Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI in social studies, conference material, and more. Dave (well, not Dave, but Fred) sings science. 

Jokes:

My tailor really likes fixing my clothes. 

• Or sew it seams.

---

Where does an angry sailor go? 

• Anchor management.

---

Do I enjoy making courthouse puns?

• Guilty.

---

The new password for my computer now is ‘fireplace.’

• It’s so I can log in.

---

My son’s math teacher called him average. 

• I just think he’s mean.

---

I quit my job as a mailman when they handed me the first letter to deliver.

• I looked at it and realized: ‘This isn’t for me.’

---

Why is ‘dark’ spelled with a K and not a C?

• Because you can’t ‘C’ in the dark.

---

---

---

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Traditional Christmas Songs and Science

As the holiday season approaches, I am reminded of some of the songs that I recorded with the group, Science Explosion.  All of the songs that we sang were written by group member Fred Ribits.  Many of the songs were written to familiar tunes and some of them were written to the tunes of traditional Christmas songs.  

In this podcast I will share three of the songs.  If you enjoy them and want to share them with others, just visit:

http://k12science.net/scienceexplosion/songs

There you will be able to listen to and download the vocal and instrumental tracks for the songs.  You will also be able to download a Science Explosion songbook that includes the lyrics, critical thinking questions, and mind-mapping opportunities for each song.  

The three songs are most appropriate for elementary and middle school students. 

1.  The first song will be a life science song entitled “Energy Flow” (1:13) written to the tune of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” 

2.  It will be followed by another life science song, “Natures Way” (1:00), written to the tune of “Jingle Bells.” 

3.  The final song is a science practices and concept song entitled “Creative Expression” (1:14) written to the tune of “What Child Is This?”  

Happy Holidays!

https://k12science.net/traditional-christmas-songs-and-science/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Troy’s Meetings, or lack thereof
• NCSS  

The Social Web

H5P  @H5PTechnology

Here’s your reminder   People forget up to 70% of what they learn in 24 hours… unless they interact with it. H5P makes content active, memorable, and learner-driven.  Get started here: https://ow.ly/g69H50XmmPS  

Moodle | Online learning, delivered your way.  @moodle

We’ve built AI in Moodle LMS around a clear set of principles — grounded in choice, privacy, and people-first learning. Learn more:  https://moodle.com/news/field-notes-where-ai-meets-learning-in-moodle-lms/  

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Which words have bought you happiness this year? I’d love to hear them. And if you fancy a distraction over the holidays, do give my game Two Words a go. https://twowords2.page.link/play

‪Glenn K‬ ‪@nerdyheisenberg.bsky.social‬

Yesterday was my last day as a teacher/lab technician. I spent the day preparing labs & hiding tiny babies & ducks. My legacy in the dept will be felt for years. They will be finding toys forever. Thanks go to  @vimtotime.bsky.social  & her Etsy shop for the tiny babies & ducks.

‪MiddleWeb‬ ‪@middleweb.bsky.social‬

Must read. Spot on. And middle grades teacher leader Bill Ivey nails it again! #edusky

‪Education Week‬   ‪@edweek.org‬

Larry Ferlazzo’s 10 Education Predictions for 2026 (Opinion): Gazing into his crystal ball, Larry Ferlazzo divines what’s ahead for education next year.

Larry Ferlazzo’s 10 Education Predictions for 2026 (Opinion)

Gazing into his crystal ball, Larry Ferlazzo divines what’s ahead for education next year.

‪Eric Curts‬ ‪@ericcurts.bsky.social‬

💎 70 Gems! www.edugems.ai There’s now a total of 70 Gemini Gems on my EduGems site covering: 💡 Curriculum & Lesson Design 📖 Literacy & Language 🧒 Student Activities 💯 Assessment 🔑 Support 💼 Professional Tasks Use, copy & share for free!

‪Eric Curts‬ ‪@ericcurts.bsky.social‬

💎 New EduGem: www.edugems.ai/gem/historic… ⌛ Historical What If? – Create an engaging “Alternative History” scenario with new narrative, primary sources, critical thinking activities and more #EduSky #EduSkyAI #EdTech #GoogleEDU

Mx. Eddie R@silvermoon82@wandering.shop

George Clooney is an actor.

Put him in the role of a surgeon in front of a camera, and he will do and say things the average non-surgeon viewer will agree are surgeonish. After an hour of that, we are, as average non-surgeon viewers, satisfied and entertained.

Put him in an operating theatre, and the patient will die because he’s not a surgeon and knows nothing about really doing surgery.

This is a post about LLMs.

https://scholar.social/deck/@silvermoon82@wandering.shop/115719385219593342

Strategies:  

Concert Etiquette and Communicating to Families  

How to teach students concert behavior.  

https://mrsstouffersmusicroom.com/concert-etiquette-and-communicating-it-to-families/

Resources:  

NCSS Conference Session:  AI in Social Studies

1. AI for Education
   1. Legislating AI – What rights should we make sure are in the bill?
      1. The ability to be forgotten.  
      2. Argument A:  (See website resources)
      3. Argument B:  Same as above
   2. Simulation:  Taxes, am I right?
      1. Prompt generated by AI for quick simulation and conversation.
   3. AI Makes Choices – Who decides if these are the right choices?
2. Essential Historical Thinking Skills
   1. Corroboration
      1. The Humanization of Andrew Jackson
      2. Sherman’s March to the Sea
         1. Interesting to see what a student would write and what AI would write.  
         2. Write an historical marker that humanizes Andrew Jackson.  
      3. Us Critical analysis of AI – Prompting Skills
      4. Using effectively:  Center Human Originality, Use the “best fit” tool, Prompting skills to effectively communicate with AI Evaluating and refining AI Outputs
   2. Effective Prompt Writing
      1. Say What You See https://artsandculture.google.com/ex
      2. AI for Education – Resources
      3. Image Generation
      4. Tool:  Deep AI  
3. Design Learning Activities
   1. Cognitive Offloading:  the Real Threat in the Classroom
      1. Use AI as a scaffold for cognitive thinking.
      2. What is the productive struggle that supports content specific learning?  
      3. What is counterproductive struggle that negates or detracts from learning?  
      4. Designing and facilitating AI-Integrated learning activities
         1. Ask AI to generate different perspectives for students to examine.
         2. Note:  There is a problem with this in that these presenters are treating this as history.  It isn’t even a secondary source.  Perhaps this is the advent of the Tertiary Source.  

I Don’t Know What to Think About America’s Declining Test Scores and Neither Should You

…anchored by a fascinating report from UC San Diego about their surging remedial math program. She thinks this surge reflects a decline in basic math skills. But there’s no decline on California’s state tests, which instead show increases up until the pandemic (and slow recovery since).

Play around with NAEP scores and you’ll notice that the declines are concentrated in the weakest students. This seems to be the case also for TIMSS, an international assessment. On both the 4th and 8th grade exams, America’s lowest performing students peaked in 2011, while the strongest students continued improving through 2019.

So are American students “getting dumber,” as Matt Yglesias says?

American scores on PIAAC, a test of workplace skills for adults of ages 16 to 65, have also been on the decline, arguably also peaking around 2014.

So it’s not just kids that have lost progress, but adults. How could schools possibly be responsible for that?

But as Aldeman points out, phones are everywhere and declines in TIMSS scores aren’t universal:

> Smartphones and social media are global phenomena, and yet scores in Australia, England, Italy, Japan and Sweden have all risen over the last decade. A couple of other countries have seen some small declines (like Finland and Denmark), but no one has else seen declines like we’ve had here in the States.

Here’s the situation: Americans are getting dumber…well, mostly not. But our lowest performing students seem to be losing ground. And, simultaneously, our adults. Some international tests show a similar decline happening in other countries. On other exams, America is on its own. What gives?

https://pershmail.substack.com/p/i-dont-know-what-to-think-about-americas

Web Spotlight: 

AXIS The Culture Translator

Pretty Little Baby

What it is: TikTok’s most-used sound in 2025 was a 63-year-old love song from the late Connie Francis called “Pretty Little Baby.”

Why it’s surprising: According to a press release from TikTok, the song was used over 28.4 million times as the soundtrack for “wholesome videos featuring family, pets, relationships and flowers,” which altogether netted over 68.6 billion video views. 

What Parents Can Do When Their Child Is in an Active-Shooter Lockdown

The text, from a fellow ER doctor and former Brown University faculty member, arrived at 4:27 p.m. on Saturday: “Active shooter near Brown engineering building? Is Hannah ok?” Within seconds, I looked on my phone for my daughter’s location—she was on campus in Friedman Hall. I texted her. It was real. 

https://contrarian.substack.com/p/what-parents-can-do-when-their-child

Cozy ‘Grandma’ Hobbies Are Trending—and They Have Surprising Benefits for Your Mental Health and Well-Being

And it turns out, knitting, baking, and other cozy pursuits can have plenty of benefits for you (beyond a cute scarf or a delicious batch of cookies). Get the scoop on granny hobbies, their benefits—and how to find the best one for you.

Generally, “grandmacore” hobbies are the kinds of quiet, slow hobbies you can take your time doing. They also tend to be on the crafty and creative side—such as sewing and crocheting.

• Sewing
• Quilting
• Crocheting and Knitting
• Embroidery and Needlework
• Baking
• Canning
• Gardening
• Reading
• Birdwatching
• Board Games
• Jigsaw Puzzles

https://www.realsimple.com/grandma-hobbies-trend-8786625

Random Thoughts . . .  

