Coats Classroom Blog Geri Coats Righetti High School Grade Level: 9 Subject Area: ELA: English 1

Transcription

1 Coats Classroom Blog Geri Coats Righetti High School Grade Level: 9 Subject Area: ELA: English 1 Project Summary: Students use a classroom blog to access and react to short reading Assignments called Article of the Week. Student writing is in a published form so that parents and others may read student work, creating an authentic audience for student writing.

2 Coats Classroom Blog 2 Introduction: Project Description: This project is a classroom blog that allows students to complete class-work in a way that has many benefits beyond the typical read/respond English assignment. The blog provides an avenue for the typical assignment in a way that is paperless, so economical and environmentally friendly, as well as modern, which helps with student engagement as well. On top of all these benefits, since student work is posted online, there is an authentic audience in that other students can read their work, their parents can read their posts giving them an incentive to really put in some extra effort. The blog is the primary way for students to complete their Article of the Week assignment that is a simple weekly one page reading assignment with typical questions of title, author, audience, main idea, supporting idea, etc. In addition to the Article of the Week assignment, the blog is a great avenue to post notes to parents, study guides, and computer lab class-work activities. Students and parents alike can connect to the blog on a regular basis, or add it to their own RSS reader to be notified of updates. The connection between home and school becomes stronger and parents have a window into the work being assigned, their student's work, and other work samples to see how their student is doing in comparison. Educational Value: Students increase their Language Arts skills in the traditional manner, exposure to varied text, practice, writing, AND they gain exposure to technology, start to create a responsible digital footprint learning how to interact in an academically appropriate manner online. An authentic audience is known to improve student writing as does parental involvement, two things this project opens the door for.

3 Coats Classroom Blog 3 Lesson Plans: Lesson One: Introduction Students meet in the computer lab. (50 minute class period) Objective: Students will learn how to find the class blog, what the rules are for posting/commenting, agree to a Responsible Use Policy using an interactive form, and how to use the blog for classroom assignments. Anticipatory Set: Classroom discussion about what a blog is, and how we will use it within the confines of the class. Steps: 1. Have students find the Righetti High School webpage. I have the url posted on the board, but some will also use Google (the IE homepage in the lab). 2. Once on the Righetti Web-Page, students will follow the steps to find the class webpage. 3. Students get a few minutes (5) to explore the class webpage. I point out the page for homework, current unit info, contact page, etc. 4. Students then must find their way to the current unit info page where they find the Responsible Use Policy and Student Information Forms that must be filled out before I allow them to work on the blog. 5. Once every student has completed the Responsible Use, and Student Information Forms, I direct student back to the class webpage and to the Links page that will take them to the classroom blog. On the blog, the welcome letter sent home with students is posted for them to read Lesson Two: Students meet in the computer lab. Objective: Students will use the classroom blog to complete an Article of the Week assignment. Steps: 1. Students find the Blog (they help each other going, going through RHS page, directly to class page, Google, etc.).

4 Coats Classroom Blog 4 2. Students read the directions for the assignment as a group (popcorn, teacher call, etc. depending on climate of the classroom). As a class we go over the purpose and the expectations, then we discuss the rules for posting online (reminder from what they agreed to in previous lesson). 3. Students then follow the link to the first Article of the Week, and read the article independently. 4. Once students have read the article, they use the comment box to respond to the questions and submit their work. Student comments are then moderated by the teacher before published on the blog to assure they are all appropriate to the assignment and that students have followed appropriate privacy protocols. Lesson Three: Students meet in the computer lab. Objective: Students will recognize strengths and weaknesses of their own Article of the Week assignments by reading other students assignments and assessing them based on the assignment instructions. Steps: 1. Before students are allowed to use the computers, the teacher goes over the instructions. 2. Students must choose one of the articles we have already read and read through the comments for that article. They must choose 1 comment from another student to respond to. In the comments they must respond in a thoughtful paragraph to the other students stating why they have chosen that comment, where they agree/disagree, where they see room for improvement. 3. Students are reminded to write in academically appropriate language and conventions. 4. Students are then given the opportunity to work while the teacher circulates and helps students individually and in small groups. (All comments are moderated by the teacher before being published on the blog to ensure academic appropriateness and that students followed privacy protocols.)

5 Coats Classroom Blog 5 Student Impact: This project has many desired outcomes from increasing student writing skill, identifying elements of a text (title, author, original publication, main idea, supporting ideas, etc.), using Web 2.0 applications appropriately, increased interaction with nonfiction texts, and exposure to more of the world through a multitude of viewpoints. Students will benefit from this project as it provides an authentic learning medium for students to read and respond to text. By reading a variety of non-fiction texts, students reading levels should increase as well as their writing skill. Students will improve their ability to use technology for schoolwork in a way they can translate into their other courses throughout high school. Assessment: Students are evaluated according to their comments posted on the blog. Their comments must answer the assigned questions in complete sentences and complete paragraphs that use appropriate language and conventions. Each comment includes basic level 1 and 2 (Bloom's Taxonomy) and higher-level thinking (Bloom s Taxonomy Level 3) asking students to respond with their own thoughts on the article. Standards: CA ELA Standards Grade 9 and 10 Reading 2.0 Reading 2.5 Writing Strategies 1.2 Writing Strategies 1.4 Writing Applications 2.6 Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.2 Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.3

6 Coats Classroom Blog 6 ISTE Net-S for students 1. Creativity and Innovation 2. Communication and Collaboration 4. Critical Thinking 5. Digital Citizenship Materials/Budget: Although, the class meets in the computer lab periodically, it is not feasible to expect this opportunity every week when a lab is shared with an entire school. This leaves students who do not have ready Internet access at home at a distinct disadvantage. Having a small Netbook in the classroom would enable those students the opportunity to do this assignment during typical class work-time. Asus Eee PC Netbook: $ from bestbuy.com Sales Tax: $30.62 Even with an available netbook in the classroom, there will inevitably still be some students who are unable to complete the assignment via the Internet. For this reason, copy expenditures are also a requirement for this to be a successful project. Paper, ink and photocopying: $ Item Supplier Cost Netbook BestBuy.com $ Sales Tax $30.62 Paper costs (paper, ink, photocopies, etc.) Office Depot/School Photocopying $115 $495.61

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