Tool #3!!!

Tool #2!!

1. By building a PLN it will allow students to become more independent and really take control of their learning. Kids are already engaged in networking and learning through other social networks, so why not take advantage of this new "craze" and have them more self determined, and self motivated learners in the classroom and even outside of the classroom.

2. One of the things about commenting that stood out to me was the "Teach Commenting" section. Students love to get comments back on their papers and classwork, so why not on their blogs. Makes sense. I loved the comment from the students expressing how excited he gets to see comments and it makes him want to write back. This is something that I will certainly try to incorporate into my PLN and classroom.

3. Some of the blogs that I am following are:

Wegs Online
Amy's House
E1even Too1s
Ms. Lee's Thoughts
Blithe Blog

Tool #1!

Tool #1 was great! Although I have set up blogs in the past, I think that there are many more options and versatility leaving the option for much more creativity. User-friendliness is also a plus, especially when dealing with younger kids who often have little computer and online experience. Creating avatars would definitely be fun for kids and give them a sense of ownership for their own site. I'm not entirely sure yet how I am going to incorporate blogs into my classroom but they may be useful when dealing with discussion questions or current events in science. It may also be fun to pose scientific questions online and open up class discussions.