Summary:

Shawn and Troy channel Waldorf & Statler. Dave, has well, Beavers from Space. 

Jokes:  

---

Anyone got some eye jokes?

The cornea, the better.

---

Her bio says she’s a short fiction writer. It’s unusual to put one’s height there but to each her own.

---

Not to brag, but my house is featured in the new issue of Lesser Homes & Gardens.

---

I just had an energy bar. Something called a ‘Snickers’.

---

Gonna start scheduling more spontaneity.

---

Most bald men still own a comb.

They can’t part with one.

---

Singing in the shower is fun until you get soap in your mouth.

Then it’s a soap opera.

---

I am old enough now that when I do the twist, I provide my own percussion.

---

I thought I was on to something with my new steam-powered phone.

But, alas, I’m getting too many mist calls.

---

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Beavers from Space

I was recently reading the Fall, 2023 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, “Beavers from Space!”

Beavers from Space is an online project that launched in 2023, and your help is needed to determine where beavers are found and where they appear to be absent, specifically in the waterways of Alberta, Canada.  For more information, please visit:

https://workingwithbeavers.ca

Reports from the Front Lines

• AI Art
  • Canva
  • Prompts

The Social Web

Mindy Belz  @MindyBelz

War may not be far away but the olive harvest must go on. Here in northern Cyprus with a U.S. carrier group offshore and Hezbollah and Iran threatening attacks.

LRT English  @LRTenglish

If you’re looking to learn more about the rich history and vibrant culture of the Baltic states, then look no further. Emerging Europe, partners of LRT English, has curated a reading list:  https://t.co/LVZHmlsBJZ  

IMLEA  @IMLEAorg

My students loved performing readers’ theaters like this one from Scholastic Scope.  

https://t.co/cBiTF2HEs1

Larry Ferlazzo  @Larryferlazzo

World Toilet Day Is On Nov. 19th – Here Are Teaching & Learning Resources

https://t.co/bPDq2ltB3N

Strategies:  

Class Discussion Strategies

https://www.trevormuir.com/blog/class-discussion-strategies

Station Rotation – Look, Sound

https://catlintucker.com/2023/10/station-look-sound/

Three Things Your Ed Degree (possibly) Got Wrong

https://theeffortfuleducator.com/2023/11/01/three-things-your-ed-degree-possibly-got-wrong/

ICAP

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2023/10/30/i-had-never-heard-of-it-before-today-but-the-interactive-constructive-active-passive-icap-theory-of-student-cognitive-engagement-could-be-useful/

Resources:  

AXIS The Culture Translator

Is Everybody Texting Without Me?

What it is: The evolving rules of the “group text” are a fascinating study of how teenagers talk to each other, showing us what’s changed—and what hasn’t changed at all.

Steam-Free TV

What it is: According to a new UCLA study, teens prefer to watch television shows that emphasize friendship plots rather than sex and romance.

Web Spotlight: 

 AMLE Policy Agenda Announced At #AMLE50

“With a growing body of science emphasizing the profound and consequential nature of early adolescence, now is the time to act on the promise of the middle school years.”  

https://www.amle.org/advocating-for-the-middle-grades/

Teen Breakfast

https://news.yahoo.com/grandma-heartwarming-teen-breakfast-club-190722476.html

Mt. Washington’s Breakfast of Champions

https://youtu.be/J37u_usbJHc

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Maine Events, finding joy, presentations, unboxing videos, and more. Dave takes Science Out the Door. 

Jokes:  

---

You know why chicken coops only have two doors?

If they had four doors they’d be chicken sedans.

---

I really like the word aesthetic, it’s so pleasant on the eye. I wonder if there’s a word to describe that.

---

I don’t even walk a mile in my own shoes, why would I do it in someone else’s?

---

I accidentally rubbed ketchup in my eyes.

Now I have Heinzsight.

---

Folding paper into a depressed donkey: Eeyorigami

---

Paper airplanes are soarigami

---

When your paper folding hobby becomes too much work: choregami

---

Rumor has it that if you look up from your phone this time of year, you can see all sorts of pretty colors in the trees.

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Teaching Outdoors

I was recently reading the Fall, 2023 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the section, “Practical Research” written by Samantha Lindgren, Meghan McCleary, Susan Gasper, Amanda Nieves, Kara Stengren, and Amira Shabana. They wrote an article entitled, “Outdoor Teaching and Learning in Natural Spaces and Outdoor Classrooms.”

