Welcome to Blogging 2024!

 Staten Island Technical HS Ms. Fusaro, Instructor
Mr. Erlenwein, Principal A Guide for Blogging 2024

Dear Class of 2024!

Welcome to Blogging with Ms. Fusaro!

I am very excited to have you here as I was the first teacher to start student blogging at Staten Island Tech (take a look at our published history).  You will become a part of a time-honored tradition in the "Gods, Monsters, and the Apocalypse" classroom.

Below, is everything you need to know about blogging for this school year.  (Which you can also find on our school syllabus.)

GOOGLE SHEETS VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ZRq1iE21tR8 

LINK: https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/ 

Technical Requirements of the Blog

• One student per class, per day, will be responsible for blogging.  Blogs are expected to be posted by 7:00 a.m. on their respective due date.  (For example: John Doe is in Period 7.  If his blog date is November 8th, he must have the completed blog PUBLISHED by 7:00 a.m. on November 8th.  This means that John will need to get his blog to the Blog Wizard in enough time for the Blog Wizard to post the blog on November 8th, 7:00 a.m.]
• The title of the blog should include:
• Student's full name, class period, and DUE DATE.  (For example: John Doe, Period 7, 11/8/23).
• Students MUST LABEL their blog with “Modern Mythology 2024.”
• Students are responsible for keeping track of when it is their time to blog by completing the Blogger Sheet.
• Blogs will be published on the World Wide Web, so we must practice digital citizenship and remember that our audience is GLOBAL, so our tone is FORMAL.
• If using any sources other than your own mind, use MLA-style citations. 
• How to make sure your blog is formatted correctly.

What should the blog content include?

• Pick ONE category and respond to all of the questions related to that category. Blog categories cannot be repeated except for Literature Circle.
• Please note that these choices are all linked to our POWER STANDARDS. If you have a different idea, be sure it applies to the Learning Targets of our Power Standards.
• Literacy & Learning
• Write about your thoughts/feelings regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class.
• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.
• How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?
• Literature Circle - Modern Myths
• Choose one of the selected texts to read.
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 
• The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec 
• A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
• Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
• Write max of two blogs about the book (halfway and upon completion).
• Do NOT summarize the text.  You may:
• Reflect on how this book applies to what you have learned in class, such as how it influences/changes/enhances your understanding of the topic.
• Give a reactionary playbook, either chapter by chapter, scene by scene, or event by event (whatever is appropriate for that particular text), describing YOUR reactions and feelings to what is happening and why YOU’RE feeling the way you are.
• Critique the text through a critical theory analysis.
• Research Paper
• Consider any topic we have covered in class to write an informational research paper related to some modern discoveries around it.
• How does our study of folklore contribute and/or connect to this new discovery?
• Socio-political Consciousness
• CHOOSE a topic below and discuss your thoughts and feelings:
• Current topics around inequity, oppression, and/or power.
• Current events that incite strong feelings in you.
• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

When Do I Blog?

• Please refer to the Google Sheets Blog Date List to know your precise due date.
• Please see the course contract for the policy around lateness.

Sample of Excellent Blogs (They had different requirements)

• https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/2023/05/mars-reynoso-period-2-51123.html 
• https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/2022/04/selina-zheng-period-1-04-01-22.html 
• https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/2022/03/stella-vayner-period-7-32922.html 
• https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/2022/03/talha-gondal-period-1-02282022.html 
• https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/2022/02/nicole-duran-period-1-02162022.html 

What does your blog grade mean?
To achieve MASTERY, you must have written an in-depth piece that was beautiful, moving, meaningful, and on time.

Blog Revisions & Reflections
Blogs will receive a mastery grade within 7 days of publication based on the rubric above.
Blogs may be revised, edited, and updated if the student would like an opportunity to improve his/her grade. IF the student does opt for a revision, he/she/they MUST EMAIL ME with a direct link to the published blog to inform and notify me to check the blog again.

Academic Honesty
Absolutely any sort of plagiarism, use of artificial intelligence (Chat GPT, Bard, etc.), colluding, copying, or any other form of academic dishonesty will result in the highest possible consequences as well as banning from being publicly published.

Welcome to Class Blogging 2023!

Welcome to Ms. Fusaro's Class Blog!  I am excited to have you join in on this year-long journey of development and growth.  Each year the requirements are slightly different, so please be sure to read carefully for your particular year.

Technical Requirements of the Blog

• One student per class, per day, will be responsible for blogging.  Blogs are expected to be posted by 7:00am on their respective due date.  (For example: John Doe is in Period 7.  If his blog date is November 8th, he must have the completed blog PUBLISHED by 7:00am on November 8th.  This means that John will need to get his blog to the Blog Wizard in enough time for the Blog Wizard to post the blog on November 8th, 7:00am.]
• Title of the blog should include:
• Student's full name, class period, and DUE DATE.  (For example: John Doe, Period 7, 11/8/22).
• Students MUST LABEL their blog with “Modern Mythology 2023.”
• Students are responsible for keeping track of when it is their time to blog by completing the Blogger Sheet.
• Blogs will be published on the world wide web, so we must practice digital citizenship and remember that our audience is GLOBAL, so our tone is FORMAL.
• How to make sure your blog is formatted correctly.

What should the blog content include?    

• Pick ONE category and respond to all of the questions related to that category. Blog categories cannot be repeated except for Literature Circle.
• Please note that these choices are all linked to our POWER STANDARDS. If you have a different idea, be sure it applies to the Learning Targets of our Power Standards.

Literacy & Learning

• Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class.
• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.
• How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

Literature Circle - TWO BLOGS  (2023)

• Choose one of the texts to read, partner up with other students who are also reading the book (can be across classes).
• Write two blogs - one during your reading and one after you’ve completed the novel.
• **Please speak to Ms. Fusaro about topic ideas.

Atomic Habits & Growth

• At this current point in time, what specific standards have you set  for yourself? 
• How and why did you come to craft these standards? 
• How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving these standards?
• How do you assess yourself?  What adjustments do you make? How often?

Socio-political Consciousness

• What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?
• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Creativity & Fiction

• Craft a piece of FAN fiction related to any of the reading we’ve done in class that addresses one or more of the following: 
• Literary elements (i.e. structure, tone, diction, mood, irony, and figurative language) to craft a narrative.
• Structural features of drama (stage directions, character attributions/tags, dialogue, monologues, and/or soliloquies) to craft a script.
• Multidimensional characters to develop themes and create socio-political metaphors.

When Do I Blog?

Please refer to the Google Sheets Blog Date List. (This is on your syllabus.)

Sample of Excellent Blogs (They had different requirements)

• https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/2022/04/selina-zheng-period-1-04-01-22.html 
• https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/2022/03/stella-vayner-period-7-32922.html 
• https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/2022/03/talha-gondal-period-1-02282022.html 
• https://msfusarostudent.blogspot.com/2022/02/nicole-duran-period-1-02162022.html 

What does your blog grade mean?

• MASTERY (MAS): Great work, you nailed it! You covered an amazing multimedia summary of what happened in class using a clear, easy-to-read format. Most importantly, you absolutely included fantastic reflection which addresses all three main questions with depth beyond the classroom.
• APPROACHING (APP): Your summary got the general gist of what happened in class, but could definitely use some elaboration OR your formatting is not aesthetic OR your reflection may be basic (such as just reflecting on how it can be applied in your schooling instead of the real world). 
• DEVELOPING (DEV):  You probably didn’t include a reflective aspect at all or your summary was so minimal it was hard to have any idea what happened in class.
• NOT YET (NY):  Incredibly basic and/or the tone was rude, offensive, or inappropriate for a school, public blog.
• M: No blog written on your assignment day.

Blog Revisions & Reflections

• Blogs will receive a mastery grade within 7 days of publication based on the rubric above.
• Blogs may be revised, edited, and updated if the student would like an opportunity to improve his/her grade. IF the student does opt for a revision, he/she MUST EMAIL ME with a direct link to the published blog to inform and notify me to check the blog again.

Welcome to Ms. Fusaro's Class Blogging 2022!

 

Dear Students and Families,

I am so excited to welcome you to my 2021 classroom blogging initiative! Student blogging has an important role in our classroom because each student will function as a "scribe" and be responsible for group learning.

We had a great deal of success with posting blogs in from 2018 and beyond. 

Goals:

• To become effective global communicators.
• To have every voice speak with the same volume.
• To summarize and reflect upon each day's lesson.
• To become responsible digital citizens.
• To become creators of information.

Technical Requirements of the Blog

• One student per class, per day, will be responsible for blogging.  Blogs are expected to be posted by 7:00am on their respective due date.  (For example: John Doe is in Period 7.  If his blog date is November 8th, he must have the completed blog PUBLISHED by 7:00am on November 8th.  This means that John will need to get his blog to the Blog Wizard in enough time for the Blog Wizard to post the blog on November 8th, 7:00am.]

• Title of the blog should include:

• Student's full name, class period, date, and cycle letter.  (For example: John Doe, Period 7, 11/8/21).

• Please use the DUE DATE.

• Students MUST LABEL their blog with “Modern Mythology 2022.”

• Students are responsible for keeping track of when it is their time to blog by completing the Blogger Sheet.

• Students are to comment and respond to one another, including asking questions or asking for clarification.

• Blogs will be published on the world wide web, so we must practice digital citizenship and remember that our audience is GLOBAL, so our tone is FORMAL.

How to make sure your blog is formatted correctly.

What should the blog content include?

Pick ONE category and respond to all of the questions related to that category.

Please note that these choices are all linked to our POWER STANDARDS. If you have a different idea, be sure it applies to the Learning Targets of our Power Standards.

• Literacy & Learning
• Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.
• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.
• How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?
• Goal Setting & Growth
• At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why
• How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)
• How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)
• Socio-political Consciousness
• What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?
• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?
• Creativity & Fiction
• Craft a piece of fiction that addresses one or more of the following: 
• Literary elements (i.e. structure, tone, diction, mood, irony, and figurative language) to craft a narrative and/or poetry.
• Structural features of drama (stage directions, character attributions/tags, dialogue, monologues, and/or soliloquies) to craft a script.
• Multidimensional characters to develop themes and create socio-political metaphors.

When Do I Blog?
Please refer to the Google Sheets Blog Date List.

Sample of Excellent Blogs (They had different requirements)

• https://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2021/05/christian-sheherlis-period-5-5102021.html
• https://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2021/03/connor-campbell-period-2-32421-day-a.html
• https://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2021/03/elizabeth-vesialou-pd-2-3112021-day-a.html
• https://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2021/02/ayman-rddad-period-2-22621-day-a.html

What does your blog grade mean?

• MASTERY (MAX): Great work, you nailed it! You covered an amazing multimedia summary of what happened in class using a clear, easy-to-read format. Most importantly, you absolutely included fantastic reflection which addresses all three main questions with depth beyond the classroom.
• APPROACHING (APP): Your summary got the general gist of what happened in class, but could definitely use some elaboration OR your formatting is not aesthetic OR your reflection may be basic (such as just reflecting on how it can be applied in your schooling instead of the real world).
• DEVELOPING (DEV): You probably didn’t include a reflective aspect at all or your summary was so minimal it was hard to have any idea what happened in class.
• NOT YET (NY): Incredibly basic and/or the tone was rude, offensive, or inappropriate for a school, public blog.
• M: No blog written on your assignment day.

Blog Revisions and Reflections

• Blogs will receive a mastery grade within 7 days of publication based on the rubric above.
• Blogs may be revised, edited, and updated if the student would like an opportunity to improve his/her grade. IF the student does opt for a revision, he/she MUST EMAIL ME with a direct link to the published blog to inform and notify me to check the blog again.

How to Blog

Welcome to Ms. Fusaro's Class Blogging in 2021!

Dear Students and Families,

I am so excited to welcome you to my 2021 classroom blogging initiative! Student blogging has an important role in our classroom because each student will function as a "scribe" and be responsible for group learning.

We had a great deal of success with posting blogs in 2019 and 2020. 

Goals:

• To become effective global communicators.
• To have every voice speak with the same volume.
• To summarize and reflect upon each day's lesson.
• To become responsible digital citizens.
• To become creators of information.

Technical Requirements of the Blog

• THREE students per class, per cycle will be responsible for blogging. Blogs will be checked on the next cycle. (For example: John Doe is in Period 5, Day B. If Day B is September 17th and that is his turn to blog, his blog is due by September 22nd - the NEXT Day B.]
• Title of the blog should include:
• Student's full name, class period, date, and cycle letter. (For example: John Doe, Period 5, 9/17/20, Day B).
• Please use the date assigned, not date due.
• Students MUST LABEL their blog with “Modern Mythology 2021.”
• Students are responsible for keeping track of when it is their time to blog by completing the Blogger Sheet.
• Students are to comment and respond to one another, including asking questions or asking for clarification.
• Blogs will be published on the world wide web, so we must practice digital citizenship and remember that our audience is GLOBAL, so our tone is FORMAL.
• How to make sure your blog is formatted correctly.

What should the blog content include?

Pick ONE category and respond to all of the questions related to that category.

• Literacy & Learning
• Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.
• Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.
• How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?
• Goal Setting & Growth
• At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why
• How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)
• How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)
• Socio-political Consciousness
• What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?
• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?
• Creativity & Fiction
• Craft a piece of fiction that addresses one or more of the following: 
• Literary elements (i.e. structure, tone, diction, mood, irony, and figurative language) to craft a narrative and/or poetry.
• Structural features of drama (stage directions, character attributions/tags, dialogue, monologues, and/or soliloquies) to craft a script.
• Multidimensional characters to develop themes and create socio-political metaphors.

When Do I Blog?
Please refer to the Google Sheets Blog Date List.

Sample of Excellent Blogs (They had different requirements)

• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/sabrina-zhou-112719-period-2-blog-1.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/112719-edmund-yuen-pd-7.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/david-gao112619-macbeth-and-his.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/selena-zhong-112619-period-2-blog-1.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/112619-alicia-yu-32-period-7-modern.html

What does your blog grade mean?

• MASTERY (MAX): Great work, you nailed it! You covered an amazing multimedia summary of what happened in class using a clear, easy-to-read format. Most importantly, you absolutely included fantastic reflection which addresses all three main questions with depth beyond the classroom.
• APPROACHING (APP): Your summary got the general gist of what happened in class, but could definitely use some elaboration OR your formatting is not aesthetic OR your reflection may be basic (such as just reflecting on how it can be applied in your schooling instead of the real world).
• DEVELOPING (DEV): You probably didn’t include a reflective aspect at all or your summary was so minimal it was hard to have any idea what happened in class.
• NOT YET (NY): Incredibly basic and/or the tone was rude, offensive, or inappropriate for a school, public blog.
• M: No blog written on your assignment day.

Blog Revisions and Reflections

• Blogs will receive a mastery grade within 7 days of publication based on the rubric above.
• Blogs may be revised, edited, and updated if the student would like an opportunity to improve his/her grade. IF the student does opt for a revision, he/she MUST EMAIL ME with a direct link to the published blog to inform and notify me to check the blog again.

How to Blog

What Should the Blog Look Like?

What should the blog look like?
One student will be responsible for writing a blog each day which includes:

• The date
• Your FULL NAME and class period
• The aim
• Notes for the day
• MOST IMPORTANT:
• Student reflection of the day's lesson: 
• What did I learn?
• Why did I learn it?
• How will I use what I learned?
• Student's full name and blogger number

**Students MUST LABEL their blogs using (at least) one of the appropriate labels:

• Modern Mythology 2020
• Sophomores 2020
• Announcements

1. Students are responsible for keeping track of when it is his/her time to blog.
2. Students are to comment and respond to one another, including asking questions or asking for clarification.
3. Blogs will be published on the world wide web, so we must practice digital citizenship and remember that our audience GLOBAL, so our tone is FORMAL.

Sample Excellent Blogs

• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/sabrina-zhou-112719-period-2-blog-1.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/112719-edmund-yuen-pd-7.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/david-gao112619-macbeth-and-his.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/selena-zhong-112619-period-2-blog-1.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/112619-alicia-yu-32-period-7-modern.html
• http://msfusarosblog.blogspot.com/2020/01/13020-justin-lew-pd-2.html

What does your blog grade mean?

• MASTERY (MAX): Great work, you nailed it! You covered an amazing multi-media summary of what happened in class using a clear, easy-to-read format. Most importantly, you absolutely included fantastic reflection which addresses all three main questions with depth beyond the classroom.
• APPROACHING (APP): Your summary got the general gist of what happened in class, but could definitely use some elaboration OR your formatting is not aesthetic OR your reflection may be basic (such as just reflecting on how it can be applied in your schooling instead of the real world). 
• DEVELOPING (DEV):  You probably didn’t include a reflective aspect at all or your summary was so minimal it was hard to have any idea what happened in class.
• NOT YET (NY):  Incredibly basic and/or the tone was rude, offensive, or inappropriate for a school, public blog.
• M: No blog written on your assignment day.

Can I fix my blog grade?

• Blogs will receive a letter grade within 7 days of publication based on the rubric above.
• Blogs may be revised, edited, and updated if the student would like an opportunity to improve his/her grade. IF the student does opt for a revision, he/she MUST EMAIL ME with a direct link to the published blog to inform and notify me to check the blog again.

