Google offers the groups services and I have take advantage of them before. I am just starting a new Google group to connect with the newest members.

San Pedro High has a website (www.sanpedrohs.org) and also use (www.jupitergrades) that are used to communicate with parents and post assignments, but we have been using also Facebook, Twitter and now I'm adding to my Google accounts a group for the Asian Cultures Club.

I believe students see these websites as more social and are curious to know what we teachers are doing there, and are willing to explore more the teachers posts, than the homework tab at the school's website.

I also use Google Earth to explore in class, and Google translator, nnd generally use the image finder pretty complete.

If I need more local information I use the google of a particular country. For example I would google "google in Spain" and I would find there is http://www.google.es and that way for many countries. The information with the most hits usually appears on all the countries, but you will find there are some unique sites that appear in different order of importance according to the area.