When we consider topics like climate change and the complex impacts it has on our students’ futures, learning in outdoor spaces and using the natural environment as a primary learning resource becomes an important and timely approach to science education.  This type of learning draws on the fields of outdoor and environmental education, which emphasize place-based and experiential pedagogies, interdisciplinarity, and the relationships between people and nature.

Word of the Day Just For Dave:  Runcible Spoon

Reports from the Front Lines

• Unboxing Video
  • No Slides
  • Copy/Paste
  • Vonnegut’s Letter
  • “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.”
  • https://troypatterson.me/2023/10/25/3883/ 
• TypeWriters
• Maine Events 

The Social Web

Cian McCarthy  @arealmofwonder

The Word of the Day  (#Halloween2023 is approaching!)

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is a reminder of the beautiful Old English ‘uhtceare’ [ucht-kay-ara]: ‘dawn sorrow’, for those moments when you lie awake in the darkness and worry.

Eric Curts  @ericcurts

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

Strategies:  

6 NEW THINGS “I’M” DOING IN THE CLASSROOM – & THEY’RE WORKING OUT WELL

• Fruit Basket
• Cell Phones Banned For Use In Classroom
  (Here’s the deal: I work very hard to provide engaging and useful lessons, and also work very hard to support all of on a personal level.  What I ask in return is that you respect your classmates and me, you try your best, and you don’t make me have to “police” cell phone use.  Do we have a deal?)
• Positive Calls To Parents
• Voluntary Homework
• Permanent “Pods” In My Second Classroom For ELL Newcomers
• Weekly Oral Presentations By ELL Newcomers

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2023/10/25/6-new-things-im-doing-in-the-classroom-theyre-working-out-well/

How to Be Strategic with Scaffolding Strategies

Scaffolding strategies need to be used strategically. For example, a strategy intended to support executive functioning or language development may not be effective for deepening content knowledge and thinking.

• Myth #1: Scaffolding is the same as differentiation.
• Myth #2: Scaffolding is always temporary.
• Myth #3: Scaffolding is used to change the overall intended rigor.

Three common areas of support can be useful for educators to consider when helping students develop the skills needed for accomplishing more challenging tasks or understanding complex information.

• deepening content knowledge,
• facilitating executive function, and
• supporting language and vocabulary development

https://www.middleweb.com/49785/how-to-be-strategic-with-scaffolding-strategies/

Resources:  

HyperCard Simulator

https://hcsimulator.com/

Avalon Project

Tons of Primary Sources. 

https://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/major.asp

H.E.L.P. How to Enjoy Living with a Preadolescent 

https://my.amle.org/Shop/Store/Product-Details?productid=%7B6F1D07E3-3A67-4ABB-9C9A-8C9178167B97%7D

Author: Judith Baenen 

If you’re looking for a resource to share with parents and caregivers, look no further. These fun, easy-to-read pamphlets are designed for busy parents of 10- to 15-year-olds. These inexpensive pamphlets help parents know what to expect of young adolescents and why. They offer compassionate, practical solutions to common problems such as forgetting, irritability, power plays, friendships, chores, and more. New behaviors, changes in attitudes and values, and changes in relationships are normal. These pamphlets share characteristics of young adolescents, situations that might happen at home, and ideas for parents to continue to support and love young adolescents through this rollercoaster period of life.  

Web Spotlight: 

Keep It or Ditch It: A Litmus Test for School Technology

In 2019, 40% of schools in America had a 1-1 device policy. In 2023, it’s 96%. 

https://www.trevormuir.com/blog/ed-tech

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

Gradeflation

What it is: A teacher in Greenwich, Connecticut offered comments on how the grade of “A” became, and continues to be, the most common grade given in America.

Slang of the Week

girl math: refers to the sometimes strange, sometimes silly ways that women see their finances. Examples include “cash doesn’t count as money so anything bought with cash is free” or “if I stop myself from buying one $35 skirt then that means I’m being very frugal if I buy seven other things that are only $5 apiece.” The trend is fun and a lot of young women find themselves relating to it, but it also has the potential to imply that women can’t be smart with finances, or are all irresponsible with their money. Several girls on TikTok have pointed out that women are still working hard to be taken seriously in STEM fields, and terms like “girl math” could contribute to those difficulties.

