Blogging

Blogging A blog is a place where an individual records his/her thoughts about a topic. Depending on the creativity and purpose of the blog, it may also be multimedia and include videos, pictures, songs, hyperlinks, polls, etc.

For some of the pieces of literature we read in class, we are going to be maintaining a blog using blogger.com.

__** Blogging Tips, Strategies, and Suggestions **__ 1. This is a public forum, so write using a voice appropriate to your audience. This is also for school, so content and language should be adjusted accordingly. 2. This is a multi-media format, so feel free to include images and videos or links to external sites that may elaborate on a point. Again, be sure it is appropriate for school. 3.


 * Previous years **

In order to maintain your blog, you will need to create your own wiki using your wikispaces account. Once you have created it, you will add new pages for each piece of literature about which you are asked to blog.

How to set up your blog:

1. Go to wikispaces.com and sign in.

2. Click on Create New Wiki (on the upper right side of the page)

3. Title the wiki however you like. For example, I have a personal blog titled A Voice in Progress because I feel like even though I might be old - ;) - I am still discovering my voice. If you don’t want to be creative, you can simply title it with your first name and our class. MAKE SURE THAT YOU CREATE A PROTECTED WIKI. This is the default setting, but it’s good practice to double check.

4. Personalize your page. You may wish to go through the Getting Started tutorials or simply close it and learn by navigating on your own. A few suggestions: you can change the settings for your wiki by going to Manage Wiki. a. Look and Feel allows you to change the color scheme and some basic formats. b. Logo is where you can upload a picture that will be at the header of your wiki - you can use a picture of yourself from PhotoBooth or a picture of an object you feel represents you. THIS IS A SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITY SO PICTURES MUST BE APPROPRIATE.

5. Create your home page by clicking on Edit. On your home page, you want to write a brief description of your literary history. What are your earliest memories of reading (good or bad)? Be detailed. Also, write a brief description of what you hope to learn while you blog. You might also want to upload some pictures and/or videos, hyperlinks, etc., to make it more personal.

6. Adding pages. In order to keep the blog organized, you will want to create new pages for each unit you are asked to blog. For example, the first blog you will be keeping will be for your first independent novel. You will click on New Page, then title it according to its independent novel number and its title: IN#1BluestEye. You may also be asked to create a page for a unit of reading, like Short Stories. You would title your new page accordingly.

For my example, go to Ms. Ryce's blog.

__ AFTER YOU HAVE CREATED YOUR BLOG, go to the class wiki. On the Blogging page, go to the discussion forum titled Blog Links. In a reply to that discussion, paste the link to your blog. __