If you're wanting to become more "tech savvy" and involve your class in using the internet AND practicing their descriptive writing, do I have the site for you! It's called the Monster Exchange and was developed by a parent of an elementary school student several years ago. The website explains it better than I can:

"Monster Exchange is designed to encourage the development of reading and writing skills while integrating Internet technology into the classroom curriculum. Classrooms from a variety of schools worldwide are paired together; the students in each classroom are split into groups, each of which designs an original picture of a monster. The students must then write a description of the monster. The partnered classes then exchange their descriptions via e-mail and the Internet. These students are then challenged to use reading comprehension skills to read the descriptions and translate them into a monster picture. The true challenge involves creating a redrawn picture as close to the original picture as possible without looking at the original and using only the written description of the monster."

The neat thing is that you can be paired up with a class from anywhere in the world, and after you do the monster exchange you can communicate with that class about other topics via the chat room on the site or by email. The site does not allow any monsters with gore or weapons. They have a good example of a "tasteful monster" on their webpage. The address is: http://www.monsterexchange.org/index.htm
After you look at the example on the site you can see how it can be quite a skill to write directions carefully enough for your buddy class to successfully duplicate your monster. It's a good exercise in descriptive writing as well as reading comprehension.
Enjoy!

Heather Wall

"Half of the American people have never read a newspaper.
Half never voted for President.
One hopes it is the same half."
Gore Vidal