Podcast 121: Common Core Motivation

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Jokes:

Ugly Suits
When the store manager returned from lunch, he noticed his clerk’s hand was bandaged, but before he could ask about the bandage, the clerk had some very good news for him. “Guess what, sir?” the clerk said. “I finally sold that terrible, ugly suit we’ve had so long!” “Do you mean that repulsive pink-and-blue double-breasted thing?!” the manager asked. “That’s the one!” “That’s great!” the manager cried, “I thought we’d never get rid of that monstrosity! That had to be the ugliest suit we’ve ever had! But tell me, why is your hand bandaged?” “Oh,” the clerk replied, “after I sold the guy that suit, his seeing-eye dog bit me.”

On Our Mind:

Thanks for the ratings. We’ve added to the iTunes rating and really appreciate that.
School year is coming to a close.

From the Twitterverse:

Advisory:

Ad Hoc idea:  Info Please/ChaCha – Here’s an idea to let your kids use those smart phones in school.  Grab some worksheets from your teammates and hold a surprise review quiz in Advisory.  They can use two resources to help them find the answers:  Info Please and ChaCha.  Info Please is a reference site put together by Pearson.  Tons of resources at the ready.  Not enough computers in your Advisory classroom?  Fine.  Let the kiddos pull out their cell phones and get the answers from ChaCha, a cell phone based search engine.

Try these:

1.  Who is Jeff LaRoux?

2.  How many feathers are in a peacock?

3.  What is the average flight speed of an African Swallow?

Tech Tools:

Gpanion:
Gives you an online dashboard to your Google Apps and life.
http://gpanion.com/

Timeline tools:
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/05/five-ways-for-students-to-build.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29
XTimeline
TimeGlider
Time Toast
TimeRime
Dipity

Facebook search engine:

Openbook draws attention to the information Facebook makes public about its users via its search API. Facebook exposed this service on April 21st, 2010.

Our goal is to get Facebook to restore the privacy of this information, so that this website and others like it no longer work.

Anybody can search, even if they don’t have a Facebook account. However, if you are logged into your Facebook account, you’ll see full profile pages when you click on a user.
http://youropenbook.org/

AutoMotivator

AutoMotivator is for making printable motivational posters or parody demotivational posters. You choose the picture, colors, and text, and we make your poster.

You can put the poster on your website, or even get a print for just $9.95. A giant, 36″ wide print is just $19.95!

http://wigflip.com/automotivator/
e.g.: Mistakes Poster http://site.despair.com/images/dpage/mistakes03.jpg

Webspotlight:

Net Generation:
Downloadable information revolving around the Federal Government and its IT capabilities. Also has sections on Net Generation, use of web 2.0 tools, etc.
http://www.slideshare.net/DepartmentofDefense/net-generation?from=embed

News:

Common-Standards Draft Excludes ELL Proficiency

The writing teams for common standards have sought the advice of researchers on English-language learners, but the organizations that are coordinating the venture don’t plan to produce a set of English-language-proficiency standards to go with the common standards.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/05/20/33common-ell.h29.html?tkn=MQOFnULgtF%2Fgh5hnaIt1UWPBxqDYo516eELj&cmp=clp-edweek

Education officials may scrap MCAS test

Massachusetts education officials are quietly putting together a proposal to scrap the controversial MCAS exams in English and math and replace them with new tests they are developing with about two dozen other states.
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/mcas/articles/2010/05/20/education_officials_may_scrap_mcas_test/

Are We Really Teaching Them How To Fish (by Jennifer Wagner)

Teaching teachers to fish instead of simply relying on PLN’s for all the answers.
http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/29850

Opportunity:  Knowledge For Teaching Study
http://www.ets.org/Media/Campaign/13700/
What makes a good teacher?  Here’s a study to find out and a chance for you to participate in a study that is designed to find out those very things.

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Other News:

  • ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
  • The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010. Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting.
  • Second Life:

MSM-120 Title: Sneaky Science Achievement . . .

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Jokes:

How do you keep a parrot on its perch?    Polly Grip.

Trains and Tea Kettles
A man who had spent his whole life in the desert visited a friend. He’d never seen a train or the tracks they run on. While standing in the middle of the RR tracks, he heard a whistle, but didn’t know what it was. Predictably, he’s hit and is thrown to the side of the tracks, with some minor internal injuries, a few broken bones, and some bruises. After weeks in the hospital recovering, he’s at his friend’s house attending a party. While in the kitchen, he suddenly hears the teakettle whistling. He grabs a baseball bat from the nearby closet and proceeds to batter and bash the teakettle into an unrecognizable lump of metal. His friend, hearing the ruckus, rushes into the kitchen, sees what’s happened and asks the desert man, “Why’d you ruin my good tea kettle?” The desert man replies, “Man, you gotta kill these things when they’re small.”

On Our Mind:

NMSA hires new Executive Director:  Dr. Drew Allbritten

“Beginning his professional life as a middle school mathematics and science teacher, his career has included serving as executive director for the Council for Exceptional Children, the Georgia Association of Educators, the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, and the Iowa Association of Community College Trustees. During that time, he held roles in the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Committee for Education Funding, Coalition of Lifelong Learning Organizations, and the National Coalition for Technology in Education and Training (NCTET). Allbritten also served as a United States presidential appointee and as an elected member of the Michigan House of Representatives where he championed reform in middle schools.”  -From the NMSA Press Release.

NMSA hires new Research Journal Editor:  Dr. Karen Weller Swanson

“Karen Weller Swanson was previously a middle school science teacher at Mount Elden Middle School in Flagstaff, Arizona. She is currently an associate professor teaching doctoral research methods for the Tift College of Education at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia. She earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Her research topic was “How does high-stakes testing pressure influence collaborative practices of middle school teams?” Her master’s and bachelor’s degrees were in secondary education and biology from NAU. Additionally, Swanson was named a 2010 Carnegie Academy of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) Scholar.” – From the NMSA Press Release.

NMSA announces new Voucher Program.

  • Minimum amount $250/No Maximum.
  • Expires two years from date of issue.
  • Valid on membership, book purchases, event registrations, on-site professional development, and Middle Grades Assessment.
  • No refunds or cash back.
  • Voucher may be redeemed via mail, fax, phone, or online. Limitations apply to online redemption and cannot be used for on-site purchases.
  • Member discounts apply upon usage of voucher.

From Our Listeners:

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Middle School Teachers
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9a.  Cell Phone Science Workshop for MS and HS Teachers

Join other outstanding physics and technology teachers from across the Midwest to discover the fundamental science and engineering of cell phones and other wireless communications.  We live in a world with instantaneous global communications.  Over 270 million Americans have cell phones.  Our students use iPhones, BlackBerrys, and other wireless devices every day.  Despite the ubiquitous nature of modern communications, most students (and teachers!) don’t have a clue of the science behind these wonderful, technological marvels.  Three high school teachers working with engineers from Cingular, Motorola, and the University of Michigan have developed an exciting and innovative 3-week program.

The Square One Education Network will host the 2-day workshop.  The workshop will be at the Macomb Intermediate School District in Clinton Township, MI June 23rd and June 24th from 8:30 AM till 3:30 PM. Square One will pay for training, invited speakers, meals, and a complete classroom set of equipment for participants.  CEU credits will also be available.  Mark Davids and Rick Forrest, authors and designers of the program, will lead the sessions.  The deadline to apply is May 18, 2010.  Conference Details will be updated on the Square One website at:
http://www.squareonenetwork.org

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9b.  World Environment Day Contest

The Project Earth World Environment Day Contest is designed to highlight the efforts of students in grades 6-12 to become more environmentally sustainable and for teachers and students around the world to share and learn from each others ideas and efforts.  The winner of the contest will be announced on World Environment Day, June 5, 2010, and will be awarded $500. All participants will receive a participation certificate. The last day to enter the contest is May 22, 2010.  For more information, please visit:
http://www.projectearth.net/

From the Twitterverse:

Advisory:

Origami Projects:
http://en.origami-club.com//index.html
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/supplies/b21b/:  Sticky Notes
Book version:  Sticky Note Origami

Don’t Buy It – Consumer Awareness:
http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/
http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/buyingsmart/

Tech Tools:

GeoGebra
GeoGebra is free and multi-platform dynamic mathematics software for all levels of education that joins geometry, algebra, tables, graphing, statistics and calculus in one easy-to-use package. It has received several educational software awards in Europe and the USA.
http://www.geogebra.org/cms/

MeetingWords:
MeetingWords is a simple text editor for the web.

Your text is saved on the web, and more than one person can edit the same document at the same time. Everybody’s changes are instantly reflected on all screens.

Work together on meeting notes, brainstorming sessions, homework, team programming and more!

http://meetingwords.com/

Webspotlight:

Scitable
A free science library and personal learning tool brought to you by Nature Publishing Group, the world’s leading publisher of science. Scitable currently concentrates on genetics, the study of evolution, variation, and the rich complexity of living organisms.
http://www.nature.com/scitable

Udemy

Udemy is a website that enables anyone to create an online course. Our goal is to provide our teachers with everything they could possibly need to create a great learning experience over the internet. We’ve worked hard to build this site and we hope you like it. Everything is completely free, because we believe nobody should have to pay for Udemy unless they are making money themselves.

But why did we create this site? We created it to solve a simple problem:

Currently, educators are constrained by the physicality of their course. Whether an SAT tutor or an IT education company, instructors can only teach those in proximity to their location. Online education breaks down those barriers, but publishing an online education course is time-consuming and expensive. Online education is dominated by large businesses that have spent millions on developing the infrastructure necessary to create, distribute and monetize their content.

http://udemy.com/

Physics Central:
Learn how your world works. Includes Physics Quest:
PhysicsQuest is a story-based activity that exposes middle school students to the fun and relevance of science. APS provides a free PhysicsQuest kit to registered 6-9th grade physical science classes, home school groups, science clubs, and after-school programs. The kit includes a user’s manual and materials for four physics experiments.
Also:
Ask a Physicist
http://www.physicscentral.com/

News:

