WEBSITE AND CLASSROOM BLOG CREATION TOOLS

Name: Catherine Petillo

Directions: Using the template below, describe how students could use a blog, wiki, or other websitecreation tool to learn required learning standards in your content area: For an A grade provide an idea that
reaches a Level of Technology Implementation of 4 or above. Remember higher levels (4-6) require that
students assume adult/professional roles; engage in higher-order thinking; and use technology
create/publish original content for their classmates and/or others beyond their school/classroom. The
learning activities and products should be engaging and meaningful to the students and to others who will
view/use/benefit from students work. Review your handouts on Engaged Learning, Authenticity, and LoTi.
Grade Level: 3rd
Content Area: Social Studies
Technology Used (check all that apply):
Blog
Wiki
Other
Website Creation Tool (list):
Content Area/Grade/Standards/Topics Addressed:
SS3H2 The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded peoples rights and freedoms in
a democracy.
a. Paul Revere (independence), Frederick Douglass (civil rights), Susan B. Anthony (womens
rights), Mary McLeod Bethune (education), Franklin D. Roosevelt (New Deal and World War
II), Eleanor Roosevelt (United Nations and human rights), Thurgood Marshall (civil rights),
Lyndon B. Johnson (Great Society and voting rights), and Csar Chvez (workers rights).
b. Explain social barriers, restrictions, and obstacles that these historical figures had to
overcome and describe how they overcame them.
Brief Description of Learning Experience: What learning standards will be addressed? What will
students and teachers do? What products will students create? How will the project be introduced? How
long will it take to complete? What audience will use/care about the product(s) students are creating? How
broad is this audience? (Overview should be approximately 1-2 paragraphs).
The students will take the famous person they have chosen and will do research on that persons
background before they are able to start their blog. They will need to have their date of birth, where they
were born, some information on their childhood and family, some information on their career, and some
other information they find important on their person. The students will take their research and turn it into a
blog page on the computer.
The teacher will be walking around the room helping the students gather any information they may need for
their famous person. The teacher will also be walking around to help the students with setting up their blog.
If need be, the teacher will have to display how to set up their blog as a whole class lesson.
Blooms Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):
See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering

Understanding

Applying

Analyzing

Evaluating

Creating

Student Engagement/Level of Technology Implementation (LoTi): What LoTi would this lesson be and
Why? This lesson will be LoTi 3 due to the use of technology but there is not a drastic use of technology
being implemented in this lesson. They will have a previous background knowledge of how to use the blogs
due to their computer specials class.
This lesson could also be LoTi 4 due to the students taking the role of another person in their blog. Even
though that person is deceased, they are still assuming the role of that person.

WEBSITE AND CLASSROOM BLOG CREATION TOOLS

Importance of technology: Why is using a website-creation tool critical to the project? Could the project
be completed without this technology? What would be lost without using it? What other types of
technology, if any, are going to be used in the learning experience?
Using a website creation tool is important for this project since the students will be creating a blog page on
a famous person we have been learning about. This project could be used without technology but it would
be difficult for the students to create this blog. The students would lose the aspect of creating a blog page if
they were using a sheet of paper. They would also miss out on learning how to use the blog site and being
able to create their own blog. There will not be any other types of technology besides the computer and the
blog website in this assignment.
Inspiration (optional): If you used existing example as a model for your project (whether in part or
whole), include the URL(s) so we can visit. Explain what concepts you borrowed from others.
I do not remember where I saw this assignment, but I remember doing an assignment similar to this one at
some point in my education career. There was not a website.
Internet Safety and Student Privacy: Briefly discuss some possible issues surrounding Internet safety and
student privacy that could arise while implementing this learning experience and explain how you would
(1) minimize risks to students/yourself; (2) alleviate any fears by parents/administrators, and (3) follow
common Internet Safety/Acceptable Use Policies.
The most important issue with this assignment is students using their personal information on the blog. The
students will not create their own blog account; I will have the students use my blog so I can keep track of
the information they are adding to their page.
The parents will need to know what their children are doing in class so I will send home a letter describing
the assignment in full to inform the parents.
I will have to talk to the school about the assignment if the website is not one that the students are able to
use in school. Since they are using my account, no personal information will be shared.
Describe your personal learning goal for this activity. What are you trying that you have not tried
before? What do you hope to learn from this activity? How do you hope it will help students learn?
My personal goal for this assignment is for the students to understand how to create a blog page and will
enjoy some of the features that come with creating a blog. I hope that they have a better understanding of
the famous person they were creating their blog on.
Other comments about your proposed activity: The blog pages should be written as if the student was
that famous person. It could be any person you choose and requires the students to do some research before
creating their blogs.