“Just Right” Websites
The Common Sense Media Education website has a wealth of information for teachers in several areas. I am very impressed with their resources for teaching digital citizenship.
Our first graders recently discussed Going Places Safely on the Internet. The lesson includes a short video designed for grades K-2 along with a detailed lesson plan.
When the students arrived, I asked them what they would do if they wanted to go some place. “We would ask our parents or our teacher!” I next asked what would they do if they wanted to go on the internet. The majority said they would need to ask permission to do that. We watched the video then I told the students we would be taking a “field trip” to visit some online places far away from our school.
The websites I had for the students were:
- San Francisco Symphony for Kids
- Destination Modern Art
- San Diego Zoo Kids
- Colonial Williamsburg Kids Zone
The children were asked to explore the sites for a few minutes. Then they would be deciding what their favorite “field trip” was so that they could illustrate that. The students enjoyed visiting the faraway places but the takeaway was the importance of always being safe online.
Safety Rules to Follow When Going Online:
- Always ask your parent or teacher first.
- Only talk to people you know.
- Stick to places that are just right for you!