Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Twitter: Tricia Fuglestad, Tara Kuty

Advisory:

Myers-Briggs

Introduction to the Cognitive Style Inventory

This modest self-scoring inventory is Not a substitute for taking an MBTI ®. It is simply an introduction to personality type or psychological type. We hope it whets your appetite for learning more about the Myers and Briggs model of personality development and its message of increased human understanding.

The Style Inventory will allow you to approximate what are your MBTI Type preferences. After determining your 4 Type letters, you can jump to a number of links we have provided to help you get acquainted with the characteristics and indicators of the 16 types and verify if your type, as determined by this "unscientific" survey, seems to "fit" or not.

http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html

Does Being Rich make you Different?

Science can explain a lot of things that I've always wondered about (go, science!). In this case, it explains what I've known for a long time but been unable to quite understand: Why do some folks who have a lot more money than others seem to be less nice and more evil to everyone around them? At 0:50, someone actually takes candy from babies. No, really. At 3:00, we start to see the science unfold before our eyes. Entire management courses could — and should — be taught with the bit starting at 4:40. http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/07/take-two-normal-people-add-money-to-just-one-of-them-and-watch-what-happens-next.html

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Petri Plate Disposal

I was recently reading "The NSTA Ready Reference Guide to Safer Science," written by Ken Roy of the Glastonbury Public Schools. In this book, Key answers questions that have been submitted by middle school science teachers. In this podcast, Ken answers the following question:

"What is a safe way to dispose of Petri Plates used to grow mold and bacteria?"

If you would like to order Ken's book, please visit the NSTA bookstore at:

http://nsta.org/store

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/10/11_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Petri_Plate_Disposal.html

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Strategies:

Resources:

http://ayearofproductivity.com/10-things-learned-productivity-watching-70-hours-ted-talks-last-week/

SwipeSpeare

Shakespeare has all the ingredients of a big budget movie—if you can understand him.

SwipeSpeare puts the words of the Bard into plain and simple English with a Swipe of a finger!

Unlike other apps that put the original and modern side-by-side in a way that is distracting and hard to read, SwipeSpeare only shows you the modern text when you want to see it. Simply swipe your finger over the text, and the text will change; swipe it again and it will change back.

Romeo & Juliet is free.

http://www.swipespeare.com/features.html

Web Spotlight:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/18/what-poor-children-need-in-school/

Half-Baked Ideas . . .

If you’re at AMLE, say, “Hi!”

A couple of observations about AMLE this year. 1. It’s going to be colder than usual. 2. No conference App this year. Yea, verily. There is much sadness . . . 3. If you see a person wearing a Middle School Matters podcast shirt, be sure to say hello. Hope to see you there! (If I have MSM pencils, you can have one for free!)

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Advisory:

Why Read?

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Argumentation From Evidence

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/9/6_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Argumentation_From_Evidence.html

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Resources:

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/10/7-free-ipad-apps-for-science-lessons.html#.UmKY82RASQk

http://ilearntechnology.com/?p=5158

http://addisonstales.com/

Web Spotlight:

http://code.org/

The Test of the Common Core

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/e-d-hirsch-jr/common-core-tests_b_3824859.html

DreamSchool

http://www.edwize.org/is-dream-school-a-reality-tv-nightmare

Bruno: Bullying Is Bad, But Do We Know How To Stop It?

http://scholasticadministrator.typepad.com/thisweekineducation/2013/10/bruno-bullying-is-bad-but-do-we-know-how-to-stop-it.html

MSM 257: From NanoTech to Space - Be Safe

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Twitter: David Katz, NAESP, Student Linkup, BJ Piel, Mark Denham (Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Education at the University of Detroit Mercy)

Advisory:

15 Ways of the Successful Self-Directed Learner

by Jeff Cobb

1. Takes initiative

2. Is comfortable with independence

3. Is persistent

4. Accepts responsibility

5. Views problems as challenges, not obstacles

6. Is capable of self-discipline

7. Has a high degree of curiosity

8. Has a strong desire to learn or change

9. Is self-confident

10. Is able to use basic study skills

11. Organizes his or her time

12. Sets an appropriate pace for learning

13. Develops a plan for completing work

14. Has a tendency to be goal-oriented

15. Enjoys learning

http://www.missiontolearn.com/2013/10/self-directed-learning-success/

Malala Yousafzai

The winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday, and Malala Yousafzai, the youngest nominee ever, is considered by many to be the frontrunner.

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2013/10/09/the-best-resources-on-malala-yousafzai/

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/tue-october-8-2013-malala-yousafzai

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Nanotechnology Basics

I was recently reading the Summer, 2013 issue of "Science Scope," a magazine for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. Within this issue is the monthly column, "Green Science," written by Jessica Palliser. This month, Jessica writes about the nanoscale and provides a basic understanding of nanotechnology basics.

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Resources:

The Civil War Trust

The Civil War Trust is America's largest non-profit organization (501-C3) devoted to the preservation of our nation's endangered Civil War battlefields. The Trust also promotes educational programs and heritage tourism initiatives to inform the public of the war's history and the fundamental conflicts that sparked it.

http://www.civilwar.org/

9 Out Of 10 Americans Are Completely Wrong About This Mind-Blowing Fact

This pretty much speaks for itself. At 1:05, I get a rude awakening. At 1:41, he starts talking about you. At 2:24, he says a "bad" word. At 3:50, he kind of breaks my brain. At 4:50, he lets you know how broke you really are. At 5:20, he rubs it in. And at 5:50, he points out that reality isn't close to what we think it is.

http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact-2?g=6

Web Spotlight:

Beware of the Internet Safety Industrial Complex

Larry Magid

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-magid/beware-of-the-internet-safety_b_4066956.html

The Six Best YouTube URL Tricks

Repeat All or Part of a Video

Download Any Video

Bypass Regional Restrictions

Jump to a Specific Time

Disable Related Videos

Skip to the Good Parts With the Wadsworth Constant

http://lifehacker.com/the-six-best-youtube-url-tricks-1422544868

The myth of NASA's expensive space pens

Fantastic story, right? Except that's not what happened. NASA originally used pencils in space but pencils tend to give off things that float in zero-g (broken leads, graphite dust, shavings) and are flammable.

After testing, NASA ordered 400 Fisher pens for use on space missions at a cost of under $1000. Russia switched to using the pens a year later.

http://kottke.org/13/10/the-myth-of-nasas-expensive-space-pens

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Advisory:

How to Create Chocolate Out of Nothing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y13tSEyOqGs

Find more

http://www.marianotomatis.it/EN/index.php

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-ARGUMENTATION AND DISCOURSE

I was recently reading the Summer, 2013 issue of "Science Scope," a magazine for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. Within this issue is the monthly column, "Editors Roundtable," written by Inez Liftig. This month, Inez writes about nurturing argumentation and discourse and how it is necessary as we shift toward the Next Generation Science Standards. She then shares some observations from years of trial and error with implementing student-student interactions and argumentation in her own teaching.

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/8/23_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Argumentation_and_Discourse.html

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Strategies:

Twitter Posts as Telegrams

http://charlesgute.com/index2.html

Once I believed

http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/9038

Resources:

How to Make Your Own Luck

by Maria Popova

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/10/01/how-to-make-your-own-luck/

Vizify

Turn your Twitter feed into a video. Learn about your followers and other statistics.

https://www.vizify.com/

https://www.vizify.com/shawn-troy/twitter-video

Free Materials

These top-quality financial literacy materials, including classroom modules, games, DVDs and brochures, are free and available for access now by all educators, parents and consumers. Click "Download" to download an item, or "Add to Cart" to receive it by mail.

http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/resources/free_materials/

MathsFrame

Mix of free and paid Math resources. May be a bit elementary.

http://mathsframe.co.uk/

SciShow

YouTube channel that has tons of good Science stuff. Range in time from a couple of minutes up to about 15.

http://www.youtube.com/user/scishow

Graham’s Hierarchy of Disagreement

You’ll want to change the bottom line.

http://thisisnthappiness.com/post/62781098396/grahams-hierarchy-of-disagreement

Stanislav Petrov: The man who may have saved the world

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24280831

Download The Chronicles of Narnia as Free Audiobooks

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/10/download-chronicles-of-narnia-as-free.html#.Uk9sCWRASQk

Web Spotlight:

All Technology Is Assistive Technology

Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement

1. Working with their peers

2. Working with technology

3. Connecting the real world to the work we do/project-based learning

4. Clearly love what you do

5. Get me out of my seat!

6. Bring in visuals

7. Student choice

8. Understand your clients -- the kids

9. Mix it up!

10. Be human

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-engagement-stories-heather-wolpert-gawron

Half-Baked Ideas . . .

