Welcome!

Hey Blues!

Welcome to our Blog J   

I'm so excited to get this going! You guys blew me away with your commitment to class discussions throughout Chains, so I wholeheartedly believe you are ready to take it to the next level - - putting your thoughts out into the blogging world. With this comes a bit of added responsibility, but I know you guys can handle it (and we will talk much more about this in detail in class).

LOGISTICS: Instead of submitting answers to Walsh-created discussion questions on Canvas for each section of our novel Of Mice and Men, you all will be engaging in discussion here on our blog! But here's the catch... this means I need YOU to spur discussion. This could be done by posing profound (ding!) questions, by writing a thoughtful reflection that encourages your classmates to respond, and/or by writing a insightful response to a classmate's post. You will find more information about the requirements below.

***Confession: I will still post some discussion questions J This will be to get your mind focused on certain ideas & topics as you read. You are welcome to respond to them, but you are also encouraged to create your own questions to pose to your classmates. 

TIPS for Blogging:

• Please use professional font (style, size, color)
• There is a spell check option (use it!) and be sure to reread your post before publishing to make sure it reads fluently and professionally.
• Unlike your google docs, blogger does not auto-save! Be sure to click save several times while you are working on your post.
• When your post is finalized, you must publish in order for your classmates & teacher to view/comment.

Grading (4-point scale):

To receive full credit, you will be expected to complete one blog post or comment per section of the novel (there are six). Please note: the requirements for comments are the same as blog posts – comments on a classmates’ post should be just as long and thoughtful as the blog post itself. Posts & comments should be at least one paragraph in length and should include profound thinking that serves to further your own understanding of the book as well as your classmates’. While blogging certainly has a more casual feel and tone, you must remain professional in language (no technology slang - - i.e. LOL, OMG, u instead of you, etc.)  Blogs will be graded on thoughtfulness & effort as well as grammar and conventions. **Please see my example posts for clarity. 

4	3	2	1
Meets all expectations. This is shown through a complete post/comment that shows deep thinking that is fully explained. Professional language is used.	Meets most expectations. This is shown through a complete post/comment that shows deep thinking, but may not be fully explained. Professional language is used.	Meets some expectations. This is shown through a blog post/comment that shows signs of deep thinking, but a lack of explanation leads to the reader with questions. Some slang is used.	Not meeting expectations. This is shown through an incomplete blog post that lacks signs of deep thinking. Slang is frequently used.