Thing 5

I have really enjoyed finding this new way to get so much information. I never new there was such a thing as an RSS. I have even found stuff and shared them with other teachers around our school. For instance, next week is Read Across America for Dr. Seuss's birthday and one of the blogs entered into my reader sent me essentially a version of Read Across the Planet. So, I sent that to our librarian because she does a lot with Read Across America. Then, my reader found a Young Scientist Challenge and I emailed that to two science teachers who I thought would use it.

My favorite blog that I have found using my reader is Kim's Ventures in Educational Technology. I don't think it is so much how she writes, but what her topic choices are. Her topics that I have read include:

• What is your six word inagural address? - I thought this would be a great assignment to see what stuents would write. I would have them write their 6 word address and then write an essay about why they chose those words.
• Teacher Uses Webcam to Deliver Lessons - This is something I would love to be able to do. Plus, our county has been planning in case of an flu epidemic. Using a Webcam would be a great way to deliver the lessons.
  

Thing 4

Up To My Eyeballs in Feeds!!!

I've been working on Thing 4 and Thing 5 a little at a time over the past two weeks or so, and boy do I have feeds. This "Thing" is so cool!!! Love it! I get the news I want and not the news I don't want. Since I currently have 25 subscriptions, I'll probably wind up getting rid of some. This is still so neet.

I don't have a "reading habit;" I have a reading addiction and it has almost decimated my previous addiction to World of Warcraft.

Cure for Energetic/Figity Students

Ben Garvin for The New York Times

I heard this story on World New Tonight a few days ago and just loved it. I wanted to put something about it on my blog and couldn't find it on the internet until my reader found it for me. There was an article on one of my subscriptions about the story. I think most all teachers have at one time placed an energetic student with what I call "tigger disease," on the back row so they could stand up and do their work. This teacher on the story has taken it a gigantic step further. Pictured is a version of student desk that she designed. It is so cool. They can sit. They can stand. They can fidgit. They can put their feet on the foot ledge and it swings. If I could have a never ending supply of graphite spray, I would love these desks!!!

Thing 3

2009 Student Blogging Challenge

I don't know much about it yet or how I'm even going to use it in my classroom, but I signed up for it anyway. Apparently, there was a 2008 Blogging Challenge created (I think) by a teacher in Tasmania, Australia and the 2009 Blogging Challenge is an extension of that. The 2009 Blogging Challenge connects students and teachers from all over the world. Each teacher has their own blog and then each student can have their own blog or they can use a "class blog," which is basically a blog that multiple students in the class uses.

The Student Blogging Challenge strives to:

• Connect students from around the world,
• Give students a network of internet pen pals,
• Integrate technology into the curriculum
• Share customs from around the world
• Discuss curriculum topics and tips,
• and much, much more.

Each week an "Activity" will be posted. A pre-challenge activity has already been added.