Welcome, Class of 2013!

Welcome to BLOGGER! If blogs are new to you, don't worry-- you will get lot of practice. If you already have a blog, a lot of this may not be new for you.

Objective: You will create a blog

By the end of the period, this is what you must accomplish:

1. Create a blog with a new or preexisting gmail account at www.blogger.com

2. Follow my and three other classmates' blogs.

3. Email me your blog URL.

4. Create a "Welcome!" post on your blog. (See "POSTING" below.)


And here's how to do it:

1. In a new tab, go to: www.blogger.com

2. If you currently have a gmail email account, you can sign in with your email and password. If you do NOT have a gmail email account, you will need to sign up for one. DO NOT FORGET YOUR GMAIL ADDRESS OR PASSWORD- this is how you will log in to access your blog. (During the sign-up process, you will enter an existing email address that you already use in case you ever need to reset your password.) You will need to enter your phone number to complete this step. Google will send you a text with a number- it is OKAY to use your phone for this step. Don't have a phone with you? Raise your hand.

3. When you are ready to create your blog, you will see that you can create any URL you want (as long as it is available.) The URL of your blog is how you (or anyone else) can find your blog online (it's the "www." part.) 

4. When choosing your title, please make sure that your first and last names are in your blog title (NOT the blog URL. For example: my blog URL is: http://msdekoven.blogspot.com but my blog's title is SSFHS English 4CP.) If you don't include your name in your blog title, I won't know whose it is.

5. Write down your blog URL in the front cover of your notebook NOW. When you finish, email me (fdekoven@gmail.com OR schoolloop) your blog URL so I can start following you back. (The URL is the website address of your blog.) This is how I will check that you have created your blog and followed me + three others. (See the next step.)

6. When selecting a blog template, choose any one you like EXCEPT for "Dynamic." 

FOLLOWING BLOGS:

Once everything is complete, go back to your dashboard (the blogger "homepage" with your account info.) Look for "Reading List" on the left, and "follow" my blog by clicking "add." Enter "msdekoven.blogspot.com PLUS at least THREE OTHER blog URLs of your classmates. I will follow you back, too. 

POSTING TO YOUR BLOG:

Lastly, you need to create your first blog post. Clock on "New Post" or the orange pencil icon. Type a brief post welcoming people to your new blog. In your welcome post, include the following: what you are excited for for senior year and if you were stranded on an island, what three items you would bring with you.

SETTINGS:

A note about Settings: You may find it useful to choose "Yes show mobile..." under Email and Mobile settings- you can view and post to your blog on a smartphone. 

There are TONS of settings to play around with, so take some time to do this. You can ALWAYS change the formatting your blog without affecting posts.

Have fun and make it YOURS!

Welcome to Senior Project 2011-2012!

You have probably set up your own blog by now (or you are in the process of doing so.) Some of you may already have a blog of your own, while some of you may follow other people's blogs, or perhaps you have never really used a blog before.

You will use a blog throughout rest of the year for a variety of assignments, but mainly for senior project. So there are no secrets or surprises, many of the posts (if not all) that you write on your blog will end up in your portfolio at the very end of senior project. You will be able to view and comment on other people's blogs as well. I am very excited to use blogs in class this year, and I hope you find that our blogs will serve as another way for us to communicate with and learn from one another.

While you can create another blog on your own time and do whatever you want with it, it is important to remember and be aware of the fact that this blog is for school-related content only. In order to make sure there are no about my expectations for how you use your blog, here are four guidelines for you to be aware of.

Blogging Guidelines

1. Be respectful when you comment on someone else's blog.
2. Keep it clean- would you be comfortable with me hearing it in class? If not, don't post about it.
3. Regularly update your blog, especially when there are deadlines. (This is just like when you turn assignments in in class.)
4. Have fun and make your blog YOURS!

We will do some small assignments to practice posting and commenting on our blogs in the next few weeks, so don't worry if you are confused or have questions. By the time senior project officially starts on November 28, 2011, you will be a blogging pro!

Now that you've read this post, the next step is for you to follow my blog.

How to follow a blog:

Enter the gmail email address you just created OR the email address you normally use in the box to the left. Remember: you log in/update your own blog with the gmail email address you just created, but when someone updates a blog you are following, you will get an email sent to whatever email address you enter.

Do not forget your username or password!! Write it down in your English notebook RIGHT NOW! If you have any questions, email me, comment below, or ask Ms. Mitchell. Have fun! (And check out the fish at the bottom...)