Saturday, October 28, 2017

Silly Music For Halloween #5: ...I was working in my lab late one night...

These lyrics, as all narrative poems, incompass a story; this one includes several famous movie monsters. We've got Frankenstein and Dr. Frankenstein (Mary Shelly's story from almost 200 years ago),  zombies, Wolfman,  Dracula and Igor, Dr. Frankenstien's assistant (reference 'Young Frankenstein' by Mel Brooks.) You could actually do a plot diagram, but a panel cartoon graphic might be more fun. The fact that the Mashed Potatoes was actually a dance in the early '60s is really very funny in itself, but teaching the class to do this dance will give much needed relief from the stress of the Common Core-for teacher.  
 The_Mashed_Potatoes.mov https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzTwx6bJeBU
 
Monster Mash
I was working in the lab, late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab, began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise

He did the mash, he did the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
He did the mash, it caught on in a flash
He did the mash, he did the monster mash

From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes

They did the mash, they did the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
They did the mash, it caught on in a flash
They did the mash, they did the monster mash

The zombies were having fun
The party had just begun
The guests included Wolfman,
Dracula, and his son

The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds
The coffin-bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, 'The Crypt-Kicker Five'

They played the mash, they played the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
They played the mash, it caught on in a flash
They played the mash, they played the monster mash

Out from his coffin, Drac's voice did ring
Seems he was troubled by just one thing
Opened the lid and shook his fist and said
"Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist? "

It's now the mash, it's now the monster mash
The monster mash, it was graveyard smash
It's now the mash, it caught on in a flash
It's now the mash, it's now the monster mash

Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band
And my Monster Mash is the hit of the land
For you, the living, this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you

Then you can mash, then you can monster mash
The monster mash, and do my graveyard smash
Then you can mash, you'll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash, then you can monster mash

Monster Mash Up: Halloween In-Class Activity

http://catlintucker.com/2010/10/monster-mash-up-halloween-in-class-activity/

Educational Links 10/29/17

10 Things That Learners Pay Attention To (And How to Use Them in eLearning)



Why You Should Use a Personalized Learning Network



What We've Learned Teaching Teacher Candidates About Equity


Let the Kids Speak: Kolton, Third Grader from Colorado


New Resources For Learning About Halloween & Day Of The Dead



How Seeing and Using Gestures Make Ideas More Memorable

Circling Up for Community Building communication skills, 


In simple terms, they’re an alternative to the punitive justice that has been used in schools for misbehavior—schools are rapidly adopting restorative practices to replace disciplinary removal. But they can also be used to build a sense of community, because at heart they involve creating a safe space for group discussion.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Educational Links 10/28/17

Learning How Bullying Happens In Order To Prevent It


What’s the Difference: Accommodations vs. Modifications


STEM in Early Learning


Are There Really 7 Types of ADD?



Three Ways Parents Can Make Digital Media a Positive for Young Kids

Students with ADHD face inequity, says advocacy group




Do Parents' Views on Gifted Education Vary by Ethnicity?


Is getting your child into a gifted-and-talented program a mark of good parenting? How you answer may depend largely on your race or ethnicity, according to new research.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Educational Links 10/27/17


Dyslexia and graphic novels





The Importance of Academic Courage


5 Ways To Include Student Voice In School Change


Teachers Report Stressed, Anxious Students In The 'Age Of Trump'


Empowering Students Through Choice


What happens in music class matters


The Every Student Succeeds Act, which is replacing No Child Left Behind, takes effect this school year and emphasizes a well-rounded education which includes the arts. For many schools that means putting more emphasis and cash behind arts programs that were neglected for the past decade. The Arts Education Partnership has an ESSA cheat sheet with lots of relevant information about what this means for your state and you can find it here

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Educational Links 10/26/17


'They Can't Just Be Average': Lifting Students Up Without Lowering The Bar


Educating the Whole Child by Capturing Hearts


Top 5 Tips for Improving Student Study Skills

Treatment for Kids With ADHD

With Latest Education Investments, Gates Pivots Again

It’s About the Abilities, Not the Deficits

5 PBL Pitfalls to Avoid


Great ideas can lose their allure when not implemented well. But that doesn’t make them bad ideas. Such is the case with project-based learning (PBL), a complex, powerful approach to teaching and learning that’s backed by extensive research.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Educational Links 10/25/17


How School Leaders Can Attend to the Emotional Side of Change

At a Glance: Classroom Accommodations for Auditory Processing Disorder


Why Did That Student Fail? A Diagnostic Approach To Teaching

https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/diagnostic-teaching-why-students-struggle/


The Importance of Play, Recess, Mindfulness and Leadership


Quick Classroom Exercises to Combat Stress

Courage To Change: What It Takes to Shift to Restorative Discipline


Education Department Defends Rollback Of Special Ed Guidance


The U. S, Department of Education is insisting that its move to withdraw dozens of special education guidance documents will not compromise services for students with disabilities. 

The agency said this week that all of the stricken guidance is no longer relevant.


Monday, October 23, 2017

Educational Links 10/24/17

Without the Right Curriculum, Personalized Learning Is Just Another Fad


Bullying and Cyberbullying: What You Need to Know | Bully Prevention Month



What My Students Say About Teachers Mispronouncing Their Names



6 Snapchat Projects for a Classroom

To Fill a 'Mentoring Gap,' Schools Get Creative

    
The best PD comes from your professional learning network

Why Every Classroom Should Teach Digital Citizenship

This type of cyberbullying and reckless use of digital communication is rampant among teens, but this recent episode was only unusually due to its elevated publicity.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Educational Links 10/23/18

What Is Down Syndrome?

The Power of Admitting What We Don’t Know


Specialized Add-ons For Google Docs



The Case Against Automated Student Data Dashboards


Rethinking how educators teach digital citizenship


'Teacher time is precious, so leaders have to ensure it is used wisely'



Teachers and Researchers Team Up to Teach NGSS-Style Science


The idea is to allow students to become practicing scientists by setting up scenarios that let them explore the natural world. For example, a mini-unit on puddles allows young students to explore how a puddle filled with water in the morning has disappeared by the afternoon. According to teacher Anuska Chorba at Hazel Wolf K-8 STEM School, previously, she "was the scientist" with the information that would be passed along to the students. Now, her students are "taught the practices of being a scientist" by going through the same processes to find information that adult scientists would.