AI Icons

Ai Icons to inform students

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, kids developing skills, annoying others, and more. Dave brings the Life to Science.

Jokes:

Attempted to exercise this morning…
.
.

didn’t work out…

---

Whoever invented the knock-knock joke…

• Should get a Nobell prize.

---

customer: I’d like to buy a bagel with cream cheese
me: sorry, we only take cash
manager: can I talk to you

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I tried splicing the DNA of a cheetah with that of a crab, but things went sideways fast.

---

The Bible says having 11 ants in charge is too many and 9 is not enough.

• We all know there are ten command Ants.

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Ordered some Christmas presents online the other day and used my donor card instead of my debit card.

• Cost me an arm and a leg.

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Guessing brain surgeons appreciate working on like-minded individuals.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Life Science

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 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 Patti McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled, “Life Science Matters.”

Middle school is the age when students develop awareness of their place in the world; as such, it is the perfect age to challenge them to consider how human actions impact our planet. 

https://k12science.net/life-science/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Michigan Youth in Government Early Conference Report
• Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Shawn talks about baseball
• AI discussions
• Music as a connector in class.
  • Suno.com AI Music Generation  
  • MYIG Motivator 1:  https://suno.com/s/EOAERnjY4YqbA8Mb  
  • MYIG Motivator 2:  https://suno.com/s/YBh1c8wqKxSo1pJL  
  • MYIG Motivator 3:  https://suno.com/s/X3z5DBhiMr5f628n  
  • MYIG Motivator 4:  https://suno.com/s/WiVf7Jgg2Vl1cPoK  
  • MYIG Theme:  https://suno.com/s/EJ7BDkL4SiiEOonc  
  • Odd Request:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=1995394317891914  

Eileen Award

• Tom Acker – Thanks for recommending content from the show to colleagues!  Tom points out we mispronounced Henrico, Virginia. The correct pronunciation is Hen-rye-ko. We sincerely apologize to all the fine folk in that lovely region of the U.S. Still rooting for Prince William County Schools in football though! 

The Social Web

Tolentino Teaching – Facebook

Schools Are Accommodating Student Anxiety — and Making It Worse, Teachers College of Columbia University

https://www.tc.columbia.edu/articles/2025/october/schools-are-accommodating-student-anxiety–and-making-it-worse

Trevor Muir – The Epic Classroom

Subject area posters for your classroom:  

https://www.facebook.com/epicclassroom/posts/pfbid0utHnQ2kp7pkGCutsRaYUPks4YMMhLkCw9PRdvRj6G42k2jxxmuCFXsmnyJMN7tQtl

Matt Miller   @jmattmiller

 Ready to save time? Use AI to generate comprehensive lesson plans tailored to your teaching needs. Lesson planning with AI: Save time and get ideas https://f.mtr.cool/toplmscikv

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘quockerwodger’ (19th century): a puppet politician whose strings are pulled entirely by someone else.

Resources:  

The Amazing Shake – Pragmatics from the Ron Clark Academy 

https://www.theamazingshake.com/home

10 AI image generators for classroom uses

https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-image-generators

Navigating the AI Landscape: Guidance and Insights for Educators

Downloadable resources. These are very much an introduction. 

https://www.imaginelearning.com/resources/ai-resources/

Web Spotlight: 

Who Wants to Be a Teacher in America?

Effective policy interventions require understanding the dynamics of the teacher pipeline. The teacher pipeline consists of inputs and outputs of where individuals naturally enter the profession.

… Lortie’s seminal sociological work described teaching as a historically gendered profession, shaped by norms that framed it as women’s work that offered limited incentives for men or high-achievers to enter or stay (Lortie, 1975). 

https://edworkingpapers.com/ai25-1275

Click to access ai25-1275.pdf

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, Youth in Government, and more. Dave gets the gravity of the situation. 

Jokes:

My son told me he was awarded the Leslie Neilson badge at school. I asked “What’s that?” He said, “It’s a big building with lots of kids, but that’s not important right now.”

---

There are pop tarts but not mom tarts

(because of the pastryarchy)

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It’s November, so I won’t be vembering for 30 days. Thank you for your support.

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I was at the cemetery today, laying some flowers down. As soon as I began to walk away, a lady came up to me and said, “Hey, how are you today?” I replied, “Oh wow! You can see me?” She was freaked out and ran off.

---

What do you get when Spider-Man and Wonder Woman get together and start a business?

• Amazon Web Services.

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Since pure thallium can be poisonous to the touch…does that make it death metal?

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I just found out that Albert Einstein was a real person! … Mind Blown!!!

All this time I just thought he was a theoretical physicist

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Do you know where Engagement, Ohio is?

it is between Dayton, Ohio and Marion, Ohio!

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I’m taking steps to overcome my hiking addiction but I’m not out of the woods yet.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Gravity

I was recently reading the September-October 2025 issue of “Science and Children’” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. 

