Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Spring Break, Learning Loss, and more. Dave journals Nature. 

Jokes:  

---

I’m thinking of getting trained to use trucks in reverse.

• It’s a backup job

---

I talk to myself. 

• Sometimes I need expert advice.

---

I asked my German student if he knew what 10-1 was equal to.

• He told me no.

---

I just saw a Cure cover band. They were amazing. If anything, they were even better than the Cure. 

• They’re called Prevention.

---

---

There’s a contest to name a bridge. The leading name is currently Chuck Norris. I don’t think that is going to work. 

• Nobody crosses Chuck Norris

---

My day started out really bad. I rear ended a car so I got out with my documents. Out of the car I hit came a dwarf looking angry. I said you’re not Happy are you…that’s when the fight started.

---

I just saw a car being driven by a sheep in a swimsuit.

• It was a Lamb Bikini

---

---

A friend of mine called and asked to meet at the music shop in 45. I made it in 33; which is record speed.

---

Did you know the word “gullible” is not in the dictionary? True, you can look it up. 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Nature Journals

I was recently reading the March/April 2022 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, “Creating Confidence and Community Through Nature Journals.” 

Nature journals are a great tool for teaching students how to think about and express science in a way that’s individualized to their needs, while also connecting them to their classmates, teacher, and nature.  Nature journaling also allows students to grow in their ability to observe, reflect, and document their own scientific understanding.

http://k12science.net/nature-journals/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Summer PD
• Moving buildings – chip shortage
• Tools that you have
• Instructional Coaching
• Router Update
• Apple Learning Coach

The Twitterverse  

Jack Berckemeyer  @JBerckemeyer

Middle School Educators- I am working on a list of what teams need from their admin. Some examples- Permission to be flexible with core time, ability to create reward systems for our students on our team, one parent communication log verse one per core teacher…… What else?

dailySTEM (Chris Woods)  @dailystem

Hey teachers…here’s a fun paper project on @instructables for your students… Instructions: https://instructables.com/Easter-Egg-3D-

The Kyiv Independent@KyivIndependent

Award-winning film composer Hans Zimmer interrupted his own concert in London on March 25 to show a video of Lviv-based pianist Alex Pian performing Zimmer’s pieces from the film Inception “Time,” amid air raids.  https://twitter.com/i/status/1507515074264641538  

RandomTeacher

@TheReelRandom

I was today years old when I learned you can just drop an emoji on the GIF search bar and “POOF”… you get results… proving once again that I’m old as dirt.

Yasin Dahi  @ymdahi

5 New #H5P Content Types now available on #LibreStudio, bringing the total number to 55! There are also 6200+ openly licensed (mostly #CC) H5P in the Catalogue, making it the largest openly shared @H5PTechnology repo (I think?!) #OER https://studio.libretexts.org

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Strategies:  

Readlee

Effortlessly identify struggling readers, monitor progress, and automate differentiated scaffolding. 

https://www.readlee.com/

Resources:  

Analyze My Writing

Several interesting choices. These could be used by students or teachers. 

• Basic Text Statistics
• Common Words and Phrases
• Readability
• Lexical Density
• Passive Voice
• Cloze Test

https://www.analyzemywriting.com/index.html#annotations:g5Y2bKeUEeyhIU8loz1lYA

TEACHING THE HARD HISTORY OF AMERICAN SLAVERY

https://www.splcenter.org/teaching-hard-history-american-slavery#annotations:-TX61KxhEeyaLQvee9dPMw

Civics Connected

https://www.civicsconnected.com/virtual-field-trip/#annotations:klM-5KncEey9V89QUdS6KA

Incredible Comparisons

https://magazine.lensvid.com/article/tw/1170023852/incredible-comparisons-show-us-things-in-a-new-way/#annotations:0N4_TKxcEeyluBvrtWiPag?pg=34

The Art of Luca

https://disney-studios-awards.s3.amazonaws.com/luca/books/flipH45pEt23wR/index.html#annotations:CU9g-Kk0Eeyk7fNzJkiIBA

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Julius Caesar, go on a rathole or two, and conferences. Dave is all about implicit bias. 

Jokes:  

Where do you go if you are injured while playing Peek-a-Boo!?

• The ICU

---

If the first picture is a pair of scissors, what is the second?

---

What if my dog only brings back the ball because she thinks I like throwing it?

---

Intentionally losing a game of rock, paper, scissors is just as hard as trying to win.

---

---

---

What has four letters, never has five letters, and always has six letters?

---

I was having dinner and the waitress screamed “does anyone know CPR?” I yelled, “I know the entire alphabet” and we all laughed and laughed. Well, except for this one guy.

---

People have always told me that icy is the easiest word to spell. Now that I think about it, 

• I see why

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Implicit Bias

I was recently reading the March/April 2022 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, “Implicit Bias Has No Room in the Classroom.” 

The tendency for stereotype-confirming thoughts to pass spontaneously through our minds is what psychologists call implicit bias.  One way to cultivate an awareness of our own implicit biases is to participate in Harvard University’s Project Implicit:

https://bit.ly/3rpscjM

The project website contains numerous tests designed for individuals to uncover their biases.

http://k12science.net/implicit-bias/ 

Reports from the Front Lines

• Julius Caesar Forums
• Conferences going in-person
  • ISTE hybrid
• Looking forward to break
• Surprise!  

The Twitterverse  

Dr. John Spencer  @spencerideas

Debunking 5 Myths About Project-Based Learning https://edutopia.org/blog/debunking-five-pbl-myths-john-larmer

Via  @edutopia

Nick LaFave @NFLaFave

Transform text with this awesome font generator. Choose from a variety of popular fonts from products to video games to movies and TV shows. https://ift.tt/HmAzTPC #EdTech #EdChat #Fonts

TeacherGoals  @teachergoals·

For real! 

