Brief Description

    Using a blog, students will exchange notes about books.
 

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 4T-E1. Use telecommunications efficiently and effectively to access remote information and communicate with others in support of facilitated and independent learning.

 

• 7FL-E2. Write letters or electronic messages.
• 5FL-F1. Discuss topics in the target language including geographical terms, historical facts, mathematical terms and problems, and scientific information.
• 2FL-E3. Support opinions with factual information.

 

Academic

• Students will compose electronic messages that critique their reading and develop a persuasion skill.  They assess their views conferencing with other class participants.

• Students will apply their technology skills in a new format—electronic conferencing.

        1. Keyboarding.
        2. Using the Internet.

Materials

        1. A computer with Internet access.
        2. A class created on a site that allows for blogging, e.g. www.nicenet.org
        3. Books.
        4. Reading logs or journals.
        5. A TV Monitor with an AverKey or a Proxima projector.

Accommodations for Special Needs

        1. LD students will require an individual tutor who would listen to their reading and discuss it with him or her.
        2. Students who are new to word processing or the Internet will require help from a technology coach.  The coach could be another knowledgeable student.
        3. ELL beginner students might require help from a partner more proficient in English and/or bilingual.
        4. The teacher will help students choose a book to read and blog about.

1. Students are expected to read books of their choice daily and take notes in their reading logs.  In class, students work in reading journals discussing the book that they read together in class.

2. The blog assessment rubrics are displayed on the class TV monitor through the AverKey or a Proxima projector.  The class discusses the rubrics.

3. For homework, students compose a draft blog message that includes information about the book and their own comments that may be or may be not prompted by the teacher’s questions from the book blog assignment .

4. The first time, the teacher checks students’ drafts and gives recommendations.  Further on, the students exchange their opinions more freely.  It can be an ongoing project.

5. Using an AverKey connector or a Proxima projector, the teacher demonstrates the blogging process to class.  The teacher instructs students about the ways they use the Class Key and create a password. The teacher reminds students of the netiquette and explains about the rules of appropriate blogging.

6. Students take turns using the computers and going to http://www.nicenet.org/ICA/class/home.cfm?r=8C50FA96-AED5-49AC-A7704964F37DB53A
Students use Instructions for Book Blog and share their views about their reading.  They may recommend this or that book supporting their opinions with quotes from the book.
 

Teacher Name: Katherine Engel
Site:   Amphi Middle School
Date Submitted:   October 21, 2003