Today’s students spend a lot of time on the Internet--checking Facebook and MySpace, blogging, and tweeting. As educators, we can incorporate networking sites like these into our lesson plans. Instead of having your students write another book report or give another presentation on a historical event, try something new.
Have your students use Google Blogger to create a blog. But instead of blogging as themselves, have them create a fictional persona who is a reporter. This fictional reporter blogs about all of the events in the book or the events of the historical event. Your students will have to combine their research skills, technology skills and creativity to complete this project. You will definitely be surprised at the clever blogs your students will create!
However, to get the most out of a project like this, you will need to customize and personalize it to meet your students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.
Some questions that you will need to address are:
* What is the topic that my students will be addressing in their blog?
* Which 21st century themes will be incorporated? (global awareness, financial and economic literacy, research and information fluency, civic literacy, health literacy)
* Which 21st century concepts and skills will be incorporated? (creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, critical thinking and problem solving, digital citizenship, technology literacy, growth and leadership)
* Will my students be finding images to use in the blog? (If yes, I will need to address digital citizenship)
* Will there be access to the Internet?
* What program will I chose to use?
* Is this program blocked on my school’s Internet filter?
* Do I have special needs students in my classroom? How will I adapt this project so they can be involved too?
P.D. Tips courtesy of Atomic Learning
