TeachersFirst: Internet Safety

Internet Safety:

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Hector's World Grade K to 5 - NetSafe - Internet Safety Group (New Zealand)- 8308

This attractive, interactive site includes online movies, complete lesson plans, and activities for teaching all about Internet Safety, for three levels of elementary students: preK-1, 2-3, and 4-5 (click on Learning Resources for the plans). "Episodes" of animated movies with sound and accompanying coloring book pages and activities make it easy to teach each of five lessons for your grade level. The audio and spelling are from new Zealand, so a quick geography lesson could be included for U.S. classrooms! Teach about protecting personal information, who to trust, how to handle uncomfortable situations, and getting help.

NOTE: You MUST disable your pop-up blocker for some portions of the site to work! See Tools>Pop up Blocker Settings to tell the computer to always allow pop-ups from this site. the entire site is done in Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.. This site is resource-rich and really needs a high speed connection and opens fairly slowly. Be patient.

In the Classroom:
The "episode" movies are perfect for a projector or interactive whiteboard and are ideally suited for follow-up discussion so students can connect to the content. Anyone can teach about Internet Safety with these free, easy-to-understand lessons. Include parents by sharing the link on your teacher web page or through building or class newsletters. If your building is interested in a comprehensive Internet Safety campaign (such as through the PTA/PTO), share an episode at meeting with parents and students, then encourage everyone to join in Hector's World both at home and school. Everything is ready to go.

Surf Swell Island Grade K to 6 - Disney.com- 9289

This colorful and engaging website explains Internet safety to younger students. There are four activities; Privacy Falls, Virus Cave, Temple of Tact, & Challenge of Doom . Come along with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and others as you answer various questions during the interactive Internet safety quiz. All answers are explained in a kid-friendly manner. There is also a teacher's guide (you must allow pop-ups to view the guide). The teacher's guide provides specific activities and lesson ideas for kindergartners, grades 1-3, and grades 4-6. There are some small pop-up style and sidebar advertisements at this website. But the annoyance is minimal, and the topic is pertinent. You could even talk about the ads as part of your lesson. The website does require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to teach your class about Internet safety any time or when you start on a research project using the Internet. The program doesn't "go on" unless you hit "continue." So take a few minutes after each question to discuss why something is okay or not okay online. Open another window to show actual examples of some of the topics discussed, as well. There are many other creative ideas at the Teacher's Guide link. For example, they suggest encouraging students to pretend they are on Surf Swell Island. and create a story about their adventures in cyber safety.

Internet Safety Poster Grade 3 to 12 - London Grid for Learning- 8307

This colorful, downloadable poster is written entirely in text-message language (aka chatspeak, txt, txtspk,txt talk, etc), so adults who do not know the lingo will puzzle figuring out the message. Click the blue download arrow to open the pdf file (Acrobat Reader required). Then let the students take the lead in translating for YOU.

In the Classroom:
The poster is ideal for your computer labs or even to send home to parents (electronically, of course). Share the link on your teacher web page. Start the conversation-- in real words-- to protect your students.

As part of an Internet Safety campaign, have students create their own txt message posters or PowerPoint slides using images from Flickr or other Creative Commons sites. Make it an exercise in SAFE activity to promote Internet Safety. If you can find money for a prize, make it a contest throughout your school.

Get Net Wise Grade K to 12 - Internet Education Foundation- 8269

This is a great compilation of information on internet safety, covering many hot topics including safety for your children, protecting your personal information, stopping unsolicited email, and keeping your computer safe. The section on Safety for Children is especially appropriate for parents of school age children and includes an Internet Safety Guide, Tools for Families, a place to report problem sites and occurrences, and further web sites for children. Computer literacy teachers and those responsible for teaching INternet safety in any course will find the information wuite helpful. Sections are divided by age-ranges so information is age-appropriate.

In the Classroom:
Share this site in your classroom newsletter or on your teacher web page to help parents protect their children, themselves, and their computers. Some of the safety information is directly aplicable in your classroom technology-based lessons, as well.

You may find some good tips for protecting your own home computer and children, too!

