7D+McCulloch,+James

SAFE BLOGGING LESSON Lesson's Objective =The Students Will...=
 * //This lesson is intended for use by English Language Arts high school students, grades 9-12. I intend to use it with my E.L.A. 9 classes that are blogging, in groups, about William Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET AND my 12th grade Creative Writing class.//**
 * Understand the basic ideas for the use of blogs and online images specific to each class' specific projects (i.e. Creative Writing- Online Writing Portfolio and Ninth Grade E.L.A.- Romeo and Juliet Group Blogs)
 * Understand a set of guidelines in creating, using and posting to blogs (in this case blogspot) that **__will keep them safe from online predators.__**
 * Understand what "cyber-bullying" is and follow a set of guidelines for the usage and posting of blogs that will aim to **__protect students from malicous acts__**, including online slander or personal attacks from other students and **__remind them of their own online etiquette__**
 * **__Sign a contract__** verifying their understanding of the expectations for the use of blogs and online pictures for the class AND **__take home a parent letter that must be signed and returned__** to the instructor.

Technology Used
 * Video projector, screen, and computer in Media Center Library Lab (already connected and hooked up)
 * Thirty-two (32) computers in Media Center Library Lab for student use
 * Blogger website ([|www.blogspot.com])
 * Flickr website ([|www.flickr.com])

Planned Projects for E.L.A. 9 and Creative Writing Classes **NINTH GRADE-** Students in my ninth grade English Language Arts classes will be participating in the more structured and accountability-based GROUP BLOG. Instead of creating a blog for each student, a group of four to five students will share a blog space to contribute to. Students will be blogging about themes and issues they find interesting from William Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET. While each student will contribute personal entries to the group blog, they will often work together to present their united thoughts on topics related to this famous dramatic tragedy. Students will also comment on each other's blogs providing additional thoughts and reflections.

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS and DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES
 * CREATIVE WRITING-** Students in my 12th grade Creative Writing class will meet at my own blogspot to receive instruction or writing prompts for poems. Sometimes, the free writes (or initial journals) will be required for posting, but students will create individual blogs with express purpose of PUBLISHING their OWN, ORIGINAL WORKS and to comment on each other's poems. Posting comments will allow for a light form of peer editing but also will work as a great tool of encouragement to student writers.
 * All school rules are observed in class as well as online.
 * All guidelines given for the creation of blog projects MUST be followed. (See Below)
 * All writing will be the student's own original work. Plagiarism will result in an immediage zero and a referral.
 * All writing, including comments, must NOT attack fellow students, teachers, parents. Failure to do so will result in an immediate referral and a zero on the class blog project.
 * All writing and mulitmedia content must be SCHOOL APPROPRIATE and contain no violent, crude, or sexual content. Even an indication of this content will result in an immediate referral.
 * Students are to remain on task and BE ON THE WEBSITES I have assigned and provided links to. Online games, videos and music website, as cited in our school code of conduct, are prohibited. Failure to follow this rule will result in loss of internet priviledges.
 * All work is to be done in a quality manner and completed by assigned due dates.
 * Any comments or material that would constitute an concern or break any of the above expectations NEEDS to be brought to Mr. McCulloch's attention IMMEDIATELY. Your safety is my concern.

LESSON SEQUENCE​

1) After taking students to computer lab, students will log into computers and access Internet Explorer.

2) Mr. McCulloch will introduce his blogspot specific to the class.

3) At each blogpot, a description of the overal unit assignment will be posted with links to examples of the types of projects being done. A) For Creative Writing (at [|www.mccullochscreativewriting.blogspot.com]), students will find the overall description of the online portfolio for poems created in this course. B) For E.L.A. 9 ([|www.shakespeareatmchs.blogspot.com]), students will find the overall description of the group blog projects and the first web quest on William Shakespeare. I may link students to the Alice Project to provide examples of what they will be doing with Romeo and Juliet.

4) Mr. McCulloch will have a link at both websites to Tolerance.org's articles on cyber-bullying- - [] - http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/teen-angels

5) The class will discuss information and stories shared at these sites about cyber-bullying including the following: - What are the effects of cyber-bullying? - How are mean-spirited comments against the whole purpose and spirit behind online publishing?

If time, students could investigate and then discuss HATE GROUPS found online. This would be a link to the long-term effects of cyber-bullying.

6) Show students how quickly my own name produces results on search engines. Discuss the need to be safe in what is posted to the web.

6) Go over guidelines and expectations of working online, INCLUDING DETAILS OF STUDENT CONTRACT that are on the Parent Letter. (Posted to each web page for each class?)

7) Distribute Parent Letter/ STUDEN CONTRACT and assign a due date.

Parent Letter

RESOURCES:

- []

- [] - http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/teen-angels