Mrs. Campagna's Class

A mind is like a parachute, it only works when open. -Frank Zappa

Blogging Challenge #5 : Food and Culture

One of the most wonderful things about blogging with Edublogs is the Student Blogging Challenge and the opportunity it has presented for connecting with students from other countries.  We want to learn as much as possible about these other students!  This week’s blogging challenge centers around food- yum!  Specifically food that is special to our community or country.  Click on this link to learn about two foods that you might see in Australia.   These are foods that we don’t have here in the U.S.! 

Here are your two tasks  for this week:

Activity 1:

Create a survey in Google Drive (use your school email address to log in to google.com

Try to make your survey at least 3 questions!  This survey should be to collect information from your visitors about what kind of food they eat or how their food is different from the food that we eat.  We will talk more about this in class on Wednesday!

Activity 2: 

Write a post about foods that you like to eat.  Remember that the goal this week is to improve our writing and that we expect a good juicy post with a topic sentence, at least 5 details and a closing sentence.  

 

I encourage you to visit the list of student blogs here and see if they have created surveys or written posts about foods that they like!  You may get some new ideas or make some connections!! We can’t wait to see what you have to say  .

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Blogging Challenge #3! Adding Images

 

 

 

My new laptop: Black Asus EEE PC Nathanael Coyne via Compfight

Think back to when Mrs. Martin visited our class. Do you remember what she said about adding images to your blogs?  She emphasized that adding images to your blogs makes them 80% more likely to be read!! Wow!

This week’s blogging challenge centers around safely and responsibly adding images to your blog.  What do you think I mean by safely and responsibly?

By safely , I mean that you need to be adding images that do not reveal any personal information about you that is not safe to share on the web.

By responsibly  I mean two things: 1) That you are not sharing any images of people who may not want their images shown and that you are generally being kind and conscientious to those you may blog about.  2) That you are sharing images that are ALLOWED to be shared.

Let’s talk more about that!

One way we are going to learn to share images responsibly is to understand that not all images shown on the internet are yours to use for free! We learned about this in Digital Passport also!

This week, we added the PLUGIN “Compfight” to our blogs so that we can try to use these plugin to add images responsibly. 

Use this plugin to help you complete your challenge for this week. The other option is to add your own personal images.

Now, for the challenge!  There are two parts!!!

Part 1: Choose one of the two options below to blog about:

Write a post about a favorite time with your family.

Include an image using the COMPFIGHT plugin or a personal image from home.  If using an actual image of your own family, you need permission from your parents and everyone shown in the image. Make sure you mention in the post that you have permission to use this and that it is copyright to your family so no one else may use it without your family’s permission.

Write a post about your parents or grandparents

You could interview your parents or grandparents and find out more about their life growing up- maybe even as a 3rd grader!   Find an image of something that was happening in the world during that person’s lifetime. Remember to give credit!

 

Part 2: Widget Crazy!

I know many of us have gone crazy with our widgets. Check out this post with a list of 42 different widgets!  Try to add a new widget on your blog (Mrs. C. can help you do this!)  and write a post about it! 

 

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Blogging Challenge 2: Commenting!

 

One of the first things we learned about in blogging was how to write quality comments. We are still practicing writing strong comments !  Here are some guidelines that we discussed about writing strong comments:

  • Use a friendly letter format (greeting, body, closing)
  • Read the post carefully before you comment.
  • Add some new information or make a connection to what the blogger is talking about!
  • give a compliment!
  • Ask questions to keep the conversation going!
  • Check your comment before you publish it for C.U.P.S.

Every time you write a comment, try to include these elements!

For our 2nd Blogging Challenge, your task has 2 parts. Follow along carefully to complete the WHOLE  challenge!

Part One:

1. Follow this link to see the list of other students participating in the Student Blogging Challenge.

2. Find 3 people that you have something in common with and comment on their blogs!

3. Remember to add your blog address (URL) to the end of your comment so that your new friend can reply to the comment you made by visiting YOUR blog!  For example, I would add   mrscampagna.edublogs.org  after the closing of my comment.

Example:

Dear Student,

What a nice job you did on your post! I loved the way you checked for CUPS! I wonder what you did after this event? I can’t wait to hear more!

Love,
Mrs. C.

mrscampagna.edublogs.org/

Part Two:

Write a post on your blog about how to write good comments!  Please title this post: “Blogging Challenge 2: Comments” so that I can easily find it! 

 

 

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Blogging Challenge 1: Creating an Avatar!

