Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about the end of the year. Dave counts the caterpillars. 

Jokes:  

Regarding spelling, some people are loosing it.

---

Always do right.  This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.

— Mark Twain

---

Why didn’t the number 4 get into the nightclub? 

• Because he is 2 square.

My sea sickness comes in waves.

---

I bought a new trimmer today.

• It’s cutting hedge technology.

---

I’ll tell you what often gets over looked… garden fences.

---

What type of fabric softener does iron man use?

• Downey

---

I’ve been reading all about the concept of infinity and I feel like it’s never going to end.

---

Why do Norwegians put bar codes on their ships?

• So when they dock, they can Scandinavian.

---

I was at the beach and I heard a man in the water yelling “Help, shark! Help!”

I thought to myself that shark isn’t going to help him.

---

I’ve just been diagnosed with a chronic fear of giants.

• Fefiphobia.

---

The Swiss must’ve been pretty confident in their chances of victory if they included a corkscrew in their army knife.

---

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Caterpillars Count

I was recently reading the May/June 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the “Citizen Science” section written by Jill Nugent.  She wrote an article entitled, “Caterpillars Count.”

Caterpillars Count is a citizen science project to monitor the seasonality and abundance of arthropods (including caterpillars) on foliage.  To learn more about this citizen science project visit their website at:

https://caterpillarscount.unc.edu

http://k12science.net/caterpillars-count/

The World from A to Z – 

Reports from the Front Lines

• The Final Throes
• Flow
• Genius Week
• PowerSchool University
• List of Shawn’s Free Jobs
  • PCT Course
    • Added an Oncology Communications Module while Troy played with AudioHijack this morning.  
• Moodle Upgrade

The Social Web

Dr. Joanne Freeman (@jbf1755 on lots o’ platforms) @jbf1755

Quote:  Kierán Suckling  @KieranSuckling

Who thought memorializing the Donner Party with a picnic area was a good idea?

Revolving_Door_Admin  @RAD_is_awesome

With only two days remaining in the school year, I think it only makes sense to do some walkthroughs to make sure that teachers are following our bell-to-bell instruction mandate.

Clive Thompson@clive@saturation.social

In 1963, Bruce McAllister was a high school student …

… whose English teacher insisted that authors filled their stories with symbols …

… and it was the job of the reader to notice and decode these symbols

He thought this was nonsense

So he sent a letter to 150 well-known authors asking if they did this

Fully 75 replied! Ray Bradbury, Saul Bellow, Ayn Rand

Wouter de Jong @drakenvlieg@mastodon.education

To be most effective, retrieval must be repeated again and again, in spaced out sessions so that the recall, rather than becoming a mindless recitation, requires some cognitive efforts.

Solstice School@SummerSchool

We are limiting the Conference to 20 presentations so the earlier the submission the better. Submissions open June 15th and close the 30th! Solstice School will occur July 22-August 4

https://solsticeschool.scholar.social/2024/presenters

Historic Vids  @historyinmemes

Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West on The Wizard of Oz, appeared on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in 1975 in an effort to convince children there was nothing to fear.

Susie Dent @susie_dent

Etymology of the day is ‘tawdry’, meaning cheap, sordid, or in poor taste. It began as ‘St Audrey’s lace’: ribbons worn as necklaces to honour a 7th-century saint of Ely. Thanks to their often shoddy quality, ‘tawdry laces’ became linked to cheap or disreputable behaviour.

Matt Miller   @jmattmiller

So, make this make sense … “In order to streamline the number of apps educators need to use in their classroom …”  @MIcrosoftFlip  is taking an app available to anyone via web and mobile … and locking it inside of Microsoft Teams. To streamline the number of apps.  

Strategies:  

Make An AI Notebook

https://wondertools.substack.com/p/notebooklm

GET A CLUE: THE SOLO TAXONOMY

https://blog.tcea.org/get-a-clue-the-solo-taxonomy

Resources:  

AXIS The Culture Translator

Slang of the Week

“That’s OP”

While some slang has nebulous origins, it’s pretty clear “that’s OP” comes from the gaming community. “OP” is short for “overpowered,” a way of saying something is too strong, unfair, or unbalanced in a game. “That’s OP” can be used outside of games though, whether it’s to describe a new strategy in a sport, a different way to flirt, or as a reaction to anything that seems, well, overpowered.

Meet ALDO: The Amazing Lesson Design Outline

https://mglinks.org/2024/06/03/meet-aldo-the.html

Video:  Commercial for Beans

It’s that time of the year and you need a short video to capture your kids attention and perhaps imagination.  Try Haynes:  https://youtu.be/eZgD89VYkVc  

Web Spotlight: 

Document: The Symbolism Survey

In 1963, a sixteen-year-old San Diego high school student named Bruce McAllister sent a four-question mimeographed survey to 150 well-known authors of literary, commercial, and science fiction. Did they consciously plant symbols in their work? he asked. Who noticed symbols appearing from their subconscious, and who saw them arrive in their text, unbidden, created in the minds of their readers? When this happened, did the authors mind?

https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2011/12/05/document-the-symbolism-survey

AI Bias in Beauty

• Despite the growing profusion of AI image generators, they all had remarkably similar responses when The Post directed them to portray a beautiful woman.

• DALL-E shows thin, ethnically ambiguous women in heavy makeup. Sixty-two percent have a medium skin tone.
• Midjourney’s women are dressed in flowing gowns, most with low-cut tops. Nearly nine in 10 are light-skinned.
• Stable Diffusion also shows thin women in flowing attire. Its representation of dark skin tones is highest — at just 18 percent.
• Asked to show “normal women,” the tools produced images that remained overwhelmingly thin. Midjourney’s depiction of “normal” was especially homogenous: All of the images were thin, and 98 percent had light skin.
• To see how AI tools handle different body sizes, The Post used OpenAI’s ChatGPT to prompt DALL-E 3 to show a “fat woman.” Despite repeated attempts using explicit language, the tool generated only women with small waists.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2024/ai-bias-beautiful-women-ugly-images

Chat GPT For Educators

Cost: $39

Modules: 5

CPE Credit Hours: 12

Embark on an enlightening adventure with our “ChatGPT for Educators” course, a treasure trove for teachers eager to harness the capabilities of ChatGPT AI. This self-paced online course is a beacon for those seeking to enrich their teaching methods, offering a blend of foundational knowledge and advanced techniques. As you delve into the world of ChatGPT, you’ll evolve into a skilled prompt engineer, adept at crafting prompts that revolutionize lesson planning, rubric creation, and assessments. The course is a wellspring of time-saving strategies, empowering you to leverage mega prompts for educational efficiency.

https://tcea.org/courses/chatgpt-for-educators

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy return the Eileen Award, talk about student reflection, certainty-based grading, and more. Dave looks for climate justice.

Jokes:  

I asked the surgeon: can I administer my own anesthetic?

• The surgeon said: Go ahead, knock yourself out.

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OK, so naked running.

Apparently this means running without GPS, music and any other tech.

I wish I knew this an hour ago.

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Frankenstein enters a bodybuilding competition and finds he has seriously misunderstood the objective.

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I ate a clock yesterday. 

• It was so time consuming.

What do you get when you cross a police dog and a skunk? 

