Today our 8th graders learned about Blogger, a Web 2.0 tool that they will be using during their character blogging unit in language arts class. Students will be setting up their own blog that will contain posts made from their character's point of view. Each student will be reading a historical fiction book, meeting with their literature circle to discuss their readings, and then will be blogging as the main character in their book.
We had some volunteer students who helped walk the rest of the class through the different options on Blogger. One of our helpers is pictured below.
Students worked on customizing their blog. They chose a layout and theme that would be appealing to their audience. They spent time thinking about whether or not their text colors and/or background colors would work well together. They also spent time reflecting on their chosen background and determining whether or not it fits well with their character.
What are the benefits of blogging?
One of the top reasons why I like students to blog is due to the authentic audience that blogs provide for their writing. When students are publishing to the web, they tend to take more pride in their writing. Students also tend to think more critically about their writing when they know that their posts will be seen by a wide audience. Blogging has been an engaging way for students to practice and improve their writing and reading skills.
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