Internet Safety Education Foundation Grade 3 to 12 - - 4510

This site has extensive resources on internet safety for adults and students alike. Visit the Xblock section where kids and teens can become "i-mentors," helping their peers and adults to better understanding Internet safety or go to the iLearn section for tutorial modules for kids, parents, and even senior citizens. You have to join, but it is free. The site may be good for schools looking to develop rules and policies for safe classroom internet use. It also discusses some of the information sharing risks children should be aware of when using internet resources.

In the Classroom:
Share this resource with parents at open house or conferences. They will thank you for it!

ThinkUKnow Grade K to 12 - Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre- 9251

This timely website is a must-see if you are teaching computer and Internet safety. The site is divided into three age levels of activities: 5-7, 8-10, and 11-16. Students ages 5-7 get to meet Hector and take a tour and see interactive information about Internet safety. There are several interactive cartoons and other educational material. Students ages 8-10 meet Griff and his friends to learn how to stay safe while using email, cell phones, chat rooms, and other new technologies. Turn your sound on to listen to Hector and Griff explain safety on a young person’s level (and with charming British accents). The site for secondary students includes video clips, information, and more. All three sub-sites provide age-appropriate activities, with upbeat music and neat interactives. There are also links for parents and teachers. The teachers link features lesson plans to coincide with the cartoons and/or video clips. The lesson plans require membership (which is easy and free). Viewing the cartoons does not require membership. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Click on Parent and Teachers resources to access lesson plans and resources that teach alongside the Cyber Café. You must register to access these, but it is painless. Interact with the content of this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector with your entire class to generate a class discussion on this important topic.

NetSmartz Workshop Grade K to 12 - National Center for Missing & Exploited Children- 7434

Use this website to help students of all ages learn to be safe online and in the real world. Included are short video clips that are sure to catch the student’s interest along with plans for class discussions and activities. Activity cards and safety pledges are available in Spanish. Hint: turn off pop up blockers for some of the activities or games to work. Flash and Acrobat Reader are required. Get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
If you know you will be using the Internet during class or assigning it for outside work, consider sharing some of the safety lessons ahead of time using a projector, especially with elementary and middle school students. Secondary English, information literacy, or computer teachers should consider requiring teens to report on an Internet safety topic as a research project as you are trying to both teach and USE research skills. This site could be a good topic-finder and starting point.

Provide a link on your teacher web page to give parents a resource for talking about internet safety with their children at home. Bookmark this site on a classroom computer for students to visit when they have free time.

Wired Safety Grade 1 to 12 - Parry Aftab- 8539

No filtering will ever protect our students completely online. It is important to teach them to protect themselves, as well. Wired Safety is a compilation site about internet safety concerns and includes information for parents, teachers, librarians, and children. PDF printables for parents in Spanish and English make the information easy to share. A special Hot Topics section keeps the site up to date with subjects such as cyberbullying, MySpace, child pornography etc. A collection of lesson plans under the educator link offer resources and ideas for the classroom.

In the Classroom:
Some portions, such as the cyberbullying "quiz" are easy for students to complete on their own (on laptops or in a lab) and follow up with a discussion. Take some time to explore the various areas of this site so you'll know where to look when questions come up and can address internet safety every time you use computers at school, rather than as a separate "lesson." Share the printables with parents at open house or conferences.

Cyber Angels Grade 1 to 12 - Cyber Angels- 8460

This award-winning site focuses on Internet safety. Advertised as being the "the country's leading specialist on cyber crimes" (Boston Globe. March 10, 2000), the site offers downloadable guides of different levels for parents and students, training for schools, and a variety of information about how to protect oneself against cyber crime. There are downloadable student and parent Internet user agreements, brochures,and tip sheets. Some areas of the site are still being developed.

In the Classroom:
As you start any class activity that uses the Internet, refer to the basics you learn from this site. Even if your school "teaches" Internet safety in another class, YOU need to reinforce it every time you have students online so they realize the universal importance of safety principles -- even with older teens.

Include this site on your teacher web page for students and parents to access as a reference. Share the printables with parents at open house or conferences.

Combined Strategy for Internet Safety Grade K to 12 - PTA- 7361

This site contains a very brief summary of current issues concerning students and Internet usage. It provides current acronyms for Internet terminology, AUP's (Acceptable Use Policies) and discussion starters for parents who are interested in discussing Internet issues and responsibilities with children.

Rules of the Road Grade 2 to 5 - PBS- 5263

Kids can earn a "Web License" by taking this interactive quiz that covers topics like downloading, meeting people on the net, passwords, and Internet safety. After successfully answering the multiple choice questions, a personalized license can be printed.

Eight Forty-Eight: Cyber Bullying Grade 3 to 12 - Chicago Public Radio- 8810

This article, available in both audio recording and print on the web page, shares a parent's experience discovering that her daughter has been the victim of cyberbullying. The article is written from an adult perspective, but the facts and feelings it reveals are very real to anyone. Parents with children as young as elementary grades should be aware of things they should watch for, say, and do to help their children. Teachers should read it to understand the nature of the problem, as well.

In the Classroom:
Share this article with parents in a newsletter or school web page so they, too, can be involved in talking with their children about cyberbullying. Use it as a discussion starter for a parent organization meeting or possibly in a group of middle school students to open the conversation about their experiences and how different they are from what their parents were familiar with as children. Both parents and children would benefit from open dialog on the subject as part of a consistent effort for Internet safety in your school and homes.

Safe Teens Grade 7 to 12 - safekids.com- 8462

This site is the teen partner to safekids.com. Its additional offerings include a wonderful cyber-dictionary parents can use when they are totally puzzled by acronyms their children are using in email, chat rooms, and text messaging (Note: the language is realistically what some teens use---asterisks replace "bad" words, but the abbreviations could teach the timid more than they want to know). Highlights for teens include tips about safe blogging, warnings about grooming, general Internet safety info, and accompanying info for parents. A link to blogsafety.com allows users to report abuses and suspicious behavior that might occur on blogging or social network sites. Links to current articles about Internet misuse keep the site current.

In the Classroom:
Use this site as the starting point when teens have questions about blogging, cyber safety, and correct Internet behavior so they know what to watch for should something unethical occur. Be sure to share it with parents via your teacher web page or at open house, as well. As you begin web-based activities in class, take the time to repeat the basics found here, even if another teacher is supposed to "cover" this topic.

Safe Kids Grade 1 to 12 - safekids.com- 8461

This site offers information to children, teens, and parents about how to stay safe online and keep your computer safe. It contains information sheets for various levels, downloadable parent and child online safety pledges, and slide shows about Internet safety. The slide shows do require the user to register at myspace.com, so this requirement may preclude usage at school. There is even a SafeKids song, but it downloads slowly, even on a fast connection (opt for the dial-up version). Younger children will also enjoy the online safety quiz. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Include this site on your teacher web page for students and parents to access as a reference. Share the printables with parents at open house or conferences. As you introduce web-based activities in your classroom, pause to rmind students of these safety rules, even if someone else is supposed to "cover" them in their classroom. Parts of this site require the use of myspace, so be sure to preview it and match the requirements to your school's regulations.

Web Wise Kids Grade 6 to 12 - Web Wise Kids- 8268

Although this site sells its programs to help parents and children stay safe on the Internet, the sections for Teens and Parents contain valuable information and tools. In addition to examples of how scary and intrusive unsafe use of the Internet can be, the pages for parents and teens offer Safety Tips and a downloadable Internet Safety Plan. This site requires Real Player or QuickTime and Adobe Acrobat. Get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Share the parent information on your teacher web page or in a classroom newsletter, especially if you ask students to use the Internet for homework assignments. It is easy to avoid the advertising or donation areas of the site and use the important information.

Teen Chat Decoder: Teenspeak Translation Made Easy Grade K to 12 - - 7708

Confused by BRB and PWOM? Use this handy online acronym look-up to find out what these tand thousands of other little abbreviations mean. Parents and teachers can monitor internet safety and be more aware of what their children are saying. Teachers may even be able to decipher notes passed in class! Thought the site calls it "teenspeak," children as your as five are picking it up. The site mentions software, but you do not need to install anything, join anything, or pay to use this online look-up tool. The site also includes several articles for parents.