Educational Attainment Rises Among All Americans

Demographic Shift Could Pose Challenges for Schools

Americans across major racial and ethnic groups became better educated over the past decade, though significant gaps remain in the rates at which blacks and Hispanics earn a high school diploma or college degree, a new analysis of U.S. census data finds.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/05/19/32census.h29.html?tkn=ULYFpqIWdt6KUupP26LQsrRNkhFWndwAL0n5&cmp=clp-edweek

College for all? Experts say not necessarily

By ALAN SCHER ZAGIER (AP)
The notion that a four-year degree is essential for real success is being challenged by a growing number of economists, policy analysts and academics. They say more Americans should consider other options such as technical training or two-year schools, which have been embraced in Europe for decades.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gFJnsnt6zUOz2LwZnZgsoBxUQC6QD9FM535G0

An Idea to Consider: The Purpose Is the Point

By Phillip Harris & Bruce Smith

Just do it, screams the ad copy. Git ’er done, crows the comedian. Whatever you do, don’t shilly-shally around overthinking your actions. If America had a national bumper sticker, that’s the message our society would doubtless want it to convey. We understand and often share those feelings. But a more judicious approach is not just more sensible, but the only one likely to get us where we want to go.
But all of this effort, and the haste with which we try to adopt the policies, is misguided for at least two reasons.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/05/12/31harris.h29.html?tkn=WYVFhdem88gTCb5WD1xyQ%2B1JQ8ZRGaX2lOUF&cmp=clp-edweek

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Other News:

  • ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
  • The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010. Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting.
  • Second Life:

MSM-119 Teaching Secrets that we just gave away!

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Jokes:

Technology
The world’s first fully computerized airliner was ready for its maiden flight without pilots or crew. The plane taxied to the loading area automatically, its doors opened automatically, the steps came out automatically. The passengers boarded the plane and took their seats. The steps retreated automatically, the doors closed, and the airplane taxied toward the runway. “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,” a voice intoned. “Welcome to the debut of the world’s first fully computerized airliner. Everything on this aircraft is run electronically. Just sit back and relax. Nothing can go wrong … Nothing can go wrong…nothing can go wrong….”

Homework Assignments
A father came home from work one night to find his little boy sitting on the cat, with a pen and paper in his hand. “Why are you sitting on Felix?” he asked. “Well, teacher told us to write an essay on the family pet.”

On Our Mind:

Happy Belated Birthday to Ron King!

1:1 Learning:

In “Educational Outcomes and Research from 1:1 Computing Settings” Damian Bebell and Laura M. O’Dwyer examine all four empirical studies and conclude that they provide clear evidence that 1:1 computing programs in K-12 schools have produced: increased student and teacher technology use; increased student engagement level; and modest increases in student achievement.

More specifically, they draw conclusions in four areas:

  • Viability of the Technology Immersion plan: The authors conclude that it can work if done right and that a key to success is ensuring that students have computers outside of school as well as in the classroom.
  • Assessment: They conclude that more research is needed about the relationship between laptops and standardized tests and raise questions about whether the current tests measure what students actually learn from 1:1.
  • Impact on Teachers: They observe that 1:1 implementations challenge traditional teaching approaches and find that professional development geared especially to teaching in the 1:1 classroom is very helpful.
  • Impact on Students: Finally, Bebell and O’Dwyer conclude that students not only became more engaged with school but became better researchers, have access to an “expanded” classroom, and benefit from “systematic and ubiquitous use of technology, as opposed to idiosyncratic and sporadic use of technology” (Weston, Bain).

http://k12blueprint.com/k12/blueprint/story_Disruption_in_the_Educational_Paradigm.php

Transitions
Elementary to Middle
http://www.nea.org/tools/16657.htm
http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-2/middle.htm
http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit32/
http://www.lpcsc.k12.in.us/kesling/docs/Survival_Tips.pdf

Middle to High
http://www.ldaofmichigan.org/articles/Mizelle3-06.htm
http://www.kidsource.com/education/middlehigh.html

From Our Listeners:

Hi guys,
I was listening to the podcast while I was driving to the Detroit Zoo to do a workshop with 8th – 12th grade teachers, on Writing in Science.  I heard you talk about the person who wanted to use 70% formative and 20% summative for students grades and how you thought he had it backward. Well, in our workshop, we have been working on writing strategies from the Writing Across the Curriculum Document and in the document they share Writing to Learn (formative) strategies and Writing to Demonstrate Knowledge (summative) strategies.  As we talked, it was obvious that there was a lot of confusion between formative and summative, especially when it came to grades.  I shared your example of the students who both learned the content, but started their learning at different levels.  As you talked about you, it was clear that if a student had more prior knowledge they would probably get a better grade.  But a student who learned the same things, yet had less prior knowledge would probably not get as good a grade.  This was a striking example for the participants in the workshop.  All of a sudden, people got a much better understanding of formative assessment, summative assessment and its impact on grading.  I think it is a great example and it had a great impact on 40 science teachers.
Keep up the good work,
Dave Bydlowski
resa.net/science
k12science.net
Twitter:  k12science
Facebook:  k12science

From the Twitterverse:

Advisory:

The Learners Profile
These are informal “information gathering” tools for you to use in your classroom. They are designed to make teachers and students more aware of their different strengths, interests, modalities, and personalities. Please do not accept any results or responses without checking them out by watching your students in action. Observation and data gathering go hand-in-hand and enable you to detect the difference between what your students SAY and what they actually do.
http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/techknowpark/kiosk/Profile_Teachers.html

Webspotlight:

Teens & Mobile Phone Infographic:
http://www.flowtown.com/blog/teens-and-their-mobile-phones?display=wide

Timelines:
Create your own timelines:
http://www.xtimeline.com/

Students Provide Feedback on Teachers:
A measure that calls for students to provide “constructive feedback’’ to their teachers was approved by the Boston School Committee last night, after students had spent two years working for its passage.
The students had initially pushed for teacher evaluations that would be kept on file, and would carry weight in the overall evaluation of the teacher by administrators, but union officials balked at that idea.
Instead, the measure puts in place a survey that students will fill out anonymously and submit directly to their teachers. The feedback would then be compiled and passed on to administrators with the names of the teachers excluded.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/05/06/school_committee_oks_student_feedback_on_teachers/

Teaching Secrets: 10 To-Dos for New Teachers

1. Find your curriculum and read through it several times.
2. Find all your supporting materials, both student and teacher copies.
3. Ask to look over last year’s yearbook.
4. Create a birthday list for each class (celebrate half-birthdays for summer birthdays, six months from the actual date).
5. Develop some sort of impartial method for calling on students during class.
6. Figure out how you will capture students on the first day of school.
7. Design some method to manage and keep track of daily paperwork, especially for absent students.
8. Make an appointment to sit down with important building specialists.
9. Introduce yourself to the school secretaries, the nurse, the bookkeepers and the paraprofessionals.
10. Decide where and when you will fight your battles with the kids.
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2010/05/05/tln_ratzel_newteachertodos.html?tkn=WOYCT4%2FR0wxIx1HwBu%2Bs1%2FE2wCPYug9wyhjq&cmp=clp-sb-ascd

Reading Programs Yield Few Gains in Comprehension

A federal study of supplemental programs that are intended to improve students’ reading comprehension has found that only one of the three programs examined actually did so.
The report, released May 5, focuses on the second and final year of research into the reading programs. It concludes that ReadAbout, a computer-based program by Scholastic Inc., improved students’ comprehension of social studies texts when the teacher had a previous year’s experience with the program. The size of the effect after an academic year of instruction was the equivalent of moving a student from the 50th to the 59th percentile, the researchers said.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/05/06/31read.h29.html?tkn=QULFgyk553ATo1pvdev0VXAFmWGjSBKn5O9D&cmp=clp-edweek

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Other News:

  • ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
  • The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010. Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting.
  • Second Life:

MSM-118- And Now a Word (or two) from Our Listeners.

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Jokes:

Phones
After the telephone was installed in her home, the lady called the operator. My telephone cord is too long, she said. Would you please pull it a little from your end?

Daughters
A certain little girl, when asked her name, would reply, “I’m Mr. Sugarbrown’s daughter.” Her mother told her this was wrong, she must say, “I’m Jane Sugarbrown.” The Vicar spoke to her in Sunday school, and said, “Aren’t you Mr. Sugarbrown’s daughter?” She replied, “I thought I was, but mother says I’m not.”

Positive Attributes
A doctor examining a woman who had been rushed to the Emergency Room took the husband aside, and said, “I don’t like the looks of your wife at all. “Me neither doc,” said the husband. “But she’s a great cook and really good with the kids.”

On Our Mind:

Google Apps for All in Oregon

From Our Listeners:

Thanks to Michael DePass for the podcast requests. We hope that you enjoy them.

Gentlemen,

Just listened to ep 114 (sorry I’m a little behind) and enjoyed your discussion about allowing students to text the teacher an answer to a problem in class.  One question:  What phone # should the students be given to text to?  I for one, would not give my cell phone # to the class.

Keep up the good work!

Mike Cohen

Hey, thanks for the feedback and question. It’s a great question.
I would use something like poll anywhere ( http://www.polleverywhere.com/ ). It’s free – for up to 30 respondents- beyond that kind of pricey. It allows SMS messages to be sent to a website.
Or you could probably set up a Google Voice account.

It’s not cell phone per se, but you could also set up a survey in a Google Doc they could answer with iPod touches or smart phones.

iResponse / iReponse Pro

This weekend I attended WAMLE10 and had the opportunity to listen to Christian Moore present on his program Why Try?  Listening to him present, he reminded me of so many of my “at risk” kids.  He talked about how many of “them” are visual learners, yet many teachers predominately use auditory ways to present information.  His program is built around visual metaphors and music and I thought it was right on target.  He said something surprising during his breakout session though.  He mentioned presenting at NMSA this year and there being an absence of dropout prevention presenters.  While I was not able to attend, do you recall that being true?  Do you know anything about his program?  Did either of you attend his session this year? I have included some to links in case you aren’t too familiar with him.  It sounds to me like a great advisory or enrichment program for schools to look into.  What do you think?

Loved #117….have a great week!

