Middle School Matters

MSM 276: Picture (almost) Perfect! Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: Twitter: Julie Brannon, Tanya Knight, Sharon Ricks Advisory: Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) This is the second in a four part series on neuroscience with special guest Aneesha Badrinarayan, Outreach Programs Manager with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, in Ann Arbor, MI. You can visit the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum online at: http://www.aahom.org In this podcast, we look at the question of "What is the application of Neuroscience?" From the Twitterverse: Strategies: Powtoon http://www.powtoon.com/ http://www.powtoon.com/pricing/edu/ Resources: Historypin Historypin is a way for millions of people to come together, from across different generations, cultures and places, to share small glimpses of the past and to build up the huge story of human history. Everyone has history to share: whether its sitting in yellowed albums in the attic, collected in piles of crackly tapes, conserved in the 1000s of archives all over the world or passed down in memories and old stories. Each of these pieces of history finds a home on Historypin, where everyone has the chance to see it, add to it, learn from it, debate it and use it to build up a more complete understanding of the world. http://www.historypin.com/ Web Spotlight: Images from the Museum of New Zealand Over 14,000 images are available under a Creative Commons licence CC BY-NC-ND. If you aren’t familiar with Creative Commons it can look a little complicated, but what it means is you can use those images if attribute the image (we help you do that at each download page). You can’t make money from using the image, and you can’t change the image. Might sound a little restrictive but there is plenty you can still do, like use it in your homework, on your blog, print it and hang it on your wall… But even better are the 17,000 images that downloadable for any use, any use at all. These images have no known copyright restrictions. Again it would be good if you attributed the original maker of the work, and link to the page on Collections Online so others can find it, but that isn’t mandatory. http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/explore http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/ How (Not) to Talk to Kids About High-Stakes Tests By day, I’m a calm, mild-mannered middle school teacher who would do just about anything to motivate my students to do their best work and fall in love with learning. I praise their achievements and efforts, not just their high scores, and then watch those scores improve. By night, I am the mom of two daughters, and much of my hard-won professional acumen goes out the window. Defenders believe rigorous tests lead to better teaching and better learning only when the tests have sharp teeth: Students, educators, principals, and even whole schools face dire consequences if kids don’t do well. It’s a giant experiment, involving millions of children. 1. Going negative just does not work very well. 2. Praising hard work, not high scores, is more effective. 3. Stereotypes matter. So the takeaway for parents and teachers swept into the vortex of testing mania? Inspire students by helping them to see that their hard work has a purpose that will improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Build up students’ confidence by teaching them to work hard to improve their skills. Praise their tenacity and curiosity, not just their high scores. http://www.rewireme.com/explorations/talk-kids-high-stakes-tests/#sthash.aP67okS6.y7GwnHh9.dpbs Random Thoughts . . . ISTE 2014 eCommunity for Moodle Personal Web Site

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: Twitter: Lee Ann Jung Advisory: Drawing out things songs that don’t make sense http://www.buzzfeed.com/nathanwpyle/nonsensical-lyrics-explained-by-gifs What Your Handwriting Says About You Have your students write about a simple topic. http://www.buzzfeed.com/celestinomark/what-your-hand-writing-says-about-you What do you need for one bedroom housing? Have your students write out how much they think that they would need to make per hour to afford one bedroom housing in your area. This is based upon a 40 hour work week and working 52 weeks a year. This can be extended by having the work out the math to include a vacation. Students could also figure out if they moved how that could impact what they need to make. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/04/22/what-youd-need-to-make-in-every-county-in-america-to-afford-a-decent-one-bedroom/ Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) This is the first in a four part series on neuroscience with special guest Aneesha Badrinarayan, Outreach Programs Manager with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, in Ann Arbor, MI. You can visit the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum online at: http://www.aahom.org In this podcast, we look at the question of "What is Neuroscience?" From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” Resources: What We Can Learn from Oklahoma’s Repeal of Common Core http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2014/06/06/what-we-can-learn-from-oklahomas-repeal-of-common-core/ ExamTime Introduces New Options for Tracking Your Own Study Habits ExamTime is a neat service that students can use to create flashcards, mind maps, and practice quizzes to help them study. The most significant of the new ExamTime features is the new performance tracking option. Performance tracking allows students to keep track of how they scored on practice quizzes, monitor which flashcards they know and which they need to spend more time with, and track their comprehension of nodes of their mind maps. http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/05/examtime-introduces-new-options-for.html#.U5MXEZRdX70 Video: A New Version Of “I’m Just A Bill” That’s More Cynical & More Accurate http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2014/05/22/video-a-new-version-of-im-just-a-bill-thats-more-cynical-more-accurate/ Web Spotlight: SAMR Model Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/2014/04/27/FrameworksForEducationalTechnology_SAMRAndTheEdTechQuintet_CAIS.pdf The Problem with Outcome-Oriented Evaluations “When we play poker, we control our decision-making process but not how the cards come down. If you correctly detect an opponent’s bluff, but he gets a lucky card and wins the hand anyway, you should be pleased rather than angry, because you played the hand as well as you could. The irony is that by being less focused on your results, you may achieve better ones.” Smart decisions and strong performance do not always beget good results; the more factors in-between our actions and the desired outcome, the less predictive power the outcome can give us. Better policy would focus on school and teacher inputs. For example, we should agree on a set of clear and specific best teaching practices (with the caveat that they’d have to be sufficiently flexible to allow for different teaching styles) on which to base teacher evaluations. http://34justice.com/2014/05/19/the-problem-with-outcome-oriented-evaluations/ Random Thoughts . . . eCommunity for Moodle Personal Web Site

Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: Advisory: How Far Your Paycheck Goes, In 356 U.S. Cities http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/05/20/313131559/how-far-your-paycheck-goes-in-356-u-s-cities Caffeine It's not just in coffee anymore. From drinks to jerky to gum, caffeine is everywhere. In our latest video, we take a look at the science behind the world's most popular drug, including why that little molecule keeps you awake and reveal just how much caffeine is too much. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuJOhpNS0IY What is “Pretty”? http://www.whatispretty.com/#/ How the Blind see beauty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlcx_q8u_YI#t=27 Citizenship Test http://www.tastefullyoffensive.com/2014/05/americans-get-asked-questions-from-us.html http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/teachers/educational-products/100-civics-questions-and-answers-mp3-audio-english-version Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-PLACE-FAMOUS SCIENTISTS I was recently reading the February, 2014 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I was reading the article, "Science Evolving," written by Elizabeth Chick. In this article, Chick explains how she developed a yearlong study of famous life scientists to bring together the Common Core for English Language Arts with the Nature of Science, found in the Next Generation Science Standards. http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2014/3/17_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Place-Famous_Scientists.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” Strategies: Spurious Correlations http://www.tylervigen.com/ Open Rocket OpenRocket is a free, fully featured model rocket simulator that allows you to design and simulate your rockets before actually building and flying them. The main features include: Six-degree-of-freedom flight simulation Automatic design optimization Realtime simulated altitude, velocity and acceleration display Staging and clustering support Cross-platform (Java-based) http://scholasticadministrator.typepad.com/thisweekineducation/2014/05/quotes-.html#.U4CsUVhdX71 http://openrocket.sourceforge.net Engaging 6th Graders With Coding This week I am giving some guest bloggers the opportunity to share their ideas and experiences. This is a post from Alison Franz. http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/05/engaging-6th-graders-with-coding.html#.U4CqY1hdX70 Resources: AMLE Book Clearance http://www.amle.org/Shop/Closeouts.aspx Kaizena Kaizena allows teachers to provide audio feedback on shared Google Docs. This must be added through the App Store. https://kaizena.com/ Web Spotlight: Random Thoughts . . . Kids will still go to physical schools, to socialize and be guided by teachers, but as much, if not more, learning will take place employing carefully designed educational tools in the spirit of today’s Khan Academy --modular learning tailored to a student’s needs. -- Google gurus Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen pp 21-22 of THE NEW DIGITAL AGE: Transforming Nations, Businesses, and Our Lives (Vintage) http://scholasticadministrator.typepad.com/thisweekineducation/2014/05/quotes-.html#.U4CsUVhdX71 eCommunity for Moodle Personal Web Site

