What I’ve Been Reading

Anyone who knows me, knows I enjoy reading. Between audiobooks and physical books, I usually read about 25 to 30 books a year.  

In the windows next to my classroom door, I usually post the books that I am reading and have just finished. My little reading posters have prompted some interesting conversations between students other teachers and myself.

Since almost none of us are in school right now, I figured I’d share what I’ve been reading recently. 

Since we left the building due to the pandemic in March, here’s what I’ve been reading:

The Value of the Moon: How to Explore, Live, and Prosper in Space Using the Moon's Resources - This was really interesting and makes a convincing case about why we should be going back to the Moon to stay before venturing to Mars.

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams (Audiobook) - Sleep is really underrated. We think our brains are resting when we're sleeping, but they’re really hard at work while our bodies rest.

The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History (Audiobook) - Yeah, I had to read this and it was great. It provides a really good perspective on the last pandemic and, at the end, foreshadows this pandemic.

State of Play: The Old School Guide To New School Baseball - Each year, I try to read one book about baseball - my favorite sport. This was good, but not great.

Infinite Wonder: An Astronaut's Photographs from a Year in Space - This is more of a picture book and the images are spectacular.

Caesar's Last Breath: Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us - A great book by my favorite science writer. 

The Science of Hitting - Second baseball book of the year. This one written by the greatest hitter of all time: Ted Williams. I read this in middle school, so it's one of a very short list of books I have read twice.

Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man - This is about President Trump. It is not a flattering look.

The Periodic Table (Audiobook) - This is a very personal story of Nazi Germany presented in the context of chemistry. Very interesting. Some of my 8th graders will get to read a chapter of it later in the year.

The Science of Sci-Fi: From Warp Speed to Interstellar Travel (Audiobook) - Most science fiction movies and TV shows play fast and loose with science. This book explains how things like time travel, faster than light travel, and worm holes in the fabric of space could work. It was short and fun.

The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition - This is a must-read for people. The diary

of a 13 year old girl who is in hiding from the Nazi’s in Amsterdam. Anne and her family are jewish and fear being sent to a German concentration camp, so they hide for two years in the attic of a warehouse.  

Ringworld - This is a highly acclaimed science fiction novel I have wanted to read for some time. Now, turned out to be the time. I’m only about 30 pages in, but I think I’m going to enjoy it. 

If you need a book or a book recommendation, reach out to me and I’ll do what ever I can to help out. 

Just Keep Swimming

Two days into the new way of doing school and I don’t like it.

I’ll get used to it and you will too. 

When I’m sharing my screen, I feel like I’m talking to myself. 

It’s very weird. 

When I’m in the classroom, I can see and hear you. I know when you’re listening and when you’re not. I can interact with you so easily and in so many ways - big and little. 

Now, it’s so difficult. But, it's the best we can do under the circumstances.

I will get used to it. I will make changes as we go on. You will get used to this too and probably make changes in the way you do things as well. 

Together, we will get through this very strange experience and get back to in-school learning at some point. 

Until then, just keep swimming, it’s all you can ever do.

Just keep swimming.

Just keep swimming.

Just keep swimming.

Welcome to the 2020-21 School Year: It's Gonna Be Weird!

Welcome to the 2020-21 School Year and Welcome to my blog!

I write here pretty much every week. This is where I write about my life as a teacher and a person. Yes, teachers are people just like you - we’re just older, more experienced and better educated than you (of course, we’re working hard to change that!)

I encourage you to read my posts. Sometimes they’’ll be funny, sometimes serious and sometimes in between.  Sometimes, I will assign you a blog post to read. 

My posts are not long so you won’t strain your brain reading them. Many students find them interesting and funny. 

I usually post on Sunday mornings. I will post a link on google classroom, so you’ll get an email notification when there’s something new to read.

Please read.

Please feel free to comment.

Please talk to me about what I write.

This is gonna be a weird school year. I suspect I will have a lot to say. 

Stay tuned.

PS - What do you think the name of my blog “On the shoulders of giants” means???

Milkweed Bugs, Wednesday June 10, 2020

My last observation was last Tuesday, so it’s been more than a week. This will be my last observation of the school year.

• Mini-habitat #1 I see several new clutches including a very large on glue to the side of the bag next to the cotton.  (See photo)

• Mini-habitat #2 I observed some new cutches in this habitat as well.   (See photo)

• Mini-habitat #4 Active mating going on with one pair - there is at least one clutch in the cotton. (See photos) 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Mini-habitat #5 There is a huge, reddish clutch in this habitat. One pair was mating when I looked today.  (See picture)
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Mini-habitat - Extras - As usual, there is a lot of activity in this bag. I did not see any clutches, but it’s difficult to see with all the discarded exoskeletons, feces and dead bugs. (See picture)
  

I have not heard back from the central office about what to do with these bugs when school is done. We have been told not to release them. I suggested someone else take them for the Summer & Fall and then, instead of buying new ones next year, we could use our own. No response yet.

This is the end of the Populations and Ecosystems unit. We didn’t cover as much as I wanted too, but we did go over some of the basics.  

Have an enjoyable summer. 

If you're going to summer school - work hard - excel - put yourself in a position to have a fantastic 8th grade!

Stay safe!!!

Contact information: 

Remind: text @497h7k to 81010

Email: mmckellar@lowell.k12.ma.us

Milkweed Bugs, Tuesday, June 2, 2020

My last observation was last Tuesday, so it’s been a week.   

• Mini-habitat #1 I guess the offspring are mature, there’s mating going on all over the place.  (See photo)

• Mini-habitat #2 I saw mating going on in this habitat as well.   (See photo)
  

• Mini-habitat #4 We have reached some sort of a tipping point, because we have mating going on here too. The bugs don’t seem to be bothered by the mold, so I’m going to leave it there instead of risking a mass escape. (See photo) 

• Mini-habitat #5 I saw two pairs mating in this habitat today.  (See picture)

• Mini-habitat - Extras - I see mating here too. This bag is a mosh-mosh of large, small and medium sized bugs, discarded exoskeletons, and dead bugs. What a mess.   (See picture)
  

I have not heard back from the central office about what to do with these bugs when school is done. We have been told not to release them. I suggested someone else take them for the Summer & Fall and then, instead of buying new ones next year, we could use our own. No response yet. Secret code word: Escape

I will make more observations on later this week…watch your email for a notification of when I post.  

Stay safe!

Contact information: 

Remind: text @497h7k to 81010

Email: mmckellar@lowell.k12.ma.us

Milkweed Bugs, Wednesday, May 27, 2020

My last observation was last Tuesday, so it’s been a week.   

• Mini-habitat #1 My masking tape experiment did not change their behavior. Even with the sun blocked out over their usual grouping spot, they still grouped up.  I’m not sure what that’s about, but it’s happening in all the bags. Maybe they just group up in the highest parts of the milkweed plants… (See photo)

• Mini-habitat #2 I have not taken the moldy food bag out yet, I’ll do that this week.   (See photo)

• Mini-habitat #4 Judging by their size, we have a lot of mature bugs now. I have not seen any mating yet in this bag. (See photo) 
  

• Mini-habitat #5 Still no evidence of mating. This water container ran dry, so I filled it up a lot, this time. (See picture)
  

• Mini-habitat - Extras - Still no evidence of mating. I would expect to see that behavior in this bag first, just because there are so many bugs in here.   (See picture)
  

I am beginning to think about the end of school. What do I do with all these bugs?  I can not release them into the wild, they have been breed to eat only sunflower seeds and I do not have any sunflowers near me. Hmmmmmmmmm...

I will make more observations on later this week…watch your email for a notification of when I post.  

Stay safe!

Contact information: 

Remind: text @497h7k to 81010

Email: mmckellar@lowell.k12.ma.us

Milkweed Bugs, Tuesday, May 19, 2020

My last observation was Monday, so it’s been four days since then.  We’ve had a big development with one of the mini-habitats.

• Mini-habitat #1 There is still a large group of bugs near the top of the bag. I am going to do a test to see if it’s air or light or something else they are seeking. I places a piece of masking tape over the top of the bag. The air holes are still open but this will provide shade from the sun. We’ll see what happens. (See photos)

• Mini-habitat #2 Mold has begun to grow on the food supply. I will have to replace that. Fortnately, I still have the food bags from some of the habitats that I disassembled.  (See photo)
  

• Mini-habitat #4 There is also mold on this food bag. I wonder why we suddenly have mold growing. What has changed since we started? (See photo) 

• Mini-habitat #5 I saw a behavior today I have not see before. Two bugs seemed to be fighting or wrestling together. I wonder if this was an attempt at mating (See picture)

• Mini-habitat - Extras - Lots of bugs near the air holes. I took a picture of a group of exoskeletons.   (See picture)

We are down to five active habitats now. I can no longer identify any of the original adults we started with. Some may still be in the bags, but the offspring are so large, I can not tell them apart any more.

I will make more observations on Saturday of this week…watch your email for a notification of when I post.  

Stay safe!

Contact information: 

Remind: text @497h7k to 81010

Email: mmckellar@lowell.k12.ma.us