Middle School Matters

Jokes:

Knock, Knock!

Who's there?

Honey bee.

Honey bee who?

Honey bee a dear and get me a soda.

Knock, Knock!

Who's there?

Hatch.

Hatch who?

Bless you and please cover your mouth next time.

On Our Mind:

PLAN and Explore! Tests: Elimination of Social Studies Tests to pay for Explore! and PLAN tests.

From our Listeners:

Here's the workflow:

* I use Audio HiJack Pro to record our conversation (normally over Skype, but sometimes iChat)

* I then move the audio files into GarageBand for Post Production (yeah, I actually do some post production).

* I export the mp3 file from GarageBand.

* I upload the show to our web site via Fetch (ftp program).

* I copy the show notes from Google Docs into a blog post (wordpress blog).

* I add the link to the end of the blog post using a Podcast plugin

* I then add the link into Podcast Maker (this writes the xml file that I use).

* I then use TextWrangler to open the xml file from the server at middleschoolmatters to update that file with the new information from Podcast Maker. (Had I not done some customizing early on, I could skip this step and just use Podcast Maker to upload the xml file).

Thus, the short of it is this: I use GarageBand, then create an xml file for the web site.

Advisory:

Music Lovers:

http://www.studiomultitracks.com/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Lab Safety Training Videos

http://labsafety.flinnsci.com

NIH Findings Magazine

http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/findings

From the Twitterverse:

News:

Study on Testing

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2011/01/27/boy-there-are-so-many-problems-with-this-times-article-or-the-study-its-about-or-both/

Common Core Resource

http://commoncore.pearsoned.com/

Commentary Collection: The Future of Teaching

This collection of Commentaries explores the future course of the teaching profession.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/commentaries-the-future-of-teaching/index.html

Parent Taken to Court for Falsifying Residency

http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/114658564.html

http://www.ohio.com/news/113828954.html

Resources:

Library Apps for iPhone/iPad

http://mashable.com/2011/01/27/art-gallery-apps-iphone/#view_as_one_page-gallery_box707

Google Apps for Education

The education technology space has seen an explosion of new offerings in the past few years. What has been missing is a centralized platform for schools and universities to easily evaluate and utilize web apps. Today we are excited to launch an education category in the Google Apps Marketplace designed specifically to help schools and universities easily discover and deploy new web applications that integrate with their existing Google Apps accounts.

The new education category includes over 20 applications from 19 vendors ranging from learning management systems (LMS) to student tools and teaching aids – all of which integrate with Google Apps for Education. Each app can be accessed through single sign-on and the Google universal navigation bar and many offer deeper integrations that synchronize with Google Calendar and Documents.

This new education category will make it easier for schools to have more web apps at their fingertips, including popular existing apps such as Aviary, Grockit, and LearnBoost as well as the new apps launching today.

http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2011/01/google-apps-just-got-smarter.html

Names

http://www.whatalovelyname.com/

Easel iPad App

http://www.easellearning.com/

Web Spotlight:

Challenge.gov

Challenge.gov is a place where the public and government can solve problems together.

http://challenge.gov/

TED Talks

http://kalinago.blogspot.com/2011/01/speaking-tips-for-teaching-english-with.html

Murphy’s Teaching Law

http://www.murphys-laws.com/murphy/murphy-teaching.html

A Class Divided

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Other News:

Jokes:

Pets

While eating in an expensive restaurant, a patron overhead the gentleman at the next table ask the waitress to pack the leftovers for their dog. It was then that his young son exclaimed loudly, "Whoopee! We're going to get a dog."

Signatures

A preacher was standing at the pulpit giving his Sunday sermon when a note was passed to him. The only word written on the sheet was IDIOT. Looking up at the congregation, the preacher smiled and said: I have heard of men who write letters and forget to sign their names but this is the first time I will see a man sign his name and forget to write the letters.

On Our Mind:

Feedback from our Listeners.

From our Listeners:

Shawn & Troy

This is a LONG OVERDUE note of appreciation for the fabulous job you do with your MSM podcast. I've been subscribed to it via iTunes since you started and wouldn't miss it. Congratulations to you both on 150 shows, wow that's a real achievement! I've listened to you getting better and better over the years until now you are very professional. The jokes are a fun touch. My limit is knock knock jokes.

Why do I like your podcast so much?

1. It's a conversation between yourselves and us the listeners

2. It guides me to news items and sites I wouldn't otherwise get to but not only that, you explain their value and where they can be useful.

3. You have an opinion and are prepared to express it.

4. You discuss the professional literature, highlight reports and books you've read. This I really like. I'm presently ordering Rework by Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson

5. The feedback from Twitter is good. (I've found you and now follow you myself)

6. Love the app recommendations.

7. You finish up every podcast with all your contact details. So why did I take so long to get around to this email ............. that's why I'm ordering Rework!

All the best from the land of fire and floods -- Australia. Hopefully the plague that has hit Texas in funding cuts this week will not come to you.

Thank you again

Camilla

Advisory:

Graphics programs aren’t simply for just editing your photos—they can have whatever fun application you can think of. For a fun, geeky project, here’s a simple papercraft toy you can make with a printer and simple household tools.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/40021/htg-projects-how-to-create-your-own-custom-papercraft-toy/

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Clouds!!!

From the Twitterverse:

News:

Success of College-Readiness Intervention Hard to Gauge

Predictions for 2011

1. Textbooks are dead! For real this time!

2. Assessment will be comprehensive and constant!

3. 1:1 becomes BYOT!

4. Facebook will be encouraged!

5. Students will surf away (kind of)!

6. The end of testing is nigh!

7. Students forced to use phones in class!

8. Content will be free for all, all the time!

9. Students will learn outside of school!

10. All data become compatible—globally!

http://techlearning.com/article/35406

Resources:

Reform Symposium

http://reformsymposium.com/

http://reformsymposium.com/july-2010-podcasts/

Web Spotlight:

Doodle for Google:

http://www.google.com/doodle4google/

Qwiki

www.qwiki.com

Events & Happenings:

Jokes:

Swimming

An urgent call was put in for a plumber at noon but he didn't arrive until 5 hours later. "How is it?" he asked entering the house. "Not so bad," replied the home owner. "While we were waiting for you to arrive, I taught my wife how to swim."

Spots

"Doctor!" complained the patient, "I keep seeing spots before my eyes." The doctor scratched his head. "Why have you come to me? Have you seen an ophthalmologist?" "No," replied the patient, "just spots."

On Our Mind:

Robert Nay: Bubble Ball is the most popular free download for the Apple App Store. If he would have charged for it, he would have made 2 million dollars from it. He’s 14.

From our Listeners:

Happy new year my friends

I'm not sure which of you are still active substitutes but i do hope all of you will do me the kindness of forwarding this to as many people and organizations who substitute or work with substitute teachers as you can.

A Seattle venue is relatively close for California and "right next door" for Oregon. The Northwest is a nice location for a conference/vacation combination for anyone!

Link to Flyer: http://www.nstasubs.org/2011Conference/Call%20to%20Conference%202011-%20Final.pdf

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Girls and Science

http://www.braincake.org/

http://stemstories.org/

From the Twitterverse:

NSMA 2010 Session 6:

He Says, She Says

The Home School Connection

Debbie Silver & Monte Shelby

News:

SnagFilms

Tech Spotlight:

British Library introduces first app for iOS, Android

The British Library has launched its first-ever mobile app, Treasures. The title is available in three separate editions, for iPad, iPhone/iPod and Android. It so far provides access to a little over 100 items from the Library's collection, such as a 1215 copy of the Magna Carta, music manuscripts belonging to Handel, Purcell and Mozart, and Buddhist, Christian and Zoroastrian religious documents.

The iPad app, Treasures HD, is priced at £2.39, and benefits from a higher-resolution native interface. The iPhone/iPod title is £1.19. While the former requires only iOS 3.2, the latter demands at least iOS 4; both are restricted to the UK App Store.

http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/11/01/10/provides.access.to.rare.books/

Google Goggles gets faster, smarter and solves Sudoku

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/google-goggles-gets-faster-smarter-and.html

GEL Conference

Short for "Good Experience Live", Gel is a conference and community exploring good experience in all its forms - in art, business, technology, society, and life.

Gel was founded by Mark Hurst in 2003 and has run a spring event in New York City each year since.Gel 2011 will be the 9th annual event. (Hurst has also run two spinoff events, Gel Health in 2009 and euroGel in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2006. See Past Gels.)

Instead of focusing on just one thing - design, technology, user experience, business, etc. - like many conferences, Gel touches on many things. This challenges attendees to find, and learn from, the patterns that underlie good experience, even in disciplines vastly different from their own.

The best way to understand the Gel experience is to attend. (Next event is Gel 2011.) You might also like to watch videos from Gel 2010 to get a sense of the caliber and range of speakers - though attendees have said that the videos don't fully describe the Gel experience.

http://www.gelconference.com/

99%

http://the99percent.com/videos

Jokes:

Apples

A man traveling through the country stopped at a small roadside fruit stand and bought some apples. When he mentioned they were awfully small, the farmer replied, "Yup." The man took a bite of one of the apples and exclaimed, "Not very flavorful, either." "That's right," said the farmer. "Lucky they're small, ain't it?"

Accountants

Did you hear about the accountant with insomnia? He decided to try counting sheep, but he made a mistake and was up all night trying to find it!

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Weather vs Climate - A Throw Down

Advisory:

Future Me: A letter to the future . . . from yourself.

This Week in Rap

From the Twitterverse:

NSMA 2010 Session 6:

Session 3

10 ways to differentiate:

News:

Internet Gains on Television as Public's Main News Source

The Test Chinese Schools Still Fail

Webspotlight:

4 Promising Curation Tools That Help Make Sense of the Web

and more...

Jokes:

On a visit to Chicago

On a visit to Chicago, a woman was eager to visit a posh department store a few blocks from her hotel. Her husband agreeably hailed a cab. "The lady wants to go to Neiman Marcus," he told the driver. The cabby looked over his shoulder at them. "And the gentleman?" he asked. "Does he want to go to the bank?"

Marriage

"Honey," said this husband to his wife, "I invited a friend home for supper." "What? Are you crazy? The house is a mess, I didn't go shopping, all the dishes are dirty, and I don't feel like cooking a fancy meal!" "I know all that." "Then, why did you invite a friend for supper?" "Because the poor guy is thinking about getting married."

Blood Pressure

When a doctor remarked on a new patient?s extraordinarily ruddy complexion, he said, "High blood pressure, Doc. It runs in my family." "Your mother's side or your father's?" the doctor asked. "Neither," the patient replied. "It's from my wife's family." "Oh, come now," said the doctor "How could your wife's family give you high blood pressure?" He sighed. "You oughta meet 'em sometime, Doc!"

Marriage

The wife saw her husband frustrated reading the Marriage Certificate from top to bottom, flip it over, and then read it again... She asked: "Honey, what are you looking for?" He answered: "Nothing dear, I'm just looking for the expiration date."

On Our Mind:

Happy New Year!

Resolutions?

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Did you Know.....

Ummmmm... Chemistry

Advisory:

2011 Predictions: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1101/110101-happy_new_year.html

From the Twitterverse:

NSMA 2010 Session 5:

A five year multi-case study of middle level teachers

21st Century Skills for students

News:

Can Learning to Play the Violin Make you Smarter?

