1. Presented by
Jessica White and Vicki Jones
3rd Grade Teachers
Riverwood Elementary School and Caywood
Elementary School

3.  A class website…and so much more!
 An amazing tool to help motivate
students and make the learning in
your classroom come alive!

4. Benefits of blogging
 Students have an audience for their writing
which positively impacts the quality of their
work.
 Students revisit and reflect upon the lessons
when they read the posts on the blog. The
learning doesn’t stop when the chapter or
unit ends – commenting keeps the learning
alive.

5.  Students learn keyboarding skills, how to navigate
around the Internet, and how to present digital
information in a variety of ways.
 Teachers from different states, countries, and
continents are able to collaborate on different
projects so students are given authentic
opportunities to learn about different regions of
the world and different cultures.
 Blogging in the classroom provides
motivation, excitement and fun!!

6. Edublogs have the potential to transform your
teaching and can be used in a variety of ways!
 You can share resources and access online learning
activities.
 There are literally countless ways for students to
share their work and learning.
 Blogs provide a fun way to communicate with
students and parents. Parents LOVE CLASS BLOGS!!
 You can collaborate with educators and students
from around the world to extend the walls of your
classroom.

7. Integrating Reading / LA
 Writing, Writing, Writing
◦ Students are required to write in full
sentences and words.
 Book Reports
 Reading comprehension questions
 ANY language arts skill can be practiced
and assessed through blogging.

8. Integrating Math
 Mental math
 Compare numbers  Averages
 Order numbers  Time
 Standard, expanded, ◦ Telling
written forms ◦ Elapsed
◦ AM/PM
 Calculator skills
 Setting goals

9. Each day a different
student has the job of blog
updater. We do this at the
beginning of every Math We set class goals, and each
Workshop. day we update our blog
numbers! We do A LOT of
math with these numbers.

10. Alyssa is writing the While she is recording that
number of pageviews in information students are
using mental math
expanded form, word form, strategies to add up the
and short word form. total number of visitors.

11. Here are
the
numbers
they are
adding up.
We’ve had
visitors
from 41
Once students have
different added up the visitors
countries! using mental math, the
blog updater uses a
calculator to check.

12. Integrating Science
 Weather
◦ Conditions
◦ Instruments
 Landforms/Bodies of water
 Periodic table
 Moon phases

13. Integrating Social Studies
 Geography  Economy
◦ Continents, Countries ◦ Currency
, States
◦ Map Skills
 Communications
 People  Transportation
◦ Culture  Import/export
◦ Population  Natural
◦ Religion
resources, man-made
 Government materials, finished
 Military products

14. Teaching Geography Through Blogging
We like to keep track of the number of cities and countries that have visited
our blog. Currently we’ve had visitors from 41 countries and 312 cities! If
we notice a new country has visited our blog, we look up information about
that country. We like to learn about its population, landforms and bodies of
water, culture, currency, economics and religion. We like to compare the
population of other countries with our population! The last thing we do is
locate them on our classroom map!

15. Social Studies Widgets

16. Extensions…
Emma’s mom sent in currency from different
countries. We were able to see money from
several of the countries that have visited our blog!

17.  Informational Pages
◦ About Me, Class Schedule, Blogging Rules
 Links
◦ Frequently used websites for parents, students, and
teachers
 Posts
◦ Important information for parents and students
◦ Questions for students to comment on
◦ Slideshows, photos, digital showcase for student
work
 Extras
◦ Widgits

18.  Pages are usually static and include information
that you want parents, teachers, students or
visitors to have.
 Here you can include information about you, your
class, your expectations, homework, important
dates, etc.
 You can upload files onto pages so all of your
parent or teacher resources can be easily located.
http://www.mrsjessicawhite.edublogs.org/

19.  All of my favorite links are in one place.
 Students can access them from any computer
at school or at home.
 You can organize your links by category.
http://www.dianajburns.edublogs.org

20.  This is where you can focus the type of blog
you want to present. What is your purpose?
◦ Parent and student communication
◦ Interactive learning and assessment
◦ Digital showcase of student work
 This is where the “meat” of blogging occurs
and where the learning REALLY comes alive!

21.  A post on a communication blog is going to
be information that you want parents,
teachers, and/or students to know.
 Classroom events, test dates, directions for a
computer assignment
http://www.mslroberts.edublogs.org

22.  This type of blog really engages students and
involves the global learning community.
 Teachers post questions and challenges for
the students to comment on.
These questions can be differentiated for
reteaching or enrichment. You can assign
certain students to respond to specific posts.
http://www.vickijones.edublogs.org

23.  Pro memberships allow you to embed slideshows,
photos, and other media into your posts.
 Parents (and students) love to see what is
happening in the classroom.
 Students can create slideshows or videos to show
what they have learned in class and it can be
posted for others to give feedback.
http://www.mrsjessicawhite.edublogs.org
http://www.jmsalsich.edublogs.com

24.  Widgits are extra things to include on your blog. They can be
instrumental in integrating math, science, and geography!
Most widgits are only available for use with Pro memberships.
Examples include:
Show My Weather
Flag Counter (Visitors and Pageviews)
Clock
Phases of Moon
Live Traffic Feed
Revolver Map
ClustrMap
http://www.mrsjessicawhite.edublogs.org

25.  Students can become contributors to your class
blog to write posts or add comments to posts.
 Commenting is a great learning tool because
students can apply EVERY language arts skill that
you teach.
 There are endless possibilities for ways to
engage students through commenting!
 You can sign up for the 2010 Blogging Challenge
to reach out to blogs from around the world!

26.  Some students may be interested in setting
up their own blog to publish their work. You
may want to offer interested students this
opportunity.
 Pro memberships come with 50 student
blogs.

27. Blogging Safety
 Teach students safe and responsible online
habits
◦ No personal information such as last name,
address, phone, etc.
◦ Be careful and conscious about what is written
 Blogs exist on the internet which is a public place
 Only post what you want the world to know
◦ All writing should be school-appropriate and
respectful
◦ Teachers have the right to delete any comments

28. Permission to Blog
 Parent
permission
required before
child can
participate in
the blog

29. The possibilities for
the uses of blogging
are endless!

30. You will be amazed by how fun and easy
blogging is!
1. Decide what you want to get out of your blog.
2. Sign up at Edublogs.org
3. Set up your blog
Theme, widgets, links, pages, posts, etc.
4. Look at other blogs for ideas or to copy links.
5. Determine your blogging rules and guidelines, get parent
permission, and teach students how to use the blog.
6. HAVE FUN!!!
As long as you are excited about your blog, this will be a
powerful motivator and tool for learning in your
classroom!

31.  http://edublogs.org/
 http://mrsjessicawhite.edublogs.org/
 http://www.vickijones.edublogs.org
 http://theedublogger.com/
 http://educational-blogging.wikispaces.com/

32. Contact Information
Jessica White
Riverwood Elementary School
mrsjessicawhite@yahoo.com
mrsjessicawhite.edublogs.org
Vicki Jones
Caywood Elementary School
jonesv@caywood.org
vickijones.edublogs.org