Where can I find the topics?
- on the home page
- generally 4 days later (by 7 pm) - multi-paragraph compositions take some thought and time
- reminder: draft on paper / ms word - then edit/proofread - then save a copy in your documents, copy and paste into your group blog
- 3 days later (after posts are due) by noon
Directions and Expectations:
Each week you will ...
1. Respond (via one post per week - multi-paragraph in nature - length will vary some depending on topic) to one topic of interest in the news or other related literature connected to our units. Sometimes specific questions will be posed and other times you will create your own response.
Basic structure / Expectations: Multi-paragraph compositions
Basic structure for your response includes:
- an introduction outlining the basic issues / ideas / context
- followed by 2-4 paragraphs discussing varied arguments (eg. for and against) or personal / objective/varied points of view or critique of a video
- finally offering and explaining your opinion in a concluding paragraph.
and
2. Respond (via constructive and specific feedback in the form of comments to at least two of your peer's responses weekly) These should be a few sentences, but may be longer if you deem it necessary. The structure for your "constructive feedback sandwich" is to open with something positive, offer some constructive critique, and close with something positive - all of these must be clear and specific (examples help). These comments may be suggestions to help student writing structure and / or style become more clear or powerful OR ideas to support, question or refute the content. Yes, it is possible to offer this "constructive sandwich" of feedback to a peer even if you disagree with their opinion.
Check out this video to help explain how this works: Yes ! Even gr 1 students can give constructive feedback!
Here is a video of Ron Berger sharing the story and getting feedback (critique) from kindergartners, first and fourth graders - to illustrate how to be a "critical friend" and offer feedback:
Here is a shorter version of Ron Berger sharing the above experiences with fellow teachers:
The learning intentions are to do develop all of the following skills in the authentic setting of the Internet*:
- to continue to develop our formal / academic writing skills in response to current non-fiction topics, literature, class discussions, other media forms
- to be able to examine and dissect different sides of an issue and then form an opinion or respond to the varied genres
- to learn to respond to peers in a constructive manner via comments
- specifically connected to the criteria laid out in class and on the assessment rubric
- becoming a respectful, yet helpful, "critical friend" to peers (think editing skills)
- learning to become more mindful of your authentic audience and public voice*
- improve collaboration skills (team work, communication, problem solving together)
- embed technology use: develop media manipulation skills (there is a difference between writing speeches, essays, narrative, etc and writing in a multi-media format like a blog)
- improve student participation, responsibility and accountability
- If you do not post or comment in a timely manner, then everyone in the group suffers
- Increase critical thinking skills - through making connections (text-text/self/world)
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