SPECIAL EDITION – READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!

INVESTIGATING INTERNET USE: A WEBQUEST

By: Mrs. Cathleen Oravetz

Introduction	Checklist	Resources
Tasks	Evaluation	Credits/References
Process	Conclusion	Teacher Information
Roles	Standards

INTRODUCTION

EXTRA! EXTRA!! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!

How will the upcoming 6^th grade class learn about the uses of the Internet? Who best to teach them? We think it is YOU!! And they will learn best by reading an exclusive “special edition” newsletter that you – yes, YOU – have created! Today is the day you will teach your underclassmen about the Internet – you will let them know how you perceive the Dedham School policy, what you feel are the top ten safety issues, and how you would solve some of the many puzzling situations asked by students your age about the Internet. Yes – today is YOUR day to teach!!!

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TASKS

You, the Dedham Middle School 6^th Grade Students, are to prepare a “special edition” newsletter for the upcoming Dedham 6^th grade students depicting your opinion on Internet policy, use, and safety. Information may be gained through researching several files and Internet sites; but YOU – the DMS students, will write the articles! Yes, your opinion counts!!! And who best to prepare the upcoming 6^th grade class but YOU – the experienced members of the middle school! What are the topics of your articles??? One will be an overview of the district’s AUP policy – but from YOUR viewpoint. Another will be a list of rules YOU devise for Internet safety. And the last article will be a question/answer article giving insight to the most frequently asked Internet safety questions.

Both individual and team effort will be needed. But just remember – it is YOUR opinion in the newsletter that will help inform the upcoming 6^th grade Dedham students of the world of Internet. These students are in your hands – TEACH THEM WELL!!!!

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PROCESS

To complete the assignment, follow the process outlined below. Don’t skip any steps – all information presented to you in the form of Internet sites and files will be very useful when completing the newsletter.

1) As a team, you will examine the Evaluation Rubric. Take turns, within your team, to read aloud each component and necessary requirements to gain each point level.

2) As a team, you will read aloud the Dedham AUP – (on the site page, be sure to use the link marked “Acceptable Use Policy” under the Appendix heading). Huddle around one computer, take turns reading, and be sure to clarify information as needed for your teammates.

3) Individually you will provide answers to three of the most frequently asked questions about Internet use. Your opinion should be based on facts, and should be formulated from the information gained from reading Dedham’s AUP and from the knowledge gained from our class lessons about the Internet. Before beginning, you will visit and examine these additional sites provided: What Are the Risks, Protecting Your Privacy, On-line safety quiz, Kid’s Rules for Online Safety and Class Internet Notes. Be sure to read the information on each site. You will type your answers to the questions via Blackboard (the discussion group area) to the posed questions. This process should take no more than fifteen minutes – don’t make your answers too long!!! And remember – your team will be waiting for you to take the next step in the process!

4) As a team, you will read aloud the Roles section of this webquest, and choose the role you want to take to complete the process. (If there are more than three members on one team, two members may work together on one role.)

5) You will complete the individual tasks according to your role – use the Checklist as a guide! And hey, there’s a printable version for you to use to check off the completed tasks! This step should take no more than twenty minutes.

6) Being this is a team project – if you finish with your role before the others, you are expected to help your teammates! Remember, you are working toward a common goal – the creation of an informative newsletter.

7) As a team, you will brainstorm on a newsletter title.

8) As a team, you will correctly prepare the newsletter in Microsoft Publisher. Use the two-column newsletter template provided. Be sure to have one member of the team save it to their Z: drive often. In order to facilitate preparing the newsletter, you will save your task (Reporter #1, #2, and #3) using Microsoft Word on your z:drive at your computer station. When your article is complete, you will use Blackboard to “Add a File”. You will then enter Blackboard on the team’s computer, open your file, copy it, and paste it into the newsletter. Be sure to format it correctly (10 pt. font works best for the articles).

9) As a team, you will check the newsletter for balance and accuracy. Add clipart images as you see fit.

10) As a team, you will review the Evaluation Rubric, checking to see if all areas have been correctly completed.

11) As a team, you will print the newsletter and submit it for teacher evaluation as well as send it to the teacher via Blackboard’s Digital Drop Box.

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ROLES

1) Reporter #1 – You are to rewrite the Dedham AUP in terms that an upcoming 6^th grade student would understand – what you are/are not permitted to do. In completing this task, you may want to write the article in paragraph or bulleted format, or both. Be sure you have read carefully the policy, and do your best to extract the important points to remember – then write it in a way that an upcoming 6^th grade Dedham student would understand!

2) Reporter #2 – You are to provide a list of rules for Internet safety that an upcoming 6^th grade Dedham student should follow. Be sure to include a description of the dangers of the Internet – including searching, e-mail, and Instant Messenger. You may want to write your article in either paragraph or bulleted form, or a combination of both.

