To surf or not to surf?

Overview and Benefits

Unit Plan Index

Instructional Strategies

To surf or not to surf?

To surf or not to surf?

At a Glance

Grade Level: Grades 8 and 9

Subjects: Technology.

Topics: Internet Technology

Time Needed: 12 X 1 hr lessons

Key Learnings: Critical evaluation of the Internet

Things You Need

PowerPoint and internet access. All research materials gathered and anything else that the learners would like to utilise in their presentation. Scanner and digital camera. Internet access.

National Curriculum Statements ›

Resources ›

Unit Summary
This unit explores the uses of the Internet and the different types of websites. It then requires students to critically evaluate and then decide for themselves whether the Internet is safe and how much it has changed their lives - positively or negatively.

Curriculum Framing Questions

	Critical Question: Has technology changed the times?
	Unit Questions: Is technology changing the times? Has the Internet improved our lives? What is the internet? How do you utilise internet technology? Is the internet a good and reliable source of information? What types of websites are there? Do they all work in the same way? Is it secure for you to surf on the internet? Has internet technology made life easier?

Instructional Procedures
Introduction: Teacher introduces the unit. Students select a dimension that they feel comfortable with.
1. Learners must research the information required and make notes. Categorise information researched and create an overview of their tasks ahead.

2. Students must now create a PowerPoint Presentation which will answer the unit question completely. This is to teach others about their topic. See the sample. A student support document for designing the presentation is available. Please consult the Rubric for this task for guidelines on layout content and any other relevant information.

3. In this third task students will create a Newsletter or Information Brochure covering one or two questions/Topics of the content questions. Students develop the newsletter/brochure to inform the rest of school / community of the project - must reflect insight gained thus far with each dimension.
Please consult the Rubric for this task for guidelines on layout content and any other relevant information.

4. In this task students will create a website covering one or two questions/Topics of the content questions. Please consult the Rubric for this task for guidelines on layout content and any other relevant information.
To complete the unit, students will showcase their Presentations, websites and brochures to their peers.
All information required by the students is contained in the teacher's website so that students may keep referring back to the required steps in the process and products required.

Prerequisite Skills
Learners should be able to surf the internet correctly. They should also be able to summarise and verify information. Learners should have a good knowledge of PowerPoint. Organisation and grouping skills required. Translating information into a language that your target audience can understand. Presentation skills also required. How to scan and use a digital camera.

Publisher and Word skills are necessary for the third task. Good writing and summary skills are also required and in particular being able to translate information into a language that a target audience can understand. For task 4 students should have FrontPage skills, the ability to summarise relevant information and some background knowledge of web page layouts would be advantages.

Differentiated Instruction

Resource Student - Extended working time, guiding templates, Support Structure, Help Desk.
Gifted Student - To develop project in greater depth
English Language Learner - Source a peer that can translate information for them. Use online translators.

Assessment
After presentation - a review - self evaluation form of assessment - so that shortcomings highlighted can inform an improved newsletter and website. Educator and self assessment of the brochure and presentation - highlight short comings - so that improvements can take place.

Credits
This unit was developed by Shane Crause of Herschel Girls Schools for the Intel Teach to the Future programme.

National Curriculum Statements
8.1.1.1 Investigates the background context, the nature of the need, the environmental situation, and the people concerned when given a problem, need or opportunity set in a nationally relevant context.
8.1.1.4 Uses appropriate technologies and methods to:

collect relevant data from different sources or resources;
extract relevant data;
make meaningful summaries;
use information to justify and support decisions and ideas.

8.1.5.2 Chooses and uses appropriate technologies to produce project portfolios, poster presentations or reports that present graphical and written information clearly in a form mostly suitable for the target audience.
8.3.2.1 Expresses and details opinions about the positive and negative impacts of products of technology on the quality of people's lives and the environment in which they live.
9.1.1.4 Uses a variety of available technologies and methods to:

locate (e.g. use library referencing system, database searches, indexes);
collect (e.g. questionnaires, data collection forms, requests for information, information, searches, literature surveys);
compare;
sort;
verify;
evaluate (e.g. cross-checking different sources or resources);
store information (e.g. filing systems, indexes).

9.1.5.2 Chooses and uses appropriate technologies to combine and organize graphics and text effectively to produce project portfolios, poster presentations, case study reports, and so on, that have a formal organized structure appropriate for the target audience.
9.3.1 Indigenous Technology and Culture.
9.3.1.1 Explores, compares and explains how different cultures in different parts of the world have effectively adapted technological solutions for optimum usefulness
9.3.2 Impact of Technology.

9.3.2.1 Recognizes and identifies the impact of technological developments on the quality of people's lives and on the environment in which they live, and suggests strategies for reducing any undesirable effects.

Resources
Scanner, data projector and digital camera;
Microsoft Office.

Internet resources:
1)   www.iol.co.za*
2)   www.google.com*
3)   www.onionnews.com*
4)   www.symantec.com*
5)   www.news24.com*
6)   www.f-secure.com*
7)   www.macromedia.com*
8)   www.microsoft.com*
9)   www.about.com*
10) www.plugincentral.com*

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