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Blogging In Kindergarten!


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Keywords: Flip Video, Kindergarten, kid blogging
Subject(s): Video, Technology, Early Learning, Podcasting, Writing, Animation, Reading, Photography, Science, Math
Grade K
NETS-S Standard:
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Communication and Collaboration
  • Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
  • Digital Citizenship
  • Technology Operations and Concepts
View Full Text of Standards
School: Allen Brook Elementary School, Williston, VT
Planned By: Sharon Davison
Original Author: Sharon Davison, Williston
I started using blogging 3 years ago as a way to build relationships with my students and their families. My goal was to build strong relationships through daily communication that was relevant and also provided a window into the authentic learning opportunities that happen daily in the life of 5 and 6 year olds.
Wow! So then I developed 3 classroom blogs! 1 focuses on daily life in Kindergarten, one is devoted to science, this includes an environmental science program that is run and organized by parents. This is what I used it for originally, but now it is also used for all of the physical and environmental science that I teach as well. Lastly I developed a summer reading blog that encourages former and new Kindergarten children and their families a place to post comments about books they have read and to share with others about the books they read. All 3 of these blogs have become very interactive and reflective of my teaching practice as well as vehicles for children, parents, extended family and other people in the US and the world to see, watch and listen to what we do! The collaboration has become endless!
So............. then last summer PRIOR to kindergarten starting I set up individual kid blogs for all 18 of my students! I communicated through email what kidblogging was and how it was going to be used! Parents loved this and immediately started using it with their child. I noticed children(with their parents help) started making comments on their new classmates blogs, like, "only 3 more sleeps until Kindergarten starts.", Hi my name is..... I am excited to meet you! So 2 weeks before school started I met with each child and their family. I took a picture of each child somewhere within the classroom, then we posted the photo. Together we wrote a comment and gave the photo a title. Now children are posting pictures, music and even video of themselves! Parents have really been involved in this on going lesson of how to blog and why to blog! It has helped the children become exposed to the idea of being a digital citizen, how to be safe and responsible and the opportunities for communication are endless! The children are now using their invented writing to record, make posts of their learning along with a picture of that learning. This has been a great opportunity for the children to practice and engage in a way that promotes literacy too! This will be a record, an on line scrapbook of sorts that every child will have of their kindergarten year!
I presently have 1 FLIP camera that was given to me as a gift 3 years ago when I first started using video. If I have 10 FLIP cameras, wow! This way every child would have more access to record their learning within and outside of Kindergarten. I have shown my children how to use a FLIP, but by having 10, wow! This would be amazing! The children would be able to record their learning outside of the
classroom walls, vacations, related arts classes, etc. the opportunities are endless!
The children through their own blog and the many class blogs I use are able to reflect on their learning too! This has been a great way to video, record a writer's workshop lesson or math lesson and then give the children an opportunity to reflect, watch and learn from their own learning! Endless opportunities for reflection, sharing and collaboration.

So... my lesson/exposure to blogging is to develop an interest and desire to learn by learning through the daily exposure of blogging, a never ending account and record of Kindergarten life. Blogging is daily and takes on lots of different forms. The learning is constant and authentic........ never ending.....

Thanks so much for this opportunity! I am keeping my fingers crossed in hoping that you can also feel the excitement and passion that I have for teaching and learning.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

Sharon E. Davison
Kindergarten Teacher
Allen Brook School
Williston, Vermont
Comments
Thanks again so much for the opportunity to apply to win 10 free video cameras! The FLIP video camera(1 that I have) has been an amazing technology that has helped me think more deeply about my instruction and has provided endless opportunities for the young children I work with and their families to be more involved in their learning.
Cross-Curriculum Ideas
Reader's Workshop
Writer's Workshop
Endless opportunities to celebrate learning through the idea of sharing within and outside of the classroom. The cameras would be used outside of class as well. learning is on going and constant. Young children make daily connections with their world. The FLIP cameras would provide numerous opportunities for that to happen.
In the area of mathematics children would have opportunities to record their mathematical thinking behind strategies they use to solve problems. I am presently doing this, but I only have 1 FLIP camera, with 10!!! the children can be more independent and flexible with what they want to capture and record and post!
Follow-Up
I see this idea of kid blogging just beginning to unfold for me this year in Kindergarten. The additional FLIP cameras would be used to connect with learning experiences outside of the classroom! Every year Kindergarten collects food for our local food shelf. This would be a great way to document all of the planning, thinking and collaborating that occurs when taking on a community service project like this to show and illustrate how technology can be used in a safe and responsible way to help promote the idea of being a responsible digital citizen as well as way to connect with community. A nice way to make home, school community connections and collaborations!
I would also have an open hose/ celebration for parents to come in and see with their child their blog, etc. and talk about the how and why this is so important in their learning. I also have 3 other collaborations within my school. reading buddies, etc. This would also be a great thing to share with other classes as well. Earlier tis year myself and another 1/2 teacher collaborated on a kidblogging project around an author study we collaborated on through the use of our SMARTboards and Gmail!
I am passionate about teaching and also finding ways to enhance student learning to help promote the love of learning. Kid blogging, blogging does that! I would love more technologies to put into the hands of my 5 and 6 year old kindergartners to help do just that!
Materials: Flip Video, Batteries
Other Items: 10 Flip video cameras
20 batteries for the cameras
10 bags for the cameras