The document discusses using blogs in schools to give students a voice and promote literacy. It provides guidance for teachers on setting up blogs for students and assigning blog-based writing tasks. Students are instructed to write persuasive pieces on topics like school uniforms and post responses on classmates' blogs to encourage collaboration. The document emphasizes that blogs can develop students' literacy and communication skills through activities like book reviews, opinion pieces, and international collaboration when used appropriately with teacher guidance.

2. B LO G S
 Giving students a voice
 A website where individuals or groups generate
texts, photographs, videos and links.

3. B lo g s in S c h o o ls
 Blogs are tools and like any other tool can be
used appropriately or misused.
 Misused blogs occur in an educational setting
most likely when there is a lack of direction.
 Blogs properly used can demonstrate proper
online behaviour and address issues of online
safety.
 Blogs also play an important role in literacy.

4. Wh y s tu d e n ts
s h o u ld b lo g !
People will read their work
Gives students a chance to share what they have
learned with others
Participating in collaborative learning projects
Inspire them to learn
Give shy students a chance to communicate with
other students/individuals

5. G e t t in g S t a r t e d
 To create your blog:
 First check out my blog
 Go to http://coriforbes.blogspot.com/
 Create a user name and password
 Start to experiment with your blog

6. F ir s t A s s ig n m e n t
f o r y o u r b lo g
 Please post your response to the following
question:
 Persuade the board of education supporting your
opinion on whether you should or shouldn’t have
to wear school uniforms. Please use your own
voice in your response.

7. S e c o n d Ta s k
 When finished your response go on to three
classmates blogs and respond to their persuasive
piece on school uniforms.
 Please be cautious of others feelings and
remember writing on a computer does not have
facial expressions and students can not sense
sarcasm. So be polite and thorough.

8. P o s t A r t ic le s
 Please scan the Internet for articles or examples
of persuasive writing.
 Read through these examples and then post one
on your blog
 To post simple cut and paste onto your blog

9. Te a c h in g
 Show examples of persuasive writing
 Point out the voice in the examples
 Do a class example of persuasive writing with voice
 Edit the class example
 Have students write a persuasive piece on their own
choosing their own topic (give them choice)
 Post their piece on their blog for the rest of the class to see.
 Complete a performance wall with your students

10. F in a l Ta s k
 Using all that you have learned, researched and
the rubric provided please respond to the
following question:
 Write a letter to the board of education persuading
them to build us a bigger gym. Please use your
own voice in your response.
 Post your response in your blog.
 Reflect on what you noticed was different from
your first response to your second and now your
final response.

11. R u b r ic

12. R e f le c t io n
 Please reflect on what you liked and didn’t like
about this activity
 Also go to three other classmates blogs and
reflect on two things they improved on and two
things they could still work on. (2wishes and 2
stars)

13. B lo g s a r e
u n lim it e d f o r
 lit e r a c y
Blogs can be use to:
 Write book reviews with voice
 Persuasive letters
 Communicate with different counties and schools through writing
 Share opinions on up to date facts about the world
 Web assignments
 Help your special education students with assignments by:
 computer having the option of software that reads all the text
 Modify and accommodate lessons
 Programs like Dragon can be used to complete assignments , where you talk into the computer and it writes what you say
 The possibilities are unlimited in what technology can do for your students that are “at risk” or regular education.