MSM 273: Maestro, my Kindergartener is now “College and Career Ready”. Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: ally-funny Eileen Award: Twitter: Jason Hovey, Tara Becker-Utess, Anna Asti, Andrea McKay, Kevin Sigaty, Jerri Wood, Google+: Heather Valdespino Advisory: 10 Jobs that will http://mashable.com/2014/04/28/jobs-of-the-future/ Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-HAND WASHING I was recently reading the January, 2014 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. One of my favorite sections in each Science Scope is the "Scope on Safety" section, written by Ken Roy, Director of Environmental Health and Safety for Glastonbury Public Schools. Ken shares his advice on hand washing. From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” Strategies: Google Lesson Plans http://www.google.com/insidesearch/searcheducation/lessons.html Resources: Curriculet Create/Use classroom texts that include mark ups, notes, and quizzes. Uses Google sign in. www.curriculet.com Twine is an open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories. http://twinery.org/ Google Classroom http://www.google.com/edu/classroom/ Web Spotlight: Digital Reading Poses Learning Challenges for Students By Benjamin Herold Comprehension may suffer when students read on the digital devices now flooding into classrooms, an emerging body of research suggests. When reading on screens, for example, people seem to reflexively skim the surface of texts in search of specific information, rather than dive in deeply in order to draw inferences, construct complex arguments, or make connections to their own experiences. Research has also found that students, when reading digitally, tend to discard familiar print-based strategies for boosting comprehension. And many of the multimedia elements, animations, and interactive features found in e-books appear to function primarily as amusing distractions. ...also quick to acknowledge a big problem: "I understand better when [text] is on paper, because it's all right there, and it's not skipping ahead and back all the time." A study last year by Heather R. and Jordan T. Schugar, a wife-and-husband research team at Westchester University of Pennsylvania, found that a small sample of students comprehended traditional books at "a much higher level" than they comprehended the same material when read on an iPad. "We live in two worlds now," she said. "We have to adapt." http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/05/07/30reading_ep.h33.html?tkn=PMMFo4tLGmh6NCiNzQJqSzJEzUsX5Cmy25wx&cmp=ENL-DD-NEWS1 Kindergarten show canceled so kids can keep studying to become ‘college and career ready.’ Really. An annual year-end kindergarten show has been canceled at a New York school because the kids have to keep working so they will be “college and career” ready. Really. This didn’t come out of the blue. Kindergarten (and even preschool) has increasingly become academic — at the expense of things such as recess and the arts — in this era of standardized test-based school reform. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/26/kindergarten-show-canceled-so-kids-can-keep-working-to-become-college-and-career-ready-reallyV Random Thoughts . . . eCommunity for Moodle Personal Web Site

MSM 272: POST! You gotta fix that. Oh, and get me engaged (not that way). Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: During training exercises, the Lieutenant driving down a muddy back road encountered another car stuck in the mud with a red-faced colonel at the wheel. "Your jeep stuck, sir?" asked the Lieutenant as he pulled alongside. "Nope," replied the Colonel, coming over and handing him the keys, "Yours is." Little Johnny was not paying attention in class so the math teacher called on him and said, “Johnny! What are 5, 2, 28 and 40?” Little Johnny quickly replied, “NBC, CBS, HBO, and Cartoon Network!” Okay, so a Texan rancher comes upon a farmer from Maine. The Texan looks at the Mainer and asks, "Say, how much land you think you got here?" Mainer: 'Bout 10 acres I'd say." Texan (boasting): Well, on my lot, it takes me all day to drive completely around my property!" Mainer: "Yep, I got one of them trucks too." A man put in 10 puns for a pun contest, hoping that at least one of them would win. But sadly, no pun in ten did. Wife: “How’d your doctor appointment go? Husband: “Well, there’s good news and bad news. My blood pressure’s high and I’m overweight. But, at the doctor’s suggestion, I’m going to take up golf!” Wife: “And the good news?” Eileen Award: iTunes: Twitter: Google+: Facebook: Email: Advisory: Birthday Celebrations Around the World Warning, could give students some ideas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWLGvaeDAlU Positive Messages https://twitter.com/FHUPrincipal/status/453508594554531840/photo/1 Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) Place-Based Inquiry I was recently reading the January, 2014 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I was reading the article, "Using Place-Based Inquiry to Inspire and Motivate Future Scientists," written by Callin Switzer. In this article, Callin explains the meaning of scientific inquiry and compares and contrasts place-based education and field-based education. http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2014/2/7_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Place-Based_Inquiry.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” Strategies: BookTrack Classroom Create texts for your students. The texts can include sounds. This could be a reading of the book or background music. http://cdn.booktrack.com/education-studio/index.html#!/ Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide.aspx?sid=19 Resources: Why Doesn't America Read Anymore? NPR had a terrific April fool’s joke. http://www.npr.org/2014/04/01/297690717/why-doesnt-america-read-anymore Web Spotlight: More Than Half of Students 'Engaged' in School, Says Poll Students who strongly agree that they have at least one teacher who makes them "feel excited about the future" and that their school is "committed to building the strengths of each student" are 30 times more likely than students who strongly disagree with those statements to show other signs of engagement in the classroom—a key predictor of academic success, according to a report released Wednesday by Gallup Education. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/04/09/28gallup.h33.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS1 Random Thoughts . . . Personal Web Site

