

𝗧𝗖𝗘𝗔@TCEA

Drawing Challenge ACCEPTED! https://sbee.link/p4qv8e7wdk via Adventure in a Box #art #steam #creativity #skillbuilding

Tracy Fuentes @TracyFuentes17

My students always LOVE this activity! We did it a lot during advisory!

Quote Tweet

Jonathan Alsheimer @mr_Alsheimer

Week 1 TEACHER ACTIVITY  Simple ways to Enhance Student Engagement and have fun building relationships and community in your classroom. “TOWER OF TERROR” old school video with that new school ENERGY   Directions in video w/ Example HAVE FUN!… Show more

𝗧𝗖𝗘𝗔  @TCEA

10 Top Cooperative #Learning Strategies https://sbee.link/qwk73je896 via @edtechneil #education #teachersoftwitter #learning

Steve Dembo No longer @ ISTE but still buzzing!@teach42

My first presentation at #ISTELive will be @ 2:00pm in Terrace Ballroom IV. It’s focused on the work my middle school students did with ChatGPT, the activities we did, the conversations we had, and the Ethical Use Policy the students created to govern their use of AI! #ISTELive23  

-with-

Mrs. Wesley-Hosier  @MrsWesleyHosier

Exciting news friends, Google is launching an AI-powered feature on #Chromebooks that converts images to text! How awesome. DYK that there are more than 360 billion PDFs inaccessible to people who rely on screen readers? This will be a game changer.

Ten simple Rules for making good oral presentation

Dr Asma Jabeen

nopdtosrSehi9 nMc0 0g:c85h98leufAgfi1af 0mf659 a928112mtJuc3

Ten simple Rules for making good oral presentation.  

https://graduate.unl.edu/connections/ten-simple-rules-making-good-oral-presentations

Resources:  

From Dave:

I took you up on your challenge of reviewing the Anatomy and Physiology Resources from the Health and Science Pipeline Initiative.  I was really impressed with this resource.  They are really well done.  But they may not really meet the needs of middle school teachers/students.  They are kind of advanced.  I think the most appropriate section might be the “Anatomical Language.”  It helps to explain anatomical language, medical terminology and has a fifth grade appropriate body systems poster.  A middle school teacher who teaches Middle School Life Science might like to check the resources out and see if they work out.  MS LS1 1-7  Side note:  HASPI also has a middle school curriculum:  http://www.haspi.org/middle-school.html  

A New Summer Tradition, a Three-Week ‘Civic Season,’ Asks Americans to Reflect on the Past and Future

Civic Season, a three-week period that stretches from Flag Day on June 14 through the Fourth of July, and includes Juneteenth and Pride Month, is a new initiative arising from a broad coalition of museums and non-profit organizations. The project aims to ask Americans, and young people in particular, to stretch the usual bounds of the red-white-and-blue festivities to include a new mission of reflection and civic engagement.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/new-summer-tradition-two-week-civic-season-asks-americans-reflect-past-and-future-180977979/

https://www.thecivicseason.com/

Teaching with Historic Places

Teaching with Historic Places offers a series of more than 160 classroom-ready lesson plans that use historic sites as a means for exploring American history. Educators and their students can work through these online lesson plans directly on the computer or print them out and photocopy them for distribution.

You can browse lesson plans by theme, time period, and state.

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/teachingwithhistoricplaces/lesson-plans.htm

Media Literacy

Welcome to my (Wes Fryer @wfryer‘s) resource sharing site on media literacy. I’ve created this space to collect and amplify ideas and resources related to media and digital literacy.

https://medialiteracy.wesfryer.com/

Media Literacy Lessons from Finland

https://www.speedofcreativity.org/2023/06/20/media-literacy-lessons-from-finland/

https://www.mlsummit.net/

See also France 24’s Truth or Fake:  https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/truth-or-fake/  

Web Spotlight: 

Archaeologists use artificial intelligence to translate 5,000 year old cuneiform tablets.  

