Middle School Matters

Jokes You Can Use:

After dying in a car crash, three friends find themselves at an orientation to enter heaven. Each one was asked, “When you are in your casket, what would you like to hear your friends and family saying about you?” Sean says, “I would like to hear them say I was a great doctor and a great family man.” Karl says, “I would like to hear them say I was a wonderful husband and an excellent teacher who made a difference in children’s lives.” Juan says, “I would like to hear them say, ‘Look! He’s moving!’”

Ladies and gentlemen, hobos and tramps,

Bug-eyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants!

I’m about to tell you a story I’ve never heard before,

So pull up a chair and sit on the floor.

Admission is free, so pay at the door.

One fine day, in the middle of the night,

two, dead boys got up to fight.

Back to back, they faced each other,

drew their swords and shot each other.

A deaf policeman heard the noise,

and saved the lives of the two dead boys.

If you don’t believe my lies are true,

ask the blind man, he saw it too!

On Our Mind:

CMU CMLA meeting on Wednesday.

Eileen Award:

CMUCMLA

From the Twitterverse:

News:

As minds get quicker, teens get smarter

U.S. researchers say they have demonstrated for the first time that adolescents become smarter because their brains process information faster.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/09/29/As-minds-get-quicker-teens-get-smarter/UPI-84711317352462

GlogsterEDU

Dear Glogster EDUcators,

We sincerely apologize for the site issues you’ve been experiencing lately. We can assure you that they are temporary, and Glogster EDU will be better as a result.

Glogster (glogster.com) and Glogster EDU (edu.glogster.com) are currently sharing server infrastructure. Sometimes this results in capacity overload, which can lead to slow loading or unexpected errors.

We are in the process of moving Glogster.com to a separate infrastructure so that Glogster EDU will be fast and reliable for you and your students.

We will keep you updated on all known issues via Twitter and Facebook, so please follow Glogster EDU on either platform.

We are committed to you, our valued educators, and are taking the necessary steps toward providing you with high quality service you can count on. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we complete the moving process.

Resources:

Science360

We gather news from wherever science is happening, including directly from scientists, college and university press offices, popular and peer-reviewed journals, dozens of National Science Foundation science and engineering centers, and funding sources that include government agencies, not-for-profit organizations and private industry.

http://news.science360.gov/files

Free EBooks

http://www.free-ebooks.net/

Biology

Warning, these are anatomically correct.

http://www.zygotebody.com/#

http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/

http://www.biodigitalhuman.com/default.html

Password Generator

Help students create better passwords. This is limited but easy to use.

http://passwordbird.com/

Triptico

http://www.triptico.co.uk/

Web Spotlight:

Teacher Wall

Scholastic, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and DonorsChoose.org bring you the Teacher Wall – a virtual teacher town square where America’s educators can share their stories, knowledge, and ideas on our nation’s schools.

Strategies:

ISTE 2011: Brain Rules by Dr. John Medina

Dr. John Medina

Crossing the brain is scientific bunk. Question and answer session.

20% to 110% boost with 150 minutes of aerobic exercise.

Does the use of Google change the brain?

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

Jokes You Can Use:

On Our Mind:

Congratulations to Dr. Monte Tatom

NMSA/AMLE early registration extended a week.

Dr. Debbie Silver is rumored to have a new book out soon on motivating the hard to motivate student.

Eileen Award:

Sara Kaviar

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Part 4 of the podcasts on Lab Safety. It is about the 7 Standards for Maintaining a Safer Laboratory Environment.

From the Twitterverse:

Don’t forget to join the conversation on MiddleTalk and Twitter at #midleved this Friday at 8:00 pm EST.

News:

A Separate Peace

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2095385_2096859_2096805-1,00.html

Resources:

iPads in the Science Classroom

Last year, around October 2010, I got 13 iPads for my Science students through a service-learning grant. This is the start of my second year using those iPads with my Science students. The summer before I got the iPads I was able to try one out myself and wrote about the possibilities here. I elaborated further on how I was going to use the iPads here. Once students started to use the iPads I used a Google form to see which apps they liked the best. Here are the results of that survey.

http://www.educatoral.com/wordpress/2011/09/28/ipads-in-science-2/

Common Core Maps

http://commoncore.org/maps/

National Geographic Xpeditions

Geography lessons and free resources for your classroom: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/g68.html

Better Lesson

http://betterlesson.com/home

Google Lit Trips

The short version is simple. Google Lit Trips are free downloadable files that mark the journeys of characters from famous literature on the surface of Google Earth. At each location along the journey there are placemarks with pop-up windows containing a variety of resources including relevant media, thought provoking discussion starters, and links to supplementary information about “real world” references made in that particular portion of the story.

The focus is on creating engaging and relevant literary experiences for students. I like to say Google Lit Trips “3-dimensionalize” the reading experience by placing readers “inside the story” traveling alongside the characters; looking through the windshield of that old jalopy in The Grapes of Wrath or waddling alongside Mr. and Mrs. Mallard’s duckling family in Make Way for Ducklings.”

What Google Lit Trips AREN’T

Google Lit Trips aren’t like sparknotes and other resources that can be used to circumvent the need to actually do the reading. They are designed to stimulate higher level thinking skills and to connect the story’s themes and messages to the issues of the real world in which students live.

http://www.googlelittrips.org/

Web Spotlight:

Welcome to the 21things4Students Site

This site was created by a grant from the REMC Association of Michigan for the creation of an educational resource for students preparing for 21st century skills. Members of the REMC Instructional Technology Specialists in Michigan along with teachers from around the state have created this site to provide project-based activities which are aligned to the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S), and the Michigan Educational Technology Standards for students (METS) as well as the Framework for 21st Century Learning identified by the Partnership For 21st Century Skills.

http://www.21things4students.net/

For Educators:

http://www.21things4teachers.net/

For Administrators:

http://www.21things4administrators.net/

Strategies:

Deb’s Data Digest

A wide variety of resources and strategies.

http://datadeb.wordpress.com/

ScreenCasts as Assessment/Instruction

Here are some examples.

http://wwcsd.net/groups/screencasts/

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

National Conference: Thursday, November 08, 2011 —Saturday, November 10, 2011

Jokes You Can Use:

Ruth_A_Buzzi

1. Why are hot dogs at Detroit Tigers’ stadium so much better than the ones sold by the Seattle Mariners? Because you can eat them in October.

2. Ultimately, my ex broke up with the blond chick and married a sweet little Native American lady. I hope they're one big Hopi family.

On Our Mind:

New “toys” for Shawn.

https://www.sifteo.com/

Eileen Award:

Kerry Derminer

Noel Parish

Kevin Upton

Advisory:kkinstruction Kalysta

How to Make a 1920s Flapper style Dress in only One Hour! Includes 4 Special Bonuses. http://j.mp/nDRXcO

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Part 3 of the 4 part series on lab safety. This podcast focuses in on standards on specific safety precautions involving chemicals and lab equipment. The importance of lab safety was pointed out last week in the Chicago area when a student suffered a serious injury while passing around dry ice and water in a plastic bottle and it exploded. The full article can be found at:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-09-26/news/ct-met-science-class-20110926_1_chemistry-class-nsta-national-science-teachers-association

From the Twitterverse:

Don’t forget to join the conversation on MiddleTalk and Twitter at #midleved this Friday at 8:00 pm EST.

News:

A bet on No Child Left Behind

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/who-won-a-2007-bet-on-no-child-left-behind/2011/09/26/gIQAwBBi0K_blog.html

How Teacher Turnover Harms Student

http://transformed.teachingquality.org/blogs/advancing-teaching-profession/09-2011/how-teacher-turnover-harms-students

http://www.nber.org/papers/w17176

How to fix this mess called middle school

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/how-to-fix-the-mess-we-call-middle-school/2011/09/25/gIQAjCx1yK_blog.html

Resources:

Dead Sea Scrolls Online

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/from-desert-to-web-bringing-dead-sea.html

VizLingo

Turn text into a video representation.

http://www.vizlingo.com/

History Pin

YouTube introductory video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdT3eKdto4w

http://www.historypin.com/

SpeakIt!

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/09/speak-it-text-to-speech-in-google.html

Web Spotlight:

Cheating

Here's an overview of some of the most shocking instances of teacher cheating, plus a few episodes that may have been overblown.

http://www.propublica.org/article/americas-most-outrageous-teacher-cheating-scandals

Students need to develop Grit

http://edcommentary.blogspot.com/2011/09/teaching-character-strengths-and-values.html

Teaching All

Site has activities for Interactive Whiteboards (IWB’s), iPad Apps and much more.

Tons of links!

http://teachingall.blogspot.com/

Digital Promise

Founded after more than a decade of effort, including a 2004 report to Congress, Digital Promise has been endorsed by virtually every major national association of educators and educational institutions, libraries, and museums. The project that gave rise to Digital Promise was launched by the Carnegie, Century, Knight, MacArthur, and Open Society foundations, sustained by the Federation of American Scientists, and championed by a coalition of Republicans and Democrats, civic and business leaders, who came together on its behalf.

http://www.digitalpromise.org/

Strategies:

Read Ten Classic Books in Under a Minute

http://flavorwire.com/213381/read-ten-classic-books-in-under-a-minute

What Will Improve a Student’s Memory?

By Daniel T. Willingham

Question: I often have students tell me that they studied for a test, meaning that they reviewed their notes and the textbook, but they still did not do well. If they have reviewed the material, why don’t they remember it? Is there anything I can do to help them study more effectively?

http://cdl.org/resource-library/pdf/What%20Will%20Improve%20a%20Students%20Memory.pdf

Events & Happenings:

On Our Mind:

Changing positions

Start of the school year

Eileen Award:

Dr. Tatom: Thanks for the mention on Twitter!

Advisory:

Permanent Record

http://www.slate.com/id/2301449/

The Secret to Success

https://plus.google.com/117689362923608221663/posts/8v7RBNncmAJ

How many really?

http://howmanyreally.com/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Part two on lab safety and focuses in on personal safety of students.

From the Twitterverse:

Don’t forget to join the conversation on MiddleTalk and Twitter at #midleved this Friday at 8:00 pm EST.

News:

Beautiful Teenage Brains

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/10/teenage-brains/dobbs-text

Resources:

Writing Prompts

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/

YouTube for Teachers

http://www.youtube.com/teachers

http://www.youtube.com/education

iPad App Resources:

In iTunes, go to the iTunes Store (sidebar on the left).

Then select App Store on the bar along the top of the window.

Then select the drop down Education under Categories on the right

(OR-Just to the right of the word App Store on the top will be a small triangle- click that and select Education)

This will reveal App categories for Teachers including:

Apps for Teachers

Special Education

Education Volume Purchasing

Mobile Learning

http://www.eschoolnews.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/2011/09/mobile_star.pdf

Alternate Assessment Apps for Eighth Grade

Eighth graders need to demonstrate their mastery of skills in English, math and science.

http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&EntryId=3110

Web Spotlight:

Implementing Common Core Standards

Over the next year, the accomplished teachers I met at CTQ will face down these tough questions. They will design—and test-drive in their own classrooms, with their own students—lessons and assessments linked to the Common Core State Standards.

http://transformed.teachingquality.org/blogs/advancing-teaching-profession/09-2011/implementing-common-core-standards

Cheating

Here’s an overview of some of the most shocking instances of teacher cheating, plus a few episodes that may have been overblown.

http://www.propublica.org/article/americas-most-outrageous-teacher-cheating-scandals

Students need to develop Grit

http://edcommentary.blogspot.com/2011/09/teaching-character-strengths-and-values.html

Common Core Maps

From the website:

“Common Core has released a new, Second Edition of the K-12 Curriculum Maps in English Language Arts. The Maps are designed to help educators meet the expectations of the Common Core State Standards, which call for the standards to be “complemented by a well-developed, content-rich curriculum.”

Our draft ELA Maps have received more than three million views since last August. We’ve listened to your advice and have added many new features, including:

Nearly 200 new writing, grammar, and research activities

Guidance for differentiated instruction

Library of seventy digital resources

More informational and contemporary texts throughout

Map users can now:

Rate and comment on each of the seventy-six unit Maps along with thousands of suggested works, activities, and resources

Submit lesson plans

Get preferred pricing on Maps services and tools that are under development

Common Core has been inundated with requests for professional development services, more Maps-based curriculum tools, and more Maps, including math Maps. In order to generate the resources needed to respond to these requests, we are offering the opportunity to become contributing members of the Mapping Project for a nominal cost.”

