Frustration

Here is my story of technology frustration......On Friday of last week I gave one of my biology classes a blogging assignment. They were to blog on the topic of "nanotechnology in biology" and complete it by the end of the school day on Tuesday. Some of the studedents came to me today (Tuesday) and told me they do not remember their passwords to the school website.............ughhhhhh.

Webquests

I am currently working on a webquest for my biology classes. The topic is mitosis. Rather than reinventing the wheel I started by looking around on the web for mitosis webquests that had been posted by teachers. I found a couple of really well developed quests. The good ones used several very nice and reputable websites. The quests required students to not only get information from the websites, but also think critically about the information they had discovered.

My plan is to have links to all of the quest websites on my page on the school website. This will reduce confusion and time spent typing in a long URL. I expect a positive outcome from this activity. Mitosis is a concept with which understanding best comes visually. By conducting a webquest each student will be able to observe the visuals on their own and take the necessary time to gain understanding.

http://bit.ly/bCPP50 - check this out for some great ideas for honors classes. I struggle with ideas for gifted students and sometimes I think it is because I spend so much energy trying to "pull up" struggling students.

I am learning all kinds of new and useful things (and some not so useful) on Twitter. Today I have discovered Snorg Tees, thanks to Steven Anderson. Dr.Biology sent a link to a great ASU website, http://ecologyexplorers.asu.edu/, that is now saved to my favorites.

I am multi-tasking today for sure. I am finishing my assignmnets for U.T., lesson planning for KHS, praying for my father-in-law's surgery tomorrow, getting my daughter's stuff together for cheerleading practice, and cheering for Peyton. Speaking of the Superbowl.........I am attached to the Colts because of Peyton. However, I have a sentimental spot in my heart for New Orleans since I visited the city 2 months before Katrina. It was 104 degrees and I was 7 months pregnant. A trip I will never forget.