Archaeologists use artificial intelligence (AI) to translate 5,000-year-old cuneiform tablets

Babylonian Engine AI Translator:  https://digitalpasts.github.io/docs/BEn.html  

Demo Page:  https://ben-digpasts.com/demo  

AXIS: The Culture Translator

The Depths of Cruelty

What it is: As the search for the Titan submersible took over the news cycle last week, some people shared memes that weren’t exactly kind to the victims in this tragedy.  Start the conversation: Did you see a lot of memes or commentary about the Titan submersible tragedy?

Up for Debate

What it is: The Free Press reports that high school students are losing debates due to their personal beliefs or even their past tweets.  According to this article, some judges at local, regional, and national NSDA events openly state their biases on a website called Tabroom, which debaters are instructed to appeal to. Judges have said and continued to say that sometimes attacks on another debate contestant’s character or social media presence are acceptable, as long as they can be verified via documentation like a screenshot. Some judges have also said that certain points of view are simply unacceptable to present. Debate clubs were once an incubator for those who aspired to the public square. It would appear that now, our future attorneys, civic leaders, and politicians are being taught that the ability to adhere to a wriggly ideology is more valuable than the technical skill required to present an argument well.  

Start the conversation: Do you see the ability to express unpopular perspectives as being important and worthwhile? Why or why not?

Shameless

What it is: An influencer on TikTok is going viral for reading her embarrassing and often expletive-ridden diary posts from middle school and high school. 

Why it’s relatable: Mackenzie Thomas (@dumbmackenzie) was a comedian with a relatively small TikTok following before she hit upon the idea to share her teenage memoirs. She reads from her notebooks with a deadpan seriousness, perhaps to convey the earnest tone in which they were penned. The result is cringe comedy.  

Start the conversation: Would you share your journal with an audience if it meant you could go viral?

Lauren Enders: Reimagining Canva as a Powerful Tool for AAC

In this session, you will learn how the wildly popular, powerful, and versatile Canva app can be used to support AAC Learners (either in-person or virtually). In addition to a paid Pro version, Canva offers both a free version (that anyone can use) AND the robust Canva for Education subscription that is FREE for all K-12 educators! Tune in to learn how this fun and all-around mighty tool can be used in creative ways to engage all types of learners. Demonstrations will include exciting new Canva features that even include artificial intelligence (AI). Not super tech-savvy? No worries, Canva has one of the most user-friendly interfaces around, so you can do this!

Slides or Resources for this Session

Looking for CEUs? If you watch this video on this site then towards the end you will see a survey link show up. Fill out the short survey to track your participation credit, and we’ll generate a certificate for you when you’re done watching sessions!

https://presenters.aacconference.com/videos/UVRJeVFUSXo=

Let’s Rethink Teacher Retirement

I remember hearing tributes and watching skits of people I either only knew from that year or other teachers I never worked with or heard of. I recall laughing along with inside jokes I didn’t really get. I teared up as a younger teacher shared how much they appreciated the mentorship of their colleague. A could clearly feel a sense of community among these veteran teachers.

http://ideasandthoughts.org/2023/06/20/lets-rethink-teacher-retirement/ 

AI Is a Lot of Work

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-humans-technology-business-factory.html

Why do creative people need time to sit around and do nothing?

That they understood something fundamental that our fast-paced society often dismisses. And that creativity isn’t merely a product of constant labor but flourishes in the quiet moments of idleness?

A growing body of evidence suggests that periods of rest, far from being unproductive, are critical for fostering creativity. This reality holds profound implications, not only for individuals striving to boost their creative capacities but also for societies where the relentless pursuit of productivity can stigmatize periods of inactivity.

  • The Edison Method

https://uxdesign.cc/why-do-creative-people-need-time-to-sit-around-and-do-nothing-307f3d8d7b16

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MSM 589: The Most Organized Chaos I’ve Ever Seen

/ , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about transitioning the year, organized chaos, moving and more. Dave has part 2 of Scientific Literacy. 

