About Writing a Blog . . . For the Students in Mr. Nielsen's Class . . .

A blog is an online way for a person to share their thoughts on anything that they want to talk about.  

A person who blogs is called . . . a blogger!

When you are finished with your assignment for Mr. Nielsen, you will be a blogger, too!

I started blogging 6 years ago.  I wanted to share my thoughts and opinions on books I read, movies I saw and experiences I had. 

After awhile, people started following me.  I post links to my blog on Facebook and it is fun to read people's reactions to the things I write about.  

I really like to blog because writing is different from speaking. When I blog, I take the time to read and re-read my words.  I have the ability to change anything I'd like.  When I am speaking and make a mistake or want to change something, it's more difficult because because someone else has already heard my words. Blogging gives me more space to say what I really want to say.

You have been assigned the 20% Project.  Mr. Nielsen wants you to pick a topic you are interested in researching and writing about. 

When you are finished, you will post your information online on your very own blog!

Do you want to pick "how to do something" 

or

 "learn about something new"?  

The choice is yours!

Today I am going to show you an example of a blog that shows the reader how to do something. 

I am going to show you how to start your very own blog!

Ready??  Go!

Once you log onto a computer, go to www.blogger.com.  

It will ask you to sign into Google.  You will use your student account which is your id # followed by @fallbrookhs.org.  

Next it will ask you to pick a profile.  Pick: Blogger Profile.

Next, pick your display name.   Pick something with your name in it.  

When you get the option, pick and click the "New Blog" button and then pick a Title for your blog.  Mine is "Judy's Ramblings".  

You are also given the choice for a template.  A template is a website that is already formatted with a certain layout.  I suggest you start with the one titled "Simple".  It will also ask you to create a web address so that your blog can be found online.  Just start typing in the address bar under the title and it will give suggestions.  

Pick one that you like. 

Remember it.  

Write it down.  

Click on "Create blog!"  

Next it might suggest that you find a domain name for your blog.  

Click "no thanks".  

Now you're ready to create a "New Post"!  

This is like chapter one of your own Blog.

Click on "New Post" and start typing!!!  

You can title this post whatever you'd like to.  

The name of this posting by me is called is "About Writing a Blog . . . For the Students in Mr. Nielsen's Class".

As you do research on your topic, you can add pictures to make your blog more interesting.  To do this, you save the picture to your computer and then upload it.  We will show you how to do this! 

Here is a picture I uploaded:

This is my dad.  He took a trip last month to a museum of a musician he likes.  He sent me this picture.  I saved it to my computer and uploaded it and now anyone who reads my blog can see it.

You can also add website links so that your readers can click and find out more online about your topic.

Here is what it looks like to have a link on your blog page:

http://www.fallbrookhs.org/

(I picked the Fallbrook High School website as an example.)

The cool thing about blogging is that you can work on stuff and wait to publish it online when you're ready.  You can change and edit your post until it shows exactly what you want it to show.   The blog will automatically save, but you also have the option to click on the "save" button for quicker saving of your work.  

You can also click "Preview", which shows you what it will look like if you posted it exactly how it is right now.  

It won't show up online to anyone else until you click "Publish".  If you publish and want to change something, you can go back in and make the changes and they'll show up online after you update it.  

It's real important that you keep track of the research you do for this project.  Write about it in your blog so that your teacher and classmates can learn about your process.  

Some students have created blogs and have added to them over the years!  The sky is the limit!