MSM 271: Nerds, Saving Money, Put it on Paper Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: iTunes: Twitter: Sandra Martin, Carina Soto, Kaley Katherine, Duncan Gunstone Google+: Facebook: Email: Advisory: Wil Wheaton’s Response to being called a nerd Wil Wheaton explains to a girl how to handle being called a nerd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04WJEEb33CY#t=48 Body Language Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success. http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are#t-11094 Dining http://twentytwowords.com/barbarian-eating-different-countries-around-world-7-pics/ Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-STORY ASSESSMENTS I was recently reading the January, 2014 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I was reading the article, "Every Assessment Tells a Story," written by Fred Ende. In this article, Fred shares his design of Story Assessments as a form of evaluation design. His purpose for designing Story Assessments was to reduce student anxiety. http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2014/3/17_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Place-Famous_Scientists.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” Strategies: 14-Year-Old Proves U.S. Can Save $370 Million by Changing Fonts Changing the standard typeface used by federal and state governments could save the United States roughly $370 million a year in ink costs, according to a peer-reviewed study by Suvir Mirchandani. The best part of the story? Mirchandani is just 14 years old. It all started when Mirchandani, a student at Dorseyville Middle School near Pittsburgh, Pa., noticed that he was getting a lot more printed handouts in class than he used to in elementary school. He wondered how wasteful it was, and then discovered just how expensive ink is. At up to $75 an ounce, he points out, it's twice as expensive as Chanel No. 5 perfume. http://mashable.com/2014/03/28/save-money-change-fonts/ http://www.emerginginvestigators.org/ Resources: Paper Create all types of graph paper to print or use as a background for Interactive Whiteboards, presentations, etc. http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/ OR http://gridzzly.com/ Lingua.ly Learn Practice Read One free way to learn a new language. There is now a mobile app. Did I mention that it is free? http://lingua.ly/ Comics in Education http://www.comicsineducation.com/ Scrawlar Web based whiteboard. No registration required. No app or plugin required. Teacher creates class accounts. http://www.scrawlar.com/ My Slide Rule Upgrade your skills. Grow in your career. Find MOOC’s that will help you grow. http://www.mysliderule.com/

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: Google+: Kris Ham, Advisory: Yoga http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/low-income-students-combat-stress-mindfulness/ 58 Everyday Things You Never Knew Had Names http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/58-everyday-things-you-never-knew-had-names 77 Facts That Sound Like Huge Lies But Are Actually Completely True http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/77-facts-that-sound-like-huge-lies-but-are-completely-true Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS I was recently reading the January, 2014 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I was reading the article, "Supporting Linguistically Diverse Students" written by Joseph Johnson, Randy Yerrick, and Erin Kearney. In this article, they look six strategies to help provide success for English Language Learners. http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2014/1/24_Middle_School_Science_Minute-English_Language_Learners.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” Strategies: How to Trick a Child Into Playing the Violin (or Other Boring Things) http://geekdad.com/2014/03/trick-a-child-into-violin/ Resources: Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Wheel http://eductechalogy.org/swfapp/blooms/wheel/engage.swf Classic Books http://read.gov/books/ Evolution of a Story from Idea to Publication: A Behind-the-Scenes Look Explains the writing process from a writer. http://www.jamierubin.net/2014/02/26/evolution-of-a-story-from-idea-to-publication-a-behind-the-scenes-look/ Web Spotlight: http://www.scpr.org/blogs/education/2014/03/03/15966/eli-broad-appoints-head-of-philanthropic-education/ Virtual autopsy: explore a natural mummy from early Egypt http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/past_exhibitions/2012/virtual_autopsy.aspx Free CopyRight Courses Peer 2 Peer University is again offering some free courses on Copyright and Creative Commons for educators. Copyright for Educators and Creative Commons for Educators begin in March and run through early May. Copyright for Educators has an enrollment limit and requires an application. Creative Commons for Educators does not have an enrollment limit nor does it require an application. Creative Commons for Educators: The course will run for a period of 7 weeks, as split up to the left and below. Each week has a different task to complete, which is due the following Sunday. Tasks may take anywhere from half an hour to two hours or more, depending on how much effort you and your small group wants to put in that week. Like most things in life-- the more time you put into it, the more you will get out of it. Course break-down 3 March - Week 1: Introduce yourself and your classroom need 10 March - Week 2: Creative Commons in Context 17 March - Week 3: Find the materials with the rights you need 24 March - Week 4: Remix and attribute 31 March - Week 5: Share your work 7 April - Week 6: Collaborate and create 14 April - Week 7: Share your resource about CC https://p2pu.org/en/courses/1283/creative-commons-for-k-12-educators/ http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/02/free-copyright-and-creative-commons.html#.Uxsu1NyxNTN Good Parenting Skills http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/11/good-parenting-skills/ Random Thoughts . . . Personal Web Site