Jokes:  

A book about proposed accomplishments in your life: 

  • oughtobiography

A pizza is basically a real-time pie chart of how much pizza is left.

Down at the concert hall, the premiere of “Concerto for Kazoo and Timpani” turned out to be rather humdrum.

How do baseball and congress differ?

In baseball you’re out if caught stealing.

To the person who stole my place in line — I’m after you now.

Entered what I ate yesterday into my new fitness app and it sent paramedics to the door.

The early worm gets the bird.

You never hear about people having hootenannies anymore.

He tried so hard to quit spelunking.

But he caved.

John opened a successful telescope factory.

Things are looking up.

How long did jousts last?

Usually until knightfall.

YouTube videos on how to use a fire extinguisher should not start with a 30-second ad.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Encouraging Scientific Literacy

I was recently reading the May/June 2023 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Editor’s Corner” column, written by Ann Haley MacKenzie.  She wrote an article entitled, “Promoting Scientific Literacy in the Science Classroom.”

This is the second of a two-part podcast series on Scientific Literacy.  In this podcast we will look at the strategies for encouraging scientific literacy:

1.  Incorporate real-world examples

2.  Encourage critical thinking

3.  Provide hands-on learning opportunities

4.  Use many kinds of media resources

5.  Address misconceptions

6.  Collaborate with community resources

7.  Creating a culture of making student thinking visible

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

Reports from the Front Lines

  • 25 Years – Moving Day
  • End of the Year/Beginning of New Year activities

The Social Web  

Susie Dent@susie_dent

It’s Friday, so here’s a reminder that as well as a ‘snaccident’ (the inadvertent eating of far too many crisps etc.),  A gentle reminder of the word ‘matutolypea’: grumpiness or downheartedness first thing in the morning. Based on Latin and Greek, literally ‘morning grief’, or ‘sorrow of the dawn’.

Richard Byrne  @rmbyrne

I was in a pie eating contest at my daughter’s preschool carnival today. I won!

Image

Ron Houtman  @ronhoutman

Figma’s design tools are now free for all US school students https://buff.ly/3qOhIwq

Bob Harrison  @bharrisonEDU

The skills required for life in the era of AI will primarily be human skills. (graphic from Serena Sacks-Mendel)

Image

Matt Miller  @jmattmiller

15 Google Forms templates you can use in class TOMORROW! Interest Survey Digital Escape Room Brain Dump Self correcting quiz Lesson reflection and MORE!  https://ditchthattextbook.com/google-forms-templates/  #Ditchbook  

otacke @otacke@chaos.social

As of today, my #H5P content type GameMap is under review of the H5P core team. Should be available on the H5P Hub soon – fingers crossed. Until then, feel free to download the demo content from https://www.olivertacke.de/labs/2023/03/02/heres-game-map-my-25th-h5p-content-type-thats-publicly-available/ if you want to install it now.

Al Yankovic  @alyankovic

Ugh. I keep telling them… I AM human!!!

Image

erou@erou@mathstodon.xyz

When your favorite student asks you if you’re going to be their teacher next year: 

Resources:  


EdTech Books

Free Textbooks and Journals by Industry-Leading Professors and Other Experts.

https://edtechbooks.org/

K-12 Teaching Collection

These free books were specifically designed with K-12 teachers in mind.

They address a variety of topics and may be useful in many settings, including teacher education, licensure, and professional development.

https://edtechbooks.org/k-12

HASPI Lessons & Labs

The HASPI Anatomy and Physiology resources were created through collaboration with industry members, higher education representatives, high school science teachers, and middle school science teachers. The resources are meant to be used in an anatomy and physiology course OR as a supplement for health career oriented courses.  http://www.haspi.org/anatomy-and-physiology.html  

AXIS The Culture Translator

Slang of the Week

Delulu: Shorthand for the word “delusional,” this term is used to refer jokingly to the decision to believe something—a relationship, a dream job, a perfect life—is real and possible despite there being no evidence to support that belief. The word is most often used when people reinterpret insignificant interactions as romantic in nature, and has also given rise to the word “delusionship,” referring to a whole imagined relationship. (Ex: “I think Jungkook and I might end up together.” “I think you’re delulu.”)

Web Spotlight: 

Literacy and NAEP Proficient

In February, 2023 Bari Weiss produced a podcast, “Why 65% of Fourth Graders Can’t Really Read” and Nicholas Kristof, New York Times columnist, wrote “Two-Thirds of Kids Struggle to Read, and We Know How to Fix It.” Both headlines are misleading. The 65% and two-thirds figures are referring to the percentage of 4th graders who scored below proficient on the last reading test of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), administered in 2022.

The problem is this: scoring below proficient doesn’t mean “can’t really read” or “struggling to read.”   It also does not mean “functionally illiterate” or identify “non- readers” as some of the more vituperative descriptions on social media have claimed. It doesn’t even mean “below grade level in reading,” one of the milder distortions.

This post is on what scoring NAEP proficient means.

NAEP’s definition isn’t what most people think—or most dictionaries say—that the word means. 

https://tomloveless.com/posts/literacy-and-naep-proficient/

In Praise of Waffling

If there are any continuing threads at this blog, one is certainly that education in general and teaching in particular are about balance, about managing the tension between a wide variety of conflicting forces and ideas. Students need direction. Students need freedom. Direct instruction. Discovery. Learning mastery takes whatever time it takes. 

Balancing them as we move from circumstance to circumstance, from class to class, from student to student– it looks a lot like waffling.

There is lots of very specific teacher advice to be had, and every last bit of it is only useful in specific circumstances. “You must not get personally connected to the students” and “You have to forge more of a personal connection with the students” are both perfectly solid pieces of advice in entirely different specific circumstances. “Tighten up and act more like the adult in the room” and “loosen up and don’t be so strict” are both great pieces of advice in the right moment, and terrible pieces of advice in the wrong moment.

“Use a hose to shoot thousands of gallons water at the house” is great advice when the house in on fire. It is terrible advice if the house is caught in rising flood waters.

https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2023/06/in-praise-of-waffling.html

All Shootings at Schools From 1970-Present

All shootings at schools includes when a gun is brandished, is fired, or a bullet hits school property for any reason, regardless of the number of victims, time, or day of the week.

Unlike other data sources, this information includes gang shootings, domestic violence, shootings at sports games and afterhours school events,  suicides, fights that escalate into shootings, and accidents. 

This information is recorded to document the full scope of gun violence on school campuses.

Use of this data must be cited with: Riedman, David (2022). K-12 School Shooting Database.

https://k12ssdb.org/all-shootings

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

MSM 588: Easy Grader and Overhead Transparencies

/ , /

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about the end of the year. Dave presents Scientific Literacy, Part 1. 

Jokes:  

I like yearbooks but 365 days to read something is a long time.

The stationary shop moved.

  • It really surprised me.

The local pharmacist has started wearing a tux, spats and top hat to work — so he could dispense with the formalities.

Possessio is nine-tenths of the word.

Ordering a large hatchet from Poland is one way to get a foreign axe sent.

(Heard at a Spelling Bee)

“Your word is buffering.”

“OK. Tell me when you’re ready.”

Wife: “That’s the fifth time you’ve gone for a dessert. Aren’t you chagrined?”

Hubs: “Not at all. I just tell ‘em it’s for you.

Time travel isn’t what it will have been.

What can you see twice in a week or once in every year – but not once in gazillion months?

  • The letter “e”.

Cross country skiing is so much easier in tiny countries.

“You drank a gallon of invisible ink? Skip the ER. Ask for the ICU.”

John thought “Caesarean” started with an “S” — but after consulting Merriam-Webster, he found it to be in the C-section.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Scientific Literacy

I was recently reading the May/June 2023 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the “Editor’s Corner” column, written by Ann Haley MacKenzie.  She wrote an article entitled, “Promoting Scientific Literacy in the Science Classroom.”