Surface Tablet Review

Likes:

1. Screen resolution is easy on the eyes.

2. Programs load fairly quickly.

3. On-screen keyboard is fairly easy to use.

4. Battery time is pretty good.

Dislikes:

1. The non-responsive keyboard is worthless.

2. Boot time is a little slow.

3. Updating programs is SLOW.

4. The Windows 8 tile system is a clunky. I can only see a few apps at a time and it is a little tricky to move app tiles from place to place.

5. Sometimes getting the Wi-Fi to work is a pain. Sometimes it’s easier than the iPad.

6. OneNote stinks.

7. Version 2 is coming out not long after I get version 1 . . . granted it was free . . .

MSM 255: Swivl me timbers, Pirate day is over.

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Twitter: Jordan Shapiro, Mark E Denham, Raul Santiago

Facebook: Catherine Jackson

Advisory:

Produce Flops

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicamisener/13-of-the-worst-product-flops-of-all-time

The Prudential Spirit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCysiSAefsw

http://spirit.prudential.com/view/page/soc

What We Are: Shattering Stereotypes

http://www.middleweb.com/7776/students-reject-stereotypes/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-FIRST-AID

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/8/8_Middle_School_Science_Minute-First-Aid.html

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

News:

Khan Academy: The hype and the reality

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/khan-academy-the-hype-and-the-reality/2012/07/22/gJQAuw4J3W_blog.html#pagebreak

Resources:

30 Classic Books That May Change Your Life

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/classic-books-that-will-change-your-life.html

25 Things You Had No Idea There Were Words For

http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/things-you-had-no-idea-there-were-words-for

Comparative Constitutions Project (CCP)

http://comparativeconstitutionsproject.org/

TedEd

http://instructify.com/2013/09/23/teded/

Swivl

The perfect solution for professional applications. Includes the complete featureset for a great video experience with enhanced audio. See the full list of specs here.

(Model #SW1721)

$199 per unit. Free cont. US ground. International fees may apply.

http://www.swivl.com/

http://www.swivl.com/store/

Web Spotlight:

Connected Educator Month Is Coming – What Will You Do?

http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/8994

575 Free Movies Online: Great Classics, Indies, Noir, Westerns, etc.

http://www.openculture.com/freemoviesonline

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 [email protected])

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-SCIENCE MEETS THE ARTS

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Strategies:

Some Common Alternative Conceptions (Misconceptions)

http://www.apa.org/education/k12/alternative-conceptions.aspx

Resources:

Half-Baked Ideas . . .

MSM 253: King Me or Pin me, the Odds aren’t good.

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Advisory:

http://visual.ly/what-are-odds

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Respect the Web

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Resources:

After the Deadline

After the Deadline helps you write better by adding spell, style, and grammar checking to web applications. You can learn more on our features page.

http://www.afterthedeadline.com/

http://www.polishmywriting.com/

14 Profound Quotes From The Harry Potter Books

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/profound-quotes-from-the-harry-potter-books

Web Spotlight:

Why are you working on that?

I’m astounded at how often my children do things for class without understanding the bigger reasons behind WHY they’re doing those things.

http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2013/09/why-are-you-working-on-that.html

The Two Things Teachers Focus on Most....Instead of Learning

Written by Mark Clements

http://edunators.com/index.php/becoming-the-edunator/is-my-classroom-focused-on-learning/the-two-things-teachers-focus-on-most-instead-of-learning

Rick Wormeli: Redos, Retakes, and Do-Overs, Part One

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM-3PFfIfvI

Why I Hated Meredith’s First Grade Teacher: An Open Letter to America’s Teachers

http://kylenebeers.com/blog/2012/08/20/why-i-hated-merediths-first-grade-teacher-an-open-letter-to-americas-teachers/

Be Sure To….

