Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Twitter: William Gould, Val Jones, Mark Maudlin, Jessica Herring, Bren Martin

Advisory:

Skeptic 101

THE SKEPTICAL STUDIES CURRICULUM RESOURCE CENTER is a comprehensive, free repository of resources for teaching students how to think skeptically. This Center contains an ever-growing selection of books, reading lists, course syllabi, in-class exercises, PowerPoint presentations, student projects, papers, and videos that you may download and use in your own classes. Lessons in these resources include:

what science is, how it differs from pseudoscience, and why it matters

the scientific method and how to use it to investigate and conduct skeptical analyses of extraordinary claims

how to construct effective arguments and rhetorical strategies

how to effectively use presentations and papers to present an argument

reason, logic, and skeptical analysis

the psychology of belief

how ideas are presented within academia

how peer review works

and much more…

http://www.skeptic.com/skepticism-101/

Hand gestures

http://www.pimsleurapproach.com/blog/language-learning/the-hand-jive-hand-gestures-infographic

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MINUTE-THE LEONARDO STRATEGY

I was recently reading the January, 2014 issue of Science Scope, a magazine written for Middle School Science Teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. In this issue, I was reading the article, "The Leonardo Strategy" written by Renee Clary and James Wandersee.

In this article, they look at scientific discourse and argumentation in an online environment.

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2014/1/19_Middle_School_Science_Minute-The_Leonardo_Strategy.html

From the Twitterverse:

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”

Strategies:

Professional Development

Be glad this isn’t you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAy3vJn4pbs#t=34

Cultivate a Learning Mindset: Passion

What can be seen in an organization with a learning mindset characterized by passion?

http://blog.clerestorylearning.com/cultivate-a-learning-mindset-passion

Characteristics of Good Leadership

http://infographicjournal.com/characteristics-of-good-leadership/

Resources:

Chogger

Create comics online.

http://chogger.com/

Web Spotlight:

25 Literary Opening Lines Diagrammed on One Giant Poster

http://mentalfloss.com/article/55248/25-literary-opening-lines-diagrammed-one-giant-poster

25 maps and charts that explain America today

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/02/24/25-maps-and-charts-that-explain-america-today/

Real Discipline in School

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/02/17/opinion/real-discipline-in-school.html

Nine-hour school day is the norm – and a national model – at Oakland middle school

http://edsource.org/today/2014/oakland-middle-schools-9-hour-school-day-is-model-program/57269

Random Thoughts . . .

Blended Learning. Class I’m taking as a student.

Special shout out to Ron King for his contributions.