This is the first of a two-part podcast series on Scientific Literacy.  In this podcast we will look at the meaning of Scientific Literacy – “understanding how science is done.”  The next podcast will look at strategies for incorporating Scientific Literacy.

http://k12science.net/scientific-literacy-2/

Reports from the Front Lines

  • Summertime?
    • Packing up the Room
      • Generational “Revenge?”  
    • Meetings
  • Moodle
    • Logs
    • Activity Completion Checklist
    • Student Quiz Creation Plugin
    • Documentation Tool
    • H5P AR/VR tour
    • Treasure Hunt
  • Junteenth
  • Genius Week
    • Projects turned out well (presentation to the entire team)
    • Documentation Tool
      • How to work together
      • Time management
    • Twisted Wave
  • End of the Year Ceremonies
    • Letter to myself
    • “Graduation”

The Social Web  

𝗧𝗖𝗘𝗔@TCEA

Check out 275 WOULD YOU RATHER Questions to use as bellringers or #writing prompts.  https://sbee.link/qd7ynm8r49 via @simplifycreate #iteach #ela #education

Larry Ferlazzo @Larryferlazzo

The Best Fun Videos For English Language Learners In 2023 – Part One

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘brabblement’ (16th century): noisy infighting or toys-out-of-pram-throwing.

Dr. Catlin Tucker  @Catlin_Tucker

 Use my #GoalSetting Template to help your students develop their #metacognitive muscles: https://bit.ly/435jFml #SEL #SelfManagement #EdChat #UKEdChat #EdchatEU #AussieED #EduTwitter

Strategies:  

Do2Learn

Do2learn is primarily targeted at students with special needs but can be useful to anyone who wants to work on social skills and behavioral regulation.

https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/what-is-do2learn-and-how-can-it-be-used-for-teaching-tips-and-tricks

Just Breathe

3 Breathing exercises for students. 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/03/03/well/mind/breathing-exercises.html

Resources:

Who Can Use

Color Combinations. Great for ADA compliance, seeing color combinations

https://www.whocanuse.com/?bg=7f40bf&fg=ffffff&fs=16&fw=

AXIS The Culture Translator

Bed Rotting: A phrase used to refer to spending an extended amount of time in bed, which could be any length of time ranging from a few hours to an entire weekend. The time might be spent binge-watching shows, eating, or just laying there. The trend is being considered a form of self-care, with over 305 million video views on TikTok about this habit, but some mental health experts are concerned that excessive amounts of time spent in bed could be either a symptom or a cause of depression.  

Baby Gronk + Livvy

What it is: Sports fans on the internet let out a collective “what?” this week over a TikTok post that brought LSU gymnast Olivia “Livvy” Dunne and an elementary school football hopeful nicknamed “Baby Gronk” together.

What Came First

https://experiments.withgoogle.com/what-came-first

Web Spotlight: 

Fastest Rubik’s Cube Solver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh8HX4itF_w

A Day on Earth Used to Only Be 19 Hours

https://www.universetoday.com/161937/a-day-on-earth-used-to-only-be-19-hours/

Google Drawing Tip

When you fill a shape with a semi-transparent custom color, the shape becomes partly see-through. 

What Is Juneteenth?

When Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger issued the above order, he had no idea that, in establishing the Union Army’s authority over the people of Texas, he was also establishing the basis for a holiday, “Juneteenth” (“June” plus “nineteenth”), today the most popular annual celebration of emancipation from slavery in the United States. 

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/what-is-juneteenth/

Open Education is a Problem for OER in K-12

Those in Higher Ed and many in K-12 who are involved in Open Education, Open Learning, Open Practice, Open Teaching, or Open Praxis will likely see my assertion as heresy, a sacrilege, or ignorance, or that I have some hidden agenda. My agenda isn’t hidden; my agenda is the promotion of the use of OER, especially in elementary and secondary schools (K-12.)

https://developingprofessionalstaff-mpls.blogspot.com/2022/01/open-education-is-problem-for-oer.html

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

1 2 3 4 5 >»