It's Time for a Little Chat

How is it that those words can sometimes strike fear in your heart when you hear them?  I can recall many times when I was teaching and my principal would stick her head in my door and say something as innocent as, "Drop by my office on your plan time. There's something I want to talk to you about.", which would leave me in a state of panic for the minutes, or sometimes hours, before my plan time finally got there.  Then walking with trepidation to the office...how did the building suddenly grow so large? The office was never so far away before.
Entering the office with heart palpitating, I could only imagine that I was going to be fired on the spot. Heaven forbid if she asked me to close the door before sitting down!  Nine times out of ten (or more, actually) I would be greeted by her with a smile on her face, and right away, my nervousness would melt away. Often, I would find that she just wanted to know if I would serve on a committee, stay late to help with a building function, or even if I wanted to take a look at some clothes that her sister had grown out of. 
Don't get me wrong, there are times when a principal and staff member must have hard conversations, but most of the time, conversations are about the business of school. I guess it's just human nature to question yourself when someone lets you know they "want to talk" without providing information about the nature of the conversation. Luckily, all the "little chats" I have ever been involved in, have ended on a positive note or helped me become better at my job, a better colleague, or a better friend.

Chatzy
Chatzy is a free private chat room that can be utilized without registration. Email invitations will allow others to join the chat room. 
On their site, Chatzy advertises:

Chatzy is a good alternative to Facebook, Skype, Windows Live, and other messengers because:


*Chatzy has no registration steps - your friends can join instantly

*Chatzy is free and has no popup ads

*Chatzy does not require Flash or any installation on your computer (= no spyware)

*Chatzy works on all major browsers, with any language and through corporate firewalls

*Chatzy is simple and easy to use

Other reasons I like this mode of communication and collaboration for students: 
  1. It is more up-to-date than email. Many kids think email is only for grownups.
  2. Students do not need to register.
  3. If the teacher registers (free), there are levels of control that allow for more privacy, such as creating a
     password to enter the room.
  4. Registered users may also set up multiple rooms...for various reading groups, etc.
  5. Students may be given the url in lieu of an email invitation.
  6. All conversations are monitored by the teacher.
Although it took me a few minutes to become familiar with the environment, I feel this tool is worth taking a look at, especially for elementary and middle school teachers.

21 Signs

I ran across this blog post today 21 Signs You’re a 21st Century Teacher.  I like this list and can think teachers in my district who are doing, or have done, most of the things on it.  Just last week I was invited to a school to present on wikis and blogs to the staff because they were looking for alternative ways to get information to students and parents about assignments (#3 on the list).  Monday a teacher asked about getting Skype installed on laptops so students could meet with students in another state (#1).  I caught wind of this post via my Google Reader (#19).
On reading the list of 21 signs, I'm sure you can think of other things you and your students are doing.  Why not add to the list and possibly win a prize for doing so?  Even if you aren't the winner of the EdTech Unconference pass or the I ♥ EdTech t-shirt, you will be a winner for helping others to discover fun engaging ways to help students learn.

Simplek12
Simplek12 is a blog I have been following on my Google Reader for some time now.  I find the posts relevant for staff in my district.  At the site you can also find professional development, student curriculum and other valuable resources.

New Year = Not-So-New Tools

After taking a year-long foray into the world of middle school library, I am back in the technology integration game.  I learned a great deal about the Dewey Decimal Classification and reference materials last year, but it feels so good to be here again, talking technology and learning.
Today the kids are out of school enjoying unseasonably mild mid-October weather, while we teachers are spending the day making sure that we are taking the right steps to help our students grasp content.  I am doing a late afternoon session on wikis, blogs and Google Docs at one of our middle schools.  In preparing for the session that will introduce (or reintroduce) teachers to these tools, I stumbled across a matrix that I have found quite helpful! I don't know who created it, but it is going to be my guiding tool for today.  Thanks to the person who put their time and effort into preparing this chart.

Blogs, Wikis, Docs: Which is right for your lesson?  A Comparison Table

Summer, I <3 U!