Strategies:

Inside Story Flash Cards

Combine visuals with vocabulary words to help increase retention.

http://www.insidestoryflashcards.com/

Jokes You Can Use:

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Jokes You Can Use:

Ruth_A_Buzzi Ruth Buzzi

If Catholic dogs go to Catechism, how can Catholic cats accept that dogma? (#HappyCaturday to @jwgagne)

When choosing a cat, remember the striped ones make you look thinner. #happyCATurday

An older cat, reclining on a psychiatrist's couch, said, "Sometimes I think I could have done so much more with my lives." #HappyCATURDAY

Were you first hibited before you were inhibited, after which you could become uninhibited? If so, #yougottaberealspecial

Eileen Award:

Patty Riccardi

Advisory:

Don’t Laugh at Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTNVXlirF4Y (Book version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv9fN0-062k (This one includes the lyrics on screen)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9xyIGCp7ss (Peter Yarbourgh)

Lyrics:

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/don't-laugh-at-me-lyrics-peter-paul-mary/3a0b58077c50623648256a22002cb23e

What People Don't Get About My Job: From A(rmy Soldier) to Z(ookeeper)

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

This middle school science minute is the first in a series of four podcasts on lab safety in the middle school lab. You can download a copy of the Science Laboratory Rules and Regulations from the National Science Teachers Association, by visiting:

http://www.nsta.org/middleschool

In this podcast, we look at the 7 standards of student conduct in the laboratory and in the field.

From the Twitterverse:

News:

The bait and switch of school "reform"

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/09/12/reformmoney

What was Ron Clark Thinking?

September 10th, 2011 by Larry Ferlazzo

http://engagingparentsinschool.edublogs.org/2011/09/10/jeez-what-was-ron-clark-thinking/

Middle School AP Posting:

I am posting a Middle School Assistant Principal position today. If you know of anyone that may be a good fit, send them my way. It is a short posting. Deadline is next week Monday at 4:00pm you know of a good candidate that may be the right fit, pass it on to them.

Thanks

Mr. Ryan K. Pfahler

Resources:

The Likeable Constitution

http://www.thelikeableconstitution.com/#state=EV&part=bor&order=mostliked

FauxFlash

Fauxflash is an online application that takes the hassle out of flash cards and lets you get right to studying.

http://fauxflash.com/

Super Book of Web Tools

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/66326425/The-Super-Book-of-Web-Tools-for-Educators

Web Spotlight:

Confessions of a bad teacher

http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/08/29/confessions_of_a_bad_teacher/index.html

Strategies:

More on Teaching Innovation with the Curiosity Box

Is REAL Formative Assessment Even Possible?

http://transformed.teachingquality.org/blogs/tempered-radical/09-2011/real-formative-assessment-even-possible

Web Tools:

Teacher 2.0

Steve Hargadon has created a place for teachers to do their own professional growth online. As you answer questions about your teaching, you get feedback from other participants and the chance to encourage others in their growth.

On Our Mind:

Is it fair to students to make personnel changes during the first few weeks of school?

Eileen Award:

To all our Diigo followers . . . group hug!

Advisory:

String Theory: Take a piece of twine and stick it under the student’s heel. Unwind it up to their head and cut. Take a piece of tape and label the string with the kid’s name. Hold onto the string and repeat the activity at the end of the year. Compare and contrast.

NMSA/AMLE Video Contest: Taking the Lead Video Contest

Open to middle grade students (5-9)

Those working on the video must be 10 to15 year - olds, but teachers may submit the videos.

Each video must be 3 minutes or less.

Video(s) must be submitted via SchoolTube. See submission process below.

Schools may enter as many videos as they would like.

Deadline: Videos must be uploaded no later than October 24th, 2011, at 11:00 pm EST.

Top 3 winners will be notified by November 7, 2011.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

This middle school science minute is the third in a three part series about the ELA common core standards in writing and their relationship to science. The four areas of writing include: text types and purposes; production and distribution of writing; research to build and present knowledge; and range of writing. In this podcast, we look at the writing standards that relate to science in grades 6 - 8 in the areas of production and distribution of writing; research to build and present knowledge, and range of writing.

From the Twitterverse:

News:

Beyond Testing

...my Chinese colleagues didn't mention their test scores, nor did they inquire about mine. I quickly learned that we share a similar goal for our students: to promote innovation and foster independent thinking.

Every Chinese teacher I spoke with expressed concern with their nation's emphasis on testing. One teacher explained that students spend their entire final year of high school preparing for national examinations at the expense of other educational opportunities that would enable them to acquire a broad range of skills. She described Chinese students as "unhappy" because they are "forced" to drill for high-stakes examinations.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-shearer/beyond-testing-a-lesson-f_b_954135.html

What teachers really want to tell parents

By Ron Clark, Special to CNN

So, what can we do to stem the tide? What do teachers really need parents to understand?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/living/teachers-want-to-tell-parents/index.html

Teaching Technology

Resources:

Ambrosia Releases Soundboard for iPad

Ambrosia Software has released their sound effects software for iPad. You can now put sound effects in the iPad and control your soundboard with the touch of a finger. You don’t do drama? (You do if you’re a middle school teacher!) What about your ESL kids? What about attaching sounds to word combinations and when they have a hard time sounding things out, they tap the screen and get the correct sound? I can see this being a great resource for the Speech-Language Pathologist in your district.

Comparison Search

Two ways to look at search results. Could help with looking at the pro’s and con’s of a subject.

http://www.gleancomparisonsearch.org/

Web Spotlight:

Arizona Technology Integration Matrix

http://azk12.org/tim/

Go Social Studies Go

Looks really interesting. Includes a virtual book on Columbus.

http://www.gosocialstudiesgo.com/

Using Film in any Class

Web Tools:

Are you funnier than Scott Adams?

Create the text from a Dilbert cartoons.

http://dilbert.com/mashups/

ISTE 2011: Teacher 2.0 with Steve Hargadon

How do you use the tools of the web to get teachers recognized and get them involved?

PDF: http://mrmcgirr.com/page20/downloads/files/ISTE%20Steve%20Hargadon.pdf

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

On Our Mind:

iPads in Education

Advisory:

Quotations on Character

Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.

—Robert G. Ingersoll

http://josephsoninstitute.org/quotes/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

This is the second in the three part series on the common core ELA and their relationship to science. Like the first in the series, it focuses on Text Types and Purposes, but this time focuses in on writing informative and explanatory texts.

From the Twitterverse:

Don’t forget to join the conversation on MiddleTalk and Twitter at #midleved this Friday at 8:00 pm EST.

News:

A Teacher Finds Good in Testing

By Ama Nyamekye

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/08/31/02nyamekye_ep.h31.html?tkn=XTCFBe283Qrdff9t68CNVw5QPQU12ZEh0gb2&cmp=clp-sb-cec

Resources:

Video Time Machine

$1.99 App for iPhone/iPad

VIDEO CONTENT TOTALS:

2000′s = 1,521 videos

1990′s = 1,607 videos

1980′s = 1,874 videos

1970′s = 1,565 videos

1960′s = 1,848 videos

1950′s = 589 videos

1940′s = 256 videos

1930′s = 227 videos

1920′s = 196 videos

1910′s = 150 videos

1900′s = 140 videos

1860-1899 = 60 videos

http://itunes.apple.com/app/video-time-machine/id438078438?ign-mpt=uo%3D5

iPad Hub

http://www.macnews.com/2011/08/31/new-usb-hub-provides-large-scale-syncing-ipads-other-devices

Movie Mount

iPad Video Production

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

Web Spotlight:

Learn more about Geocaching

Geocaching is a fun, educational, technology-infused activity that I have tried a couple of times. But I am by no means an expert (totally newbie would be the description) on the topic. Therefore, I asked Jen Deyenberg if she would write a guest post about geocaching. Jen has done extensive work developing geocaching activities with students and has a ton of knowledge to share. After reading this post I hope you will visit her blog to learn more about geocaching.

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/09/learn-more-about-geocaching-great.html

Two Nice Guides to Web 2.0 at School and Work

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/09/two-nice-guides-to-web-20-at-school-and.html

Constitution Resources

Federal legislation requires schools in the United States to offer lessons related to the U.S. Constitution on U.S. Constitution Day — September 17th of each year.

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2010/08/10/the-best-sites-for-learning-about-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/

www.teachinghistory.org

Jokes You Can Use:

Recently the President of the United States received a call from a Yooper (someone from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan). The Yooper told the President he and several of his friends had declared war on the United States. The President replied, “You know I have a million men in my army, are you sure you want to declare war?” The Yooper replied, “Let me check, I’ll call you tomorrow.” Sure enough, the President gets a call. The Yooper says, “Mr. President, the war is still on. We picked up some trucks and the guys down at the watering hole have joined up, so we’ve expanded our army too.” “Well,” says the President, “since I talked to you yesterday, I’ve added another half-million men to my army. Are you sure you still want this war?” The Yooper thought for a second, “Let me call you back tomorrow.” Sure enough, about the same time the next day the President gets a call. “Mr. President, we added the ultra-light group from the airport and we can now bomb you from above. The war is still on.” The President replied, “You do know I have an Air Force too of modern jets and since I talked to you yesterday, I’ve added another half million to the army for a total of 2 million men. Are you sure you still want this war?” “Let me call you tomorrow,” says the Yooper. The next day the President gets a phone call. “Mr. President, the war is off. We talked it over and we decided we don’t have any way of feeding 2 million prisoners.”

Events & Happenings:

Jokes You Can Use:

I recently visited a Mental Asylum & I asked the director, "How can you know when a person needs to be institutionalized?" He said, "Well, we fill a bathtub with water & we offer them a Teaspoon,a Teacup and a Bucket & ask them to empty the tub." I said, "I see...A normal person would choose the bucket because it is bigger." He responded, "No. A normal person would pull the plug...would you like a bed by the window?

Ruth_A_Buzzi Ruth Buzzi

I knew the Washington Monument would develop a crack problem in that neighborhood.

The U S Mail is considering dropping back to just 4 days a week next year. The other three days, mail will be carried by Jehovah's Witnesses.

Have a heart, Col. Qadhafi, before you leave town; please send all that old clothing back to the estate of Ethel Merman.

On Our Mind:

Starting of the school year.

Education and Election Reform

Eileen Award:

Ellizabeth S - iTunes comment

(I bet Principal Beth ROCKS!!!)

Advisory:

The Mindset List

http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

This middle school science minute is about the ELA common core standards in Writing and their relationship to science. The four areas of writing include: text types and purposes; production and distribution of writing; research to build and present knowledge; and range of writing. In this podcast, we look at the five reading standards that relate to science in grades 6 - 8 in the area of text types and purposes, with a special focus on writing arguments focused on science content.

From the Twitterverse:

News:

Chiquita Sweepstakes.

Starting August 15th, Chiquita, in partnership with Rio the movie, will celebrate back to school and healthy eating by giving away up to $5,000 in prizes!

The interactive site will give you and your students the tools to learn about healthy nutrition with FUN and original lesson plans, games, worksheets and more. The sweepstakes is open to all teachers from accredited schools in the U.S. Simply register your class at Chiquita.com/BananaBrain

http://www.chiquita.com/bananabrain/

Resources:

Monte Selby Free Song of the Week

Check out the Monte Selby web site. This week is a free song about Matter.

http://monteselby.com/Matter.mp3

Web Spotlight:

Understanding 9/11: A Television News Archive

by Richard Byrne

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/08/understanding-911-television-news.html

Which Rules Are Worth Circumventing?

By Tina Barseghian

Rules are important in any civilized society. Without them, chaos would ensue. But some rules are worth questioning, especially when the consequences negate their very purpose.

http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/08/what-rules-are-worth-circumventing/

"What Would You Attempt to Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail?"

http://lifehacker.com/5827067/what-would-you-attempt-to-do-if-you-knew-you-could-not-fail

Ten things every new teacher should know

By Meris Stansbury, Associate Editor

1. Focus on the positives, not the negatives.

2. Be clear in your student expectations.

3. Have a backup plan.

4. Students are not your BFFs.

5. Many times, you’ll find yourself alone.

6. Lashing out will get you nowhere.

7. Learn to put your foot down.

8. Teaching is often political.

9. Make friends with custodians and secretaries

10. Make sure your professors have experience with current instructional practices.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2011/08/19/10-things-to-know-before-teaching/

ISTE 2011: What are we doing for our leaders?

