Internet Training for K-8

Elementary

The following guide was designed to assist Internet educators in teaching Internet skills to elementary students.  There is an elementary and a secondary version. 

The best way to teach younger and first-time learners about the web is, of course, to let them do it.  Following a well-developed web-quest will teach kids of all levels to differentiate between educational and commercial sites, and to begin to develop basic research skills.  By following the exercises on this page, students and teachers will gain a basic introduction to search tools and the  evaluation of websites.  More comprehensive web-quests can be found on any theme imaginable by conducting a search on one of the sites listed under Web-Quests...  Also listed here are some good starting points for kids and some informational sites directed at both educators and parents. 

What is the Internet?

Exercise.

1. Select an exercise from the following sources or develop your own to explore the concepts of global networks and electronic communication systems.
2. Discuss the idea that the Internet is a tool through which we access multiple resources.

Sources

• Introducing the Internet
• What is the Internet the WWW and Netscape Introduction. Definitions
• Web Awareness for Teachers Classroom Resources by Grade
• LEARN THE NET- Surf the Web

Searching and search tools.

Exercise. 

1. Searching using a single keyword. 

1. Create a Dinosaurs folder in your bookmarks file.
2. Go to Kid's tools for Searching the Internet and type in dinosaurs into Yahooligans, KidsClick, Ask Jeeves for Kids, ThinkQuest and Berit's Best sites for Kids.
3. How many hits did you get on the different sites? 
4. Which ones were best, and Why? 
5. Did you get the same results from each search?
6. Add one or two sites from each set of search results to your bookmarks file.

Sources

• KidsClick! Worlds of Web Searching These pages are meant to teach elementary kids searching skills in fun ways.
• KidsClick! Web Search Web search for kids by librarians. A database of over 5600 selected and annotated sites.
• Kid's Tools for Searching the Internet
• LEARN THE NET- Find Information

Parents and Teachers

Exercise

1. Download and print the 5 Ws and 1H of Cyberspace. Review.
2. Discuss the differences between a commercial and public (or not-for-profit) site.
3. Post Rules for Internet Use in the Classroom.  See Guiding Children through Cyberspace to find examples.
4. Talk about strangers on the Internet and the need for keeping personal information private.

Sources

• The Librarian’s Guide To CyberSpace for Parents & Kids Safety tips and web evaluation mainly for parents.
• Media-Awareness For Teachers
• Web Awareness The 5 Ws (and 1 H) of Cyberspace A tip sheet on how to evaluate web resources.
• Yahooligans! Teachers' Guide Comprehensive guide to Internet literacy and how to cite and evaluate sources

Web quests, interactive tutorials and other education links

Sources

• Blue Web'n Technology Links
• ThinkQuest.org
• LION Lesson Plans & Teaching Activities for School Librarians
• Ontario Library Association - Information Studies: K-12
• LEARN THE NET Home Page Links to many articles, tips, guides and full-length tutorials
• Learning Resources Centre--Education Links
• Learning about the Internet  LibraryNet.  National Library of Canada
• 2Learn.ca list of Online tutorials
• The WebQuest Page
• WebQuest Locator Greater Essex School Board developed this tool for locating webquests by grade or subject
  

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Page created by Johan Ragetli, Library Information Analyst, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.
Last update: December, 2003