Information for Teachers and Parents

Course Designers: Barb Rehmeyer and Tracy Hayslip, RSU 20 Technology Integrators, K-5. The course is designed so it can be monitored by the classroom teacher with or without support from Tech Integrators.

Contact Information: Email Tracy Hayslip, or call at one of the elementary schools.

Overview: Students will view online resources and participate in activities to learn about using the Internet safely and responsibly. Information about cyberbullying and how to deal with online harassment are provided. Students will be introduced to the topics priracy, copyright infringement, and downloading files. Students are asked to view websites and videos, create comics, and discuss Internet safety so they will learn what it means to be good digital citizens.

Course Policies:

Students will have a PBworks account in order to engage in online discussion.
Only student's first names (and sometimes last initial) will be used.
Students are expected to use appropriate language. Teachers will be reading and monitoring the assignments.
Have the same expectations for spelling, grammar and punctuation as for other writing in the classroom.
Students are expected to practice the online safety rules that are introduced in the course.

Prerequisites and Equipment Needed:

Students need to be entered as users of PBworks.
Students need access to a computer, preferably a Mac laptop with web browser, such as Safari or Firefox, but the desktop computers should also work. A reminder that in Safari, most webpage text can be set to be read aloud. (Highlight the text. Go to Safari>Services>Speech>Start speaking text.) Students and parents can also log on from home if their computer has a high-speed Internet connection and a web browser.
Since students will most likely be doing the activities simultaneously, they will need headphones for some activities.
Students are expected to know how to navigate websites with minimal assistance.
An alternative for some lessons could be for the teacher to have the whole class view the webpages together by connecting a computer to an LCD projector and project the image on a screen or SMART board.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Students:

Digital Citizenship

Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:

a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.

b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.

d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.

Class 1: Students will learn about Internet safety rules by viewing activities at NetSmartz.org <http://www.netsmartzkids.org>: What 2 do on the Web?, Meet the WizzyWigs, Who's Your Friend on the Internet, and Which WizzyWig is Which? quiz. After viewing the activities, students will participate in a class discussion question and ask questions about using the Internet safely. It would be ideal if class were to use a blog to take the place of a class discussion, as using technology tools is important aspect of the class.

Class 2: Students will watch a video "Tracking Teresa" <http://www.netsmartz.org/stories/teresa.htm> to understand why it is important for them to protect their personal information while online. After viewing the movie, students will design a text comic with a rule of their choice at MakeBeliefsComixs <http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/>. Additional resources are available for students to view about internet safety at OnGuardOnline <http://www.onguardonline.gov/videos/net-cetera-videos.aspx > and Kids Health <http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/internet_safety.html >. An alternative can be for kids to draw their cartoon using this Handout.

Class 3: Students will watch several videos. The first is about about cyberbullying entitled Talent Show which asks kids, "If you wouldn't say it in person, why say it online?" The second video is about what to do if you are being cyberbullied http://www.onguardonline.gov/videos/net-cetera-heads-up.aspx. The third teaches about Privacy and Digital Footprints (This is the parent and teacher version.) The last video is about online netiquette. Students then take a quiz to test their Net Smarts. Students are encouraged to take the quiz as many times as they wish.

Class 4: Students will learn about respecting others creative works, copyright law, and piracy -- the act of illegally downloading copyrighted games, music, videos, photographs, and software that has not been paid for. Most of this information comes from Common Sense Media and Respecting Creative Work.

Wrap Up: Students can print out an Internet Safety Pledge or Safety Web Agreement that they can take home and discuss with their parents.

Estimate of Student Workload: It is expected that students will be able to complete all activities for the session during one period. However, some students may need extra time, which students can do from either school or home. Students can participate in the blog explained in Session 1 at any time.

Grades: A checklist is provided for the comic strip, which includes self-evaluation as well as a teacher evaluation. Students are expected to participate in the online blog and reply to others. There are two quizzes - one quiz will be scored and printed to give to the teacher and the other is a video quiz to evaluate ethical behavior. Students are encouraged to take the quizzes over to improve their scores.

Citations

Images from:

"Clip Art Gallery." Discovery Education. 04 May 2008.

<http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart>.

"Pics4Learning." Tech4Learning. 04 May 2008.

<http://pics.tech4learning.com/>.

Based on similar class by Cheryl Oakes. Used with her permission.

Last Modified: Nov 01, 2011