Ron

Why Try?
http://www.whytry.org

Why Try? Talk (7 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZurUIgVloQ

Reality Ride Metaphor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMuTcypb03M

Climbing Out Metaphor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COjtubk8Qz8&feature=related

Defense Mechanisms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYE4pKf5Z8k&feature=related

Lift the Weight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZuiuZtsgOE&feature=related

Just Think Letter (written by Christian Moore)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P5pZtUNtN0&feature=related

Reality Ride Explained
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YggkYkd_sM4&feature=related

From Doc. Tatom:

The 2010 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge is for students grades 5-8.

Ten finalists will be selected to receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City to compete in the final challenge in October. The winner will receive $50,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds ($25,000 cash value), a tour of 3M’s Innovation Center in St. Paul Minnesota given by the world’s top scientists, and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”

Competition Details:

1.  Middle school students in the U.S. are challenged to create a 1-2 minute video communicating the science behind the danger of one of the following safety and security issues that are present in everyday life, and offer a possible solution:

a. Preventing the spread of germs and diseases
b. Food safety
c. Sun protection
d. Wind resistant structures

2.  All video entries must be submitted online at www.youngscientistchallenge.com by May 27, 2010.

3.  Videos will be evaluated by a panel of judges based on creativity, persuasiveness, classroom suitability, and overall presentation.  Students can learn how to craft a winning video by checking out Entry Video Tips at www.youngscientistchallenge.com/about/entry_video_tips.html, which features advice from previous winners.

4.  The official submission rules can be found at www.youngscientistchallenge.com .

From Dave Bydlowski:
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Middle School  Science Teachers

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10b.  New Science Teacher Academy

If you’re a second or third year, secondary science teacher, don’t miss the deadline, May 30, to apply to the NSTA New Science Teacher Academy, cofounded by the Amgen Foundation. If selected, this Academy supports Fellows through mentoring and other professional development resources during their initial, challenging years. Striving for quality science teaching, enhanced teacher confidence, classroom excellence and solid content knowledge, the Academy provides the following additional benefits.

Full membership to the National Science Teachers Association
Access to the web-based Learning Center’s tools and professional development activities and resources including web seminars led by national experts
Use of vetted science websites, state and national standards sites, other professional organizations, safety tips, and more
E-mentoring with an experienced teacher in the same science discipline and grade band
Facilitated online curriculum devoted to science content and applicable classroom pedagogy
Access to a nationwide, online network of science educators and scientists for exchange of information, ideas, and resources
Participation in specialized conference pathway sessions, and a Research Dissemination Conference or a Professional Development Institute.
Paid accommodations, airfare, meals, and registration fees to attend the NSTA National Conference on Science Education.

Who is Eligible?  Applicants must reside in the United States, be entering their second or third year of teaching, and be working a schedule with 51 percent of their classes in middle or high school science.

Download and complete an application from:
http://www.nsta.org/academy
to become a Fellow in the New Science Teacher Academy. May 30, 2010 is the deadline for receipt of all applications.

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10c.  Lunar Institute for Educators LRO Workshop for MS and HS Educators — Free

NASA invites educators of grades 6-12 to attend, for free, the Lunar Institute for Educators workshop focusing on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. This workshop will take place July 12-16, 2010, at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.  The workshop will focus on lunar science, exploration, and how our understanding of the moon has changed since the time of the Apollo missions. Information sent back by LRO and the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite missions has revised the basic understandings of our closest celestial neighbor. What was once thought of as a definitively dry world is now understood to have water — and not only at its poles!

Workshop participants will learn more about this and other discoveries, explore real LRO data, participate in a number of lunar science activities, and learn how to incorporate these data and activities into the classroom.  For more information and to register for this workshop, visit:
http://education.gsfc.nasa.gov/lunarinstitute
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Andrea Jones at Andrea.Jones@ssaihq.com

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10d.  Free DVD’s

“Detroit Public Television and the Detroit Science Center are pleased to announce their “Think Squad” series on DVD. Their mission was to create a TV series about students who are focusing on real life applications of science and how learning about science can be fun and lead to a career. They created 10 episodes highlighting various science topics from space to the pH of soil. This series was filmed by and with students from the Detroit Metro area with a premise that the students are a group of young science investigators that help fellow students solve mysteries. Along the way, they learn about careers in many different scientific fields.

They would like to offer this to you to enhance your school curriculum and possibly motivate your students in a unique way. Here is a link to the DPTV video on demand for you to view some of the episodes. http://www.dptv.org/ondemand/think/thinkvodlg.shtml

If you are interested in obtaining free DVD’s of these episodes, please contact Julie Johnson at: jjohnson@sciencedetroit.org

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10e.  Upcoming Workshop on the MEECS Water Quality Unit

Cranbrook Institute of Science invites you to a workshop to learn how to use the MEECS Water Quality Unit in the classroom. The workshop will take place on June 22, 2010 from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm.  The MEECS Water Quality Unit helps students discover the essential role that water plays in Michigan’s economy and in everyone’s lives. Students calculate how much water they use, investigate the link between land uses and water quality, and discover how water is monitored and standards are set.  Curriculum activities feature engaging, hands-on lessons that encourage student participation and inquiry. The MEECS Water Quality Unit contains nine core lessons and five extension lessons. All lessons are correlated to Grades 6-8 and High School Science and Social Studies Michigan Content Expectations.

