fig. 1
fig. 2
Mr. G's Science classes!
6th grade Science
Water Quality and Energy, Machines, and Motion
7th and 8th grade Science
Earth Science!
Mr. G's web resources!
at educatoral.com
Welcome to a 21st century Science classroom! In this class students blog their homework assignments.
Students even have the choice to glog their assignments!
Blogging to Learn
mrgonzalez.org 
is the place to go to blog in Mr. G's Science classes. 
That is the portal to all his student's blogs
Why Blog???
We live in a connected world. People do business on their phones. People stay in touch through their phones. People get their news on their phones. 
And who are people listening to? Other people! Regular people are publishing information that is being read and commented on by regular people. You don't have to watch the news to get the news. Twitter helps people get their news fast, as it happens, from regular people all over the world.
People, ordinary people, publishing their thoughts through blogs, sharing information.
Regular school assignments are read by the teacher.
That's it. I give feedback and a grade.
When pigs fly! Right?
If students do Powerpoint presentations then they 
can get feedback from their peers as well as the teacher.
That's much better.
But now imagine, students write responses to questions but instead 
of handing in a piece of paper they type up a blog. Now not only can 
the teacher read it, not only can their classmates read it, but students  
in other classes and students around their world can read it. And what's 
even better, anyone who reads the blog can add a comment. Now they
get feedback from more than just their teacher. That's 21st century!
This is what I want for my students.
I want to take what they are already used
to doing, talking to each other digitally, 
and harness that energy and excitement
about the Science topics we are learning. 
I want my students to see that what they 
do for fun is also for learning. Learning is, 
after all, fun. Otherwise who would want 
to be a life-long learner?
The 50ft mouse is the smart phone
in your students pocket, or hands actually,
it's the computer, the laptop, the iPod Touch,
or the iPad!
So that's why I have students blog
their Science homework. I want them 
to text it if they want. Whatever it 
takes to get them writing about Science
and better yet, sharing and connecting
over Science. Why not?
Some might ask why I have my students blog. Why blog?
This is a sample student blog.
They really make it their own.