Life Is The Future

Life Is The Future

By Scott TodnemEducation
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Life Is The Future episodes

  • Fun Friday - Trivia: What happens to swallowed gum? Wacky Facts: The Amazing Human Body

    Sadly, the COVID-19 quarantine has put a hold on the student-led podcasts for Season 2.

    However, to supplement the remote teaching and e-learning that is occurring, I will put together a sample of some of the "Fun Friday" activities that usually occur within our Health classroom.

    I was going to just record these for students in my virtual classrooms, but figured I'd use this platform to share with the public as well. Hope you enjoy!

    BACKGROUND

    Depending on the grade level, each Friday we start the period off with some Wacky Facts or Weekly Trivia. These often coincide with the content or skills we've been working on, but mostly they're just for fun and learning. Plus, they often allow us to cover some things with the body systems.

    If you're into fact checking or you have additional fun facts for us, feel free to leave a comment. :)

    BACKLOG

    As always, remember to backtrack episodes from the past two school years to hear directly from middle school students. I also have an "Expert Insight" summer series you can listen to in which I interview positive contributors to the world of health, life, and the future.

    Thanks for checking things out! Stay safe and healthy, and hang in there.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    15 min
  • Teens Talking Mental Health - S2 E19

    Mental health: our cognitive, emotional, and behavioral well-being-- in other words, the relationship between how we think, feel, and behave.

    This week our hosts Lauren and Rhys have a conversation with classmates Sreenija, Vanshika, and Audi about mental health. Their discussion focuses on the perception of mental illness, having open dialogue about mental health, if schools and Health Classes help, and what influences emotional well-being in teens.

    RESOURCES

    MentalHealth.gov Let's Talk About It
    World Health Organization (WHO) Self-Care and Self-Help
    National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Top HelpLine Resources
    National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
    Health Mind Platter Essential Brain Activities

    Tune in later this week as our other two hosts, Salil and Shauna, take the lead with a new topic and a new set of guests. Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on our podcast episodes throughout the school year.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    22 min
  • Is Internet Privacy Possible? - S2 E18

    The Internet. Is it possible to be safe and private while still having fun with social media?

    This week's 8th grade hosts, Salil and Shauna, are joined by Sara, Danielle, and Brady. The group starts off by discussing if businesses should check social media prior to hiring employees. They continue the conversation to include Internet privacy, and the lack of, as well as young people lying to get on social media apps. The students end by offering tips for pre-teens to consider before getting on media.

    RESOURCES

    Pew Research Study: Teens & Social Media
    Common Sense Media: Teens on Social Media & How Much Screen Time is Okay?
    Adam Alter: TED Talk & "Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology"

    Tune in next week as our other two hosts, Lauren and Rhys, take the lead with a new topic and a new set of guests. Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on our podcast episodes throughout the school year.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    19 min
  • Teens, Fashion, and School Dress Codes - S2 E17

    Dress Codes: a set of rules with regards to clothing, often created out of social perceptions and norms, with a required manner of dress at a school, office, restaurant, etc.

    This week our hosts Lauren and Rhys have a conversation with classmates Sydney and Manasvi about dress codes in school and the impact of clothing styles on teens.

    The group considers whether school uniforms would be beneficial in public schools, if dress codes are unfair, and what is influencing trends in clothing styles for teenagers today. What are your thoughts? Do our clothes help us by representing our individuality, or is there too much pressure put on teens about how to dress?

    RESOURCES

    Provoking Article:
    Tweens and Fitting In: Wearing Brand Name Clothes May Be Worth It

    Stress Management:

    How To Handle Fashion Pressure and be Confident in Your Skin

    Decision Making:

    Peer Pressure & Its Influence on Teens

    Tune in later this week as our other two hosts, Salil and Shauna, take the lead with a new topic and a new set of guests. Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on our podcast episodes throughout the school year.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    20 min
  • Should Teenagers Be Drug Tested in School? - S2 E16

    Drug testing: Is it legal? Invasive? A viable way to help or intervene?

    This week's 8th grade hosts, Salil and Shauna, are joined by Luke and Antwoyne. The group discusses teen influences, focusing mostly on drug use, and debating the possibility of drug testing in schools. First, could that ever be a thing, and next, is that the right type of help for students? Is that the intervention young people might need, or is it just an invasion of privacy and personal freedom?

    RESOURCES

    Youth Risk Behavior Survey
    CDC - E-Cigarettes
    Tobacco Free Kids
    Stanford Tobacco Toolkit
    NIH - Underage Drinking
    Illinois Policy - Marijuana Legalization

    Tune in next week as our other two hosts, Lauren and Rhys, take the lead with a new topic and a new set of guests. Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on our podcast episodes throughout the school year.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    19 min
  • Adolescent Stereotypes - S2 E15

    Back at it with another discussion on teenage stereotypes!

