Basic wiki

Basic Wiki

Jacqui Sharp updated January 2014

Go to http://www.wikispaces.com/ Click on ‘I’m a Teacher’

Choose a usernameType in a PasswordType in your email, click Join

Join Wikispaces

Go to your email and confirm your wikispace account

Confirm your email

me

me@gmail.com

Create a New wiki

Go back to your wikiClick on New WikiChoose your industry (K12)Click Continue

New Wiki

Type in a wiki name with no spacesFill in school, city, state and postal codeClick Create

Be creative with your name, don’t call it after your room number. This wiki is your resource that will move with you when you change schools.

Change to a Basic Wiki

Click on SettingsClick on GeneralClick on Basic WebsiteClick on Save

Themes and Colors

Click on Themes and ColorsI recommend FlexFluid because you can customize up to 3 colours on the Page

You can go back and change your theme at any time

Customize the colorsChoose a theme color and click Preview and Customize.Click in the Background box, then drag the circle around to a different color.Drag the circle in the square to the tone you want.Repeat with Header/Footer and Sidebar and Links if needed.Click Preview to see it, Apply when it is ready.

Change your Logo

Click on Logo

You can use any GIF, JPEG or PNG graphic.Click on Choose File, find file on your hardrive and click.

Flaming Text http://flamingtext.com/

Flaming Text has approximately 315 different graphic styles to choose from.Choose a style by Clicking on it

Flaming TextUsing proper punctuation type in the name of your site. You may need to slide the slider to change font size down.If you click on Logo tab, you can change colors.You must go to Background and make the Logo transparent or you could end up with a white box behind your logo.Click Create Logo

Flaming Text

Click Personal UseClick Download Click Save Image (don’t open)

Change your Logo on wiki

Go back to your wikiClick on Logo

Click on Choose File, find file on your hardrive and click Choose (it will be in your Downloads folder)Click Save.

If the logo is too big for your wiki then go back to where you left Flaming Text, click Edit Logo and make the font size smaller. Create logo again and download again.

Set up your pages

Click on ‘Edit Navigation’Click on ‘Edit Navigation Page’.

Delete the ‘Include Navigation’ box

Set up PagesGo to Link ButtonClick in Page NameType in ‘home’ with lowercase letters, click on the blue link.Click Add Link

Repeat steps to add more pages but they can start with a capital letter.

Some of the pages you might like to have are Reading, Writing, Maths, Topic, Photos, Calendar, Homework, Alphabet, Phonics etc

Set up Pages

Make changes to the size, font and color of your Page names. You will need to change each page name one at a time. Click Save when finished.

Home Page

Click on the ‘home’ page link. You will not see any editing links yet.

Click on the Show Wiki Controls button.

Wiki Controls button

Now you can see your Settings button (if you want to go and change wiki colors or logo.

And you can see your ‘Editing’ buttons

Click on Edit to edit the page

Edit Page

This is where you can write your welcome message. Delete the wiki welcome message.You might add some photos of interesting corners or centres that you have in your classroom.

Add some maths sites

To start off you can copy some of my maths sites from my maths wiki to your maths page on your wiki.Go to http://mathsandelearning.wikispaces.com find a page with resources. Click and drag over the page and then press Ctrl (Command) C for copy

Add some maths sitesGo to your maths pageClick EditPress Ctrl (Command) V to paste.Before you go and click Save, you need to make a couple of changes to every picture.

Click on the - or the + button to increase/decrease size once. If you don’t do this, every picture will be gigantic and will take you forever to resize

Click on the Remove to remove the caption (which is the picture file name)

Add a Picture Link

Take a screen capture of the game● Mac (Shift -Command-4) click and drag

around picture, it will go to your desktop● Win (Search for Snipping Tool), click and

drag around picture and click Save. You can choose where to save

Go back to game website and take a copy of the Internet address

Add a Picture Link

Go back to your wiki. Click Edit on the page.Click on the Table iconMake a 3x2 tableGo to File buttonClick on Upload FilesFind the screen capture and select itWait until the picture appears in the files listClick ONCE on the File

Add a Picture Link

Click Add Link

Click on Web AddressPaste in LinkClick on New WindowClick Add Link

Add a Text Link

Add textHighlight the words to be linked.Click on the Link buttonClick on Web AddressPaste in LinkClick on New WindowClick Add LinkClick Save when finished.

Make Wiki public

You may have noticed that wikis are asking you to verify your account. If you don't your wiki will be Private and people will be only able to view it if they are invited by email. It is a one off cost of $1.00 that you pay through Google Wallet. You need to have a Google account to finish the verification process. Click on Verify Your Account and follow instructions.

If you do not have a Google account and/or you object to paying the $1 online, then you can email wikispaces at their support page and ask them to consider making your wiki public so that you can use it with your students and that you are not comfortable paying $1 online. I have found them to be very accommodating to teachers. It might take up to 24 hours.

Once you receive your email from wikispaces to say you are verified you will need to make your wikis public. Go to your wiki. Click on Manage Wiki - Permissions.Click on Protected which will make your wiki 'Public' but only you can edit. Click Update.

How can you share your wiki with your students?

Click on your Home PageGo to the internet URL at the top of the page.Copy that URL and share with students