WEBSITE AND CLASSROOM BLOG CREATION TOOLS

Name: Emily Bennett

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: 4
Content Area: Social Studies
Technology Used (check all that apply):
Blog
Wiki
Other
Website Creation Tool (list):
Content Area/Grade/Standards/Topics Addressed: SS4H4 The student will explain the causes,
events, and results of the American Revolution.
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 standard SS4H4 will be addressed in this learning experience. Students will participate in a flipped
classroom assignment by watching the assigned video on the American Revolution from BrainPOP. The
students will be required to write down 5 key facts from the video or 5 new things that they learned in a
short paragraph. Students will come to class the next day to discuss and share their paragraphs. These will
then be posted on the class blog for other students and parents to view. Students will be required to respond
to at least two other students with meaningful responses. At home the assignment will take about 30
minutes. In class the discussion will last about 20 minutes, then the students will have 20 minutes to post on
the class blog.
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 would be considered LoTi level 3 because students are engaging in mid-range critical thinking
goals as described by Blooms Taxonomy. Students are participating in discovery learning as students will
be leading the discussion and the teacher will be the facilitator.
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 critical to this project because it allows students to see what their peers
valued as important and meaningful. Without the website-creation tool, the students cannot respond to one
another and engage in a discussion. The project could be completed without technology, but it would be
time consuming, for it would cause students to have to write responses by hand. Also the students would
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WEBSITE AND CLASSROOM BLOG CREATION TOOLS

have to wait to see the responses that they received. Laptops would be essential in this learning experience
so each student could have access to the blog.

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.
N/A
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.
There are a plethora of safety concerns when allowing your students to access the internet and participate in
discussion. To ensure privacy, the students would be posting on a blog with only their first name and last
initial. Also, all responses will be approved by the teacher before it will be posted for the other student to
view. I will also ensure that every child has the approved paperwork to have their work published online. If
the student does not, then they will work anonymously through the teacher to keep all of their information
private.
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?
What I am trying that I have not tried before is creating a blog and using it for a flipped classroom for the
activity. I want to integrate technology more into the homework I create in my lesson plans, and I believe
this is the step in the right direction. It provides students with a way to receive material at home that I know
is approved and appropriate for them. I hope to learn how I can include more of these types of activities in
my lessons.
Other comments about your proposed activity: