Get Blogging! Summer 2014

Introduction

Simply put, blogs are web journals, website on which an individual or group of users record opinions, information, etc. on a regular basis. Blogs are means of providing students with opportunities for digital communication and collaboration in and out of the school building and day. With the available security options, teachers can control both the participants and the content. Blogs are one of the easiest options for creating a classroom Web presence, but can be even more powerful when combined with your classroom website and used for student interaction and communication.

Wonder

To blog or not to blog?  How can I effectively integrate blogging in my instruction?

Explore/Investigate

Watch Blogs in Plain English

Read The Guardian: Class blogs: a better way to teach?
Explore Kathleen Morris' Five Steps to Starting a Class Blog

Learn more about classroom blogs from expert Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano

Sample a few classroom blogs:

• Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog
• Mrs. Yollis' Classroom Blog
• The Avery Bunch
• Mrs. C's Senior English Blogs
• Room 611
• Newton's Minions

Not enough? Search the Internet for even more ideas you can use in your classroom!

Communicate

What are your ideas for effectively integrating blogs in your classroom? Share your grade level and/or content area along with your ideas. Click the "comment" link below to get started.

Create

You will create a blog and a lesson plan to go along with it. Your lesson should incorporate the introduction and/or use of your blog in the classroom. Let's begin:

• Watch the tutorials to help you decide which to use:
• Blogger (for older students) has a great help section that will answer many of your questions. This section will help you set up the moderation of comments to avoid worry over inappropriate posts.
• Kidblog (for younger students) allows you to create student blogs without email addresses.
• Register for an account with one of the blog sites: Blogger or Kidblog.
• Create a blog you can share with others.
• Design and write-up your lesson (in whatever format works best for you).
• Email/share your lesson to the instructor: Laurie LeFever (laurielefever@gmail.com). Make sure to include a link to your blog on your lesson plan. 
• Share the link to your blog in a second comment posting on this blog for others to see.

Reflect

Now, on your own blog, reflect on the process of choosing and creating a blog for your classroom. Predict and plan for any hurdles you might need to surmount when you implement your blog in your instruction. What questions do you still have about blogging? Please complete this short feedback form.

All components are due by Monday, August 18, 2014.

If at any time you have questions, you can either drop-in or contact me:

Drop-In Office Hours (Optional) with Laurie LeFever
@ CNYRIC (6075 East Molloy Road, Syracuse, NY 13221)

• Conference Room A

• 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Monday, August 11

• 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Friday, August 15

Instructor Contact Information: 
(You will get a faster response by email than by phone.)

Laurie LeFever, LMS

CNYRIC

6075 E. Molloy Road

Syracuse, New York 13221

(w) 315.431.8447

llefever@cnyric.org