Ah, the lazy days of summer! If you are an educator or student, that is. At the end of the school year, I had every intention of writing posts all summer long. I actually wrote one just after school let out. However, a couch potato thwarted my attempts. She made me watch nine episodes of the first season of HBO's True Blood in one day. She forced me to lay in the sun reading books, not once, but three times! She cajoled me to take several long walks with my dog. Couch potato, if you and I were not one-in-the-same person, I would julienne slice you and fry you up with some sweet yellow onion.
But hey, isn't having the summer off one of the perks of being in education? I may not have to go into school each day during June, July, and August, but I still work all summer long. I spend a great deal of time surfing for good resources on the Internet, read books and education articles on the web, spend time networking with other educators on Twitter and Plurk, and occasionally play games on my computer to keep my brain sharp. You won't see me losing a half year of learning over the summer, nosiree!
Next week, I am conducting a workshop for teachers in a neighboring district on blogging, using wikis and podcasting. I have had force myself to put down the remote and hold off watching the last three episodes of True Blood in order to plan my session. The planning hasn't been a pain in the neck at all! It is also nice to focus without being interrupted.
What blog hosts and wiki hosts do you find best lend themselves to K-12 teachers and classrooms? What do you use for podcasting? What are some of the most innovative ways you have seen each used by teachers and students? All suggestions, links to great examples and tutorials welcome!

That's A Peach, Hon - Positive Feedback

I love the movie Caddyshack. I went to see it on one of my very first dates in the summer of 1980. I chuckle when I remember my date, Carl, calling me to ask me to see the movie. I told him I would go, but I had seen it the night before. He told me it was ok, because he had just seen it earlier that day! It was a fun date, and a hilarious movie that I still love to quote today. One quote that I use often is

I think that being a teacher, I tend to want to give people positive feedback when possible. It is a gift, or curse, that most teachers possess. In school, students thrive on positive feedback. It's purposes are many: to motivate, acknowledge, encourage,and reinforce, to name a few. Positive feedback need not only come from the teacher. Students can provide feedback to one another that can often be more powerful. Today's site shares a way for students to show their creativity and provide positive feedback to each other.

PhotoPeach
PhotoPeach is a very simple slideshow application that allows you to share photos in a story or spiral format. Simply upload or find photos on Flickr or Picasa, arrange them, and choose music. The slide show is automatically created for you. I really like the layout for adding subtitles to each slide. Once created, others can easily comment on the show. Free registration is necessary to create a show, but none is needed to comment. Check out my story and spiral below. They're peachy!

All in the Fam on PhotoPeach - Story




All in the Fam on PhotoPeach - spiral

What Was Your Name Again?

How do teachers learn the names of their students? When I was teaching in the classroom, I always managed to get each student's name correct after two or three days. I am not sure how I did it; maybe it was the personal connection that was made with each child. I taught fifth grade and teamed with another teacher, so I usually had close to 50 names to learn. Now I work in a middle school where teachers see about 150 students a day. How can teachers quickly make connections with that many students? How do they possibly learn all the names?
What about other things we have to learn? Like states and capital? How does a person learn these things if they can't make, or don't care to make, a personal connection? What are the tricks to learning new vocabulary? Today's site can help when you are facing such a challenge.

Vocaber

Vocaber is an online vocabulary learning tool. It uses spaced repetitions to help you retain vocabulary you have already learned. The idea is that too much or too little repetition is ineffective. At this site, you can find or create vocabulary lists, practice lists, or share your list with others. I tried out the World Capitals list. The lesson was thorough and lengthy. I spent about 20 minutes and didn't complete it. Even though I have no personal connection to these places, I now know that Valleta is the capital of Malta, and Windhoek is the capital of Namibia.

Nothing Fancy Here

Chances are, if you come to my house for dinner, you will eat off paper plates. Nothing fancy here. If you had walked into my classroom when I taught 5th grade, you would have been able to concentrate on your reading because there wasn't much to look at on my walls. Nothing fancy there either. I don't like to focus on appearances, I want to focus on what matters. If it is dinner, I want the food to be delicious and satisfying; if it is my classroom, I want the environment to lend itself to learning.

