"Do not ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman
Welcome back ladies! It's time to get back into blogging, starting with our next assignment, the "Odd Jobs" profile. What is that, exactly? Well, we all know some of the most common jobs that maybe we even dreamed of doing when we were younger: teacher, doctor, lawyer, firefighter, movie star, fashion designer, construction worker....
This assignment is a bit different. For this post, do a bit of research into a weird or unusual occupation, learn about it, and write about it. Have you ever considered, for example, being a drawbridge tender? How about a jelly donut filler, fingerprint analyzer, or a skyscraper window washer?
Guidelines for the assignment:
1. Identify the occupation
2. Give a description of the duties required of such a position (as specific as possible, where appropriate)
3. Find out the hourly wage or annual salary of such a position, if possible
4. Choose a photo or video to complement your writing
5. Outline two or three benefits and drawbacks of finding yourself in such a career
6. Tell your audience whether you would ever consider doing this job (or something similar) yourself
A creative writing style will enhance your post for the viewing audience. Use descriptive language and engaging words to grab the attention of the reader.
This is primarily a writing assignment. For this assignment, you will be highlighting someone whom you admire. This person could be famous, related to you, living or not living, etc. Choose a high quality photo of this person to include in your blog post if you have access to one.
Please include the following in your writing while you brainstorm this blog post:
- Who is the person you admire?
- Who are they, what is their "story," etc.?
- How do you know this person?
- What qualities does this person have that you admire? What qualities of this person do you wish you could exemplify?
- Has this person accomplished anything in their life that you are particularly proud of?
- (Include any other topics you'd like to write about that are related to the person you admire)
Please note that this post should NOT just be one large paragraph. Structure your writing as you would in an English class, with thoughts flowing from paragraph to paragraph.
Hi IP 10! Your next assigned blog post is your "dream travel destination." For this post, the following elements need to be included (but you are not limited to only these!):
- The name of your destination
- The cost of flying from Saskatoon to your destination at the time of the year you'd like to travel (you can search this on www.expedia.ca)
- At least 3-4 photos of your destination that appeal to you (touristy photos, landmarks, cultural or atmospheric photos, etc.)
- One YouTube video related to your dream travel destination
- A short list of tourist attractions available at your destination (do your research!)
- At least one well-written paragraph describing the appeal of this destination to you
- Any interesting facts about your destination
Remember to upload your photos before you start doing any text entry, as this will allow you to avoid any major formatting issues. Happy blogging!
The newest IP 10 blog assignment is to compile a list of things that you can do for fun. Sounds easy, right? The catch is, though, that your list has to include ONLY things that are FREE (or very inexpensive)! It's fun to brainstorm cheap entertainment ideas, and it might just open your eyes to how much there really is to do out there if you're broke. :o)
So, next time you heave a sigh on an idle Saturday afternoon, proclaiming dramatically, "There's NOTHING to do!" or "But I'm SO bored!", check out your classmates' blogs or refer to your own list of fun things to do without spending money.
Hi ladies! Yesterday we worked on embedding videos from YouTube to our blogs. Today we are going to learn how to post pictures.
When you post pictures to your blog, it is best to upload them first before you write any text. Insert the pictures, and THEN write your text AROUND the pictures.
Choose a minimum of 3 pictures to post to your blog. They can be related or unrelated; just choose 3 that you are interested in and can write something about. Save them to your desktop (or anywhere else on your computer that you will know where to retrieve from). In your blog posting box, click on the photo icon (between the spell check and the video reel icons). Upload your picture as you would an e-mail attachment. You can upload multiple photos at one time by clicking "Add another image."
Once you have added the images to your blog post, enter your text around them. Tell a story about the picture, explain the context around where the photo was taken, or tell your audience why it appeals to you. Your finished post should have 3 photos and sections of text.
Hi IP 10 (those in the classroom today and those reading this post from a remote location!) :o)
So far your blog should be updated with one introductory post, an edited template with your choice of backgrounds, fonts, colours, etc. and at least one countdown ticker from www.mycountdown.org.
Your next blog assignment is to find a video on YouTube (it MUST be school appropriate - not of a bullying nature, no inappropriate language, suggestive actions, skimpy dress, etc.). Once you have found the video you wish to embed on your blog, click on "Share" underneath the video. Click on "Embed" and uncheck the box underneath that says "Show suggested videos when the video finishes." Once you have done that, copy the HTML code that pops up in the box (using Apple (Command) + C on your keyboard, if you remember your keyboard shortcuts unit from a couple years ago!). Once you have copied the HTML code, you can go back to your blog to insert it.
Your blog posting box has two tabs on the top right corner. One says "Edit Html" and the other one, which you default to when you create a new post, says "Compose." Click "Edit Html" and paste the code that you just copied from YouTube. Once you have copied the code, click back to the "Compose" tab and you should see your video, or at least the box that it will play in once it loads.
Write a post describing why you chose this particular video, or highlighting some interesting information about the content of the video. For example:
This video highlights the experience of Equinox at Chichen Itza in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. The Mayans who built the ancient city of Chichen Itza were brilliant architects, astronomers, and mathematicians. Those who have studied the great pyramid of Kukulcan ("El Castillo") have discovered many interesting formulas in the number of steps on all sides of the pyramid, the shapes of the steps, and most interestingly, the way the shadows fall on the Equinox. As the sun sets on the Equinox, shadows are cast on the steps of El Castillo, forming the image of the serpent Kukulcan.
I was able to see the pyramid of Kukulcan when I went to Mexico at Easter of 2011, and while of course I wasn't able to see the shadows cast on El Castillo, I found the experience absolutely fascinating. There was also a lot of neat shopping at Chichen Itza as well. As you walked down a long dusty path to the palapa that sold water (which we needed often!) there were many tables set up and Mexican people selling clothing, jewelry, carvings, and other items.
I am planning to go back to Mexico at Easter of 2013, and another visit to Chichen Itza is on my itinerary!
1. Choose a background, template, layout, etc. that suits your tastes.
2. Edit the header font, colour, header background colour, etc. to personalize the look of your blog.
3. Create a post of your own choosing and publish it to your blog.
4. Go to www.mycountdown.org and choose something to count down to. Once you have created your countdown widget using that site, go back to your blog and embed it on one of your side panels. Your blog is starting to look more full and complete now!
