Kelly's+Blog+Lesson+Plan

=**Poetry Blog**=

This project was inspired by Eric Langhorst’s book blogging project. I would like to eventually incorporate a book blogging project, but since my students will be beginning their poetry unit soon, I felt that this would be more beneficial for me to attempt to incorporate NOW.


 * Course: 8th Grade Language Arts**
 * Teacher: Miss Cave**
 * Unit: Poetry**


 * Materials Needed:**
 * Textbooks
 * Computers


 * Brief Summary of Lesson:**

This project will be on-going throughout our poetry unit. The students will be responsible for posting original comments on the Poetry Power Blog at least 3 times throughout the unit, and they will also be responsible for commenting to at least 3 other students throughout the unit. The student posts can range from simple thoughts about the piece(s) read throughout the unit to personal interpretations on the poems. The students will also be asked to highlight things that they liked or didn’t like about the poems they choose to comment upon.


 * Grading:**

The students will be graded at the end of the unit based upon completion of their original blog comments and comments to others. They will be scored in 3 areas: content, conventions, critical thinking. The project is worth 50 pts, and the points are broken down as follows:
 * //Content: 20//
 * The students should be saying something worthwhile. I do not expect to see the students “socializing” in their comments. I will develop another area on the blog for a more relaxed, social atmosphere. It will be called the Student Lounge.
 * The content of their posts should demonstrate understanding and comprehension of the poems, with a clear and consistent message appropriate to the poem’s theme.


 * //Critical Thinking: 20//
 * Here I expect to see that the students have taken what they learned in class about what the poem “means” one step further. I want to see that they are interpreting the poem in their own way or relating the accepted interpretation to life, etc.
 * I would like to also see them ponder the poet’s purpose, state of mind, etc.


 * //Conventions: 10//
 * Their posts should be free of grammatical and spelling mistakes
 * Even though I will be able to edit the posts before they are published, I would like to see them free of errors from the very beginning.


 * Extra Credit option:**
 * As an extra credit opportunity, the students may choose to post their own personal poems to the blog for other students to comment upon.
 * Each student may submit his/her favorite poem to share with the class.
 * In addition to sharing the poem, the blog must also contain their personal interpretation as well as why he/she chose to write it.
 * Other students may comment upon the poetry submitted by their classmates.


 * Schedule**:
 * The poetry unit will take about 2 weeks to complete.
 * I will give the students the opportunity to use the school computers for the second half of class on 3 separate occasions during the unit. (in case some students do not have access to computers from home)


 * Future Connections:**
 * We will be working on our drama unit next, and I plan to continue the student blog for this as well. The students will be posting comments to various blogs throughout the year.