The cost is $45 for the workshop, and includes the MEECS Water Quality Unit curriculum binder, activity supplies, snacks and lunch.  Please visit the website for more information or to register:
http://science.cranbrook.edu/educational/teacher
If you have questions, please email: water@cranbrook.edu

—————————————————————–
10f.  Post a Project and Enter the National Lab Day Video Contest

Attention all science educators, for a limited time you can win money for your school by posting a hands-on learning project on:
http://NationalLabDay.org

What is National Lab Day? To begin, it is more than just a day. It is a nationwide movement to support science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in our schools. It is teachers working with community volunteers and communities rallying around teachers and scientists and other STEM professionals donating their time and expertise to our schools. National Lab Day seeks to foster partnerships between teachers, schools, STEM professionals, volunteers, federal agencies, and professional organizations that will continue long after the first National Lab Day.

Visit NLD and browse projects posted by other teachers that are already live on the site. The Resources section has posts from dozens of partner organizations with cool lesson plans, games, and interactive websites. Then post your own project today!

The first place winner for the NLD online video contest will receive a $1,500 “shopping spree” on DonorsChoose.org and a Flip Video Camcorder. The second prize winner will receive a $500 “shopping spree” on DonorsChoose.org and a Flip Video Camcorder. All submissions are due by June 1, 2010. For more information go to the NLD contest web page at:
http://www.nationallabday.org/contest

From the Twitterverse:

Advisory:

Create a cartoon:
Kim & Jason’s Comic Strip Grids
NCTE’s Comic Book Lesson Plan

Webspotlight:

Kim & Jason
Artwork for gifting . . . your teachers . . . (It’s teacher appreciation week!)

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Other News:

  • ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
  • The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010. Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting.
  • Second Life:

MSM – 117 – Tales from the Web

/ , , /

Jokes:

Qualifications for Presidency
An eighth grade teacher was leading a discussion on the qualifications for being president of the United States. After the teacher commented that a person must be a natural-born citizen, one of the students raised her hand. Does that mean that if you were born by Caesarean section that you can’t be president?

From the Twitterverse:

Webspotlight:

Wacky Web Tales
http://www.educationplace.biz/tales/

Relaxed Minds Learn better
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62N4VJ20100324

Difference Between:
http://www.differencebetween.net/

Tagxedo:
http://www.tagxedo.com/

America on the Move:
http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/

Hear Names:
http://www.hearnames.com/index.php

Video Science
http://www.sciencehouse.com/videoscience-experiments.html

Virtual Owl Pellet:
http://www.kidwings.com/index.htm

MiddleTalk:  This We Believe
http://www.nmsa.org/ProfessionalDevelopment/MiddleTalkListserve/tabid/1212/Default.aspx

Siftables:
http://sifteo.com/

Etherpad Alternatives
http://tech4teaching.org/wpblog/?p=929

Ning Ends Free Service:  (See TechCrunch’s Article)
Alternatives:
–Cubetree
–Jabbster
–Shoutem

Texas’ Textbook Influence
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/04/22/30texts_ep.h29.html?tkn=ROMFSqn2MnKy5KlKQ6xol0G2%2BkVr2NP6ZRwL&cmp=clp-edweek

Math Curriculum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlvKWEvKSi8

Events & Happenings:

#WAMLE10 this Friday and Saturday!

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Other News:

  • ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
  • The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010. Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting.
  • Second Life:

MSM #116:Show Me The Money! (Next week’s show is done too.)

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Jokes:

Drill Sergeants
A drill sergeant had just chewed out one of his cadets, and as he was walking away, he turned to the cadet and said, “I guess when I die you’ll come and dance on my grave.” The cadet replied, “Not me, Sarge…no sir! I promised myself that when I got out of the Army I’d never stand in another line!”

During a recent password audit, it was found that a
young woman was using the following password:

“MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofySacramento”

When asked why she had such a long password, she said
she was told that it had to be at least 8 characters
long and include at least one capital.

On Our Mind:

Class Size
http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/class-size-really-irrelevant?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feedutm_campaign=Feed%3A+LFA+%28Public+School+Insights%3A+What+is+WORKING+in+our+Public+Schools%29

What can you do with an iPhone (or 4)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QD5Mj_wC-I&feature=related

New Directions for Music Programs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QD5Mj_wC-I&feature=related
(There are other videos of this lady performing other pop songs without the OMG cat.)

From our Listeners:

Troy & Shawn, Thanks for all that you do! I’ve attached a 4 minute
comment on your current podcast.  (Any chance on sharing what apps the University puts on those iPads/iPhones/iPod Touches?)
(FHU’s iKnow + FHU)
Rationale, Applications, Research structure, Paradigm,

Hey guys, interesting article about paying for performance in schools.  If this catches on, then I will write my former middle school, asking for my “back pay” from when I was a student there.

Robert  (Mr. Jackson to some of us.  😉  )

PS  What is a good book for advisory about study skills?
Carol Josel
1.  Other-wise and School-wise could be a resource  (http://www.schoolwisebooks.com/html/owsw.html)
2.  The Parenting School-wise Tips book certainly could be used to teach kids study skills.
3.  I’d sign up for the newsletter also.  That and the cooking ideas at the end of the newsletter are rather tasty!
Susan Krueger
Haven’t tried it, but:  SOAR Curriculum.
7 Habits for Highly Effective Teens, Sean Covey
Have tried it.  You can also get it in audio format and use with the kids.  Make sure you have money committed to the program over time.
The Middle School Student’s Guide to Ruling the World! by Susan Mulcaire
We’ve reviewed this work in a previous podcast.

