So as a reward for finishing all the lessons in my typing program early, I let a few of my 7th graders play a game called TyperShark. It’s a great game, and somewhat addictive.

So I introduce this game to a student of mine and she is appalled by the game.

“You mean I have to kill these poor sharks?”
“Well, yes, but they’re trying to eat you. They’re very mean and scary sharks.”

She wasn’t convinced, but she played it anyway. So today I ask her if she wants to play TyperShark again.

“Yes, of course”
“But I thought you didn’t like killing the sharks?”
“Well I decided that I could just pretend that the sharks are my brothers. That makes it a lot more fun!”

A group of students did a project for my class on the first Apple Macintosh. During their presentation they informed the class that it was first introduced with a “non-famous” commercial during the 1984 Super Bowl.

“A non-famous commercial,” I interjected, “what does that mean?”
Surprised by the question, one of my students shrugged, “well…um…it wasn’t famous, I guess.”
I was still puzzled. I mean, they showed it during the Super Bowl. How could it not be famous? So another student tried to explain it a different way.
A light bulb came on, and I grinned. “Wait. Did your source say the commercial was ‘infamous‘?”

Heads nodded and I chuckled, then went on to explain what the word infamous actually means.

For those of you curious as to what that “infamous” commercial actually looked like, here it is in all its glory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R706isyDrqI

As I was walking up the stairs at school I encountered one of my 8th grade students heading up to ESL class. What followed was a very unexpected discussion:

Han: “Are you a heterotroph?”
Me: Not understanding, “Am I a what?”
H: “A heterotroph. Are you a heterotroph?”
M: “I’m sorry, I still didn’t understand you.”
H: “Mr. Elwell says you are a heterotroph because you can’t make your own food.”

It appears Mr. Elwell knows me all too well.