Blogging at School

7/29/2019 Blogging at School

1/18

Provincia de Buenos Aires

Direccin de formacin continua

Cmo evaluar el aprendizaje de los nios en Ingls en EP?

Modalidad: Presencial

Responsable: Prof. y Trad. Daniela Lacosta- Capacitadora Regin XX

rea: Lengua extranjera (Ingls)

Nivel: primario

Alumna: prof. Rivas Beln

Fecha de entrega: 22/02/2013


2/18

Me as an active citizen of my community through the use of technology. Understanding new technologies

and applying them as a tool to participate in my neighborhood and city.

The following unit of work is implemented during the last term of the year,

from September on, so that students have acquired some skills to achieve what it is required from them. This unit of

work will be carried out connected with other mother tongue subjects once a week. It is a group of 7 students in the

last year of primary school. There are enough computers for them to work comfortable and access to Internet. We

have the headmasters consent and students eagerness to learn about technology. The children have worked on the

physical aspects of computers such as approaching the keyboard and the mouse. They have been introduced to the

control panel and its settings and icons. They know how to log on to the Internet.

This is an introductory class to blogging, where ss encounter the format of blog and start

dealing with its definition and parts. I also want them to think of how important technology is

in the real world and the usefulness of blogs when connecting themselves with the community.

I need to foster the idea that they have a say in their community and they have to exploit the

potential of blogging to being listened to.

Preparation

Teacher asks ss if they know what a blog is, while shooting down ss answers on the board. Then, she displays

pictures of different school blogs from around the world. She asks what a blog is, guiding ss answers with the

pictures.

Then, she elicits ss ideas about the use of blogs, strengths and weaknesses (Their answers will probably be in

Spanish).

Teacher asks ss to skim through the home pages of the blogs and find the name of each blog and the place

where they are displayed.

Core task

Next, the group is split in 4 and each one gets a different blog. Teacher explains the different sections of blogs,

with definitions and a poster of a blog. Then, ss have to spot those sections in their blogs.

Afterwards, teacher gives them a list of elements in a blog with their definitions in Spanish and they have to

place them in a section of the blog taking into account their images.

The whole class reports back their answers and we discuss our ideas. (I think the header is in the header

section because they share the names).

Follow up

Finally, they have to think and write down in their copybooks what of these parts they would like to add in a classroom

blog.

In this class, teacher tries to broaden ss minds presenting them with other social

networks from Internet that can help them to intercat with other people. They can try the

different webpages at home. I think most of them will have seen at least one of these icons in


3/18

their lives, so it is a good opportunity to start resourcing to think critically about globalization

and how English surrounds us.

Preparation

Teacher shows different social network icons and elicits their names from students. Then she asks what is the

relation between icons, until someone approaches the topic social network (In case, they cannot produce that

word in English, the teacher will act as a vocabulary reference). They try to find the connection between each

icons and the topic social network. They discuss about the relation between society and networks. Then, they have to spot which one is related to blogging.

Students discuss the importance of social networks in our community and in which ways blogs can connect us

to our communities.

Core task

The class is split in halves. Each half will have a set of vocabulary ad verbs and they have to decide if

their connotation is positive or negative. After that, they will write lists of pros and cons of blogging intheir copybooks just collocating the given verbs with nouns.

Teacher elicits the sections for a school blog from ss. Each student is going to write down his/ her idea

in a big poster under the heading First draft. Teacher makes students pay attention to the title First

draft and asks them for its meaning and the idea behind it. This is part of a process writing activity so

they will delete and add things.

Teacher hands out photocopies with some proper and improper blogging practices and students have

to draw a happy face if they are suitable for their school blogs or a sad face if they are wrong.

They report back to the whole group and create a poster with the dos and donts of blog usage.

Follow up

They match images with further rules and classify them in do or dont.Afterwards they have to add one more rule, for example Dont swear!

At this point, teacher presents a free webpage where they can devise their own blogs. They will

carry out at least 2 steps of registration every class, working on the specific vocabulary that

turns up.


4/18

Preparation

Teacher brings copies of Wordpress registraton interface. Students try to guess from context the meaning of

such words as E-mail address, username, password and blog address.

Teacher asks ss to have a written portfolio of new terms. So she gives them some time to look at the webpage

window and jot down words that are relevant to them.

Next, we agree on a username and a password.

Students will fill in the photocopied register form so they have a written record of this that will help them to

access to their blogs at home.