In this issue, I read the section, “Science 101” written by Matt Bobrowsky. He wrote an article entitled, “Q: Is There Gravity in Space? Is There Gravity on the Moon?” 

Gravity is a fundamental force that attracts two masses toward each other. The Moon, having mass, exerts a gravitational force. This force is sufficient to keep objects anchored to its surface and to influence tides in the Earth’s oceans.

https://k12science.net/gravity

Reports from the Front Lines

• Veterans Day
  • In Flanders Fields:  https://youtu.be/NQmMqZlLFVc  
  • In Flanders Fields – Poetry Foundation:  https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47380/in-flanders-fields  
• AI
  • Limits
  • Generality
• Youth in Government Bills (See Practice Legislation Below)
  • AI
  • Teenage Tax
  • Environment

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘catchfart’ (17th century): an obsequious individual who sucks up to the boss and always follows the political wind.

Todd Bloch  @blocht574

When motivated students can accomplish anything. Sadly many don’t have any motivation in school. Might be tired, hungry, uninterested, distracted or more focused on phone. No matter how engaging the lesson, unmotivated students remind a frustration to this teacher

Strategies:  

Assigning Homework That Actually Works

The most effective homework reinforces what students have already learned in class. 

And remember—more isn’t necessarily better. Five carefully chosen problems that stretch students’ thinking are more valuable than fifty repetitive ones. 

https://www.middleweb.com/52799/assigning-homework-that-actually-works/

Resources:  

EduGems

https://www.edugems.ai

AXIS:  The Cuture Translator

Not the One

What it is: A “proof of concept” from AI and robotics company 1X featuring a helpful robot named NEO took over the internet last week. The robot can, in theory, do chores like cleaning dishes, watering plants, vacuuming, and more.  

Why it’s all just a theory right now: Autonomous robot companions have long been the dream of futurists, and for just $20,000, this dream could be yours. Sort of. In tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee’s dive into the announcement, he rightly points out that almost all of what Neo is doing is not autonomous. The actions are instead controlled remotely, by a human, the whole time. 

Practice Legislation – Youth in Government / Civic Engagement

Some practice bills to work on committee procedures and parli pro language

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11BvnimyNjkQdpUB6X7YHjF1Xaypp5kw0whgVy2GFeFY/copy?usp=sharing

AMLE Artificial Intelligence – Guiding Principles Statement

Young adolescents are navigating the rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence, (GenAI) prompting educators, policymakers, and families to ask urgent questions about its place in schools. While national organizations such as ISTE, Digital Promise, and CoSN have developed important frameworks for AI Literacy, technology integration strategies, and professional learning, the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) recognizes that young adolescents require a distinct lens. This paper is not intended as a technical manual or a guide to the mechanics of AI tools. Rather, it advances AMLE’s longstanding role: to ground educational decisions in the developmental realities of young adolescents, ensuring that innovation serves their growth rather than undermining it.  

https://www.amle.org/artificial-intelligence-in-middle-level-education-guiding-principles-for-developmentally-responsive-policies/

Web Spotlight: 

The Coming AI Teaching Assistant Boom (And Cheating)

https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-coming-ai-teaching-assistant-boom.html

The MDSTA website is now back online:

mdsta.org

https://mdsta.wildapricot.org/events

Will be posting conference pics on it soon.

Principal of the Year

This is terrific news. The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals has recognized two Middle School administrators from Dearborn. For the first time in history, the Middle School Principal of the Year (Mark Rummel) and the Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year (Maha Fayad) are from the same school. Both are currently serving at O.L. Smith Middle School.

I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Mark Rummel. He was always a terrific person and leader. He was always positive and willing to learn. I’m not surprised that he has developed into an award winning leader.

https://massp.com/2025/10/o-l-smith-leaders-capture-mi-2026-middle-school-principal-assistant-principal-of-the-year-honors

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy discuss AI options, presentations and more. Dave doesn’t cross the stream, but enlightens us on the ecology. 

Jokes:

Not many people know this but I actually studied Dad Jokes in college.

I majored in sighchology

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Why are jack o’lanterns more clever than other pumpkins?

• The candle makes them brighter.

---

The other day I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in years.

• It got really awkward when we had to exchange insurance info.

---

I asked the librarian if they had any books on amplifiers.

• She said, “Yes, what volume would you like?”

---

Strange I know but I decided to lock myself in a cage to cure my acne.

• I haven’t broken out yet.

---

What’s the worst season of the year for tightrope walkers?

• Fall.

---

Fun fact of the day: Ironing is decreasing.

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What is the most difficult train to catch?

• The 12:50, because it’s 10 to one if you catch it.

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Did you hear about the badly written book about graveyards.

• It had no plot

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast: Stream Ecology

I was recently reading the September-October 2025 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, “Study Stream Ecology This Season!”