Education Legislation

Michigan Legislature Bill Book:  http://legislature.mi.gov/(S(r3c1onq3xgjzf2mpxlozlu5s))/mileg.aspx?page=home  

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about State History Day, Parent Tech Night, and more. David is teaching through Virtual Reality. 

Jokes:  

---

Just read an article on the history of French pastry.

• It was a total puff piece.

---

• “Another day, another doll hair” – very unproductive worker the American Girl factory

---

Did you know that Apple is using a new file format for its photos?

• what the heic?!

---

When World of Lego opened, people were lined up for blocks.

---

Winter is the only season that happens twice a year.

---

Why don’t skeletons fight each other? 

• They don’t have the guts

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Virtual Reality

I was recently reading the Fall, 2023 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the section, “Integrating Technology,” written by Michael McKenzie and Alex Fegely. They wrote an article entitled, “Differentiate Science Lessons by Using VR in Station Rotations.”

Blended learning strategies combined with innovative technology, for example, virtual reality (VR), can be used in science classrooms to differentiate teaching and enrich learning experiences.  An app often used in classrooms is YouTube VR.  You can learn more by visiting:

https://www.youtube.com/@360

http://k12science.net/virtual-reality/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Your State’s History Day Preparations:  https://nhd.org/en/  
• Parent Tech Night
• Spreadsheet “Fun”
• Student Name “Fun”

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘suspire’ (15th century): to let out a deep sigh.

Word of the day is ‘snerdle’ (18th century dialect): to wrap up cosily beneath the covers and hold off the day for a little longer.

One of my favourite dictionary facts: the verb ‘go’ has always lacked a past tense based on itself. So we opted for the past tense of ‘wend’, as in ‘to wend one’s way’. Which means that instead of ‘I goed’, we say ‘I went’.  

Lithuania MFA | #StandWithUkraine  @LithuaniaMFA

#OTD 1791, the Mutual Pledge between #Lithuania & #Poland was adopted, preserving Lithuania’s autonomy in the Commonwealth. The Pledge was part of the Constitution of May 3, an example of progressive political thought, testifying mutual commitment & respect for nations’ autonomy.

#OTD 1791, the Mutual Pledge between #Lithuania & #Poland was adopted, preserving Lithuania's autonomy in the Commonwealth. The Pledge was part of the Constitution of May 3, an example of progressive political thought, testifying mutual commitment & respect for nations' autonomy. pic.twitter.com/y2UTU4dy7m

— Lithuania MFA | #StandWithUkraine (@LithuaniaMFA) October 20, 2023

Andy Saunders  @1940Andy

Sad news from the announcements page of the local newspaper in Hastings:

LRT English  @LRTenglish

On Tuesday night, schools and kindergartens in Lithuania again received bomb threats

https://t.co/5qQGjNOsAJ

Moodle @moodle@openedtech.social

Generative AI and H5P at #MootGlobal23 with Svein-Tore Griff With.
This presentation was voted one of the most popular presentations at MoodleMoot Global 2023.

Watch now: https://youtu.be/pjWVpqqErSc?si=5-27Wx

Strategies:  

Reimagining Study Hall to Promote Student Goal-Setting

WIN: ‘WHAT I NEED’ TIME

Students might spend the period taking a test they missed, consulting with a teacher about lingering questions, or working on a group project, eliminating the hassle of weekend meet-ups.

WIN’s value lies in intentional structure, not unbounded freedom. The session comprises seven sequential, interconnected components, each of which advances the period’s purpose.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/study-hall-can-promote-goal-setting/

Resources:  

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

Forever Young

What it is: Teens as young as fourteen spoke with New York Magazine about their time-consume multi-step skincare routines, which often include strong active ingredients like retinol and glycolic acid.

A Hill of Beans

What it is: A viral bean soup recipe on TikTok led to a bigger discussion about how algorithms skew users’ expectations of the content recommended to them.

What the online world is saying: A TikTok user recently posted a recipe for a healthy bean soup. They were then inundated with requests for advice on how to modify the recipe to not include any beans. (The bean-averse are, apparently, a multitude.) But beans were the whole point—the recipe being called bean soup. Another TikTok user, @sarahthebookfairy, posted in response to the debacle, calling this an example of what she’s dubbed the “what about me?” effect. Social media users, she argues, have grown too accustomed to having hyper-individualized content served up to them through an endless feed. When they come across a post that doesn’t necessarily pertain to them, they feel compelled to respond to the content anyway, if only to call out how it doesn’t suit their preferences. The original post describing the “what about me” effect currently has well over 4 million views.

