MSM 276: Picture (almost) Perfect!

Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education.

Jokes You Can Use:

Eileen Award:

Twitter: Julie Brannon, Tanya Knight, Sharon Ricks

Advisory:

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or [email protected])

This is the second in a four part series on neuroscience with special guest Aneesha Badrinarayan, Outreach Programs Manager with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, in Ann Arbor, MI. You can visit the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum online at:

http://www.aahom.org

In this podcast, we look at the question of "What is the application of Neuroscience?"

From the Twitterverse:

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Powtoon

http://www.powtoon.com/

http://www.powtoon.com/pricing/edu/

Resources:

Historypin

Historypin is a way for millions of people to come together, from across different generations, cultures and places, to share small glimpses of the past and to build up the huge story of human history.

Everyone has history to share: whether its sitting in yellowed albums in the attic, collected in piles of crackly tapes, conserved in the 1000s of archives all over the world or passed down in memories and old stories.

Each of these pieces of history finds a home on Historypin, where everyone has the chance to see it, add to it, learn from it, debate it and use it to build up a more complete understanding of the world.

http://www.historypin.com/

Web Spotlight:

Images from the Museum of New Zealand

Over 14,000 images are available under a Creative Commons licence CC BY-NC-ND. If you aren’t familiar with Creative Commons it can look a little complicated, but what it means is you can use those images if attribute the image (we help you do that at each download page). You can’t make money from using the image, and you can’t change the image. Might sound a little restrictive but there is plenty you can still do, like use it in your homework, on your blog, print it and hang it on your wall…

But even better are the 17,000 images that downloadable for any use, any use at all. These images have no known copyright restrictions. Again it would be good if you attributed the original maker of the work, and link to the page on Collections Online so others can find it, but that isn’t mandatory.

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/explore

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/

How (Not) to Talk to Kids About High-Stakes Tests

By day, I’m a calm, mild-mannered middle school teacher who would do just about anything to motivate my students to do their best work and fall in love with learning. I praise their achievements and efforts, not just their high scores, and then watch those scores improve.

By night, I am the mom of two daughters, and much of my hard-won professional acumen goes out the window.

Defenders believe rigorous tests lead to better teaching and better learning only when the tests have sharp teeth: Students, educators, principals, and even whole schools face dire consequences if kids don’t do well. It’s a giant experiment, involving millions of children.

1. Going negative just does not work very well.

2. Praising hard work, not high scores, is more effective.

3. Stereotypes matter.

So the takeaway for parents and teachers swept into the vortex of testing mania? Inspire students by helping them to see that their hard work has a purpose that will improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Build up students’ confidence by teaching them to work hard to improve their skills. Praise their tenacity and curiosity, not just their high scores.

http://www.rewireme.com/explorations/talk-kids-high-stakes-tests/#sthash.aP67okS6.y7GwnHh9.dpbs

Random Thoughts . . .

ISTE 2014

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