The Leaf Pack Network citizen science project was developed by the Stroud Water Research Center, a global leader in freshwater ecosystem research, education, and restoration.  To learn more about the project and how to get your students involved, visit their website at:

https://leafpacknetwork.org

https://k12science.net/stream-ecology/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Science Conference
  • Focus on Pedagogy
    • Things that Make students think/do
• AI in Middle School
  • Google GEMS
    • Student Privacy Agreement
    • A little more work/freedom
  • Canva Code
  • School AI
    • DOT 
    • Reporting
  • Brisk
  • Magic School
  • Jove 
  • Diffit
  • NoteBook LLM
• Michigan Youth in Government – Early Conference Info is Posted!!!!
  • Etiquette Lesson Required
  • Mandatory Parent Meeting 
  • Maine Youth in Govt. – Any High School age student in grades 9 to 12 may participate.
• Poetry Memorization
  • Gettysburg Address – 272 words

The Social Web

Susie Dent @susie_dent

Very happy to read that ‘hurkle-durkle’, meaning to stay in bed *long* after it’s time to get up, is being revived in current US slang, having lain dormant for 150 years! It’s about time.

The etymology of the word ‘thrill’ may surprise you. Originally applied to making a ‘thirl’ – ‘hole’ – in someone with a sword, it thankfully moved on to piercing someone with excitement. That ‘thirl’ survives in the word ‘nostril’, originally a ‘nose-thirl’, nose-hole.

H5P@H5PTechnology

 The H5P Matrix discussion platform is open to everyone! Matrix is an open-source communication space where educators, developers, and creators can connect, collaborate, and share ideas in real time.  Join the public Matrix channels here:https://h5p.org/node/1536211 

AMLE  @AMLE

Calling all passionate middle grades educators! Applications are now open for AMLE’s 2026 Constituent Committee appointments. AMLE relies on volunteer committee members to guide the work of our association. Make your mark on the future of the profession. Learn more and apply by January 16: https://amle.org/get-involved/

Resources:  

Slang Dictionary

https://www.merriam-webster.com/slang

AXIS The Culture Translator

What it is: As weed becomes part of everyday life for many teens and young adults, doctors are seeing a painful side effect they didn’t expect: Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS).

Why it’s alarming: Many teens see marijuana as safe, especially with how commonplace (and in many states, legal) use of it has become. But higher-strength products and daily use are sending more young people to the ER with painful side effects that doctors are only beginning to understand. In an article by The Free Press, emergency medicine doctor Dr. Chris Colwell said, “There’s no question that as higher potency products have been available, incidents of CHS in emergency departments have gone up.”

Day of AI

Our middle school curriculum expands students’ understanding with deeper AI concepts, including machine learning, neural networks, and real-world applications. Interactive projects encourage experimentation with AI tools and help students grasp both the capabilities and limitations of AI systems. An optional AI ethics debate provides opportunities for deeper reflection.

https://www.dayofaiusa.org/curriculum/grades-6-8

Web Spotlight: 

Why Even Basic A.I. Use Is So Bad for Students

A.I. is hardly the first technology to threaten our cognitive competence. Long before ChatGPT, the smartphone and the calculator, Plato warned against writing itself. Literate human beings, he foresaw, would “not use their memories.” He was not entirely wrong. 

https://archive.is/Zvsxg

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy go through the process of using AI to create a chatbot for special education students. Dave gets the picture of storybooks. 

Jokes:

Time flies like an arrow, Fruit flies like a banana

---

Them: Name as many animals as you can in one minute

Me: (Pointing at the squirrels out the window) Gerald, Billie, Andrew, Jon—

Them: No that’s not what I meant

Me: Well maybe you should have said what you meant

---

Ordered “How to Accept Rejection” online. 

• They never shipped it.

---

I just bought a new television remote control with fifty buttons.

I was quite surprised they allowed me to pay with buttons.

---

I threw away a permanent marker the other day. Today it showed up on my desk again with the word “permanent” slightly bigger and underlined

---

I give respect to everyone that I meet.

It’s up to them to keep it.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Middle School Picture – Books

I was recently reading the September-October 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Interdisciplinary Ideas” written by Katie Coppens.  She wrote an article entitled, “Enhancing Understanding Through Science-Themed Picture Books.”

Embedding a high-interest, science-themed picture book into a unit enhances students’ ability to learn vocabulary and visualize scientific concepts.  The approachable style and ability to convey information visually makes picture books an engaging learning tool for students of all ages.

https://k12science.net/middle-school-picture-books/

Reports from the Front Lines 

• Zip Zap, Wickity Whack picture book  (https://www.matthewdiffee.com/ )
• Creation of Danu
  • Google Gem Construction
    • Files – Resources uploaded/linked, OER
    • Instruction Set 
    • Refining
    • Student Prompt Support:  https://chatgpt.com/canvas/shared/68e9c21d9d348191b23277f5f04e1d47  
  • ChatGPT Does it Better . . .  

