Blogs What is a Blog? Blogs in Plain English Blogging in the classroom TEACHERS STUDENTS Examples Resources Wikis What is a Wiki? Wikis in Plain English Why are Wikis useful? Using Wikis in the Classroom Integration Ideas Timeline of American Presidents Wiki Structure of Wiki Timeline of American Presidents Wiki Wiki created by Second Graders

Blogs

What is a Blog?

• Blog is short for weblog.
• A blog is a frequent and chronological publication of comments and thoughts on the web.
• A blog is often updated daily and contains all information that the person maintaining the BLOG (Blogger) wishes to share with the world.

Blogs in Plain English

Blogging in the classroom

TEACHERS

Effective modeling of blogging

Teachers can effectively model the blogging process for students by developing a blog to post classroom announcements, calendar, newsletter and happenings.  Within a kindergarten room, this might mean simply posting a picture of a paintbrush and the word ‘ART’ on the calendar days that students go to art class. Instead of checking a chart or a bulletin board for this information, students refer to the classroom blog, something they can do at home or at school. A teacher’s blog can become an important and easily accessible resource used to communicate with students, parents, the community, and the world!

• School-to-Home Communication
• Announcements
• Calendar
• Newsletter
• Classroom Happenings

STUDENTS

• Reflections or journals
• Dialogue with peers
• Communicate with teacher
• Group work

Examples

Building Blocks - Sample Teacher Blog. Additional early elementary class blog examples can be found under the LINKS section of Building Blocks.

Rocks, Rocks, Rocks - Grade 1

First Grade Online - Gayle Berthiaume

Resources

Blogger

Wordpress

How to Start a Classroom Blog, Edublog or School Website

Wikis

What is a Wiki?

Wiki Basics Pt. 1 from Jeremy Brueck on Vimeo.

• Wiki is a website that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content usually in a Web browser.
• Wikis are free online writing spaces.
• Wikis use simple formatting rules--Like word processing.
• Authors do not always claim ownership.
• Wikis are published online.
• Wikis provide a history and anyone can revisit prior versions of text.

Wikis in Plain English

Why are Wikis useful?

Wiki Basics Pt. 2 from Jeremy Brueck on Vimeo.

This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for mass collaborative authoring.

Using Wikis in the Classroom

• Collaboratively Authored Class Texts

• Writing Projects

• Group Projects

Integration Ideas

• A wiki “fan club” for you favorite author.

• A virtual tour of your school as you study “our community.”

• Collaborative book reviews or author studies.

• A class “encyclopedia” on a special topic, such as animals or state history.

• Create a Wikibook. 

    

Timeline of American Presidents Wiki

Wiki Classroom Integration Example from Jeremy Brueck on Vimeo.

Structure of Wiki

Timeline of American Presidents Wiki

 

Wiki created by Second Graders