Start the conversation: Why do you think people still respond when they see a post that doesn’t apply to them?  

Moodle Course:  Python for Beginners

Originally uploaded by Christian Thompson: This is the introductory course for Python for Beginners. Please start here if you have no experience coding in Python. This course is self-paced; you can proceed through the course, but should complete each unit before moving on to the next unit.  

https://moodle.net/resource/uHFOlHUh/python-for-beginners

ZipCaptions

Zip Captions provides an easy to use live captions experience which lives right inside your browser. We don’t capture, store, or share any of your data, there are no hidden fees, and no agreements to sign.

https://zipcaptions.app/#/

Trust & Safety

Trust & Safety Tycoon is a game exploring the difficult choices and tradeoffs involved in managing a trust and safety team.

Created in association with the Atlantic Council’s Task Force for a Trustworthy Future Web.

Built by Copia Gaming and Leveraged Play. Written & developed by Mike Masnick, Randy Lubin, and Leigh Beadon with generous support from the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation.

https://trustandsafety.fun/

Typpo

With Typpo, you can effortlessly create engaging videos in seconds. Simply speak into your phone and let our advanced A.I. technology transform your words into fun and visually stunning animations. You don’t need any design skills to get started – anyone can use Typpo to share their ideas with the world. Share your videos directly from the app on your favorite social media channels or send them as messages to your friends and family. Try Typpo today and see how easy it is to turn your voice into captivating videos.

https://typpo.app/

Globe Game

Every day, there is a new Mystery Country. Your goal is to guess which country it is using the fewest number of guesses. Each incorrect guess will appear on the globe with a colour indicating how close it is to the Mystery Country. The hotter the colour, the closer you are to the answer.

https://globle-game.com/

Web Spotlight: 

How Teaching Should Change, According to a Nobel-Prize-Winning Physicist

He argues that the traditional lecture method for teaching physics and other STEM fields has been proven ineffective, and that shifts to more active methods can greatly improve learning outcomes to make sure the next generation of researchers can make the next Nobel-worthy breakthroughs.

…I saw actually sort of a correlation, that the really top students in coursework never turned out to be the better physicists, I decided there was some fundamental question here about learning and thinking.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2023-10-17-how-teaching-should-change-according-to-a-nobel-prize-winning-physicist

12 Male Role Models From Science Fiction and Fantasy

https://buttondown.email/charliejane/archive/12-male-role-models-from-science-fiction-and/

Random Thoughts . . .  

AMLE is 50 Years Old!

Homepage

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, ACTEM, collaboration, and more. Dave is cultivating collaboration. 

Jokes:  

---

if two boats go under at the same time, that’s sinkronicity

---

Does the spork go on the left or right of a paper plate?

---

Delleps is spelled backwards.

---

How do they figure out who’s the best fighter in Candyland?

• They turn a mint.

---

I hated my old job where all I did was push buttons all day…

• …it was depressing.

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Cultivating Collaboration

I was recently reading the Fall, 2023 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, “Cultivating Collaboration,”

Collaboration is a key skill that is foundational to society.  The expansion of scientific knowledge, coupled with today’s complex global issues, makes collaboration among scientists and engineers crucial if we are to develop solutions to difficult problems.

http://k12science.net/cultivating-collaboration/

Collaborating on The Mysteries – Bill Watterson and John Kascht

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHND7L1wUl0

Reports from the Front Lines

• ACTEM
  • AI Creation
  • Carl Hooker
  • Apple Pop Up Classroom
  • Game Based Learning
  • Podcasting in the Classroom
  • H5P Presentation

Eileen Award  

• Facebook:  Dr. Pat Williams-Boyd 

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘snerdle’ (18th century dialect): to wrap up cosily beneath the covers and hold off the day for a little longer.