Strategy to help kids reflect.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/student-goal-setting

Call Us at (262) 724-6653 (ana-schoold) (Google Voice)

Diigo Group: http://groups.diigo.com/group/middle-school-matters

email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MSMatters

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Middle-School-Matters/348279537549

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/middle-school-matters/id261383649

Google+:https://plus.google.com/u/1/104676757968930789769/

Comments: Middle School Matters: http://middleschoolmatters.com

MSM 252: He took the Rhom-bus, Jim!

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

An American tourist was lunching in a restaurant in China where the specialty was duck. The waiter explained each dish as he brought it to the table. "This is the breast of the duck; this the leg of the duck; this is the wing of the duck; etc." Then came the dish that the American knew was chicken. He waited for the explanation. Silence. "Well?" he finally asked, "What's this?" The waiter replied, "It's a friend of duck."

Waiter: And how did you find your steak, sir?

Customer: Well, I just pushed aside a bean and there it was!

What do you call a bear in the rain? A drizzly bear

What did the bean say to the bean?

Why do are seagulls called seagulls?

Three tomatoes are walking down the street.

What lights up a soccer stadium?

When’s the best time to go to the dentist?

Eileen Award:

Twitter: Mike Hanlon, Steve Woods

email: Patti Kinney (NASSP)

Advisory:

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Nature Study Practitioners:

I was recently reading the Spring, 2013 issue of Green Teacher magazine. One of the articles in this issue was entitled, "The Nature-Study Movement" written by Kelly Johnson. She found that by revisiting this historic movement it reinforces the importance of integrating art and science when helping children get engaged with the natural world. Within the article, the author shares stories about her three favorite Nature-Study Practitioners. They are:

1. Anna Botsford Comstock

2. Beatrix Potter

3. Rachel Carson

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/7/3_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Nature_Study_Practitioners.html

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Resources:

Movie Teachers

Read more: http://entertainment.time.com/2013/09/05/back-to-school-10-great-movie-teachers/slide/all/#ixzz2eDTIaJNS

http://entertainment.time.com/2013/09/05/back-to-school-10-great-movie-teachers/slide/all/

Task Timer

from Richard Byrne

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/09/a-task-timer-to-use-offline-or-online.html#.Uis1J2RASQk

Visual.ly

Click on the search button to find infographics for your area.

http://visual.ly/

Delayed Gratification

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_ubVVnWglk

Things to Think About

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/things-to-think-about/id664670576?mt=8

Socrative Back Channel

http://www.socrative.com/garden/?p=1651

Web Spotlight:

The Ruthless Global Battle for Your Back-to-School Shopping Dollars

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/08/the-ruthless-global-battle-for-your-back-to-school-shopping-dollars/279057/#comments

The Biggest “Game-Changer” in Education

September 5, 2013

By George Couros

http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/8916#

School bullying's chilling new front

By Francey Hakes, Special to CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/05/opinion/hakes-bullying/index.html

http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2013/09/this-is-not-the-answer-to-cyberbullying.html

MSM 251: Baby needs a new pair of shoes, Shawn needs a new MODEM...

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Twitter: Diana Darrow, Jason Elsom, Miles MacFarlane, Pat McCarty

Advisory:

Twitter Beard

(from Ron King)

For the past three years I've been teaching "Digital Illustration" in a local college VC program. For this terms final project I assigned the students an "Illustrative Mask" for them to create over a four week period were we focused on each phase of the creative process: Thumbnails, Sketches, Comps, and Final Art all being art directed by myself and peer reviewed.

*Includes link to model beard.

http://artbackwash.blogspot.com/2009/06/twitter-beard.html

9 Skills That Every Kid Should Learn

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/9-skills-that-every-kid-should-learn.html

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Eyewash Stations

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/6/28_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Eyewash_Stations.html

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Resources:

http://www.upworthy.com/we-have-been-mislead-by-an-erroneous-map-of-the-world-for-500-years

Money

http://www.theatlantic.com/video/archive/2013/08/what-is-money/278980/

Web Spotlight:

Add Images to a Google Form

Terrific tutorial by Richard Byrne.

