Let's Scratch!

OK I don't know yet how to Scratch but I plan to.
I was reading the latest edition of Learning and Leading in Technology (ISTE's mag) and there was an article on what students are using in their classroom (which is the whole world I believe). The article features a site called Scratch. It allows students (of all ages) to create their own multimedia and post it onto the web. I am going to give it a try and see what I can get to do with it. Then I'll unleash my students and let them run with it.
Here is the address for it.
http://scratch.mit.edu
If any of you have used it before let me know how it worked for you.

The DEN

There is a great community of educators out there called the Discovery Educator Network. It is open to any interested educator that uses technology at any level of intergration. There are a load of resourses for teachers in the DEN. Mainly, each member is a resource for each other. Check out the blogs for each state that has a leadership team, the national blog, and many others, even SecondLife.
Here is the link for the main DEN page.
http://community.discoveryeducation.com/
I am on the Michigan DEN leadership council and here is the link for our blog.
http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/michigan/

If you are interested in joining the DEN click on the link "About the DEN" at the top of the page.

ROV Workshop

Wow! What fun the ROV workshop was this past weekend! Two teachers and I attended a workshop up in Traverse City to learn about the ROV program that one of the highschools has put togther. We took the place of the students and had to build a working underwater ROV with the supplies given. We spent Friday evening and Saturday morning building our very own working underwater ROV. Wee even got to take it back to school where we can use it with our students and maybe even start a team of students to build a ROV for compatition. I can't wait to show it off to the students Monday morning as they com into the school. Check out the pictures.

ROV workshop

This weekend a couple of teachers and I will be particitpating in a workshop in Traverse City. This workshop is modeled after a highschool program where the students design, build, and test an underwater ROV. We are excited to be able to participate in the workshop. We had to apply to get accepeted and promise to put the ROV to use in our classrooms. One plan is to take it on our field trip on the Tall Ship Manitou in May and try it out when we go out onto the bay.
I'll take pictures and upload them when we get back.