Excite Students About Writing Using Kidblog
Excite Students About Writing Using Kidblog
Excite Students About Writing Using Kidblog
Since many students are using technology on a daily basis, teaching them the proper way to communicate online is an essential skill that they need to learn about and put into practice. By having students create their own blogs, they will be able to learn about topics that are important and relevant to one another. It will also enhance and encourage their collaboration skills as they learn how to positively critique and critically think about responses to their classmates’ posts.Subjects
Writing Keywords
blog, BrainPop, kidblog, writing Grades
K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 >12 Objectives:
At the end of this scenario the learner will be able to:
• Define the term blog
• Post appropriate comments in response to teacher & classmate blog posts
• Create and conduct a survey to find a popular topic of interest to blog about
• Construct a blog post describing their chosen topic of interest
• Propose questions within their post to promote discussion among classmates
• Privately evaluate 2 classmates’ posts according to the class rubric
Materials:
• Kidblog.org website with class usernames and passwords set up
• Student journals to write and edit comments and blog posts
• Blogs in Plain English by leelefever - YouTube video to introduce blogs
• Classroom computers
• BrianPop: Blogs – video & activities
• Student-created rubric to assess posts
• Computer connected to LCD projector
• Blog Topic Poll worksheet
Lesson Files
Genevieve Pacada
About the author
Procedure:
Preparation for your lessons:
• Create an account on Kidblog.org with student usernames and passwords.
• Use the settings to personalize your page & adjust settings according to your needs.
• Create an introduction post & pose an interesting question to your students.
Lesson 1: (Using computer & LCD projector to show websites to our class.)
• Introduce blogs using Blogs in Plain English by leelefever.
• Show students how to login to Kidblog.org.
• Read introduction post to your students.
• Brainstorm thoughts and ideas with your students.
• Give students quiet time to journal-write about the topic.
• Upon teacher approval, students will use student computers to login and post their comment.
• Teacher will approve/disapprove comment and reply with positive feedback.
Lesson 2:
• Review and quiz students about blogs using BrianPop: Blogs.
• Show class blog to students and read through some of the comments with the class.
• Brainstorm: What makes a topic interesting?
• Students come up with 3 possible blog topics and survey the class.
Lesson 3:
• Class will create a grading rubric to be used in evaluating each other’s posts.
• Guidelines and expectations for blogging will be set and agreed upon.
• Students journal-write about their chosen blog topic.
• Students will self and peer edit before posting their first blog post.
Lesson 4:
• Students will use the grading rubric to evaluate 2 blog posts.
• Evaluations will help students guide their comments as they respond to the posts.
• Teacher will use the grading rubric to evaluate students’ posts.
Assessment:
Students will help create a rubric according to 3 categories: Writing Conventions, Appropriateness of Topic, and Content. Teacher will copy this rubric for students to use as they evaluate each other’s posts. Teacher will also use this rubric to evaluate students’ work. (See attachment)
Technology:
Kidblog.org is a free website that allows teachers to create and manage a classroom blog.
Reflection:
The teacher will reflect about the class blogging experience by writing a blog post titled: Blog Reflection. In this post, the teacher will post a personal reflection about the blogging process and will ask the students to reflect on their own learning by thinking and writing about the following questions:
• What did I learn about blogging?
• What were the things that I liked the most?
• What part of the blogging process was the most difficult for me?
• What did I learn about other students in this class?
• What did I learn about myself?
After the entire lesson, the teacher will read the reflection blog posts to decide what kind of adjustments need to be made in order to continue blogging with the class.
Audience:
Students in grade 4.
Making Connections:
Prior Knowledge: The learner will make connections with knowledge about newspapers and emails in order to understand how blogs are used to get important news out to people with similar interests.
Relevance: The learner will post a blog about a topic that is relevant and important to him or her.
Audience: After the class posts their first blog, teacher will open up the blog to allow for visitor comments. An Kidblog link will also be sent to parents and families who will then be invited to join in the discussion.
Comments
I love this idea. Although I teach younger students, I still can see how this would be beneficial to all students even kindergarten. The part of the lesson I liked most was in the student reflection. It is not often was ask students to write done what they learned about THEMSELVES.
Kids these days are going to be growing up knowing how to blog. I can see younger students getting into a simplified version of this lesson plan. Blogging is such a powerful free tool to keep them motivated and interested in writing.
This is great - thanks! I recently started homeschooling my 11-year-old daughter. I have known about Kidblog for quite a while and have considered trying it as she is VERY reluctant when it comes to writing. However, after seeing your ideas and approach, I am definitely going to give this a go!