Name: Casey Croft

Directions: Using the template below, describe how students could use a blog, wiki, or other websitecreation tool to learn
required learning
in your content
For an A grade
provide an idea that
WEBSITE
AND standards
CLASSROOM
BLOGarea:
CREATION
TOOLS
reaches a Level of Technology Implementation of 4 or above. Remember higher levels (4-6) require that
students assume adult/professional roles; engage in higher-order thinking; and use technology
create/publish original content for their classmates and/or others beyond their school/classroom. The
learning activities and products should be engaging and meaningful to the students and to others who will
view/use/benefit from students work. Review your handouts on Engaged Learning, Authenticity, and LoTi.
Grade Level: 5th
Content Area: Reading
Technology Used (check all that apply):
X Blog
Wiki
Other
Website Creation Tool (list):
Content Area/Grade/Standards/Topics Addressed: Can cover any reading standard for 5th grade.
Brief Description of Learning Experience: What learning standards will be addressed? What will
students and teachers do? What products will students create? How will the project be introduced? How
long will it take to complete? What audience will use/care about the product(s) students are creating? How
broad is this audience? (Overview should be approximately 1-2 paragraphs).
For the purposes of this lesson plan, the focus will be on reading and comprehension. However, with blogs,
and standard and content area can be used. Teachers will create a page for reading responses. This page will
have posts giving out what the weeks readings are, and posts for students to post their thoughts on the
reading. Students will have to write one to two paragraphs on what they thought about the reading
depending on how many pages they were required to read. The project will be introduced at the start of the
year, and will be a continuing thing until the end of the year. The students will be writing with their
classmates in mind as they are to reply to at least one comment. Students who do not have internet access at
home may use morning work time to give their response.
Blooms Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):
See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering

X Understanding

Applying

X Analyzing

X Evaluating

Creating

Student Engagement/Level of Technology Implementation (LoTi): What LoTi would this lesson be and
Why?
This would be a level 4. Students are writing about their own personal thoughts, so it is more student led.
Students are also publishing their thoughts for others to see. They are commenting on what others thought
making what they post important. Their knowledge is applied to the real world, because they can discuss
how they relate to the readings personally.
Importance of technology: Why is using a website-creation tool critical to the project? Could the project
be completed without this technology? What would be lost without using it? What other types of
technology, if any, are going to be used in the learning experience?
Using a blog for this project is needed, because it gives students a different way of communicating their
thoughts. Instead of writing on a piece of paper and having a teacher grade their responses, now other
students get to see what others think. This also gives shy students a chance to voice their opinion. Students
will learn proper internet communication etiquette too through this project. Today, that is highly important
since a lot of their communication is via technology. ELL students and struggling readers are benefited
through using an online median too. There is less stress about whether their grammar and spelling is correct
when there is spell check. For ELL students, they can also use an online translator if there is a word they
would like to include in their comment, but cant think of it. Since there is less pressure, students may feel
the urge to write more than they normally would. Students could possibly reach similar goals without the
technology in place, but it would require them to voice their opinions aloud in front of the class.
Inspiration (optional): If you used existing example as a model for your project (whether in part or
1
whole), include the URL(s) so we can visit. Explain what concepts you borrowed from others.

WEBSITE AND CLASSROOM BLOG CREATION TOOLS