Blogging in Second Grade

Students in second grade enrichment classes are learning about blogging. After viewing a few sample blogs from classrooms at RES, students set to work creating their own 'paper blog'. Although the central idea of blogging is around using a technology medium to share with others, we are using a step by step process that begins by breaking blogging down into the key components-- many of which are not unique to the use of technology.

We began by first creating a blog title page. We are thinking about the following questions: what should our blog look like? What should it be called? How does the appearance encourage others to read it? Next students created their first blog post on paper. Students were free to write about any topic that was interesting to them. As students finished their first 'post' they had an opportunity to explore a variety of blogs from other schools in the CESU, from around the US and even one in England!

Next we will use our paper blogs to practice commenting and responding to comments. Armed with all of these great skills we will have a group of second graders prepared to share and learn through blogging! I can't wait to see how these skills translate over time to the development of communication about RES learning with parents, our local community AND a global community!

My goal is to facilitate the creation of an authentic audience that can witness and celebrate the greatness of RES students! I believe that blogging is one avenue to accomplish this goal.