Yesterday our students had an opportunity to experiment with our first blogging challenge. Today we reviewed how they could successfully add an avatar to their blog.  See the video below to follow the steps we took using the site BUILD YOUR WILD SELF.  We had so much fun today creating and experimenting with different avatars to represent ourselves online!

How to Build and Add Your Avatar on PhotoPeach

This is the FIRST PART to your blogging challenge.  Here is part two:

By next Tuesday, each student should have created an avatar to represent themselves online.  Now, your job is to choose two family members and create an avatar for each of them!  Think hard about which avatar site you want to use and how you think these people should be represented!  Once you have created these avatars and saved them, write a post to describe the person and why you chose the avatar you did.  Answer these questions:

1. Who did you choose to create an avatar for and why?

2. What inspired the details of the avatar and how do they relate to the real person?

Here are a list of different avatar building sites you can experiment with.  Have fun and we can’t wait to see and share all of your beautiful (or weird?!) creations!

Creating your avatar  (from the Edublogs site)

Most schools don’t allow students to use photos of themselves on blogs and get their students  to create avatars that is representative of them.

Here are just some of the online tools you can use to create avatars:

  1. Build your wild self
  2. DoppelMe
  3. Dream Avatar creator
  4. Mini-mizer – lego avatar
  5. The Hero Factory  hero avatar
  6. Mr PicassoHead
  7. Simpsons Avatar
  8. WeeMee
  9. Wimp yourself

Some students draw their avatars then take a photo of the drawing to use for their avatars.

Once you’ve created the avatar you can save the avatar by either:

  1. Right click on the avatar and select “Save Image as” or “Save Picture as” to save a copy on your computer
  2. Take a screenshot of your image (use the Snipping Tool or PrnScrn)

 

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Student Blogging Challenge 2015!

This week we will begin completing our Edublogs Student Blogging Challenges!  The Edublogs Student Blogging Challenge 2015 is a really neat way to challenge yourself to learn something new about blogging every week. This gives us practice not just in our technological skills, but in our reading, writing and research skills!  Not only that, but this is a fantastic way to meet students in your age group or grade from AROUND THE WORLD! Before we can begin completing the challenges though, we need to register for the SBC 2015 by filling out the form on this page .  Once you have filled out the form , in the next day or two, you should be able to visit the site again and see your name in the list under the tab called OCTOBER 2015 STUDENTS on the top of the page.

blog challenge photo

As soon as you have registered, click here to find out what your first challenge is.  I will give you a hint! There is some reading involved, and then you will have an opportunity to make your very own avatar !!! Make sure you carefully read the post though, so that you can follow the instructions more easily!

Have fun and happy blogging!

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Blogging Challenge Week 7!

Hello Friends!  

You have two tasks for the week! The first is  to complete a final assessment quiz for Theme.

This week’s Blogging Challenge is one I know you are sure to enjoy! Today we learned a little bit about a Voki , or a talking avatar.  Using the site voki.com, we were able to create a few practice talking avatars.  In order to complete this week’s challenge, you will need to create a new voki and embed it into your sidebar.  Your challenge is to create a Voki, and using only the one minute provided, you will need to tell your visitors everything you know about THEME!! 

I would encourage you to write down a few ideas before you start recording. This will be part of your final assessment for theme and a real chance to teach others what you have learned. I would try to include some examples and the definition for sure.  I’m excited to see what you have learned! 

To complete this challenge, follow these steps:

1. Visit voki.com and log in. 

2. Create a personalized Voki of your choice .  

3. SAVE and then PUBLISH your Voki. You will need the html code (bottom left of the screen after you publish) 

4. Copy the html code and then open a new tab for your blog.  

5. Paste the html code into a text widget in your sidebar and save. 

I can’t wait to see your creations!

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Using Google Forms to Create a Complete List of Class Blogs

Hello Students!

Your Photopeach slideshows turned out so beautifully!  Your posts were very detailed and thorough. They really were a chance for me to see what you know about fractions! Way to go!

Mrs. Carlin, who you all met when we learned about code.org, and many parents met on our Tech Night, was kind enough to create a Google Form to compile a complete list of student blogs addresses.  She suggested that she could share this with other school districts and even students at our very own high school so that they could visit our blogs and learn all about what we are doing in Room 815!  I’d like for you to complete this survey by Friday so that I can send a copy  of the list home with each of you. This will make it very easy to continue to blog with your friends over break!

Click on the link below to complete the survey:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1A6q6j5qTpMHwZ3_GwJ6dzG9D-496bzg6mk-BOp6iKrA/viewform?usp=send_form

 

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Skyping in the Classroom/ Blogging Challenge Week 3!

