MORE TIPS

INTERNET IN THE CLASSROOM

Keeping students safe on the Internet is always a concern. There are software programs that limit web access such as Net Nanny and Cyber Patrol. Each program has some weaknesses and tend to give you a false sense of security. Web sites are increasing so rapidly that there can't be any one program to recognize everything. The only way to really protect children is to look over their shoulders frequently, and whenever possible, especially for the younger students, select sites for them and bookmark the sites. It is also important to start teaching at an early age discretion and accepting responsibility for their own actions.

These sites will help primary students to learn to use the Internet safety.

CyberNetiquette Comix

Iggey and Rasper's Internet Safety Game

Young students need systematic lessons to develop their navigational skills. Check out these sites for practicing navigational skills.

Do Spiders Live on the World Wide Web?

CyberTrail - Tips for the Trail

Emergent readers need web sites that are fast loading and that have colorful pages, easy reading, appropriate font, little scrolling, short pages, sound, and animation. To provide this ideally a computer should have at least 24 megs, Micro Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator 4.0 or higher, and special plug - ins.

The plug - ins are free downloads at the URLs listed below. Be sure to read the Read - Me file that comes with them on how to install and configure for your particular browser.

SEARCH ENGINES

We do not want the students or ourselves looking for a needle in cyberspace, which is a lot harder than looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Safe searches for children can be found at the following sites.

Yahooligans

Many primary students are usually too young to use search engines effectively. However, I have found the following search engines to be very helpful for me to find sites to use with my students.

KidsClick! Web Search

One of the things that I like about KidsClick is that the search can be done by topic or letter (example: click on z for zoo). When the choices come up you are given a limited amount of hits. For each hit you are given the reading level of the site, and also it indicates if there are many illustrations.

Ask Jeeves for Kids

Ask Jeeves for Kids: Student Page

In Ask Jeeves questions may be asked on the main page. On the Student Page there is a section for preschool and kindergarten, as well as an elementary section.

Ask Jeeves for Kids: Teacher Resources

The Teacher Resources give tips on locating lesson plans, interactive classroom projects, glossaries, quizzes, and science questions.