Yhttp://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/08/how-to-create-image-based-quizzes-in.html#.UiH7smRASQk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRl1dG4iehk#t=169

Moon Phases Explained (with Oreo cookies)

Hey, Oreo cookies, what more could you want?

http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=4400

Hi Guys,

Thought of you when I saw this on ASCD:

Five follow-worthy ed-tech Pinterest boards

Administrators, educators will find ed-tech resources for engaging instruction, professional development

Shelly Terrell‘s 46 boards focus on a variety of resources, including digital storytelling, presentation tools, word cloud tools, online games, graphic organizers, and collaboration tools.

http://pinterest.com/shellyterrell/

Eric Sheninger‘s Twitter Resources board includes tips for administrators and teachers alike, including using Twitter for professional development, how to help teachers overcome Twitter fears, and more. Sheninger’s other boards focus on personal learning networks, Web 2.0, and iPad apps for administrators.

http://pinterest.com/esheninger/

Kristin Brynteson‘s ed-tech board includes pins on iPad apps, interactive learning sites, flipped learning, and collaborative and engaging educational resources.

http://pinterest.com/kbrynteson/ed-tech/

All Things Technology, from Mary Lirette, features writing websites, free online books, and professional development videos in its more than 800 pins. Lirette’s main Pinterest board is chock full of educational resources and has more than 4,200 pins.

http://pinterest.com/marylirette/all-things-technology/

Erin Klein‘s EduTech Resources board offers users a multitude of ed-tech tips and tools, including a list of educational and ed-tech websites, ISTE sessions, instructions on how to integrate various apps with one another, resources on digital citizenship, and more.

http://pinterest.com/erinklein/edutech-resources/

Time Management: Planning for the Adventure

Think of planning for the school year as planning for an adventure. If we are going to teach like pirates, we'd better be well prepared for those duels and treasure hunts.

Prioritize

Make a List and Set a Timeline

Enlist Students to Join Your Crew

Refer to Your Outside Compass and PLN

Don't Be Afraid to Say "No" (Arrr . . .)

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/time-management-planning-the-adventure-clara-galan

Parents hope school district learns from heat cancellations

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/08/29/parents-react-heat-class-cancellations

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Why was the archaeologist depressed?

His career was in ruins.

What's the most commonly misspelled blood group?

Typo.

What do you call Santa's helpers?

Subordinate clauses.

Why was the computer tired when it got home?

Because it had a hard drive.

What do you call dyslexic owls?

Slow.

Eileen Award:

iTunes: Busbyscience

Twitter: Joy Kirr, Paul Dunford, Don Wettrick, Kyle Mayer

Diigo:

Facebook: Christine Fleisher, Smoth John

Advisory:

Red Cross Baby Sitting Courses

Introductory Video -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mIS1UQY2_Q

http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/program-highlights/babysitting-caregiving

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Choice Eliminates Complacency

I was recently reading the March, 2013 issue of Science Scope, a magazine for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. An article that caught my attention was:

"Choice: The Dragon Slayer of Student Complacency." It was written by Douglas Llewellyn.

The article focuses in on the the skills that middle level teachers have that help them capture student interest. The teacher skills are:

1. Differentiate instruction to suit the needs of individual students.

2. Provide intrinsic motivation for learning by offering choice.

3. Engage students in the learning process.

You can find it online at:

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/6/24_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Choice_Eliminates_Complacency.html

From the Twitterverse:

Resources:

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/08/100-tips-for-new-teachers-and-good.html#.Uhi6JmRASQk

47+ Alternatives to Using YouTube in the Classroom

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/09/47-alternatives-to-using-youtube-in.html#.Uhi7nmRASQk

Lingualy.

http://lingua.ly/

Getty

http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/open-content-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/

Unsplash

Free (do whatever you want) hi-resolution photos.

10 new photos every 10 days.

Good for background images. Also useful for writing assignments.

http://unsplash.com/

40 maps that explain the world

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/12/40-maps-that-explain-the-world/

RIP, Elmore Leonard: The Beloved Author’s 10 Rules of Writing

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/08/21/elmore-leonard-10-rules-of-writing/

Web Spotlight:

Moodle

Inspiring better teaching everywhere. Welcome to the first official Moodle MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). Our first course for teachers runs for four weeks, starting 1st September 2013.

http://learn.moodle.net/

A teacher's heart speaks on the first day of school

http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-teacher-heart-speaks-on-first-day-of.html

How come officials could predict new test score results?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/12/how-come-officials-could-predict-results-on-new-test-scores/