Create Your Own Unique Theme Blog... Mine Is WINTER

Today's assignment is very open-ended. Create a blog where you embed or post two things that have the same theme, mood, or focus. You can choose pictures, videos, games, music or links to sites. You can also use poems, articles, jokes, stories, lyrics- you name it. You have a lot of freedom, so be creative... and school appropriate.

The title of your blog should be whatever your theme is. Briefly explain what you've selected and why. Here's my sample:

I’ve chosen WINTER. My two items are a music video for a song called “This Year” and a snowball game (and no, I'm not good at it). Watch the video, play the game and press refresh/reload when you’re done (that will make it be quiet). You can find games here if you are interested in embedding one in your blog.

Happy Holidays

Let’s take some time to look at holiday ads. This site has the ten that are supposedly the best of the season: click here.

Also, these are companies and ad agencies that made holiday ads every year. Go to their sites, view their ads and see if there are any ads that you like. Here's a good list:


RETAILER AGENCY
Walmart Martin Agency
Target Wieden & Kennedy
Best Buy Crispin Porter & Bogusky
Gap Crispin Porter & Bogusky
Macy's JWT
Old Navy Crispin Porter & Bogusky
Kmart DraftFCB
Sears Y&R
Hallmark Leo Burnett
Kohl's McCann Erickson



Last, check out this ad that talks about the holidays not being about religion. (If you click on the picture, there's more about their on their website.


In your blog, embed or describe a holiday ad that you like and say why you like it.
Say what stores you think of when you think of holiday shopping.
Say what you think of the holidays being associated with gift giving.
Also, say what you think about the holidays not being religious.

There is no sample today.
Good luck...and...happy holiday!

Are You Offended?

Take a look at this website. It has quite a few magazine covers considered offensive by some. (You can also read the comments at the end to see some other ones.)

Select three that interest you and read the text above the cover. Copy the image, put it on your blog, and below it, answer the following questions. Repeat 3 times.

Who would (or did) find this cover offensive?

Who would not (or did not) find this cover offensive?

Do you think this cover is offensive? Why or why not?

Call your blog "Offensive."

Special Interests

Go here and scroll through the list of magazines.

Click on several, the links will take you to the Wikapedia site, which will probably have a link to the magazine’s site. Visit the website for five magazines that interest you.

Then create a blog that does the following for three of the magazines:

**Link to the magazine home page
**Tell at least one fact you learned about the magazine (from the Wikapedia entry)
**Summarize and link to one article that you enjoyed
**You can put a picture if you want- this is optional.

(do this 3 times… here’s my sample)

I really like the magazine called Mental Floss

From Wikapedia, I learned that the magazine was founded by two people who were students at Duke University. I also learned that the magazine has a section called “Scatter Brained.”

One of the best articles is about the top ten strangest unclaimed pieces of luggage. I learned that there is an unclaimed luggage museum and in it are a violin from the 1770s and a shrunken head. You can click here to see the other things.

You're A Star

In this picture, Ben appears tough, strong, confident, and knowledgeable about martial arts. He looks like an expert, one to be admired. The techniques that make Ben appear this way include having his fist forefront and his serious facial expression. The red top and bottom borders are bold and strong too.




In this picture, Ben looks young, sweet, curious, adorable, and cuddly. The techniques that make him look this way are the sweet look on his face, the word "adorable" above him, and the bright colors on the cover.

________________________________________________________
Today we’re going to work with a picture (or two) of you in order to make you appear a certain way. You’ll use one (or both) of the sites below to create two magazine covers featuring yourself.

Once you create a magazine cover of yourself, complete the following sentences:
*On this cover I appear… (describe how we are supposed to perceive you) *The techniques that make people perceive me this way are… (write at least four)

Then Repeat.

Click on the “Get Started For Free Now” icon to make the site work.

For this one, upload picture then select a magazine...

Photo Impressions

Find 2 photos of the same person, looking very different and put them on your blog (side by side if you can).

Answer these questions:
---“What lifestyles, values and points of view are represented or omitted in this message?”

---What techniques are used to attract my attention.”

What Are They Talking About?

Go to teenink.com

Read several things posted on that sight- anything you like: song lyrics, movie reviews, opinion pieces-whatever. You can select artwork also, but only one of your posted links can be visual art. Select three things that you like and do the following:
1) Copy the link to the publication and put it on your blog.
2) Write at least three sentences encouraging others to read the work.
3) Post a comment on the teen ink site and tell each author what you liked in their writing, also tell the author that you’ve posted a link to their writing on your blog and give them the link to your blog.

Then, say what you liked about the site overall...
...AND... answer this question:
If you had to post something on teenink, what would it be?

Here’s a sample of what your blog should look like:
About An Essay---
This is a wonderful essay about personal struggle, values, knowledge and the process of learning. I really like the title and the use of quote at the end; both are effectively and beautifully used. The bonus connection for me was the artwork done by an Oregon artist! I’d recommend this essay to anyone experiencing writer’s block!

Change---
Timothy M.’s discussion of The Metamorphosis had a clear focus on change and how it affects family. I appreciate that idea because my family is undergoing big changes right now, I can relate. This review is

Cats---
I liked this short poem because it was not about love, it was about a cat. That was a refreshing topic for me. I forgot how much teenagers write about love. Go cat go!

**I like teenink because there is so much to read and all of it seems very real and well done.

**If I had to post something, I'd probably post some song lyrics because they can be totally random and that's how I'm feeling.