• Law and Odor.

I saw my wife trip and fall while carrying a laundry basket full of ironed clothes. 

• I watched it all unfold.

I thought about going on an all-almond diet. 

• But that’s just nuts.
• If two vegans are having an argument, is it still considered beef?

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Did you hear about the bread factory burning down? 

• They say the business is toast.

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What do police officers do when there’s a fly annoying everyone at the station?

• Call the swat team.

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The mime community has been very quiet as of late.

---

---

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Climate Justice

I was recently reading the March/April 2024 issue of “Science and Children,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

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

Education is a critical agent in addressing the issue of climate change.  The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change assigns responsibility to Parties of the Convention to undertake educational and public awareness campaigns on climate-change, and to ensure public participation in programs and information access on the issue.

http://k12science.net/climate-justice/

Eileen Award

• New Listener… Megan Gomez!  

Reports from the Front Lines

• End of the Year
• Tech Tip in Two – Canva Certificates

The Social Web

Helen@hlseward@mstdn.social

Teaching can be a tough, joyless job sometimes, but on other days you get a Yr 8 student who reimagines Much Ado by having Disney-style talking cows for characters and calling it “Much A-Moo About Nothing” and you literally cry with laughter

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘fudgel’ (18th century): to make a big show of working hard whilst actually doing very little.

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

There’s nothing wrong with following your heart, but it never hurts to check the map too.

Katie Powell@Beyond_the_Desk

“I told you to stop eating bees. They’re spicy, and you don’t like them.” Me, to the dog.

The Modest Teacher  @ModestTeacher

We are officially entering the “can I do extra credit” portion of the school year.

Strategies:  

Reflection Ideas for The Classroom: The Why

https://www.hollyclark.org/2020/05/10/reflection-ideas-for-the-classroom

HOW TO MAKE FLEXIBLE, DATA-INFORMED STUDENT GROUPS

https://blog.tcea.org/data-informed-student-groups

4 Instructional Strategies Teachers Can Count On

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-4-instructional-strategies-teachers-can-count-on/2024/05

Resources:  

Teaching Kids How To Use a Phone

AT&T produced instructional films to accompany the introduction of dial telephones to guide subscribers in how to use the new technology.

https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/senate-stories/videos/dial-telephones-1936-att.htm

12 Logic Puzzles That Will Test Your Smarts

https://www.rd.com/article/logic-puzzles

Image Accessibility Creator

https://asuo-images.streamlit.app

Patriarchy

Using the Barbie movie and other media (movies, TV shows) as a guide, Pop Culture Detective delves into what “patriarchy” actually means (mirrors: Patreon & archive.org).

We’re going to use the movie as a sort of primer to help explain what patriarchy actually is, what it isn’t, and how it ends up harming everyone, including men. To have any kind of productive conversation, we have to get over that defensiveness that so many men feel whenever they come across the word “patriarchy”. Contrary to popular belief, patriarchy is not a synonym for men, nor is it a code word for masculinity, and it certainly has nothing to do with hating men.

https://kottke.org/24/05/patriarchy-according-to-the-barbie-movie

AXIS The Culture Translator

Moms Make It Happen

What it is: As Mother’s Day approaches, people are talking about “kinkeeping”—the role of planning celebrations, managing communication, and maintaining closeness within a family—and the work it requires.

May the Fourthnite

What it is:  May 4—known to some as the day Star Wars fans unite to do Star Wars-themed things and say the phrase, “May the Fourth be with you.”

Why it’s what teens are talking about: To commemorate May 4, Fortnite will release a package of Star Wars content this weekend—including skins, music, vehicles, challenges, and in-game rewards. Disney+ will debut a new animated series called “Tales of the Empire.” And “The Phantom Menace” will return to theaters in honor of the film’s 25th anniversary. There are also deals and discounts on nearly every Star Wars video game ever made…and there are a lot.

Better Than Quiet Quitting – Preventing Burnout

World Magazine Article – 

“FOR THE LAST couple of years, we’ve been hearing about the “quiet quitting” trend among American workers. Quiet quitting, in which people do only the bare minimum required for their jobs, became a means for coping with workplace burnout. The pandemic caused many office workers to reflect on their work, and some decided it wasn’t worth doing, or at least not worth any extra effort. In Slow Productivity (Portfolio, 2024), Cal Newport is sympathetic to these workers’ malaise, but he thinks quiet quitting is the wrong solution.”  

Web Spotlight: 

AI Resources

https://pinokio.computer

Spec Feedback

This form will be open until May 22nd, and your early thoughts will help us develop a robust process for gathering and incorporating feedback across a wide range of stakeholders—including users, developers, policymakers, trusted institutions, domain experts, and more. 

Over the next year, we will share updates about changes to the Model Spec, our response to feedback, and how our research in shaping model behavior is progressing.

https://openai.com/form/model-spec-feedback

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy share some tips, Michigan History, and more. Dave performs some assessments.

Jokes:  

What has 2 syllables but hundreds of letters?

• Postmen.

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The opposite of formaldehyde is casualdejekyll.

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Filed my nails today.

• They’re in the N drawer.

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The word queue is ironic. It’s just q with a bunch of silent letters waiting in line.

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One day I changed a lightbulb, crossed the road and walked into a bar.

• That’s when I realised my whole life was a joke

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Lost another audio-book.

• I’ll never hear the end of it.

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When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane

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If you walk into a forest and cut down a tree, but the tree doesn’t understand why you cut it down, do you think it’s stumped?

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Can’t wait til Wind Day and Fire Day!

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The shorter you are, the deeper the swimming pool.

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Piano Man has got to be the lamest super hero yet.

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Why do French chefs only use one egg?

• Because one egg is un oeuf.

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My dog talks in her sleep.

She never tells the truth.

Theres nothing I can do about it.

• You have to let sleeping dogs lie.

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Pre means before.

Post means after.

To use both prefixes together would be preposterous.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Performance Based Assessment

I was recently reading the March/April 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the “Interdisciplinary Ideas” section written by Katie Coppens.  She wrote an article entitled, “Designing Performance-Based Assessments That Engage!”

Rather than stressful, an assessment should feel like a celebration of learning for students.  Performance-based assessments allow students to demonstrate their understanding of one or more standards by accomplishing tasks that are engaging and flexible in how students approach them.  In addition to seeing students’ scientific knowledge, teachers get a better sense of their students’ interests and strengths that they bring to each open-ended assignment.  The author then shared an example of a performance-based assignment based on the Flint Water Crisis.

http://k12science.net/performance-based-assessment/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Student presentations – MHD 

• MLTI
• Testing

The Social Web

Deidre J Owen, Author  @deidrejowen

I’m filling out a medical form online and I’m curious who’s out there speaking Old English.

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Etymology of the day: the name of the Canary Islands didn’t begin with the canary bird. Instead it’s thought that the Latin ‘canaria insula’ described the ‘island of dogs’, because one of the islands had a large population of wild dogs. Which would mean that the archipelago’s native bird is named after the dogs, too.

I love how the word ‘atone’ wears its heart on its sleeve. It began as ‘at one’, because to atone is to bring back unity. Atonement is really ‘at-one-ment’. In the same way, ‘alone’ began as ‘all one’.

