Waffle Bytes

Brought to you by Christine Schneider of the MeL Team: Why did a scarecrow win the Nobel prize?... Because he was outstanding in his field! For more than a century now, people in the U.S. have celebrated Scarecrow Day on the first Sunday of July.  To help Michigan celebrate on July 1st of this year, we wanted to offer some great ideas for programming at your library or for families to do together at home using MeL resources! 1.       Host a “How to Build a Scarecrow” activity From  General Reference Center Gold : ·          Fragrant scarecrow. (Seasonal Scent) ·          Recycle Sam tin-can scarecrow ·          Corny, creative scarecrows ·          Digital scarecrows. (country lore: readers' tips to live by) ·          N...

If you are looking for some activities for Digital Citizenship Week (Oct 16-20), check out the resources from CommonSense Education !  From CommonSense Education: Get Dig Cit-Ready Digital Citizenship Week 2017 Help students think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly online. Internet safety? Creative copyright? Fake news? With so many topics on your "to teach" list that go above and beyond the core curriculum, it's essential to have a game plan. For Digital Citizenship Week 2017 (Oct. 16-20), we've gathered a few stellar resources into one place. Whether you're just getting started with digital citizenship, are looking for resources to share with colleagues or parents, or are ready to lead a school- or districtwide program, Common Sense Education is here to help you get it done. Ready, set, go Dig Cit!

Are you looking to implement some digital literacy into your curriculum?  If you teach middle and/or high school students, you may want to check out the Applied Digital Skills site (formerly or part of CS First).  They have free curriculum lessons for teachers focused on a variety of different skills. Some examples:

If you want to give your students a moderated experience in an alternate reality game, you should check out The Tessera . From the creators' Educator's Guide : "Tessera: Light in the Dark is an online game where players use real world media and skills to interact with the fictional world of the Tessera, working together to unravel the mystery of a haunted Victorian-era tavern." The focus of the game is on students learning about and using computational thinking.  It has been tied to the Next Generation Science Standards, and easily fits into the STEM/STEAM curriculum.  While there is a live game happening from January to March/April, they are designing a version that is more adapted to the classroom -  "The replayable version will have around 10 sessions or modules that include lesson plans/activities, each of which can be accomplished in approximately 30 minutes. Players will be able to explore the website and related materials above and beyond this a...

What’s This Breakout EDU Box Thing? Breakout EDU - a new fad or a valid method for learning? It’s hard to know until you experience one for yourself.  This workshop will begin by dividing into teams whose challenge is to break into a Breakout EDU box.  It sounds simple, but will require teamwork, creative problem solving, and thinking outside the “box” to accomplish the breakout. Purposes of the day’s activities - Experience a Breakout EDU Box activity Discuss the impacts of Breakout EDU on educational learning Walk through the setup process and materials needed Create a modified Breakout EDU activity This session is appropriate for superintendents, principals, all teachers, curriculum & technology personnel.  Breakout EDU boxes can be used with staff for professional development/team building, or in the classroom. Date : February 3, 2017 Time : 8:30 - 12:00 Where : Calhoun ISD (Marshall) Cost : FREE to REMC 12E educators  ...