Kevin Honeycutt  @kevinhoneycutt

Download my black line master PDF of the Space capsule Learning Pod and print on cardstock for great results your kids can use as a pencil/pen holder or just take home for more adventures! https://kevinhoneycutt.org/ewExternalFile

Cian McCarthy  @arealmofwonder

Word for the Weekend

Massimo@Rainmaker1973

The importance of punctuation (Commas save lives)

MrBerard@MrBerard@pilote.me
Explaining CPU exceptions to A-Level #CS Students:

“It’s a priority queue. So when I’m teaching your colleagues of Year 7, if one needs me, I go help them…. Another calls, they have to wait their turn… But if one gets a nosebleed, I have to address that first…”

Resources:  

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

The Cost of a Bargain

What it is: Chinese-owned shopping app Temu is drawing teens in with absurdly cheap prices.

How to Help Students Avoid Getting Duped Online — and by AI Chatbots

Students these days are terrible at sorting true facts from misinformation online and on social media, many studies show. But it’s not because students aren’t good at critical thinking, …

One problem that students — and, really, any of us — face, Caulfield argues, is that people often approach information they encounter online with the same strategies for telling fact from fiction that worked well in an earlier time, when most published material had undergone some level of vetting and verification.

“There wasn’t suddenly a massive decline in critical thinking,” Caulfield says. “People were just applying approaches to information on the internet that weren’t really appropriate to the internet, that people were applying some of these pre-internet approaches that weren’t really applicable.”

One of the primary things you’re doing when you’re reading on the internet is you’re trying to decide if something’s worth your attention or not. 

In traditional models we’ve often taught students that the way you solve any problem is by giving it deep critical attention. And of course, this is disastrous on the internet. 

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2023-10-10-how-to-help-students-avoid-getting-duped-online-and-by-ai-chatbots

Web Spotlight: 

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Troy and Shawn discuss AI quite a bit. We also have some fun with words and kids. Dave swings in with playground physics.

Jokes:  

---

If someone says, “A penny for your thoughts” and you put your two cents in, they’ve made a profit.

---

The carpenter built a $1,000 door and made a grand entrance.

---

Good cat names:

Astrophe
Aclysm
Aract
Erpillar

---

A duel between three people is called a truel.

---

“You have cute knuckles” is a rather backhanded compliment.

---

The word “gullible” upside down looks like a cat.

---

There was something really odd about that “Do Not Touch” sign.

• But I can’t put my finger on it.

---

Q: How do you measure the weight of crackers?

A: In grahams.

---

Remember — when you DO find that Genie and ask to be happy, you’ll soon find yourself working in a mine with height-challenged co-workers.

---

Gulliver was probably the greatest hero in classic literature..

• But a handful of people might disagree.

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Playground Physics

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

In this issue, I read an article entitled, “Innovative Technology Enhances Outdoor Learning Experiences with Playground Physics.”  It was written by Michaela Labriole, Judith Hutton, Laycca Umer, and Kate Maschak.

Playground Physics is a free digital application and supplemental curriculum for grades 6-8 developed by the New York Hall of Science.  You can learn more by visiting:

https://noticing.nysci.org/apps/playground-physics/

http://k12science.net/playground-physics/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Monday
• Testing
• CSS fun

The Social Web

MagicSchool AI  @magicschoolai

INCOMING: MagicSchool stealth launch today! Retweet and comment “I want early access ” and we’ll DM you a special link to see the latest MagicSchool drop before it’s announced. #magicschoolai #teachersaremagic #stealthlaunch

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

A reminder of the useful ‘ipsedixitist’ (19th century): one who firmly asserts that something is true because another person said so, with no other evidence to back it up.

Daniel Pink  @DanielPink

“The courage to start. The discipline to focus. The confidence to figure it out. The patience to know progress is not always visible. The persistence to keep going, even on the bad days. That’s the formula.” — @shaneaparrish

LRT English  @LRTenglish

The dream of allocated flats became a key part of life in Soviet-occupied Lithuania. But as the homes were dolled out on party instructions, this turned into an instrument of social control  https://t.co/S826PmiQvS  

Cian McCarthy  @arealmofwonder

Words for the Weekend 

Kevin Honeycutt  @kevinhoneycutt

My newest PDF classroom activity build is a space capsule! This one is designed to assemble with no glue or tape just scissors and ingenuity. Anyone want the file? Probably best grade 4-8.  

Replying to

@Frideswidel

https://kevinhoneycutt.org/resources.html

I’m excited to see some kid-made versions and I want to collaborate with teachers to grow a list of learning extensions kids will love!  

