Student Blog Challenge!

Share your blogging experience and win BIG!

All of you have done an amazing job so far with your blogs and now you have a chance to win something no other student of mine has had the chance to win... a real "badge of honor."  

This is a contest run by "The Edublogger"   Sue Waters, and will have many students entering from around the world.  This can benefit you in so many ways.  If you win, you earn a badge and some great additional honors.  If you do not win,  you still have the chance to gain followers on your blog from around the world!  How awesome is that!

When you go onto the website you will have to read the directions on how to enter AND what you will have to blog about.  In the end however all you have to do is blog about one of the topics they list on the site.  Once you blog, you simply add your blog as an entry by making a comment in the comment section.  So easy! So fun! So AWESOME!

I am so excited to see all the great things all of you will come up with... Below are some screen shots to help you find what you need to look for on the site.  Take a look at them before "Wandering" around "The Edublogger" website.  Have fun!

Screen Shot One/Step One: 

Find the "How to Enter" section and read what it says there. (Since we were not a part of the "Blogger Challenge for September" I recommend you choose topics 1, 2, or 5)

Screen Shot Two/Step Two:

Once you write your post follow the directions found under the "Once you have written your post" section. (Don't forget to follow the "example" at the end of this section in YOUR post) REMEMBER... Your Entry must be posted on YOUR blog and then entered in the comment section HERE.  Follow directions and you will do great.

Screen Shot Three/Step Three:

Lastly, you must read the "What you could win" section to see what you could win.  I think the coolest prize is the badge that will be placed on your blog.  If you earn that badge then you can honestly say you are one of the best "Student Bloggers" in the WORLD!  WOW!  (The badge that will be displayed on your blog is pictured below)

"The Badge" 

(This is a picture of what could be awarded to you!)

Good Luck Students!  If you have any questions feel free to email me or leave a comment in the comment section here!

To enter the contest and see the rules click HERE

VIDEO MAIL!

MailVu

Have you ever wanted to email someone and really get the point across?  Sometimes the only way for someone to see what you mean is for them to actually "SEE" what you are talking about!  Now you can!

With this website you now have the opportunity to send a "video email" if you have a question or comment!  It is easy and fun.  For the weekend wanderer (since we are off school) I figured why not give you a tool that could be fun.

I would recommend when using this site to click on the "Self Destruct" option when sending.  This way, the video can only be viewed once and then it will delete itself.  You can also decide how long you want the video to be viewable.  Make sure you only use this site to send email videos to family or a teacher for a question.  Be very careful with it and make sure you are responsible with how you use it.  Have fun...

Some screen shots of the site:

Click Here to try it out VIDEO MAIL

Time to Build Your Vocabulary!

Vocab Ahead

Have you ever wanted to say something but just didn't know the word?  Have you ever wanted to add more detail but couldn't think of a word to assist you?  Now, that word can not only be found but also learned and understood!

Screen Shot One

Many of us use vocabulary that is still elementary and basic.  It is now time to build our vocabulary and attempt to use the new words we learn in our writing and our everyday conversations!


This site will allow you to browse hundreds of words and learn them at your own pace.  It has many different features that will help along the way as well.  You can create flash cards, lists, quizzes, and even create your own vocabulary video to put onto the site itself!  

Screen Shot Two

Have fun "Wandering" around the site.  I look forward to seeing some new words being used in your blog posts!!!

Screen Shot Three

To Visit the site click HERE

It's Time To Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Vocaroo 

 (click before reading)

As you "Wander" this weekend I would like for you to "wander" into the world of voice recording.  We will touch on this later in the year when we discuss podcasting, however I would like for you to explore a website this weekend that will allow you to put your voice on your blog!  How cool!

You can use this for many things but remember that your blog is professional and the people who read it want to hear the information you are putting out there. You can use this tool to do the following:






1. Read the post aloud for your readers to listen to as they read (make sure to place a "click before reading" notice by your vocaroo recording,  like above)

2. Provide additional information about the topic you are discussing by letting your readers listen to you talk about it.
 
 3.  Create a "Topic Talk" that allows readers to hear your opinion on what you are blogging about.

...And much, much, more! Be creative, professional, and have fun with it!  I am excited to see what you do with it!

Edison, New Jersey and Van Meter 6th Graders...Let’s Build a Bridge With Shelfari!

Have you ever read a really great book and wanted to share it with everyone you know?

Have you ever wanted to start a book club, but didn’t really know where to start?

Or if you are like me, have you ever wished you could take every cool book that you have read and keep it on a shelf in your room?

Well, I have a Web 2.0 tool that will give you the power to share, connect, and keep a neat little shelf of all the books that you read in one place. It is called Shelfari! Shelfari is an amazing global community of book lovers. It is a free social network where users can create a virtual bookshelf to feature books they have read, see what friends are reading, and most of all discover books they want to read through collaboration with other friends in their network.

There are several unique characteristics that make Shelfari stand out! Shelfari members can add other individuals as “Friends” to their network and create or join “Groups” that interest them. In the photograph above, you can see my Shelfari Friends that make up my network. If you look closely, you will see Mr. Poole is a friend of mine in my Shelfari network. ☺

Books from your shelf can be critic-rated and reviews can be added to share with others in your network. Once you start building a virtual shelf it becomes important and personal with the beautiful covers and extra details like “read it, plans to read, or is reading now.” It is also fun to show off your shelf with a Shelfari widget on a blog or website.

Last Sunday, Mr. Poole and I were talking over Skype about how we could connect our students in Edison, New Jersey and Van Meter, Iowa using Shelfari. We decided to create a Shelfari Group called “Kids Bridge.” This will be an exciting place for all of us to connect, collaborate, and share our favorite books, authors, and most of all our thoughts.

Although we are in two schools over 500 miles apart, Shelfari will give us a place we can all come together to share and learn. Next Monday, we will be connecting our two schools through Skype. Once we meet, Mr. Poole, Mrs. Prouty (our 6th grade reading teacher at Van Meter) and myself will explain how to sign up for Shelfari and start adding to your very own shelves. You will also connect to Mr. Poole’s Shelfari , Mrs. Miller’s Shelfari, and the other students at Herbert Hoover and Van Meter. As you build your network, you will discover others that enjoy the same books and authors as you, get ideas on what to read next, and have fun letting your voice be heard through book discussions and critics.

We look forward to seeing where this bridge will take us and having Shelfari as a place to come together will make it an even more exciting journey!