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Check out this list of 52 things to do other than search on Google.

 
Check out the video below to see how to search more efficiently.
 
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You may have noticed the lackluster response when I took last weeks poll to see how many people were actually reading this blog.  My guess is that most parents would like to take advantage of the connection to our classroom that this blog provides, but they don't because they're busy and checking another website is hard to fit into an already packed schedule.


So I did a quick search and found feedmyinbox.com.  It is a very simple way to get blog posts from this blog sent automatically to your email inbox.  All you do is input this web address (http://swedberg.weebly.com) and your email address.  That's it.  It's very simple, and hopefully will mean more connection between home and school.  


A couple side notes: 1) From the limited testing I've done with feedmyinbox, it doesn't forward videos and some other content so you may need to follow a link to the actual post if you think your missing something.  2)  If you are interested in following more than a couple blogs a better system would be to set up a Google Reader account.  Your kids had a very brief intro to Reader a couple weeks ago, so they may be able to help you set it up.



 
Okay.  Here we go!  I've included four videos to help you set up your Reading Blog.  You may not need to watch any of them, but if you get confused, hopefully these will answer your questions.

1.  Blogger Settings

2.  Designing Your Blog (Making it pretty.)

3. Import Weebly Blog to Blogger

4.  How to Make the "My Books" Widget
 
Hopefully this video is helpful to you.  I tried a number of things, but couldn't get the sound to record.  I still think you will be able to follow along, though.

Remember all you have to do is create a blog.  

You DO NOT have to:
- import Weebly posts yet
- set up the layout/deign of your blog
- configure the "settings" of your blog
- make any blog posts at all

Blogger Settings

10/11/2010

 
Today, we will finally be setting up our Blogger-based Reading Blogs.  This will take a bit of work, but in the long run it will be better for you because the Blogger platform is more stable than the Weebly platform.

When you're setting up your blog, click on "Settings", then "Basic" and make sure your settings match the settings below.

I know it's really hard to read.  Your answers should be: No, No, Yes, No, No.  
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Watch the video below to see how to meet all the short story publishing expectations from the previous post.
 
Here is a quick video to review how to use Google Docs to work on projects from school and home.
 
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Memorizing locations on maps can be hard and time consuming, but I might have a solution that will make maps meaningful and fun for you.  Keep in mind, this is really just a preview and a test for what we might do later on this year, and right now only those of you who happen to have a google account can collaborate on this, but I thought sharing it would still be better than not sharing it.


Here's the deal: I've begun building "Map Mastery 2" in Google Maps and I've opened it up for collaboration.  If you would like to contribute to this group map, feel free.  If you would rather not contribute, but just look from a distance that's fine too.


To collaborate:
  1. sign in to your google account
  2. go to my Map Mastery 2 Map
  3. click "Save to My Maps" in the upper left hand corner(ish)
  4. click "Edit" in the upper left hand corner(ish)
  5. click on the blue marker in the upper left hand corner of the map
  6. start adding locations from Map Mastery 2 in your map book

Keep in mind, this is not your map.  It's our map.  If you purposefully mess this map up, it messes up everyone's.  If you write down the wrong locations, then everyone see's the wrong locations.  Feel free to make corrections if people add the wrong locations or to clean up the look of the map if others have added information sloppily.


Of, if you'd rather not deal with the rest of the class, you could just start your own.  I hope this is helpful.  Let me know how it works and feel free to comment on this post with suggestions for improvement.  


Most of all, have fun learning geography! 

Your Next Read

9/9/2010

 
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Now that independent reading has been introduced for the trimester, I thought some of you might like to use Your Next Read.  It's a website that recommends books to you.  All you have to do is type in the title of a book you like and it will tell you 8 (or more) books that are similar to the one you entered.  


I've used it myself a few times and I've always been really impressed with the results.  Parents, it isn't just for kid books either!  Actually, this site isn't aimed at kids at all, but it still works really well.


I've also included this link in the "quick links" section on the sidebar to the right and in the Helpful Tools page.  Happy hunting!