Exploration

1. Pick a topic that relates to our essential questions in some way. Then, use your search skills to learn about your topic from a high-quality online resource (an article, video, etc.).
2. Write a paragraph with 3 + sentences about your resource, using full sentences and correct grammar, including a text-based link to it (no http:). You can also add an embedded video that helps us learn more about your topic choice. Use your draft Google Doc to compose text, then when your draft is finished copy and paste it into a new post on the blog.
3. Include a featured image at the top of your post, choose the correct post category, and add relevant tags.
4. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Reflection

1. Choose a long-form article that interests you from the class Reflection Articles folder.
2. Take the time to read the article thoroughly, making note of anything that surprised or intrigued you, or was otherwise impactful. If you’re not sure where to start, consider the following prompts: Do you agree or disagree with what you’ve read? Why? What was your most important take-away from the reading?
3. Write a paragraph with 3 + sentences that describes the article you’ve chosen and how you feel about it, using full sentences and correct grammar. Use your draft Google Doc to compose your paragraph text, then when your draft is finished copy and paste it into a new post on the blog.
4. Include a featured image at the top of your post, choose the correct post category, and add relevant tags.
5. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Tutorial/How-to

1. Choose a quick, useful internet-related task that requires a series of steps to complete. Think carefully about how to break the task down into clear, short, and logical steps, and then pick a task that takes no more than five steps from start to finish.
2. Write a description of how to complete each step in your draft Google Doc, using full sentences and correct grammar, and take screenshots of each step along the way. Be sure to crop images so that only relevant areas of your screen are shown, and make sure copies of your images remain outside of your draft Google Doc (otherwise you’ll have difficulty getting them into a blog post). When your draft is finished and your screenshots have been taken, add them to a new post on the blog.
3. Include a featured image at the top of your post, choose the correct post category, and add relevant tags.
4. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Pick a topic that connects to our essential questions in some way. As you use your search skills to learn about your topic, consider common questions that people might ask about it. What questions did you have before you started? What would most people want to know? What do you think people should know? Choose to answer at least six questions that will help visitors better understand your topic.
2. Write your questions and answers in your draft Google Doc, using full sentences and correct grammar. Add text-based links where they would make sense to include, as well as one or more images or other media elements that support your text in addition to the header image. When ready, move everything over to a new post on the blog.
3. Include a featured image at the top of your post (in addition to any images in your questions and answers), choose the correct category, and add relevant tags.
4. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Review

1. Choose a new-to-you, potentially useful online tool or resource that you’d like to explore. Several options to consider are listed on the Resources page, though you can choose one of your own if you check with Mr. Gromak first.
2. Take some time to try out your selection. What do you think about it? Compose at least two paragraphs in your draft Google Doc, using full sentences and correct grammar, that explain what your tool or resource is, how it works, and how you feel about it. When would it be useful? For whom? Is it worth people’s time? Add a rating between 1 and 10 to the top of your content, and make it larger and bolder than regular text. Take at least one screenshot of your site and add it to your post (in addition to the featured graphic). When ready, move everything over to a new post on the blog.
3. Include a featured image at the top of your post (in addition to any other images), choose the correct category, and add relevant tags.
4. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Online Learning Reflection

1. For your FIRST post after we complete our exploration of online learning, think about your experience. Does online learning work well for you? Why or why not? What do you, personally, need to successfuly learn online? How has learning online helped (or hurt) you? For any ADDITIONAL posts after the first, think about what you’re learning in the class, and how the online learning environment hurts or helps your learning.
2. Use your draft Google Doc to compose at least one paragraph that details your reflection(s) about online learning, using the guidelines in Step 1, with full sentences and correct grammar. Add an additional media element that relates to your experience (image, audio, video, etc.) to your post. When ready, move everything over to a new post on the blog.
3. Add a featured image at the top of your post (your additional media element does not count), choose the correct category, and add relevant tags.
4. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Web Article

1. Choose a topic that relates to our essential questions in some way. Conduct research to learn about your topic, and choose at least three high-quality sources that support your research.
2. Use your draft Google Doc to compose an article that summarizes your research, using full sentences and correct grammar. Your final product can be at text that is at least 3 paragraphs, audio that is not longer 3 minutes, or a narrated screencast that is not longer than 3 minutes. Be sure to incorporate text-based links where appropriate and include one or more media elements that relate to your topic. When ready, move everything over into a new post on the blog.
3. Add a featured image at the top of your post (in addition to your media elements), choose the correct category, and add relevant tags.
4. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Advanced Tutorial/How-to

1. Choose a useful internet-related task that requires a series of steps to complete. Look for tasks that require more than five steps from start to finish, and think carefully about how to break it down in a clear, succinct, and logical manner.
2. Write each step in your draft Google Doc, using full sentences and correct grammar, and either take screenshots of each step or record and narrate a screencast of you performing each step. Be sure to crop visuals so that only relevant areas of your screen are shown. When your draft is finished and your visuals are ready, add them to a new post on the blog. Save your work in a way that can be edited easily when you receive feedback.
3. Include a featured image at the top of your post, choose the correct post category, and add relevant tags.
4. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Animation