I have been a little behind on my posts and I feel like there has been so much going on in Room 815!   Here is a quick recap:

Last Monday we had a wonderful turn-out for our Technology Night for Parents!  Thank you to everyone who was able to come and participate! Thank you also to Dawn Carlin, our Technology Integration Specialist for her help in explaining the direction our district is moving in as it relates to technology and to Mr. Mieyal for staying and helping us get started!   I received some wonderful feedback from parents who felt that it was helpful to have some time to learn about the different technology tools we are using in class . It was so fun to see you all and get to work with you in a different format!

photo tech night

Another fun event this week was when we skyped with Braeden.  Braeden is out of school for a whole month due to surgery.  Today was our first attempt and it was a huge success! Thank you to the class for working so hard and being so patient while we figured out how to make it all work best, thank you to Mrs. Mueller and Braeden for being willing to try something new, and thank you again to the FL / ECC PTA for our tablet, which we used to Skype. Braeden was able to participate in a full Math lesson on fractions.  He was able to participate just as he would have in class, and able to hear other students thoughts and ideas- how cool! 

skype session 1

Whew!  Lastly, here is your blogging challenge for the week.  We have been learning about FRACTIONS!   We have learned about what fractions are (parts of a whole/group), and how to read and write fractions. We have also learned how to compare fractions with common denominators, and how to compare fractions that do not have common denominators.  Your challenge has many parts!  Read the instructions below:

1. Write a post about :

a) what fractions are

b) how we use fractions in real life

c)give your readers some idea of the vocabulary needed to understand fractions. 

2. Create a Photopeach slideshow using photopeach.com  and google.com (for your images) to explain how we can cross multiply to compare fractions that DO NOT have common denominators. 

 

You can do it!!!   I can’t wait to see your posts and slideshows.  You have until Wednesday to complete this challenge.  Have fun!

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Student Blogging Challenge: Storybird

Storybird.com is a wonderful site that is dedicated to student writing and the reading of other people’s creative work! It allows students to choose beautiful illustrations and then create a picture book or chapter book that is inspired by those images.  This encourages students to write freely and openly, to use their creative minds without feeling judges or having too many rules. Students know that they can create these stories, change them, personalize them and when they are ready, they can share them with the world!! Your challenge is to write a story and then publish it on your blog.

 In the last two weeks, every student has created a Storybird.com account. I have linked all of your accounts to our class account and to each other.  Now it will be possible for the stories that you finish to be shared with other students!  What I would like each student to do is to challenge themselves to write a Storybird story.  You can choose either a picture book or chapter book format.  This is step one of your challenge! 

After you have written the story and saved it (so important!), follow these steps.

1. Click on the MENU button in the bottom left hand corner.

2. Click on PUBLISH.

scn 1

3. Add categories and tags.  Scroll to the bottom and click PUBLISH.

PICT 2

4. Scroll down and you will see a small heart on the right hand side. Next to it is an odd looking sideways V.  Click this to get your embedding code (just like our virtual pets!).

PICT3

5. Highlight and copy the EMBED CODE.

pict4

6. Go to your blog, create a new post titled STUDENT BLOGGING CHALLENGE 2 .  Then click on ADD MEDIA.  Click on INSERT EMBED CODE and paste the code!  Ta-da! You have now shared your story with the world!!  Have fun students, I can’t wait to see all of your stories. 

 

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Student Blogging Challenge Week 1

Hello Students! 

You are finally ready to start some blogging challenges! You have worked really hard so far this year to learn about internet safety, technology and blogging vocabulary and just how to maneuver in different ways on the web. You have done an awesome job!  

In honor of our Family Blogging Months, our first challenge is borrowed from the Edublogs Student Blogging Challenge website (you can view it here) .  Follow the directions below and have fun! 

Create Family Avatars!  

You can create an avatar to represent your family members!  We used a site called Build Your Wild Self, but there are other sites out there that are so fun!  

1. Your job is to choose two family members . 

2. Choose one of the sites listed below to create an avatar for each of the two family members that you choose  that you think represents (stands for) their personality. Be creative!

3. Save your avatar to your home computer, your 815 folder at school, or your Google Drive folder.

4. Write a post  about your two family members (remember- be safe, don’t overshare!).  Explain why the avatars you created match each person.  

5. Include the avatars in your blog post. 

You can do it!  When we are all done, we will create a slideshow of our family of avatars!

avatar builder one

avatar builder two 

avatar builder three

avatar builder four

avatar builder five

avatar builder six

 

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