Brenda Brenner, a music education professor at the IU Jacobs School of Music, developed the program after academic research showed students who played string instruments performed better academically than those who did not.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20101224/NEWS04/12240324/1013/NEWS04/Attica-students-part-effort-see-music-improves-minds

Webspotlight:

Google Body

Played with Google Earth? You know, that website the kids go to to look at their own homes via satellite? Here’s one for the human body: http://bodybrowser.googlelabs.com/

Math & Money

Mint.com, the popular personal finance management service, in collaboration with Scholastic has launched a free personal finance curriculum for middle school use. Math and Money is a collection of four short lessons (2 primary lessons and two "bonus" lessons) about personal finance. Lesson one is designed to teach students about wages, taxes, and costs of living. Lesson two is designed to teach students the benefits of saving their money in a bank. The bonus lessons expand the first two lessons. Scholastic hosts printable materials that you can download and use to support the lessons.

http://www.scholastic.com/mint/

Life on Minimum Wage

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2009/11/life-on-minimum-wage-lesson-in-personal.html

Events & Happenings:

Jokes:

ABCs

Little Freddy's second-grade teacher was quizzing them on the alphabet. "Freddy," she says, "what comes after 'O'?" Freddy says, "Yeah!"

Mothers

Miss Jones had been giving her second-grade students a lesson on science. She had explained about magnets and showed how they would pick up nails and other bits of iron. Now it was question time, and she asked, "My name begins with the letter 'M' and I pick up things. What am I?" A little boy on the front row proudly said, "You're a mother!"

On Our Mind:

WOOT! It’s Christmas Break! (then 2 weeks ‘till exams after that . . . )

Australian schools got out this past week for their summer break …

Edublog Awards: Congrats to all the winners!

2nd Runner up: EdTechCrew

1st Runner up: LearnEnglish

The 2010 Winner: PortableRadio.ca

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Advisory:

What kids can do

http://whatkidscando.org/

Teaching Strategy:

"Managing Students in the Computer Lab"

From the Twitterverse:

NSMA 2010 Session 5:

Getting the Most out of Your Networked World

News:

Put PISA in Perspective

By Walt Gardner on December 8, 2010 7:05 AM

NMSA on the Tube

Taking Teacher Evaluation to Extremes

By Kenneth Mitchell

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/12/17/15mitchell.h30.html?tkn=TLOFwiP0tsOnR6JT3k/eb9Op9p6gM3PcMctB&cmp=clp-edweek

Webspotlight:

New words of the Decade:

Video is 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

http://jeffreyhill.typepad.com/english/2010/12/time-video-new-words-born-this-decade.html

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

* National Conference: Thursday, November 08, 2010 —Saturday, November 10, 2010 Louisville, Kentucky.

o Need a letter to your administrator explaining the benefits of attending NMSA? How about this one?

o Promotional Materials:

+ Crossword Puzzle! (Maryland Conference)

Other News:

* ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.

o The ISTE Special Interest Group: Virtual Environments is holding meetings on Mondays from 4:00 - 6:00 pm (SLT) on ISTE Island.

* The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 17 - 18, 2011.

o OMLA Registration Form

o OMLA Presentation Proposal Form

* The Michigan Association of Middle School Educators Annual Conference is coming up March 17-18, 2011 in Coopersville, MI. Coopersville Middle School is a National Schools to Watch School. (Phone: (616) 997-3400)

o MAMSE Exhibitor Form

o MAMSE Registration Form

o MAMSE Presentation Form (Presenter Deadline Extended!)

* The North Carolina Middle School Association’s Annual Conference March 13-15, 2011

o Conference Brochure

o Presenter’s Application

o Who They Are . . .

* Classroom 2.0’s Live Calendar.

o Classroom 2.0’s Ning Blog: Archived content is available.

