A Few Notable Blog Posts from Last Year

http://luvmeliv.blogspot.com/2012/05/making-splash-robyn.html

http://rottinghyacinths.blogspot.com/2012/04/response-by-paul-volponi.html

http://rayreads.blogspot.com/2012/05/way-war-separates-people.html

http://alexstutt5.blogspot.com/2012/03/important-relationships-in-mother.html

How to Get Your Blog Started!! 2012 - 2013

How To Set Up A Blog

URL/permission slip due on: Monday, September 10

You will be setting up your blog and submitting your URL.  Then you will write your first post, which will be a reading response based on a summer reading book that will be due on Friday, September 14.

How do I start a web log?
1. Go to www.blogger.com and click on the “Create a Blog” button.
2. Blogger is a part of Gmail and you will need a Gmail account if you don’t already have one. If you already have a Gmail email address, simply type it in. If you don’t, you can create one. Don’t forget your password! You can now also use this account for email, or use it just for your blogger account.
3. Follow the directions to name your blog and create its URL. The name and URL do not necessarily have to match. (For example, Ms. Robbins's blog is called “Books Upon Books,” but that URL was already taken, so her URL is http://www.room116ela.blogspot.com/.  Mine happens to match - my blog is The Starry Void, an allusion to one of my favorite Pablo Neruda poems, and my blog is http://www.thestarryvoid.blogspot.com/.) Don't choose a URL name that's too wacky to remember!
4. Follow the directions to pick a template, and your blog is ready to go!

Privacy Settings and Options

1. It is important to first adjust the privacy settings.  Click on the blogger icon and then your blog’s name or just go to the “Design” link at the top right hand corner of your blog’s page. You will see a list come up on the side.  Click on “basic” to get to the privacy settings and click on “edit.” Answer “no” to both questions so that it won’t come up in a search.  Click on the “save changes” button.

2. Please leave the "blog readers" setting on "everybody", so that your classmates and I can access your blog.

3. Click on “posts and comments.” Change it to “user with google account.”

 

Adding Gadgets

Click on “design” at the top right hand corner again.  Click on “layout” on the left hand side.  Click on “add gadget”.  When you find one you want, click on the “+” sign.  Be sure to save changes! As you customize your blogs, feel free to utilize all the tools available to you on blogger. The following are required:  

1. Labels: Label each post according to your focus (for example, “character change” or “theme”).  You can also label posts according to topic (“friendship” or “sports”) or title (“Hunger Games”).  

2. Blogroll: you can create a list of blogs you are reading on the sidebar. Everyone will be responsible for commenting on a handful of other blogs, so this is a great place to put the blogs you plan on keeping up with.  Each time an author posts something new, it automatically moves that blog to the top of your list. You can add in the blogs once I add them to our home base blog, thestarryvoid.blogspot.com. 

3. List: Please make an online list and call it  “Finished Book List.” As you finish a book, add it here. 

Additional Guidelines
1. This blog is a part of a school project. Therefore, all content on your blog must be related to your reading and writing life in some way. Please do not use this blog as an online journal.
2. My expectation is that we are a community of readers and writers. I will be monitoring all blogs and trusting that your words that appear online will come from a place of respect for your fellow classmates as well with a tone that is appropriate for school.
3. For my own sanity, do not add any kind of sound gadgets to your blog.  Also, please type in readable colors (no pink or yellow) and fonts (avoid ones that are cursive or all caps, especially). 

Thanks!  Let's get this blogging started!
 
-Ms. Rear