The Social Web

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

When hiking, the early bird gets the face full of spider webs. Bring a tall friend and let them lead.

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘tandsmør’, from Danish. It describes bread that is buttered so thickly you can see tooth marks in it after every bite. Its literal translation? ‘Tooth butter’.

Resources:  

Angel Studios – Somebody’s Gotta Do It

“Mike Rowe’s Somebody’s Gotta Do It brings viewers face-to-face with men and women who march to the beat of a different drum. In each episode, Rowe visits unique individuals and joins them in their respective undertakings, paying tribute to innovators, do-gooders, entrepreneurs, collectors, fanatics-people who simply have to do it. This show is about passion, purpose, and occasionally, hobbies that get a little out of hand.”

https://www.angel.com/shows/somebodys-gotta-do-it

Google’s Gemini Platforms for Kids and Teens Pose Risks Despite Added Filters, Common Sense Media Reports Find

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/press-releases/googles-gemini-platforms-for-kids-and-teens-pose-risks-despite-added-filters-common-sense-media-reports

Portrait of a Graduate

Web Spotlight: 

Shade Map

https://shademap.app/@42.33102,-83.04605,16.84972z,1760044344044t,0b,0p,0m!1760009963956!1760050901341,qRGV0cm9pdCwgbWk=!42.3314!-83.04622

How to Get Kids to Give Up Social Media on Their Own

https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/how-to-get-kids-to-give-up-social-media-on-their-own-dc863027

OR

https://archive.is/MQSh0

Photos celebrate the glory of girls on ‘International Day of the Girl’

https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/10/11/g-s1-92962/photos-celebrate-the-glory-of-girls-on-international-day-of-the-girl

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, and more AI. Dave Engineers another great segment.

Jokes:

Every machine in the coin factory broke down all of a sudden without explanation. It just doesn’t make any cents.

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People snapping daily selfies with one of those sticks need to take a good, long look at themselves,

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We need more things that come in the opposite of a childproof container.

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During the times I lived on a farm or visited one, I have never seen anyone look for a needle in a haystack.

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Why couldn’t the sailor find their playing cards?

• They were standing on the deck.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Engineering in Middle School 

I was recently reading the September-October 2025 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, “Engineering in the Middle School Science Classroom”

If you are looking for engineering ideas for your classroom, you can peruse sites such as:

teachingengineering.org     or        tryengineering.org

both of which contain a searchable database of Next Generation Science Standards aligned activities.

Engineering in Middle School

Reports from the Front Lines

• Addressing AI with students
  • AI is wrong about 38% of the time. I don’t want you to embarrass yourself.

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Today I offer a reminder of the word ‘forswunk’ (13th century): exhausted from too much work. To be ‘foreswunk’ (my own version) is to be exhausted before you even begin.

Lucy Worsley  @Lucy_Worsley

ANNOUNCEMENT! Coming next year to  @bbctwo @bbciplayer and @pbs from @bbcarts and @bbcstudios!!! A palatial new series for you 

MiddleWeb  @middleweb

NEW: How to Grow a Culture of Thinkers in Our Classrooms. When teachers build classrooms around how students think, they unlock a learning environment where curiosity replaces compliance & excitement replaces dread, writes @Kathie_Palmieri #edutwitter  https://middleweb.com/52628/how-to-g

https://middleweb.substack.com/about

Strategies:  

