Book Blogs

Document Sample
Book Blogs
Book Blogs

Interactive Journals for

Literature Circles

Matt Hardy

Grade 4 Teacher

Eden Prairie Schools

- Goals for This Session -

How To:

• Get students interacting in online discussions



• Use individual student blogs as a

communication tool



• Implement small- or whole-group book clubs



• Motivate your students using reading/writing

in an authentic context

This Session is Not About:



• Setting up a classroom webpage/teacher blog

– blogger.com wordpress.com typepad.com

– Custom district solution





• A full rationale for the benefits of blogging

– You already know many of the benefits, and

that’s why you’re here

My Background



• BA, Computer Science, U of M, Morris

• Web Development Business

• M. Ed, U of M, Twin Cities

• 4th Grade in Eden Prairie

Our Class Website

• mrhardy.org

Student Blogs



• Individual publishing space

– Ownership

– Accountability

• Read (Visit)

• Write (Publish)

• Comment (Discuss, Reflect)

Student Blogging Platforms



• kidblog.org



• edmodo.com



• 21classes.com



• edublogs.org



• gaggle.net

Cooperative Learning

http://www.co-operation.org/pages/cl.html





• Positive Interdependence

– “Sink or swim together”





• Promotive Interaction

– Helping, supporting, encouraging, and applauding

each other's efforts to achieve

Cooperative Learning

http://www.co-operation.org/pages/cl.html





• Individual and Group Accountability

– The group is accountable for achieving its goals

– Each member accountable for contributing his or

her share of the work





• Group Processing

– Group members discuss how well hey are

achieving their goals and maintaining effective

working relationships.

Book Club Model

• 4 - 5 Students per Group

• Each member has their own “Job” for

the week

– Question Captain

– Connection Maker

– Excerpt Expert

– Character Analyzer

– Image Illustrator

• Job Descriptions

Question Captain



• Write down 4-5 good questions that you think your group

would want to talk about. Questions should be thought-

provoking and open-ended (no simple, one-word answers).

• Try these starters:

– Why do you think…?

– What will happen…?

– If…?

– Who…?

– How…?

– Compare…?



• Example Post for Question Captain

Connection Maker



• Proficient readers make connections to the text as they read. Three

main types of connections are

– text-to-self,

– text-to-text

– text-to-world

• In your post, write about 3 connections you made to the book. The

connections can be about how the book reminds you of yourself or

an event in your life (text-to-self), how the book reminds you of

another book you’ve read (text-to-text), or how the book reminds

you of something happening in the world today or in the past (text-

to-world).

• Example Post for Connection Maker

Model on Teacher Blog





Title



Summary









Job-of-the-Week

Model on Teacher Blog

Model on Teacher Blog

Excerpt Expert



• Choose one or two important passages (1-3 sentences each)

from the story. Copy them down in your blog.



• These passages should help your group remember some

interesting, powerful, puzzling, or important sections of the

text. Justify your reasons for selecting these passages.



• Some reasons for choosing passages to share might include:

*Key events *Descriptive *Surprising *Scary *Funny

*Controversial *Confusing



• Example Post for Excerpt Expert

Character Analyzer



• Select 3 adjectives that describe the traits of some of the characters from

the novel, and support your selection with examples taken from your

reading assignment. Each time you write down an idea, be sure to include:

• - Character’s name

- Trait (Adjective)

- Specific Example of Behavior/Action

(with the page number where it happens in the book)

• Possible Character Adjectives: adventurous, artistic, athletic, active, beautiful, belligerent,

brave, bold, bossy, cheerful, curious, creative, courageous, considerate, daring, impulsive,

dainty, dangerous, exciting, entertaining, energetic, funny, friendly, fun-loving, gentle,

generous, happy, humble, hostile, honest, iconoclastic, intelligent, independent, inventive, a

leader, lazy, loyal, loud, messy, mischievous, mean, melancholy, mellow, neat, nasty, nice,

nosy, open, poor, proud, pretty, prudent, quiet, rich, respectful, sad, silly, sloppy, serious,

successful, shy, short, smart, studious, selfish, simple, tall, trustworthy, thoughtful, unselfish,

warm, witty, wild (or think of your own!)

• Example Post for Character Analyzer

Image Illustrator



• Create a graphical blog post! Do a Google image search for pictures that

relate to events or characters in the novel. (Remember to use “Strict Safe

Search.”)

• Copy and paste these images in your blog. Be sure to cite your source!



• Write a brief caption under each image that explains how it relates to your

reading. Your images may be about a character, the setting, a problem, an

exciting part, a surprise, or anything else about the chapters for this week.



• Directions for inserting images into your post (Internet Explorer)



• Directions for inserting images into your post (Mozilla Firefox)



• Example Post for Image Illustrator

Job Rotation

Example Blog Discussions



• Emilee

• Laurie

• Christian

• Crystal

• Michael

Blurring the Lines Between

Blogs and Discussion Boards

• Discussion Boards

– Topics

– Replies

– Linear

• Blogs

– Author’s space is paramount

– We visit authors, not topics.

– More cohesive

Response Model:

Single-Post, Single-Response





Comment

Response Model:

Mulit-Post, Multi-Response





Comment









Comment









Comment

Logistics

• Clubs Meet Wed/Thurs

• Reading done by Tuesday.

• Lab time (30 min) Tuesday

afternoon

• Respond to leader and do job

• Meeting day, comment on each

other, keep the discussion

going

Benefits





• Ownership

• Authenticity

• Indpendence

• Remote Participation!

Assessment



• Digital records

• Growth over time

• Timestamps

• Writing standards, traits

Strive For:



• Depth of thought

• Specificity

• Relevance

• Use of Conventions

Questions…?


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