Saturday, October 5, 2013

Kidblogs - Connecting with Classrooms

Because Kidblogs is password protected gated community for blogging, teachers need to go into their settings and allow other classrooms to read posts and to write comments.  To promote connections over networks and global-scale projects, blogging provides an easy platform for teachers and students to engage in 21st Century communication skills.   Many of the teachers within my district are using Kidblogs to connect with classrooms for the Global Read Aloud.  But, they are also connecting across the district and between grade levels.

Here is a how-to on connecting with other classrooms through Kidblogs.



After setting up your connections within the control panel.  Your students will be able to view the other classrooms blog through the Blogroll links displayed below.  If the procedures were followed within the above video by both teachers, students should be able to view the other classrooms' posts and make comments on them.



Sunday, September 22, 2013

Global Read Aloud Overview - Zombie Edition #GRA2013

Last year, I created a video overview on the Global Read Aloud for the teachers in my school and this year is no different.  Except this year, I added some Zombies from Nugget Head Studioz.  I suggest that you go to their site and download your own Zombie images if wanted.  Use them for your own presentations with students.  The Zombies were my hook to the content and there really isn't any connection between them and the GRA.  I just used them with this simple FAQ presentation.  But, feel free to create your own connections.


I used this presentation last week to introduce the GRA to the teachers within my district, and now I am writing my post to share this resource with everyone that couldn't make it to Indiana for my inspiring presentation.  Like Jem, it was truly outrageous!

Here is the YouTube video and the SlideShare like for those that would like to advance through the slides at their own speed.