Middle School Matters

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-SENSE OF PLACE

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/4/8_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Sense_of_Place.html

From the Twitterverse:

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

Resources:

Sound Gator

Looking for sounds for a presentation?

http://www.soundgator.com/

Online Timers

Cursive Writing . . . There’s an App for That!

"Cursive Writing HD” is an useful application for all ages who are taking their first step into learning cursive writing.

Web Spotlight:

The Oyez Project

8 Amazing On-line Courses for Students

The recent surge in free online courses, led by top universities such as MIT, has opened up a whole new level of distance learning to students all around the globe. As well as entire degree and university courses that can be pursued online, it’s also possible to find fantastic shorter courses on specific topics that can be ideal for use in the classroom, or for students to follow in their own time, whether researching a specific project, or as part of a flipped classroom model.

Here are 8 of the best free online courses for students...

http://www.fractuslearning.com/2013/04/26/free-online-courses-for-students/

Monolingual VS Bilingual infographic

http://visual.ly/monolingual-vs-bilingual?utm_source=visually_embed

Testing Examples

http://www.ccsstoolbox.com/parcc/PARCCPrototype_main.html

http://www.parcconline.org/samples/mathematics/grade-7-mathematics

Listener Response:

What are your thoughts on homework assignments? Read the Twitter chat (Storify version) with Ken O'Connor, Rick Wormeli, Nancy Blair, and many others.

http://storify.com/thomascmurray/sbgchat-on-quality-assignments-4-10-13?utm_source=t.co&awesm=sfy.co_q4Sh&utm_campaign&utm_content=storify-pingback&utm_medium=sfy.co-twitter

News:

The Future is Uncertain. It's Time to Start Asking the Right Questions.

Asking questions is essential to learning. That was an essential lesson from one of history's first great teachers, Socrates. Or, as the wise Rabbi Steven Greenberg puts it: "we train children at the Passover seder to ask why, because tyrants are undone and liberty is won with a good question."

And yet, children are not asking questions nearly enough. In fact, data from the U.S. school systems tells us that the average high school student asks one question of substance per month in a classroom.

http://bigthink.com/big-think-tv/the-future-is-uncertain-its-time-to-start-asking-the-right-questions

iPad App/idea:

Cursive Writing . . . There’s an App for That!

"Cursive Writing HD” is an useful application for all ages who are taking their first step into learning cursive writing.

MSM 241: Common Core - Calculate, Visualize and Code.

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Twitter: Brian Brushwood, Joy Kirr, Amber Gress

Advisory:

Point of View

From the Twitterverse:

RT @barbarawmadden: #rechat You want to pick up on some cool metaphors...Watch ONE episode of Duck Dynasty. :) #rechat

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

Resources:

Mural.ly

Visually organize documents.

https://beta.mural.ly/

Calculators

Use can use the site or install it on your blog/website. Available:

Scientific

Graphing

Programming

Equation Solver

http://web2.0calc.com/

Web Spotlight:

11 kinds of people I've noticed and how to decide who you want to be

Posted by Vicki Davis

The poo-poo-ers

The look-through-ers

The get-round-to-ers

The froo-froo-ers

The pontificators

The never-follow-through-ers

The preener seeners

The jump-in-to-ers

The I-know-everything-because-I'm-rich-er

The slackers

The do-ers

http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2013/04/11-kinds-of-people-ive-noticed-and-how.html

WOW Math

Need help with Algebra 1 & 2 or AP Calculus AB? This website can help you. Why the name WOWmath? Well, I have found that many students, parents, and teachers say "WOW!" when they see all the resources I offer on this website. So, I hope that this site will make you say "WOW" as it helps you in your math class.

http://wowmath.org/

10 Apps For More Organized Project-Based Learning

There are a variety of ways to support students in project-based learning, including organized digital learning spaces that support creative thinking, collaboration, and ultimately project management. Below are 10 apps for more organized project-based learning.

http://www.teachthought.com/apps-2/10-apps-for-more-organized-project-based-learning/

News:

Today, School is a Little Less Interesting

There is a growing percentage of America’s teachers, who have never taught in classrooms without the intimidation of high-stakes testing.

Every year, there are fewer teachers who have known the experience of confidently entering their classrooms with creativity, passion and the freedom to replace their textbooks with learning experiences that are unique, personal, powerful and authentic.

We must kill high-stakes testing before we do not have anyone left, who remembers how to be a teacher-philosopher.

http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=4123

Common Core: friend or foe?

Common Core – a unifying force or another educational policy hoop to jump through?

I, for one, will continue to champion the Common Core. Here’s why.

As I work to implement the Common Core this year, I have had many opportunities to collaborate. I have worked with my peers, both in-building and across the country through virtual networks, such as the Center for Teaching Quality’s Collaboratory.

I wonder, have we been underestimating our students’ abilities all along?

But the standards have become a catalyst for discussions that need to happen in all corners of education.

It doesn’t matter who created the Common Core; it matters who is implementing the standards in the classroom every day. That would be teachers like me.

http://www.ednewscolorado.org/voices/voices-common-core-friend-or-foe

iPad App/idea:

MSM 240: Evaluate 2000 Calories, Lessons, Makayama.

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Twitter: John Harrison, Seb Haire

Advisory:

What does 2000 Calories Look like?

Here's what your daily allowance actually looks like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rgaqwFPU7cc

Inspired by:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-200-calories-look-like.htm

How long does Trash last?

http://visual.ly/trash-how-long-it-really-lasts

Most Valued Possessions

http://www.petapixel.com/2013/03/21/portraits-of-refugees-posing-with-their-most-valued-possessions/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Water Stewardship

http://greatlakesearthpartnership2012.wikispaces.com/Water+Stewardship+Curriculum

http://www.therouge.org/

From the Twitterverse:

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

Resources:

Lesson Plan Organization

Looking for a place to enter and organize your lesson plans? This provides quick links to the Common Core.

http://www.commoncurriculum.com/

Web Spotlight:

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/03/creating-classrooms-we-need-8-ways-into-inquiry-learning/

News:

Realistic Expectations for New Teacher Evaluation Systems

http://www.danagoldstein.net/dana_goldstein/2013/04/realistic-expectations-for-new-teacher-evaluation-systems.html

Common Core supporter: ‘I see the opportunity being squandered’

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/03/20/common-core-supporter-i-see-the-opportunity-being-squandered/

Essay-Grading Software Offers Professors a Break

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/05/science/new-test-for-computers-grading-essays-at-college-level.html?_r=1&

MSM 239: The Genius Hour & Self Defense . . .

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Twitter: Karen Webster

Google+: Dawnette Brenner

Advisory:

WHAT IS POVERTY?

http://www.thepovertyline.net/

Ice Cream Currency Calculator

Who values ice cream the most? What about other items?

http://visual.ly/ice-cream-currency-calculator

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Progression of Ideas

You can find more info at:

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2013/3/15_Middle_School_Science_Minute-Progression_of_Ideas.html

From the Twitterverse:

RT @middleweb: The developmental needs of tweens are unique @RickWormeli has 5 strategies for tween tchrs http://bit.ly/13rjHVO #mschat

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

Resources:

Genius Hour — Let Your Students Challenge Themselves

http://www.angelamaiers.com/2013/03/genius-hour-let-your-students-challenge-themselves.html

Web Spotlight:

The Senate Social Network

http://visual.ly/senate-social-network-diagram?view=true

News:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/27/tech/web/internet-junior-high-school/index.html

Teachers and school staff turn to self-defense training

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/24/teachers-self-defense-training/1987841/

Study: Middle School Algebra Push Yields Minimal Performance Gains

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/03/27/26mathside.h32.html?tkn=SXCCNl9EenxZ4V7fdKm8Cqcg%2FpMV5AP8%2B806&cmp=clp-sb-ascd

Are We Creating a Generation of Observers?

By Stephen R. Herr

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/03/27/26herr.h32.html?tkn=NXCF2%2FjcKyr2FM%2Fv9Y%2B%2BQbQJ%2Fo0VSM%2F5lf8n&cmp=clp-sb-ascd

Common-Core Tests to Take Up to 10 Hours

Districts will get 20 days to administer

By Catherine Gewertz

iPad App/idea:

Stage

Turn your iPad into a Document Camera

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stage-interactive-whiteboard/id584574701?mt=8

Stand:

http://www.ipaddocumentcamera.com/

http://www.maxcases.com/shop/max-handstand-dx/

AppleTV

Half-Baked Ideas . . .

Are conferences better if they are free or paid?

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

A man was telling his neighbor, “I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it’s state of the art. It’s perfect.”

“Really,” answered the neighbor. “What kind is it?”

