WEBSITE AND CLASSROOM BLOG CREATION TOOLS

Name: Jacob Wachtel

Directions: Using the template below, describe how students could use a blog, wiki, or other website-
creation tool to learn required learning standards in your content area: For an A grade provide an idea that
reaches a Level of Technology Implementation of 4 or above. Remember higher levels (4-6) require that
students assume adult/professional roles; engage in higher-order thinking; and use technology
create/publish original content for their classmates and/or others beyond their school/classroom. The
learning activities and products should be engaging and meaningful to the students and to others who will
view/use/benefit from students work. Review your handouts on Engaged Learning, Authenticity, and LoTi.
Grade Level: 9-12
Content Area: Government
Technology Used (check all that apply):
Blog Wiki Other Website Creation Tool (list): Weebly
Content Area/Grade/Standards/Topics Addressed: Executive Departments and Agencies:
SSCG11 Explain the functions of the departments and agencies of the federal bureaucracy.
a. Compare and contrast the organization and responsibilities of independent regulatory
agencies, government corporations, and executive agencies.
b. Explain the functions of the Presidents Cabinet.

ISTE5. Digital citizenship

Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical
behavior.
a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology, b. Exhibit a
positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity, c.
Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning, d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
Brief Description of Learning Experience: What learning standards will be addressed? What will
students and teachers do? What products will students create? How will the project be introduced? How
long will it take to complete? What audience will use/care about the product(s) students are creating? How
broad is this audience? (Overview should be a minimum of 2 paragraphs).
In this lesson, students will use weblogs to create a fictional website of an Executive Department or
Agency. Students will use their knowledge of the Executive Branch, its departments and agencies, and the
roles they play in order to create their website. Students must identify basic information of their
department, like the head and its purpose, but students have the opportunity to be creative when it comes to
creating hypothetical projects for the Departments.
The project will be introduced after a lesson on the Presidents Cabinet. Students will have two block
days to create their sites and one day to present to their classmates. These presentations should be in depth
enough to teach the students about the general purpose and applications of each Department. The
presenters must act as the experts and take this role seriously when conveying their designated content.
Blooms Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):
See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating

Student Engagement/Level of Technology Implementation (LoTi): What LoTi would this lesson be and
Why? This lesson would be a LoTi 4 because the students are taking the role of an adult professional in a
student-centered, real world activity. Students will be providing detailed contented on their chosen
department and applying it to hypothetical projects. Because of this, the teacher has the opportunity to be a
co-learner. These sites will be shared with other students.
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 WEBSITE AND CLASSROOM BLOG CREATION TOOLS

Importance of technology: Why is using a website-creation tool critical to the project? Could the project
be completed without this technology? What would be lost without using it? What other types of
technology, if any, are going to be used in the learning experience? This lesson could be completed with the
use of posters of presentation, but using blogs to create mock sites provide a more realistic feel to the
lesson. Students will also have to research their topics and current events, so technology will be invaluable
in that regard. The technology will, in short, serve to fully immerse the students as they research, learn, and
teach the Executive Agencies together.
Inspiration (optional): If you used existing example as a model for your project (whether in part or
whole), include the URL(s) so we can visit. Explain what concepts you borrowed from others.
I have used student-centered research and presentation activities before, but they have never been done with
blogs.
Internet Safety and Student Privacy: Briefly discuss some possible issues surrounding Internet safety and
student privacy that could arise while implementing this learning experience and explain how you would
(1) minimize risks to students/yourself; (2) alleviate any fears by parents/administrators, and (3) follow
common Internet Safety/Acceptable Use Policies.
Students anonymity is a key priority here. I must take the necessary steps to ensure I keep personal
information confidential and gain the necessary permissions from the parents. I will do this by giving each
student a username for them when they comment on activity. The work made by students will also be
password protected. Students must also take a permission slip home for their parents to sign if they want
their work to be shared.
Describe your personal learning goal for this activity. What are you trying that you have not tried
before? What do you hope to learn from this activity? How do you hope it will help students learn?
I have never had students work with blogs, so I would like to see what goes well and what can be improved.
I will give students a list of resources to use for the blogs. I hope to learn how to not only help students
with blogs, but to also see how I can use a blog to convey information necessary to my classes.
Other comments about your proposed activity: Students will be graded on the inclusion of the following
information: Head or Secretary of the Department, Its purpose, trivia facts, current events, and hypothetical
projects.