Today, we seem to have to "fancy everything up" so much. What happened to the birthday parties of our youth where you would eat cake and ice cream and then spend a couple hours in the back yard playing Freeze Tag? A friend of mine told me that recently, his four year-old daughter went to a party at a Spa. The little "glamour girls" got the whole beauty treatment, complete with cucumber slices to relax their eyes! I wonder if the girls really appreciated the day, or if they would have had just as much fun playing dress up or with dolls.

The baby and toddler toys of today all produce electronic sounds. What happened to the good ol' Fisher Price wind up television that I had when I was little? Now a days, everything has a computer chip in it.

Technology has come a long way. Thank goodness we aren't trying to create Wordle clouds using a DOS prompt. Our students can create "All About Me" posters complete with audio, video, and hyperlinks to sites that give a glimpse into their personalities.

All this is very cool, but luckily, some very un-fancy things still can still be useful, if not fun.

J.ot Down

J.ot Down is a simple Internet-based notepad. You very simply begin typing, and anytime you pause, it will save your work with a unique url. You can keep this url private, or share with the world. This could be a very useful students who are brainstorming ideas, partners collaborating on a project, or an entire class adding to a list of items learned about a topic or subject. The environment is nothing fancy, but the idea is brilliant! (Thanks to @SkipZ for sharing this resource)

Sporcle

The creators of Sporcle claim that the site is full of mentally stimulating diversions. The games here are created simply, no fancy flash videos or Internet stickies. Quick trivia games on topics from a wide range of categories from History to Television. Choose a game, click Start, and begin answering. It reminds me of the "red light challenge" on the TV show Cash Cab. You don't have to answer in order, just get all the answers. Sporcle could be used for review, or for a quick time filler in the classroom. (Thanks to @cscribner for sharing this resource)

60 for 2 Syndrome

How many people clean their entire house in one day? Read a complete novel in one sitting? Build a house without a break? Teach the Civil War in one lesson? Most of these ideas are unreasonable; however, one could read an entire novel in a sitting, if their eyes didn't get too blurry. Each project is more plausible if broken down into parts, such as cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms one day, and dusting, vacuuming and mopping the next. When broken down, each project becomes more manageable and meaningful.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to help a teacher find video clips to enhance a lesson she is going to teach to her American History class on Progressivism. This teacher takes care and time to write beautiful lesson plans. Beautiful, in that they are specific, detailed, and meet state standards. Beautiful in that direct instruction and activities are well thought-out so that the content becomes meaningful for the students. Beautiful because they are developed from the heart.

Back in the day, if such a teacher wanted to enhance a lesson with video, she would go into the school library and select a film off the shelf and set aside a class period to show that film. Picture the scene as the film is playing: Teacher sitting in the back of the classroom grading papers by flashlight. Some students appearing to watch the grainy, out-date-film with glazed over eyes, but most day dreaming or asleep with their heads resting on their unopened American History books, while the film rolls endlessly on.

OK, maybe it isn't that bad, but technology has helped cure us of the "60 for 2" syndrome. Although I am not sure if that syndrome actually exists, I am referring to watching 60 minutes of video for 2 minutes of pertinent information. Even if all 60 minutes of film have valuable information in them, chances are, that information that students need to learn will be spread out over several lessons. How many students will remember that particular part of the film two weeks later when the information is finally presented in a lesson. Much better to use video clips than an full length film.
So, back to my colleague who wanted to enhance her history lesson with video clips. We started searching for specific topics such as "the Grange" and the "Populists" and our search efforts returned a wealth of information resources. While there are many subscription sites out there that are wonderful, (our district subscribes to Discovery Education Streaming), one site stood out as a leader for free video clips.