“Twelve thirty”

Steven Spielberg was busy discussing his new action adventure about famous classical composers. Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger were in the room. "Who do you want to play?" Spielberg asked Bruce Willis. "I've always been a big fan of Chopin," said Bruce. "I'll play him."

"And you, Sylvester?" asked Spielberg. "Mozart's the one for me!" said Sly.

"And what about you?" Spielberg asked Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"I'll be Bach," said Arnie.

Eileen Award:

Google+: Corivida Raven,

eMail: Robert Jackson

Diigo: Rob Belprez

Advisory:

Family Research

The more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem and the more successfully they believed their families functioned. The “Do You Know?” scale turned out to be the best single predictor of children’s emotional health and happiness.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/the-family-stories-that-bind-us-this-life.html

Snooze

Do your students use the snooze button?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=P6zcSFA7ymo

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Meaningful Science

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. Inez Liftig, Editor of Science Scope writes a column entitled "The Editor's Roundtable." In this month's column, she wrote on the topic of making science meaningful. Here are her four suggestions:

1. Get to know your students.

2. Use authentic tasks to build conceptual bridges between school and everyday life.

3. Design tasks at the right level.

4. Give students choices.

From the Twitterverse:

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

Resources:

Open Sankoré

http://open-sankore.org/

Teach This

http://www.teach-this.com/

http://www.opusmath.com/

Web Spotlight:

http://thisisnthappiness.com/post/43964027331/james-baldwin-illuminated

John Hattie - Educational Research

Part 1 & 2 of edited highlights of a talk given by John Hattie who has led a team at Auckland University, New Zealand which compares the effect on learning of over 100 classroom interventions.

This section looks at methods with negative, or very low effect sizes. Hattie points out that most educational debate is about things which do not really work well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sng4p3Vsu7Y&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pD1DFTNQf4

iPad:

Makayama Movie Mount for iPad 2nd, 3rd, 4th Gen

Movie Mount (See also Show 176)

iPad Video Production

With the Movie Mount, you get 10 new features for your iPad (beware that the additional equipment is not incuded):

Attached a tripod for stable shots, pan & tilt camera movements. Standard screwfitting.

Use 37 mm conversion lenses, such as wide angle and zoom*. Such as: US / EU

Slide on-the-fly between the built-in lens and the conversion lens.

Use shotgun microphones for better sound (requires splitter cable). Such as: US / EU

Use an optical viewfinder to shoot in bright sunlight. Such as: US / EU

Use a video light for better performance in low light. Such as: US / EU

Easier iMovie editing, with a 9 degrees working angle.

The mount allows your iPad to stand upright and be used as monitor.

The free Movie Mount iPad app allows you to manually control video recording

Fully compatible with Smart Cover.

http://www.makayama.com/moviemount.html

Half-Baked Ideas . . .

Are conferences better if they are free or paid?

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Scoopit:

Twitter: Robert McGarry, Ashley Blankenship, Michelle Corbat, Jonathan Swegels, Sally Baldridge, Andy Zimmer, Emil Ahangarzadeh

Facebook: Karen Decker, C. Joan Seager, Linda Perukel

Google+: Jason Neiffer

iTunes:

eMail:

Diigo: Keith Schoch, Ron King

Advisory:

Brain Food

Lateral Thinking Puzzles

http://www.rinkworks.com/brainfood/p/latreal1.shtml

Good Will Hunting

http://twentytwowords.com/2013/03/04/the-math-on-the-chalkboard-in-good-will-hunting-was-relatively-simple/

Restaurant run by Owner with Down’s Syndrome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=y6He0FWoFj0

Oreo Separating Machine

http://twentytwowords.com/2013/03/02/physicist-builds-ultra-important-machine-an-oreo-separating-robot/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Fire Blanket

I was recently reading the NSTA Ready Reference Guide for Safer Science, Volume 2, written by Ken Roy, director of environmental health and safety for Glastonbury Public Schools in Glastonbury, CT. Within the book are topics dealing with "Safer Science" and questions that teachers have sent him regarding "Safer Science."

