Middle School Matters

Mental Floss‏Verified account @mental_floss

What Can Middle Level Leaders Learn from the Student Experience? http://ed.gr/b41 via Supt. Nikki Woodson @AASAHQ #middleschool

These $425 Jeans Can Turn Into Jorts — http://bit.ly/2rzvFeL

Kim Campbell‏ @KimCamp4Kids

Exactly what I said to a colleague today….

Sandra Boynton‏Verified account @SandyBoynton

It’s been a wild week. #saturdaymorning

(⌐■_■)‏Verified account @dorseyshaw

*watches cable news in horror* “It’s going to be OK. The young people will save us from all these mistakes.” *checks the internet*

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

Strategies:

DOK

https://twitter.com/sjunkins/status/858419438122668032/photo/1

To Engage Students and Teachers, Treat Core Subjects Like Extracurriculars

document the variables that contribute to deeper learning. But as they spent more time in schools, it was hard to ignore the ways in which the activity around the edges of institutions — elective courses, extracurricular activities — was where students and teachers “were most fired up,”

“Like a theater production, there’s sense of purposefulness,” said Fine. “You’re working toward producing something that has an audience beyond your teachers and your peers.”

One thing that is consistent, according to Fine, is that teachers are very deliberate beforehand. They have to know exactly what all students need to demonstrate mastery of and where they can allow students to move in their own direction.

One example Fine has seen is in a project-based humanities classroom. Students started the class by reading about the anti-communist fervor of the 1950s and McCarthyism. Then for the latter half of the semester, students were tasked with using the same rhetoric from that time to create documentary films on a controversial subject of their choice. Essentially, the project allows students to understand propaganda by making their own propaganda film.

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/05/15/to-engage-students-and-teachers-treat-core-subjects-like-extracurriculars/

Resources:

Dyslexia Simulation

This simulation demonstrates some common symptoms of dyslexia. You are given 60 seconds to read a paragraph aloud. The letters in this paragraph are reversed, inverted, transposed, and spelling is inconsistent. There will be two questions to answer at the end of the 60 seconds, so you must decipher the words as best as you can.

*Caution: requires Flash Player

http://webaim.org/simulations/dyslexia

Web Spotlight:

Good with Tech

Here’s another one of my analogies for you:

Being “good with technology” : integrating technology :: being good at cursive : writing ability

https://techcoaches.dearbornschools.org/2017/05/16/good-with-technology/

Random Thoughts . . .

Personal Web Site

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

May 13, 2017May 13, 2017MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 358: Glasses, we don’t need no stinking glasses! Oops, yes we do.

Jokes You Can Use:

If attacked by a mob of clowns, what should you do?

Go for the juggler.

Anything you say and do, can and will be screenshot against you.

For many people, “live and learn” is one task too many.

I was gonna donate blood today, until the lady got all personal and started asking “Whose blood is this?” and “How did you get it?”

I just realized that I haven’t done the “Hokey Pokey” in over 10 years. I guess when you get older, you just forget what it’s all about.

DiGiorno should start to deliver, just to mess with people.

I used to be in a band called “missing cat”. You’ve probably seen our poster.

So, I met an Egyptian…they walk just like everyone else.

My friend’s hamster passed today….. he fell asleep at the wheel.

Advisory:

Complainers

https://www.healthspiritbody.com/complaining-causes-depression-anxiety/

Middle School Science Minute

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

Eclipse 2017: Safety

This is the second in a multipart series on Eclipse 2017 utilizing the resources from NASA that can be found at:

http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Three questions are asked and answered regarding Eclipse Safety. They include:

Why is it not safe to look at the sun even when only a small part of it is visible?
Where can I get the right kind of solar filter to view the eclipse?
Isn’t this safety issue about eclipse viewing, a bit overblown?

For information on how to safely watch the eclipse, please visit:

http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety

From the Twitterverse:

Susan Zanti‏ @SusZanti5

Getting more teachers connected to Twitter as a means of personalized professional learning-growing PLN #bfc530

Rat-hole:

https://mastodon.social/about

Dru Tomlin‏ @DruTomlin

Dru Tomlin Retweeted AMLE

Big ups 2 all #middleschool Ts making marvelous/magnificent things happen in the critical middle grades! @AMLE #mschat #thankateacher

Dru Tomlin added,

AMLE @AMLE

We love our teachers! Happy Teacher Appreciation Day!

Jay Billy‏ @JayBilly2

Is it working in your middle school? Perspectives for educ & business guide you through sch initiatives http://bit.ly/1Y39J7d @nikkiwoodson

Rat Hole #2: Paperless classroom

Join me for a discussion on “Reflecting on This Year” on #satchatwc at 10:30 EST or you figure out the time in the other time zones #satchat

Bailey‏ @MissGooderlBGCS

6th graders taking a gallery walk & leaving positive comments on their peers Math 6 Projects!@KaraffaAlyssa @B_IckesBGCS @ERadabaughBGCS

Mary Gambrel‏ @MarGambrel

OMG! This is going to be a game changer for me. Positive, Not Punitive, Class-Mgmt Tips @Larryferlazzo: http://edut.to/2dVVezw @edutopia

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

Strategies:

Teachers Going Gradeless

Toward a Future of Growth Not Grades

After years of teaching using the principles of standards-based learning and grading, I encountered two findings that radically changed my perspective on assessment, grading, and reporting.

This year, I changed my approach, using feedback and revisions only, without entering a letter grade until the end of each term. At that point, I allow students an opportunity to evaluate their overall performance using statements from my Descriptive Grading Criteria(adapted from Ken O’Connor’s 15 Fixes for Broken Grades).

