Blogging

**Blogging ** Blogs can be used for collaboration between students, colleagues, and parents.

 Blogs are great tools for sharing news from your class. This can be done in place of newsletters. Students can be in charge of reporting classroom news. Projects can also be posted to a blog to share with others. Students can be authors of the blogs and share their stories outside their classroom. When a student write something, usually only a few people even read it. If it were on the Web, their audience would broaden. Family members, other students and people from all parts of the world could enjoy their work. Students are more motivated to create great writing pieces!


 * Examples: **

**Kindergarten:** @http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=51141

More Class Blogs: @http://lipskymatthews.blogspot.com/ and @http://upperhouse.edublogs.org/
 At this school, most of the teachers have a blog. The principal does too!  http://chetscreekyoungandrussell.edublogs.org/

__**KIDBLOG **__ @http://kidblog.org/home.php

KIDBLOG.org is by far the best blogging tool to use with elementary students! It is secure and very easy to use. A teacher sets up a class and then creates accounts for the students. You can put in each student or upload a whole list from a CSV file. You can use the same usernames and passwords that the students use for the server and moodle. Teachers can create blog posts for students to respond to or students can create their own posts. Teachers approve all comments and posts. Teachers are able to check the blog posts anywhere/anytime. The editing tools are just like the tools in Word and there is a spell check feature. Images, video, audio and other WEB 2.0 creations can be added to posts.

@http://kidblog.org/MrsDitzlersClass/
 * This is a link to the Blog that I started so I could learn about it: **

http://kidblog.org/missdunsigersclass/ It is quite impressive! Kids can do this! What a great way for students to express themselves and become real authors. They are so excited when they get comments from people around the world.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">This is a link to a 1st grade class blog done by Aviva Dunsinger's class in Canada: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">**4th graders in Mrs. Kolbert's class also use Kidblog:** @http://kidblog.org/mrskolbertsclass/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">**Mrs. Stupka's Thirds Grade Bloggers:** @http://kidblog.org/MrsStupkasClassBlog/


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Other Tools: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Yola: http://www.yola.com
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">50 Helpful Tips for Blogging Teachers: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">@http://www.teachingtips.com/blog/2008/07/21/50-useful-blogging-tools-for-teachers/


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">West Shore School District Webpage Blogs: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> These blogs can be password protected. Students can do this independently and could be used as a center during guided reading. They will type in their name and comments/answers. They can leave email blank. They will type in 4 numbers to validate their entry. You can view student responses at anytime from anywhere (using a computer and Internet connection). You can also comment right on the students' posts for feedback.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> This limits the number of papers you need to use. Blog postings can be separated by groups or individuals. You can add images and links.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> On your teacher webpage there is a built-in Blog application. First, log into your teacher page.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> Uses for Blogs: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> Summarizing a lesson <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Answering EQs. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Responding to literature <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Creative Writing <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Exploring websites to find info <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Describing and image

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Use this link to view examples on my district website: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> @http://www.wssd.k12.pa.us/webpages/kditzler1/myblog.cfm