Microcredit

http://www.grameen-info.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=9&Itemid=172

Music and Sounds Downloads

There are many sites available for searching and downloading sounds, music, images and other media files. Using www.lycos.com will help you find items such as, copyright free images, free 3D images, free image editor in web browser and other free valuable tools.
Another search engine, www.musicrobot.com can be used to seach midis by song or band. Many of the links on this website do not work. However, with a little bit of patience, you will be able to find various midi files such as songs and rhymes that can be used for primary grades.
www.magnarure.com is not free. It requires a streaming membership or you can also pay to download the full album. However, you can download some relaxation music or the song of the day for free if you give them your e-mail address.
The Library of American Broadcasting, www.lib.umd.edu/lab/audio/spimdbotes/html contains plenty of information and freebies that can be great sources for teaching American History. You can download many free samples from the Radio Advertising Bureau Collection (old commercials). In addition, this site contains plenty of images to show in your classroom. You can also buy these images and/or pay for other services they have available.
Another interesting and informative website is www.teachinghacks.com. It contains many links for downloading free software such as movie maker 2. Moreover, this website has plenty of links for downloading free sounds and music.
www.musicloops.com is not a free-site. However, you can use it to search and preview many songs before you buy them.

Mammals

Mammals
Originally uploaded by Arenamontanus

This is a colorful picture found using the keyword "mammal".

Podcasting

The term podcasting relates to the words iPod and broadcast. It contains files that can be listened using a portable device. A podcast consist of archives of sound generally in mp3 format, or in other cases a collection of video archives called videocasts or vodcasts. An RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a web feed format that can be used to listen to a podcast. An advantage of podcast is that a person can share information with many people simultaneously. Podcasting is also a great tool that can be used to deliver information in sections or chunks. There is plenty of free podcasting software available on the internet. One in particular is called, Audacity. This software is very simple and user friendly.
I listen to various podcasts weekly concerning the changes in education and public schools. Some of them are a bit too long, so I have to download them to my iPod and listen to them on the road.

What is a Wiki?

A wiki is one of the most valuable tools use to collect and share information on the Internet. It is very user friendly. You do not need to know how to read or write HTML. A person can add information just by clicking on the “Edit” button, and save the changes using the “Save” button. A wiki let you organize information and link to other pages easily. In addition, it provides a history feature which allows you to correct any mistakes you make. The main advantage of having a wiki is that it allows collaboration among communities or groups. Adding and storing database in a wiki allows many students and organizations to learn from each other. A wiki does not have to follow any format or organization structure. It can be organized however you want to. A wiki is a simplified way to collect and share knowledge.

Boing Boing

After searching various blogs, I stumbled into the Boing Boing Weblog. This blog contains a little bit of everything. It contains some usable information, such as where to find better technology equipment and accessories at a better price, but it also contains a lot of gossip. There was an article that talked about a woman who stopped a bullet with her hair. Her husband supposedly shot the back window and her weave save her life. A lot of people had something to say about this subject. I did enjoy navigating this blog because there was something for everyone. According to boingboing.net, “Boing Boing is a weblog of cultural curiosities and interesting technologies. It's the most popular blog in the world, as ranked by Technorati.com, and won the Lifetime Achievement and Best Group Blog awards at the 2006 Bloggies ceremony. To me Boing Boing is a very informative and interesting weblog.

Elementary School Blog

I am very impressed with Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog. It is just perfect to show how first-graders can enjoy learning. I like the idea of having various video clips showing the students in action. In addition, her students are able to communicate with other students from other parts of the world. They can chat live with other students. That is one of the best tools for learning.
In addition to her blog, Mrs. Cassidy has a wiki and a homeroom webpage. These sites and many other sites are organized by numbers in her blog. Also, this blog simple and very easy to navigate. I believe it is set up that way for her young students' advantage. The students seem to be very comfortable in front of the camera, and they seem to be enjoying themselves as well. Students will learn more if the teacher makes learning fun and interesting. Overall, I enjoyed browsing and reading this blog.