How Stuff Works Videos
How Stuff Works has been around for quite awhile. So long, in fact, that I neglect to visit it much. In preparation for helping my teacher friend yesterday, I came across the videos section of the site and was pleasantly surprised at the size and variety of the collection. We quickly were able to find short, meaningful clips to enhance her objectives for both the Grange and the Populists. She was thrilled to have videos to fit in her lessons that wouldn't require her to spend an extra day to show them. I was thrilled to find a "tried and true" site providing extended content!
How Stuff Works videos is definitely worth checking out. The categories include Adventure, Animals, Auto, Computer, Electronics, Entertainment, Food, Geography, Health, History, Home & Garden, Money, People, and Science. Each category has a few to many subtopics. Searching is easy, and the videos are relevant for middle and high school. One tip: Math and English related videos can be found in the People category under the sub-topics of Education and Learning.

Virtual Note Board

How many of you use a note board at home to organize your life, leave messages for your family, remind yourself of appointments, etc? I really need something like that for my house. I currently just use a calendar tacked up in our laundry room. There are several appointment cards paper clipped to it. Not very effective, as sometimes the cards fall down and slip under the washing machine.
I wish I could be better organized. It always amazes me when somebody says that I am. Just like it amazes me when somebody says I can draw well, or that I have a good voice. Oh, they just don't know! I have been working on organization for a couple years now, and have been successful in some areas (my closet) and not so much in others (my desk). Today's site would be very useful for organization, and much more!

Wallwisher

Wallwisher is a virtual note board that you can attach stickies to for many purposes. It is a simple app to use and doesn't even require registration, unless you want to save a "wall". If you do want to register so that you can create and save several walls, it is so easy because you can make a wallwisher account, or use your Google or OpenID information. Walls can be kept private or shared, can be edited by only you or others. The only thing I have found a bit annoying is that you have to create a name, subtitle and choose a picture for each wall you build. This could cause a loss of momentum if you were building a wall as part of a brainstorming session.

I have created a wall to list a few ways to use this app in your classroom. Check it out and add ideas of your own! http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/classroomuses

Microsoft: My "No Surprises" Friend

What was the very first Microsoft product you used? Paint? Excel? Works? Chances are if you first used a computer in the 80's like I did, it was MS-DOS. Surprised? Microsoft first made it's operating system, MS-DOS, available in 1982. If you are a bit younger, your first OS was most likely Windows, introduced in 1985.

I can't really recall using computers at all in my school days. I graduated from high school in 1983. I remember taking a class called office machines, but all I really remember about the class was learning how to use a 10-key by touch. The school library had a card catalog that was a series of drawers holding index cards. In typing class, we typed on typewriters.

In college, I took a class called "Introduction to Computers". While I don't really remember too much about the course, I do remember using a computer and thinking that it wasn't that hard.

What sticks out most in my mind is my first teaching job. I was hired in November, well after the school year had begun. I was hired as a math improvement teacher in a Title 1 school (at the time called Chapter 1). I will never forget the very first group of children that came into my math lab on my very first day. They were a group of energetic sixth graders. They entered my classroom much less nervous than I had on that day. One boy asked if they could "get on the computers". My heart sank! I couldn't believe they were asking the one thing I had prayed they wouldn't. What was the reason for my despair? I didn't know how to turn the computers on!!

Luckily, I got caught up in their energy. After questioning them about how often they were allowed to use the computers, I let them sit down and I began to watch their every move!

I have come a long way since that first day in November of 1988. All the way from learning how to use a computer from 12 year olds to teaching community classes on Windows and MS Word. All the way from a math lab to technology integrator.

I have learned much along the way, but I always go back to my humble beginnings standing in that math lab peeking over the shoulders of those sixth graders. I now have a great deal of knowledge, but I can always learn more. Each bit of knowledge is returned back to my students, be they children or adults. If I think about all that I have learned and then returned (through teaching) with technology, Microsoft products would top the list.

Besides Windows OS, Microsoft's Office products such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint have been invaluable in teaching and learning. I love using these with students and helping them create digital representations of their new knowledge. The geek in me loves the idea that none of these products were created with students in mind. Between my thirst for learning, and ideas shared at http://www.microsoft.com/, I have been able to stretch the limits of my mind and others when thinking of uses for these programs.