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: Twitter: William Gould, Val Jones, Mark Maudlin, Jessica Herring, Bren Martin Advisory: Skeptic 101 THE SKEPTICAL STUDIES CURRICULUM RESOURCE CENTER is a comprehensive, free repository of resources for teaching students how to think skeptically. This Center contains an ever-growing selection of books, reading lists, course syllabi, in-class exercises, PowerPoint presentations, student projects, papers, and videos that you may download and use in your own classes. Lessons in these resources include: what science is, how it differs from pseudoscience, and why it matters the scientific method and how to use it to investigate and conduct skeptical analyses of extraordinary claims how to construct effective arguments and rhetorical strategies how to effectively use presentations and papers to present an argument reason, logic, and skeptical analysis the psychology of belief how ideas are presented within academia how peer review works and much more… http://www.skeptic.com/skepticism-101/ Hand gestures http://www.pimsleurapproach.com/blog/language-learning/the-hand-jive-hand-gestures-infographic Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-THE LEONARDO STRATEGY I was recently reading the January, 2014 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I was reading the article, "The Leonardo Strategy" written by Renee Clary and James Wandersee. In this article, they look at scientific discourse and argumentation in an online environment. http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2014/1/19_Middle_School_Science_Minute-The_Leonardo_Strategy.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” Strategies: Professional Development Be glad this isn’t you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAy3vJn4pbs#t=34 Cultivate a Learning Mindset: Passion What can be seen in an organization with a learning mindset characterized by passion? http://blog.clerestorylearning.com/cultivate-a-learning-mindset-passion Characteristics of Good Leadership http://infographicjournal.com/characteristics-of-good-leadership/ Resources: Chogger Create comics online. http://chogger.com/ Web Spotlight: 25 Literary Opening Lines Diagrammed on One Giant Poster http://mentalfloss.com/article/55248/25-literary-opening-lines-diagrammed-one-giant-poster 25 maps and charts that explain America today http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/02/24/25-maps-and-charts-that-explain-america-today/ Real Discipline in School http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/02/17/opinion/real-discipline-in-school.html Nine-hour school day is the norm – and a national model – at Oakland middle school http://edsource.org/today/2014/oakland-middle-schools-9-hour-school-day-is-model-program/57269 Random Thoughts . . . Blended Learning. Class I’m taking as a student. Special shout out to Ron King for his contributions.

MSM 268: Twitter never stops….One linkey dink. Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: Twitter: Mark Maudlin, Kip Email: Aaron Atwood Advisory: Cost of things: Students are probably pretty aware of Facebook. Recently, Facebook purchased “WhatsApp” for $19 billion. What could they have purchased with that instead? http://twentytwowords.com/things-that-are-cheaper-than-facebooks-new-acquisition-whatsapp-like-iceland-for-instance/ Visiting America What would you tell visitors from other countries about America? http://mentalfloss.com/article/55140/10-japanese-travel-tips-visiting-america Would it be OK to have a dance restricted by grades? http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/top-grades-open-the-door-to-school-dance-in-montgomery/2014/02/03/3bb75640-89df-11e3-916e-e01534b1e132_story.html?wprss=rss_Copy%20of%20local-alexandria-social How Real are Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qrGOi41iwE Elie Wiesel’s Acceptance Speech We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. one person of integrity, can make a difference, a difference of life and death. What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their voices are stifled we shall lend them ours, that while their freedom depends on ours, the quality of our freedom depends on theirs. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1986/wiesel-acceptance.html Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-LABELING CONTAINERS I was recently reading the December, 2013 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I was reading the safety question of the month, written by Ken Roy, director of environmental health and safety for Glastonbury Public Schools in Glastonbury, CT. The question is: If I transfer a chemical from its original container to a secondary container, what information do I need on the label of the new container? http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2014/1/10_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Labeling_Containers.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!” Strategies: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/inventing-the-american-presidency-kenneth-c-davis Resources: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/02/how-to-add-450-fonts-to-your-google.html#.UwjH2fRdW8t Google Newspaper Archives Newspapers from around the world. These vary greatly in time periods as well. Lots of applications. Have students research a specific time period and compare how different newspapers reported the events. Have students view a single newspaper over time to see the changes in attitudes, reporting, etc. Have students compare the advertisements in a variety of newspapers. Have students use the newspapers accounts to develop a setting for a story. http://news.google.com/newspapers Video Conference Programs This database, sponsored by Polycom, Inc., contains programs from content providers such as zoos and museums that offer ISDN or IP based videoconferencing. The Berrien County ISD has researched this information to the best of our knowledge. If you have any corrections or updates, please email them to twice.cc.board@gmail.com. http://projects.twice.cc/vcpd/searchprogram.php Web Spotlight: Dating Rules http://twentytwowords.com/30-rules-for-boyfriends-from-2-little-girls-with-very-high-standards/ Connected Educator 2014 Conference Random Thoughts . . . Blended Learning. Class I’m taking as a student.

