Classroom Power Tools - KidBlog

This is definitely one of my faves!  KidBlog is a wonderful way to introduce blogging to students while working on writing skills.  A colleague of mine used this tool last year and I thought I would give it a try with my students this year.  I have not been disappointed!  They love to write using KidBlog!  I allow them to be creative by changing the font color and size.  This gives them ownership in their final product and they are more motivated to create quality work.  Below are some ways that we have used KidBlog in our classroom.  I hope this motivates you to try this tool in your classroom...your students will thank you!

1.  Digital Portfolios - We write and upload pictures of our work to be shared with other teachers as well as parents throughout the year.
2.  Keyboarding Skills - I encourage students to use correct finger position while typing each day.
3.  Encouraging Others - Students comment on other blogs and give feedback on their posts.
4.  Writing Skills - We focus on sentence structure and punctuation as we blog.
5.  Digital Citizenship - We are able to talk about blog etiquette and computer safety as we write.

This is just the short list of the many ways I have used KidBlog in my classroom.  I love reading my students' blogs and they love receiving comments from me on their posts.  I am able to document their work without saving tons of paper and can share this work with their parents instantly.  KidBlog has truly changed my classroom and given my students a reason to love writing again. 

I would love to hear how you guys are using KidBlog in your classroom.  If you are not using KidBlog and would like more information about how to get started, let me know.