Core task

Then, the group chooses a delegate and this person will be in charge of registering the classrooms blog in

Wordpress.com in front of their peers. Teacher and students assign a different delegate in each class and this

is display in the school calendar.

Students may have difficulties with the username, they may find a notice saying lower case and numbers just

allowed. Students try to guess what that warning means. They may make hypothesis after several trials and

errors.

We have to check the schools mail to activate our blog.

At this point, students are given a photocopy with blog registering steps in the wrong order. They have to

arrange them, trying to recall what we did in our computers.

Then, they underline key words from the steps and build a crossword for their peers with a dictionary and the

teachers help. (The definitions for their crossword may just be the translation in Spanish as they will work on

the blog with their Spanish teacher. They need to explain the steps to their teacher).

Follow up

As homework, they have to think of a suitable name for their blogs.

In this class students are in charge of creating a header that will identify the purpose for

such blog to exist and attrack readers attention more accurately. Thus, teacher presents

different names and they match them to a topic and decide if they want to follow them or not.

Preparation

Students present the header for the blogs and the class picks the best up.

In step 1, students are asked to choose some topics to follow. We will discuss the meaning of the topics trying

to guess what they are about from context.

Core task

The group with the teachers guidance will devise a survey so as to follow the most popular topics in the class.

The format of the survey can be Do you like Technology? (Tick or cross and they count crosses and ticks and

draw a pie chart with percentages with some scaffolding provided by the teacher) Which is your favourite

topic? (They write the name and count how many times a topic was repeated and draw a bar graph with the

results).


5/18

Follow up

Then, we follow the most popular topics. Students may classify headers according to the different topics. (E.g.

Facebook- technology; origami- crafts; New electric cars- cars).

Students may be split in pairs and one dictates headers and another classifies them and vice versa).

This is about adding contacts and acquiring the dimension of our current work. Students need

to be aware that the whole community will be aware of the existance of the blog and that they

may be followed by friends, neighbors so that they have to make responsible choices when

posting.

Preparation

Students will work on the second step that it is about inviting friends to be in contact with you. As the school

mail is associated with facebook, we will click on facebook friends and connect. However, each student will ask

at home if their parents, relatives or friends have a blog, tweeter or facebook account so as to add them as

contact and foster a better contact with our community.

They have to write them down and bring the addresses to class so that they can add more contacts to the

classroom account. Students will probably have to explain their relatives why they are asking for their accounts.

Core task

In the third step students will edit their names if they have second thoughts about the name of the

blog. Then, they try to guess what a tagline is (Teacher makes them pay attention to the notice in few

words, explain what your blog is about). In pairs each students will write an idea of the content and

purpose of the blog. They can start with this blog is about our classroom; about our English class; what

we experience in Escuela n 7

They all share their sentences and we try to gather all the ideas first in a huge poster, trying to spot any

grammar, vocabulary or punctuation mistake with the teachers help. Then, we write the final draft ofour tagline and we copy it into our accounts.

We choose English as the language we are going to use in our blogs that will demand a lot of them

because they will have to guide their teachers of Math and language practices when they want to post

something.

Follow up

We have to choose a theme considering the things they have agreed on adding to the blog. As homework or in

their Art class they have to draw or design a picture for the cover page. Then, we will scan it and set it up as our home

page image.

Students start to customize or making their blogs more personal. They will write the new terms down in their

portfolios. Technology allows us to experiment with applications with a reduced amount of risk-taking. They are

asked to work in relation to the subject Art, so they can display their crafts on the Internet.

Preparation

Students choose one of the images for the home page and teacher explains how to scan an image and upload

it. This cover photo will be changed every week so that students can display their crafts on the Internet. If any of them


6/18

happens to know how to do it, they will volunteer and explain it to the rest of the class (even if it is in Spanish). Then,

they will have pictures with scanning instructions and they will have to match the images with the steps.

Core task

Students approach the customize section. They will read the following tab Youve selected the Wu

Wei theme! Now you can customize it to make it look exactly how youd like. If you change your

mind and want to choose a different theme, use the Back to previous step link below. They

whole class tries to get the meaning of this phrase. Then they have photocopies with the different

customize options and explanatory pictures, they will try to match them.( Fixed Width Two Columns Custom Background Custom Header Infinite Scroll Sticky

Post Custom Menu Post Formats)

Then, they proceed to customize it in pairs and we choose one from their customized blogs. It may happen that

at this stage due to the weight of the themes, the computer crashes, so the teacher will ask ss what it is the

suitable thing to do if this happens. Their possible answers could be reset the computer, turn it off.