In the Classroom:
Share this link at parent conferences or on your teacher web page. They will thank you for it! Your principal and other teachers will appreciate it, as well.

The Newest Breed of Bully, the Cyberbully Grade 3 to 12 - PTA- 7365

As if traditional bullying were not enough, we know have cyberbullying! This web page offers a great explanation and examples of cyberbullying. It also lists strategies by which to help children who are being cyberbullied. Do not forget to visit the link provided that helps to locate cyberbullies and their web pages.

In the Classroom:
Include this link on your on classroom web page or share the information at conferences with parents. As an Internet safety activity, teach about the cyberbullying, then have students create pamphlets based on cyberbullying information to send home to parents. Or have them create posters to hang around school about cyberbullying, using terminology you teach from the web site.

Students will need you to present the information, since the site is directed toward parents, not students. Use scenarios such as those described in the article to spark discussion.

Find your kid’s online blog Grade 3 to 12 - Kim Komando- 6967

Parents concerned about Internet safety and their teen (or preteen)'s online information-sharing should read this article. It may sound devious to check up on your children, but the era of social networking makes it a must-talk topic. Your child or young adult may not realize the serious safety issues involved with having online space. Trying to "just say no" will not work on this issue. Have the conversation. Although this may not be a classroom issue, the negative sides of social networking tools are harming the positive tools for learning made available through the same technologies.

In the Classroom:
Teachers may want to share this article with parents to help them get the dialog started.

Ning in Education Grade 7 to 12 - Ning- 9415

Teacher's First Edge Review: for thoroughly adventurous or organized technology users. Ning is a tool for creating social networks. Though that may be a scary term to parents and a concept prohibited in your school, this education initiative from Ning provides advertising-free, private spaces for classroom use in K-12. Because of concerns over COPPA (federal legislation protecting children on the web), Ning specifies that the tool is for ages 13 and up. Users outside the U.S. do not need to worry about this law. There are related blog posts and debate about whether the law applies if you configure your Ning a certain way, but TeachersFirst cannot recommend circumventing the law. A Ning provides an online space for forums (threaded discussions), blogs, “friends,” groups, personal spaces for members, and more. As the administrator of your Ning, you can control the actual set-up. Assuming you can access the Ning URL at school, this tool can provide a PRIVATE online space for your classes or teaching team as an electronic home for use in and out of school.

In the Classroom:
Skills needed: Before you start, make sure your specific Ning URL will not be blocked by filtering on the school network. See some of the tips from the Edge team . Join Ning and set up a network, including name, URL, and description. Be sure to choose Private to limit viewing of your network to those you INVITE to join. Drag your desired features to create your Ning layout. You can always change it later. Make appearance choices. Create a “master key” (and for heaven’s sake WRITE IT DOWN somewhere secure – not on a sticky note at your classroom computer). Customize at will, but right away you will want to follow Steve Hargadon’s blog entry with detailed directions to remove the ads from your Ning for education space. The ad-free offer began in November 2007 and may not continue forever, so do it now!

Safety/security concerns: Since the Ning tool establishes profiles for each member; you will want to customize the profile settings to stay in accordance with your school policies. You will probably not want students to be able to set up groups, since they might make them “private” and lock you out. You can also change the questions they are asked as part of their profiles. The simplest way to set up student accounts may be through a teacher Gmail account with subaccounts. You could then create the accounts and passwords on your own or have students enter the information. Even though your space is private, we recommend asking for parent permission mostly to be sure that they are aware of this positive use of social networking and all the lessons about Internet safety that can grow from its use in class. A modified version of the Blogging agreement offered by TeachersFirst would work (a word doc).

Possible uses: A class social network has limitless possibilities. Engage students in discussions on current events, independent reading, literature, and more. Create groups for students to work on projects and use the space as a forum to work out tasks, scheduling, and file sharing. Get creative and ask students to play the role of a historical figure on a social network across time: Ben Franklin networks with Harry Truman to argue about the atomic bomb. Use the Ning as a forum for any simulated or real task. Invite parents to join to give their points of view on upcoming elections. Include the principal or superintendent in your class discussions of students’ rights as you study the Constitution. Your students themselves will suggest ways to use this all-too-familiar tool from their world. Imagine the “profiles” they could create as characters from fiction or inventors from history! Steve Hargadon, creator of this Ning in Education initiative invites participants to join a Ning for teachers who are using this tool. We hope you will tell them where you heard about it and send them over to check out (and suggest) more tools at the TeachersFirst Edge.

