Category: Internet Safety

Google Posters

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What it is: Google Posters are printable posters offered by Google for educators. The posters can be printed in different sizes and teach students how to perform better searches.

How to integrate Google Posters into the classroom: I am realizing lately just how clueless students are about performing a quality search. Teachers are not exempt from this, I have had many educators tell me that it took them 3 hours to perform a search to find a state flower. What this tells me is that they don’t know how to search. Google Posters can be handed out as an individual handout, hung around the classroom, or both. The posters are found in Google’s Educator section. The posters teach students (and teachers) how to use modifiers to refine searches for the best results, the anatomy of a search, how to find a book using books.google.com, and examples of how to go about a search. Use these posters to teach your students how to do a quality search and then pick a topic for them to search and have a Google scavenger hunt. Students will learn how to use search engines and increase productivity.

Tips: Make sure that you have tested your scavenger hunt before you let your students loose, sometimes you will get results that aren’t appropriate for your students.

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Google Posters in your classroom.

Viddler

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What it is: Viddler is an AMAZING web application that lets students (or you) upload, enhance, and share digital video quickly and easily right from your web browser. I know, cool right?! The best part is, students can collaborate and comment on each other’s Viddler videos.

How to integrate Viddler into the classroom: Viddler has a million and one uses in the classroom. Record students science experiments and invite other students to comment on what was successful or what they would do differently in the experiment. Have students make a commercial about…well anything. Use your curriculum to guide the videos that your students are creating and then invite them to leave comments on other students videos. Create video tutorials for your classroom and add “secret facts” in the video in the form of comments. There is truly no limit! I often have my students create commercials because they are short and easy to record and share with others. In lieu of a book report, ask students to create a movie trailer type commercial for their book. Video adds a whole new audience for students, you will see creativity bloom. Be sure to check out the Directors Guild post below for some great uses of Viddler! After you record your videos you can embed them in your classroom blog, wiki, or website. Seriously cool huh?!

Tips: Create a class Viddler login where all class videos are recorded and saved. This will save the headache of collecting email addresses and passwords from the younger students…trust me, they will NOT remember them!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Viddler in your classroom.

Safe Surfing with Dongle

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What it is: There is no such thing as too much emphasis on Internet safety. Safe Surfing with Dongle is another game to help kids learn the rules of Internet safety. This fun site teaches kids Internet safety through an interactive movie/game. Students learn safety tips on emails, chatting, playing games, and having fun online.

How to integrate Safe Surfing with Dongle into the classroom: Safe Surfing with Dongle can be played individually in a computer lab setting, in partners in the one or two computer classroom, or as a whole class using a projector. If you are playing as a class you might split the class into teams and alternate which team gets to answer each question. This game would be great to use at the beginning of the year as an introduction to Internet safety and throughout the year for review of online safety rules.

Tips: Create a bookmark to this site for quick easy access.

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Safe Surfing with Dongle in your classroom.

Class Tools

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What it is: Class Tools is possibly the most impressive, easy to use tool that I have reviewed to date! This allows teachers (even those who aren’t incredibly tech savvy) to create interactive Flash diagrams and games for learning and revising material. It is FREE! All diagrams created can be saved as data files or web pages to host on your school website or intranet. Quiz creators allow you to input up to 25 questions and answers an then choose a game to test student knowledge. Games include Matching Pairs, Manic Miner, WordShoot, and Cannon Ball Fun. Learning templates that teach and support chronological awareness include Time Line and Living Graph. Categorization tools include Post it, and a Target diagram. Linkage tools include Venn diagrams, and The Learning Puzzle. Priortization tools include Diamond Nine and a Priority Chart. Sourcework Skills tools include Lights Out and Source Analyzer. Essay skills tools include Fishbone and Hamburger diagrams. WOW!!

How to integrate Class Tools into the classroom: Class Tools may be one of the most versatile tools you can use in the classroom. Teachers and students can create learning diagrams together and upload to the school website for later study. Teachers, you can create games for your students to play focused on any specific curriculum. The sky is the limit for Class Tools in the classroom.

Tips: Print out a copy of the Class Tools Flyer, having a description of the tools handy is a must!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Class Tools in your classroom.

Safety Land

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What it is: Safety Land is an interactive city that teaches Internet safety. Students help the Safety Land super hero catch a bad Internet character. Students search different buildings and answer Internet safety related questions. They receive feedback on their answers (right or wrong) along with an explanation about why the answer was right or wrong. When all questions have been answered, the bad Internet character is captured.

How to integrate Safety Land into the classroom: Use Safety Land to practice and assess Internet safety. Because students have to go through a series of questions to get to the end of the game, this is a wonderful game to use to check for understanding. The site should be used throughout the year to reinforce Internet safety rules.

Tips: Teachers can print out the entire game (all questions, answers and responses).

 

 

Privacy Playground

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What it is: Privacy Playground- The First Adventure of the Three Cyber Pigs is a game designed for ages 8-10. In the game, the Cyber Pigs play on their favorite website and encounter marketing ploys, spam, and a close encounter with an unfriendly wolf. (Think the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf in cyber space.)

How to integrate Privacy Playground into the classroom: The purpose of the Privacy Playground game is to teach kids how to spot online marketing strategies, protect their personal information and avoid online predators. This is a great game to use in the classroom to reinforce Internet safety. Use this game before students use the Internet extensively in class. Play the game throughout the year to remind students of important Internet safety rules.

Tips: The teacher’s guide explains how to play the game, gives background information on the issues of online marketing, spam, and children’s privacy and also provides activities and handouts for use in the classroom.

 

 

Disney’s Surfswell Island

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What it is: Disney’s Surfswell Island is a fun interactive island where students learn about internet safety with Disney characters. Students go on an Indiana Jones type adventure with Mickey Mouse and friends around Surfswell Island to learn internet safety.

How to integrate Disney’s Surfswell Island into the classroom: Before using the Internet in your classroom, make sure your students know the rules of the Internet. Disney’s Surfswell Island is just the place to learn and practice the rules of the Internet. When students complete the challenges of Surfswell Island, they will be able to print out a certificate of completion.

Tips: Use this site several times throughout the year to keep the rules of the Internet fresh in students minds. Be sure to check out the teachers guide for this site!

imbee.com

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What it is: Social networking is now school networking! Imbee allows teachers to extend their classroom beyond four walls and onto the Internet. Establish class blogs and promote online interaction and collaboration. Teachers and Parents can work together closely to guide and teach about social responsibility online while increasing classroom learning.

How to integrate imbee.com into your classroom: Use imbee as a platform for your students to publish their work. This will give students a sense of audience and act as a motivator for students. Students can collaborate on projects and help edit each others work. This is a wonderful tool for teaching students Internet safety and responsibility in a safe, controlled environment.

Tips: Visit imbee.com/teacher for lesson plans, a teacher tour, and to find answers to questions you may have about imbee. The creators of imbee are very open and willing to take teacher suggestions and implement them in new imbee versions.

 

 

Netsmartz Kids

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What it is: Technology is quickly changing the teaching and learning environment. The Internet in particular opens up our classrooms and students to the rest of the world. Netsmartz Kids teaches students about internet safety through fun songs, characters and interactive games. The site does not link to any outside sites. It is safe and easy to use.

How to integrate Netsmartz Kids into your curriculum: Before using the Internet in your classroom, introduce your students to the rules of the web through these fun songs and games. Netsmartz Educators offers wonderful activity cards and ideas for using Netsmartz in your classroom.

Tips: Allow your students to explore Netsmartz often, these skills cannot be reinforced enough! Tell parents about the Netsmartz Parents page where they can learn more about keeping their family safe online.