Google is giving away thousands of its Chrome OS prototype notebooks, so I thought they might spare thirty-two of them for my classroom.  (If you have similar ideas, better hurry: Google stops accepting applications on Tuesday.)  Google suggests that an applicant create and post a video about why he wants the notebook.  I want them so badly that I bought and learned iMovie, which is part of iLife 2011, and I just finished my first video ever:

What fun it was to make it! And how time consuming, too.  But it was edifying to make my students and superiors say nice things about me on camera.  And a special thanks to Bethany, my narrator!

The opening line may not be clear; it's supposed to say, "If the writers' workshop married online technologies, and they had a ninth grade daughter, it would be Mr. Stephens's English class."

Posted December 19, 2010.