UDlinks

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/udlinks/id454517781?mt=8
I came across the above application during a Professional Development. This application helps design a class profile and find resources to meet students’ needs. In the resources section of the application, teachers can search for lesson plans, multimedia, practice, games, tutorials or by topic and unique search terms.

How I use this application in my classroom:
I was very pleased to see an application that can be used for Physical Education. I downloaded this application as soon as I heard about it (**it is free!) and started to create my class profile. When creating your profile, the app asked you 5 questions:

1. What subject you are interested in.
2. What grade level you teach.
3. What you are looking for (lesson plans, tutorials, practice, simulations, multimedia presentations, collaborative tools, and games).
4. What you want to accomplish (engage students, find out what they know, and/ or teach a content in a new way).
5. How you want to teach (present information in a new way, find new approaches, help students develop a deeper understanding of the topic. 

After completing the profile, the application lists the recommended resources for teaching. This application has helped me create lesson plans utilizing some of the resources it provided. UDlinks sent me to the website: www.MrGym.com.  This website provided me with some cooperative game ideas.
One such cooperative activity was called "People Pyramids." http://mrgym.com/Cooperatives/PeoplePyramids.htm:

For the activity, my students had to form a pyramid using all the students in the class. This challenge took almost the entire 90 minutes of the class period. My 7th graders worked together and decided to create a different pyramid.

Check out my pictures:

Here is attempt one: (a little more than half of my students are attempting)

Here is attempt two: (almost all of my students)

After multiple attempts to include the entire class, they decided to design their own pyramid. I was pleasantly surprised with their problem solving skills. I think their creation looked great!

I was pleasantly surprised with this lesson. Every student in my class participated and worked with each other to create this pyramid.

UDlinks provides links for EVERY subject matter and it is easy to use. Download it today!