Sixth Grade Teachers

On Friday, sixth graders will spend time exploring a number of blogs. The sixth grade teachers have provided a list of blogs for students to explore. Students can use this list to subscribe (”tune in”) to blogs of interest to them using their FeedDemon and RSS (”the radio”). After the lesson on Friday, we encourage students to add to this list via comments! We’d also love to hear sixth graders’ comments on their adventures in blogging so far!

47 Reasons to Surf the Internet

Below you’ll find a sampling of blogs that are free for you to explore. If you can think up a topic, there is almost certainly a blog out there to meet your interest. See if these blogs that might peak your curiosity…

1. This very popular ESPN website includes over eighteen different blogs by different sports writers, some you may already know if you’re an avid sports reader.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/main

2. If you enjoy the Harry Potter series of book or movies, this is a great place to read the thoughts of other Harry Potter lovers.

http://harrypotter.savvy-cafe.com/

3. This blog is a commentary on the latest news reports going on in our country and around the world.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

4. If you’re interested in high school football or are interested in playing in the future, this is the blog for you.

http://hs.beloblog.com/

5. This blog is for anyone who follows U.S. Women’s Soccer and is a fan of the sport.

http://womenssoccerusa.blogspot.com/

6. If you are really into Apple products, this is a great place to read about the latest Apple releases and updates.

http://theappleblog.com/

7. This is an interesting blog that focuses on the culture of Japan.

http://hereandtherejapan.blogspot.com/

8. If you love horses and riding and want to meet others who share your passion, this blog is for you.

http://www.igallopon.com/

9. This recipe blog offers tons of recipes and tips, plus ideas on new dishes to try at home.

http://recipeblog.co.uk/

10. If you are a lover of animals, this is a fun blog to watch videos and read about them.

http://www.theanimalblog.com/

11. This is a blog where you can learn tips and tricks on how to play chess.

http://gambit.blogs.nytimes.com/

12. This is a great spot to learn about the latest technology in our world.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/

13. If you’re a seasoned runner or you’re just beginning to jog, this is a great place to go for inspiration to run even more!

http://completerunning.com/running-blog-mark/

14. This is a great hiking blog written by seasoned hiker Tom Mangan.

http://tommangan.net/twoheeldrive/

15. If you’re a fan of the Atlanta Falcons and football, this is a great blog for you.

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/falconsfans/

16. This is a unique blog about the birds of Northern Ireland.

http://peregrinesbirdblog.blogspot.com/

17. This is a great place to go if you love soccer and like watching clips of the latest men’s games. There are also written posts about star athletes and features on up and coming players.

http://www.soccerblog.com/

18. This is a great way to “travel” all over the world via pictures, videos and interesting articles about unique places all over the world.

http://www.fun-travel-blog.com/

19. If you enjoy birds, either watching them or listening to their beautiful calls, this is a great place to go and appreciate their beauty.

http://birdofprey.info/

20. Ayusaki Photographs are all taken by a 22 year old photographer living in Australia. This photographer takes amazing digital photography and utilizes the program Photoshop to really make these photographs outstanding.

http://ayusaki.com/

21. This “green diary” has great posts about various environmental concerns going on in the world, along with ways our world is becoming more “green.”

http://www.greendiary.com/

22. If you ever wondered what a blog would look like written from the perspective of a college students, this is a great one to check out. The writer basically gives her thoughts about all sorts of things, including sports, goals she has, what it’s like living in New Zealand, and other interesting insights.

http://tinyurl.com/5suqhj

23. Our First Horse tells the story of a family’s experience with first time horse ownership.

http://www.ourfirsthorse.com/

24. An educational technology expert writes about learning from a teacher’s perspective.

http://www.weblogg-ed.com

25. The name of this blog really speaks for itself. If you enjoy looking at adorable animal photos, this site can become an addition!

http://cuteoverload.com/

26. This is an amusing blog written by a grandmother who is obsessed with her poodles.

http://www.daisyandwaverly.com/

27. If you love children’s books, this is a blog where a librarian writes about books she enjoys.

http://chickenspaghetti.typepad.com/chicken_spaghetti/

28. This blog is all about the NBA and is written from the perspective of a student. This is a great place to see how a student can give a great sport commentary.

http://www.basketballnotesbyalex.blogspot.com/

29. A classroom in New Zealand has a communal blog where they post their thoughts about all sorts of topics and worldly events.

http://room3tai.edublogs.org/

30. TreeHugger is the top environmental blog out there. It covers general environmental news, events and products in a really interesting and informative way.

http://www.treehugger.com/

31. This blog has some great ideas of ways you can create a smaller “eco-footprint” on the earth. There are some simple ways we can change the way we live that will have a positive impact on our planet!

http://lighterfootstep.com/

32. This blog has a wide variety of interesting stories and news articles that are relevant to the environment and being green. It pulls articles from various other blogs out there on the internet, so you can get a different writing style with each post you read.

http://www.hugg.com/

33. Here you can find all kinds of delicious recipes that are geared towards kids and picky eaters. This is a great one to share with your parents, especially if you find yourself to have a very picky palate!

http://kidscooking.about.com/b/

34. The name of this blog speaks for itself; this gives some really tasty recipes in a fun, almost silly way. The writer gives a small back story to her recipes, and provides lots of pictures of each step of the cooking process. So if you try to make any of them at home, you and your parents can follow along with the pictures.

http://frantichomecook.com/

35. You’ll find some of the posts on this blog familiar, since it’s actually create by the same reporter who is in your weekly CNN Student News video. Reading a blog like this helps you stay current with news around the world, and each post is short enough that you can browse through it daily, without having to read a lengthy news article.

http://cnnstudentnews.blogs.cnn.com/

36. Here is a great description from the writers of this blog: “This is the story of our lifelong experience of the ocean (with photos). We have a strong affinity for the sea and everything in it and about it. Some might call this a passion or an obsession. We call it ‘ocean devotion.’”

http://therightblue.com/

37. Latest information on anything you want to know about scuba diving. From scuba travel to scuba equipment, it’s all about scuba diving! You may hear the latest scuba news, find the latest scuba gear or discover interesting scuba diving sites.

http://thescubazone.blogspot.com

38. This site is a “photo blog” where the articles are short descriptions of photos. The photography mostly has to do with

http://www.skolaiimages.com/journal/

39. A blog about what is fun and funny with the English Language and added with lots of poems, games and puzzles.

http://www.idiocrasiesoflanguages.blogspot.com/

40. Chess tactics, Chess games, Chess news, Chess videos, Chess history…If you have an interest in this mind bending game, this is the place for you!

http://chessgambiter.blogspot.com/

41. Here’s one blog where you can put your passion into action, if you’re into puzzles that is! Each post contains a new puzzle or game that you can both read about and play. This is a great way to keep your mind active, while still having fun.

http://www.passionforpuzzles.com/blog/

42. If you are amazed by the wonders of Google Earth and all it has to offer, this blog is definitely for you. The site gives you a look into how Google Earth works, along with some interesting new ways to use the program.

http://www.gearthblog.com/

43. This blog has some really fascinating photos. If you enjoy history, or just appreciate the art of classic black and white photography, this is the place for you. The blog is packed with high-definition photos from various points in history. You can even view galleries of photos separated into categories, such as the Civil War or Aviation. There is a brief description about each photo, but a picture is worth a thousand words.

http://www.shorpy.com/

44. Here’s another great photo blog. This one doesn’t have a particular theme, rather, it just give a new and unique photo each day.

http://photografr.com/

45. If you’ve ever wondered when off-roading became an extreme sport or who invented the first parachute, this is a great place to learn some interesting facts about almost every sport out there.

http://1001sportsworld.blogspot.com/

46. This blog gives you the latest news, reviews, and commentary on the current guitars & guitar gear.

http://www.electric-guitar-review.com/

47. The name of this blog really speaks for itself. If you enjoy looking at adorable animal photos, this site can become an addition!

http://cuteoverload.com/

It’s been three days, and the sixth graders are in full swing at Trinity School. They are choosing school themes in values class, reflecting on their Scimatician summers, organizing their new lockers, making folders (both electronic ones and “regular” ones!), preparing binders, learning the importance of leading by example, and of course, exploring their new tablets!

The sixth grade teachers have been conducting a three-day Tablet Workshop where students rotated through different lessons in small groups, instructed by a variety of teachers. As I think about the past three days (as crazy and hectic as they were), I am certain that it was time well spent.

When asked to reflect, one student noted that on Tuesday, the word “nervous” came to mind. Nervousness about technology and tablets is normal and this student explained that much of the anxiety came from the fact that “I knew I didn’t know as much as the others did.” The same student provided a different word to describe Wednesday, the second day of using tablets. The word “enthusiastic” described the day because the student “was excited…and knew so much more about the tablet.” By “trying new things and going to new places,” the comfort level with the once foreign and intimidating piece of technology was growing. Finally, on the final day of the Tablet Workshop, the student chose to use the word “confidence.” Because of the thoughtful approach to the training, the student felt “proud and comfortable” and noted the desire to explore even more outside of school.

To grow from anxious to excited to proud in three days…wow.

As you know, our sixth grade classes have begun maintaining their own personal blogs. They have now posted at least twice, and had the opportunity to read each other’s blog posts and comment on them. Before posting on the blogs, we spent a lot of class time reading blogs and brainstorming appropriate topics for posts. We discussed the content, structure, and style of blogs we read, and what factors made us want to read someone’s blog. Mr. Kjellstrom helped us immensely by posting tips for us on how develop our ideas into informative, reflective, and interesting blog posts. Read Mr. Kjellstrom’s tips for bloggers!

For several nights in a row now, I have sat on my couch glued to my computer screen, reading the blog posts. Around ten o’clock (which is extremely late for me to still have my eyes open, let alone reading something) my husband, Matt asked me, “What are you still doing on the computer? I thought you said you were done with your work for tonight.” I explained that I was reading my students’ blogs. Even after I explained what the blogs were all about, he still didn’t get it. “Well, what do they write about?” he asked. I shared some of the posts with him, and his reaction was: “These are sixth graders’ writing this? Really?”

Yes. It’s true. It is hard to believe as you read the students’ first posts that they were written by twelve-year-olds. As I read the posts, I was struck by the depth of the students’ insights, and the honesty in their writing. The students have written on a variety of topics including technology, writer’s block, memories, their families, balancing sports and academics, encouragement and perseverance. Some took on controversial topics such as the war, the epidemic of obesity in our country, and saving the environment. It is inspiring to read about the students’ concern for others and for social issues.

So, why blog? These first posts demonstrate the power of blogging. Our sixth grade students are writing freely about topics that matter to them personally. They are expressing their ideas and opinions in a public forum, and responding to each other’s ideas. Their posts are creative and reflective. I am certain that when you read them, you will be impressed by the depth of the students’ thoughts and the eloquent way in which they express their ideas. So, check out the sixth graders’ blogs and you will not be disappointed!

Here are a few examples of the excellent sixth grade blogs to get you started:

Emma K.’s blog: http://trinityweblog.org/emmku0708

Linzy’s blog: http://trinityweblog.org/linsc0708

Drew’s blog: http://trinityweblog.org/dreja0708

Happy reading!

Last week, the sixth graders were busy exploring a number of blogs. On Thursday, we focused their attention on one topic: water. They explored six to seven blogs, and we asked them to consider a number of questions. In light of the “first post” that is looming on the horizon, their responses to the last question we asked were encouraging. It’s obvious that this group of sixth graders is serious about blogging.

What makes a blog appealing? Unappealing? Why?

“The posts [on this blog] were appealing because they seem organized. They are colorful and full of pictures which make it more interesting. I do think that it’s more convenient to have links so a reader can learn more information.”-Christopher

“I found that the writer of the post didn’t go into great depth on the posts. I disliked this because I feel that this didn’t help newcomers like me grasp the feel of the post quickly. I did like how each post had real-life situations that brought more life to the blog.” – Linzy

“I liked the way the writer expressed herself by using a story instead of just stating the facts.”-Darcy

“I love the pictures! I think that writers not only include pictures, but they include good ones (they make me want to look at them). Also, I love how a few of the posts (but not all of them) begin with quotes.”-Madeline

“This blog appeals to me because I can tell that the blogger understands and cares a lot about the topics they write about. They put a lot of time and effort into this blog.”-Simons

“I didn’t like the fact that the posts were so short. In Mr. K’s blog and Mrs. Tait’s blog the posts were much longer.”-Eric

“I noticed that the posts aren’t all happy all of the time. Posts can open up your eyes to problems and most importantly, how you can help.”-Lizzie

“I find it unappealing that the author hasn’t been keeping up with the blog.”-Brian

“I like the way the writer writes. I like the wording.”-Caroline

“I find the posts appealing because they make you think. I don’t like that some authors start off with a quote because I am the kind of person who likes to get more information first and then reflect on it a little more.”-Wellie

I already see powerful, reflective reading and writing going on.

Way to Go, Trinity School Sixth Graders!!

 

The past two weeks in the sixth grade hallway have been glorious! It’s not only the new leadership class, or the tablet computers, or even the fabulous team of Mrs. Bauer, Ms. Howard, Mr. Parrish, and Mrs. Steinberg, but it’s something else…

It’s what the sixth grade students are doing.

Connecting. Reflecting. Reading. Writing. Discussing. Blogging.

This year, all sixth grade students will be responsible for maintaining their own blog. The build-up has been intense. Students used inspiration and created a web that showcased their “introductory” knowledge about blogging. All 46 sixth graders tried to answer three questions: What is a blog? What words can be used to describe blogging? What are the subjects of blogs?

Next, students were given a chance to explore two excellent blogs. Tait Davidson, an Atlanta native and friend of Ms. Howard, is a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania. Her blog, Tait’s Tanzania Journal, serves as a solid example of the power of reflective writing. Students noticed the deliberate use of photographs to help tell a story and were even able to comment on a few of her posts. For homework, students were invited to peruse Mr. Kjellstrom’s blog, Edubabble for Technolytes.

As of today, all 46 sixth graders have spent a significant amount of time exploring the blogosphere. They have read blogs about soccer, horses, Africa, water, the environment, Harry Potter, lacrosse, science, and Japan. They have commented on posts and thought about the question: What makes an effective post? They seem like they’re ready. They act like they’re willing to take the plunge. It’s definitely going to be a wild ride…