OnGuard Online Grade 6 to 12 - U.S. Government- 8905

This site has compiled resources for computer users to help keep their computers safe and internet transactions worry free. Topics include Identity Theft, Internet Auctions, Spyware, Wireless Security, Phishing, Social Networking Sites, Spam Scams, Online Shopping, Peer-to-Peer File-Sharing (P2P), VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), Laptop Security, and Investing Online. Of particular interest is the Word of the Day section which can help you stay “up to date” with new security scams and what they are called. Teens who see specific sites on this security warning page will know to avoid the scam sites. They will also become more knowledgeable about the potential dangers of social networking. Spanish speakers can switch the site to Spanish for their convenience. This site requires Adobe Acrobat and Flash. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Make this site a required stop when educating teens about computer and internet safety. The classroom possibilities are endless. Why not have cooperative learning groups investigate one of the topic areas provided (such as identity theft). Then have the groups present their findings to the class. Or if you prefer a whole group activity, use your interactive whiteboard or projector and have a class meeting about the topics discussed. Have students write in their journals about actions or events that have taken place in their lives which relate to the topics discussed. For example, brainstorm lists of ways to SAFELY shop online. Consider creating an ongoing class wiki to share safety situations and solutions in teen terms, including links to related news stories.

Fleck Grade 3 to 12 - Fleck.com- 8769

TeachersFirst Edge entry: for slightly adventurous technology users. Fleck allows you to put sticky notes and other annotations onto existing web pages and share them with others. Now you can tell students exactly what you want them to do on a page, point out instances of bias or unsafe Internet practice, etc. You can put effective reading strategies right ON the text of the page. See an example here. Your students can also "fleck" to each other as they work on group projects, noting how they will use information or categorizing what they find. Fleck uses FLASH and does not work well on TOP of Flash-driven pages. The annotated pages take a few moment to load, even on a quick connection.

In the Classroom:
Possible uses: Student research projects, guided reading of web sites, comprehension questions, guiding questions, annotations for tough vocabulary with younger students, Internet safety lessons, students analyzing sites as part of information literacy lessons, art critiques by you or students, student collaboration and source-sharing, professional notes for your own reading or graduate work, etc. Assign students to "Fleck" a site as an assignment in critical thinking and turn it in by sharing with you.

Skills needed: Join the site and wait for the confirming email (our review team said it took a couple of hours). While you are waiting, click over to the HOME page and watch the "How this works" animation. Then try the link to "So why don't you give it a try." (This trial will NOT be saved!) Enter the URL of a page you wish to annotate at the top of the Fleck screen and click GO. Use the toolbar that appears with the web page to add notes, etc. and SAVE. You can also download an extension for Firefox or bookmarklet for Internet Explorer (to make a Fleck button on your toolbar). Be sure to choose public or private for Flecks you make when you SAVE (can be changed). Share your Fleck by clicking the Share button and emailing a note to your recipients-- or click the "blog" button to get a permalink you can copy/paste to share via email or other means, such as on your web page or an electronic assignment handout.

To use Fleck safely, you can have students use your login account to make their own Flecks. If students have their own email, they can also have log-ins, but you have no monitoring over what they do. For safety's sake, you might want to require all student Flecks to be private and shared ONLY with class members. Since enforcement is tough, start with the teacher-only account and make Flecks for students to SEE. Once you are comfortable with the tool, allow students to use your account. You will not know WHO made inappropriate Flecks, but you can see and delete them from one place. Of course, you will need to test whether Fleck is blocked in your school (we hope not).

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: This is a public site, and some of the "recent Flecks" that show on the HOME page are NOT school-appropriate. TeachersFirst has contacted Fleck about this concern, and they tell us they are unable to "filter" these flecks at this time. We recommend always starting students from your member home page and avoiding Fleck HOME altogether.

Parental Control Software Grade K to 12 - Consumer Search- 7589

The online magazine article (updated 2006) is actually a compilation of several reviews of Internet filtering tools for parents to use on home computers. Read the full article or skip to the "Fast Answers."

Profile Publisher Grade 3 to 12 - ReadWriteThink.org- 9143

Reading literature with complex characters worthy of analysis and individual profiles? Do your students need practice creating their own polished “profiles”? This tool creates professional looking profiles of students or for a character in a book, historical figure, animal, or scientific object/concept. Amazingly, you may choose to set up a profile for nonliving creatures or even abstract concepts. You simply type in the requested information into the boxes, and immediately, you have a perfect profile layout, ready for photocopy publishing. (Saving your profiles is not an option, so all must be printed immediately.) This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Teach Internet safety by having students create a mock profile to use on social networking sites. Printing out those profiles makes editing in small groups a breeze. Yearbook or newspaper staff may want to use this Profile Publisher to gain more information about people of interest. History comes alive when you profile historical figures or interview veterans and generate profiles of local heroes. Imagine students creating a blog entry by George Washington. Or ask students to profile a type of cell, an endangered animal, or a science concept such as climate change. With this tool and some creative thinking, anything is possible.

Be SURE to warn students to PRINT before closing. The site does NOT save work. You may want them to draft their work in a saved document before pasting it into the profiler, just in case work is interrupted by a fire drill or the bell.

For Kids By Kids Online Grade 2 to 8 - Cyberspace Research Unit- 9090

This site offers levels, important information about safe Internet use, at three difficulty It addresses kids' favorite ways to use technology, including cell phones, chat rooms, instant messaging, e-mail, etc. A glossary of Internet terms and warnings throughout the easy-to-read pages make the information accessible. It also motivates the students who use it to proceed carefully and thoughtfully while communicating and downloading information. The three levels (beginning, intermediate, and advanced) differentiate for prior Internet knowledge, rather than grade or reading level. The site is an excellent introduction to doing Internet research, as well.

This site comes from the UK, so some of the language is distinctly British. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
The site suggests having children take their parents through the steps on the site so both learn together. Parents can thus be assured that the child knows how to keep his or her communications safe. Put this in your newsletter home for parents and provide a link to this site on your class webpage. When introducing the history of the computer, project the site on your interactive whiteboard or projector.

ConnectSafely Grade K to 12 - Tech Parenting Group - 8985

This site is a discussion-opener on safe use of the "social web." Some of the tools included are social networking sites, virtual worlds, chat, cell phones, video-sharing, and more. There are tips and advice for just about any medium kids and adults use today, as well as discussion forums where parents can ask questions and share information. Each article and advice section can be emailed at the click of a mouse. You can also download and share printable version (site creators do ask that you not modify them and that you simply tell them if you do download and share). While some posts may not represent your point of view, the important thing is to open dialog.

In the Classroom:
Include this link on your teacher or school web page for parents to access as part of a plan to work together. Consider using it as a hub for an evening discussion session with parents and students in a "round table" to air concerns and work together. Simply blocking or ignoring these tools is not educating or helping our kids. We want our students to grow into safe and responsible citizens both online and in person. If your school can involve and inform parents and students, you will have a better likelihood of using the new tools of the web in productive classroom settings, as well.

Internet Surfing in an Elementary Classroom Grade K to 5 - International Reading Association- 8803

What role does the internet play in our younger students’ education? This scholarly article points out that while computers become as common as chalkboards, teachers must become comfortable with managing the internet in our classrooms. In this article, two primary-level students negotiate the Web, and their discoveries and struggles highlight the tension that teachers face. The article suggests ways to resolve some of the problems faced by teachers.

Games Parents Teachers: A Parent-Teacher Toolkit Grade 3 to 12 - Marc Prensky and games2train.com- 8579

Computer gaming occupies much of your students' or child's time. This site equips you with the knowledge of what different games are about and what questions you -- as teacher or parent -- should ask of your child. Just click on the game's title and read the recommendations for parents and teachers. This site houses resources and recommended websites for understanding computer gaming and gamers as well. Note that the site is created with a positive bias about computer/video games. Some of the ideas for discussion are, however, good ones, especially if you know your students are playing the games anyway!