* Second Life:

o Regular Tuesday meetings are scheduled. See the board on the ISTE Island for up to the minute details. Check frequently this week as the ISTE Annual Convention is this week.

o Video: Educational Uses of Second Life

This week's show is a recording of the dinner conversation we enjoyed during the National Middle School Annual Conference. There is a lot of background noise, but the audio is surprisingly decent considering. The conversation revolved largely around the Department of Education questions that Shawn was asked. We should be back with a "normal" show next week.

Jokes:

Speed Versus Age

A Policeman stops a speeding car and tells the woman driver; When I saw you driving down the road, I thought to myself, sixty-five at least. The woman replied: "I don't think that is quite fair. I think this hat makes me look younger."

Hearing Aids

Seems an elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased you can hear again." To which the gentleman said, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will five times!"

On Our Mind:

NMSA 2010 Conference

Santa:

North Pole

Activities - Paid site, but you could gather some ideas.

From the Audience:

In response to Reid’s question on digital science resources, I thought I could share a few thoughts and ideas.

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Pennies for the Planet! Penny Wars!

Advisory:

Secret Santa The Secret Santa gift exchange is a favorite Christmas season activity. Put a twist on it in your classroom by having students give each other acts of kindness rather than gifts. Remind students how Secret Santa works. Tell them that instead of giving gifts they will be giving acts of kindness. Supply them with a few examples, such as giving compliments, helping with homework or sharing a joke. Give students slips of paper to write their names on and place them in a bag. Students draw the name of their partner for Secret Santa. Remind students to keep their identity secret.

Give the students pieces of A4 paper and have them decorate with Christmas borders so that they look like scrolls. Each day students write their acts of kindness on their scrolls. At the end of the week, everyone tries to guess who their Secret Santa is, and they turn their kindness scroll over to their partner.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6567051_holiday-activities-middle-school-students.html

From the Twitterverse:

NSMA 2010 Session 4:

Session 4

April Tibbles is chief of staff. (I got to sit next to the lovely and talented April Tibbles!)

Greg Darnieder is special advisor to Sec. Duncan. College Access Initiative.

Leah Raphael, Patrick Desmond (Teacher fellows) (LaDezma? A little difficult to hear)

Secondary planning group being developed.

Think about this while we talk: If you had 60 seconds with the secretary, what would you say about middle school?

Speed round:

1st word: Personalization

2nd word: Looping

3rd word: College and career readiness standards.

4th word: Rigor

5th word: Transitioning to high school.

6th word: Data

Are the needs of middle school students distinct?

What does a middle school look like?

Reauthorization of Perkins is coming up next year.

Should that program be revised to include middle grades?

If you had 60 seconds with Arne Duncan . . .

Secondary Schools Working Group

Session 4

LA Strategies that Meet the needs of the Adolescents

Jack Berckermeyer

News:

Scrapping Education Dept. Could Be Tough Task

By Alyson Klein

Webspotlight:

A Closer Look at a Christmas Carol

Free Audio version of A Christmas Carol

The Power of Literature Circles

Interactive White Boards

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

* National Conference: Thursday, November 08, 2010 —Saturday, November 10, 2010 Louisville, Kentucky.

o Need a letter to your administrator explaining the benefits of attending NMSA? How about this one?

o Promotional Materials:

+ Crossword Puzzle! (Maryland Conference)

Other News:

Jokes:

Tuning

The doorbell rang, and the lady of the house discovered a workman, complete with tool chest, at the front door. "Lady," he announced, "I'm the piano tuner." The lady exclaimed, "Why, I didn't send for a piano tuner." The man replied, "I know, but your neighbors did."

Age

A teacher said to her student, "Billy, if both of your parents were born in 1967, how old are they now?" After a few moments, Billy answered, "It depends." "It depends on what?" she asked. "It depends on whether you ask my father or my mother."

Space

When the Smith family moved into their new house, a visiting grandparent asked five-year-old Tommy how he liked the new place. "It's great," he said. "I have my own room, Alex has his own room, and Jamie has her own room. But poor mom is still in with dad."

