Welcome to Teen Brain Explorations

Aim: How do we create a blog so that we can write to learn?  

Do Now: Sign onto your laptop and go to this site: http://msbeckerela8.blogspot.com/

Bookmark the page and write it down because you will be using it each day.

Welcome to Teen Mind Explorations! 

This semester we will explore some psychology theories related to mindset--how we as individuals are alike and how we are unique. Needless to say, this involves reading, critically thinking, discussing, and writing. Most if not all of your writing will be published on your own personal blog.

In order to proceed, you will need to create your own blog if you were not part of this class in the past. Your blog will be your "virtual" portfolio for this course. Do Nows and daily Writing Workshop activities will all be posted on your blog. In order to get some great online discussion going, we also will link all of our blogs together.

You must have a gmail account for Blogger. If you don't already have a gmail account, create one now. Please give yourself a professional email address that you can use your whole life.

If you already created a blog for one of my classes, you can use the same one if you want. Please just complete Steps 10 and 11, and then help someone new to this in creating their own.

Here are the steps for creating your own blog:

1. Go to google.com
2. Under "more" at the top of the page find and click on "blogger."
3. Sign in on your gmail account to create your own blog.
4. Click on "Create a blog."
5. Choose a title for your blog.
6. Choose a design and template for your blog.
7. In settings, please be sure to set the time and date for Eastern Standard Time.
8. Under comment moderation (also in settings), please turn OFF word verification so that I don't have to prove I'm not a robot every time I want to leave a comment on your blog.
9. Create your profile. (Add a photo if you want.)
10. When you are done, write your first post: Introduce yourself in your post. Explain a little about yourself, where you live, and what you hope to explore in this course. Be detailed. Finally, write one open-ended question (can't be answered with yes or no or one word) that you have related to psychology. 
11. Send an email to msbecker4@gmail.com with the link to your blog so that I can follow it and share it with the other students in the Teen Mind Explorations classes.

Congratulations! If you reached this step, you have created your own blog and filed your first post. Don't worry--your design, template and even your first post can be edited. I welcome your comments. (It all counts toward participation!)

****A reminder that you are responsible for completing a selfie poster and sending me a letter (first-time students) or a writing sample.*****

Today's Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)