For some of us, the word gradeless means to grade less

For others, gradeless means without grades

https://medium.com/@hhschiaravalli/teachers-going-gradeless-50d621c14cad

Resources:

Cornell Notes

How to take Cornell Notes (5 minutes, 26 seconds)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtW9IyE04OQ

XPMath Games

Free Math games.

http://www.xpmath.com/

Free Vocab Words

http://www.hilotutor.com/index.html

http://www.hilotutor.com/archives.html

Coded Messages for Safety

http://www.inspiremore.com/sons-coded-text-message/

Random Thoughts . . .

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-grit-quit-susan-a-david-ph-d-

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

May 6, 2017May 6, 2017advisory, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 357: Magnum.

Jokes You Can Use:

I’m thinking of taking a second job. I’m going take a job cleaning mirrors. It’s something that I can really see myself doing.

What do you call an educator who will not fart in public?

A private tooter.

I’m really a down to earth person? Why?

Gravity.

I love long walks. Especially when people who annoy me take them.

Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.

I’d like to propose a new day of the week – Someday. Just think of all the awesome stuff that would happen on it.

There’s a button on my oven that says “stop time”, I’m pretty sure it supposed to say “stop timer”, but I don’t touch it….just in case.

Advisory:

When to grit and when to quit

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.”

There is ample research suggesting that cultivating the ability to walk away from existing goals when for whatever reason (e.g. health, lack of hoped-for resources, or skills that despite practice never really developed) no longer serve us, and in order to pursue alternative goals, can be courageous, smart and strategic.

Rather than “Winners never quit,” I prefer, “A real winner knows when to quit and when to grit.” It’s a little long for a bumper sticker, but in my view, a better guide to live by.

Thumb Trick

Source: Removable Thumb Magic Trick by ViralHog on Rumble

Middle School Science Minute

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

Eclipse 2017 – Facts

This is the first in a multipart series on Eclipse 2017 utilizing the resources from NASA that can be found at:

http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Topics included in this podcast include:

The date of the eclipse.
Definition of a solar eclipse.
Date of the next solar eclipse.
Where to watch the eclipse.
How to watch the eclipse.
The length of the eclipse.
The path of the solar eclipse.

For information on how to safely watch the eclipse, please visit:

http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/4/28_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Eclipse_2017_Facts.html

From the Twitterverse:

Dru Tomlin‏ @DruTomlin_AMLE

Who made the list? The Final C Words We Need 2 Create Gr8 Schools 4 Young Adolescents! @AMLE ABCs blog=here: https://www.amle.org/Publications/BlogABCsofMiddleLevelEducation/TabId/937/ArtMID/3115/ArticleID/816/The-Last-C-Words-for-the-Critical-Middle-Grades.aspx … #mschat

Marzano Research‏Verified account @MarzanoResearch

#truth

11 Active Learning Strategies by @finleyt #edchat #education #pblchat

Dave Burgess‏ @burgessdave

“The Danger of Never Being Done” Real talk about a real issue in education..the lack of balance. http://daveburgess.com/the-danger-of-never-being-done/ … #ZenTeacher #tlap

Love this! What a great lesson for kids and adults alike! http://buff.ly/2pJatF5

REVIEW: Deepen Mathematical Thinking w Percussive Dance! @HeinemannPub #msmathchat #mathchat #edchat @mathinyourfeet https://www.middleweb.com/34632/deepen-math-thinking-with-percussive-dance/ …

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/04/6-best-practices-for-expanding-a-blended-learning-initiative/

Minute to Win It Games are great for brain breaks, indoor recess, end of the year fun and more! http://buff.ly/2q6W2uV

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

Strategies:

Blended Learning

Blended Beats Virtual
Choose and Train the Right Teachers
Student Engagement is Essential
Parents Need to Be Educated, Too
You Need Support Over Time
Decide What Scaling Means to You

Homework Alternatives

http://www.teachthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/alternatives-to-homework.jpg

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/alternatives-to-homework-a-chart-for-teachers/

Ideas For How to Do Better Book Clubs in Middle School

“In 2015, I wrote a post discussing how I was doing book clubs with my 7th graders and how their ideas had shaped our process to be more powerful. Two years later, I look at some of those ideas and see how my thinking has changed and also how much more ownership the student shave taken. I, therefore, decided to update that post with what it looks like now.”

https://pernillesripp.com/2017/04/10/ideas-for-how-to-do-better-book-clubs-in-middle-school/

Resources:

“Why Can’t Our Business Be More Like Schools?”

But I’m also fully aware of many schools that are creating wonderful learning opportunities and spaces that take full advantage of limited resources.

The “make school more like a business” mantra creates all kinds of bad scenarios. Indeed, our obsession with data is partially due to the influence of business practices.

Businesses should be sending their emerging leaders to watch people like Chris Kennedy and Jordan Tinney or Kevin Worthy in action. They should see teachers like Kelli Holden co-teach with her colleagues. They would learn lots from seeing Sara Badiner keep 9th graders focused and learning despite raging hormones. I could spend the rest of my day listing all the amazing, talented educators who are pure artists.

http://ideasandthoughts.org/2017/04/11/why-cant-our-business-be-more-like-schools/

To Boost Higher-Order Thinking, Try Curation

Most of the above activities would not be very academically challenging if students merely had to assemble the collection. Adding a thoughtfully designed written component is what will make students do their best thinking in a curation assignment.

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/curation/

The Best Curator in the Room

In fact, I would argue that in our efforts at self-validation–in our needing to be the expert–we’re doing our students a disservice. Oh, we’re needed, without a doubt–just not for the same things any more. We still need to be experts in our content. We still need to have the discernment to know what materials are good and what are not. But our role has changed.

https://techcoaches.dearbornschools.org/2017/05/01/the-best-curator-in-the-room/

Web Spotlight:

Libivox

Public Domain AudioBooks.

https://librivox.org/

SYNC

SYNC is a free summer audiobook program for teens 13+. Returning April 27, 2017 SYNC will give away two complete audiobook downloads a week – pairs of high interest titles, based on weekly themes. In 2016, 30 titles were given away over 15 weeks.

SYNC is sponsored by AudioFile Magazine and titles are delivered through the OverDrive app. Download the app in advance to whichever device you anticipate listening on and be ready to go!

Simply sign-up to get notifications of when the FREE audiobook downloads are available. You can receive alerts by text message, email newsletter, or by visiting www.audiobooksync.com. Titles change every Thursday at 7am ET when the program is running.

http://www.audiobooksync.com/

Random Thoughts . . .

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/4/12_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Best_STEM_Books_Part_2.html

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

April 15, 2017April 15, 2017MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 356: AMLE, Poetry, Blended Sixth Graders.

Jokes You Can Use:

Last night I had a bad dream. I dreamt I was a muffler.

I woke up exhausted.

Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?

What do you call a part time band leader?

A semi-conductor

There was this limo driver who was in business for 25 years without a single customer…

All that time and nothing to chauffeur it.

Middle School Science Minute

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

Best STEM Books — Part 2

I was recently reading the February, 2017 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.

In this issue, I read an article on the best STEM Books for 2017, for students in grades K-12, as recommended by the National Science Teachers Association. In this second of a two part series, we look at 5 of the recommended books that are appropriate for middle school students. Titles include:

Steve Jobs: Insanely Great

Super Gear: Nanotechnology and Sports Team Up

Trailblazers: 33 Women in Science Who Changed the World

Welcome to Mars

Women of Stone and Steel

From the Twitterverse:

These novels teach learning from loss & overcoming adversity, great for #middleschool http://edut.to/2nNcgsC via @Edutopia #growthmindset

NEW: Poetry Writing Made Fun–10 Cool Teaching Ideas. @CherylTeaches #elachat @ncte #poetrymonth #nwp #educoach @amle https://www.middleweb.com/34549/poetry-writing-made-fun-10-teaching-ideas-for-april/ …

#Quote from today’s AMLE Newsletter. Get the newsletter w/ free Associate Membership http://bit.ly/2mAtbtX

10 Wordless Videos That Teach Problem Solving – Could also be used as writing prompts or to practice re-telling http://buff.ly/2pgFHmu

Kenneth Ward‏ @kennethdward

Removing Imaginary Boundaries Around Content – Teacher and students benefit from an integrated curriculum http://bit.ly/2p5pIYJ #mschat

Why I Read to My Middle School Students #oklaed #mschat https://www.weareteachers.com/read-middle-school-students/

Tan Huynh‏ @TanELLclassroom

3 types of #scaffolding for all SS. #ellchat #chatesl #ellchat_bkclub #ell #educhat #teachchat #WIDA #k12 #ESOL http://wp.me/p7NKW2-nl

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

Strategies:

Blended Learning

Blended Beats Virtual
Choose and Train the Right Teachers
Student Engagement is Essential
Parents Need to Be Educated, Too
You Need Support Over Time
Decide What Scaling Means to You

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/04/6-best-practices-for-expanding-a-blended-learning-initiative/

Homework Alternatives

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/alternatives-to-homework-a-chart-for-teachers/

Resources:

College-Ready Sixth Graders

Mike Petrilli, Big Cheese at the Fordham Institute, a reliably reformy thinky tank, is concerned. While he allows that some students and families are uber-stressing about the whole college thing, the rest of us should be in a greater state of panic:

We need the majority of parents and kids to be more stressed out. We need to shake them out of their complacency and tell them: You and your kids are heading toward a coming-of-age catastrophe, but you can avoid it if you act now! [emphasis his]

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2017/04/college-ready-sixth-graders.html

Interactive Word Wall

An Interactive word wall can transform spaces in your classroom. They provide a way for students to engage with content in an authentic matter and promote a sense of curiosity among your students.

http://classtechtips.com/2016/11/09/create-interactive-word-wall-scannabletech%EF%BB%BF/

Random Thoughts . . .

https://www.ted.com/talks/tony_fadell_the_first_secret_of_design_is_noticing

April 8, 2017April 8, 2017advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 355: The Ron King Award Show

Jokes You Can Use:

Why was Peter Pan banned from using any Airline?

My books all piled on top of me, I’ve only got my shelf to blame.

I read this book about Mount Everest… It was quite the cliff hanger!

Two engineers were standing at the base of a flagpole, looking at its top. A woman walked by and asked what they were doing.

“We’re supposed to find the height of this flagpole,” said one, “but we don’t have a ladder.”

The woman took a wrench from her purse, loosened a couple of bolts, and laid the pole down on the ground. Then she took a tape measure from her pocketbook, took a measurement, and announced, “Twenty one feet, six inches,” and walked away.

One engineer shook his head and laughed, “A lot of good that does us. We ask for the height and she gives us the length.”

Eileen Award:

Twitter: Ron King (Special LifeTime award)

Advisory:

Habituation

As human beings, we get used to “the way things are” really fast. But for designers, the way things are is an opportunity … Could things be better? How? In this funny, breezy talk, the man behind the iPod and the Nest thermostat shares some of his tips for noticing — and driving — change.