MSM 267: Make Shawn feel good, Dave Does the Climate Change ... Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: iTunes: Sghtblindr Twitter: Marie Booz Google+: Michael Dettloff Facebook: Advisory: Different Students http://www.coolcatteacher.com/videos/autistic-boy-speaks/ Rewritten Book titles http://www.themillions.com/2014/01/read-me-please-book-titles-rewritten-to-get-more-clicks.html Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-SPECIAL EDUCATION I was recently reading the December, 2013 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I came upon an article entitled, "Special Education in the Science Classroom: A Co-Teaching Scenario" written by Lisa Dieker, Lisa Finnegan, Kelly Grillo, and Dennis Garland. In the article they cite five areas that science teachers should consider regarding building a positive, inclusive classroom setting. 1. Both teachers must be involved 2. Reading and vocabulary instruction is critical 3. Teaching students how to write in the science curriculum 4. Using effective grouping and teaching social skills directly 5. Assess learning constantly http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2014/1/3_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Special_Education.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Strategies: Meryl Streep provides examples of Voice From the Ellen Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8TSBw5JiWE#t=159 Resources: Getty Publications Virtual Library Free digital backlist titles from the Getty Publications Archives http://www.getty.edu/publications/virtuallibrary/index.html MetPublications http://www.metmuseum.org/research/metpublications Full text online: (395 current choices): http://www.metmuseum.org/research/metpublications/titles-with-full-text-online?searchtype=F Create Infographics Nice rundown on different tools to create infographics. http://www.razorsocial.com/make-your-own-infographic/ Down for everyone or just me? Neat site that will let you know if a web site is down, or just down for you. This can help troubleshoot if a firewall is blocking a site or school filters, etc. http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/# Online Timer/Clock Free, easy to use. http://www.teachit.co.uk/custom_content/Timer/clock3.html Web Spotlight: 3 Things We Should Stop Doing in Professional Development by George Couros • January 30, 2014 1. Creating a detailed agenda 2. Scheduling back-to-back-to-back-to-back learning 3. Thinking that “collaboration” with others is the only way we learn http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/10156 Remind 101 Adds Support for Sending Text Messages to Subgroups http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/01/remind-101-adds-support-for-sending.html#.Uu55BnddW8s Map: 'How Much Snow It Typically Takes to Cancel School in the U.S.' Trubetskoy includes the following clarifications: http://m.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/01/map-how-much-snow-it-typically-takes-to-cancel-school-in-the-us/283470/ Connected Educator 2014 Conference The Educator’s Un/Conference . . . and 4 Scechs to boot!