3) Reporter #3 – You are to prepare a question-and-answer section posing the questions asked in the discussion group area of Blackboard, and providing an answer that is a consensus of your team’s answers. (You will print your group’s answers from Blackboard.) Use the “Dear Abby” article as an example for formatting. Create a “catchy” name for your article! Be sure to write the column in an interesting, story-telling fashion. Remember: your audience is the upcoming 6^th grade students at DMS.

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CHECKLIST

Reporter #1

q Examine the evaluation rubric

q Read the Dedham AUP

q Visit and examine the five Internet sites/files for information

q Answer the Internet questions on Blackboard’s discussion group

q Draft an article which rewrites the Dedham AUP in terms understood by an upcoming 6^th grade student

q Help the team brainstorm a newsletter title

q Help the team prepare the newsletter

q Review the evaluation rubric – make adjustments as needed

q Help the team print the completed newsletter and send it to the teacher via the Digital Drop Box

Reporter #2

q Examine the evaluation rubric

q Read the Dedham AUP

q Visit and examined the five Internet sites/files for information

q Answer the Internet questions on Blackboard’s discussion group

q Draft an article which provides the top ten rules for Internet safety an upcoming 6^th grade student should know

q Help the team brainstorm a newsletter title

q Help the team prepare the newsletter

q Review the evaluation rubric – make adjustments as needed

q Help the team print the completed newsletter and send it to the teacher via the Digital Drop Box

Reporter #3

q Examine the evaluation rubric

q Read the Dedham AUP

q Visit and examined the five Internet sites/files for information

q Answer the Internet questions on Blackboard’s discussion group

q Prepare a question/answer type article providing insight on the correct answers to common Internet questions (team consensus)

q Help the team brainstorm on a newsletter title

q Help the team prepare the newsletter

q Review the evaluation rubric – make adjustments as needed

q Help the team print the completed newsletter and send it to the teacher via the Digital Drop Box

For a printable version of the checklist click here:

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EVALUATION

PROJECT EVALUATION
Task	Beginning (1)	Developing (2)	Accomplished (3)	Exemplary (4)	Score
Submitted an answer for each question on Blackboard	Did not complete the task of answering the questions	Answers show a vague understanding of the situations	Answers show a basic understanding of the situations	Answers show a good understanding of the situations
Prepared (typed) a two-column newsletter using Publisher	Formatting incomplete; many typing errors	Shows some formatting technique; newsletter typed with many errors	Articles correctly formatted; newsletter typed with several errors	Articles correctly formatted; newsletter typed with three or fewer errors
Prepared an accurate article rewriting the Dedham AUP	Article depicts no understanding of the AUP	Article depicts little understanding of the AUP	Article depicts a basic understanding of the AUP	Article depicts a complete and factual understanding of the AUP
Prepared an article depicting ten rules for Internet safety	Article poorly written; does not include 10 safety rules	Article poorly written; includes10 safety rules	Article adequately written; includes 10 safety rules	Article well written and easy to understand; includes ten safety rules
Prepared a non-bias article providing answers to the Blackboard questions in a question/answer format	Article poorly written; no format; mostly incorrect answers	Article poorly written; format needs improvement; several incorrect answers	Article adequately written; format needs improvement; errors in a few answers	Article well written; follows correct format; answers the questions correctly
Created a unique, eye-catching title for the newsletter	Basic newsletter title; shows no imagination	Basic newsletter title; makes a connection to the topic	Good title; makes a connection to the topic	Unique title; relates well to the topic
Worked cooperatively	Did not work well together most of the time	Worked well together half of the time	Worked well together most of the time	Worked well together all of the time
Used time well	Made poor use of class time; attention seldom on the project	Used the class time adequately; attention on the project most of the time	Used the class time well; attention seldom strayed from the project	Always used class time correctly; attention did not stray from project

For a printable version of the checklist click here:

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CONCLUSION

Congratulations!!! You not only were able to provide insight on the Internet for the upcoming 6^th grade students, but you were able to produce a useful newsletter to use by your fellow classmates. Understanding the safety precautions needed when using the Internet is vital to “safe surfing”!! And being able to extract information from articles, and apply the information to today’s situations is invaluable. Upon completing this project, you should now have a greater understanding of your role as a safe and informed Dedham Internet user!! Good job!!!

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STANDARDS

This newsletter webquest meets the following Massachusetts Recommended PreK-12 Instructional Technology Standards:

1.14	Select a printer and print a document with appropriate page setup and orientation.
1.17	Identify and use editing and formatting features of a word processing program (e.g., centering, line spacing, margins, cut and paste, fonts, styles, spelling, page numbers).
1.18	Insert images (e.g., graphics, clip art, tables) from other files into word-processed documents.
2.11	Describe and demonstrate knowledge of the school’s Acceptable Use Policy, and know the consequences of violating that policy.
3.9	Communicate results of research and learning with others using the most appropriate tools (e.g., desktop-published or word-processed report, multimedia presentation).