Weeks 7-8 :: Effective Internet Use

v    Objectives

Students will be able to go to the next level with the internet.  Until now, many students have used the internet to copy cheat codes for their games, develop MySpace personalities, and get pictures and other information for reports, but most students have not yet used the internet to accomplish a real-life goal.

v    Standards

Students will need to be disciplined to stay on task in this free-flowing work environment.  The results of each internet project will need an artifact on the Student Portfolio.

v    Anticipatory Set

“Ladies and Gentlemen, today I have a problem.  I have forgotten my parents’ phone number.  Please find me their phone number and take a screen shot of it for your Student Portfolio.  Unfortunately, I can’t remember their names, either, and what is more, I have no idea where they live.  But I need their phone number, and you have the internet.  Go.”

v    Teaching

a.     Input

None!

b.     Modeling

Keep looking!

c.     Check For Understanding

After 10-15 minutes kids begin to confirm information with each other and in about 20 minutes they have found the number.  Students who have found the number get free time on the internet until the guided practice.

v    Guided Practice/Monitoring

First, one student documents for the class his trail to finding the number, then everyone has a chance to get that number on a screenshot before we go on.  The “going on” in this case is that students receive this instruction: “Your firm is sending you to a multinational conference in Guilin. What will you do during your free weekend?”  Students will take screenshots of fun things to do and places to eat and things to see in South Central China.

v    Closure

“What difficulties did you encounter when turned loose on the internet to find information?  Do you need to work in partnerships for the independent practice phase?”

v     Independent Practice

Choose one of the two projects below, then make a multi-page PowerPoint presentation (separate from your Student Portfolio):

1. My wife and I are planning a trip to Disneyland. Find airfare, lodging, rental car, and three days of activities.  I need a spreadsheet with a pie-chart of cost breakdown for the travels. Maps and hotlinks are extra!

2. You have taken a seven-day journey around the state of Oregon.  Create a slideshow narrative of the trip you took with pictures of the sights you saw and/or things you did.