I never played football, my family couldn’t afford the shoes but I ended up coaching football!

I never played football, my family couldn’t afford the shoes but I ended up coaching football! pic.twitter.com/3u3LAMjvPy

— Kevin Honeycutt  (@kevinhoneycutt) October 7, 2023

Strategies:  

Using AI to Write Lesson Plans

https://www.middleweb.com/49675/moving-forward-using-ai-in-my-classroom/

Resources:  

TikTok Brain

TikTok’s mind-boggling popularity has led to growing interest in how the social media platform impacts the brain, especially in the kids and teens who populate the app. In addition to concerns about its effects on mental health, some early studies suggest it could be changing their attention spans.

 TikTok has already made changes to help teens manage their time scrolling through videos. The platform does not allow push notifications after 9 pm for users ages 13 to 15. The platform also periodically creates videos to remind users to pause their scrolling, go outside, or have a snack.

While YouTube videos are usually longer, the platform introduced a feature called YouTube Shorts with content that maxes out at 60 seconds. Google, which owns Youtube, already has features to limit use for people under 18, such as turning off autoplay for kids and teens. Reminders to take a break or go to sleep are also on by default for users aged 13 to 17.

https://theweek.com/health-and-wellness/1025836/tiktok-brain-and-attention-spans

Great news — social media is falling apart

As people grow tired of toxic and addictive platforms that undermine real social connection, this new wave of social-focused upstarts could end up producing a healthier online environment.

https://www.businessinsider.com/social-media-splintering-new-less-toxic-era-meta-bluesky-twitter-2023-10

OpenCV

https://opencv.org/

MagicChart

Create bar charts using AI from a chart. What do they mean? Who knows?

Can be good for prompt writing (i.e. clear instructions). 

https://www.magicslides.app/tools/magicchart

Demystifying AI

A FREE Workshop for Maine Educators

This free-to-attend, four-part AI panel series during the 2023-2024 school year comprises virtual events, each offering a deeper dive into AI in the classroom. MMSA will leverage existing partnerships with leading researchers in the field to bring this topic to life for educators.

All events to take place via Zoom, from 3:30 – 5:30 PM (EST).

https://sites.google.com/mmsa.org/demystifyingai/home

Web Spotlight: 

Same Old Ways

https://eduk8.me/2023/10/same-old-ways/

Hey Computer, Make Me a Font

https://serce.me/posts/02-10-2023-hey-computer-make-me-a-font

Some traditional font making sites: 

https://fontstruct.com/

http://www.pentacom.jp/soft/ex/font/edit_canvas.html 

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Troy and Shawn talk about AI, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, teaching strategies, and more. 

Jokes:  

---

Restless? Read “The History of Teleportation.”

It will take you places.

---

50% of Scotland is land.

The other 50% is Scot.

---

Alaskan Flat Tire:

---

Shouldn’t there be a flat moon society since we only see one side of it?

---

The ultimate age-old question has to be “How old are you?”

---

Doing poorly in school can be quite D-grading.

---

The only thing flat earthers fear is sphere itself.

---

“Gibberish” is a little-known palindrome.

Spelled backwards, it is still gibberish.

---

At one point, even “Gone With the Wind” was just a draft

---

When I hopped on the treadmill at the gym I got funny looks.

So I decided to run instead.

---

I’ve discovered something that will let you walk through walls. 

• I call it “a door”

---

If you write a second book about electric bicycles…

• is it an E-qual?

---

Reports from the Front Lines

• Provisioning Fun
  • Wrong email
  • Wrong building
• State Testing
• Dissertation Defense
• Generative AI 
• Fundraisers

The Social Web

Martin Dougiamas  @moodler

#ImALifelongLearner #JApprendsToutAuLongDeLaVie parce que… #AprendoALoLargoDeLaVida porque… انا اتعلم مدى الحياة# #我是一名终身学习者 因为 #ЯучусьВсюЖизнь, потому что #SayaTerusBelajar karena https://app.cheerity.com/yIXP5zvYx/main

John R. Sowash  @jrsowash

Some sad news just announced by Google….#Jamboard has been discontinued.  Official announcement: https://tinyurl.com/2d392xfg

Killed by Google 

https://killedbygoogle.com/

While I am sad that Google is ending support for #Jamboard in 2024, there are a lot of great tools that are as good or better than Jamboard. Here are my three favorites. Are there any other alternatives that are worth considering? #GoogleEDU #teacherTwitter #figmaEDU

@CanvaEDU     https://twitter.com/jrsowash/status/1707434908128256341/photo/1  

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

If it’s been one of those weeks and you don’t quite have the words, may I offer you ‘bumfuzzled’ and ‘dumfoozled’ from the 19th century? Both mean perplexed, befuddled, and in need of a lie-down.

