I know that there exists a group of teachers in LPS who are looking for an easy way to post the day's news and assignments for their class(es), with the date automatically stamped on each entry. We've heard you, and I think you are going to like what you read next.

Docushare has weblogs!

You may have heard the term "blog" in the past and think of it as the realm of teenagers and geeks. This is simply not true. A blog is a place for you to post snippets of any sort of information and have it automatically date and time stamped. (See this page as an example.) Each time you post, the new entry gets added to the top of the page, so it is easy for everyone to see.

It couldn't be easier.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

What you are reading here is a weblog, but your posts do not need to be as lengthy as this one. In fact, I encourage you to be brief. I know that we are used to thinking about a classroom newsletter going home once a week and taking an entire page, but what if you did the announcements daily instead? Much shorter posts. Much more timely.

Since this is being posted on the internet, be aware of your potential audience and do not mention last names or post pictures & names together.

Here is another idea. I have heard of upper elementary and middle school classrooms in which teachers have a rotating student "job" for writing up the daily announcements in a text file and save it to the desktop. As time allows during the day it is a simple copy/paste for the teacher from the text file, into the class weblog. Kids love the public forum for their writing. Teachers love the time savings. For example:

Announcements (by Annie)

 

Today is Groundhog's Day. What would YOU say if someone grabbed you and pulled you out of your warm bed and asked your opinion on the weather!?

 

It is 21 degrees in Lincoln today and we are all wearing extra warm clothes. Hopefully spring will come soon. Many kids in the class have caught a cold, so if you have any extra Kleenexes at home we could sure use some!

 

Today in social studies we are reading about Nebraska's minerals.

 

In math we are dividing fractions.

 

In reading we are reading Hans Christian Anderson stories.

 

In creative writing we are trying to make stories like Hans Christian Anderson might have written if he lived in Lincoln.

 

Tomorrow's lunch is breaded beef sticks, country beef steak or breaded pork.

 

(FROM Mrs. Smith) Parents - don't forget that next Tuesday is our field trip to Morril Hall at UNL. If your child does not have a signed permission slip they will have to stay at school with another class while we are out of the building. Fees are $6 for the transportation and activities. Please send a sack lunch with your child.

 

 

 

ASSIGNMENTS

What a perfect way to record what was done in class, or what is expected by the next class. Put it on a blog post. It doesn't need to be elaborate, and you can feel free to inject some personality. For example:

4th Period General Physics - DUE 10/23

 

Today we read Chapter 4 in class and discussed the structure of carbon atoms. By next Tuesday (10/23) I need you to draw a picture of a carbon atom and answer the 5 questions at the end of chapter 4 (pg. 134).

 

And hey - funny guy - don't draw your atom at actual size. (Not that you could accomplish that anyway.) Draw it to fit on a piece of regular notebook paper.

 

TECHNICAL NOTE: Weblogs are not viewable from the internet by default. This is easy to set up though. For information on how to make a weblog, see the LPS DocuShare User's Guide on the page titled WEBLOGS [.pdf]. For info about how to make your weblog publically viewable, see the LPS DocuShare User's Guide page PERMISSIONS [.pdf], or contact Computing Services Training or Helpdesk.

EXAMPLES:

• Arapahoe High School (CO)
• Akins High School (TX)
• Olentangy Orange Middle School (OH)
• Kindergarten (MI)

   

   

• 2nd Grade - Willowdale Elementary School (NE)
• 3rd Grade Classroom (VA)