I am still trying to digest everything I learned last week as well as find my way through the maze of resources I obtained. Today I checked out a fabulous resource at Stixy. Stixy allows you to easily collaborate with others without having to constantly send and receive files. You can invite others and they can choose to receive updates when something is changed or added. You can add files, pictures, post its… it is wonderful. Just another way to reach the distances without having to log the miles.

Somehow I came across Gizmoz as well. I thought I would share my great movie. It’s funny how incredibly long my chin grew within seconds!
 

Get your own at Gizmoz.com

Call me delayed (if you already knew this), but I just found some new amazing ways to search the internet. The first is Piclens which allows you to search visually through Google and several other major internet search engines. This one does inolve a download and yet another toolbar to add to the top of your screen. (Does anyone else think that screens need to get taller and not wider to support all of these tool bars?) The second one is search me. This one is somewhat limited… as far as internet searching goes, but it is a pretty cool tool visually. You also do not need to download anything or add a tool bar, which I personally appreciate. Another one I came across is kartoo. I find this one an interesting concept, but it is very hard to see because it comes out so small on the screen. I love the way searching is headed and I look forward to advances in this particular technology. Current search engines were not made for the highly visual persons like myself.

While making this search, I came across a story on Randy Pausch. Since I was at the DEN National Institute last week, I didn’t know he passed away. What a great loss. I just thought I would dedicate a moment of thought to him!  

I thought I would share this water cycle song. It’s pretty short, so elementary science teachers may find it worthwhle.

Water Cycle Song

There are so many things that I learned this last week. Quite a few web apps were things I have heard of and not had a chance to delve into and many others were things I had never heard of but needed at some point or another. A few of my favorite finds were ZAMZAR, Glogster, Mogulus, Jing Project, and Voice Thread. Although there are many more, I tried to link most of them on the blogroll. I will continue to grow this list as I find new sites or remember ones that I didn’t get written down when I learned them the first time. I am excited to start preparing for next year and figure out how I will incorporate many of these elements in my classroom.

I can’t believe that Den National Institute is over. I actually shed a tear. I had so much fun! I have never experienced professional development in such an amazing way. I met so many new friends and my little group just had a ball together. Central Region is absolutely the best. My project is at Discovery Educator’s Network   in the Den National Institute projects folder and it is called Virtual Scavenger Hunt. I shared this great project with Cindy Wallace.

If you need the login and password, you are welcome to contact the Den leadership to see everything. I will hopefully have it all up on a website very soon as well. Once I do, I will make a post leading everyone to the Adventures of Ned. We truly had a ball taking NED on all of the tours and adventures we have as well.

I can’t wait until we can get together again! 

Sitting here at Den National Institute learning about blogs. Pretty exciting

Cindy and a group of other DEN members and I went on a geocaching adventure in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was a chance for all of us to adventure into the new world of Geocaching. Although the hike was slightly long for flip flops, it was definitely worth our while. We never would have seen the reason behind the cities name nor would we have seen the great ice cream parlor on the corner of this way and that. This lovely photo was after our first find… we look proud don’t we! I can’t wait to use geocaching as a teacher tool this next year. I have a ton of ideas and plan to share one this week.

Contrary to popular belief, Californians did not win the movie challenge! Texas’s movie was by far the most superior, especially because of the great poke at Lance. Thanks for the fun challenge!

boom1.mov

I enjoyed Matt’s great Video and wanted to put it in my files so I could find it easily.