In the previous three posts, I shared the three digital citizenship workshops we presented our students in grades seven through twelve last week.  We decided it made more sense to separate our the sixth graders, many of whom are still ten, and presented them their own modified version, designed by Middle School Head Heather Faircloth, Librarian and Director of Information Literacy Laura Lee Calverley, and School Counselor Kim Peace-Steimer.

DAY 1: What is Digital Citizenship?

1)  On Board – What do we use technology for? How does it help? How does this hurt? (5 minutes)

2)  What is “Digital Citizenship?” (8 minutes): Digital citizenship can be defined as the norms of behavior with regard to technology use.

* Brainstorm words that could be associated with Digital Citizenship

*  Have students help come up with a definition. Break into groups and work on for 3 minutes.

3)   REP = Reputation

The concept of REPs is a way to explain as well as teach the themes of digital citizenship.  Each area encompasses three topics which should be taught beginning at the kindergarten level.  When teaching these ideas the top theme from each group would be taught as one REP.  For example the first REP would be: Etiquette, Communication and Rights/Responsibilities.  This would continue through REPs two and three.  By doing this all students will have covered the topics and everyone would understand the basic ideas of digital citizenship.

Respect Your Self/Respect Others

  • Etiquette
  • Access
  • -Law

Educate Your Self/Connect with Others

  • Communication
  •  Literacy
  •  Commerce

Protect Your Self/Protect Others

  • Rights and Responsibility
  • Safety (Security)
  • Health and Welfare

 

2)  Digital Distraction

While attempting to write an email about your weekend events, students will also take a spelling test:

 deliver Can you deliver out to 24th and Vine Street?

favorite My favorite pizza is pepperoni.

camera I lost my camera at the zoo.

yesterday I ran five miles yesterday.

tomorrow There is going to be a basketball game tomorrow night.

important The blue folders had to be marked as important and filed away.

victory The basketball team gained a victory last Friday.

remember I can’t remember where I left my car keys.

library The library is right next to our classroom.

enemy I want a friend, not an enemy.

spawn Spawn is a time when fish are reproducing.

renew I have to renew my library book

Just a spelling test – no other distractions:

animal My favorite animal is a horse.

another There is another type of ice cream in the freezer.

however However, you can find more information in the index of this book.

banana The banana had gone bad.

alphabet The English alphabet has 26 letters.

hospital There is a hospital right by my house.

hamburger I always eat fries with my hamburger.

carpenter My carpenter is really good at building things out of wood.

several There are several things to get done today.

cycles The water cycles through the filteration system and comes back out. Challenge.

metric Europe uses the metric system.

scavenger I like going on scavenger hunts.

5)    Wrap up:

 What happened between the 2 tests? Did you do better on one spelling test than the other? Why? Did anyone actually finish the email?

How does this relate to REP? 

Day 2: Internet Safety

Review from previous day.

  • What is REP?
  • What did you learn from the exercise yesterday with the spelling test?
  • What is Digital Citizenship?

1)  Appropriate Use: What does this entail? (10 minutes)

  • 5 minute discussion on what you heard from video.
    • What is digital etiquette
    • What is flaming?
    • What rules did you hear in this video?

 

2)   Safety on the Internet (15 minutes)

 

  • What are the 5 rules to help you stay safe on the internet? (Keep your ID a secret, Be extra careful with strangers, Tell Someone, Protect your Passwords, Be Nice)

 

3)   Social Network Sites (10 minutes)

  • What are the rules for sites like this? (Facebook for example) – Give each group a list of the rules from Facebook.
  • What to post and what NOT to post?

http://www.netsmartz.org/TeensTalkBack/OfflineConsequences

http://www.netsmartz.org/NSTeens/ProfilePenalty

http://www.netsmartz.org/RealLifeStories/YourPhotoFate

 

4)     Wrap Up Discussion

Day 3: Respect and Cyber Bullying

1)     Recap: Touch on the picture video watched the previous day. What are your thoughts about this video?

2)     What is cyberbullying? What to do? Why it’s a bad idea?

¨  On Board

Cyberbullying refers to bullying through information and communication technologies,

mediums such as mobile phone text messages, emails, phone calls, internet chat rooms,

instant messaging – and the latest trend – social networking websites such as MySpace,

Facebook and Bebo.

http://www.nsteens.org/Videos/Cyberbullying

http://www.nsteens.org/Videos/Cyberbullying-YouCantTakeItBack

3)     Problem Solving in Groups:

Divide sixth graders into 3 groups and give each group a scenario. Have them discuss what is happening, the “so what” aspect (why is this bad, dangerous, or harmful) of this event, and the “now what” (what should the person do?)

 

 

                

4) Current application (if time)

  • What are the rules for social networking sites like this? (Facebook for example) – Give each group a list of the rules from Facebook and from our handbook….
  • What are the rules here at St. Gregory?
  • What should you do?