After exploring the Google Tools, I realized that I have not been using Google to all of its advantages. I have always used it to view pictures and of course to search the web for something.
I explored Google Translate and it is really amazing. I wish I knew about this when I was in my Spanish class, it would have made learning the language so much easier. It not only has translation to Spanish, it also has Vietnamese, Thai, Dutch, German, Greek, and so many more. The way I would use this tool in my class room is to have my students write out a letter to a 'pen pal' in the class and then translate it using this tool and see if the other student can figure out what language they used. The student will then have to translate the letter. Of course they would have to use the vocabulary words and underline those so it would be easier for the younger ones. The tool also has a great function of being able to speak the words typed in most of the languages.
Using this tool I found out how to write "Hello, my name is Sabrina Miller" in dutch, which I have ancestors from. It is like this: Hallo, mijn naam is Sabrina Miller.
The other tool that I explored is Google SketchUp. This tool is awesome and other teachers found this out too. They have a gallery on it that has some of the sketches that were made, there are some from a few high school students.
http://picasaweb.google.com/gallery.sketchup/EducationK12#
This program is to sketch a 3D drawing. It even has a SketchUp for K-12 Education page that explains everything. Students can even use it for free, and nothing beats that in today's school system. There is a video of a high school history teacher that had his students read the first few weeks then they had to design the town using this tool.
When I become a teacher, I plan to use this tool whenever I can. Having my elementary students read a story then have them design the house that they think the character lived in. Such a fun tool and great for our students to use technology to learn.
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