Our Blog Project: Step One

Hello, Honors Chem!

Our second term involves a new project oriented around how we will be can use knowledge of chemistry in order to "make a difference" in our world. During this project, you will:
1) Learn to use a blog as a tool for communication
2) Be part of a community of learners who are interested in what you have to say
3) Research ways that chemistry is being used to change our world
4) Think and write creatively about using chemistry to make a positive difference in your world

More information about the ins and outs of this project will follow, but for now, each of you will set up your own blog space and link to the other blogs created by your class members. So, let's get started.

What you'll need to do to get started is to visit the blogger.com website and create your own blog space. In order to have a blog space, you'll need to establish a Google account (free e-mail). (Blogger.com is a Google enterprise.) Don't forget to remember your password (write it down somewhere!).

At some point, when setting up the blog, you'll be asked to establish a URL identity. Pay attention to that, because other classmates will need that to link to your blog. Once you have your URL, put it up on the whiteboard along with your name, so we can link to your page. Then, spend a while exploring all the things you can do to personalize your blog. Check out the "customize" menu. You can even change the colors of the template you've chosen, import pictures. . . lots of fun stuff.

After setting up the blog, you'll need to make a "link list" which will include links to all the other blogs in our class. Here's how to make a link list: Under the "template" tab option (top) for your blog, select the "page elements" tab, then "add a page element". Choose "link list", but before you do, check out all the other options for your page. (The "list" option is nice for gathering research ideas. You may also want to use "link list" again when collecting URL's from your research.) For now, use the list on the white board to create the link list; make sure you have me in your list as well.

After making your link list, save your blog, then try the links out in the "view" mode to make sure all the links work. Now that you're all set up, you can continue to customize the space in a lot of ways. Manuever around and explore how to reformat your space, re-colorize, etc. if you're into that sort of thing. Otherwise, the templates are pretty nice to use on their own.

The next part of your assignment is to visit 3 other classmate's blog, leave a constructive, complimentary comment for them about how their page looks. This is a first step in community exchange.

Finally, I'd like you to "post" something on your blog. We will be working on writing "reflectively." This type of writing is more journal-like and is designed to actually increase your thinking, and therefore, your learning about chemistry. Lots of experts are reporting that writing reflectively about the things you're learning increases your ability to learn and to use what you're learning. Obviously, better, more complete, and useful learning are some of my goals for you as students. So science writing is not just "reporting" like our lab reports, but can also be reflections about science and how it can be applied. This is where really wonderful, creative ideas come from!

Your posting assignment is a simple one. I'd like you to write a paragraph about what it's been like, so far, to be part of a community of learners in our Honors Chemistry class. Many of you enjoy being independent about your learning, but you can see that in the very small Honors level class of which we are apart, we can actually build or construct our own learning by putting all of our ideas together. You'll see more of this happening in second term as I ask you to think more critically and to solve more problems using your chemistry knowledge. You can already sense the "community" nature of learning when working in labs and writing lab reports together. So, the question to address in your post is this: What value do you think being in this specific class, with these specific people has had on your learning and success (or lack of success) so far this year? Would it be different if you were in a larger group? A more diverse group? Do you miss the wider spread of abilities? Do you think everyone "contributes" to what we're doing in our learning community? What dynamic do you notice in other classes that you attend that is different than our class? There is no right answer for this. . . just think. Be aware that others will read your blog, but be very honest. We don't use blogging as a chance to impress teachers or others; we use it as an opportunity to get our thoughts out and to refine our thoughts through the act of writing. Although this first post is personal, the rest of our writing will be about topics in chemistry. This is just a chance to practice reflecting and writing reflectively.


The goal is to 1) have your blog space created 2) all class members linked 3) post a reflective paragraph 4) leave 3 comments by Monday's class, Dec 10, 9:00 AM EST.


Each of these blog assignments will be graded based on your ability to follow directions and to participate creatively, yet intelligently in the project. You may view a sample rubric for blog grading on our class website : http://www2.tatnall.org/intranet/vosburgh/assignments.htm

That's all for now. . . over and out.