Help File Lesson 3.07, 4.08, 5.08 Free Choice Blog

This file can be used to help guide you as you create this assignment. Read the steps and tips carefully to create a successful submission.

Instructions: In this lesson, you will write an original blog entry that reflects on independent reading.

·  Step One: Access your blog through logging in on the homepage of http://www.blogger.com/ or http://www.edublogs.org/. You should have created a blog account on either of these sites when you did the 1.04 Lesson.

·  Step Two: Create a new blog post. If you are using Edublogs, you will do this by clicking “Write a new blog post.” If you are using Blogger, you can do this by clicking on the orange pencil icon OR by clicking “Start blogging.” If you are already on your Blog Dashboard in Blogger, you simply need to click “New post.” See pictures below for help:

Edublogs:

Blogger:

·  Step Three: Choose something to read to write your blog about. This can be a SECTION of a novel (not the whole book), a short story (including your assigned reading for this class), or an article from online or a newspaper/magazine.

· 

·  Step Four: Write at least a 250 word blog that answers the following questions:

o  If you read a book, what is the title and chapter/pages? If you read a short story, what is the title? If you read an article, what is the title and source?

o  What is the main idea of what you read? Write a summary.

o  What was your personal reaction to this reading selection?

o  What do you believe the author’s intent was, and what patterns of organization did you observe?

·  Step Five: Write a title for your blog post and proofread your work. Make sure you use correct grammar and spelling and write in complete sentences.

·  Step Six: Before you finalize your blog, review the checklist below to make sure you included EVERYTHING! These are the items your teacher will be grading you on:

CHECK Y/N / INCLUDED… / DESCRIPTION
Title of Story/Article / Did you include the title of the story or article you read? If you read a novel, did you include the page or chapter numbers? If you read an article, did you include the source or link?
Summary / Did you write a summary of what you read? Does it include the main ideas of your story or article?
Personal Reaction / Did you include your personal thoughts and feelings about what you read?
Author’s Intent and Organizational Pattern / Did you explain what the author’s intent was for writing this story or article? Did you include the type of organizational pattern the author used?
Length / Is your overall writing at least 250 words long?
Proofreading / Did you make sure to use correct spelling, grammar, and clarity in your writing?

·  Step Seven: Publish your blog. This is a VERY important step! If you fail to actually publish your blog, it will not save your work and the teacher will not be able to access it. See pictures below for help:

Edublogs:

Blogger:

·  Step Eight: Submit your assignment by copying the hyperlink to your specific blog post into the Student Comment Box for the specific assignment. You can access the hyperlink by clicking on “Permalink.” It should look like this:

Edublogs:

Blogger: