"Blog Tip 18 - Change up your posting form - find new blog topics - In the same way that it's easy to get 'stuck' in always posting in the same voice - it's also possible to get stuck in always writing in the same form or genre. "

"The National Elementary Schools Press Association is an organization dedicated to helping elementary and middle schools start new and improve existing class and school newspapers. The association serves as a clearinghouse for schools interested in sharing information and newspapers with member schools from coast to coast."

"When I asked my students recently how blogging in class makes a difference to them, they had lots to say. Blogging has allowed them to meet students from all over the world and discover new interests. It's also helped them improve their technology skills and write more on assignments than they could if they had to use paper and pencil."

"Newsletters can be made in Microsoft Word by starting off with a pre-installed newsletter template. Create a custom newsletter, complete with images and decorative titles, with help from a computer applications consultant in this free video about using desktop publishing software."

"Microsoft Word can be used to make a newspaper by browsing through the pre-installed templates, finding a newsletter template and inserting the desired text into the different fields. Create a custom newspaper document in Word with help from a computer applications consultant in this free video about using desktop publishing software."

"Get Your Students Hooked on Writing Imagine your students working cooperatively, motivated and staying focused on the task at hand. They're hooked on writing! They are writing real-world newspaper stories."

"MTN has excellent online newspaper templates. These allow for really well focused and formatted group work and/or homework using either traditional tabloid or broadsheet layouts and formatting. They are suitable for literacy activities across the curriculum and appealing to most age groups, except the very youngest."

"How to Create a Newspaper Template with Publisher"

"We have just updated our popular editable PowerPoint newspapers. With these you can create your own news headlines, articles and insert your own pictures."

READWRITETHINK online printing press! SO COOL!!

There are other tools at this site including a movie clapper board, talking squirrels, writing ninjas and a few others! Have fun! www.fodey.com

This author wrote for a Facebook Fan page, but these ideas work for blogs, too! "Once you've created your Facebook Fan Page it becomes a blank canvas and the issue of what to post for your school can become a bit intimidated. In order to help you overcome your fear I've created a list of 53 things to post on your school's Facebook fan page."

"Ed tech adoption isn't about forcing new technologies on teachers or wearing them down in an effort to obtain grudging "buy in." On the contrary. In order for any technology-centered education initiative to have meaningful results, according to Rushton Hurley, it has to be born of a spirit of collegiality, teamwork, and openness. And, he said, it doesn't hurt to give teachers some time share their successes with one another."

"In a digital world, the question is not whether you will leave a mark. The question is, "What kind of mark are you leaving?""

"YouTube safety mode is finally here. This should make it feasible for school to districts to "lock down" YouTube at the browser level. It even filters out comments which is ideal when in a school setting!!" Check out the video:

"JeopardyLabs allows you to create a customized jeopardy template without PowerPoint. The games you make can be played online from anywhere in the world. Building your own jeopardy template is a piece of cake. Just use our simple editor to get your game up and running."

"Jennifer Wagner, creator of ProjectsByJen, has been succesfully encouraging teachers since 1999 to use online projects in their PreK-6 classrooms. Using various ideas, Jennifer will help you understand how online projects will help you make the most of your time in a variety of ways. Winning numerous awards for her creative ways in encouraging teachers to collaborate, her teaching style is very user friendly, creative, and personable. "

"Jennifer Wagner, creator of ProjectsByJen, has been succesfully encouraging teachers since 1999 to use online projects in their PreK-6 classrooms. Using various ideas, Jennifer will help you understand how online projects will help you make the most of your time in a variety of ways. Winning numerous awards for her creative ways in encouraging teachers to collaborate, her teaching style is very user friendly, creative, and personable. "

What does it mean to be literate?

A Basic Google Search is far from Basic!!