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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iirdZ62Ncw

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)

https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/351150/10-things-that-learners-pay-attention-to-and-how-to-use-them-in-elearning?utm_content=buffera3c18&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Why You Should Use a Personalized Learning Network

http://www.teachhub.com/why-you-should-use-personalized-learning-network

What We've Learned Teaching Teacher Candidates About Equity

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teacher_leader_voices/2017/10/what_weve_learned_teaching_tea.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

Let the Kids Speak: Kolton, Third Grader from Colorado

https://tntp.org/blog/post/what-does-an-eight-year-old-want-from-school

New Resources For Learning About Halloween & Day Of The Dead

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2017/10/28/new-resources-for-learning-about-halloween-day-of-the-dead/

How Seeing and Using Gestures Make Ideas More Memorable

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/10/25/how-seeing-and-using-gestures-make-ideas-more-memorable/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29

Circling Up for Community Building communication skills, 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/circling-community-building?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29

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.

Educational Links 10/28/17

Learning How Bullying Happens In Order To Prevent It

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/10/27/553845463/learning-how-bullying-happens-in-order-to-prevent-it

What’s the Difference: Accommodations vs. Modifications

https://theeducatorsroom.com/whats-difference-accommodations-vs-modifications/

STEM in Early Learning

https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2017/10/27/stem-in-early-learning/?utm_source=Tchers%27%20Voice&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=Facebook%20UTM%20Metrics%20Oct%202017&utm_content=STEM%20in%20Early%20Learning

Are There Really 7 Types of ADD?

https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/7-types-of-add-adhd-amen/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=diagnosis

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

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/10/26/three-ways-parents-can-make-digital-media-a-positive-for-young-kids/

Students with ADHD face inequity, says advocacy group

http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2017/10/25/students-with-adhd-face-inequity-says-advocacy-group/

Do Parents' Views on Gifted Education Vary by Ethnicity?

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/10/do-parents-views-on-gifted-education-vary-by-ethnicity/544182/

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.

Educational Links 10/27/17

Dyslexia and graphic novels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ko0Gqk5rls

Understanding ADHD: Information for Parents

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/adhd/Pages/Understanding-ADHD.aspx

The Importance of Academic Courage

https://www.edutopia.org/article/importance-academic-courage

5 Ways To Include Student Voice In School Change

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/10/5-ways-to-include-student-voice-in-school-change/

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

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/10/26/559914440/teachers-report-stressed-anxious-students-in-the-age-of-trump

Empowering Students Through Choice

https://theeducatorsroom.com/empowering-students-choice/

What happens in music class matters

https://tinyletter.com/hollykorbey/letters/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. 

Educational Links 10/26/17

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

http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/10/25/559535682/they-cant-just-be-average-lifting-students-up-without-lowering-the-bar

Educating the Whole Child by Capturing Hearts

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/10/educating-whole-child-capturing-hearts/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=Getting%20Smart&utm_content=Educating%20the%20Whole%20Child%20by%20Capturing%20Hearts

Top 5 Tips for Improving Student Study Skills

http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/top_five_tips_for_improving_student_study_skills.shtml

Treatment for Kids With ADHD

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/treatments-approaches/treatment-options/treatment-for-kids-with-adhd?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

With Latest Education Investments, Gates Pivots Again

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/10/23/with-latest-education-investments-gates-pivots-again.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

It’s About the Abilities, Not the Deficits

https://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2016/05/13/its-about-the-abilities-not-the-deficits.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

5 PBL Pitfalls to Avoid

https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-pbl-pitfalls-avoid?maxWidth=80%25&maxHeight=80%25&inline=true&title=%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22credit%22%3E%C2%A9Hero%20Images/500px%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22caption%22%3E%3C/div%3E#picture-colorbox-pa6VSK8wFv

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.

Educational Links 10/25/17

How School Leaders Can Attend to the Emotional Side of Change

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/10/22/how-school-leaders-can-attend-to-the-emotional-side-of-change/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29

At a Glance: Classroom Accommodations for Auditory Processing Disorder

https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/classroom-accommodations-for-auditory-processing-disorder?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

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

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/leadership_360/2017/10/the_importance_of_play_recess_mindfulness_and_leadership.html?cmp=soc-twitter-shr&utm_content=buffer79842&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Quick Classroom Exercises to Combat Stress

https://www.edutopia.org/article/quick-classroom-exercises-combat-stress?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29

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

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/10/23/courage-to-change-what-it-takes-to-shift-to-restorative-discipline/

Education Department Defends Rollback Of Special Ed Guidance

https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2017/10/24/ed-department-defends-rollback/24338/

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.

Educational Links 10/24/17

Without the Right Curriculum, Personalized Learning Is Just Another Fad

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-10-23-without-the-right-curriculum-personalized-learning-is-just-another-fad?utm_content=buffer85afc&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S84YdrgVtD0&feature=youtu.be&utm_content=buffer01f98&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

What My Students Say About Teachers Mispronouncing Their Names

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2016/10/23/what-my-students-say-about-teachers-mispronouncing-their-names/

6 Snapchat Projects for a Classroom

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/types-of-issues/dyspraxia/6-ways-dyspraxia-can-affect-your-childs-social-life?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

To Fill a 'Mentoring Gap,' Schools Get Creative

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/10/18/to-fill-a-mentoring-gap-schools-get.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news1&M=58244391&U=1454906

    
The best PD comes from your professional learning network

https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=1078&category=ISTE-Standards-in-Action&article

Why Every Classroom Should Teach Digital Citizenship

https://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/5-reasons-you-should-be-teaching-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.

Educational Links 10/23/18

What Is Down Syndrome?

http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/

The Power of Admitting What We Don’t Know

https://www.edutopia.org/article/power-admitting-what-we-dont-know

Specialized Add-ons For Google Docs

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2017/10/specialized-add-ons-for-google-docs.html#.We00J0uGPGJ

The Case Against Automated Student Data Dashboards

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-10-21-the-case-against-automated-student-data-dashboards

Rethinking how educators teach digital citizenship

http://edscoop.com/rethinking-how-educators-teach-digital-citizenship

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

https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/teacher-time-precious-so-leaders-have-ensure-it-used-wisely

Teachers and Researchers Team Up to Teach NGSS-Style Science

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/10/18/teachers-and-researchers-team-up-to-teach-ngss-style-science.aspx?m=1

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.