Blogging Through the Week

Academic Commenting and Writing a Blog PostA Weekly OutlineMrs. Ilko

Journal Warm Up Selecting a New Topic

In your journal, please write 3 possible blog topics for the week. Star your favorite choice. It will be your exit slip by the end of the period today. I will conference with each of you today to check it off.

Day 1• Responding to Blogs• Today you will be responding to 4-5 other

blog posts from our class.• Remember the focus is academic

commenting. • You will need to read each blog post, and

then post an academic comment.

Arby and I blogging together, Daisy was at my feet.

Academic Comments:• In our classroom blog space we are aiming for a more

academic tone in our work.• Our comments should:• Relate to the content of the post• Continue the conversation by adding a statement or

asking a question• Add something to the authors post like a link,

connection, idea, reminder or new perspective.• Challenge someone’s point of view

Academic Comment Stems…• You are not limited to these starters, but they are here to

give you some ideas on how to begin your comment.• This made me think about…• I wonder why…• I can relate to this…• I discovered…• I found myself wondering…• Another thing to consider…• Your post is relevant because..http

://langwitches.org/blog/2008/12/25/blogging-lesson-plan-commenting/• http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/how-to-write-a-blog-comment.aspx

Finding an Article or Source• Today you will be finding an article to support your

research on your topic. Please divide your note page into 3 sections with the following headings in your journal:

• The title, author, and site from your source.• My source:• http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/07/can-learning-

how-to-blog-change-makeals-life/• Summary of key ideas• Quote:

It Says, I Say, and So…• When reading your article and taking notes, divide your

notes page with the following headings

• Here is my source for the week:• http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/08/six-reasons-why-

kids-should-know-how-to-blog/

It says I Say It Says… I say… And so…

Jeff Anderson, What Every Writer Needs to Know San Diego Area Writing Project Demi Brown

Finding a Quote• Go back to your article from your previous research. This

week you will be adding a quote to your blog post and it will need to be written in the correct format and cited correctly.

• Copy the chart on the next slide into your journal.

The Only Three Questions That Matter

Important Quote from the Article

Include Title, Source and Author

What is the Author Saying?

Put it in your own words

What does it mean? What does the author mean by saying this?

Interpret it.

Why does it matter?

Why is this significant to what you are saying?

Read, write think.org

Using Quotes in Your Post• Make sure you include the quote, but then also state why

it supports your piece, It should not just stand out there on its own. Use your chart to help you.

• Example:

• “And the fact that Makeal was given free rein to choose the topic of his blog made the experience more meaningful…. The freedom to choose has the potential to ignite a transformative identity shift.” (Ito)

• The author is saying that having choice is important to students. If students feel they can write about what they know, they will write more and do a better job. I agree.

Writing Your Article• Today you need to write the draft of your blog post. Make

sure you include:• Title of your Post• A blog post 3 to 4 paragraphs in length.• The first paragraph defining your topic• Paragraph 2 and 3, giving the information• Include a quote citing correctly• Paragraph 4, asking a question or defining a prompt for

your readers to respond.• At the end of your post, put the link to the article you

read.

Blog Post Check List• By the end of the period, make sure you have had a

partner edit your work. Use your Blog Post Checklist to make sure your blog has all the basic elements.

• Mrs. Ilko will be reading all blog posts over the weekend and writing a response. Comments will be shared and posted on Monday.