Making honey...

With only a few weeks left before school starts, I've decided not to waste any time planning how to put all of these wonderful new Web 2.0 tools to work! There are so many ideas jumping around in my head that it only makes sense to use my new blogging skills to record them for future reference and use! Where to begin...

It is always easier when trying something new to begin with the old. By adding and tweaking, a new product results! In years past I have developed keypal relationships for my students. One of the most successful was a relationship with a teacher in Australia that lasted for four or five years. She ultimately was transferred to a new school and older students so it came to an end. I did not pursue finding a replacement. There is no time like now to remedy that! Students are so engaged and motivated by writing to keypals. We exchanged gifts, traveling stuffed animals, and letters.

Web 2.0 skills for the 21st century are about communication. I can easily add some new tools to revitalize an old idea:

1. Locate a partner class using: http://www.epals.com/ (or another similar site)

2. Plan possible activities with our keypals:

Skype http://www.skype.com/useskype/

Write an ongoing story (we start the story, they add to it, back and forth until it is finished) using a blog http://blogger.com

Share information and ideas verbally http://www.voxopop.com/

Create digital stories and podcasts to share from our class wiki

http://arnettclass@wikispaces.com

Microblog http://twitter.com/

3. Teach our buddies about our home and learn about theirs:

Locate each on Google Earth http://earth.google.com/

Explore digital storytelling with Google Earth http://tbarrett.edublogs.org/2008/12/01/google-earth-is-our-paper-part-5-a-week- in-review/

Create an online presentation about our classroom, school, and the place we live:

http://www.dandelife.com/

I'm sure the list will grow and the partner teacher will have even more ideas! For now, I'll

begin trying to locate a keypal class for the year. And so the process begins... sorting it all out...