1. NOTE: This is an experimental post type that previous class students have not yet explored in detail. Be ready for weirdness and/or frustration along the way. Choose a topic that relates to our essential questions in some way. Think about how you might explain your topic using words (text or voice narration) and images (characters, photographs, illustrations, etc.).
2. Request an Animaker login from your teacher, then get familiar with its tools and capabilities.
3. Use your draft Google Doc to organize and plan your animation, keeping in mind the tools and capabilities available. Then, create an animation that explains your topic and is between 1 and 2 minutes in length. When complete, export it to YouTube using your student account with the “Unlisted” privacy setting.
4. Create a new post on the class blog that contains a featured image, the correct post category, and relevant tags, then embed your animation as the primary content of your post.
5. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Infographic

1. Choose a topic that relates to our essential questions in some way, and consider how you might explain it visually with minimual text. Look for things like data (statistics, research results, etc.) or concepts that are easier to understand visually.
2. Explore infographic tools on the resources page, or choose one of your own. Consider the capabilities and templates available within your chosen tool, then use paper or an online drawing tool to create a draft layout for your infographic. When your draft layout is complete, please check with Mr. Gromak to get approval to move forward.
3. Create an infographic that explains your topic visually. Keep your message clear and concise, with minimal text (no sentences or paragraphs), and make sure every element serves a purpose.
4. Create a new post on the class blog that features your infographic, then add a title, the correct post category and relevant tags.
5. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Live-Action Video

1. Choose a topic that relates to our essential questions in some way, and consider how you might explain it in a one-person, live-action video.
2. Use your draft Google Doc to create a script and, if using more than one shot, a shot list for your video. When your draft is complete, please check with Mr. Gromak to get approval to move forward.
3. Shoot and edit your video using iMovie or a smartphone, then add your completed video to Google Drive and share it with Mr. Gromak. Be prepared for edit requests after initial submission.
4. Create a new post for your video on the class blog that includes a title, the correct post category, and relevant tags. Leave the text area blank, Mr. Gromak will add your video when it meets rubric standards.
5. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, Mr. Gromak adds the video to your post, points are awarded, and your post will be published.

Webcomic

1. Choose a topic that relates to our essential questions in some way, and consider how you might explain it using sequential art (comic style).
2. Explore webcomic tools on the resources page, or choose one of your own. Consider the capabilities and templates available within your chosen tool, then use paper or an online drawing tool to create a simple draft storyboard for your comic. When your draft is complete, please check with Mr. Gromak to get approval to move forward.
3. Create your webcomic using your chosen tool, and make sure that you can easily edit it if requested.
4. Create a new post on the class blog that features your comic (you may have to slice it into multiple pieces to get it to fit and maintain readability), then add a title, the correct post category and relevant tags.
5. Print and fill out the post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Group Project

1. Create a group with 2-3 students who qualify for Ultra-level posts.
2. Choose topic that relates to our essential questions in some way, and use your search skills to learn about it together.
3. Choose any combination of the post types described above to help others better understand your topic, or consider using other methods to convey information.
4. Create a project proposal Google Doc. It should contain a description of your topic, the components you’ll be using to convey information about it within a blog post (text, video, audio, and/or other components), and a plan that briefly details the sequence of tasks necessary to complete work, along with how it will be divided among group members. When the proposal is complete, share it with Mr. Gromak and wait for his review and approval.
5. When your proposal is approved, work with your group to build and submit a blog post about your chosen topic, including all necessary components (title, category, tags, etc.).
6. Print and fill out a single post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Blog Series

1. Choose one or more connected topics or an overall theme that relates to our essential questions in some way.
2. Use your search skills to collect high-quality resources that relate to your topics and/or theme.
3. In your draft Google Doc, develop an outline of content that will use two or more individual posts to help others learn more deeply about your topics and/or theme. Choose any combination of post types described above (text, audio, video, imagery, etc.) as components in your series. Individual posts should meet or exceed previous blog post requirements.
4. Check in with Mr. Gromak when your outline is complete, and wait for his review and approval before moving forward.
5. When your outline is approved, create and submit your series of posts on the class blog.
6. Print and fill out a post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Social Media Campaign

1. Choose one or more connected topics or an overall theme that relates to our essential questions in some way.
2. Use your search skills to collect high-quality resources that relate to your topics and/or theme.
3. In your draft Google Doc, develop an outline of 3 or more social media posts that will help others learn more deeply about your topics and/or theme. Be sure to include ideas for both text and graphic elements for each post.
4. Check in with Mr. Gromak when your outline is complete, and wait for his review and approval before moving forward.
5. When your outline is approved, create and submit your series of social media posts within a blog post, including all necessary components (text, imagery, title, category, tags, etc.). If appropriate, your posts may also be submitted to our Communications office for wider distribution.
6. Print and fill out a post rubric or make an electronic copy of it, fill it out as a Google Doc, and then print it. Use it to make sure all elements in your post meet required standards. When complete, hand in your rubric. You’ll get it returned with feedback, including any necessary edits required to meet standards. When all standards are met, points are awarded and your post will be published.

Special Projects

Special Projects are independent works of scholarship whose content does not fit into any of other post types offered. They are proposed, designed, and built by students in consultation with Mr. Gromak. Please see Mr. Gromak for more information.