Why+Have+a+Class+Blog?

My third grade blog, [|Mrs. Yollis' Classroom Blog], has provided my students with tremendous learning experiences in all areas of the curriculum.

//The inspiration for the blog came from my feelings about Open House. I always love that night because it brings parents and their children together to share about what they are learning. Parents are always so excited and the students so proud to share. Having the classroom blog is like having Open House all year long. Students share what they are learning and then return to comment. Parents have regular opportunities to participate in the learning through commenting.//

Blogging is Learning!

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Blogging provides many educational opportunities:


 * ** Students have an //authentic// audience for their writing and that has an impact on the quality of their posts and comments. **


 * ** Students revisit and reflect upon the lessons when they read the posts on the blog. The learning doesn't stop when the chapter or unit ends, commenting keeps the learning alive. **


 * ** Students learn how to navigate around the Internet and how to present digital information in a variety of ways. **


 * ** Students and parents have opportunities to participate and contribute to an online community. Teaching this skill to students in elementary school helps prepare students for more individualize online collaboration in the middle and high school years. **


 * ** Students practice a letter-writing form, when they comment. Letter-writing form is a third grade standard. **


 * ** Students learn about geography by tracking our visitors and sharing comments with our blogging friends. Skyping and having Google HangOuts with blogging buddies brings geography to life! **

Here are two links that might be of interest:
[|1. How Does a Story Get Published on this Blog?]

[|2. What We've Learned From Blogging]