Should Kids be Bribed:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100409/us_time/08599197858900
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1978589,00.html

From listener Dave Bydlowski
—————————————————————–
Middle School Science
—————————————————————–
9a.  Bring Local Earth Science Into Your Classroom

The Museum of the Earth and the Knabusch Mathematics and Science Center welcomes your application to participate in a professional development program that is focused on Virtual Fieldwork Experiences and the Teacher-Friendly Guide to the Geology of the Midwestern Region. This programs if for middle school and high school teachers.  Spend time in the field with scientists and fellow educators to learn ways of incorporating local Earth system science into your classroom! The workshop will be held at the Knabusch Mathematics and Science Center in Monroe, MI on July 28-30, 2010.

Comments from educators that attended past Teacher-Friendly Guide and Virtual Field Experience workshops include:
“I came in wondering and left inspired!”
“This is definitely a project my students can do and I hope to incorporate into my curriculum.”
“When I leave excited & energized, the experience is an excellent one!”

For more information and to apply visit:  http://www.virtualfieldwork.org/PD_Application,_Summer_2010.html

—————————————————————–
9b.  National Lab Day Set for May 12, 2010

May 12 will be the first official National Lab Day for middle school and high school science students and teachers! A number of key events in Washington and in selected states are being planned.

Not signed up yet? Not to worry: even if May 12 doesn’t work for you, National Lab Day is more than just a day. Whether you are looking for help with your science fair, or maybe someone to host a field trip, advise an after-school program, help with a hands-on activity, or supply some cool lab equipment, National Lab Day can help.

At the NLD website you simply sign up then submit your idea for a project (or what you need in your classroom) and the website matches your request with a STEM professional who has also joined the NLD hub. (And you can also get funding for your classroom or project by registering on Donors Choose on the NLD site!)
Learn more and to sign up your project for National Lab Day at:
http://www.nationallabday.org
today.

David Bydlowski
http://k12science.net

From the Twitterverse:

iPad Review

/ /

After taking the iPad to work and using it for just a bit, here are my thoughts.
1. It is early on in the development of the iPad. There will be a lot more applications soon that will make the iPad even more useful.
2. I love the iPad. It is very useful for what I wanted. Just for information, I wanted a “newspaper” replacement and something for the kids to post to Facebook. It does these things well.
3. Taking notes is surprising better than expected. Even without an external keyboard, notes are good.
4. For students to create, it’s not quite there yet. We are not a “cloud” based school at all yet. There doesn’t seem to be a way to let students save documents to their “I” drive. We also use Moodle. Moodle uses a non standard text editor. That renders some things unusable. This should be fixed with Moodle 2.0 in July.
5. The iPad is incredibly fast.
6. Management is another issue. I’m not clear yet how easy these would be to manage for the classroom. Generally, the iPad is associated with one iTunes account. I don’t know how this works with a classroom set.

All in all, I’m hopeful. I won’t be buying a bunch for my school yet, but the future looks bright.

Podcast #115: iPad, iPad, iPad

/ , , /

Advisory:

Online Personal Finance Game from the Council on Economic Education:  http://www.genirevolution.org/index.php
Set up in a popular game format, students work their way through challenges answering key questions to earn points to advance through the game.  If you’ve been to the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. you’ll be familiar with the “cloak and dagger” feel of the mission briefings, information gathering, and operative training incorporated in the game.

http://pewresearch.org/millennials/quiz/

On Our Mind:

Thanks to all of our Facebook Fans!
Looking for some more iTunes reviews.

Samsung Grant:
Digital Presenter Contest
http://www.samsunggrants.com/

From The Twitterverse:

From our Listeners:

Hi Guys,
I have been enjoying the podcast, but I get lazy about sending out science information.  I hope you don’t mind if I continue to send it along to you.  I hope these work out for you.  Enjoy your Spring Break!!
Dave Bydlowski
Podcast Site:  k12science.net
In the iTunes store, just do a search for:  k12science
Twitter:  twitter.com/k12science
—————————————————————–
Middle School Science
—————————————————————–
11a. ISS EarthKAM Spring 2010 Mission
NASA has exciting news! EarthKAM has just launched a new beta version of its Web site. Middle school educators
are invited to join NASA for the International Space Station Spring 2010 Mission from April 27-30, 2010, and be
beta testers of the new site and software. Find out more about this exciting opportunity that allows students to take
pictures of Earth from a digital camera aboard the International Space Station. Just visit:
http://www.EarthKAM.ucsd.edu
—————————————————————–
Middle School and High School Science
—————————————————————–
10a. The Siemens STEM Institute for 6th – 12th Grade Educators
A premier STEM immersion program brought to you by the Siemens Foundation, and administered by Discovery
Education in conjunction with the College Board. It will take place from August 1 – August 6, 2010. The location is
Discovery Communications world headquarters in Silver Spring, MD (outside of Washington D.C.) The application
deadline is April 16, 2010.  The Siemens STEM Institute is a unique immersion program that promotes hands-on, real-world integration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the classroom. Fifty educators will be selected as STEM
Fellows to attend this all expenses-paid, week-long professional development experience, hosted at the world
headquarters of Discovery Communications, located just outside of our nation’s capitol in Washington D.C.
For additional information on the resources and opportunities available through the Siemens STEM Academy,
please visit:
http://www.siemensstemacademy.com
—————————————————————–
10b. ReaL (Regional and Local) Earth Inquiry: Professional Development
On behalf of the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI), you are invited to participate in an exciting new
initiative to improve Earth science education across the nation to take place in Monroe, MI from July 28 – 30. PRI
and its Museum of the Earth is a non-profit organization based in Ithaca, New York. Composed of scientists and

