Some REALLY good links to assessment options and ideas for building a proper blogging community with your students.

So you have heard about blogging with your students and you are considering taking the plunge but just not sure what or how to do it? I am here to tell you; blogging with my students has been one of the most enriching educational experiences we have had this year, and that says a lot. So to get you started, here is what I have learned:

Set Up a Free Math Program For Your Class Create interactive assignments for your students - with hints and video lessons. Proven to deliver results. TenMarks is mapped to state and common core curriculum standards for grades 2 - high school.

This website claims that it "sticks to the facts, without judging," to allow students to draw their own conclusions.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), created this Web site to educate adolescents ages 11 through 15 (as well as their parents and teachers) on the science behind drug abuse. NIDA enlisted the help of teens in developing the site to ensure that the content addresses appropriate questions and timely concerns. Recognizing that teens want to be treated as equals, NIDA scientists were careful not to preach about the dangers of drug use. Rather, the site delivers science-based facts about how drugs affect the brain and body so that kids will be armed with better information to make healthy decisions. Elements such as animated illustrations, quizzes, and games are used throughout the site to clarify concepts, test the visitor's knowledge, and make learning fun through interaction.

Understanding Alcohol: Investigations into Biology and Behavior-developed with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)-is a creative, inquiry-based instruction program designed to promote active learning and stimulate student interest in medical topics. This curriculum supplement aims to help students develop the following major goals associated with scientific literacy: to experience the process of scientific inquiry and develop an enhanced understanding of the nature and methods of science; andto appreciate the role of science in society and the relationship between basic science and human health.

Videos documentaries and other resources related to drug abuse prevention.

This interactive flash app simulates the brain's reaction to marijuana

The simplified mechanisms of drug action presented here are just a small part of the story. When drugs enter the body they elicit very complex effects in many different regions of the brain. Often they interact with many different types of neurotransmitters and may bind with a variety of receptor types in a variety of different locations. For example, THC in marijuana can bind with cannabinoid receptors located on the presynaptic and/or postsynaptic cell in a synapse.  Where applicable, this presentation primarily depicts how drugs interact with dopamine neurotransmitters because this website focuses on the brain's reward pathway. Mouse Party is designed to provide a small glimpse into the chemical interactions at the synaptic level that cause the drug user to feel 'high'.

Be sure to watch the demo screencast in the top menu bar area. (youtube video)

Certainly the demand for apps isn't going away any time soon. Maybe this little app can help your students get excited about building their own apps.

We are creating an online resume format that is beautiful, relevant and fun. We want to enable people to express their professional accomplishments in a simple yet compelling personal visualization.

"Over 400,000 people use our web-based flashcard program to absorb information efficiently and permanently."

More links then you can shake a stick at concerning the ipad. Apps Dos and Don'ts Autisim Assistive Technology

Probably worth 5 mins of you time. Wow!

Wow! Would you like to feel grounded? give 5min to this this video and you won't be sorry.

I wanted to post a list that talked about how to "use" technology in the classroom, but I found myself revising that word "use" to the more general word, "model." The reason I did this is because so many teachers believe that if students aren't actively sitting in front of the computer screen themselves, then clearly technology is not being used in the classroom. This myth can be a gatekeeper of sorts for many teachers, and I wanted to create a list that both gives advice on how to "use" but also acknowledges that in simply modeling the use the of technology, the students are also learning to use it in an indirect way.