Making a Label Cloud

This is a technical tip and requires you go into the Template > Edit HTML area of your blog. It allows you to put a label cloud on your blog. Here is the link with detailed instructions for how to do this (be warned, this is technical!!!!!):

http://phy3blog.googlepages.com/Beta-Blogger-Label-Cloud.html

A label cloud is really cool because you can make it so that the more posts are shown, the larger the label becomes!

Be warned, export and BACKUP your template BEFORE following these instructions!!!

If you want to change the colour of the labels, use this RGB reference as a guide.

A Widget for the Team 14 Blog

Here is something you could install on your portfolio blog by clicking the link below called get widget. A widget is a little programme which allows you to do things, in this case it gives you a summary of the Team 14 main blog, right inside your own blog!

Example of a screenshot

Here is an example of a rubric showing how you might write your evaluations. A copy of the webquest rubric is stored inside the Class Server > 14 > Organisation > Webquest Rubrics for you.

This image shows how well I think I did for my webquest. As you can see, the areas in which I am strong include: permissions, multimedia elements and surface features.

The next steps if I was to do this again include: to make the published copy higher quality by choosing better fonts.

To take a screenshot on a Mac, hold down Apple-Shift and press the number '4'. Then drag around the region of the screen you wish to take a screenshot of. On a Windows computer, press 'Print Screen'.

Portfolio Tips - Setting the order of posts

Imagine you want to put some blog posts above others. This is called changing the order of blog posts and is really easy to do. Follow these steps:

1. Go to Posting > Edit Posts.


2. Edit the post you wish to change.


3. Click on the link at the bottom left called Post Options. This shows the date which you posted it.


4. Change the date so it appears earlier in your blog.

Rubrics

Following are links to some of the rubrics we are using to help improve our learning:

1. Webquest Rubric - designed to help you lift the quality of your webquest presentations.


2. Senior School Speeches - this rubric will help your practise and preparation for your speech in term three.

There is another rubric from Claire which is being put together now [3 Sept, Rob]

Blogging Guidance - Turn on Word Verification

Here is an image of what 'word verification' looks like in your settings.

Go to Customize > Settings > Comments and make sure word verification is turned on. This protects your blog from spam.

If you want an explanation of how it works click here.

Blogging Guidance - Setting up Learning Links

Here is a screenshot of the links that everyone needs to have on their portfolio.

You will notice these things on the learning links element:

• Team 14 Home


• Team 14 Blog


• Delicious


• Goals


• Writing


• Reflections


• Feedback

Learning Portfolios

Here is a list of everyone's online learning portfolios which we are implementing now. Each of these links will open up in a new window:

1. Elsie's World of Learning


2. Daniel K's Learning House


3. Clare's Collage


4. Samuel's Work Gallery


5. Jun's Profile


6. Penny's Work Cemetery


7. Christie's Happily Ever After Learning Cemetery


8. Emma's Gallery of Achievements


9. Nicky's Collage of Learning


10. Amelia's Work Cemetary


11. Kate's Universe of Learning


12. Elise's World of Learning!


13. Anna's Mosaic


14. You bin's Learning Album


15. Nick's Past Tense Achievements


16. Joe's Work Cemetery


17. Sheldon's PROWED Learning


18. Yein's Memories From Learning


19. Cassie's Work Cemetery


20. Matt's Past Tense Achievements


21. Sam's Learning-go-round


22. Ju's Learning Cemetery


23. Daniel's Official Blog


24. Bertie's Galaxy of Learning


25. Lucy's Works of Art


26. Jason's Magic Learning


27. Naomi's Memories


28. Alvin's Work Cemetery

HTML Tips - Formatting text and linking

HTML is the language of the internet. Everyone in Team 14 will need to learn some HTML in order to implement their online portfolio (or learning profile, or whatever you are calling it!).

Refer to this blog post for help on writing HTML so you can do the following things:

1. Change the format of text - e.g. bolding, italicising text.


2. Put a hyperlink in your blog posts. Have a play with this tutorial here.


3. Making lists with numbers or bullet points (just like this list).


4. Making tables within your blog posts.

Have a go at formatting your HTML within your blog posts, it is fun, simple and can make your writing even more effective!

Del.icio.us

This is an online tool for collecting, organising and sharing web site addresses. I suggest everyone in Team 14 should have their own del.icio.us account. Click on any of the words below to be taken to that list of links - some might be useful to you! The larger words have more links in that set.

Here are my tags on del.icio.us:

Great tools 4 kids

Here is a list of great tools for kids, all of which can help your learning in some way:

Dictionary & Thesaurus tools - finding words, correcting words, synonyms and antonyms, meanings, etc.
del.icio.us - for organising web site URLs you find.
wikispaces.com - for building a shared web site with others. Wiki is an interesting word which you can find out more about by reading this article.

Brilliant tool to help you

Today I found a web site that helps you to remember and organise the good web sites you find. It's called del.icio.us which is a play on words.

I'd recommend everyone in Team 14 creates their own del.icio.us account and learns how to use this handy tool for organising their web site URLs.

You can even subscribe to other peoples' del.icio.us accounts if they have similar interests to you - this could be handy for research.

Word Power Tools

Following are some tools which everyone can use to help them build word power. Each of these web sites will open in a new window. Click the hyperlink below to go straight to the tool you want to use:

The Visual Thesaurus - this tool helps find different parts of speech (e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.) as well as synonyms and antonyms. Team 14 have a class account. Email Rob/Claire if you have forgotten how to log in to this handy and fun tool.

Dictionary.com - this tool is a free online service which is good for quickly finding spellings and meanings of words.

Thesaurus.com - this is the thesaurus edition of dictionary.com. This tool is good for quickly finding meanings as well as synonums and antonyms of words.

Tools 4 Kids inside the Team 14 intranet. Check out the Spelling Tools area. We've made this conference available via the web so anyone reading this can download and print spelling strategies and ideas.

Learn to use a thesaurus and a dictionary properly - they are essential tools to helping you develop better word choices in your writing. Nothing replaces a good old dictionary or thesaurus when they are right at your finger tips!