PDF: http://mrmcgirr.com/page20/downloads/files/ISTE%20IT%20Leadership.pdf

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

It runs a little longer (2 minutes--but hey, I took off my watch and found I had all the time in the world). It is about the announcement of the new Science Framework that was released last week. From the framework will come the new science standards (late 2012). This will probably become the common core for science, just like ELA and Math--thus the National Curriculum in Science. So, it is a good heads up for people. If you want to mention it in the show notes, the audience can download the full 320 page report for free at:

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13165

News:

Beyond Seat Time: Advancing Proficiency-Based Learning

Can we do without the traditional school year? Is it feasible to shift to a system of student advancement based solely on proficiency? iNacol's Susan Patrick shares her vision of what such a system would look like and what it will take to get there. (Hint: It's already underway in some states.)

http://thejournal.com/articles/2011/08/10/beyond-seat-time-advancing-proficiency-based-learning.aspx

NMSA becomes AMLE: Watch for the change during the months of August and September.

Jeff LaRoux wins NMSA/AMLE election!

Congrats!

Resources:

U.S. Debt clock

http://usdebtclock.org/

Ten ideas for interactive teaching

By Jenna Zwang, Assistant Editor

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2011/06/06/ten-ideas-for-interactive-teaching/?ast=42&astc=3032

http://www.fctl.ucf.edu/TeachingAndLearningResources/CourseDesign/Assessment/content/101_Tips.pdf

Web Spotlight:

Teenage Girls And Social Media: Tips For Parents From A Best-Selling Author

Nearly 10 years ago, author Rachel Simmons wrote a best-selling book called Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls. Now she has updated her book to include the role of social media and technology.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2011/08/09/139176817/teenage-girls-and-social-media-tips-for-parents-from-a-best-selling-author?ft=1&f=1019

ISTE 2011: Professional Development led by Liz Davis

Students did a screen cast for each of the Google products. Checkout Flipboard for the iPad.

On Our Mind:

Starting of the school year.

Eileen Award:

Linda Chapman Broderic

Dave T.

Debbie T.

Advisory:

http://usdebtclock.org/

From the Twitterverse:

Don’t forget to join the conversation on MiddleTalk and Twitter at #midleved this Friday at 8:00 pm EST.

Jokes You Can Use:

Events & Happenings:

Jokes You Can Use:

On Our Mind:

RIM buys JayCut for the PlayBook.

Eileen Award:

BuzzGarwood (twitter)

Advisory:

Visualization of the United States National Debt.

From the Twitterverse:

Don’t forget to join the conversation on MiddleTalk and Twitter at #midleved this Friday at 8:00 pm EST.

News:

Atlanta Cheating

Resources:

Bill McBride

http://billmcbride.pbworks.com/w/page/14094960/Welcome-to-my-Wiki

Timer Tab

Online Timer, Alarm & Stopwatch. Keeps time on a tab in your browser.

http://www.timer-tab.com/

Pic4Learning

Web Spotlight:

Lino

Online stickies.

http://en.linoit.com/

ISTE 2011: BYOD Bring Your Own Device

Led by Scott Meech

References:

https://profiles.google.com/smeech.net/posts

http://www.linkedin.com/in/smeech

http://globaleducation.ning.com/profile/ScottMeech

How Paul R. Woods got it in his district:

Install wireless first.

Students can bring in their own machines, but they must allow the school to put their proxies on their machines.

If kids try to get around it, the network locks their screen and they have to see the building tech person to get it unlocked again.

How did you get teachers on board?

First year: bring your device in and allow our techs to look at it.

Following years: pick an electronic textbook.

The school bought the licensing for all the books on all the devices.

The best way to get teachers involved is to let the kids use it and then let them ask the teachers that don't use it if they can use it in their classroom.

BYOD is a better way to sustain a 1 to 1 program. District provided computers are an unsustainable way to provide tech.

Find schools that are doing this successfully and then go to the IT department.

Get administrators on your side before going to IT department.

There is some risk going forward:

3-2-1 Rule: Save in 3 different spots.

Create a safe place to fail in to create buy-in with your staff/admin/tech.

www.schoolweblockers.com: Cloud storage for $1.00 per year.

@paulrwood on Twitter.

http://twitter.com/#!/paulrwood

Website:

http://whatisyouritvision.blogspot.com/

Related:

Scott McLeod (http://bigthink.com/blogs/dangerously-irrelevant)

UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE)

ISTE 2011: Professional Development led by Liz Davis

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events: