Xtra Xtra....read all about it

In the spirit of finding ways to keep people busy while I get things done I need to get done, let me introduce you to my friends Xtra, Hooda, and Dr. Daniels.

Xtra is the nickname I gave to www.xtramath.org because of its ability to consume my students attn on trying to beat their best time......at solving math problems.  Not the complex word problem math problems, but basic math arithmetic math problems.  They "graduate" from addition, to subtraction, and so on until they can bust out 12*12 in under 3 seconds flat.  They even get a certificate that I can laminate and give to them to take home.  Oddly enough, they love it!  Thanks Xtra, you are the best.

Just when I think I have enough math friends, along comes www.Hoodamath.com.  This site is torn from the same cloth as Xtra, but it has an added feature that connects all male adolescents together....video games.  Racing games, logic, games, even numbers games.  For example, in one of the car racing games, you get a boost of speed propelling you down the racecourse WHEN YOU SOLVE A MATH PROBLEM CORRECT.  8*7, 11*4, 13*7, 24/3, and so on.  Not only that....they get to play against each other!  Up to four players can join the same game and play against each other as they all solve math problems.  All of this to simply gloat about being the faster driver.  Yup, the byproduct is quick arithmetic and happy students.  Now I'll buy that for a dollar!

Stephano!!!  He's from right here in Seattle and somehow he is still on the show.  It must stink to be a young male in America where you are adored by 5 million screaming teenagers....well maybe not stink.  Maybe deafening.  For now, go Stephano.



Out track season started tonight for our elementary track team.  The track was dry but I lost 20% of the team to twisted ankles when I had then cut across the field to get to the long jump pit and found out all the rain we've been getting has turned the field into a mud pit.  Oops.  I told them to put some dirt on it, suck it up and be men!  The 4th grade girls began to cry.  Go team!

Y'all know Dr. Daniels.  No need to dig deeper into that one.

Cheerio

Human Planet

BBC has done it again.  The British television conglomerate produces some of the best trailers in the business.  Their upcoming mini-series "Human Planet" is sure to get many viewers based solely on this absolutely beautiful web-trailer.  Enjoy....then watch it.  It is our world after all!!



I encourage everyone who has a child or student in their lives to sign them up for (FREE) www.xtramath.org.  This site takes the basics of math and pounds it into a child's head in a way that feels like they are playing a game, even though they are being told they are taking tests!  Smooth slight of hand on the part of the website.  Check it out as we'll be using it in our class to help the struggling students have some fun while memorizing the basics (4+5, 7*8, 18/6, etc).


That is all for tonight.  Lesson planning and staring aimlessly at my wall are taking up all my energy. 

Cheerio



Friday? The people say "NO"

12 hours ago I had never heard of Rebecca Black. 7 days ago NO ONE had ever heard of Rebecca Black. Now over 71,000,000 people know first hand what gossip and YouTube can do to spread the word. Now if they could only work in tandem to cure a disease!

This song is auto tuned to the hilt, has some of the worst lyrics in the history of music, and doesn't make much sense. It doesn't take too long for people to respond in truly creative ways. Click here for a parody called Fried Eggs. Be prepared to sound hip with your students on this one.

Things to be aware of as April rolls around:

1) April Fools day is tomorrow!  To help get into the spirit check out this list of simple gags you can pull on your teacher or friends. The nice thing....no one gets hurt....too bad. Thanks Kidz!

2) Baseball is here!! Sports Illustrated has just declared my Mariners are going to lose only 99 games this year. I'm totally stoked as this means they are getting better....? Ouch. Luckily there are only 162 games in a season.

3) Upgrade your computer! I just spent two hours adding 3GB of RAM to my computer, a second DVD burner, a TB Internal HD, and a software upgrade to Windows 7. If you really want to feel like you've accomplished something simply open the case to your computer and put it back together. That in itself is quite a task (but don't forget to vacuum it out while you are looking at it). I ordered the holy grail of Adobe products and it supposedly arrives in the mail tomorrow (Friday, Friday, Partying, Partying yeah!). I feel like a kid waiting for Santa by the Xmas tree. When the UPS guy gets here tomorrow I'm sooo going to give him a big hug. Premiere Pro 5 here I come....or jail if the UPS person presses charges.

4) What do light, algebraic math equations, "The Giver", persuasive writing, and GIMP all have in common? Common, try again. I know you can figure this one out....try one more time. Alright fine, all of these will be subject matter I'll be teaching this spring. I'm pretty stoked as I've always wanted to teach kids how to GIMP....that totally didn't sound right. Check it out though as GIMP is a free "Image Manipulation Program" from Gnu....hence GIMP, that you can have your students use in the classroom to produce some pretty sweet art. "Bring out the GIMP!" http://www.gimp.org/

5) My school is AWESOME! We raised over $2000 for the people of Japan. I saw a 1st grader bring in 6 pounds of pennies and nickels to donate to the fund. As someone who used to work in fundraising, I can tell you seeing people come together to work toward one common goal is one of the best human emotions one can feel. So why can't the Mariners or Seahawks take a note from that little 1st grader?

That's all for now folks.

	"I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather.. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car." Cheerio