Summer Blogging Project Info

Blogging Project URL: http://mdunlavey.edublogs.org/ or use the link on my regular website

Dates: Blogging may not begin until May 28 at 12:00 A.M. All posts must be completed by the first day of school at 12:00 A.M. I would like everyone to submit a test post by May 20 to make sure everyone can log on.  If you did this over Christmas, you should still be singed up and ready to go.  

Requirements: Each participating student must post at least four times per book during the summer break. Each post must be at least 150 words long. You may post as many times as you want, but the minimum is four per book.

Posts should be:
•    About the book
•    a response to already-posted info
•    new, original ideas and any questions or clarifications
•    in standard English and relatively free of mistakes
•    school appropriate and on topic—no credit will be given for posts that are not allowed for any reason
•    Remember that this is supposed to be an academic discussion, so read and respond to the comments of others and remember to stick to the subject

Grading: 120 points total—10 points per post to be added to your first quarter grade
 
To post a comment:
1.    go to the site at mdunlavey.edublogs.org 2. click on your category heading 3. read recent comments 4. to leave a comment, click on “logged in” 5. log in 6. type your comment in the box (please proofread before submitting) 7. click “submit” 8. your comments will go to moderation—as soon as I approve them, they will post online

Special Information for the novel project:
•    The books are White Oleander by Janet Fitch, Cornhuskers by Carl Sandburg (you could get this one as a part of Sandburg’s Complete Poems), and On Writing by Stephen King.  You may read them in any order, but I would prefer you read On Writing as close to the start of school as possible.  You will be responsible for getting your hands on these.  Use local libraries and interlibrary loan.  If you can’t find a copy of one, email me, and I will try to help you.   
•    You must have the books finished by the end of the break.  
•    When posting comments, remember to incorporate the literary elements that we have discussed in class. Think also about author’s purpose and wider implications in our culture.
•    I will start off the discussion. You take it from there. I will post from time to time, but don’t wait for me to keep it going. You may post questions, comments, or responses to other students’ posts (or mine). This should function just like an electronic version of our classroom discussions, except nobody gets interrupted.
•    Try not to give away the ending too soon, in order not to ruin the book for others (Mike!).
•    Check in frequently and try to have fun with it!

For the Newbies (including Karen and Drew):  Before you can participate, I will need to get you signed up as a user on my blogging site.  To do this, I will need your email address asap.  Once I sign you up, you’ll need to activate your account, and then let me know because I’ll have to register you again.  It will be especially important that you do a test post before school starts.

Recommendations for other summer reading:
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Katherine by Anya Seton
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Queen of Subtleties by Suzanne Dunn
Habibi by Naomi Shahib-Nye