𝓓𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓢𝓬𝓱𝓶𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓸𝓾 𝓔𝓭.𝓓.   @daveschmittou

Dear Principals- This spring, ask your staff if they can identify your three most important principles. You are a more effective principal if you have clearly defined and explicitly activated principles.

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Strategies:  

Resources:  

Axis:  The Culture Translator

1. Tokking Points:  What it is: The White House briefed TikTok stars on the Russian invasion and subsequent humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.  
2. Slang of the Week:  Flop era: a period in your life when it feels like everything is falling apart. (Ex: “That time my face was breaking out, my parents grounded me from my phone, and I couldn’t pass advanced calculus… that was my flop era.”)

Hemingway App

Useful for students to review their own writing. There are two modes, write and edit. Students get lots of feedback. 

https://hemingwayapp.com/

Habits for a Healthy Democracy

The principles, habits, and behaviors that are important to support a healthy democracy

https://www.globalonenessproject.org/lessons/habits-healthy-democracy#annotations%3AIYSPGKYAEeyywstBe3ljlw=

StorySet

https://storyset.com/#annotations:RD3ECqRoEeymeN_6oLq8xQ

Web Spotlight:

Does Teaching Experience Increase Teacher Effectiveness? A Review of the Research (Tara Kini and Anne Podolsky)

Does Teaching Experience Increase Teacher Effectiveness? A Review of the Research (Tara Kini and Anne Podolsky)

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Troy and Shawn share thoughts about kids starting a podcast about book club, going to Europe, and more. Dave has some tips about teaching science. 

Jokes:  

When you clean your vacuum, you become the Vacuum Cleaner.

---

---

Had a debate with a flat earther. He said he’d walk to the edge to prove me wrong. I said, “you’ll come around eventually”. 

---

---

Shout out to the people who want to know what the opposite of in is. 

---

Hey, now that things are opening back up, the re-opening of the Lego store was a huge event.

• People were lined up for blocks.

---

---

---

Your fingers have fingertips, but your toes don’t have toetips.

• Yet, you can tiptoe, but not tipfinger. 

---

• The word Queue is just a Q followed by 4 silent letters. 

---

You recite in a play and play in a recital. 

---

---

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Classroom Success

I was recently reading the January/February 2022 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section, “Focus on Physics,” written by Paul G. Hewitt.  He wrote an article entitled, “A Personal Journey to Classroom Success.” 

There are some central rules to heed, in order to be, an appreciated and effective science teacher:

1. Attitude
2. Do Less professing and more questioning and listening
3. Not knowing everything is okay
4. Pace your class well
5. Exam coverage
6. Don’t frown on the notion of “teaching to the test”
7. Exam fairness
8. Grade exams in a timely manner and post scores quickly
9. Respect is a two-way street

http://k12science.net/classroom-success/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Podcast from kids
• PD for next year
• Tech use moving forward
• How is student behavior different

The Twitterverse  

Alan See @AlanSee

20 Enduring Proverbs Written By Ben Franklin!

https://t.co/YJDjn3z1st

Joy Kirr (she/her)  @JoyKirr

My #DailyGoodness for today: Student who was failing (how can you fail Mrs. Kirr’s class?!?!) put in effort today and got all answers right. I asked, “Hmm… why do you think that is?” Answer: “I actually read the article.” Small successes are still successes.

Ramona Towner @rmbtowner_tech

Apple Elements of Learning – Personalized Learning https://bloglovin.com/blogs/tales-an-icoach-10950069/apple-elements-learning-personalized-learning-8404359267 on @bloglovin

Dr. Joanne Freeman  @jbf1755

Want Americans to understand their government? Teach them history. Want them to know the rights & duties of citizenship? Teach them history. Want them to understand present problems? Teach them history. Want numbed disoriented Americans? Close history dept’s

Natalie Arias, M.Ed.  @natariastx

Students don’t hate technology. They hate the substitution of technology for work that was already busy-work on paper.

Fixing Education  @FixingEducation

When educators are given way too much to do.

When educators are given way too much to do. pic.twitter.com/AxBbYYdS1g

— Fixing Education (@FixingEducation) March 9, 2022

Revolving_Door_Admin  @RAD_is_awesome

The Coordinator of Curriculum and Director of Curriculum can’t agree on the latest flavor-of-the-month acronym they want teachers to implement. So instead of arguing, they decided that teachers will be required to use both in their classrooms.

Typical EduCelebrity   @EduCelebrity

Principal: What is a good opening activity that will tie in to my presentation? Me: “Turn to a partner and discuss a moment in which you needlessly wasted everyone’s time.”  

Warren Smith  @WarrenColeSmith

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Resources:  

France24:  Truth or Fake?

Want a resource that focuses on showing how media can be “managed?”  Take a look at France24’s Truth or False? Segment.  Airs daily and you can find it here:

https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/truth-or-fake/

Axis:  The Culture Translator

Outta pocket: This older slang has been making the rounds and is used to mean “out of line” or “acting inappropriate.” (Ex: “This guy is absolutely outta pocket, cutting me off like that.”)

Pi Day

Pi Day – Celebrate Mathematics on March 14th

Annotate With Ease

Try a free tool that does all you need without the bloat. Made for Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome and your web browser.

https://markuphero.com/try/annotate.html#annotations:XfzD_qIREey4UJePmg5V0w

TypaTone

https://typatone.com/annotations:mxi8wJ8UEey7H9enNKsDCw

Vocal Remover

https://vocalremover.org/#annotations:A2mzhJ8UEeysDifKokDbHQ

Teaching Digital Citizenship

InCtrl is a series of free standards-based lessons that teach key digital citizenship concepts. These lessons, for students in grades 4-8, are designed to engage students through inquiry-based activities, and collaborative

and creative opportunities.

https://teachinctrl.org/#annotations:qacFWKIREeyjR89ga8dohQ

Web Spotlight:

Maps

#4: The Highest Paid Public Employees in America

https://parentinfluence.com/these-maps-portray-the-u-s-more-accurately-is/5/

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy discuss technology in Shawn’s room, H5P, world events, and more. Dave has designs on science success. 

Jokes:  

Did you hear about the guy who got hit by a milk truck? I mean, what are the odds?

• Like 2%

---

A cop pulled me over for speeding in my RV. He asked me where I live.

• I said right here. … 

---

Where does Captain Hook buy his hooks?

• At the second-hand store

---

Please welcome our next band, the Subtractions

• Take it away….
• I just hope that there is no division between them

---

My favorite waltz band is called the 75%

• They always play in 3/4 time

---

What part of a person dies last?

• The pupils – they die late

---

My friend named his new dog Liberace because he drinks a lot of water. 

• That’s right, he’s a peeinsist

---

If a wild male pig kills you, doesn’t that mean you’ve been boared to death?

---

What does one tree that has been cut down say to other trees?

• I’m stumped…

Middle School Science Minute  

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

K12Science Podcast:  Uncovering Students’ Ideas About Using Designs From Nature

I was recently reading the January/February 2022 issue of “Science & Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

In this issue, I read the section, “Formative Assessment Probes,” written by Page Keeley.  She wrote an article entitled, “Uncovering Students’ Ideas About Using Designs From Nature.” 

Scientists seek to understand the natural world, while engineers solve problems in a human-designed world.  While there are similarities and differences between the work of scientists and engineers, some students may think the natural world applies only to science.

 http://k12science.net/uncovering-students-ideas-about-using-designs-from-nature/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Current Events
• New H5P – Pickup with Cornell Notes

The Twitterverse  

Typical EduCelebrity 🧠@EduCelebrity·

Teachers, I know many of you go into your school while it is still dark outside. But don’t fret! That same beautiful night sky will be there to greet you when you get home!

Melissa D@Dean_of_math

This.

https://twitter.com/Dean_of_math/status/1497695305608826884/photo/1

Social Media Lab @SMLabTO

Fake viral footage is spreading alongside the real horror in Ukraine. Here are 5 ways to spot it

https://t.co/Yc7Kz1q3ch

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Strategies:  

Jigsaw

From the wonderful Larry Felazzo

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2022/02/25/heres-a-short-slidedeck-i-made-for-our-school-on-the-difference-between-cooperative-collaborative-jigsaws-2/

Resources:  

Name Picker Ninja

https://www.namepickerninja.com/index.html#annotations:OKV7Po54EeyJI2MmMkf2tA

Axis:  The Culture Translator

1.  Big Sis Tok:  TikTok and Instagram personalities like Tinx are giving advice on dating, fashion, and a new type of lifestyle sensibility.
2. Fake Breaking News:  Some content creators on social media are claiming to offer an inside look at what war looks like in Ukraine right now. A lot of these posts are fake.  
3. Slang of the Week:  Lovebombing: therapy-speak for when an abusive romantic partner or loved one deluges you with gifts, praise, and affirmation as a form of manipulation, this term has made its way to mental health TikTok where it is applied to a variety of different situations. (Ex: “I thought he was really into me because he went all-out Valentine’s Day, but he’s been ghosting me ever since. Total lovebomber.”)

Heardle

Like Wordle but for music

https://www.heardle.app/

Pirate Math Equation Quest

We designed this version of Pirate Math Equation Quest as an individual intervention for use with students at the third-grade instructional level. This version of the program was developed to offer support to Tier-2 and Tier-3 students who require supplemental mathematics remediation in the area of word-problem solving. The focus of the Pirate Math Equation Quest individual intervention is single-digit and double-digit additive word problems that include three schemas: Total, Difference, and Change.

https://www.piratemathequationquest.com/

Podcasts For Kids

https://www.timeout.com/kids/best-podcasts-for-kids-of-all-ages#annotations:JiEi6JlxEeydcYfqZIkFbg

National Anthem Day

Web Spotlight:

Trauma and Learning in an International Context

The Lesley Institute for Trauma Sensitivity invites you to join our inaugural international convening of trauma and learning. Six educators from Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Ecuador, and the United States will facilitate a dialogue on the conceptualization of trauma and responses to it based on the country and cultural context.

Register for this free virtual event.

https://lesley.edu/events/international-convening-of-trauma-and-learning

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about mask mandates, posting lessons, students cheating, and more. Dave has designs on success in science.

Jokes:  

“Do you want a box for your leftovers?” 

• No, but I’ll wrestle you for them!”

---

---

Set your wifi password to

2444666668888888

Then when someone asks for your password tell them

12345678

---

The other day, at a thrift store, I bought an old record album called “Sounds Wasps Make”. When I got home and played it, I said to myself, “This doesn’t sound like wasps sounds”. 

• Then I realized I was playing the Bee side. 