Strategies:  

Student Made Books

Lots of options here. You can be as thorough or as limited as you want. Could be a graphic novel, limited to a certain.

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/student-e-books

Resources:  

Add a Cursor to Any website

https://code.kuederle.com/addcursor

Web Spotlight: 

Sleeping more flushes junk out of the brain

Neurons are still active during sleep. We may not realize it, but the brain takes advantage of this recharging period to get rid of junk that was accumulating during waking hours.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/04/sleeping-more-flushes-junk-out-of-the-brain

20 Minutes of Charles Schulz Drawing Peanuts Comics

This is wonderful: a collection of video clips of Charles Schulz drawing his iconic Peanuts comic strip — “everything I could find of Charles Schulz drawing his Peanuts characters” in the words of the compiler.

https://kottke.org/24/04/20-minutes-of-charles-schulz-drawing-peanuts-comics

AXIS The Culture Translator

Up All Night

What it is: Gallup polling data has found a huge spike in the percentage of Americans who say they get less sleep than they need. Survey results also indicate an increase in Americans’ daily stress.

Why it’s news you can use: This data indicates that when you interact with anyone—in a store, on the road, at work, or in church—there’s a decent chance that particular human is feeling both exhausted and stressed out. The odds of this stress/exhaustion matrix are even higher if you are conversing with a young woman aged 18 to 29. In 2001, 42% of young women in that bracket said they get enough sleep, but that number has dropped to 27%. Younger women are also the most likely to say they experience daily stress. Stress and sleep have a symbiotic relationship, and parents should understand how both factors play a role in teens’ mental health.

Paying the Piper

What it is: Research and investment firm Piper Sandler released their “47th Semi-Annual Taking Stock With Teens” survey, focused on modern teen trends.

Why it’s worth paying attention to: While the survey is primarily focused on trends for investment, their research does give us insight into the ever-changing winds of teen culture. The survey covers everything from social media usage, to which clothing brands teens prefer, to their favorite snacks (it’s Goldfish). Some of the more interesting trends include TikTok losing popularity with teens and Instagram regaining it, 85% of teens owning an iPhone, and “the environment” being the social cause most teens cared about (even though only 14% cared about it). We’ll see how these trends play out over the rest of the year and into the future, but for now, when your teen tells you they have to have the $1600 iPhone Pro Max, you’ll know, at least partly, why.

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Spring Break, being mean, and more. Dave goes 3D, with Assessment and more.

Jokes:  

I’m trying to organize a hide-and-seek tournament, but good players are really hard to find

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If America switched from pounds to kilograms overnight, would it create mass confusion?

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The best time on a clock is 6:30–hands down.

---

It’s been months since I bought the book “how to scam people online”. It still hasn’t turned up.

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Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local swimming pool. I gave him a glass of water.

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Me: I want to be a millionaire, like my uncle.

Them: Your uncle is a millionaire?

Me: No. He also wants to be a millionaire.

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Mannequins are model citizens.

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Did you hear about the two thieves who stole a calendar? 

• They each got six months.

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Guy told me today he did not know what cloning is. I told him, “that makes 2 of us.”

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You know what they say about cliffhangers…

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  3D Assessment

I was recently reading the March/April 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the “From the Editor’s Desk” column written by Patty McGinnis.  She wrote an article entitled, “3D Assessment.”

In the article she shared ideas about writing assessments aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards.  The National Research Council recommends that teachers utilize a combination of constructed response, selected response, and projects to assess three-dimensional learning.  She recommended two resources that provide tips for writing assessments.  They are:

“STEM Teaching Tool #30: Integrating Science Practices in Assessment Tasks”

and

“The NGSS Evidence Statements” 

http://k12science.net/3d-assessment/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Two Days
• PSAT Testing
• Help Desk
• Spring Break

The Social Web

𝐿𝒶𝓃𝒶 “not Locrian” @Lana@beige.party

Why study Music?

1. Music is Math.
You never worked so hard at counting to 4 in all your life.

2. Music is Science.
You will spend hours of your life repeating the same thing, alone in a closed room. Then you will repeat it in front of your peers. Music demands research.

3. Music is History.
You will become intimately familiar with the people and events of the last 400 years.

4. Music is a Foreign Language.
You will be able to speak more Italian and French than you ever thought you’d need to.

5. Music is Literature.
You will read new music every single day. You will read so much you’ll start seeing notes in your sleep.

6. Music is Physical Education.
You will sweat. You will be sore. You will hurt in places you didn’t know you had places. And you will get stronger.

Music isn’t extra-curricular. Music *is* the curriculum.

Kevin Honeycutt  @kevinhoneycutt

Are you a teacher looking to leverage your classroom skills in a new and exciting way? Consider public speaking as a second job! As educators, you already possess the essential skills of engaging audiences, breaking down complex ideas, and sparking curiosity—qualities that make…

Ron King  @mthman

I love project based learning! 1) Build 3 buildings that you’d find on any city block (3 different geometric shapes). 2) Map out the floor plans on @desmos & calculate total square footage 3) Use buildings as the centerpiece of 3D shapes & cross-sections. #mtbos #mathchat

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Etymology of the day is ‘bumf’: a shortening of ‘bumfodder’, 19th-century slang for toilet paper. It was later applied to any throwaway material or paperwork.

Strategies:  

FIVE STAGES OF K-12 ED TECH ADOPTION: PART 2

https://blog.tcea.org/ed-tech-adoption-part-2

Resources:  

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

Incelpilled

What it is: Many of today’s most popular slang terms are largely borrowed and adapted from the online community of “involuntary celibates,” also known as incels.  For an up-to-date list of Gen Z slang, check out our Parent Guide to Teen Slang!  

Slang of the Week:  

“Lock in”: Meant both earnestly and ironically, “Lock in” means that it’s time to stop being silly, focus up, and seriously try something. (It’s the verbal equivalent of leaning forward while playing Mario Kart, which is affectionately called the “gamer lean.”) Although it may not be a wholly new term, it’s become a staple for athletes and gamers especially. That being said, there are times when everyone and anyone will need to lock in, whether it’s writing a paper due in thirty minutes, finishing a project for work, or asking your crush out.

Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

https://www.themarginalian.org/2024/04/12/dictionary-of-obscure-sorrows

PEW Research Center

1 in 3 Teachers are ready to quit.

https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2024/04/04/teachers-job-satisfaction

5 Questions to Help Kids Become Critical Readers

https://www.middleweb.com/50526/5-questions-to-help-kids-become-critical-readers

Web Spotlight: 

Anxious Parents Are the Ones Who Need Help

if recent trends continue, the start of the school year will kick off another record-breaking season for anxiety on campus.

I’m talking about the parents. The kids are mostly fine.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/08/opinion/teen-mental-health-college.html

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about places, wellness, middle school development, and more. Dave shows us Thinking. Due to technical issues, a short summary podcast is posted. We’ll get things fixed for next week. 

Jokes:  

Ever wondered why skeletons are so calm?

Prolly because nothing gets under their skin.

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Someone broke into my house last night and stole my limbo trophy. How low can you go?

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Q: What’s the difference between a duck and an elephant?

A: You can’t get down off an elephant.

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for Godzilla, every city is walkable

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I just found out my mum is the tooth fairy and I’m devastated.

• I can’t believe she is leaving me home alone every night.

---

Bob mailed his hearing aid off for repair 3 weeks ago.

• He hasn’t heard anything since.

---

I have been told that I have a rare genetic disease that forces me to deny the existence of 80s bands.

• The Cure does not exist

Quarter-sized hail? Psssh.

• Let me know when we’re expecting full-sized hail!

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I wear a stethoscope so that in a medical emergency I can teach people a valuable lesson about assumptions.

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They said a mask and gloves would be enough when going to the store.

• They lied, everyone else had clothes on.

---

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This St, That St, and The Other Street in Nova Scotia. 

This Way Lane meets That Way Lane in Oregon:

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Making Thinking Visible

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of “The Science Teacher,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the “Editor’s Corner” written by Ann Haley MacKenzie.  She wrote an article entitled, “How Can We Make Our Students’ Thinking Visible?”

In the article she shared three strategies for making thinking visible.  The strategies were taken from the books, “Making Thinking Visible” and “The Power of Making Thinking Visible.”

The strategies are:

• “See-Think-Wonder”
• “Connect-Extend-Challenge”
• “CSI: Color, Symbol, Image”

http://k12science.net/making-thinking-visible/

From the book: “Science Abridged Beyond the Point of Usefulness”

The Social Web

cyborgneticz@Cyborgneticz@scholar.social

Teaching. K12 v higher ed, pers 1 SHOW LESS

It’s been fun adjuncting, but I kind of like my high school students more and for a few reasons

1 high school kids aren’t focused on learning to get a job, so they’re more willing to try goofy things

2 everything is new for high school students so there’s a consistent level of shock and surprise (every class I ask kids if they want to learn a fun fact n just tell them horrible things)

3 ability to roast and be witty is part of the job

4 the other day one of my kids was talking about how they think it’s good to feel uncomfortable n they want uncensored history classes

I do enjoy the higher level discussions I can have with college students but the approach to my class as something to take to get a job is just depressing as someone who loves my field

I see more love for learning in kids, for better or worse

Matt Miller   @jmattmiller

Kids these days. Dropping mechanical pencils on the ground. These were GOLD when I was a kid. I’d do anything not to lose them.

Dr. Joanne Freeman (@jbf1755 on lots o’ platforms)  @jbf1755

GASP I am so pathetically happy about this.

Quote:  Alex DeMarco (Dvesatya)  @Alex_J_DeMarco

The new edition of the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS 18) comes out this September. And I just heard: PLACE OF PUBLICATION WILL NO LONGER BE REQUIRED IN CITATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ENTRIES!

Vanessa Heller  @Hell2Teach

Eating “raw” Top Ramen with the seasoning sprinkled on it seems to be the popular snack in our #MiddleSchool This is a clear indicator that society is in a decline, no?

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘fling-brand’ (17th century): one who takes pleasure in breeding dissent and argument, purely for the sake of it.

Melissa & Lori Love Literacy podcast  @literacypodcast

7 Days til National Schwa Day!  How will you celebrate?  Download your Free Teacher Toolkit at http://NationalSchwaDay.org. 

Resources:  

RIGHT FEELINGS, RIGHT TIME: LISA DAMOUR SPEAKS OUT ON RESILIENCY AMONG TEENS IN HER LATEST BOOK, THE EMOTIONAL LIVES OF TEENAGERS

…growing up in the 1980s, teenage angst was a collective character trait. Popular songs like “Don’t You (Forget about Me)” by Simple Minds or “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash channeled our moodiness and insecurities. Movies like Footloose and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off explored teenagers’ rebellious instincts while their parents were off-screen and out of the loop. Growing up is hard, the entertainment industry told us, and our experiences confirmed that.

In 2023, kids are being schooled by the wellness industry, which now represents a larger segment of the global economy than the entertainment industry.

…clinical psychologist Lisa Damour argues that the wellness industry has contributed to a new cultural norm that simply isn’t sound or even useful: it has equated feeling good with mental health.

Under the influence of the wellness industry, educators have incorporated meditation, yoga, and gratitude journals into their curricula to support the wellbeing of their students, many of whom say they are anxious or depressed. Damour acknowledges that many mindfulness practices are valuable, but she cautions against thinking that they can lead to happiness or prevent negative feelings. 

…we should expand students’ sense of all it means to be fully human, in which the questions and uncertainties matter as much as the answers.

…investing in self-care—and the accompanying goods and services—kids believe that they can prevent anxiety and emotional distress. But losing a big game, doing poorly on a test, or getting dumped are not only distressing, they are also fairly common experiences among adolescents. Damour fears that “the wellness movement has left parents and their teens unduly frightened of garden variety adversity” and therefore unable to appreciate how much we grow through failure and hardship.

…context is everything, that mental health means “having the right feelings at the right time.” If a teen fails a math test, they should feel disappointment. If they score a winning goal, they should feel a sense of pride. Healthy people experience the full range of human emotions and can identify and name them.

…explains how the teenage brain amplifies emotions; strong emotions “are a feature, not a bug” in their neurological wiring. During adolescence, the emotion centers of the brain strengthen and predominate the portions of the brain that help maintain a measured perspective. This “emotional intensity actually peaks around age thirteen or fourteen” and begins to subside after that.

https://intrepidednews.com/the-emotional-lives-of-teenagers

AXIS The Culture Translator

Absent Minded

What it is: Data from the American Enterprise Institute found that during the 2022-2023 school year, 26% of students met the definition of “chronically absent,” meaning they missed ten percent or more of the school year.

Continue the conversation: Does attending school or other learning events in person feel less important than it used to feel?  

Stop scrolling so much. Try these rituals instead.

https://mashable.com/article/reduce-screen-time-rituals

Meet Palmsy, the fake social network where your posts stay on your device forever

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/29/palmsy-is-a-device-only-social-network-to-satisfy-your-posting-itch

Web Spotlight: 

Introducing the Teacher Morale Index

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/introducing-the-teacher-morale-index/2024/03

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI in education, Larry Ferlazzo, and more. Dave has part 2 of the Outstanding Science Trade Books for Middle School Students.

Jokes:  

Belly dancers graduate from the Navel Academy.

---

How does a penguin build it’s house? Igloos it together.

---

What did the scientist say when he found two helium atoms?

• HeHe

---

When do doctors get angry? 

• When they run out of patients.

It is unacceptable that the only animal that moos is not called a moose

---

What do you call a gorilla wearing headphones? 

• Anything you’d like, it can’t hear you.

Q: Why do mountain climbers rope themselves together?

A: To prevent the sensible ones from going home.

---

Did you know the first French fries weren’t actually cooked in France? 

• They were cooked in Greece.

I want to hear 99 people sing Africa by Toto

• It’s something that a hundred men or more could never do…

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Middle School Students – Part 2 

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school science teachers.

In this issue, I read the section on the “Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students.”  The selections are a collaboration of the National Science Teaching Association and the Children’s Book Council.

In part 2 of this podcast series, I share seven more books that were selected for middle-school students.  The books are:

• “A Star Explodes: The Story of Supernova 1054” by James Gladstone
• “Old Enough to Make a Difference: Be Inspired by Real-Life Children Building a More Sustainable Future” by Rebecca Hul
• “Becoming Bionic” by Heather Camlot
• “Extra Life (Young Readers Adaptation) by Steven Johnson
• “Hidden Systems” by Dan Nott
• “Sisters in Science” by Linda Elovitz Marshall
• “The Woman in the Moon” by Richard Maurer

http://k12science.net/outstanding-science-trade-books-for-middle-school-students-part-2/

Reports from the Front Lines

• InnovatED
• Teachers and Technology
• Involunteering Napping
• AI Use
  • Geography Bee
  • Badges
• ADA
  • Headings

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Tsundoku, from Japanese, is the act of buying yet another book that you fully intend to read, but never quite get round to.  

Etymology of the day is an important one. The root of ‘compassion’ is a Latin word meaning ‘suffer with’.

LRT English  @LRTenglish

More than 500 teachers and teaching assistants from Ukraine now work in Lithuania’s schools. With schools struggling to find staff, they welcome Ukrainian specialists who teach foreign languages and sciences to Lithuanian-speaking students  https://t.co/ZXycoFJapf 

Larry Ferlazzo  @Larryferlazzo

Free Resources From All “My” Books  https://t.co/tsgwsHCf0r  

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

One does not simply become a master of karate. First, you must accidentally walk into a spider web.

 Martin Dougiamas  @moodler

Hume’s empathy emulation is a little exaggerated for the demo but try it out, it’s going to be awesome for many use cases. The question to decide is when we absolutely don’t want that in our AI. https://demo.hume.ai  

Strategies:  

How About AI Lesson Plans?

Some Brooklyn schools are piloting an AI assistant that will create lesson plans for them. 

Superintendent Janice Ross explains it this way. “Teachers spend hours creating lesson plans. They should not be doing that anymore.”

We’re nowhere near the point where an AI can do your job, but we’re well past the point where your boss can be suckered into firing you and replacing you with a bot that fails at doing your job.

• Cory Doctorow

https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2024/03/how-about-ai-lesson-plans.html

Taking Small Steps to Build Research Skills

• Keywords Are Essential
• Synonym Scattergories
• Library Databases
• Making Google Work for Student Researchers
• Balancing fun, clever tricks and practice

https://www.middleweb.com/50515/taking-small-steps-to-build-research-skills/

Resources:  

What Makes a Hero?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhk4N9A0oCA

Rasterbator

Make posters out of a single sheet. 

https://rasterbator.net/

Hello History

An AI powered app that lets you have life-like conversations with historical figures.

https://www.hellohistory.ai/

https://www.humy.ai/pricing -Credits indicate processing usage with AI models. In Chat GPT-3.5, one credit handles 750 words, while in the more advanced GPT-4.0, consuming 7 times more tokens than GPT-3.5, it processes 100 words.

https://www.hellohistory.ai/for-education

AI in the Classroom: A Teacher’s Toolkit for Transformation

AI can significantly enhance teaching and learning by offering personalization, efficiency, and insightful data analysis. Below are some ways educators can leverage AI to create a more dynamic and effective learning environment.

• Personalized Learning Pathways
• Grading and Feedback Systems
• Data-Enhanced Instruction
• Accessibility and Inclusivity
• Engaging and Interactive Learning Experiences

https://esheninger.blogspot.com/2024/03/ai-in-classroom-teachers-toolkit-for.html

AXIS The Culture Translator

A Rising Tide

What it is: A new book by Jonathan Haidt compares giving kids a smartphone to sending them to Mars and urges parents to “end phone-based childhood—now.”

Continue the conversation: What would happen if your school became a phone-free zone?

Jan.Ai

Self hosted AI. Open source. Stays on your computer. 

https://jan.ai/

Web Spotlight: 

Solving Smartphone Problems our Teens are Reporting

https://www.screenagersmovie.com/blog/solutions-teens-smartphone-use

When Whales Could Walk | Full Documentary | NOVA | PBS

In Egypt’s Sahara Desert, massive skeletons with strange skulls and gigantic teeth jut out from the sandy ground. This fossil graveyard, millions of years old, is known as the “Valley of the Whales.” Now, paleontologists have unearthed a whole new species of ancient whale dating to 43 million years ago, and this predator wasn’t just able to swim – it also had four legs and could walk. Follow scientists as they search for new clues to the winding evolutionary path of mammals that moved from the land into the sea to become the largest animals on Earth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5rxaBv9_IU&t=2s

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about middle schoolers, AI, and more. Dave books us some learning.

Jokes:  

I had a fight with a snowman last night. He didn’t last long.0

• things got a bit heated.

---

Never mind the ice, I’ve just slipped on the floor in the local library.

I was in the non-friction section.

---

I was in a good mood till I started petting a duckling in the park. Then I started feeling a little down.

---

yesterday a clown held a door open for me.

I thought it was a nice jester!

---

What is the most effective way to quit being vegan? Cold turkey.

---

Boss Why is it when things go wrong you always blame somebody else?

Me No, you’re thinking of Dave, hes the one always blaming others.

---

Which is heavier, the collected works of Shakespeare or a prison full of inmates? The prose outweighs the cons.

---

What do you call a horse that lives next door? A neighbor.

---

People often ask me how i smuggle chocolate into the movies?

Well..

I have a few Twix up my sleeve!

---

A book just fell on my head. I only have my shelf to blame.

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Outstanding Science Trade Books for Middle School Students – Part 1

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school science teachers.

In this issue, I read the section on the “Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students.  The selections are a collaboration of the National Science Teaching Association and the Children’s Book Council.

In this first of two podcasts, I share six of the twelve books that were selected for middle school students.  The books are:

• “My Indigo World” by Rosa Chang
• “Before Colors: Where Do Pigments and Dyes Come From” by Annette Bay Pimental
• “Grizzly Bears: Guardians of the Wilderness” by Frances Backhouse
• “Mission Arctic: A Scientific Adventure to a Changing North Pole” by Katharina Weiss-Tuider
• “We Need to Talk About Vaginas” by Dr. Allison K. Rodgers
• “Evolution” by Sarah Darwin and Eva-Maria Sadowski 

http://k12science.net/outstanding-science-trade-books-for-middle-school-students-part-1/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Shawn’s Work Projects
• Cyber Storm
• Help Desk
• Web Site Updating

The Social Web

NJAMLE  @NJAMLE

Join NJAMLE and Katie Nieves Licwinko, Ed.D to learn about how you can use technology to support all learners in the classroom! Register at http://NJAMLE.eventbrite.com!

Ron King  @mthman

Oh these middle school boys…for weeks I get 5-6 boys, who I don’t even have in class, come in and play 1v1 on my Nerf hoop before school starts. Well, they slowly shredded the net with their simulated dunks. Today, while at bus duty, one of them hands me a replacement net. 

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

Forgot it was St. Patrick’s Day…wore green anyway. #StPatricksDay 

Michael Matera  @mrmatera

Working on this new #EMC2Learning resource. Hoping to finish it off. I love creating new resources for teachers everywhere. What is a theme you love and would like to see a resource made with?

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the Day is ‘limbeck’ (16th century): to fatigue the brain with attempts to extract something useful from it.

Mr H5P  @mrh5p

#H5P has been doing a great job updating its content types. Check out the ability to add distractors to ‘drag the words’ questions. https://mrh5p.com/h5p-examples/drag-the-words-distractors/

#instructionaldesign

Strategies:  

Amazon Product Page Template

Amazon’s product pages are how we gather information and evaluate products with images, descriptions, categories, and ratings. Students can describe and critique objects, people, places, and more that they’re studying with product pages.

https://ditchthattextbook.com/infographic/amazon-product-page-template/

Resources:  

7 Digital Tools That Help Bring History To Life

https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-digital-tools-that-help-bring-history-to-life/

Rotel Project

(Remixing Open Textbooks through an Equity Lens)

https://rotelproject.org/

A Metacognitive Strategy to Help High School Students See Their Progress in Learning

These activities, with adaptable worksheets, help high school students check their understanding of course content quickly.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/helping-students-check-their-understanding-course-content/

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

Babysitter’s Snub

What it is: Babysitting, once seen as a rite of passage for young girls, is on the decline in the US.

Why it’s happening: The Atlantic suggests two main reasons that fewer young people are racking up babysitting hours as their first independent source of income. First, the rise of what’s known as intensive parenting—a philosophy that micromanages kids’ time for maximum learning, education, and enrichment, leaving little kids and their would-be-sitters with precious little idle time left over. The second reason implicates society, in general, as Americans have grown more suspicious, more risk-averse, and less community-oriented, meaning parents might not know any teens they trust enough to ask to watch their kids during a night out.

Continue the conversation: What makes someone trustworthy?

Showing Off

What it is: YouTuber MrBeast has signed an expensive deal with Amazon Studios to host and produce a reality television show.

Why it’s an industry flashpoint: MrBeast is the most popular YouTuber of all time, but his production studio won’t make a profit this year. He’s often said that most of the money he makes from brand deals and YouTube ads is given away in philanthropic efforts or funneled into creating more content. The bidding war for his reality show deal marks a moment of “if you can’t beat him, join him” from industry execs who want to understand and cash in on MrBeast’s approach to making content that is loud, colorful, and addictive without ever being too controversial for the masses. The competition he plans to host will culminate in a $5 million prize, the largest ever awarded to a game show winner.

Continue the conversation: Why do you think MrBeast is so popular?  

The Achievery

A free and safe online learning platform created by AT&T to provide K-12 students with engaging and entertaining videos paired with educational activities.

https://www.theachievery.com/en

Would You Rather Question Generator

Select the grade level of your students, enter your topic/content, select what kind of questions you would like, click ‘Generate AI Responses’, and then wait for your questions to generate. Please allow up to 30 seconds for our Artificial Intelligence (AI) models to work their magic!

https://autoclassmate.io/tools/would-you-rather-question-generator/

The Teaching Channel: Jack Berckemeyer Interview

https://www.teachingchannel.com/k12-hub/podcast/teaching-channel-talks-episode-88-middle-school-vs-junior-high-whats-changing-in-middle-level-education/

Web Spotlight: 

What We Gained (and Lost) When Our Daughter Unplugged for a School Year

My 13-year-old has left her phone behind for hiking, chores and study in the Australian wilderness. Our pen-and-paper correspondence is opening up an unexpected world.

The handwritten letters from our 13-year-old daughter sit on our coffee table in a clear plastic folder. With their drawings of pink flowers and long paragraphs marked with underlined and crossed-out words, they are an abridged, analog version of her spirited personality — and a way for my wife and me to keep her close as we watch TV and fiddle with our phones.

…at a uniquely Australian school in the bush, where she is running and hiking dozens of miles a week, sharing chores with classmates, studying only from books and, most miraculously, spending her whole ninth-grade school year without the internet, a phone, a computer or even a camera with a screen.

Here in Australia, a growing number of respected schools lock up smart everything for months. They surround digital natives with nature. They make tap-and-swipe teens learn, play and communicate only through real-life interaction or words scrawled on the page.

…as we adjust, her correspondence and ours — traveling hundreds of miles, as if from one era to another — is teaching us all more than we’d imagined. The gift of digital detox that we thought Australia was giving our daughter has also become a revelatory bequest for us — her American parents and her older brother.

Students helped build some of the rustic cabins where my daughter and her classmates now live — cabins where hot showers happen only if they chop wood and fire it up in an old-fashioned boiler. The idea was to build courage, curiosity and compassion among adolescents, and their ranks have ranged from the children of sheep farmers and diplomats to a certain angsty member of the British royal family named Charles. 

…a class of 240 boys and girls who have signed up for, along with the usual classes, community service at local farms, winter camping in the snow and, in the final term, a six-day hike, where students plan their own route and are entirely self-sufficient.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/22/world/australia/screen-free-school.html

AWOL from Academics

Although the average college student spent around 25 hours a week studying in 1960, the average was closer to 15 hours in 2015.

https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2024/03/university-people-the-undergraduate-balance

17 astounding scientific mysteries that researchers can’t yet solve

https://www.vox.com/unexplainable/24094267/17-scientific-mysteries-unsolved-dark-matter-life

A Bronx Teacher Asked. Tommy Orange Answered.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/18/books/tommy-orange-there-there-wandering-stars.html

From eerily prescient to wildly incorrect, 100-year-old predictions about 2024

“In the year 2024, the most important single thing which the cinema will have helped in a large way to accomplish will be that of eliminating from the face of the civilized world all armed conflict,” Griffith predicted. “Pictures will be the most powerful factor in bringing about this condition. With the use of the universal language of motion pictures, the true meaning of the brotherhood of man will have been established throughout the earth.”

At the other extreme, Professor Leo H. Baekeland, president of the American Chemical Society, worried that futuristic weaponry could obliterate humanity in the blink of an eye.

“Jazz music is a powerful force for development of music in America, and in a hundred years will be accepted as classical,” he said. “I cannot imagine how anyone can say that your American jazz music is a destructive force. I consider such a statement as being wholly ridiculous.”

“In the city of a hundred years from now, I see three-deck roads, speedways through the heart of town, skyscrapers with entrances for automobiles as high as 15 stories, monorail expresses to the suburbs replacing streetcars and motor-omnibuses, ever-moving sidewalks and underground freight carriers which will go in all directions, serving all railway stations and business districts, and which will replace to a large extent the heavy trucks and wagons of today,” Bjorkson noted.

“Before many years, the use of a horse for the purposes with which he has been identified since time immemorial will be a curiosity. In another hundred years, you may find horses in zoos. I am sure you will not find them anywhere else.”

“Has anyone ever stopped to think how this country will be a hundred years from now? Just imagine: We will have a woman president, woman politicians and police,” Ferraro wrote. “As women will occupy all the highest positions, naturally men will be compelled to do all the labor; those who are not physically fit for such arduous jobs will have to stay home and wait on the babies (or mind the pets).

“Then we will have an army entirely of women, so that in case of war, women will do all the fighting (Believe me, they can fight, too).”

“Unless the people see the need of simplifying government, we shall be unable to meet the problem and in 100 years from now we shall be in no better condition than the nations that have perished in the past,” he said.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/01/06/world-peace-plane-commutes-100-year-old-predictions-2024/72087255007/

BIG LIES OF EDUCATION: READING PROFICIENCY AND NAEP

“One of the most bearish statistics for the future of the United States is this: Two-thirds of fourth graders in the United States are not proficient in reading,” wrote Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times.

The student reading proficiency Big Lie grounded in misrepresenting or misunderstanding NAEP is likely one of the most complicated Big Lies of Education.

https://radicalscholarship.com/2024/02/23/big-lies-of-education-reading-proficiency-and-naep/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Astronauts, Michigan History, and more. Dave grows beyond Earth.

Jokes:  

I’ve started to teach my grandchildren about the health benefits of eating dried fruit.

• It’s really all about raisin awareness isn’t it?

---

What do you call a retired miner? 

• Doug.

It takes guts to be an organ donor.

---

I was going to get a brain transplant, but I changed my mind

---

Why is it so windy inside an arena? All those fans.

---

Just realised that if aquatic mammals went to university, it would be on the Hippo Campus.

---

Haven’t heard of an astronaut yet who doesn’t go above and beyond.  

---

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Growing Beyond Earth

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association for middle school science teachers.

In this issue, I read the “Citizen Science” section written by Jill Nugent.  She wrote an article entitled, “Growing Beyond Earth: Cultivating 21st-Century Science Exploration.”

The Growing Beyond Earth citizen science project, in partnership with NASA and the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, partners with classrooms and identifies edible plant varieties that are well suited for beyond Earth growing conditions.  For more information, visit:

https://fairchildgarden.org/gbe

http://k12science.net/growing-beyond-earth/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Michigan History Day
  • State Representatives
  • Great Feedback
• PSAT Vocabulary Moodle Course
• New Grade Bands for Teacher Certification in Michigan  
• 
• Shawn’s Student Teacher – Shawn
• What would get you to recommend teaching as a profession to young people today?  
• Generative AI – jan.ai
• Multiple Clipboard – Clipy

The Social Web

Tyler Rablin  @Mr_Rablin

Our school district office takes awkward ice breakers to a whole new level.

DogeDesigner  @cb_doge

Microsoft ruined the Las Vegas sphere 

Trevor Muir  @TrevorMuir

“If you’re a teacher, your job is NOT to get 100% participation from your students. Your job is to keep giving them opportunities to succeed.”

Susie Dent@susie_dent

Word of the day is ‘galère’ (18th century): a coterie or set of undesirable people.

Strategies:  

Unlocking the Spectrum of Learning: The Multi-Faceted Magic of Personalization

https://esheninger.blogspot.com/2024/02/unlocking-spectrum-of-learning-multi.html

20 small starts for alternative grading

https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/20-small-starts-for-alternative-grading

Resources:  

Game Generators

https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2024/02/best-game-generators.html

Three-Quarters of Teens “Feel Happy” Away from Their Phones

Every year I challenge students—seventh graders—to go on a “screen vacation.” This means they have to avoid all screens for at least 24 hours, and write a short essay about their experience going offline.

Nearly every student writes that they “feel peaceful” or “relaxed” or “less anxious” away from their screens. 

In a new survey published Monday by the Pew Research Center, nearly three-quarters of U.S. teens say they feel happy (74 percent) or peaceful (72 percent) when they are away from their phones. Smaller percentages equate not having their phone with negative emotions. For example, teens say not having their phone at least sometimes makes them feel anxious (44 percent), upset (40 percent), or lonely (39 percent).

Most teens say smartphones make it easier to pursue hobbies and interests (69 percent), to be creative (65 percent), and to do well in school (45%). Roughly four in ten teens also say smartphones make it easier for them to develop healthy friendships, while only 31 percent say they make it harder or neither easier nor harder.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/raising-humans-in-a-digital-world/202403/three-quarters-of-teens-feel-happy-away-from-their

What a bunch of A-list celebs taught me about how to use my phone

https://www.theverge.com/24084772/celebrities-no-phone-bieber-sheeran-cruise-cera-ipad

Web Spotlight: 

 AXIS The Culture Translator

Clocking Out?

What it is: On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would effectively ban TikTok from operating in the US.

Discorded

What it is: Organized groups on Discord and Telegram have been targeting vulnerable minors, often survivors of serious mental health conditions, for abuse and exploitation.

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about simulations, open source, “vacation time”, and more. Dave is eliciting student thinking, scientifically. 

Jokes:  

Did you hear the story of the haunted refrigerator?

• It was a chilling tale.

---

If a dude attacks you with wordplay that’s assault with a dadly weapon

---

Studies show cows produce more Milk when the Farmer talks to them.

• It’s a case of in one ear and out the udder.

---

Don’t use double negatives.

• They’re a big no no.

---

Where did the IT employee go?

• Probably ransomeware

---

If you wear dozens of mirrors and no one comments/notices, you must later take time and reflect.

---

Always wanted to try procrastination but I can never seem to get around to it

---

I was going to start a diet, 

• But I’ve got too much on my plate

---

If it’s zero degrees outside today and it’s supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?

---

Seems like just about every baker I meet kneads dough.

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Eliciting Student Thinking

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school science teachers. In this issue, I read the “Editorial” section written by Patty McGinnis.  She wrote an article entitled, “Eliciting Student Thinking.”

Eliciting student thinking is a high-leverage practice in which the teacher utilizes questions and tasks that encourage and promote student thinking and sharing of ideas.

http://k12science.net/eliciting-student-thinking/

To listen to this podcast, please visit: 

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/k12science/id/30073883

Reports from the Front Lines

• Week Off
  • Painting
  • Website Update – My Personal
• Michigan History Student Projects
• Moodle Time on Task
• MoodleNet Celebrity

The Social Web

Robert Scoble  @Scobleizer

The cult can run it all.  Quote:  Brad Lynch  @SadlyItsBradley  My Windows PC, MacBook Pro, and Steam Deck all streaming their desktop views to my Vision Pro at once And this ALONGSIDE native apps that are also decoding their own video streams.. M2 chip never ceases to impress me.

Megan Basham  @megbasham

I just saw a candle at Nordstrom called “boy smells” and I don’t have any sons, but my understanding is that would not be a good candle.

Jon Erlichman@JonErlichman

“If you want to be successful, I would encourage you to grow a tolerance for failure.” ~ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang

Katie Powell  @Beyond_the_Desk

I swear this is not a paid promotion for Boredom Busters, but @RimmeyAPGov  just delivered the best “elevator summary” of the book I’ve heard. Give his podcast a listen, especially if you’re into the use of games in your classroom. @dbc_inc

BTW:  https://app.suno.ai/song/697710f7-4f3e-4b27-9039-df87c4cdb9ce

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

TIP: As you walk down a trail, use a stick to make first contact with spiderwebs. You can also use your face. Do what feels right.

RUTH BUZZI  @Ruth_A_Buzzi

I carry a stone in my purse to throw at anyone who sings Christmas carols in February. I call it my jingle bell rock.

Robert Scoble  @Scobleizer

We can go anywhere instantly soon.

Quote:  Daniel Pikl  @danielpikl

Beautiful  cathedral in Zagreb, Croatia presented in NeRF with @LumaLabsAI https://lumalabs.ai/capture/E522E6 

Strategies:  

Why Reader Response Is So Important for Students

Most of the time, when readers engage in reading a text of any kind, their thinking is silent and invisible.

When we invite readers to share and reflect on what they are reading, they develop a spirit of curiosity and an appreciation of the text’s messages. Discussions and written responses give rise to student voices, allowing them to acknowledge their connections and thoughts and have ownership over their reading processes.

https://www.middleweb.com/50335/why-reader-response-is-so-important-for-students/

Resources:  

TeachFlix

https://teachflix.org/

50 Classic Poems Read By 12 Celebrities: Morgan Freeman, Jodie Foster, Gary Sinise & more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1W7VK6Yo4s

Carl Sagan Baloney Detection

Through their training, scientists are equipped with what Sagan calls a “baloney detection kit” — a set of cognitive tools and techniques that fortify the mind against penetration by falsehoods:

The kit is brought out as a matter of course whenever new ideas are offered for consideration. If the new idea survives examination by the tools in our kit, we grant it warm, although tentative, acceptance. If you’re so inclined, if you don’t want to buy baloney even when it’s reassuring to do so, there are precautions that can be taken; there’s a tried-and-true, consumer-tested method.

https://www.themarginalian.org/2014/01/03/baloney-detection-kit-carl-sagan/

AXIS:  The Culture Translator

Tween Shopping Network

What it is: A new piece in The Cut interviews several tweens to get a feel for Gen Alpha’s attitudes on shopping, screen time, and skincare.  

Why it’s surprising: In a follow-up radio interview with WNYC, writer Casey Lewis observed that much of the conversation around today’s tweens characterizes them as Tik-Tok-addled Stanley hoarders, eager to accumulate expensive athleisure and adding yet another layer of acidic serum into their skincare routine every night. Perhaps there is some truth to that stereotype. But the middle schoolers Lewis talked to trawl Sephora and Lululemon as browsers more than buyers, and their fashion staples skew toward the sentimental. A band tee from a first concert, a used pair of low-rise jeans, and a friendship bracelet made from a kit found at Five Below ranked as treasured possessions. The whole piece pushes back on assumptions about tweens, with one exception— young people continue, for some reason, to totally shun coats.

New Shade

What it is: The term “she’s not a girl’s girl” has evolved into a layered and low blow, with some even saying it’s now “the internet’s worst insult.”  Failing to be a “girl’s girl” is leveled as an insult, the concept becomes a cruel way for women to police each other’s behavior. Ironically, a heavy emphasis on being a “girl’s girl” can make girlhood even more complicated and confusing. (For more on the complex social hierarchies of Gen Z, check out our new 7 Minute Video on “Mean Girls” and the power of words).

Who’s Watching?  

What it is: AI monitoring tools may be able to detect some red flags for teens who are at a higher risk for suicide. Some researchers have expressed concern.

Web Spotlight: 

AI and Math Tutoring

Khanmigo, a ChatGPT-powered bot, made frequent calculation errors during a Journal reporter’s test

https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-is-tutoring-students-but-still-struggles-with-basic-math-694e76d3

Weird Old Book Finder

https://weird-old-book-finder.glitch.me/

Random Thoughts . . .  

SiteSucker

I used to use this app, looooonnnggg ago. 

https://ricks-apps.com/osx/sitesucker/index.html

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

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Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about AI, jokes, and more. Dave builds quality science instruction.

Jokes:  

People are shocked when they discover that I’m not a good electrician.

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A sweater I purchased was picking up static electricity, so I returned it to the store.

• They gave me another one, free of charge

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While I may not always return the affection of those who like me, I always admire their good judgment.

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Have you ever seen fruit preserves being made? 

• It’s jarring.

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In the news a courtroom artist was arrested today, I’m not surprised, he always seemed sketchy.

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Will Buffalo (incorporated as a city in 1832) have a bisontennial in 2032?

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Ordering takeout merely by thinking about it would be food for thought.

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There’s a point where every sentence ends.

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I accidentally left an apple outside my local doctors office.

Now he wont be able to get in.

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What do you call friends you like to eat with? 

• Tastebuds.

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District supervisor: “You missed work yesterday?”

Employee: “No, not really.”

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Middle School Science Minute

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

K12Science Podcast:  Building Quality Science Instruction

I was recently reading a WestEd blog post on the Next Gen Science website, dated January 10, 2024.

In this blog, I read the post “Seeing is Believing: Building a Shared Vision of Quality Science Instruction.” It was written by Vanessa Wolbrink.

In the years following the adoption of new science standards, states and districts must begin to navigate the complexities of transitioning to new learning goals — including updating instructional materials, professional learning, course descriptions and requirements, and assessments.  In order to determine what changes are needed and how to enact them effectively, we need to ask the question, “What does it really take to build a shared understanding of the shift in teaching and learning expected in today’s science classrooms?”

http://k12science.net/building-quality-science-instruction/

Reports from the Front Lines

• AI Conversation
  • Bard is now Gemini
• Phishing and Scams
• Random Glossary in Moodle
• Certificate
• Five Minute University
• Medieval Help Desk

The Social Web

Susie Dent  @susie_dent

Word of the day is a reminder of ‘empleomania’ (19th century): the obsessive desire to be in power, no matter what the cost.

James Woods  @RealJamesWoods

South Carolina patriot Christopher Gadsden is born   On this day in history, February 16, 1724, South Carolina patriot Christopher Gadsden is born. Gadsden was one of the most prominent patriots in the south during the American Revolution. 

National Park Service  @NatlParkService

Visitor: When will you tell us where you keep the unicorns?  

Us: As soon as visitors stop feeding squirrels and taking dangerous selfies with bison, we’ll let you know where the horses with giant spikes on their heads roam.

Historic Vids  @historyinmemes

Al was asked to generate this iconic NBA moment but with Greek gods

Al was asked to generate this iconic NBA moment but with Greek gods pic.twitter.com/0LJv9BgASe

— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) February 9, 2024

PUNS  @ThePunnyWorld

I once swallowed a bunch of synonyms. It gave me thesaurus throat I’ve ever had.

What did the whale say after eating a ship? “I can’t believe I ate the hull thing.”  

Ancient Library opSdetnors01 :Pc4u13Mbfa1ey3 rihl5 hcgtga t05c031Fft27m8grgu

An Australian mathematician cracked the code of a famous 3,700 year old Babylonian clay tablet revealing that they were doing more accurate trigonometry nearly 1,500 years before the Greeks.

AppleInsider @appleinsider

Apple owns hundreds of website domains but now it’s added “iWork.ai,” which could indicate that it has plans to highlight AI features in its applications suite.
https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/0

Strategies:  

AI Character Conversations

https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-character-conversations/

https://beta.character.ai/

The Idea – Individual Student Learning Plans

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2024/02/03/a-look-back-i-am-intrigued-by-the-idea-individual-student-learning-plans-that-are-co-created-asset-based/

Resources:  

Women in Chemistry

https://www.compoundchem.com/category/women-in-chemistry/

Take Care

https://www.gonoodle.com/videos/EY9D9w/take-care-with-peanuts-speak-from-the-heart

Best Books I Read 2023

The best books I read in 2023

AXIS – The Culture Translator

Country Roads

What it is: In a Super Bowl ad, Beyonce announced that she is releasing new music—and the lead singles, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “Sixteen Carriages,” hit with a country twang.

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download