From the Twitterverse:

Free World Digital Library for Teachers & Students http://flip.it/shSB2 #fhuedu642 #fhuedu320 ~ for @MSMatters followers

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

Resources:

Twitter Is Perfect for Socially Awkward People

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2013/02/twitter_is_perfect_for_socially_awkward_people.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-TW

Use Celly to Setup a Free Text Messaging Group Chat

http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2013/03/03/use-celly-to-setup-a-free-text-messaging-group-chat/

Web Spotlight:

Students Share Characteristics Of Their Favorite Teachers

http://edudemic.com/2013/02/characteristics-favorite-teachers/

Homework Why’s and Homework-Wise

If we are relying on homework as the main way to teach responsibility, we are in trouble.

http://chriswejr.com/2010/10/13/homework-whys-and-homework-wise/

Words Matter: What Values Do Your Words Convey?

http://www.angelamaiers.com/2013/03/words-matter-what-values-do-your-words-convey.html

Primary Source Analysis Guides for Students and Teachers

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/03/primary-source-analysis-guides-for.html

Why we have our best ideas in the shower: The science of creativityPosted on Thursday, February 28th, 2013

http://blog.bufferapp.com/why-we-have-our-best-ideas-in-the-shower-the-science-of-creativity

News:

Amplify Tablet comes to the Education Market

http://www.amplify.com/tablet/

iPad App:

Too Noisy for iPhone, iPad, and iPod

MSM 236: A Quandary, 200 calories and Cross Cutting Concepts of Baby Food

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Scoopit:

Twitter:

Facebook: Brigitte Darling

Google+: Jim Peterson

iTunes:

eMail:

Advisory:

Quandary

http://www.quandarygame.org/

Check out the Teacher’s page: http://www.quandarygame.org/teachers

One Sentence Stories

Have students create one sentence stories that describe them in the future. These can be video’d.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ndqdD6EXat4#!

Dan Pink’s Version:

http://www.danpink.com/2011/01/whats-your-sentence-the-video

Baby’s first foods

http://visual.ly/babys-first-foods-around-world

200 Calories

What does 200 calories look like?

http://imgur.com/a/w9nHF

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Cross Cutting Concepts

From the Twitterverse:

Resources:

Tapestry

http://tapestry.is/

Historical Dictionary

A glossary of historical terms

http://www.historytoday.com/dictionary

Public Domain Images

These are images that are free to use for presentations.

http://pixabay.com/

Web Spotlight:

In Iowa, our Department of Education brags about elementary schools that cut recess

http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2013/02/in-iowa-our-department-of-education-brags-about-elementary-schools-that-cut-recess.html

A Liberal Decalogue: Bertrand Russell’s 10 Commandments of Teaching

by Maria Popova

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/05/02/a-liberal-decalogue-bertrand-russell/

Several years ago, we decided to design a more comprehensive way of evaluating our students' success in our middle school. We acknowledged that grades are just one measure of how students can experience success in school.

The SAP has changed our school. Our students are aware of where they are in their education experience, and have ownership in the process. Almost every student knows his or her grades, attendance, Acuity and STAR score as well as overall points. Students, parents, teachers, and administrators are crystal clear about whether a student is on track to pass or fail.

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/02/guest-post-student-accountability.html

The Independent Project

The Independent Project is an alternative student driven school-within-a-school that was started at Monument Mountain Regional High School by a student.

Eight students were accepted into the pilot program of the school, which ran for one semester and is now complete. The school, dubbed The Independent Project, is now in the stage of redesign and replication.

http://www.theindependentproject.org/the-white-paper/

Mycestro™

A 3D mouse that fits on the index finger and allows you to control your computer with hand gestures and mouse functions.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mycestro/mycestrotm-the-next-generation-3d-mouse?ref=live

Markup

Our mission is to achieve a paperless classroom. With Markup, teachers can grade assignments on the iPad.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1834203895/markup-paperless-grading-for-teachers?ref=category

News:

Perfectly preparing a generation for its own history

“The fallacy of competitive education is its obsession with remembered right answers. The fallacy of right answers is that today success depends less on right answers and more on finding good answers and using them to accomplish meaningful goals. What does the game of school do to children who are more inclined to find and invent good answers than memorize correct answers?

….

As long as we race [to the top], scoring points by teaching the same answers for the same tests to every child, then we’re perfectly preparing a generation for its own history.”

http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2013/02/perfectly-preparing-a-generation-for-its-own-history.html

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Why was the broom late for work?

Did you hear that Oxygen and Magnesium are going out?

Did you hear about the two antennas that got married?

What is ET short for?

Eileen Award:

Scoopit:

Twitter:

Facebook:

Google+:

iTunes:

eMail:

Advisory:

From rotary to Siri: How the phone numbering system came and went

The recent death of John E Karlin of Bell Labs, the father of the push-button phone and other innovations, has sparked a lot of reminiscing about land line phones. According to the New York Times, Karlin was also "the most hated man in America" for killing the named exchanges (like Butterfield 8). However the story of how our phone numbers got to be the way they are is a much longer and more interesting one.

