How Do I Set Up A Blog?

ELA Blog Directions, Guidelines, & Set Up

We will be creating an online community of readers, writers, and thinkers using blogs this year.  It is an incredible opportunity to share your work with a REAL audience, rather than have your thoughts live just in your notebook.  We will be doing plenty of work together on how to make this way of reading response work for you.  For now, follow the directions below to set up your blog and then try out writing a reading response based on a book you read this summer.

1. Set up a google account at www.gmail.com if you don’t already have one with a “professional” sounding name that you can use beyond 8th grade.  Be sure to write down your password somewhere safe! Google requires that you are 13 years old or have your parent/guardian's permission to have an account, so please talk to your family about it when you give them the permission slip. You will also be using this account to access other google applications in other classes this year.

2.  Create your blog using the directions below

3. Turn in the permission slip and URL form by _______________________________

4. Write your first post, which will be a reading response based on a summer reading book.  Please write your response based on what you know about reading response from last year.  Due:________________________________________

Please try not to wait until the last minute to set this up! If you need help setting it up, please schedule a time to sit down with a teacher ASAP. We are happy to help.

How do I start a web log?

1. Go to www.blogger.com (a google app) and sign in with your gmail account.

2. Click on the “Create a Blog” button.

3. Follow the directions to name your blog and create its URL.  The name and URL do not necessarily have to match.  (For example, my blog is called “Books Upon Books,” but that URL was already taken, so my URL is www.Room116ELA.blogspot.com .)

4. Click on the “simple” template, and your blog is ready to go!  Feel free to adjust the design if you want.  

Privacy Settings and Options

1. It is important to first adjust the privacy settings.  Click on the blogger icon and then your blog’s name or just go to the “Design” link at the top right hand corner of your blog’s page. You will see a list come up on the side.  Click on “basic” to get to the privacy settings and click on “edit.” Answer “no” to both questions so that it won’t come up in a search.  Click on the “save changes” button. 

2. Click on “posts and comments.” Change it to “user with google account.”

Adding Gadgets

Click on “design” at the top right hand corner again.  Click on “layout” on the left hand side.  Click on “add gadget”.  When you find one you want, click on the “+” sign.  Be sure to save changes! As you customize your blogs, feel free to utilize all the tools available to you on blogger. The following are required:

Blogroll: you can create a list of blogs you are reading on the sidebar. Everyone will be responsible for commenting on their book group's blogs, so this is a great place to put links to them for easier access.  Each time an author posts something new, it automatically moves that blog to the top of your list. You can add in those blogs by copying and pasting the URL once I add them to our home base blog, www.room116ELA.blogspot.com.

List: this is an online “Finished Book List.” As you finish a book, add it here. 

Additional Guidelines

1. This blog is a part of a school project.  Therefore, all content on your blog must be related to your reading and writing life in some way.  Please do not use this blog as an online journal.

2. My expectation is that we are a community of readers and writers.  We will be monitoring all blogs and trusting that the words that appear online will come from a place of respect for your fellow classmates as well with a tone that is appropriate for school. 

For our own sanity, please:

• Do not add any kind of sound gadgets to your blog. 
• Please type in readable colors (no pink or yellow).
• Please type in readable fonts (avoid ones that are cursive or all caps, especially).
• Avoid backgrounds that make your blog hard to read.