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: