1. Blogs
And how to make them!

2. Aims of today!
• How to set up your blog
• How to write a post
• How to insert a picture

3. What is a blog?
• A blog is the abbreviation for the words ‘web - log’.
• They function as a website.
• Most blogs provide commentary on a particular
subject, or act as a diary.
• A typical blog can contain text, images, audio and
links to other blogs and websites.
• Most importantly, readers can leave comments,
making the blog interactive. People can subscribe
to your blog, kind of like a magazine subscription.

4. What to use blogging for….
• Blogs can be used in wide range of contexts.
• Simply as a diary for your class.
• As a homework tool.
• As a communication between the community.
• Have a look at some of these blogs and websites for
some great ideas: http://kdivens.edublogs.org,
http://edublogs.org/ (10 great ways to use your blog)
http://codex.wordpress.org/Introduction_to_Blogging

5. To begin (if you want to use
blogtown)….
• Log onto blogtown
website…http://blogtown.co.nz/ (today
this is doen for you)
• Login or register……
• You will then need to click next to your
blog name ‘Admin page’

6. The dashboard:

7. Design
• The first step is to select what design you
want for your blog.
• To do this select ‘appearance’ from the left
hand menu and then choose ‘themes’.
• Some themes allow you to personalise your
blog further by including photographs. If you
want to add a photograph to your blog, you
can do so once you have selected your
theme.

8. Writing a post
• Select the ‘write’ tab.
• Write the title for your blog.
• Write your entry. It is best not to cut and
paste as this can confuse the site.

9. Adding an image
• Before you start doing this, we need to open
a programme on your computer to enable you
to shrink the file size of the photographs.
• Open your internet - enter
http://www.resize.it/ into the tool bar.
• (cntrl + click to right click on a mac)
• This will enable you to store more images
onto your blog.

10. Adding an image continued
• O.K. So, you have your image saved on
your desktop, next back to your blog.
• Just above the ‘posts’ page is a small
grey box - click here and follow the
instructions. You may need to edit your
photo, this is possible from here too.

11. Visit the Site
• Do this often as you can whilst you write
and make your blog. You will see what
it looks like, and how the children and
parents will find navigating their way
around it.

12. Finally….
• It really is up to you how/if you use it! We
have links to our blogs on our school website
to enable the teachers to publish their own
class information.
• You can make it as interactive as you like and
don’t forget - the children can write the posts
for you.
• The more you use it, the easier it becomes to
navigate and the more ideas you will invent.