In the Classroom:
There are options for teachers to share their ideas for using games as part of instruction, though few have conrtributed as of the time of this review.

OneWebDay Grade K to 12 - - 8566

"The mission of OneWebDay is to create, maintain, advance, and promote a global day to celebrate online life." Started in 2006, One Web Day is a day for awareness of the power of the Internet and activities to highlight its use in positive ways. While part of the mission of OneWebDay is a sort of "Earth Day for the web," a chance to highlight and preserve the things that make the web a healthy place to learn, work, and share -- all in an ethical way. Schools may want to take the day (or the closest school day)to highlight how much we benefit from the web and how students and families can use it safely and positively.

In the Classroom:
Some ideas to celebrate the day: Send class emails to the web sites you find most useful to thank them for their contributions to your class' learning. Find a school web site in another town or country and email the webmaster to relay a "hello" to a classroom there. Make a class wiki to share all the positive things you gain from the web---and invite parents to join in, too. Have students keep a web "diary" for 24 hours, noting every time they use or benefit from someone else using the web (even the weather man on TV gets his/her information from the web!). Predict how many "web contacts" your class will have, then add them up to see how close you came. Plan a OneWebDay event for your school and share it on the OneWebDay site or with the local press. With primary grade students, take the time to point out which activities you do in class come from the web (these children see "the computer" as the genie of all things and do not distinguish between the web and a CD game). Make a giant "web" out of yarn and "connect" everyone on the playground. Send an email from your class to the principal, telling him/her about OneWebDay. What else can you think of?

Common Sense Media Grade 1 to 12 - Common Sense Media Inc.- 8267

This site has current movie reviews from the parents' point of view: What current movies are appropriate? What ages are they appropriate for? In addition to current films, there are reviews of TV programs, new DVD's, games, websites, books, music, etc. The site uses its own rating system: "Appropriate for age," "Know your kid," and "Not appropriate for age." Along with written reviews and Q/A approaches, there are video clips and tips. Each category of entertainment has several recommended and reviewed items with age ranges. There is also a newsletter and in-depth articles on subjects of concern to kids and parents.

In the Classroom:
Let your students' parents know about this site via your teacher web page or class newsletter. You may also want to share it with your school PTO or PTA.

Citebite Grade K to 12 - - 7987

TeachersFirst Edge entry: for slightly adventurous technology users. Imagine being able to give students (or parents)an exact link to a specific quote within a web page. This TeachersFirst Edge tool does exactly that. Why would you want to? Perhaps you want to send students to a certain paragraph for an activity: for reading comprehension, for reading a specific portion of text, or even for highlighting a literary device within a text or poem. Students will no longer waste time, announcing, "I can't find it!" or return to school saying they couldn't do the homework!

In the Classroom:
No membership or cost required. Tool can be used in less than 30 seconds. Skills needed: Open TWO windows in Internet Explorer or any web browser. One should be open to citebite; the other to the web page you wish to reference. On that web page, locate and "highlight" the exact passage of text you want to "send" people to see. Copy/paste the passage into the quotation box at Citebite (copy, then change windows). Return to the target web page and copy/paste its actual URL into Citebite. Click "Make Citebite." Copy/paste the new url, indicated after "Your citebite link is:" Note: if the original quote is within a FLASH presentation, it will not copy/paste or generate a Citebite. See this example of a Citebite link to a tip about TeachersFirst Edge tools: http://pages.citebite.com/b1j4l1j7o0ndu

Have your middle and high school students do a web page "credibility critique" on their potential sources by using Citebite before they start a research project. They can highlight passages as proof of credibility -- or lack thereof -- and give you the Citebite links. They will love this easy way to reference a specific portion of a page. You will love the ease of finding it. If you give them a Word document table as a web site evaluation rubric, they can paste the Citebites there, with their comments in the neighboring cell!

Stories from the Web 7-11 Grade 2 to 6 - Birmingham Library Services- 7810

This site provides a wealth of information for students who are looking for a good book, fairy tales or poems to read. Peer reviews, short synopsis and ISBN numbers are included under recommended reads. Each book listed has a ‘tease’ to get students hooked into reading the complete book. Students can choose short stories to read on line by author, title or type of story. Enter the bookshelf to search for other books to borrow from a library. Companion sites for ages under 7 and 11-14 address interests of other age groups. Flash is required. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Present this site to your class as a ‘Book Club Online’ to get students interested in reading. Students who already have a love for reading will enjoy the peer reviews. Encourage students to write reviews of their own to submit and share with the class. Use this as a way to discuss Internet safety and be sure to follow your school districts policy on posting information on the web. Include the link on your teacher web page for students to access and share at home.

Paradigm Online Writing Assistant Grade 6 to 12 - Chuck Guilford- 7717

How do we get kids to write and how do we show them how to do it? This site is a big help with some of those questions. It covers: choosing a subject, discovering, organizing, revising, editing, documenting sources, informal essays, thesis/support essays, argumentative essays, and exploratory essays. Rolling the cursor over each different subjects will show what it includes.

In the Classroom:
This site gives activities and suggestions on how to involve kids in what they write. THe wide range of grade levels addressed is also attractive, although it is geared more for high school students.

There is a memberhsip option. If you allow students to join, you should first get parent permission. Members are able to create journals and participate in collaboration, but you should have firm Internet Safety policies in place, if you decide to use these in class.

Safety on the Internet Grade K to 12 - TeachersAndFamilies- 7659

This article provides information about safety on the Internet. This is a general list of helpful tips. Some examples of tips include checking the Internet history, setting time limits, using filtering software and more.

In the Classroom:
This article may be a useful reference for some of your parents. Share the link on your teacher web page, at conferences, or in a newsletter or note sent home.

See No Evil Grade K to 12 - TeachersAndFamilies- 7585

This article discusses staying safe while online. Specifics topics include virus protection, surfing safely, security and high-speed connections.

In the Classroom:
This article may be a useful reference for some of your parents. Share the link on your teacher web page, at conferences, or in a newsletter or note sent home.

Help Teens Be Savvy Surfers Grade 6 to 12 - American Library Association- 7207

This pdf file, organized by the American Library Association, lists sites to help teens evaluate websites, stay safe while using the internet,keep up with new offerings and technology (like blogs), and do research and citations correctly. This is an excellent overall compilation done by professionals in the library field and is a good source for instructors as well as students. You MUST have Acrobat Reader to open this site. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
A great resource for teachers to use with technology-wild students who need to use solid evaluation criteria to ground their internet usage decisions. You can print out the file as a handout or use the links as part of an activity prior to starting a research project.

Authors Own Websites, Just For Kids Who Love Books Grade 3 to 8 - Alan Broan, retired school librarian- 6802

Use this child-friendly collection of author websites and author chat sites to learn about favorite authors or do resarch for a project. Compiled by a retired school librarian, the text is easy to understand and respects internet safety concerns. Students click on the letter for the author's last name and find their favorite. Note that the actual author pages are NOT part of this site and vary widely. Using this site enables you and your students to find the "real" author sites without sifting through unofficial or confusing search results, saving you time and effort in assigning the research.

In the Classroom:
Use this site as the starting point for author research or list it on your teacher web site for students to use when working on book reports from home.

LearniT: Technology Videos Grade 4 to 12 - Nortel- 6719

For teachers or students who have not had the opportunity to learn technology skills from a real person, these video tutorials can be very helpful. They can also fill in gaps in basic computer knowledge. Topics range from Internet safety and Netiquette to more advanced video production, digital imaging, and web page creation. For your students doing independent projects, for basics before you launch into a full-class technology production, or even for teaching yourself as a teacher, these tutorials are approachable and fairly up-to-date. Make sure you choose the right level(s) for your students, since they may have better skills than you think. You can differentiate easily with the multiple skill levels available. This one takes a longer time to open, so be patient.

In the Classroom:
Include this link on your teacher web page or in Favorites in your computer lab or on a classroom machine for students to use as a reference. This can be a great help for students who move in and do not have the same background knowledge as the rest of the class or as a challenge to your techno-whiz or gifted student. These also can make excellent ready-to-go projected tutorials a substitute could show in preparation for an upcoming project.