In addition to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, I can not leave out the tried-and-true Paint. I can't really remember the first time I used it, but the last time was just yesterday to "erase" part of an image. A few weeks ago, I spent a day in an 8th grade Science room introducing MovieMaker. Students took a 42 minute overview and turned it into several wonderful videos that showed their understanding of the science concepts they learned.

And then there is IE, for those of you who have been living under a rock for the past decade and a half, I am referring to Internet Explorer. This browser has been my loyal companion as my world has expanded through the vast network. I can't IMAGINE teaching and learning without it. It is my dictionary, thesaurus, advice columnist, telephone book, encyclopedia, stationery, cookbook and more.

As I have been typing this blog, I have been considering why I have such a fondness for all things Microsoft. The answer was easy. Microsoft IS easy! If you learn one program, you have essentially learned them all. For example, I can depend on using ctrl + c to copy no matter what product I am using. The continuity from OS to program to browser makes my job as teacher and learner a piece of cake.

Thank you, Microsoft, for being my "no surprises" friend.

A Few Things Google

If I were to rank Google in a list of things I need to use each day, it would be higher than a telephone, blow dryer, and washing machine. It would be right up there with toilet paper, toothpaste and soap. A curling iron, vacuum, and microwave don't even come close!

Yes, I admit I need Google. I need it like I need my grandma when I have a cooking question. I need it like I need fingernail polish when I have a run in my panty hose. I need it like I need a lasso when I ....oh, you get the point.

The great thing about my need for Google is that it keeps growing as Google grows its resources. Today, I will be highlighting some of the cool Google features I love. Some are new, some aren't - but may be new to you. What are your favorite Google features and tools?

iGoogle

iGoogle is a personalized homepage for lovers of Google, or anyone! Here's what I love most about it:

*I can have my favorite resources, such as Twitter, come to me rather than having to go to them.

*I can add widgets and organize them on the page any way I want

*I can see my emails and calendar on my home page

*I can create multiple iGoogle pages and easily switch between them

*I can add cool themes to fit my interests or mood

Get an overview of iGoogle here, and also check out how to create your own iGoogle page.

My iGoogle page

Google Image Search and Similar Search

Google's image search isn't anything new, but there are new features. Once you type in a search, you can filter the results based on image size, type of image such as clipart, faces, line drawings, and photo content, or color. I have found this feature to be invaluable and know students and teachers alike will too.

Another tool, which is all "a Twitter" today is Google Labs' Similar Images, which allows you to refine your search with similar images. Just type in your keywords and then click the similar images link under a picture to see similar images.

Google Labs News Timeline

A new way to search the news is to use Google Labs News Timeline. Go to the timeline, choose your content such as news, newspapers, videos, sports scores, etc., and type in your query. The results will show in a timeline with a few features that you can modify to your liking. Result sources can be modified as well. This one is worth checking out.

Earth Day 2009

"Every day is Earth Day" is a phrase we have come to associate with a Wednesday each April when we suddenly are conscious of the eco-footprint we leave on our planet. Imagine if we only concerned ourselves with protecting our planet and its resources one day a year? Luckily, many of us adopt habits that help us continuously give back to our world by doing things such as recycling, planting food gardens, buying in bulk, and carpooling. There are many, many ways to preserve our resources, first and foremost being education. Let's make sure our children don't suffer from "little ol' me" syndrome by educating them that every person needs to do their part, without fail, because "every day is Earth Day". What will YOU do?

Earth Day Network Footprint Calculator
Work through this simulation to find out what footprint you are leaving on our planet. Then find out ways to reduce your footprint and learn more about our planet's resources.

Eco Bunnies 2: Earth Day Escapade
Cute animated video that introduces the idea of "carbon footprint". At the end of the video, viewers are directed to a carbon footprint calculator. This calculator needs annual usage figures, so might be best as a project for students to do with parents.

EcoKids Games
EcoKids Earth Day Canada site provides several games to help student learn how to be eco-citizens. Games include The Great Garbage Caper, Yard Sale and Errand Run, a game about alternative transportation.

The Greenerator
Check out Scholastic's Act Green site to learn how to be green by playing games, joining the Green Team, printing reminder tags and door hangers, and much more!

Writer's Block

I haven't written a new post in a week. I am blaming it on being busy at work and home and writer's block. Sometimes, I have trouble finding a resource to write about. Sometimes, I have a resource I want to share, but the words to introduce and describe it just won't come. I have empathy for students who suffer either of these forms of writer's block when they have been assigned a piece of writing. Hopefully, today's sites will help!

911 Writers Block
911 Writers Block is emergency help for those who suffer from writer's block. Writers punch a telephone key to get ideas for everything from setting, characters, and ending, to how to kill a character, and calisthenics.

Plot Scenario Generator
Archetype Writing's Plot Scenario Generator provides students with the plot to get a story going and the conflict to keep the story rolling!

Imagination Prompt Generator
Imagination Prompt Generator, from Creativity Portal, is just what it claims to be, a writing prompt generator that generates short prompts to inspire the imagination. If you don't like the first prompt you see, simply click the button for a new prompt.

Abby Who?

I love that scene in Young Frankenstein when Igor is sent to get a brain. He is supposed to get the brain of a scientist/saint. However, he drops that brain and picks up another brain.

Later, Dr. Frankenstein questions him, and he tells him it is the brain of Abby Normal.



Those, and many other scenes in that movie always crack me up!

Today's site is a fun little beta site that will have your students making their own memorable movies.


Xtranormal
Xtranormal is a site where students type in text that is converted to an animated movie scene. Students pick the characters, scenery, actions and extras, then type in the dialogue. The scene is converted to a movie in seconds. A movie can be made and viewed, but not saved, without creating an account. Accounts appear to be free, at least while in beta.
This could be used in every subject area, for character ed, bullying prevention, careers...the possibilities are endless!

Next Stop: Scripps

I was in a classroom spelling bee in second grade. I was one of the final two. We had to spell several words because we both kept spelling the words correctly. Finally, I got the word that means "purposeful forward movement by moving arms and legs in a body of water". And I spelled, "S-W-I-M-I-N-G". OK, the double consonant got me. Maybe I should have asked for the teacher to use the word in a sentence; or perhaps, the origin of the word. Still, not bad for an 8 year old.




Interactive Spelling Bee

Spelling Bee, from Anneberg Media's Learner.org, helps students practice their spelling, just like an old fashioned spelling bee. Students choose their grade level and listen to the short passage. The passage is like a cloze passage, with words missing. Students click in a blank to hear the word repeated, then type correct spelling of the word in the blank. Once all the blanks are filled, the student checks their answers, then has the option of reviewing the words or moving on to the next level. Tips and suggestions for becoming a "Top Notch Speller" are also included.

There's No Place Like Homepage

Growing up in Kansas, I have always been a big fan of The Wizard Of Oz movie. I can remember watching it even as a little girl. The flying monkeys used to terrify me. However, being a Kansas native, tornadoes do not scare me. I love the thrill of hearing the sirens go off and stepping outside to look for funnel clouds. Of course I respect their power and know when it is time to seek shelter. When my husband and I were first married, we lived in a mobile home in south Wichita. We weathered a tornado or two in the storm shelter provided by the park. Luckily, our little trailer survived each twister event while we lived there.

As tornado season approaches once again in Kansas, (the sirens actually did go off a few weeks ago...you never know in Kansas!), I will look forward to the excitement, and hope for the best for myself, neighbors, family, and friends.



Schoolr

Schoolr is a one-page resource source that could certainly double as a very useful homepage for students and adults alike. Organized on this single page are search fields for:

Google

Wikipedia

Dictionary.com

Thesaurus.com

Acronym Finder

Urban Dictionary

Also, you can convert units of measure, translate text and create citations using Citation Builder. This very convenient packaging of many useful sites could leaving you saying, "There's no place like home(page)."

Cool Tool for Podcasting

I haven't really gotten into podcasting, at least the creation of podcasts. I always have good intentions of creating something in a podcast, but never do. I think it is because I don't like the sound of my voice when I hear it. It has that Midwestern twang to it. I can't imagine what my colleagues or students think of it!
Nevertheless, I think podcasting has a strong place in schools, especially student-created podcasts. I have seen, rather---HEARD---many wonderful examples of podcasts created by students. It takes on a whole new realm of learning for the student when not only do they speak, but they hear themselves speak. Volume, rate, inflection, not to mention the use of "like" and "ummm", all play a big role in podcasting. Most of these skills are taught when students are reading, but not taught for presentations.
A podcast really isn't any different than an oral presentation. Students still prepare in the same way. The podcast can be kept forever, where an oral speech is saved only in the audience's memeory. Today's resource will help students prepare for creating a podcast so that they can focus more on the skills necessary to make them sound professional.

CuePrompter
CuePrompter is a free online teleprompter that can help students when practicing for an oral presentation or speech, podcast or vodcast. The application is a snap to use and free for all commercial and noncommecial purposes. You can select the speed, screen size, text color, and even mirror the text. Check this out if you are delving into the world of podcasting with your students!

Something Cool - Close to Home!

I found a cool blog today, thanks to @hci, a fellow Tweeter from Wichita. The blog, which is highlighted below, was created by the Wichita Eagle's copy desk. The Eagle is Wichita's local newspaper. They have had an online presence for a long time now; a site that I regularly visit if I need to refer to an article that I had recently read, to get funeral information, or many other bits of information. I had missed this wonderful blog, called Grammar Monkeys, until today. Each blog entry features a grammar tip in the form of a podcast. I like that each episode gives a grammar tip in a short and concise way. This could make a wonderful intro for writing a paragraph based on the tip, to add to a teacher's class blog or web page, or as a bell ringer activity. Any other ideas?

Grammar Monkeys
Check out Grammar Monkeys blog that gives short and sweet grammar tips in the form of podcasts. The tips are suitable for upper elementary through high school students, as well as life long language learners and lovers. I would love to see a post on the use of lose/loose - a pet peeve of mine! Thanks @hci and Wichita Eagle for opening my eyes and ears to this blog!

The Art of Relaxation

Once when I was teaching fifth grade, a parent told me that I was ADHD. He told me this in the hallway. I think he was in marketing, but he sure thought he was medical practitioner of some sort. I really took offense to his statement, mostly because it is true. I prefer to say that I "don't relax well".
In about three minutes, or however long it takes me to finish this post, I will officially be on Spring Break. I hope that I can work on relaxing during the next 10 days off work. The sites I am sharing today are two that I find very stress-relieving. Hope you find them to be as well.

Auditorium
Auditorium is a flash game that combines light and sound. Players manipulate the sound waves to make the music play. While listening to soothing music, players can use problem solving skills to advance to new levels. What a unique experience!

Boomshine
Boomshine isn't new, but it is definitely like a favorite blanket for me. I play this game when I am stressed, and the relaxing music always melts my tension away. Click your mouse to hit as many of the floating bubbles as possible with your "boom". The bubbles burst creating a chain reaction. If you burst enough bubbles with one "boom", you advance to the next level. Many websites offer this game. Make sure you have your speakers on when you play.

Fiddlesticks

On this first Monday of Daylight Savings Time, I am sitting at my desk watching the sun rise in a painted sky. Usually DST affects me, but I was able to get out of bed before the crack of dawn this morning. I love to "spring forward" because it means longer days are coming and that Spring is just around the corner. I look forward to the budding leaves, the tulips' pop of color, toad stools, and even the lion's roar of the tornado sirens. Mostly I love Spring because after it slides right into summer!



Phrasr
Phrasr is a Flickr application that pairs words with Flickr photos to create short slideshows. You choose the words, then Phrasr suggests photos for each word. Once you have selected the pictures you want, a slideshow is created. Each show is saved and can also be emailed. Imagery, idioms, rebus stories, oxymoron are just a few ways to incorporate this fun app in your classroom. Check out the one I made here.