Things to see in Europe from Dan Wolotsky on Vimeo.

November 16-November 20

What do you have left for grades?

1. You will receive a hundred point grade on the quality and quantity of your blog comments.

2. You will receive a final blog evaluation which will count as two test grades.

Your Final Blog Post Should
-Answer your essential question in detail
-show that you are an expert on your subject
-Be video
-Must be highly planned out
-Be of high quality and not done at the last minute

November 9 - November 13

Hey everyone,
only 5 more classes left. You need to make a video post as a culminating post that will ultimately answer your essential question. This is a heads up for you. This final post will count as 2 blog assessments. You have no time limit as your video can be as long as you want. For your final video, it should be something that could appear on channel 7.


Also, don't forget to comment on each others posts. Most of you need to do more commenting.

5th Period Controversy

Controversy of 5th Period from Dan Wolotsky on Vimeo.

A Good Essential Question:

Yoda – A
Your essential question:
-can not be answered in a few sentences
-requires you to become an expert on your topic
-seeks an understanding of something that matters to us
-has several “right answers”
-shows that you have good background knowledge of your topic
-focuses on a specific aspect when possible
-inspires debate

Flavor Flav - B
Your essential question:
-can not be answered in a few sentences
-requires you to become an expert on your topic
-seeks an understanding of something that matters to us
-shows that you have good background knowledge of the topic

Solid Citizen - C
Your essential question has two of the following attributes:
-can not be answered in a few sentences
-requires you to become an expert on your topic
-seeks an understanding of something that matters to us

Not There Yet - D
Your question does not require in depth research and can be easily answered. Your question does not matter to you as you just want to get this part of the assignment done. To answer your question, one could spend a few minutes on the internet and be done.

Work Work Work

I will be giving your blogs their first grades over the weekend. Today, you will receive a lesson on making an essential question for your blog. You will receive a grade for your essential question based on the rubric I share with you. You can change your grade on the essential question if you make a better question. Your essential question is due Tuesday October 27. Your essential question must be posted somewhere on your blog.

Also, today you will self-assess using this rubric on your prowess at using RSS feeds.

Work 10/19-10/23

So, what do you need to do?

1. By Thursday you need to have everyone's blogs in your reader. You could add a folder to your reader. Check the Voicethread below for more info on that.


2. By the end of Thursday you should have already made your first blog post. You should also be commenting on each others blogs. Your comments could include:
-advice for making the blog better
-suggestions for future blog entries and research
-comments on the blog post itself

3. Your First Blog Post.

4. There are still only 3 Flip Videos on Walking on Hot Coals. I am going to be giving out zeros soon.

Criteria For a Good Blog

All around style





The pictures, layout, and background compliment the information and your message

You use a variety of formats to share information like Voicethreads, video, links, podcasts, and more

Each post has a clear headline which attracts readers and relates to the content of the post

Posts relate to the overall concept of the blog

Layout is clear,simple and visually appealing, not overwhelming to the reader (this may be a repeat of your first criteria)

Any enhancements(gadgets/widgets) directly relate to the blog or somehow add to the quality of the blog



Content:

The blog is updated often(at least once a week) and each post has a clear, focused purpose

The information you share clearly shows your expertise

You consistently link to other pages that reinforce your points

Your writing is clear, entertaining, and free of all editing errors

When appropriate, you cite your sources

Posts are concise

Class work for 10/9 - 10/16

Senior's Lunch Privs. from Dan Wolotsky on Vimeo.

Blog Time!

Flip videos should continue to be uploaded to Vimeo and then embedded on Walking on Hot Coals. Check your grades to make sure you have done everything you are supposed to. There are some of you that have not done some of your responsibilities.

Besides sharing your Flip vids, its now time to get your blog started. Your blog should be organized, and laid out by next class and you must include a gadget with text explaining what your blog will be about. You should have sent me the blog URL so that I can post to Hot Coals. Your first blog post is due by the end of 10/16.

Leaving For Lunch

Leaving For Lunch from Dan Wolotsky on Vimeo.

Controversy of 5th Period

Blog Plan

9/28-10/2

So, what's next?

Last week some of us had trouble uploading our flip vids to this blog. Today, I will go over using Vimeo, a video site like youtube, not blocked here at school. I will also introduce you to blogger and expect each of you to set up your own blogs.

Here is a list of your responsibilities:

1. Post Voicethread to the Blog and make sure you have comments - If this is not done by 9/29 you will not get points for this assignment.

2. Take flip video related to your Voicethread topic, edit video with Flipshare, and post to Walking on Hot Coals using Vimeo.

3. Create your own personal blog related to your topic.

Check the Blog Criteria

Below is a test video embedded from Vimeo and compressed in Imovie.

Untitled from Dan Wolotsky on Vimeo.

cell phones

I think that students should be allowed to use their cell phones during school hours. If it is at lunch I don't really see a problem, along with may others. Also I feel that we should be allowed to use them in between classes as long as we are not late. Some people have medical issues that they may need to have a cell phone on them or some family issues or anything. If it is not interfering with your classes I think that it is not a problem.

Cell Phones by The Ravester from Dan Wolotsky on Vimeo.

School Bathrooms

In NEED Of A Better Lunch Room.

Leaving For Lunch

9/21-9/25

Hey you guys,

Still missing work from most of you. Check old posts on the blog and Power School for your responsibilities. Right now, Raven is the closest to being complete. Most of you have not commented on all Voicethreads or posted your Voicethread. I am also looking for Blog Evaluations from almost all of you too.

Cell Phones

Voicethreads and Flip Vids on our issues with BRHS

Everyone needs to post their voicethreads and Flip Videos on this blog. You need to Embed the Voicethread and upload the Flip Video.

The Week of 9/14-9-18 - Happy Birthday Ntina

Only two days of class this week! Friday you are all dismissed from this class either for a concert or bonfire creation depending on your senior privs.

1. The purpose of today's class is to discover Voicethread, a website that allows you to share your thoughts about images, videos, and documents. You must make a Voicethread, share it with all your classmates and comment on each others Voicethreads. The Topic of the Voicethread should be related to this question: "What should be done to make this school better?"

2. Make an Excel Google Doc with all your passwords and usernames and share it with Mr. W.

Homework: Complete the blog evaluation form that I shared with you. Save or copy and past the text into a new Google Document and share it with me. Do a complete job to do well. The grading criteria are on the doc itself.

Next Week's Stuff

Along with thinking about your focus for your blog you will be making Voicethreads and FLIP videos. Mr. Wolotsky's email address is fishwhistle08@gmail.com. Use this email for sharing with google docs.

Candy for my Blog readers

Any Students who check this blog on 9/9 can come to me for candy.

Week 1

Hey you guys,

By the end of this week you should know how to access and use
An RSS feed
Google Docs
A social bookmarking site like Delicious
What a podcast is and how find them with Itunes
Access Picasa and learn how to text to account


By the end of this week you need to complete the following:


1. set up your own Igoogle Page that has Google docs and Google reader right on it.

2. Find at least 5 feeds for your reader of interest to you

3. Share(google docs) with Mr. Wolotsky your initial topic ideas in list form. You have to have a list by the end of the week with 5 or more ideas or one idea you can live with but hope to define more fully later

4. Sign up for delicious and put everyone in class in your network

5. Find at least three podcasts for your Itunes you are interested in.

6. Sign up for Picasa and add a picture or two to your account.

7. Complete a blog evaluation form that Mr. Wolotsky shares with you for a grade on your metacognition(your thinking). This will be done on Thursday and will be graded.