Painting

Mary goes to her first show at an art gallery and is looking at the paintings. One is a huge canvas that has black with yellow blobs of paint splattered all over it. The next painting is a murky gray color that has drips of purple paint streaked across it. Mary walks over to the artist and says, "I don't understand your paintings." "I paint what I feel inside me," explains the artist. "Have you ever tried Alka-Seltzer?"

On Our Mind:

NMSA 2010 Conference

From the Audience:

Guys- I have just recently started to listen to your podcasts and follow you on Twitter. I am impressed and look forward to learning from the networking. I am a middle school principal in Lowell, Indiana. I need some help with a couple of things. First, it is a Science adoption year here in Indiana and I need help locating quality digital resources for adoption instead of textbooks. Do you guys know of any that I could research. Second, I am interested in Second Life and how you guys use this web tool.

Reid

Will Richardson’s Keynote

California: Open Source Textbooks

Second Life

Curriki

Udemy

Science Sites

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

Cell Phones, iPods and energy. What do your students need to know?

Advisory:

Have your students take a short quiz on World Hunger. You could have the students take the quiz collaboratively, or take it yourself first, then give it to the students. Good discussion topics. Plus a donation is made every time someone takes the quiz.

http://gifts.wfp.org/quiz/

From the Twitterverse:

This Part for Infamous40000 . . . :

Waiting to hear back from Infamous40000 . . .

NSMA 2010 Session 3:

Session 3

Professional Learning Communities

Making a School Great: Professional Learning Communities

*************************************************************************************

NMSA 2010: Developing Adolescent Thinkers

News:

Students, Ownership and Creativity: 35 Resources

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

Jokes:

Frogs

A guy was walking beside a pond when a frog jumped out and told him that she was really a beautiful princess and if he were to kiss her, she would make him VERY happy! He picked up the frog and put it into his pocket. A few minutes later, the frog poked her head out and said, "Didn't you hear me?! I'm a beautiful princess and if you kiss me I will stay with you and do ANYTHING you want!" The guy took the frog out and said, "Look, I understand what you are saying, but I am a computer programmer and right now I don't have time for a girlfriend... but a talking FROG is REALLY, REALLY COOL!"

Scotland

Over a remote Scottish island a helicopter lost power and was forced to make an emergency landing. Luckily there was a small cottage nearby. The pilot walked over to it and knocked on the door. "Is there a mechanic in the area?" he asked the woman who answered the door. She scratched her head and thought for a few seconds. "No," she finally said, pointing down the road, "but we do have a McArdle and a McKay."

On Our Mind:

NMSA 2010 Conference

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

"Heliophysics." and more.

From the Twitterverse:

NSMA 2010 Session 2:

Session 2:

1267

Sharon Faber

Ms. Sandra Dutemple

Motivating Students

Great Strategies that Increase Positive Behavior & Motivate Students

"Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but children have the equal right to develop their talent, their ability and their motivation"

John F. Kennedy

NMSA 2010: Summarization in Any Subject

Part Two:

Rick Wormeli, 2010 (Handout provided)

Summarization Strategies:

News:

Webspotlight:

DisUnion

One-hundred-and-fifty years ago, Americans went to war with themselves. Disunion revisits and reconsiders America's most perilous period -- using contemporary accounts, diaries, images and historical assessments to follow the Civil War as it unfolded.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/category/disunion/

ViewChange

Using the power of video to tell stories about real people and progress in global development.

Varied length of videos. Videos can be downloaded. Some really great videos can be found. You can change the view from an interesting circle to a list view. Many different subject areas are represented.

http://www.viewchange.org/

Google Lit Trips:

http://www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/Home.html

When Pictures Make History

A timeline of image-makers who have shaped world history

Excerpted from the book, TIME History's Greatest Events

Read more:

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2031505,00.html#ixzz15pzqxYhq

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2031505,00.html

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:

NMSA News:

Other News: