MICDS English

Posted: As the debate wages on about the Bard's relatability -- and whether or not relatability matters to begin with -- a hilarious Tumblr has surfaced that translates modern-day pop songs into Shakespearean sonnets. Below are 6 Top 40 songs, rewritten as Shakespeare sonnets: Every wonder what Taylor Swift's newest album would sound like in iambic pentameter?

Grabs their attention to start, checks for understanding in the mini-lesson, moves into workshop and summative assessment, makes jokes along the way, focuses on engagement rather than discipline, diplomatically corrects them when they do things wrong...

Great, quick way to explain subtext and offer a way to analyze texts--translate dialogue (and narration) into its functions.

How to search for copyright-free images right from the Google search page. This and other helpful image search and editing tips in this presentation.

There are some useful tips for Google searches in this presentation from a Google content specialist. The "hidden features" are particularly helpful: define words and find their etymologies and trends over time; search by dragging images into the search bar; search ebooks for content and find the physical location of books; filter searches by time, color, location etc.

13 Useful Chrome Extensions (including Diigo!)

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Great way to bring in nonfiction to LOTF. And look at the connections with awe and cog mods in the first paragraph: "Science doesn't just further technology and help us predict and control our environment. It also changes the way we understand ourselves and our place in the natural world. This understanding can inspire awe and a sense of grandeur. But it can also be unsettling, especially when it calls into question our basic assumptions about the kinds of creatures we are and the universe we inhabit."