Assignmet no. 1

In order to be added as an author to this blog, you will need to follow the link in the invitation you got per email. For those of you who do not have a google account yet, try signing in with your youtube account if you have one as they are the same.

For the others, please set up an email adress with gmail - it is a free service (I have one myself) but, unfortunately, blogspot only allows you to post if you have a gmail address. 

This is one disadvantage of this blog being free ... I am sorry. You are still welcome to use your old email address for communication in class, you only need an account to act as an author on this blog.

Okay, and now to your actual assignment.

PART 1: Update the information on your profile 

(In the right hand corner of your "blogger" page you should see your screen name and a little arrow. Click on the arrow and choose "blogger profile" - there you can update your information)

1. choose a username ( = display name) according to the following template

• your first name or the name you want to go by in class (the one you used for your facebook profile worksheet)
• if there is another person with the same name in your class, please add the first letter of your last name as well
• your class
• the school year
• example: lisa_2D_2013 OR lisam_2D_2013 

2. choose an avatar

3. fill in the information about your favourite books, films, etc. (you are welcome to have a look at my profile as a guideline)

PART 2: Write ONE blog entry

1. decide whether you want to write a blog entry on a POLITICAL blog OR on a TRAVEL blog

For the POLITICAL blog: Sum up what you have learned about the AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS in class

- who were the candidates? What do you know about them?
- what do you know about the Liberals and the ALP? (are the right-wing, left-wing)
- what happened between Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard?
- what is your OWN OPINION about the elections and the new prime minister? Why do you think so?

For the TRAVEL blog: tell your readers why they should/should not go to Australia
You are an expert on Australia: tell interested readers more about this country

- include information on the size of the country, the animals you can find there, the states and territories, the climate
- tell your readers WHY they should or should not go to Australia or why you want or do not want to go there.

180-200 words

DUE DATE: 
4B - profile update AND blog on MONDAY, 16th of September
4CD - profile update on THURSDAY, 12th of September and blog post MONDAY, 16th of September

 

Welcome Everybody!

I am very happy to see you have found your way to our classroom blog and hope you are excited to get started.

As I have already told you in class, the idea of this blog is to collect your contributions, to offer you the possibility to give feedback on your classmates' work and also to receive some for your own.
Therefore, I would like you to read through the following ground rules in order for this to be a pleasant experience for everybody:

1) THINK before you post. 

Run your assignments through a spell check and reflect on your statements. Only post contributions you would like to read yourself.

2) Be CONSTRUCTIVE.

This is supposed to be a shared space where everybody should feel free to express themselves. Give feedback you would find helpful yourself and do not let your personal feelings influence your judgement.

3) Be DILIGENT. 

Assignments which are linked to this blog count as much toward your final grade as other homework.

4) Be ACTIVE. 

This blog can only serve its purpose if you have a look at your classmates' work as well and if you comment on it. This is not only supposed to be a database for your assignments but a workshop during which you can exchange and develop ideas and create collaborative projects.

If you find yourselves incapable to stick to any of the four rules described above, this project will need to be SHUT DOWN and replaced by traditional homework assignments.

However, I really hope this won't be the case and I am very much looking forward to sharing this experience with you.

And now:

READY! STEADY! GO!