Creativity

The process of being creative can be fun and take on different “looks”. The Swingle Singers are a vocal group that jump starts the creative writing juices with a writing exercise. They get three words in an envelope. They pair up and have to come up with a song that builds off of those three words. Here’s an example: Tree, Friend(s), and Attack. https://www.facebook.com/TheSwingles/videos/10155002322541421/

National Day…

April 8th

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/

Mindfulness makes a difference in schools

Relaxation techniques calm K12 students and staff, leading to better grades and better behavior.

“We decided to respond to our students’ anxiety, rather than have to deal with the behavioral challenges,” Hanscom says.

Districts that succeed in making mindfulness a regular part of the school day—and an impactful part of students’ lives—start by training the adults in their buildings to become competent practitioners, says Saltzman, whose Menlo Park, California-based mindfulness practice operates training programs in schools.

And a little time spent on mindfulness at the beginning of class can pay off. “A teacher may think, I can’t add another thing to my day,” Saltzman says. “But what teachers find is, if they start class with five minutes of mindfulness—movement, breathing, journaling—most teachers will report ending up with more teachable time.”

“There were just so many layers of yuck to get through before we could get to academics,” Achterhoff says. “If we don’t address the trauma, then the kids are going to become stunted in academic growth.”

Teachers who use the techniques report improvements in behavior, and that students often ask to take short yoga or breathing breaks so they can refocus on instruction.

https://www.districtadministration.com/article/mindfulness-makes-difference-school

Middle School Science Minute

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

Best STEM Books, Part 1

I was recently reading the February, 2017 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.

In this issue, I read an article on the best STEM Books for 2017, for students in grades K-12, as recommended by the National Science Teachers Association. In this first of a two part series, we look at 5 of the recommended books that are appropriate for middle school students. Titles include:

Emmet’s Storm
Genetic Engineering: Science, Technology, and Engineering
A Global Warming Primer: Answering Your Questions About the Science, the Consequences, and the Solutions
Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat
Sabotage: The Mission to Destroy Hitler’s Atomic Bomb

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/3/27_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Best_STEM_Books_Part_1.html

Lithuania Update for Dave

From the Twitterverse:

Scott McLeod‏ @mcleod

Strategizing Your BYOT Implementation, Part 1 | @mguhlin http://bit.ly/2npImKu #edcolo #iaedfuture

REVIEW: An essential guide to becoming an ELA teacher. @HeinemannPub #educoach #elachat @ncte #mschat #teachered https://www.middleweb.com/34545/making-the-journey-as-an-ela-teacher/ …

Jerry Blumengarten‏ @cybraryman1

#MiddleSchool educators, submit an article to AMLE Magazine & share your sch & classrm ideas that make a difference

My PLN (Personal Learning Network) page https://www.cybraryman.com/pln.html #nt2t Build a PLN of passionate educators who are willing to connect & share

Rick Wormeli‏ @rickwormeli2

Scratching My Head: Project 180, Day 129 http://www.letschangeeducation.com/?p=1704 via @MonteSyrie

Jessica Van de Kemp‏ @jess_vdk

Helpful ‘closure’ activities for teachers and students: http://edut.to/2mOfYOA via @finleyt @edutopia #edchat #hschat #mschat

Jasper Fox Sr.‏ @JasperFoxSR

Calling for a “Timeout” on Rubrics and Grading Scales http://jfox.cc/2crkJc3 essential reading frm: @rickwormeli2

David Geurin‏ @DavidGeurin

12 Rules Of Great Teaching – http://buff.ly/2p8QhIP via @TeachThought

Paul Chenoweth‏ @bruingeek

I approve of this message:

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

Strategies:

How to support wiggly students

In fact, according to Nea.org, “A 2008 study found that children actually need to move to focus during a complicated mental task. The children in the study—especially those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—fidgeted more when a task required them to store and process information rather than just hold it. This is why students are often restless while doing math or reading, but not while watching a movie, explained Dr. Mark Rapport, the supervisor of the study and professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.”

Redirect
Experiment.
See what’s on the market for support.

http://smartbrief.com/original/2017/04/how-support-wiggly-students

No Grade Is Too Early for Flexible Seating

A decade ago, I watched college students break out for small group work on hallway benches, on the floor in the corner, and standing at tables. I noticed that kindergartners could learn while standing, kneeling, huddling under a table, and even sitting in a wooden cubby. I saw my principal take a reading group to the office, where students loved to cram themselves beside the copier, between UPS boxes, and under a table. All this got me thinking: Why do we work at desks? Why stop students from wiggling? Could we purposefully educate students to recognize the locations they work best in?

Plan your transition to flexible seating with:

a variety of workspaces
clear expectations for behavior
guidelines for where/how students may work
consequences for abuse of the seating options

When developing your seating options, consider the needs of different activities:

clipboards for writing
flat surfaces for word work sorts
comfort for pleasure reading
stability for electronics

Offering just one or two seating options may put your students in the same boat as traditional seating. Just as traditional seating doesn’t work for everyone, flexible seating may not either.

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/no-grade-is-too-early-flexible-seating-john-s-thomas

Resources:

WriteAbout

WRITE. Find creative inspiration to write. Make their writing better. Have fun writing. Share their writing. Read other students’ writing. Respond to writing. Write some more.

https://www.writeabout.com/

Web Spotlight:

Random Thoughts . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=vJG698U2Mvo

April 1, 2017advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 354: The “Rat Hole” Show and a Half

Jokes You Can Use:

What’s the difference between a Hippo and a Zippo?

What always runs, but never walks, often murmurs, but never talks, has a bed but never sleeps, has a mouth but never eats?

Two men are in a desert. They’re both wearing backpacks. One of the men is dead. The man who is alive, has his pack open. The dead man’s pack is closed. What is in their packs?

What has rivers with no water, forests but no trees, and cities with no buildings?

I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation and I surround every place. What am I?

The manufacturer doesn’t need it, the buyer doesn’t want it, and the user doesn’t know that they are using it. What is it?

You leave home, make three left turns and return home where you find two men wearing masks. Who are they?

If you are running in a race, and you pass the person in second place, what place are you in?

You can easily touch me, but you can’t see me. You can throw me out but not away. What am I?

Advisory:

The Invisible Gorilla

http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/videos.html

Appolo Robbins – The Art of Misdirection

Evelyn Glennie

Middle School Science Minute

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

CoCoRaHS

I was recently reading the February, 2017 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.

In this issue, I read the the Citizen Science article, “Citizen Science for a Rainy (or Snowy) Day: The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.” It was written by Jill Nugent. The article describes the CoCoRaHS Network, a nonprofit network hosted by Colorado State University with support from NOAA. The goal of the network is to report weather data that will then be used by meteorologists. For more information, please visit:

http://www.cocorahs.org

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/3/23_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Citizen_Science-CoCoRaHS.html

From the Twitterverse:

Scott McLeod‏ @mcleod

What We Ask of Our Students and What we Do | @conprin http://bit.ly/2olWQuR #cpchat #edadmin

Eileen Harrity‏ @EileenHarrity

Eileen Harrity Retweeted edutopia

Interesting video of a London school that focuses on wellbeing, PBL, & oracy (like literacy, but for oral presentation of info).

Miguel Guhlin‏ @mguhlin

Immersive Reader Samples https://t.co/mnPT4b9tEU

Sean Marie Sweeney‏ @ssweeney602

Help ESL students learn vocabulary using the app Aipoly Vision @aipoly http://aipoly.com/ #edtech

Snagit‏ @Snagit

BREAKING NEWS! New product offering from TechSmith, the makers of Snagit:

Seesaw‏ @Seesaw

Engage students by creating a listening station for your classroom today! http://bit.ly/2mkYdot

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

Strategies:

Read This Before You Ever Make Fun of Comic Sans Again

http://narrative.ly/read-this-before-you-ever-make-fun-of-comic-sans-again/

Fonts and Dyslexia

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK The main conclusion is that font types have an impact on readability of people with dyslexia. Good fonts for people with dyslexia are Helvetica, Courier, Arial, Verdana and CMU, taking into consideration both, reading performance and subjective preferences. Also, sans serif, monospaced, and roman font types increased significantly the reading performance, while italic fonts decreased reading performance. In particular, Arial It. should be avoided since it significantly decreases readability.

http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/sites/default/files/good_fonts_for_dyslexia_study.pdf

A DSA Assessor noted student preference for 1.5 line spacing. It is likely that line length, line spacing and font size are just as important. Bigelow and Holmes make this point in their 2014 review of research which found no evidence for a best typeface for dyslexia. Arnold Wilkins showed that children aged 7 to 9 read better with a bigger font size

Comic Sans is the most popular Microsoft font for children. However, some dyslexic adults consider it looks childish. They love it or hate it. It was designed for comic strips. It is not considered professional in the publishing or academic worlds. There is even a ‘ban comic sans’ web! It meets all dyslexic ‘likes’ except mirrored b and d.

https://bdatech.org/what-technology/typefaces-for-dyslexia/

Based on the evaluation of 48 dyslexic subjects ages 11-50, reading 12 texts with 12 different fonts, they determined that reading performance was best with sans serif, monospaced, and roman fonts used in the study. They also found that reading was significantly impaired when italic fonts were used.

As someone who has wrestled with the issue of font choice and legibility for years, I was not surprised at the poor performance of OpenDyslexic. Although the font has been widely promoted as being designed for dyslexics, I find the font clunky and difficult to read, and others I have talked to had mixed reactions (some liked it, others not).

At the same time, I question an assumption underlying the researchers’ conclusion that font design is paramount. It seems to me that their research showed simply that the most commonly used fonts were also the ones that were the easiest for their subjects to read. I remember how my son struggled as child with cursive, and his own insistence for using 14 pt. Times New Roman for all of his own written work. I think familiarity with the type face and individual letter forms may be particularly important for dyslexic readers. It may be that dyslexics are far more sensitive to minor variations in letter shape, form, and spacing. That they did best with the font sets that they were most likely to have been exposed to in the past does not necessarily mean that those fonts are the best for everyone.

https://blog.dyslexia.com/good-fonts-for-dyslexia-an-experimental-study/

Dsylexie Font

Free for home use, special pricing for schools.

https://www.dyslexiefont.com/en/

3 Things to Know About “Dyslexic Fonts”

What if people with dyslexia could read more easily by switching to a special font? That’s the promise behind several typeface designs created in recent years. Here are three things to know about all fonts:

1) While font design can impact reading effectiveness, reading time and perceptions of legibility, this holds true for all readers including those who have dyslexia and those who do not.

2) It’s important to compare apples to apples. Many factors need to be taken into account when comparing fonts including text characteristics, text size, line and character spacing and computer display settings.

3) There are tradeoffs. For example, research points to a relationship between fonts, reading accuracy and reading speed. Some studies show fonts that are read faster may also read less accurately.

Still thinking about switching fonts? Whether you have dyslexia or not, experimenting with fonts may be worthwhile and boils down to personal preference. Above all, it’s important to remember for those who have dyslexia there are no quick fixes and switching fonts is not a substitute for a Structured Literacy approach to reading instruction.

https://dyslexiaida.org/3-things-to-know-about-dyslexic-fonts/

I made my classroom look like the real world…and test scores soared

The school year is a simulation of adulthood where students work, create, and learn about personal finance and entrepreneurial skills. They experience real-world situations and gain insights into global affairs. Students tend to view my classroom less as a “classroom” and more of an interactive city where all projects intertwine to create an ecosystem of businesses and homes.

Each student has the opportunity to become an entrepreneur, politician, banker, and more. They are given $1,000 in Johnsonville cash to begin their lives. Students must buy a house or rent an apartment, earn wages, and manage their finances. As the children buy and sell items I donate, they learn math skills along with life lessons.

Students are in control. Other teachers trying PBL often tell me, “my kids can’t do it” or “it’s a lot of work.” I think the real issue here is teachers not wanting to give up control of their classrooms. PBL gives me the freedom to facilitate and encourage critical thinking. Additionally, I find students work better when the teacher isn’t hovering over them. PBL promotes students to think creatively and build the 21st-century skills they need to be successful in today’s job market.

http://blog.ed.ted.com/2017/02/22/i-made-my-classroom-look-like-the-real-world-and-test-scores-soared/

Resources:

Opened.com

Assessment resource with lesson plans and over 700,000 games, audio, lesson plans, assessments and more . . . some for free.

ESSA Resources

The website is produced by the Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE) at Johns Hopkins University School of Education, in collaboration with a distinguished Technical Work Group and a Stakeholder Advisory Group. It is information solely intended to be useful to educators and the public and has no official status.

https://www.evidenceforessa.org/

Material Review

EdReports.org is an independent nonprofit designed to improve K-12 education. EdReports.org increases the capacity of teachers, administrators, and leaders to seek, identify, and demand the highest-quality instructional materials. Drawing upon expert educators, EdReports.org’s evidence-based reviews of instructional materials and support of smart adoption processes will equip teachers with excellent materials nationwide.

http://www.edreports.org/#?f=&o=0

Music Creation

Soundation is a powerful online music studio with professional features like recording, effects, virtual instruments and over 700 free loops and sounds.

Soundation Chrome is the latest version of our online studio and is developed using Google Native Client for Chrome web browsers. This means a faster and more stable environment with lower latency and CPU usage and does not require Flash. Soundation Chrome has an entirely new audio engine and we made it as “backward compatible” as possible with the flash version of Soundation Studio so it looks and loads all your previously created songs.

https://soundation.com/

BandLab is the easy-to-use, all-in-one, social music creation platform.

https://www.bandlab.com/

Web Spotlight:

Erosion

Images of Change — http://cleanet.org/resources/42813.html

Dig This! Erosion Investigation — http://ngss.nsta.org/Resource.aspx?ResourceID=481

Investigating Erosion — http://ngss.nsta.org/Resource.aspx?ResourceID=511

I Learned Nothing, I Just Googled The Parts of the Cell

Can we get real? There are a lot of well-intentioned assignments and projects that frankly have very little LEARNING that goes with them. Create a poster of the solar system. The kid spends a lot of time (and money on supplies) with the outcome that they can (hopefully) identify the 7 planets. This is a DOK 1 task… and maybe even DOK 0.

http://alicekeeler.com/2017/03/26/learned-nothing-just-googled-parts-cell/

Random Thoughts . . .

And Now for Something Completely Different: https://www.facebook.com/LRT.sestadienis/videos/1761409750815614/

Play this in class one day as they come in. Just for fun.

http://twentytwowords.com/16-popular-foreign-superstitions-that-make-absolutely-no-sense/

March 25, 2017advisory, MSMBy Troy Patterson

MSM 353: The “Myth” Adventures of Teaching with Styles! FREE eBOOKS!!! (That’ll get their attention!)

Jokes You Can Use:

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?

A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q: I’m two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?

A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby’s sex?

A: Childbirth.

What does a skeleton order at a restaurant?

Spare ribs.

Why should a skeleton drink 10 glasses of milk a day?

It’s good for the bones.

Why don’t skeletons like parties?

They have no body to dance with.

Advisory:

Superstitions

Have the students share the superstitions that they know about. Create a variety of wild superstitions to compare with ones from around the world.

http://www.distractify.com/old-school/2014/10/21/very-superstitious-1197796927

http://www.businessinsider.com/weird-superstitions-around-the-world-2016-9/#if-you-happen-to-be-in-india-during-a-solar-eclipse-stay-indoorsthe-belief-that-the-suns-rays-become-toxic-during-an-eclipse-is-so-pervasive-that-local-newspapers-continue-to-report-on-the-phenomenon-1

A Stanford dean on adult skills every 18-year-old should have

https://qz.com/644491/a-stanford-dean-on-adult-skills-every-18-year-old-should-have/

https://www.amazon.com/First-National-Bank-Dad-Foolproof/dp/1416534253

Create a Treasure Hunt

Have the kids create it.

http://jamesalansturtevant.com/46-utilize-the-entire-school-building-with-this-engaging-scavenger-hunt-starring-caroline-craig-bowden-and-sandy-smith/

Millionaire creator of ‘Hamilton’: Waiting until age 28 to open a credit card was a mistake

Looking back, “there is so much I wish I knew about money when I was first starting out my adult life, but in particular, the importance of building good credit,” Miranda says.

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/22/hamilton-creator-didnt-open-a-credit-card-until-age-28.html

Middle School Science Minute

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

Just for Dave . . . and you too.

Essential Substance – Water

I was recently reading the February, 2017 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.

In this issue, I read the the Editor’s Desk article, “The Essential Substance.” It was written by Patty McGinnis, Editor of Science Scope. The article describes how water is a precious resource.

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/3/15_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Essential_Substance_-_Water.html

From the Twitterverse:

Eric Stockmeyer‏ @Stockmeyer1

Struggling to keep your students engaged? Try these 7 Tools That Make Interactive Content Creation Easy. #edtech

https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/flip.it%2FccPWq_-7-tools-that-make-interactive-content-c/f-11c3f6d4db%2Fentrepreneur.com

Dru Tomlin‏ @DruTomlin_AMLE Mar 23

What a great kinesthetic way to teach fractions http://buff.ly/2nlZrDG

Here R the questions 4 2nite’s #mschat #MLEM17 tweet up! Join the middle grades celebration at 8pmET & raise the praise 4 the middle grades!

Heidi Hayes Jacobs‏ @HeidiHayesJacob

Looking for a fun way to review concepts? Your students will love this fish bowl review game! http://buff.ly/2mB0xwH

Serious Play Conference: Game Design Thinking for Leaders, Teachers http://seriousplayconf.com

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

Strategies:

Teachers must ditch ‘neuromyth’ of learning styles, say scientists

Teaching children according to their individual “learning style” does not achieve better results and should be ditched by schools in favour of evidence-based practice, according to leading scientists.

They say it is ineffective, a waste of resources and potentially even damaging as it can lead to a fixed approach that could impair pupils’ potential to apply or adapt themselves to different ways of learning.

School leaders say the enthusiasm for learning styles in schools has faded, but research in 2012 among teachers in the UK and Netherlands found that 80% believed individuals learned better when they received information in their preferred learning style.

“Teachers need to be armed with up-to-date evidence of what has been shown to be effective so that schools are not wasting time or money on unsubstantiated practices that do not help students,” the letter says. “It is hard to establish the cost to the education system of using learning styles. Some schools have it as part of their teaching ethos whereas others bring in external consultants or send teachers on training courses.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/mar/13/teachers-neuromyth-learning-styles-scientists-neuroscience-education

Four neuromyths that are still prevalent in schools – debunked

Many “neuromyths” are rampant in our classrooms, and research suggests that people are often seduced by neuroscientific explanations, even if these are not accurate or even relevant. Research also shows that explanations accompanied by images of the brain also persuade people to believe in their validity, however random the illustration.

Learning styles
You only use 10% of your brain
Right brain v left brain
Playing brain games makes you smarter

https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/feb/24/four-neuromyths-still-prevalent-in-schools-debunked

You Probably Believe Some Learning Myths: Take Our Quiz To Find Out

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/03/22/520843457/you-probably-believe-some-learning-myths-take-our-quiz-to-find-out

Resources:

FREE eBook Library

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/reading-owl/library-page?view=image&query&type=book&age_group=Age+9-11&book&book_type&series

Web Spotlight:

OER

http://fod.msu.edu/oir/open-educational-resources

Healthy Lunches

For more than a decade, standardized-test scores have been the dominant metric for measuring what public-school students know and are able to do.

…there’s one option that may have been overlooked: the ubiquitous school lunch.

Test score data from some 9,700 elementary, middle, and high schools found that contracting with a healthy meal vendor correlated with increased student performance by between .03 and .04 standard deviations—a statistically significant improvement for economically disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students, Anderson said, adding that the size of the effect “is not huge … but it is notable.”

…that correlated with a rise of 0.1 standard deviations in the student’s test score. To put that statistic into perspective, healthier meals could raise student achievement by about 4 percentile points on average.

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/03/do-healthy-lunches-improve-student-test-scores/520272/

Fake News

https://www.ifla.org/publications/node/11174

Random Thoughts . . .

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/3/9_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Systems_Thinking.html

March 11, 2017MSM, Podcast, Web SpotlightBy Troy Patterson

MSM 352: Almost no Oscar, Almost …Vocabulary, Comics and MAMSE

Jokes You Can Use:

This sentence contradicts itself… no, wait, actually it doesn’t.

The Law of Volunteering”

If you dance with a grizzly bear, you had better let him lead.

“The Law of Avoiding Oversell”

When putting cheese in a mousetrap, always leave room for the mouse.

“The Law of Common Sense”

Never accept a drink from a urologist.

“The Law of Reality”

Never get into fights with less attractive people, they have less to lose.

“The Law of Self Sacrifice”

When you starve with a tiger, the tiger starves last.

“Weiler’s Law”

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn’t have to do it himself.

“Law of Probable Dispersal”

Whatever hits the fan will not be evenly distributed.

“Law of Volunteer Labor”

People are always available for work in the past tense.

“Conway’s Law”

In any organization there is one person who knows what is going on. That person must be fired.

“Iron Law of Distribution”

Them that has, gets.

“Law of Cybernetic Entomology”

There is always one more bug.

At a church in Mississippi, the pastor announced that their prison choir would be singing the following evening. I wasn’t aware there was a prison in the vicinity, so I looked forward to hearing them.

The next evening, I was puzzled when members of the church approached the stage. Then the pastor introduced them.

“This is our prison choir,” he said, “they’re behind a few bars and always looking for the key.”

Eileen Award:

iTunes: And the Oscar goes to . . . Tsunami_rtr!

Middle School Science Minute

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

Systems Thinking

I was recently reading the January, 2017 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.

In this issue, I read the the Editor’s Desk article, “Systems Thinking Solutions.” It was written by Patty McGinnis, Editor of Science Scope. The article describes how the cross-cutting concept of systems and system models is critical to science because it fosters understanding of the interconnectedness of system components.

