Overview

The technology behind computers and the Internet raises many questions on the part of students and teachers alike. How does the Internet work? What are microprocessors? How is electricity transformed into the images on the computer screen? These questions are all fundamental to understanding the Information Age we live in. The Journey Inside^SM is a collection of interactive resources to answer commonly asked questions about technology.

In most schools, instruction involving technology is spread over many grade levels and integrated into several courses. Instruction concentrates primarily on how to use computers and the Internet. What often gets overlooked is how computers and the Internet actually work.

The Journey Inside^SM is designed to close the gap. The multimedia Web site provides teaching materials, information, and, most importantly, a curriculum with online lessons that explain how computers, digital devices, and the Internet work. Readings and multimedia lessons encourage students to use critical-thinking skills to explore the effect of technology on our society.

This site provides two kinds of materials you can use with your students:

• Six units that teach students using interesting facts, videos, and activities
• Supplementary instructional materials including hands-on explorations, student handouts, and group activities

Getting Started

Begin by exploring the curriculum. There are six sections of content to explore, including: Introduction to Computers, Digital Information, Circuits and Switches, Microprocessors, The Internet, and Technology and Society. Each section contains a variety of interactive elements.

There are a lot of opportunities for you to customize a unit in The Journey Inside^SM to meet the needs of your class. For instance, you might want students to:

• Do just the text/video pages and activities
• Perform group activities in addition to the online work
• Complete student handouts
• Participate in classroom discussion based on the supplementary lessons in the Instructional Strategies section

Before You Teach

In order to maximize the benefits of The Journey Inside^SM, we suggest you:

• Preview and select the unit's online text/video pages and activities using the Explore the Curriculum tab.
• Review the Instructional Strategies section for ideas for supplemental lesson plan ideas, student handouts, and group activities.
• Select the supplemental lesson plan ideas, student handouts, and group activities you want to use.
• Schedule the appropriate amount of class time for both the online and offline lessons you have selected.

The Journey Inside^SM is designed to offer you flexibility in the classroom. All the resources are available for you and your students to use at any time, from any computer connected to the Internet. There is no need to register or fill out any forms. To get started, simply browse through the curriculum and instructional strategies, and then select the sections that best meet your students' learning needs. The hands-on kits for The Journey Inside^SM are no longer available. All of the materials from the kit have been integrated into this Web site.