A Day in the Life of a Teen 2026 Storyboard by katieschnabel

A Day in the Life of a Teen 2026 Storyboard by katieschnabel

Blog Scaffold: Step 1

This kind of blog is the kind that I use at the very beginning of the year.  I will frequently go to it during class as well.  I will have the students bookmark my blog on their Chromebooks so they can easily access it.  The first step is getting them to check my blog regularly and see its value.

Hello!

In science, we continued talking about Classification and began practicing how to use Taxonomic Keys. They are kind of fun:)

A couple tips when using Taxonomic Keys:

1). Always start at the top and start over each time

2). Follow the directions and go to where it tells you

3). Cross off the organisms you use as you go

Homework:  Smiley Face Taxonomic Key (extension activity is extra credit)

**Extra Credit Opportunity***

For the following organisms, create your own taxonomic key.  Come up with the Genus of all the organisms and help to figure out the Species names.  (Remember that the Genus is always upper cased, and the species is always lower cased.  Submit it for extra credit.

Thanks for checking in:)

Blog Scaffold: Step 2

In this blog, I will offer up a discussion question that is not necessarily content related, but asking their opinion about something that they can easily relate to.  Then, I will have them comment to the question on the blog.  This is building off of their usual check-ins to the blog.

In science, we turned in our books!  We are starting a new unit and it is not in our books.  We will be getting a different book in the next week or so that we will use to finish out the year.

We are beginning to talk about Classification why scientists classify things.  We related that to our own lives and how we classify things all the time to make our lives easier.  For homework, the students have to think up a place in their home that they classify things (Their kitchen cabinets, their phone, their dresser drawers, their closet, the garage, etc).  They need to draw, label and color this area on a piece of paper.  They started it in class, but will need to finish it as homework.)

***What are your thoughts on cell phone use in school? Useful or Distraction? Add your comment to the blog****

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Blog Scaffold: Step 3

As the students get more comfortable with the blogging process and the way that I structure my blog,  I will post videos and homework questions for them to answer as comments to the blog.  This allows them to reflect on the information that we have been working on in class as well as see what others in the class have written.  In class, I will model what a proper response looks like.

Science Homework:
Please watch the following video and answer the questions in COMPLETE sentences as a comment to the video.

1.  Do you think that it was a good idea to reintroduce wolves into Yellowstone National Park?  Using evidence from the video, explain why or why not.

2.  What was the author's purpose in making this video?

Thanks for checking in:)

Blog Scaffold: Step 4

In this blog post, I will ask them a question that they will have to answer.  Then, I want them to respond to other comments.  In order for this to run smoothly, there will need to be some modeling to show them how to respectfully and meaningfully respond to their classmates' comments.  However, as previously mentioned, I will have been commenting on their comments already, so that will serve as a great example for how to interact via blog.  

Dolly

Hello everyone!

As we continue talking about DNA, I can't help but mention the idea of cloning.  With all the technology and research that is being done with chromosomes, genetically altered food and animals, and the cloning of organs, my mind brings me to the controversy of Cloning.  

Homework

1.  What is cloning?

2.  What are your thoughts about cloning? Do you have any fears?

3.  Respectfully respond to two other students' comments.


****Extra Credit opportunity****
Find an interesting videoclip (no longer than 5 minutes) about DNA, cloning, etc.  Paste the link in your post.

Thanks for checking in:)

Blog Scaffold: Step 5

This last type of blog post will send the students on their way to making their own blog!  We will take some class time to get them logged in and pick a title of their blog.  The rest is up to them.   They have all the tools they need to conduct their own blogs, however as the facilitator I will still participate in their comments and monitor their posts. The five types of blogs that I have given as examples are not meant to be used in 5 consecutive days.  Instead, each step should be modeled and practiced with feedback given. 

I will continue to use my blog as it is a great tool to output information and spark conversation, however, it will take on a new form since the students have their own blogs as well. 

Hi everyone!

Using the skills that we have learned, create your own blog!  Begin with talking about what we are talking about in class, however, I am always interested to hear about current events and what you all deem important.  Remember it is ok to add images, videos, and to edit old posts.  

Homework:  Work on blog

Thanks for checking in:)