Welcome to Class Blogging 2020!

Dear Students and Families,

I am so excited to welcome you to my 2020 classroom blogging initiative! Student blogging has an important role in our classroom because each student will function as a "scribe" and be responsible for group learning.

We had a great deal of success with posting blogs in 2019. Check out our journey on YouTube:

Goals:

• To become effective global communicators.
• To have every voice speak with the same volume.
• To summarize and reflect upon each day's lesson.
• To become responsible digital citizens.
• To become creators of information.

Student Scribes:

• One student will be responsible for writing a blog each day which includes:
• The date
• Your FULL NAME and class period
• The aim
• Notes for the day
• MOST IMPORTANT:
• Student reflection of the day's lesson: 
• What did I learn?
• Why did I learn it?
• How will I use what I learned?
• Student's full name and blogger number
• **Students MUST LABEL their blogs using (at least) one of the appropriate labels:


• Modern Mythology 2020
• Sophomores 2020
• Announcements
• Students are responsible for keeping track of when it is his/her time to blog.
• Students are to comment and respond to one another, including asking questions or asking for clarification.
• Blogs will be published on the world wide web, so we must practice digital citizenship and remember that our audience GLOBAL, so our tone is FORMAL.

How Blogs are Graded:

• Blogs will receive a letter grade within 7 days of publication based on the rubric above.
• Blogs may be revised, edited, and updated if the student would like an opportunity to improve his/her grade. IF the student does opt for a revision, he/she MUST EMAIL ME with a direct link to the published blog to inform and notify me to check the blog again.

I look forward to a fun and productive school year!

Mrs. Fusaro-Pizzo

Sample Class Blog - Katharine Brush's "The Birthday Party" Lesson

September 21, 2018
Mrs. Fusaro-Pizzo, Blogger #A1
Sophomores, Period 7

Aim: How can we develop our close-reading skills through an analysis of Katharine Brush's "The Birthday Party"?

1. What is Close-Reading?
1. Close-reading consists of a line-by-line analysis of a passage. To be successful in close-reading means the reader must actively transact with the text - underline, circle, write notes in the margins (annotate). The reader must determine the purpose of word choice (diction), infer characterization and theme from clues, what the narrator feels about the subject (tone), the atmosphere (mood), as well interpret the meaning through studying the grammar and style (syntax).
2. Example:

We proceeded to read and annotate the rest of the story in small chunks, discussing each individual slide. We focused on diction, syntax, tone and how they all affect the characterization of the husband and wife. We concluded with also discussing the narrator and how he/she shifted his/her point-of-view to bring the reader into the observed conflict.

You can find the whole story here: 

http://www.sccollege.edu/Faculty/JIsbell/EnglishN60/Documents/BirthdayPartyK.Brush.doc

Link to Complete Lesson

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yrrt2r965oz3nsk/Fusaro-Pizzo%2C%20Kristen%20-%20Close%20Reading.pdf?dl=0

First Paragraph Analysis Example (by Ms. Fusaro)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uxpjjn7fsu9j8vd/brush%20sample%202.pdf?dl=0

Analysis (Student Samples)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uu8ory371ry9evs/birthday%20party%20lit%20examples001.pdf?dl=0

Welcome to Class Blogging!

Dear Students and Families,

I am so excited to welcome you to my classroom blogging initiative. Student blogging has an important role in our classroom because each student will function as a "scribe" and be responsible for group learning. 

Goals:

• To become effective global communicators.
• To have every voice speak with the same volume.
• To summarize and reflect upon each day's lesson.
• To become responsible digital citizens.
• To become creators of information.

Student Scribes:

• One student will be responsible for writing a blog each day which includes:
• The date
• The class name and class period
• The aim
• Notes for the day
• Student reflection of the day's lesson: How can something we learned today be applied outside of the classroom?
• Student's full name and blogger number
• **Students MUST LABEL their blogs using (at least) one of the appropriate labels:
• Modern Mythology 2019
• Sophomores 2019
• Announcements
• Students are responsible for keeping track of when it is his/her time to blog.
• Students are to comment and respond to one another, including asking questions or asking for clarification.
• Blogs will be published on the world wide web, so we must practice digital citizenship and remember that our audience is global.

I look forward to a fun and productive school year!

Mrs. Fusaro-Pizzo

Blogger #A1