The document discusses setting up a blog for a school using their mascot, Kyle the Crocodile, to introduce blogging to students, teachers, and parents. It outlines choosing WordPress as the blogging platform over Blogger due to more flexibility and control. Setting up the WordPress blog cost $44.94 for the first year which includes hosting and a domain name. The blog is used for instruction across different grade levels and subjects. It has provided positive exposure for the school while also creating issues around maintaining and moderating the blog's content and comments.

1. Kyle at the EU Parliament See Kyle Blog: Using Your School’s Mascot (Or Other Furry Friend) to Introduce Blogging Matthew Clobridge Sycamore Creek Elementary School Abby Clobridge Flurry Consulting

3. Year-Round Elementary School Students: 675+ Teachers: 40+ Opened July 1, 2008 Technology Integration

4. web 2.0 Teachers Students Parents

5. web 2.0 Teachers Students Parents web2.0 in the classroom

6. Blog Demonstration Project Year-round schedule Upcoming travel… Creating a sense of school identity students parents teachers community teaching by example

7. The Students Vote Salamanders Crocodiles Cyclones Chameleons

8. And the Winner Is…

10. Google - Google Calendar - Google Sites - Docs & Spreadsheets - Web Forms - Videos - Notebook - Picasa Using Google applications when possible.

12. Version 1.0 Blogger

13. Blogger Admin Interface

16. Cons -Cumbersome posting/editing -Limited flexibility with look and feel - Ugly URL http://kyles-travels.blogspot.com/

18. Can’t edit comments Automatically linked info from profile

20. Wanted for v2: More flexibility (look and feel) More control (commenting) Better admin tools Add-ons (plug-ins) New URL Easy and cheap

21. Wanted for v2: More flexibility (look and feel) More control (commenting) Better admin tools Add-ons (plug-ins) New URL Easy and cheap Open Source?

22. www.movabletype.org

23. www.wordpress.org

25. www.1and1.com

26. Total Cost for This Year: $44.94 Hosting: $2.50/month for first six months, $4.99/month after. Includes 120 GB space, FTP access, MySQL databases, email mailboxes and forwarding. Software: Free to install. Requires MySQL database (or alternatives). Domain: Free for first year, $6.99 after. Cost

29. Embedded Slideshows, Video

31. Static Pages, Highlight Recent Comments

32. Comments: Easier to Manage

33. New Comments – Email Forwarding to Multiple Addresses View from within email message

34. www.statcounter.com Include Statistics, Log Analysis Tools

36. Using the Blog for Instruction

37. Writing in an Online Environment

38. Writing in an Online Environment

39. Geography and Culture

40. First Grade

41. Upper Elementary

43. Teachers have asked to create their own class blogs Because of the Blog…

44. Positive Exposure for the School

45. Issues and Considerations

46. Writing the posts… Approving comments… Responding to comments… Maintaining the site… Answering emails from parents… Scheduling logistics – who goes where when? With whom? Coordinating with guest handlers…

49. kylecrocodile.com