---

Yesterday I was at physical therapy for an injury and found myself in the middle of a very loud back-and-forth between a couple therapists about a bridge over a local river.  It went like this:

Therapist 1:  It’s a viaduct

Therapist 2:  No, it’s a causeway

Therapist 1:  It’s a viaduct, because of the arches

Therapist 2:  But it’s crossing water, so it’s a causeway

Me:  At least we know it’s not a henway.

Therapist 1 & 2:  What’s a henway?

Me (barely containing myself):  Oh, about five pounds

I was so proud of myself!

---

What is the name of that girl that stands in the middle of the tennis court ?

Annette

---

What kind of shoes do frogs wear?

• Open Toad

---

I asked my dog what’s two minus two.She said nothing.

---

Bono and the Edge walked into an ice cream shop. The server said, “Oh no, not U2 again”.

---

I have a fear of speed bumps! I’m slowly getting over it

---

Why are elevator jokes so classic and good? 

• They work on many levels!

---

Why can’t you hear a psychiatrist using the bathroom? 

• Because the P is silent

---

​​I wonder if the guy who coined the phrase, “One Hit Wonder,” ever came up with another Iconic phrase.

Eileen Award:  

• Tom Acker, Technology Integrator

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Design Thinking

I was recently reading the January/February 2022 issue of “Science & Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  

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

• Design Thinking is a solution-based technique used to solve problems.    The basics of Design Thinking are:
• Empathize – consider others’ needs, not just solve the problem
• Define – define the problem and create a meaningful and actionable problem statement
• Ideate – encourage innovation through brainstorming
• Prototype – identify and develop the best solution through multiple iterations
• Test – evaluate prototypes and consider improvements

http://k12science.net/design-thinking/

Reports from the Front Lines

• NWEA discussion
• Mask mandates
• Posting Lessons on line
• Teachers Pay Teachers
  • Richard Byrne https://twitter.com/rmbyrne/status/1494071923076214786 
  • Shawn McGirr

The Twitterverse  

AIMS  @aimsnetwork

7 #strategies for #students who #struggle with executive functioning https://ditchthattextbook.com/executive-func

Ryan Sheehy @sheehyrw

I am scared. Educators are tired. They are getting burned out. How can we keep so many amazing educators in their jobs. Everyone rushes to say pay them more. Money is not the only answer. Society appreciation goes a long way. #BeTheOne

Ian Jukes  @ijukes

First Sign of Spring

Ian Jukes  @ijukes

One Kit Kat left..

Doug Robertson  @TheWeirdTeacher

The announcers for bobsled could say literally anything about the sport and I’d believe it. “This German team trains by push starting the most popular roller coaster in the country- Der ZoomenLooper.” “The Canadian driver wrestles moose in the off season to stay in shape.”    (I wanna say that I regret not adding umaults to Der ZöomënLüper)  

Typical EduCelebrity @EduCelebrity·Want a fun activity to do? Record the presentation of the person running your professional development – the one who tells you to have a positive attitude and just persevere. Then, say those exact same words to your students. Certainly, nothing could go wrong by doing this!  

Janine Campbell  @campbellartsoup

New semester, new set of dots inspired by #thedot from @peterhreynolds – these works will join the collaboration in the hall! #k12artchat #mschat

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Strategies:  

Hack Your Classroom Activity

No, not you, your students can.  “School Cheats is a revolutionary platform that allows you to gain access to answers for your favorite school platforms. We support platforms such as Quizizz, Edpuzzle, Kahoot, Blooket, Quizlet, Khan Academy, and Classkick.”

https://schoolcheats.net/dashboard/

Blooket Hacks

• https://morioh.com/p/22ed8b2cdf9d  
• Using Github:  https://gamertweak.com/hack-blooket-github/  
• Script source:  https://www.tfrecipes.com/blooket-hack-script/  
• Exploits:  https://www.libhunt.com/r/blooket-hack  

Resources:  

Illusion of the Year

Top 10 Finalists

http://illusionoftheyear.com/cat/top-10-finalists/2021/ 

The Changing Room Illusion

Airzooka

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=Airzooka&crid=1L7C6SLYM9AIP&sprefix=airzooka%2Caps%2C188&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Web Spotlight:

45 Eighth Grade Science Fair Projects and Classroom Experiments

https://www.weareteachers.com/8th-grade-science-projects/

Google Slides is Hilarious

View at Medium.com

Middle Schoolers Launch Boat

The 6-foot-long Rye Riptides, decorated with artwork from the kids and equipped with a tracking device that went silent for parts of the journey, was found Feb. 1 in Smøla, a small island near Dyrnes, Norway, the Portsmouth Herald reported Monday.

Boat launched by New Hampshire middle schoolers lands in Norway

Teachers Are Not Superheroes (And That’s A Good Thing!)

1. The Superhero mentality leads to burnout.
2. Being the “Savior of Students” is an unattainable status.
3. There is a difference between Superhero and Hero.  

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about cake, celebrations, and cats. Dave has some great books for middle schoolers. 

Jokes:  

---

Parent Hearts: 

---

---

---

I’m confused. They say that nothing rhymes with Orange. 

• It doesn’t.

---

A policeman is driving along on his motorcycle and coming the other way is a convertible.

In the passenger seat is a bear.

The cop turns around and pulls them over.

How come you got a bear in your front seat?

The driver says he was hitchhiking and I’m giving him a lift.

The cop says you ought to take that bear to the zoo.

And he lets him go.

Next day.. guess what?

The same policeman is riding on his motorcycle and coming the other way is the man driving the convertible with the bear in the passenger seat wearing sunglasses!

He turns around and pulls them over.

I thought I told you to take that bear to the zoo!

The man says I did!

And today we’re going to the beach!

---

Not many people realize that Wilson in Castaway was the same actor from the volleyball scene in Top Gun. 