Students choose a colour. Teacher elicits the ideas they connect with those colours from students. For

example, if someone chooses green they may connect this color to hope, nature, positive thoughts.

They add the background image they have design in the Art class. They can play with all the options they have

to place their images in a proper place.

Follow up

Teacher takes a picture of the group and we add a photo to our home page. As homework they have to search

interesting quotes at home about fresh starts.

Students have basic tools related to posting in a blog, so it is time they start developing their potentials and

contributing with their viewpoints to the community. They can translate their quotes if they feel that their parents

or relatives wont understand it. Or they may even explain the quotation in Spanish but keep the quote in its original

language. The idea is to foster students searching and thinking at home. so they can post different thoughts every

week.

Preparation

Teacher asks Why are we speaking of fresh starts? What is the relation with our blog? They may

answer that we are just about to start posting in our blogs.

Students swap quotes and they have to explain the meaning of the quote they have in their hands. We

agree on a quote to add to our picture.

From now on students can bring quotes and drawings with their thoughts and the whole class will try

to post them with some epigraph or short explanation (This will need teachers guide and scaffolding).

Core task

Teacher presents sentences about different home pages of blogs all around the world. First students

will try to find out the blogs nationalities and they will come to the front to place the blog in a world

map.

Then they will try to compare the blogs and find what it is repeated in each on such as age, names, the

purpose for building the blog.

Then, they will have a blog presentation with some extra information. They have to spot what

information shouldnt be included there and justify their choices.


7/18

The whole group devises a scheme of our presentation shooting just key words on their copybooks

(age, year, English class). As this will be read by English and Spanish speakers, we will write 2

introductions. One in English with the points we have written and another in Spanish very similar to the

one we have done). Teacher may provide with some lexical chunks such as We are This blog is

about The purpose of this blog is.

Follow up

They have to choose from their photos and write an introductory post for them. A peer will check spelling andgrammar so that they can post a brief profile in the presentation of the group.

To recall and integrate all the steps they have gone through to create a blog. They will work on procedure and

instructions and the use of some linkig works such as: first, then, next, so, before, after.

Preparation

Students recall the steps they have gone through in order to create their blogs and dictate them to the teacher.

Then, the group is split according to the number of steps they need to create a blog. Teacher will give each groupphotos of the group performing the given step and they have to write an epigraph for each step.

Core task

They explain their steps with the help of the pictures to the rest of the groups. They will be recorded. Teacher

may interrupt their oral presentations with questions to the audience.

Then, they post these videos under the headline How to create a blog that will help others to begin with

blogging.

Follow up

They have to create a word search for their peers with all the new terms they have learnt through these classes

with the help of the blog and their copybooks.

The focus of this class is to gather all the vocabulary they have been working on and build their own reference text.

this is also a contribution for other students that may be following our post. It also helps them at home when they

have to write a description or a post, they have a virtual vocabulary log.

Preparation

Students share and answer each other word search.

They work on another quote brought by a partner.

Core task

Then the teacher presents the skeleton of a vocabulary mind map with the broad term technology and

some subordinate terms such as computer, network, blog so that in groups, ss complete it with the

vocabulary they have been expose and that have been written down in their vocabulary log.

Each group uploads each mind map to the school blog.

We are going to build a school Pictionary.

Teacher brings categories of vocabulary they have been dealing with during the year and many

pictures. In groups they will choose a category and come to the front to find pictures related to that

topic - classroom, family, school and insects.


8/18

With the help of Internet, their copybooks and dictionaries they build a dictionary, report back to the

other groups who need to pay attention to accuracy and they will be asked to add a further term to add

to each Pictionary.

They upload their mini Pictionarys.

Follow up

They have to find out more words to add to their partners section of the Pictionary.

Students have worked on uploading photos, text, graphs and a short video. This class aims at integrating each

element they have been exposed and assessing their commuicative competence so that teacher can reformulate and

revise her practice to allow students acquire what it is missing. The starting point is recalling their previous work on

the digestive system.

They have worked on body parts and the parts of the digestive system. The video they have seen is Digestive System

Human Body for Kids from makemegeniuscom. They have made draft copies of a summary about digestion and with

all this, they have edited a poster.

Preparation In the previous term students have worked on the digestive system and have made a poster of its

parts.

Teacher brings a puzzle with the digestive system elements and students identify its parts.

Then, she presents a set of words related to digestive system and students have to connect them

through sentences.

Each student comes to the front and picks a word up, sticks it on the board and another peer will do

the same to complete a coherent sentence about the digestion process.

Core task

Then, we put each sentence in a chronological order according to the videos we have seen in previous

classes. Teacher plays it again before this activity to refresh ss memory.

As they have carry out experiments related to taste, to acid in the stomach, the length and properties

of the large and small intestine, they are familiarized with the scientific method.

The group is split according to the number of experiments. Each group will draw the scientific steps

trying to recall their previous knowledge. We all share our answers.

Next, teacher gives each group photos of them performing these experiments in the previous unit of

work. This time, they have to write the hypothesis for each of their experiments and the procedure.

After that, each group will dictate the procedure to another group which will be in charge of carrying

the experiment out. All this is recorded to upload it in the school blog.

Follow up

Groups have to write at home a brief introduction to each experiment with the questions behind each

experiment.


9/18

Achieved In progress With help With

difficulties

Observations

Showing

individual

responsibility

Working inteams

Active

participation

and initiative

Showing

respect to

different

viewpoints

Planning

actions before

acting

Applyingrequired

vocabulary

Producing and

carrying out

instructions

Rate of

delivery

Fluency and

accuracy

Approaching

to the public

Eye contactwith the

audience

Body language

Staying on

task

Loudness

Being flexible

Showing self

confidence

Asking for

help

Taskunderstanding

and

completion

Organizing

and outlining

experiment

steps

Explaining

steps or

unknown


10/18

words

Checking

understanding


11/18

http://pesouano.blogspot.co.nz/http://pesouano.blogspot.co.nz/
http://pesouano.blogspot.co.nz/http:/pesouano.blogspot.co.nz/http://pesouano.blogspot.co.nz/http:/pesouano.blogspot.co.nz/http://pesouano.blogspot.co.nz/http:/pesouano.blogspot.co.nz/


12/18

http://inglesescuela01de18.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/7b-describe-our-school-in-tagxedo.html

http://www.stevenscoop.org/programs/cultural_exchange_program/mexico_blog/index.aspx
http://inglesescuela01de18.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/7b-describe-our-school-in-tagxedo.htmlhttp://inglesescuela01de18.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/7b-describe-our-school-in-tagxedo.htmlhttp://www.stevenscoop.org/programs/cultural_exchange_program/mexico_blog/index.aspxhttp://www.stevenscoop.org/programs/cultural_exchange_program/mexico_blog/index.aspxhttp://www.stevenscoop.org/programs/cultural_exchange_program/mexico_blog/index.aspxhttp://inglesescuela01de18.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/7b-describe-our-school-in-tagxedo.html


13/18

HeaderYour blog's header is found at the top of your blog and is usually the first impression visitors to your blog get. Make

sure it's a good one by using a great header.

Your blog'shome pageis the welcome page of your blog.

One of the most important parts of any blog is a great contact page.

Blog commentsare what make a blog interactive and social. This is other peoples opinion of our staff.

Your blog's sidebar is the perfect place to display important information, ads, links, and so on that you

want visitors to see. Blog archives are where all of your old blog posts are saved for future viewing.Visitors to your blog can browse through your blog archives by date

Sometimes a blog's footer simply contains copyright information or links to aprivacy policyorterms andconditions of use policy, but other times, it can include links, ads, and more.
http://weblogs.about.com/od/partsofablog/qt/BlogHeader.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingglossary/g/HomePageDef.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingglossary/g/HomePageDef.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingglossary/g/HomePageDef.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/af/g/ArchiveDefinition.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/partsofablog/qt/SampleBlogPrivacyPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/partsofablog/qt/SampleBlogPrivacyPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/partsofablog/qt/SampleBlogPrivacyPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingethics/qt/SampleBlogTermsAndConditionsPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingethics/qt/SampleBlogTermsAndConditionsPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingethics/qt/SampleBlogTermsAndConditionsPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingethics/qt/SampleBlogTermsAndConditionsPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingethics/qt/SampleBlogTermsAndConditionsPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingethics/qt/SampleBlogTermsAndConditionsPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/partsofablog/qt/SampleBlogPrivacyPolicy.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/af/g/ArchiveDefinition.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingglossary/g/HomePageDef.htmhttp://weblogs.about.com/od/partsofablog/qt/BlogHeader.htm


14/18

1. Do Connect Dont Collect

Online event communities trust that other participants are registered for the same reasons they are to make

connections, have discussions and share resources.

2. Do Engage Dont Promote

No one likes a spammer who jumps into every conversation with blatant promotions of his company. Instead,

engage with other participants by asking and answering questions, reaching out to find common interests and

sharing resources with the community. Exhibitors who spam may be banned or frowned upon from the event

community.3. Do Discuss Dont Disparage

An event online community may be open to all sponsors, exhibitors, attendees and speakers. You may see your

competitors participating in the community. Please refrain from making negative comments about other companies

or different points of view. Discussion is ok insults are not.

4. Do Participate Dont Sit Back

Get involved! The more you put into the community, the more youll get out of it. Start discussions, chime in on

conversations, find people with similar interests. Nows your chance to really get to know the attendees.

5. Do Be Original Dont Copy & Paste

An online event community loves to share resources. Please make sure your contributions are your own or are

properly credited to their creators.6. Do Ask questions Dont Give Speeches

Online communities are not podiums for monologues. The beauty of a participatory community is getting feedback

from multiple points of view. Take the time to respond to other peoples comments about your conversations, rather

than stating your position and leaving the conversation. Youll find that event attendees prefer a real discussion

over a one-way presentation.

7. Do Be Yourself Dont Put on Airs

Online communities value authenticity. They are much more likely to engage with a fellow participant who shows

his personality, not just his companys tagline. Upload your own photo, and add personal tags to your profile.

Youre likely to find people who are interested in you as a person with ideas, rather than a company with products.

8. Do Seek Colleagues DontStalk Clients


15/18


16/18

Sensitivity experiment

INTRODUCTION [METHOD]

In the following science experiment we will be treating your tongue to some wild taste sensations! The main

taste sensations can be divided up into four main categories: Sweet, Salty, Bitter & Sour. The small organsresponsible for these tastes are called taste buds, and they are located just below the surface of the tongue and

at some places in the throat:

STUFF YOU NEED [MATERIALS]

WHITE PAPER

PENCIL

MIRROR

SALT

SUGAR

LEMON JUICE

COFFEE POWDER

HOW TO PROCEED [PROCEDURE]

Place a small amount (about 2 teaspoons) of all the tastes mentioned above (Table salt = Salty taste, Sugar =

Sweet taste, Lemon juice = Sour taste & Coffee = Bitter taste) into separate plates.

Add a small amount of water to each of the ingredients above (about 1 teaspoon)

Now draw an outline of your tongue similar to the drawing above.


17/18

While holding up the mirror to see your face, dip a teaspoon in the salty solution and place it on any part of

your tonguemark the position where you can taste salt on the tongue outline as in the above drawing.

Do the same for the remaining three solutions and mark out their positions as per the drawing. Remember to

rinse you mouth thoroughly between tastes with water.

Materials

1 (2-liter) bottle of carbonated soda

Several short drinking glasses

Several brands of antacid, available for purchase in a drugstore

Baking soda

Spoon

Jar of canned red cabbage, available for purchase in a grocery store

Several small saucers, such as those you would use with coffee cups

Procedure

1. Drain the juice from the jar of red cabbage. This will serve as your acid indicator.

2. Pour a small amount of the indicator into each saucer.

3. Pour the soda into each of the drinking glasses.

4. Gently crumble one tablet of each of the antacids you are testing into the drinking glasses containing carbonated soda.

5. Add one spoonful of baking soda to its own glass of soda.

6. Use the spoon to stir each antacid into the soda until it is completely dissolved. Rinse the spoon after stirring in each glass.


18/18

7. Add one spoonful of each soda mixture to its own saucer of acid indicator and stir gently to mix. Be sure to rinse the spoon after each

mixture.

8. Observe the final color of the acid indicator and determine which antacid was most effective at neutralizing the acid in the soda.

Here is what you will need:

A panty hose

Two cups of cook instant oatmeal (ask an adult to get you some)

A pair of scissors

Newspapers or plastic to cover the table or floor

Here is what you will do:

PLEASE ask an adult to help you in this first step. Cut one leg of the panty hose. Then cut the other end so ithas an opening in both ends. This is going to be your small intestine!!!

Second, lay the newspaper or plastic around the area where you are going to work. This is going to be messy.

Third, pour the oatmeal into one end of the panty hose.

Now, start squeezing the oatmeal from one end to the other. Your hands are now acting like the walls of the

small intestine. The water coming out of the porous hose is like the nutrients that your intestine take out of

the food you eat. The solid part that remains in the panty hose is what is sent to the large intestine.

Documents

Blogging at School