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: Twitter: Erin McAndrews Advisory: Best City to Visit London is on track to being the most popular tourist destination in the world, beating Paris and New York, with latest numbers showing visitors to the UK capital up 20 per cent. The rivalry between 'The Big Smoke' (London) and 'The City of Love' (Paris) comes amid another media-based spat between Britain and France over the economy. http://www.englishblog.com/2014/01/reuters-video-london-eyed-as-best-tourist-city-.html#.UtqRsGQo4_U Trending Words Kind of like Word of the day, http://www.merriam-webster.com/trend-watch/2014/01/17/ Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-SAFETY IN VIDEOS I was recently reading the November, 2013 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I came upon an article entitled, "Safety in Videos," written by Ken Roy, Director of Environmental Health and Safety for Glastonbury Public Schools. Ken shares his advice on how teachers should always review media with an eye toward appropriate safety practices. http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/12/20_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Safety_In_Videos.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Strategies: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~duckwort/images/12-item%20Grit%20Scale.05312011.pdf Resources: This scientist has three patents pending. He also happens to be 12. http://blog.ted.com/2014/01/13/this-scientist-has-three-patents-pending-he-also-happens-to-be-12/ Web Spotlight: 40 more maps that explain the world Maps can be a remarkably powerful tool for understanding the world and how it works, but they show only what you ask them to. You might consider this, then, a collection of maps meant to inspire your inner map nerd. I've searched far and wide for maps that can reveal and surprise and inform in ways that the daily headlines might not, with a careful eye for sourcing and detail. I've included a link for more information on just about every one. Enjoy. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/01/13/40-more-maps-that-explain-the-world/ Rag Linen Rag Linen, named for the heavy-duty paper on which pre-19th century news was printed, is an online museum of rare and historic newspapers, which serve as the first drafts of history and the critical primary source material for historians, authors and educators. Curator and publisher Todd Andrlik has built one of the most significant and comprehensive private collections of Revolutionary War era newspapers. Glimpses of the newspapers can be found on RagLinen.com, but the full archive of American Revolution newspaper coverage will be made public for the first time in the forthcoming book, Reporting the Revolutionary War: Before It Was History, It Was News (Sourcebooks, November 2012). Before 1870, newspapers were printed on a sturdy paper made by pulping linen rags, often from clothes or ship sails. Thanks to the durability of rag linen paper and Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press, history’s most important events from the 16th through the 19th centuries are often well preserved in printed form. http://raglinen.com/ Rick Rolled my physics teacher... https://twitter.com/sairamg3/status/422906182152757248 History Picz https://twitter.com/HistoryPicz AMLE 2013 Annual Conference

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: Twitter: Chris Gore, Rolli, Ali Spagnola Advisory: The Train that never stops http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIeRrU4_M3Q#t=18 19 Saying Fixed http://thedoghousediaries.com/5574 Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-CLASSROOM ZOO I was recently reading the November, 2013 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I came upon an article entitled, "Classroom Zoo: Practicing Ethical Research on Animals," written by June Poling from Portland, OR. She developed a classroom invertebrate zoo project where students take on the role of zookeepers. http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/12/13_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Classroom_Zoo.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Strategies: 5 Special Strategies for Teaching Tweens Strategy 1: Teach to Developmental Needs Strategy 2: Treat Academic Struggle as Strength Strategy 3: Provide Multiple Pathways to Standards Strategy 4: Give Formative Feedback Strategy 5: Dare to Be Unconventional http://www.middleweb.com/6641/5-strategies-for-tween-teachers/ Resources: What Happens on the Internet in a Minute? http://dailyinfographic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Internet-minute.jpg The Principal: The Most Misunderstood Person in All of Education http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/11/the-principal-the-most-misunderstood-person-in-all-of-education/281223/ Common Core and the Food Pyramid By Rick Hess on December 16, 2013 7:33 AM http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/2013/12/common_core_and_the_food_pyramid.html Fighting in Teenagers Lowers Their IQ http://calorielab.com/news/2013/08/12/fighting-in-teenagers-lowers-their-iq/ Web Spotlight: How flipping saved a teacher’s career