Alice Keeler  @alicekeeler

For funsies, how would you solve this equation?

Katie Powell  @Beyond_the_Desk

Look what arrived today! I had the privilege of writing a forward for @MsAmberChandler’s new book, Everything New Teachers Need to Know but are Afraid to Ask. We know we need to do a better job supporting new teachers, so I’m proud to be able to recommend this great resource!

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003365921/everything-new-teachers-need-know-afraid-ask-amber-chandler

Revolving_Door_Admin  @RAD_is_awesome

The superintendent and executive cabinet are aware of the issue of students cutting classes and have concluded that the problem is the lack of academic rigor in the teachers’ lessons.

Strategies:  

60 Second Strategies

Our popular series of short videos that break down effective classroom practices for every grade level in literally one minute—all in one place. How’s that for a quick win?

https://www.edutopia.org/60-second-strategies-for-educators

SAR

I’ve been talking this week with my students about memory and learning. 

Understanding how we learn via memory processing and understanding what this means for how we study is, in my opinion, of utmost importance to all learners and teachers. It seems criminal that so many students and teachers (especially in the US) complete their careers and/or schooling without coming into contact with this vital information. 

So, I propose this:

Sense → Attend → Rehearse

It’s simple, easy to remember, and I believe it covers major aspects of memory and learning in the classroom.

https://theeffortfuleducator.com/2023/09/25/the-sar-method/

Resources:  

Movie & Book Recommender

https://movie-and-book-recommender.vercel.app/

Copyright

Posters and curriculum

https://copyrightandcreativity.org/infographics/

Digital Public Library of America

https://dp.la/

Web Spotlight: 

Historical maps probably helped cause World War I

I probably spent more time looking through the volumes of Colin McEvedy’s Penguin Atlas of History series than any other book when I was a kid (scans of the medieval volume are here). 

The simplicity of a historical map — the clear labels, the sharp edges, and above all the reduction of thousands or millions of people into abstract symbols — is a big part of why they’re so beguiling. But it’s also why they lead us astray.

…it’s in the process of making historical maps that you truly realize how much they leave out. What precise date does a map of, say, “the world circa 1200” actually show? How real are those borders between different polities and tribes? Or, in the case of maps of battles like Cannae, how can we know exactly how a detachment of troops moved during the fog of war, hundreds or thousands of years ago?

https://resobscura.substack.com/p/historical-maps-probably-helped-cause

Bringing Smithsonian Collections You Can See, Hear and Touch to Learners Near You

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-education/2023/02/07/bringing-smithsonian-collections-you-can-see-hear-and-touch-to-learners-near-you/

Life at 13

“It’s not as easy as it used to be,” London said, about being a teenager. “’Cause you can’t escape social media unless you delete the apps.”

AXIS:  The Culture Translator  

Don’t Call Me

What it is: The Washington Post dishes out some very basic advice on modern phone etiquette.

Why it’s still interesting: Something that might surprise parents is the seemingly universal way younger people despise voicemail messages. The article suggests that voicemails should be left only at truly pivotal moments—like your mother wishing you a happy birthday, or a friend sharing a snippet of a live concert you couldn’t get tickets for. Voicemails are simply inconvenient to retrieve, and often go ignored. Another piece of advice: when calling a Gen Zer, shoot a warning text. While teens don’t all hate talking on the phone, many feel the need to mentally prepare for the conversation instead of simply picking up an unexpected call. Unless it’s a conversation that requires a back-and-forth dynamic (like a brainstorming session or an argument), most younger people really, really, really would prefer you simply text or email them to share information.

Start the conversation: Besides warning texts and avoiding voicemails, what are some other differences in how younger people prefer to use phones?  

Hey Gen

Video, audio translation. Matches the voice to the lip movement. 

Example: 

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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
  • PHET – 
• 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

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

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

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

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