What should I write on B5? Where should I write it?

There are two things that students can write on B5: diaries, and comments. They are each a little bit different, so you should think about what kind of writing you want to post to B5.

Comments are usually short and quick. You can use comments to respond to another user's writing. Many comments together make a discussion, like this.

You don't have to make a new Diary to respond to your friend's diary, just look for the link that says "Post a Comment". You will find this link at the bottom of every Diary and Story. You might have to go all the way to the bottom of the page to find the link.

You can also attach a comment to another comment. Click on the link that says "Reply to this". It works just like e-mail, so use a subject/title line. Your comment will come after the first comment. They will be connected, so they are easy to find. Many comments together can be read by other users as a conversation.

Diaries

Everyone gets a Diary. You can write anything you like, and it goes to the top of the Diary page. Remember, the Diary page is for everyone. You might a special person to read your Diary, but you don't need to address it like a letter. Use a title that describes the content of your Diary, not "To Ted!"

Use a new Diary to start a new idea or a new discussion. Once you "Post" your Diary, you can't change it. If you made a mistake, don't worry! Many Diaries come in every week, so soon yours will go to the bottom of the list, and nobody will see your mistake.

Stories

Stories are different from Diaries. Teachers can use Stories to start discussion about these things:

• Culture: books, movies, ideas, and society
• Leisure: travel, hobbies, or sports
• Ask B5: Do you want to ask someone's opinion, or ask for help?
• Etc: Something else?
• News: News is news!
• Quick Links: About an interesting website.