In 1950 it got really interesting, with the introduction of area codes. The designers wanted to minimize the number of numbers people had to dial, so all the area codes were set up to have 1 or 0 as the second number. The switches were set up so that if first number dialed was a 0 then it went to operator. If the second digit was 1 or 0, then it was an area code. If the second number was another number, then it knew it was a local rather than long distance number. That's how it was going to distinguish between 7 and 10 digit numbers.

http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/number-crisis-world-zone-1.html

Bazooka shoots ping-pong balls at Mach speed

The magic of physics can turn the mundane into something marvelous. Mark French, a mechanical engineering professor at Purdue University, designed a supersonic air-powered ping-pong ball cannon that shoots the lightweight object at speeds so fast I would consider the device a lethal weapon of science.

A ping-pong ball reportedly blasts out of the special cannon at speeds equivalent to Mach 1.23 -- nearly as fast as an F-16 fighter jet.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57569069-1/bazooka-shoots-ping-pong-balls-at-mach-speed/

Ocean Facts:

In celebration of the upcoming premiere of DinoFish on Nat Geo Wild (Sunday, April 1, 10pm EST/PST), I’m excited to present the first of what we we hope will be a long series of comic strips by Dr. Byron Beekle. We will be presenting a whole series of these comics today and through the weekend, we hope you enjoy.

http://tvblogs.nationalgeographic.com/2012/03/30/amazing-ocean-facts-premiere/

Telling the Truth

http://gawker.com/5982653/something-tells-me-john-is-lying-about-not-eating-those-sprinkles

MIT Media Lab

http://learn.media.mit.edu/

The Shame of Smell...

http://www.retronaut.com/2013/02/when-tears-of-shame-smell/

Blend into the environment

http://bencebakonyi.com/index.php?/projects/transform/

Things that fit perfectly into other things

http://thingsfittingperfectlyintothings.tumblr.com/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

INTERVIEWS TO EXPLORE STUDENT IDEAS

By the way, I added a Twitterverse to my bi-monthly Michigan Science Matters Network eBlast. Check it out at:

http://www.msta-mich.org/educator-support/84-science-matters/256-science-matters-e-blast-january-24-2013

From the Twitterverse:

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

Resources:

http://thisishangingrockcomics.tumblr.com/post/42546243887/actual-diary-entry-from-when-i-was-in-5th-grade-oh

Copy Right Poster

http://edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/teachers-copyright.jpg

A Periodic Table of Visualization Methods

http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html

A Cleaner Internet

We make iPhone, iPod and iPad apps as well as browser extensions that declutter the video viewing experience.

http://clea.nr/

Web Spotlight:

Killing Lincoln

http://killinglincolnconspiracy.com/

Dio

Make your own space.

https://www.dio.com/

News:

Disease and sleep: Recent studies find new links

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

http://rack.3.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAyLzAxLzZiL1FUZTVoZ2cuMTczNWYuanBn/b9ee4fce/fb8/QTe5hgg.jpg

Which side of the chicken has more feathers?

What do you call a man who shaves 20 times a day?

Why should you never trust an atom?

What do you call Santa’s little helpers?

What did the hat say to the hat rack?

Eileen Award:

Scoopit:

Twitter:

Facebook: Karen Decker

Google+:

iTunes:

eMail:

Advisory:

Money Tips for Parents & Teens

http://dailyinfographic.com/money-101-for-parents-teens-infographic

The Radio Show

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/01/29/radio-an-illustrated-guide-ira-glass-jessica-abel/

The $2 ebook is available here: https://store.thisamericanlife.org/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RADIO%3AANILLUSTRATEDGUIDE

Water Changes Everything

http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2012/12/31/water-changes-everything.html

Magic Trick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tlQiuCeezUA

Politeness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nhekhBKkDXw

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

I was recently reading the NSTA Ready Reference Guide for Safer Science, Volume 2, written by Ken Roy, director of environmental health and safety for Glastonbury Public Schools in Glastonbury, CT. Within the book are topics dealing with "Safer Science" and questions that teachers have sent him regarding "Safer Science." The focus of this podcast is on a question from a teacher regarding the teaching of science in a mathematics classroom.

By the way, I added a Twitterverse to my bi-monthly Michigan Science Matters Network eBlast. Check it out at:

http://www.msta-mich.org/educator-support/84-science-matters/256-science-matters-e-blast-january-24-2013

From the Twitterverse:

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

Resources:

Reading Rockets

Reading, and a love for reading, begins at home. The Reading Tip of the Day widget offers easy ways for parents to help kids become successful readers

http://www.readingrockets.org/sharing/widgets/tipoftheday/

iCivics

http://www.icivics.org/

Web Spotlight:

The One Math Skill You Need to Succeed at Work

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3856-how-elementary-math-class-can-improve-today-s-worker.html?

Where the iPhone 5 Kicks the Mars Rover’s Butt

http://slashdot.org/topic/bi/mars-rover-curiosity-less-brainpower-than-apples-iphone-5/

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 01/29/2013

Posted by Vicki Davis

http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2013/01/teach-this-teaching-with-lesson-plans_29.html

The Google Science Fair is an online science competition open to students ages 13-18 from around the globe. We're looking for ideas that will change the world. To get started, all you'll need is a Google account.

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/01/google-wants-to-hear-from-teenage.html

News:

Data: No deus ex machina

CA Gov. Jerry Brown: “I would prefer to trust our teachers”

California Jerry Brown just gave his State of the State address.

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2013/01/24/ca-gov-jerry-brown-i-would-prefer-to-trust-our-teachers/

Why You Truly Never Leave High School

Tony private schools aren’t paying their teachers based on test scores

http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2013/01/tony-private-schools-arent-paying-their-teachers-based-on-test-scores.html

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Why is 6 afraid of 7?

What do you call a pencil without lead?

What is Mozart’s favorite fruit?

How do you make an octopus giggle 10 times?

Why do gorilla’s have big nostrils?

Eileen Award:

Scoopit: Jim Farmer

Facebook: C. Joan Seager

Ordering a Pizza by Phone

in 1974.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=94d_h_t2QAA#!

Living to 100

The Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator uses the most current and carefully researched medical and scientific data in order to estimate how old you will live to be. Most people score in their late eighties... how about you?

http://www.livingto100.com/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

I was recently reading the January, 2013 issue of "Science Scope," a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.

I went on to read the Editor's Roundtable, written by Inez Liftig. The title of the editorial is, "You Can't Wing It." The purpose of the editorial is to emphasize the skills that are needed by teachers.

By the way, I added a Twitterverse to my bi-monthly Michigan Science Matters Network eBlast. Check it out at:

http://www.msta-mich.org/educator-support/84-science-matters/256-science-matters-e-blast-january-24-2013

From the Twitterverse:

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

Resources:

Subzin

Find quotes from movies quickly and easily.

http://www.subzin.com/

Free Online OCR

Convert pdf, jpgs and more to editable documents.

http://www.onlineocr.net/default.aspx

Mission US

http://www.mission-us.org/

Google Cultural Institute

http://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/home

Web Spotlight:

Hollywood Hates Math

A super cut of Math in movies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3uYBoWH3nFk

Learn Something New

Take a class online. Based out of London. The idea is to share knowledge from those who have been doing something. Billed as helping the next generation.

http://www.theamazings.com/

Crisis-I Feel Like Switching Careers

http://transformed.teachingquality.org/blogs/01-2013/crisis-i-feel-switching-careers

Take Control of a Noisy Class

This could be useful for basic classroom management. There are 3 videos to watch.

http://www.behaviourneeds.com/noisyclass/video-1/

Mindset Examples

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TTXrV0_3UjY

Picasso, Kepler, and the Benefits of Being an Expert Generalist

http://99u.com/articles/7269/Picasso-Kepler-and-the-Benefits-of-Being-an-Expert-Generalist

News:

http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=3783

Palaeolithic Park? Harvard professor seeks 'adventurous' woman to give birth to baby Neanderthal

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/palaeolithic-park-harvard-professor-seeks-adventurous-woman-to-give-birth-to-baby-neanderthal-8460273.html

iPad App:

European Exploration: The Age of Discovery

Explore the new world as a European power in the 15th Century by funding and sending expeditions out into the unknown. Hire captains, build ships and outfit voyages to learn of the wonders of the new world. Expeditions can be dangerous however, so be careful or else Europe may never hear of your discoveries!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/european-exploration-age-discovery/id393625741?mt=8

HotKeys

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hotkeys/id374164481?mt=8

13+ Things Your Kid's Principal Won't Tell You

Straight from the principal's office: Use these tips for a better school year.