Session #4 Comments, Deliverable#2

Created a blog for our district's 4th grade Battle of the Books. Students have between the fall and Spring to choose and read ten book minimum from a list of over 30 books. This event is open to all students in South Kingstown, including public, private, and home-schooled children. Generally around 120 kids participate. The Battle is an evening event at SK high school; students are grouped with students from different schools, and divided into teams and rounds. Four teams are on the stage at a time, and the public and school librarians direct questions to them.

I think the blog is a great addition to this project, allowing the students to write about and vote for the books they are reading, and to share thoughts, ideas and reactions with other students.

I'm currently working out the security piece. I've asked student to use only their first names and last initial, but said they could say what school they are from, since I think that is part of the fun, to trade observations with students from different schools. I will speak with my Principal to decide whether or not we'lll ask parents to sign persmission for kids to participate.

Oh, and I set the comments so that I have to approve them before they are published.

I am thinking about making it a requirement for all the participants at my school to write to the blog, since I feel that once they start doing it, they will like it. At least I could require them to make at least three comments on three books, and perhaps one reaction comment to someone else's comment. The success of this blog will depend on how much it is used. I wonder if the students will enjoy using it?? Here is is:

http://skbattleofthebooks.blogspot.com/

I'm also adding links to many of the books (not done with that yet)- usually something fun or interesting related to the book- either the author's website, or a quiz about the books, or something related to the book. Can't wait to try this out on my fourth grades!