MSM 264: Suffixes matter & Sunshine on the Soap Bubbles . . . Then there was a ding. Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: iTunes: Twitter: Jodi Stewart, Coach Burk, Michael Carton Google+: Facebook: Advisory: T-Rex I've included a link for you to print out your own. The trick looks best through a camera. If you close one eye and move back and forth it works pretty good too. GreenT-Rex image http://i.imgur.com/vBDV8o5.jpg Red T-rex http://i.imgur.com/80DDCYy.jpg Blue T-rex http://i.imgur.com/Z8lZnoK.jpg Winter Soap Bubbles http://www.boredpanda.com/frozen-bubbles-winter-photography-angela-kelly/ Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-POWERPOINT FLASHCARDS I was recently reading the November, 2013 issue of Science Scope, a magazine for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. I then read the article "Increasing Science Vocabulary Using PowerPoint Flash Cards.” In order to help improve science vocabulary in the school, they did the following: 1. Explored Science-Vocabulary Acquisition 2. Implemented Vocabulary Instructional Practices 3. Implemented PowerPoint Flash Cards 4. Integrated Science Vocabulary as a School-Wide, Universal Support System. http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/12/4_Middle_School_Science_Minute-PowerPoint_Flashcards.html From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Strategies: Resources: Open Library https://openlibrary.org/ Web Spotlight: Turn 0 Phrase Identify colloquial phrases. http://turn-o-phrase.appspot.com/ ‘Small typo’ casts big doubt on teacher evaluations http://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/small-typo-casts-big-doubt-on-teacher-evaluations-education-101517.html#.UrnmXe55TWk.twitter 5 Ideas To Bring Parents Into The Learning Process by George Couros • December 26, 2013 Here are some ways that we can build strong connections with the parents in our school communities: Use what the kids use Have an open mind Tap into parent leadership Focus on open communication Create learning opportunities http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/9881 Why All Students Should Write: A Neurological Explanation by Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed., radteach.com http://www.teachthought.com/literacy-2/why-all-students-should-write-a-neurological-explanation-for-literacy/

MSM 263: How do I love thee? Let me calculate the snow days . . . Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: The local sheriff was looking for a deputy, so Gomer, who was not exactly the sharpest nail in the bucket, went in to try out for the job. "Okay," the sheriff drawled, "Gomer, what is 1 and 1?" "11" he replied. The sheriff thought to himself, "That's not what I meant, but he's right. What two days of the week start with the letter 'T'?" "Today and tomorrow." The sheriff was again surprised that Gomer supplied a correct answer that he had never thought of himself. "Now Gomer, listen carefully: Who killed Abraham Lincoln?" Gomer looked a little surprised himself, then thought really hard for a minute and finally admitted, "I don't know." "Well, why don't you go home and work on that one for a while?" So, Gomer wandered over to the barbershop where his pals were waiting to hear the results of the interview. Gomer was exultant. "It went great! First day on the job and I'm already working on a murder case!" At school one morning the teacher asked little Johnny what he had for breakfast. Little Johnny said, well, on my way to school I come cross this Apple tree, so I climbed up there and started eating apples. I guess I eat about six, said little Johnny. No, said the teacher, it’s ate! Little Johnny said well it could've been eight I don't remember. Q. What did the traffic light say to the other traffic light? A. Don’t look now am changing! Q: What kind of insects to you find on the Moon. A: Lunar Ticks (Lunatics) Q. Why did the kid eat his homework? A. His teacher said it was a piece of cake. Eileen Award: iTunes: Twitter: Shawn Davids, Middle Grades Ed UGA, Google+: Jaguar Ed, Facebook: Advisory: One Job Have students write a story about one of the pictures. http://hadonejob.com/ Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) Science Literacy I was recently reading the November, 2013 issue of Science Scope, a magazine for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. I then read the article "Building Science Literacy by Reading: Science News" written by Kent Schielke, a 7th-8th grade science teacher in Naperville, IL. Every year, she challenges her 8th graders with the question, "Where will you get your information about new science after you take your last science class." She then shares the assignment that she uses to help her students answer this question. From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Strategies: Club Academia http://clubacademia.org/ Five Tools That Help Students Plan Stories As a student the importance of planning a story before writing it was driven into my head. Then when I became a teacher, I drove that same message home to my students. Here are five free tools that students can use to plan and outline their stories. Storybuilder. Story Map ACMI Storyboard Generator Storyboard That Cube Creators http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/12/five-tools-that-help-students-plan.html#.UrW-a2RDu8s Resources: Snow Day Calculator http://www.snowdaycalculator.com/calculator.php Free Images from the British Library http://www.openculture.com/2013/12/british-library-puts-1000000-images-into-public-domain.html Web Spotlight: AMLE 2013 Annual Conference Flipped Classrooms in the Middle Level Nichole Carter (@MrsCarterHLA) Random Thoughts . . . Moodle https://moodle.org/

MSM 262: MODEMS Are a Pain, but necessary… The Musical. Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: Advisory: Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) From the Twitterverse: Strategies: Resources: AMLE 2013 Annual Conference Rick Wormeli & Formative Assessment Videos: The Piano Guys and the Nowegian Technology Problem. The Inner Net Formative vs. Summative Assessment and questions conventional practice. Random Thoughts . . . Conference notes. Native Apps vs Generic Conference apps.