Strategies for Adopting Transformative Technology:  A Brainstorming Session

1. Balance Tradition with Innovation
   1. Problem: Students may prefer shortcuts (copy-paste answers, TikTok summaries) over deeper learning.
   2. Historical Parallel: Roman educators saw youth over-relying on rote memorization of written texts instead of oratory practice.
   3. Response Principle: Schools doubled down on oratory, discussion, and memory work to balance over-dependence on books.
   4. Modern Application: Use technology with tradition—have students debate, speak, and write without screens sometimes, so tech becomes a supplement, not a crutch.
2. Ethical Framing of Use
   1. Problem: Students use tech impulsively—plagiarism, inappropriate sharing, unkind comments.
   2. Historical Parallel: With the printing press, pamphlets spread gossip and heresy; educators stressed the moral weight of words.
   3. Response Principle: Anchor use of tools in community values and ethics.
      Modern Application: Teach “digital character”—every click, post, and share has moral weight, just as every word spoken in public did in earlier eras.  
3. Critical Evaluation and Discernment
   1. Problem: Students binge screens at home without guidance.
   2. Historical Parallel: Early mass-literacy worried adults—so schools restricted texts to religious or civic works before opening wider access.
   3. Response Principle: Provide guided exposure—curated apps, sandboxed platforms, structured time limits.
   4. Modern Application: Train “responsible release”: scaffold school tech use in stages (safe search → guided research → independent inquiry).
4. Practical Skill Building
   1. Problem: Students bring conspiracy videos, fake news, or AI-generated answers into class.
   2. Historical Parallel: During the telegraph/newspaper explosion, educators pushed source evaluation and civic literacy.
   3. Response Principle: Turn “bad habits” into teachable moments by comparing sources, debunking fakes, and evaluating credibility.
   4. Modern Application: Have students fact-check viral content in class—showing that responsible use means slowing down and asking questions.
5. Community & Civic Responsibility
   1. Problem: Students often misuse technology because they never learned its real power—typing with two fingers, sloppy searches, over-reliance on copy/paste.
   2. Historical Parallel: The calculator panic of the 1970s—kids “lost” math fluency until schools explicitly taught calculator literacy.
   3. Response Principle: Teach technical proficiency so misuse becomes less attractive.
   4. Modern Application: Show how AI or search engines work best with good prompts, or how social media can be used for civic projects rather than endless scrolling.
6. Lifelong Learning & Adaptability
   1. Problem: Students lock into bad habits (“this is how I always use TikTok/AI/YouTube”).
   2. Historical Parallel: Every era stressed adaptability (e.g., monks adapting to codices, teachers shifting to films, etc.).
   3. Response Principle: Teach that habits aren’t permanent—responsible use is a skill you can relearn.
   4. Modern Application: Frame mistakes (plagiarism, oversharing, distraction) not as shameful failures but as practice opportunities for course-correction.

Resources:  

Teachable Machine

A fast, easy way to create machine learning models for your sites, apps, and more – no expertise or coding required.

https://teachablemachine.withgoogle.com

Social Media and Mental Health: Considerations from experts this Mental Health Awareness Month

https://news.ufl.edu/2023/05/social-media-mental-health

Social Media Shortens Your Life. Here’s How to Get Time Back.

https://www.thefp.com/p/social-media-shortens-your-life-heres-how-to-get-time-back

Google Gemini 101

https://ditchthattextbook.com/google-gemini

Learn Your Way

Learn Your Way transforms content into a dynamic and engaging learning experience tailored for you.

https://learnyourway.withgoogle.com

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

Enter:  The Wilted Rose

What it is: Teens are swapping out the classic heartbreak emoji () for its moodier cousin: the wilted rose ()

Why it’s trending: The heartbreak emoji  is apparently so overused that it’s lost its edge. For a lot of teens, it feels too basic and obvious now. That’s where the wilted rose comes in. The wilted rose started as a way to say “I’m damaged, I’m heartbroken, I’m tragic,” but with a wink. 

Web Spotlight: 

“The Atlantic” Announces That Every U.S. High School Get Get Free Subscription For All Students & Staff

Key details about eligibility and how to request access are below and at our high-school access page:

• Open to all U.S. public high schools or districts (includes comprehensive, magnet, charter, and specialized schools).
• Schools may register for access at The Atlantic. The request must be submitted by either an administrator, librarian, or IT professional at the school.
• Access will be authenticated by IP address, giving students and staff access on browsers connected to a school’s Wi-Fi network. No individual accounts are required.

Clues by Sam

https://cluesbysam.com

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk AI, project-based learning, and more. Dave communicates with parents. 

Jokes:  

What do you feel when you accidentally send out the same Morse Code twice

Remorse

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How do you get the farmer’s daughter to fall in love with you?

A tractor.

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Just finished a novel about an immortal cat. 

• It was impossible to put down.

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My complimentary hotel breakfast did not tell me I looked nice even once.

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Proctologist: Today I looked up an old friend from school.

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It’s only a murder of crows if there’s probable caws.

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Somebody threw a bottle of omega-3 pills at my head. 

• Luckily my injuries are only super fish oil.

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It’s only August and I’ve already crossed nine out of ten things off my 2025 todo list!

I didn’t do any of them. I just wanted them off the list.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Parent Newsletters

I was recently reading the July-August 2025 issue of “The Science Teacher”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the section, “Idea Bank” written by Alexander Eden.  He wrote an article entitled, “The Power of Newsletters: Welcoming Parents into the Biology Classroom Community.”

When leveraged correctly, engaging parents and families can have a positive impact on students and the classroom.  It is critical to maintain a line of communication with families that is not solely based on when student concerns arise.  One method of maintaining consistent communication with families involves the construction of a parent newsletter.

https://k12science.net/parent-newsletters/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Last Hurrah of Summer
• The Summer of My “Glow Up”

The Social Web

Thomas@thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io

Fun fact, ~64% of Americans use assistive technology to overcome a disability.

And that’s just one single type of disability: issues with eyesight.