---

I have a friend who writes songs for sewing machines. 

• That’s right, he’s a Singer songwriter.
• Or, at least, so it seams. 

---

If a drummer comes out of retirement, are there….

• Repercussions?

---

I have two unwritten rules:

1.  
2.  

---

I once was attacked by Dennis DeYoung and Mick Jagger until David Crosby came to my rescue. 

• Just goes to prove that Styx and Stones may break my bones, but Byrds would never hurt me.

---

How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

---

https://warrior12.com/products/dad-joke-shirt

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Middle School Students

I was recently reading the January/February 2022 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. 

In this issue, I read the article listing the “2022 Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students.” 

In this podcast, we look at eight “Outstanding Science Trade Books” recommended for middle school students in grades 6 – 8:

• “Beavers: Radical Rodents and Ecosystem Engineers” by Frances Backhouse
• “Inside In: X-Rays of Nature’s Hidden World” by Jan Paul Schuttten
• “Tracking Tortoises: The Mission to Save a Galapagos Giant” by Kate Messner
• “Ocean Planet: Animals of the Sea and Shore” by Ben Rothery
• “Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear” by Trang Nguyen
• “Fungarium: Welcome to the Museum” by Gaya Ester
• “Fred and Marjorie: A Doctor, A Dog and the Discovery of Insulin” by Deborah Kerbel
• “Wonder Women of Science” by Tiera Fletcher and Ginger Rue

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

Reports from the Front Lines

• Device selection
• Masks
• Celebrations  
  • Cake references:  
    • The recipe:  https://nomadparadise.com/tinginys-lazy-cake/  
    • The cake:  https://www.linoslithuanianfood.com/product-page/lazy-cake-tinginys  
    • Cepelinai:  https://www.linoslithuanianfood.com/product-page/cepelinai  
    • Bumpy Cake:  https://sanderscandy.com/products/chocolate-fudge-bumpy-cake  
• Conferences
• Spreadsheets
  • Student Data Sheets 

The Twitterverse  

Jack Berckemeyer@JBerckemeyer

As I mentioned in previous posts- this year educators need to find 3 people- one who makes you laugh, one you can vent with and one who will help you with teaching ideas. Post a pic of you and your peeps – #chooseoptimism  

Jenny Luca @jennyluca  

If you’re a cat lover, you’re going to love the replies to this tweet.  

Brianna Parkins  

What made this morning’s trip to the bathroom interesting is that I don’t actually own a cat.  

I read once in Readers Digest. Family cat went out disappeared for 3 months.  Returned. Year later same thing.  Gone 3 months and back. Mentioned it to neighbours a few doors away. They thought cat was stray showing up at their house. They took it to Florida with them each year.

A friend of mine had that happen with her childhood cat. They didn’t have air conditioning, and he’d always vanish for the summer. One July day, she saw him in her neighbor’s window.

The neighbor had air conditioning.

My next door neighbour was selling their house and I had a nosey on the website and my cat was on their bed in one of their bedrooms.  

Replying to @parkinsbrea

That’s my laptop. That’s not my cat.  

Pat Sajak  @patsajak  

Not to be morbid, but I just designed my tombstone. It’ll read: R _ P. I’d like to buy a vowel.  

🧩🍎Jen Davies🍎🧩@jendavies1030 

I start almost every lesson with, “Last time we were… Today we’re going to… This will lead to us learning…” But to write it and post it in the room? Pointless. 

Kevin W. Pledger (he/him/his)@kwpledger_

Replying to @JohnPowersYYZ and @AfroFranco2″Learning Objectives” doesn’t have a clear definition or purpose. Even still, empirical evidence shows that they have no effect on student outcomes.

https://t.co/qbC6dZg108

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Resources:  

You’ve Got Perseverance!

The “You’ve Got Perseverance!” opportunity is for students who have demonstrated perseverance in their academic pursuits. Teachers, educators, and community leaders are encouraged to nominate students who’ve shown that nothing will deter them from their educational journey.

NASA’s Perseverance mission team is no stranger to challenges, as the team has faced and overcome many hurdles to get the rover to Mars. The team wants to encourage students to persevere, to embrace the idea of not giving up when things get tough and to overcome seemingly impossible challenges. We want to hear how your students persevered!

Selected students will:

• Get a special message sent directly from the Perseverance rover on Mars!
• Chat with the rover team members from mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Get a printed materials award pack loaded with mission essentials

Be sure to read the full nomination rules before starting your nomination. You might also like to read our frequently asked questions.

Fill out the nomination form. You will need:

1. Permission and contact info of student’s parent or legal guardian
2. Contact info for a second eligible person who can confirm your nomination
3. Clear and brief description of how this student has shown perseverance
4. A brief description of how the student has improved their academic performance

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/participate/got-perseverance/#annotations:UMvRXIqrEeyfjqPEK374zw

Nightly News for Kids

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightlykids#annotations:TXOUyoj_Eey1EZ_BW9DnQg

Worldle

HOW TO PLAY

✖️

Guess the WORLDLE in 6 guesses.

Each guess must be a valid country, territory, …

After each guess, you will have the distance, the direction and the proximity from your guess and the target country.

Examples

CHILE 13557km ↗️ 32%

Your guess CHILE is 13557km away from the target country, the target country is in the North-East direction and you have a only 32% of proximity because it’s quite far away!

FINLAND 3206km ↘️ 84%

Your second guess FINLAND is getting closer! 3206km away, South-East direction and 84%!

LEBANON 0km 🎉 100%

Next guess, LEBANON, it’s the country to guess! Congrats! 🎉

A new WORLDLE will be available every day!

About distance

The distances displayed correspond to the distances between the selected and the target territory centers.

For instance, the computed distance between United States and Canada is around 2260km even if they have a common border.

WORLDLE has been heavily inspired by Wordle created by Josh Wardle (@powerlanguish).

https://worldle.teuteuf.fr/

Web Spotlight:

Do We Really Need PD?

His focus is to shift practice in classrooms to impact learners and he saw this happening as a result of this visit, so naturally, he wondered: Why do we need professional development when teachers learn through experience?

My first reaction was, why isn’t that considered professional development?!?!  

He said, “I didn’t bring them in a room and tell them what to do.” #UGH

Do We Really Need PD?

Quordle

It’s Wordle times 4

https://www.quordle.com/

Slang of the Week

Purr: a comment used to signal delight or approval; most likely to be found under a friend or influencer favorite’s TikTok post. (Ex: Did you see that selfie my bestie posted yesterday? Purr.)

Random Thoughts . . .  

An oldie, but a goodie….

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy explain last week (the missing Mr. McGirr), what does a “snow day” look like? Dave takes a look at Woodpeckers.  

Jokes:  

There are 10 types of people in this world, those who can read binary and those who can’t. 

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I have some dead batteries that I’m getting rid of. They are available free of charge. 

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I was going to tell a joke about construction here…

• But I’m still working on it.

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Did you hear about the new cryptocurrency called Decibel?

• It’s a sound investment

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Respect people who wear glasses.

• They paid money to see you.

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I told my wife she should embrace her mistakes. 

• She hugged me.

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A coworker named Celcius just retired recently at work, so they hired a guy named Kelvin to replace him.

• He’s a temp…

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I bought a new pair of camouflage pants last week. I’m not sure if it was my best purchase or not. 

• I can’t find them anywhere.

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I have a joke about pizza. It’s kind of cheesy…..

• But really, it’s all about the delivery.

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How many apples grow on trees….

• All of them

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What grades did the pirate get in middle school?

• High Seas

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Eileen Award:  

• Shannon Lundgren…..

Middle School Science Minute  

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

The Woodpecker Cavity Cam Project

I was recently reading the January/February 2022 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.  Jill wrote an article entitled “The Woodpecker Cavity Cam Project.”

The Woodpecker Cavity Cam Project study site is based at the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in Eastern Minnesota.  The research site features the oak savanna habitat and is home to over 100 breeding red-headed woodpecker adults each year.  Researchers have deployed nest cavity cams at this location to study the woodpeckers and life at the cavity nest sites.  For more information, visit:

https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/elwest/woodpecker-cavity-cam

Reports from the Front Lines

• Last week’s Show (i.e. the Missing Mr. McGirr)
• Moving classrooms
• Weather-related days

The Twitterverse  

Typical EduCelebrity  @EduCelebrity

Teachers who are required to submit their lesson plans one year ahead of time: it’s important that you also describe when you plan to blink and breathe during instruction. Admin can provide guidance on how to do that more efficiently and thus have more time for teaching.

Teachers, stop complaining about not being able to go to the bathroom in school. If you weren’t so selfish taking time away from your students to eat and drink, you wouldn’t have a problem of taking MORE time away to use the restroom. This is why people complain about teachers.

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Strategies:  

7 Attention-Getters to Use Instead of Raising Your Voice

To avoid creating a negative classroom culture, which ultimately impedes learning, new teachers, or teachers facing new circumstances in this less than ideal school year, can employ these attention-getters.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-attention-getters-use-instead-raising-your-voice#annotations:E6RM-oQ0EeygN3OhWIgbwQ

Resources:  

Our 2022 Winter Book Review Festival

Our 2022 Winter Book Review Festival

Shawn’s Reading Reference:  

• The Interview  
• Robert E. Lee, A Life by Allen Guelzo  

 

A parenting expert shares the 5 toxic mistakes that can make kids more ‘selfish and entitled’

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/11/psychologist-shares-toxic-parenting-mistakes-that-make-kids-more-selfish-and-entitled-in-adulthood.html#annotations:Yn7ptoKfEeyFX6spqUCu1A

Web Spotlight:

What Happens to Your Brain When You Pay Attention

Attention isn’t just about what we focus on — it’s also about what our brains filter out. By investigating patterns in the brain as people try to focus, computational neuroscientist Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar hopes to build computer models that can be used to treat ADHD and help those who have lost the ability to communicate. Hear more about this exciting science in this brief, fascinating talk.

Random Thoughts . . .

Time to make the Ceppalini . . . 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about Wordle, subs, trying to throw the teacher under the bus, and more. Dave talks about the challenges of science teaching with all that is going on. 

Jokes:  

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What happens if a psychic gets amnesia?

• Do they forget things that haven’t happened yet?

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I got a new calendar for this year. Someone ripped out the 5th month. 

• I’m dismayed. 

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Most orchestra’s are just 1800’s cover bands. 

---

I got fired from the watch factory. 

• The Boss saw me making faces.

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Singing in the shower is fun….until it becomes a soap opera. 

---

Is it just me or are circles pointless?

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Poop jokes aren’t my favorite, but they’re a strong number two. 

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Science Teaching Challenges

I was recently reading the January/February 2022 issue of “Science Scope” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the “Editor’s Desk” written by Patty McGinnis.   She wrote an article entitled “Science Teaching Challenges.”