educators, its outreach program aims to make the Earth and its life—and the science by which we understand it—

accessible to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. As part of that mission, they are currently developing a series
of Teacher-Friendly Guides to North American Earth System Science. Supported by the National Science
Foundation, the project is a five-year initiative that will bring regional and local Earth system science into
classrooms across the nation.  Stipends and support for travel and lodging total $800.00 per participant.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 3, 2010. For more information and to apply go to
http://www.virtualfieldwork.org/PD_Application,_Summer_2010.html

Letter from Mr. Jackson

Webspotlight:

Social Media Explained in 4 minutes:
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/03/social-media-explained-visually.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29

Four Day Week?
The Illinois House has sent to the Senate a bill that would allow local school boards to adopt a four-day week. Our first response: Bad idea. Shortening the school week is a move in the wrong direction. Illinois kids need more time in school, not less. They need a longer school day, and a longer school year. U.S. children spend far less time in school than their peers in Europe and Asia. And Chicago public school students spend less time in school than their peers in many charter schools, in suburban schools, and around the country.
Further research, though, provoked our second and prevailing response: A four-day week might be a good option — remember, this would be voluntary — for downstate districts with few students but vast territories. Those districts still would be required to teach the same number of total hours per year. So kids might get longer school days.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-4day-20100330,0,1138284.story

Video Editing:
http://jaycut.com/

Freeology
http://freeology.com/

Google For Teachers Guide
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/03/free-33-page-guide-google-for-teachers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Other News:

  • Second Life:

Podcast #114: Ukraine Fan Club and more!

/ , , , /

Jokes:

Suits
My wife and I were at my high school reunion. As I looked around, I noticed the other men in their expensive suits with their bulging stomachs. Proud of the fact that I weighed just five pounds more than I did when I was in high school, the result of trying to beat a living out of a rocky hillside farm, I said to my wife, “I’m the only guy here who can wear the suit he graduated in.” She glanced at the prosperous crowd. “You’re the only one here who has to.”

Charity
A devastated-looking man knocks on the door of a woman known for her charity. “Please, ma’am,” he says when she opens up, “can you help this poor, tragic family down the block? The father just lost his job, and his wife is too ill to work. They’re about to be turned out into the cold streets unless someone can pay their rent.” “That’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard in my life!” says the woman. “May I ask who you are?” “Their landlord.”

Advisory:

What’s Your Story $10,000 Student Video contest is looking for your original work.  Create a video on internet safety and you could win $10,000 in prize money.  Must be 13+ to participate.
http://whatsyourstory.trendmicro.com/internet-safety/Home.do

On Our Mind:

Mindless Entertainment to get you through this week:
Muppets Humor
1.  Ode to Joy
2.  Classical Chicken
3.  Beaker’s Ballad
* Tip- don’t move on when the big play button shows up, wait a minute.

From The Twitterverse:

From our Listeners:

Howdy gents!  I enjoyed seeing the article about using smart phones in Algebra class.  Last year I tried another approach to meet students with their own technologies.  I had my “ticket to leave” problem on the board and students had to send me a text message with the answer before they were excused for lunch.  I tried it for a couple of weeks to shake things up and students really enjoyed it.

Your Ukrainian fanclub President,

Robert Jackson
Kyiv International School
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSsvt8LBEV4

MAMSE:

https://middleschoolmatters.com/Conference_Notes/MAMSE_2010.pdf

Webspotlight:

Amazing Web 2.0 Projects

http://www.terry-freedman.org.uk/web2_2010/Amazing%20Web%202%20Projects.pdf

Girls and Boys on Achievement

http://www.cep-dc.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=document_ext.showDocumentByID&nodeID=1&DocumentID=304

DocsPal

http://www.docspal.com/

Create printable PDFs and eBooks from any online content.

Use zinepal.com to create your own magazines and eBooks from any online content. You can select content from blogs, Atom/RSS feeds and other websites. zinepal.com reformats the content into a printable PDF and eBooks for use with eBook readers such as the Amazon Kindle, Barnes&Noble Nook or Sony PRS. It is the easiest way to repurpose online content for other distribution mediums.
http://www.zinepal.com/

Remove pdf password protections:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=200512231728165

Youblisher:
http://www.youblisher.com/

Chartle:  Make online charts and tables that can be exported or shared via the web.
http://www.chartle.net/

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Other News:

  • Second Life:
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