Summary: 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.