John R. Sowash  @jrsowash

Type the @ symbol in the #Gemini chat box to connect to Google services like YouTube. This lets you pull in content from other places…a great way to find videos for your next lesson! #GoogleEDU  https://x.com/jrsowash/status/1956026875559432513/photo/1  

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

Keep at least 25 yards from bison at all times and never approach a bison to take a photo. If they want a photo with you, they will let you know. Boundaries. Not just lines on a map.  

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘copemate’ (16th century): the friend in life who gets you through.

 

Resources:  

The Tech Exit

“In the last week or so, you may have seen a startling picture of data put together by an analyst for Financial Times. The graph shows changes in personality traits over the last 8 years. Starkly down: conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extroversion—particularly for young people. These are traits that positively affect career, marriages and life expectancy. On the rise, neuroticism. People are more anxious, tense, and emotional. The author of the article blames it on distraction. He points the finger directly at the digital world.” 

https://wng.org/podcasts/the-tech-exit-1755288004

America 250

Merch is now available:  https://ctrk.klclick3.com/l/01K2PRWRTFTJF1Q0XFJP6A4DQE_11  

Embracing the Change:  Middle School 101 for Parents and Families

Embracing the Change: Middle School 101 for Families is a concise brochure designed to support parents and families as they guide their middle schooler through a transformative phase of life.

https://my.amle.org/Shop/Store/Product-Details?productid={354C6C66-E960-F011-BEC2-000D3A4DB114}

Zavala

A good, simple outliner for macOS and iOS.

https://zavala.vincode.io

AXIS The Culture Translator

AI Blues

What it is: OpenAI released “GPT-5,” a new version of their AI that touts better processing, more efficiency, and fewer “hallucinations.” Yet, ChatGPT users are not happy.  

Why they’ve turned: With this new update, OpenAI consolidated all of its models into a single experience, and now just routes a user’s request through whatever tool it deems best for the job (for example, photo requests get sent through the photo generator). However, this means users can no longer access those individual models, which felt to many like losing features. The backlash signals a growing normalization of AI, as users now have their own expectations and preferences about the technology.  

Striking a Pose

What it is: “The Nicki Minaj stiletto challenge” is a TikTok trend where participants balance on one foot in sky-high heels, often on unstable objects like cans or bottles—mimicking a pose from Nicki Minaj’s 2013 “High School” music video

Why it’s risky: A few seconds of internet fame can cost a lot. One influencer fractured her spine just weeks after giving birth, and Mikayla Matthews, star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, faced major backlash after trying the trend blindfolded while holding her newborn. Media outlets estimate that #nickiminajchallenge has racked up more than 1.3 billion views on TikTok, with over 130,000 hashtagged videos posted.

In Search of Lost Time

What it is: A long-form piece in The Free Press explores why time flies by when we’re using social media platforms. (Hint: It’s not because we’re having fun.)  

Google Has Often Failed At AI, But They Have Hit It Out Of The Park – For ELLs, At Least – With New “Storybook”

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2025/08/05/google-often-failed-at-ai-but-they-have-hit-it-out-of-the-park-for-ells-at-least-with-new-storybook/

The biggest mistakes in mapmaking history – Kayla Wolf

Travel through the history of mapmaking and discover what big mistakes cartographers made about the world’s geography.

Here Be The Dragons!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77hLX8jO6e4

Web Spotlight: 

GIFT Validator

https://fuhrmanator.github.io/GIFT-grammar-PEG.js/editor/editor.html

FBI and NSPCC alarmed at ‘shocking’ rise in online sextortion of children

Snapchat logged about 20,000 cases last year of adults grooming children online, more than other social media platforms combined

The NCA said: “Sextortion is a heartless crime, which can have devastating consequences for victims. Sadly, teenagers in the UK and around the world have taken their own lives because of it.”

Tech companies including Snapchat and Facebook reported more than 9,600 cases of adults grooming children online in the UK in just six months last year – the equivalent of about 400 a week.

The children’s charity, NSPCC, described the figures as “shocking” and said they were likely an underestimate.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/aug/09/fbi-nspcc-alarmed-shocking-rise-online-sextortion-children

Behaviorism as Cognitive Science

In his July 24th article, “‘Cognitive Science,’ All the Rage in British Schools, Fails to Register in U.S”, he did not even attempt to be objective as he lionized a form of ‘Cognitive Science’ that is a euphemism for behaviorism.

A cognitive science subset, Cognitive load theory, was developed in mid-1980s by Australian education psychologist John Sweller. His theory pays attention to human cognitive architecture: characteristics and relations between long-term memory and short term memory, and how load on memory affects learning.

As Kohn stated, in the debate between behaviorism and “constuctivism”, Hirch comes down squarely on the side of behaviorism. 

https://tultican.com/2025/08/10/behaviorism-as-cognitive-science/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Grammarian vs. Errorist

Get the English teacher on your team ready for school this year:  https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19aHhX68Ce/  

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