Watch for a new book!

My third book--Using Web 2.0 Tools in the K-12 Classroom--designed for K-12 educators will be published by Neal-Schuman this Fall. Bev's Website will accompany the book with a link to my blog.

I have created this blog so that K-12 librarians and teachers can find tips and tricks related to the Web 2.0 technologies in my book--podcasts, wikis, blogs, VoiceThread, Google Tools, digital storytelling, and social bookmarking. I want you to send your comments so that all educators can benefit from the experiences of others.

Share your ideas with your colleagues and I'll try to find educational sites where teachers and library media specialists are using technology to improve student learning to give you new ideas too.

For example, have you gone to Teacher Tube? http://www.teachertube.com/ Here you can find videos on a variety of subjects from Marco Polo or Ben Franklin Flies His Kites to the transcontinental railroad. Check out this site to see if there is a video that your students might find interesting.

Cuba: Then and Now

This social studies topic is the focus of one of the units from my book Using Web 2.0 Tools in the K-12 Classroom. The island nation of Cuba, which recently changed its leadership after over 40 years under Fidel Castro, close to United States' shores, has for a long time been out of touch with the U.S. politically and economically. In the unit plan you will review the history of Cuba, take a virtual tour around the island, research political and economic issues. Add comments and suggestions for other activities to use in the unit plan on this blog.