The pandemic has been extremely challenging in ways that could never have been anticipated.  How do teachers keep emotionally healthy, given the tremendous stress that they are under?

http://k12science.net/science-teaching-challenges/

Reports from the Front Lines

• And Here’s The Logs
• Subs

The Twitterverse  

𝗧𝗖𝗘𝗔 #TCEA22  @TCEA

Social Emotional Art Choice Board _______  @msavasartroom  #teaching #sel #art #edutwitter

Typical EduCelebrity   @EduCelebrity

Wordle 219 1/6 

English teachers: If your student’s Wordles don’t look like this on a daily basis, then you don’t belong in this profession.

Obe Hostetter

https://nerdlegame.com (Math version of Wordle). It can be challenging…. An easier math version is   Ooodle https://mathszone.co.uk/resources/grid/ooodle/  #wordle #math #brainteasers

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Strategies:  

Why Wordle Works, According to Desmos Lesson Developers

• Failure is expected.
• Effective feedback.
• Different routes to the same answer.
• Your learning results in a product you can share.
• It’s social.

Something crucial IMO is that you can’t get behind in Wordle. Just like you can’t binge on Wordle games, you can’t develop a backlog of Wordle games either. “I should really catch up on Wordle,” is something no one has said, which may make it feel easier to pick it back up.

https://danmeyer.substack.com/p/why-wordle-works-according-to-desmos#annotations:uKqUEIB1EeybimvsI2kwPw

Resources:  

Wordle Inspired Games

“Wordle has inspired the creation of many other grid-based word and number games. I’m listing some that teachers might like to offer students. If you have a suggestion, please leave it in a comment.”

https://learninginhand.com/blog/wordle-games-for-the-classroom#annotations%3AUXk74H3uEey8t9v4vZ4U9A=

Apple Personal Safety Guide

Interesting and useful tips. 

Click to access personal-safety-user-guide.pdf

Bark

https://www.bark.us/

Web Spotlight:

Fake You

I got mixed results on this. 

https://fakeyou.com/

The Importance of ELL Strategies – Immersion (Moises in Math Class)

Using untrained child actors from public schools in the San Francisco Bay Area, “Immersion” plunges its audience into the visceral experience of a child who cannot understand his teacher. The film puts a human face on the debate about the education of English Language Learners.

http://www.immersionfilm.com/ 

Slang of the Week

Unalive myself/yourself: tongue-in-cheek way of talking about dying by suicide; sometimes used as a way to evade cyberbullying filters on social media sites that would block suicide content. (Ex: “There was no way I was going to pass the chem test today but we got three extra days to study so I don’t have to unalive myself just yet.”)

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site   

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Shawn and Troy talk about the rest of the school year. Dave addresses safety in Science. 

Jokes:  

What do you call a dancing cow?

• A milkshake

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What do elves learn in school?

• The elf a bet

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What kind of games do kids play if they can’t play video games?

• Bored games

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How come clownfish isn’t a popular dinner item?

• It tastes funny

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If you use UTC time, this year we’ll see:

• 2/22/22 22:22:22

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You don’t need a parachute to go skydiving. 

• You need a parachute to go skydiving twice. 

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I was going to have alligator for dinner. 

• Then I realized that all I have is a croc pot. 

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

Seven Teacher Tips to Create a Culture of Science Safety

I was recently reading the October 20, 2021 NSTA Blog, hosted by the National Science Teaching Association.  This blog was entitled, “Creating a Culture of Science Safety: 7 Teacher Tips for This Fall (and Beyond),” written by Mike Marvel.

The seven tips that follow will help ensure safe lab practices year-round while helping educators establish a science culture rooted in safety:

1.  Discuss risks

2.  Conduct research

3.  Never add methanol to a burning flame

4.  Inspect equipment

5.  Use a safety contract

6.  Provide frequent reminders

7.  Build student confidence

http://k12science.net/seven-teacher-tips-to-create-a-culture-of-science-safety/

Reports from the Front Lines

• Getting back to “normal”?
• Prepping for next year
• Semester End
• Getting in your own professional development.  

The Twitterverse  

Andrea @teachbk

I really dislike how meetings about my job keep me from doing my job

Typical EduCelebrity @EduCelebrity

If your car is the last one in the school parking lot, then you’re not a good teacher despite what you think. Good teachers don’t have cars because they live their whole adult life in the classroom. While you’re going home, they’re already at home! Stop flattering yourself.

Mike @mikekaechele

How evaluations make me a worse teacher. http://michaelkaechele.com/how-evaluations-make-me-a-worse-teacher/

#sel  https://t.co/FWDET1uTkR  

Peggy George  @pgeorge

Paper Bobsled: STE(A)M Olympics-Related Lesson https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2022/01/18/paper-bobsled-steam-olympics-related-lesson/ via  @jackiegerstein

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Strategies:  

Breaking the Plane

All of sudden, Doug Lemov’s phrase, “Breaking The Plane,” came to me. It’s the catchy term he uses to describe the age-old teacher move of not staying in front of the class and, instead, moving around the room(you can read his piece, What is ‘Breaking the Plane’?, which is on The Best Posts On Classroom Management list).

https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2022/01/20/a-look-back-remembering-breaking-the-plane-solved-my-classroom-problems-this-week/

All You Need to Select and Use Mentor Texts

All You Need to Select and Use Mentor Texts

Resources:  

Inside the Mind of A Master Procrastinator

Tim Urban knows that procrastination doesn’t make sense, but he’s never been able to shake his habit of waiting until the last minute to get things done. In this hilarious and insightful talk, Urban takes us on a journey through YouTube binges, Wikipedia rabbit holes and bouts of staring out the window — and encourages us to think harder about what we’re really procrastinating on, before we run out of time.

Slang of the Week (from Axis, The Culture Translator) 

Iykyk: “If you know, you know,” referring to a niche interest or an inside joke. (Ex: “We always order our burgers animal style. Iykyk.”)

Web Spotlight:

PROOF POINTS: Combining remote and in-person learning led to chaos, study finds

PROOF POINTS: Combining remote and in-person learning led to chaos, study finds

Color Palette

https://coolors.co/

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site   

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Summary:

Troy and Shawn talk about coffee, how to help students study, and much more. Dave goes all nuclear with RadioChemists. 

Jokes:  

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Remember when air was free at the Gas station. It now costs $1.50. Know why?

• Inflation

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My friend got thrown out of a park for arranging the squirrels by height. 

• Turns out they didn’t like “critter sizing”

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Falcons live 12-15 years. This means that all falcons were born in the 21st Century. Which in turn means that all Falcons are…..

• Millennial Falcons

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The Doctor wasn’t sure if I had poison ivy or shingles, so I asked her to make a rash decision. 

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They’ve invented a thought-controlled air freshener. It makes scents if you think about it. 

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What do you call Santa when he’s poor? 

• Saint Nickel-less

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What fruit is impossible to eat just one of?

• A pear

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My Bluetooth speaker wasn’t working. I got frustrated and threw it in the lake. 

• It’s syncing now…

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A truck carrying Vicks vapor rub overturned on the highway. Fortunately, no one was hurt. 

• Amazingly there was no congestion for hours.

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Middle School Science Minute  

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

RadioChemists

I was recently reading the November/December 2021 issue of “The Science Teacher” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.  In this issue, I read the section, “Career of the Month” which featured an article on Radiochemistry.  It was written by Luba Vangelova. 

Radiochemists study radiation from an atomic and molecular perspective and find ways to harness the power of radioactive chemical reactions.  The radiochemist featured is Catherine Riddle, senior research scientist, at the Idaho National Laboratory.

http://k12science.net/radiochemist/

Reports from the Front Lines

•  Resolutions?
  • 
• Coffee recipes?  Favs?  
  • Reference:  https://www.yemencoffeeonline.com/how-to-make-yemeni-coffee/  
  • https://www.qahwahhouse.com/ 

The Twitterverse  

Typical EduCelebrity   @EduCelebrity

Hackers: We have taken control of your gradebooks, lesson objectives, and Zoom codes. If you pay us a ransom in Bitcoin, we will give you access back. 

Teachers: Keep it. It’s all yours.  

Typical EduCelebrity   @EduCelebrity

Stop saying that the vaccine has not been tested enough. If it had any more testing, it would be a state assessment.  

Typical EduCelebrity   @EduCelebrity

Admin: Don’t give busy work to students. 

Also Admin: Submit lesson plans, attendance logs, parent phone call records, 3 copies of your grade book, two truths and a lie, 3 suggestions we’ll ignore, and all PLC meeting summaries. Don’t do this during your 4 assigned office hours.

Typical EduCelebrity  @EduCelebrity

If your school’s arranging your vaccine, expect an inservice first: Icebreaker: If you could be a side effect, which one? Presentation: Mindful Antibodies; Rigorous Immunity Activity: Post a selfie with your vaccine card. Stick a Post-It on a colleague’s pic that you like.  

Hart Wilson @riverside_hart

This was so fun, let’s see how you like my Assignment FAQs! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gJ5wrUAXJKeODgbODxDi53QU9woVSsx6nnCCjCxF1aY/preview

#moodle@moodlefairy@Barefootbreeze@photuris5@MisterHazen@VertalerJoost

All of our documentation here https://inside.sou.edu/catl/moodle-how-tos.html by the way. 

Hart Wilson @riverside_hart

Calling all Moodlers! I’ve assembled a list of my favorite hacks for Moodling (also known as the lazy woman’s guide to Moodle!). I’d love to hear what you think and what I’ve left out. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uSysWcOLny6PWw4WAnRZVroURQRhTp3AphNnuyiEDDg/edit?usp=sharing   #Moodle @moodlefairy @Barefootbreeze @photuris5 @MisterHazen

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” 

Strategies:  

Retrieval as Communication

Probably the question I’m asked most is, How should I study for my exams? which is a fantastic question to ask.

Retrieval as Communication

Resources:  

Parents’ Ultimate Guide to TikTok

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/parents-ultimate-guide-to-tiktok#annotations:3fmOTmGcEeyOODd7UxywJg

10 Most Significant Education Studies

It was a year of unprecedented hardship for teachers and school leaders. We pored through hundreds of studies to see if we could follow the trail of exactly what happened: The research revealed a complex portrait of a grueling year during which persistent issues of burnout and mental and physical health impacted millions of educators. Meanwhile, many of the old debates continued: Does paper beat digital? Is project-based learning as effective as direct instruction? How do you define what a “good” school is?

https://www.edutopia.org/article/10-most-significant-education-studies-2021#annotations:VWV6FmAvEeyVEy_LEqn7tA

The Culture Translator’s Top Trends of 2021

• The Great Resignation/#Antiwork
• Manifesting/Shifting
• Climate Change Anxiety
• Squid Game
• Vaccine Mandates
• Mental Health Crisis
• Metaverse

Web Spotlight:

52 things I learned in 2021

View at Medium.com

45 Creative Tricks That Are Used To Film TV Commercials

https://whythese.com/tvtricks/#annotations:Cdj4clw2Eeya2m9pnWeJdA

Non-Newtonian Fluid Dubstep

Random Thoughts . . .  

Personal Web Site   

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download