    Stereotype: a generalization based on a group in which a person belongs. (Ex: race, age, gender, income, neighborhood, etc.)

    This week our hosts Lauren and Rhys have their first conversation about stereotypes in school and society. They talk with classmates Nathan and Ethan about unfair perceptions of people based on example stereotypes, and all four 8th graders analyze what influences those generalizations.

    Earlier in this season, our other hosts, Salil and Shauna, took on the topic in Episode, They discussed things like gender, race, and age, as well as some of the -isms we see in society. This is a fantastic follow-up to that discussion, this time with a focus on the impact of teachers and media, how we talk and the common phrases students hear, and how we all put up "masks" as barriers to our true self at times.

    RESOURCES

    Students & Parents:
    5 Masks We Wear & Why We Should Take Them Off from HuffPost

    Parents:

    Teens Aren't Just Risk Machines from The Conversation

    Teachers:

    How Middle School Kids Reject Stereotypes from MiddleWeb
    Talking About Race & Stereotypes in School from Edutopia

    Tune in later this week as our other two hosts, Salil and Shauna, take the lead with a new topic and a new set of guests. Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on our podcast episodes throughout the school year.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    20 min
  • Analyzing Social Health in Middle School - S2 E14

    Socialization: the process of mixing and getting along with others; learning to behave in a way that is acceptable to society.

    This week's 8th grade hosts, Salil and Shauna, are back in action for 2020! They are joined by Siddarth, Megan, and Makenzi. The group discusses relationships and social interactions, with some tangents into school projects, Health Class activities, honors classes, and the potential of dating in middle school.

    RESOURCES

    Teens and Socializing: Relationships, Coping Skills, Substances from Newport Academy
    Socially Active Teens are Physically Healthier from Today
    Social & Emotional Learning Competencies from CASEL

    Tune in next week as our other two hosts, Lauren and Rhys, take the lead with a new topic and a new set of guests. Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on our podcast episodes throughout the school year.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    18 min
  • Managing Future Expectations - S2 E13

    Expectation: a belief that someone will or should achieve something.

    Back for the new year... it's 2020! This week our hosts Lauren and Rhys have a conversation with Lara and Melody about the pressure of the future teens feel at each present moment. The four 8th graders discuss high school classes, stress management, today's generation vs. their parents, and managing future expectations.

    RESOURCES
    Students:
    MindBe Education - 30 Mindfulness Activities for Teens

    Parents:
    Parent Learning Center - Expectations That Your Teen Will Appreciate In The Future

    Teachers:
    Time - Teen Depression and Anxiety: Why the Kids Are Not Alright
    Chicago Tribune - 'No worse fate than failure': How pressure to keep up is overwhelming students

    Tune in next week as our other two hosts, Salil and Shauna, take the lead with a new topic and a new set of guests. Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on our podcast episodes throughout the school year.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    18 min
  • Motivation in Middle School Life - S2 E12

    Motivation: the desire and action towards a life goal.

    This week's 8th grade hosts, Salil and Shauna, are joined once again by Makenzi and Sathvik. The group discusses life motivation and more, focusing on wrapping up first semester of the school year, hopes for heading into winter break, and even potential topics that would be fun for students to discuss for future podcasts.

    RESOURCES:

    What is Motivation? from Psychology Today.
    The Scientific Guide on How to Get and Stay Motivated by James Clear.
    Managing the Seemingly Inevitable Holiday Season Stress from Elizabeth Scott.

    Tune in next year as we continue in 2020 with Season 2 of our podcast! Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on our podcast episodes throughout the remainder of the school year.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    17 min
  • Student Voice in Education - S2 E11

    Student voice: the values, opinions, and other perspectives of students in a school, which can lead to the development of student choices, interests, passions, and ambitions.

    This week our hosts Lauren and Rhys have a conversation with Josh and Karshin about their new school project we have launched: "A Middle School Minute." The four 8th graders discuss student voice in education, focusing on this new creative outlet of journalism as another platform for students to practice life skills like communication, decision making, and advocacy.

    RESOURCES
    Edutopia - Students' input and expertise can help shape their own learning and growth.
    VCU - Student Voice: A growing movement within education that benefits students and teachers.
    Education Week - Raising Student 'Voice and Choice' Is the Mantra. But Is It a Good Idea?

    Tune in next week as our other two hosts, Salil and Shauna, take the lead with a new topic and a new set of guests. Make sure to subscribe to keep up to date on our podcast episodes throughout the school year.

    Teaching insight, blog posts, and more from the Health Education classroom: LifeIsTheFuture.com

    18 min

About Life Is The Future

From the publisher's feed

Thoughts from the Health Education classroom, brought to you by Scott Todnem and his middle school students.