Welcome to The Cay response to literature weblog. In this post I will answer some questions that you may have about this type of discussion forum. If your question is not answered here please send me an email at ccollins@hcsd.k12.ca.us.
I invite the sixth grade English students, their families, Crocker faculty, and other community members to join us in our blogging discussion. This is an exciting opportunity to share the experience of reading a novel, responding to discussion questions, viewing the entries of other readers, and even commenting on others responses.
When do we begin reading and responding to The Cay?
During the week of March 21, 2011, the students will participate in a prereading blog prior to starting the novel; they will also begin to read and respond to discussion questions. The conclusion of the blog has yet to be determined. After we have finished reading the book and have completed the activities, it may be possible to access the blog, but some of the discussions may no longer be active.
Who is the administrator of the Crocker The Cay blog site?
I, Chris Collins, a sixth grade English teacher at Crocker Middle School, am the administrator of this blog discussion.
How will the students know what pages to read in The Cay?
There are three ways to find out the reading assigned for the day. First, students can check the blog to learn what pages to read and respond to the questions. The second way is to find out in class from the teacher. Finally, students can check the Crocker website and check Mr. Collins’s web page at http://crockerschool.hcsd.k12.ca.us.
How will students access the blog?
Students will learn how to use the blog in English class. A blog can be posted from any computer with internet access. Students are able to use school computers in the classroom, lab, and library. They will typically have one to two days to respond to discussion questions.
What discussion questions will be included with the project?
Every day there will be different discussion questions posted on the blog. Students will add their responses to the questions through posting a comment on the blog entry. Readers will be able to read each others responses and can discuss the questions through the use of comments.
Is posting comments on the blog safe for students?
Anyone who has the web address to the blog can view it and its contents. Only our English students, their families, and Crocker faculty have access to comment on this blog. Each student that posts must use his/her first name only. Students will learn how to sign in and post a comment during class. Any comment that contains a last name, inappropriate language, or a large number of errors will be removed or edited by an administrator.
Why read The Cay?
The Cay is a required Core novel for sixth grade students. The genre is realistic fiction. World War II and the Caribbean provide the setting for the story. The students will meet Phillip and Timothy; the two main characters who develop a unique friendship through unusual circumstances. The novel touches on several important themes including friendship, judgments, and self-reliance. It is well-written and highly engaging.
Why blog for school?
The blog is a collaborative tool for learning. Blogs provide a different forum for communicating ideas; they go one step outside the classroom discussion and beyond written responses on paper that only the teacher can access. “Through the unique process of blogging, students are able to read more critically, think about the reading more analytically, and write more clearly.” From Will Richardson, Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, 2006.
If you have any questions about this blog that were not answered above or you would like to join us please send us an e-mail at ccollins@hcsd.k12.ca.us. If you have any positive or constructive feedback, please feel free to contact me.
Chris Collins
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1 comment:
1. Martin Luther King JR. was a very important man in our history today; he even won a noble peace prize in 1964. For part of Martin Luther King’s life he served as a pasture and attended segregated schools. Michael Luther King had a dream that all people of all nations would come together as one. Unfortunately, despite King’s hard work his dream has not yet come true.
2. I think the dedication means that if the world’s children do not know, then they will just follow the steps their parents and ancestors had taken. I predict that this book will show the relationship between the two different people of both nationality and age.
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