From the Twitterverse:

#MiddleSchool educators, submit an article to AMLE Magazine & share your sch & classrm ideas that make a difference http://bit.ly/2kQmljC

Todd Bloch‏ @blocht574

Ready to sharpen up your vocabulary instruction? Check out the excellent articles in our collection: https://www.middleweb.com/category/articles/vocabulary-articles/ … #elachat @ncte

Look who showed up @MI_MAMSE #MAMSE Great to have Pam here in Michigan! Next year it’s you Dru! #mschat

Diane Ravitch‏ @DianeRavitch

Easy to make math game for practicing math facts http://buff.ly/2mL2rcV

Singapore Will Drop Grades, Reduce Testing http://dianeravitch.net/2017/03/11/64299 …

Mental Floss‏Verified account @mental_floss

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” —Douglas Adams, who was born on this day in 1952

Troy Hicks‏ @hickstro

Dr. Johnston makes me wonder why, WHY we are so focused on Lexile scores and reading logs when a reading life is so much more. #mrapassport

http://www.hometownlife.com/story/news/local/westland/2017/02/22/teachers-create-coding-course/98231362/

10 Classroom Discussion Techniques my guest post @RachelLynette ‘s Minds in Bloom blog http://buff.ly/2noJTMF

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

Strategies:

Teachers create coding course

Comics with Google Slides

How to Create Comic Strips in Google Slides.

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

Resources:

Tinycards

Easy way for students to study using Flashcards. Easy to create. Study process is automated with some choices.

https://tinycards.duolingo.com

Strong Passwords

It is more important than ever to have a good password.

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2017/03/how-to-create-strong-passwords.html#.WMQVmBIrJdA

Web Spotlight:

Working from home

https://youtu.be/Mh4f9AYRCZY

Random Thoughts . . .

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/about

March 4, 2017MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 351: Fire that Fox (or Bringing Shawn’s web to it’s knees), Moodle Use and Grading.

Jokes You Can Use:

What’s the difference between Roast Beef and Pea Soup?

If fortune tellers know the future, how come it’s so difficult to find a happy medium?

The manager of a large city zoo was drafting a letter to order a pair of animals. He sat at his computer and typed the following sentence: “I would like to place an order for two mongooses, to be delivered at your earliest convenience.”

He stared at the screen, focusing on that odd word “mongooses.” Then he deleted the word and added another, so that the sentence now read: “I would like to place an order for two mongeese, to be delivered at your earliest convenience.”

Again he stared at the screen, this time focusing on the new word, which seemed just as odd as the original one. Finally, he deleted the whole sentence and started all over. “Everyone knows no fully stocked zoo should be without a mongoose,” he typed. “Please send us two of them.”

Middle School Science Minute

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

Citizen Science — Nova’s Energy Labs

I was recently reading the December 2016 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.

In this issue, I read the the Citizen Science article, “Power Up Science Learning with NOVA’s Energy Lab.” It was written by Jill Nugent. The article describes the process by which students and teachers can get involved in a citizen science project — NOVA’s Energy Lab.. For more information, please visit:

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/2/24_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Citizen_Science-NOVA_Labs.html

From the Twitterverse:

Dr. Justin Tarte‏ @justintarte

The problem with typical grading methods visualized beautifully here by @tguskey: #sblchat #education #edchat

Miguel Guhlin‏ @mguhlin

RT An excellent resource for helping students discern fake news: http://ly.tcea.org/xqpmc . #students #cybersecurity via #TCEA

Middle Level Education Month is in full swing. Shine a spotlight on the great things at your school! #MLEM17 http://bit.ly/1pIIXUK

Jonathan Oosting‏Verified account @jonathanoosting

See our TOP POST this week? Teaching writing doesn’t have to be scary. @jserravallo #elachat #educoach #nwp #ntchat https://www.middleweb.com/34208/5-ideas-to-make-writing-more-fun-to-teach/ …

Michigan schools can avoid potential closure under a new ‘partnership’ model from state.

Miguel Guhlin‏ @mguhlin

MT Chrome Extension: AnyoneCanView http://alicekeeler.com/2017/01/26/chrome-extension-anyonecanview/ … http://alicekeeler.com/2017/01/26/chrome-extension-anyonecanview/ … via https://twitter.com/alicekeeler/status/837893838010212352 …

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

Strategies:

Who uses computers for math drill and practice? [SLIDE]

http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Scott-McLeod-Slides.007.jpeg

12 structures to keep kids focused when using the internet in class

Listen: https://www.acast.com/angelawatsonstruthforteachers/s5ep04-twelve-structures-to-keep-kids-focused-when-using-the-internet-in-class

How to search for publicly shared Google Documents, Presentations, and Spreadsheets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYDR4vaLBGE

Resources:

Three Myths About “Reading Levels”

Psychologists love to measure things, and perhaps nothing has been measured as much by psychologists as reading–both texts and readers.

Such misguided policies and practices are based on three very prevalent myths about reading levels:

Myth #1: Each text has a discrete, accurately measurable reading level.

Myth #2: Each reader has a discrete, accurately measurable level of reading skill.

Myth #3: Readers should (almost always) read texts very near their reading level.

Reading research has repeatedly demonstrated the effects of prior knowledge on reading comprehension; simply put, it is easier to read and understand texts that talk about things you already know a lot about.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reading-minds/201702/three-myths-about-reading-levels

Web Spotlight:

I AM A CHRONIC ABSENTEE.

A few weeks back, a local news channel here in the Triangle covered an issue that they feel is a major problem: Teachers who are “chronically absent.”

Their definition of “chronically absent?”

Any teacher that misses more than 10 days of school in a single school year.

6 for PD and conferences
2 for a sick daughter
1 for being sick “as a dog”
1 to get first hour covered to set up for students.

http://blog.williamferriter.com/2017/03/03/i-am-a-chronic-absentee/

ISS Video Feed

https://www.urthecast.com/live/

Random Thoughts . . .