The issue of internet safety for our students is near and dear to me as a school librarian. Students often seek out the school library because of the availability of school computers to conduct research and complete homework assignments. More teachers are providing their work emails to the students so that the students can email their assignments to their teachers. At my school district, ALL students have district issued gmail accounts. If a school district is going to issue email addresses to students starting at the Kindergarten level, then the district needs to make the commitment to implement an internet safety curriculum with internet safety being addressed at each grade level and reinforced throughout the year.
Who is responsible for internet safety instruction? For the most part this task falls upon the classroom teacher. If the school is lucky enough to have a certified school library media specialist, then the SLMS can work collaboratively with the classroom teachers and teach internet safety as part of library instruction. In fact, the American Association of School Librarians Standards for the 21st Century Learner has a standard addressing internet safety:
4.3.4 Practice safe and ethical behaviors in personal electronic communication and interaction.
I have already addressed internet safety in a previous assignment. I created a 10 video internet safety library for grades K-6. Below are 4 general guidelines for elementary students to follow and for teachers to focus their internet safety lesson plans. These 4 rules are just the tip of the iceberg for internet safety. Teachers can expand their lessons to include real life scenarios and examples of internet safety.
1. Protect Personal Information
Never share usernames, passwords, home address, location, phone numbers, credit card numbers, or anything personal about you to strangers. This rule also includes not sharing your private information with your friends.
2. Be Wary of Cyber Tricks
An email or pop-up offering a free prize to you is just PHISHING for your personal information. Do not provide your personal information to claim a free prize. Any email that asks you to forward the email to your friends is trying to spread a virus.
3. Be Skeptical of Meeting People Online
It is inappropriate for a stranger to make contact with you online and ask for your personal information. Never arrange to meet someone in person. The stranger may not be telling you the truth about who he or she really is.
4. Report Inappropriate Behavior to an Adult
If you feel that someone was inappropriate to you online, report to a trusted adult immediately. This person can also be someone you know who is not using kind words towards to you. If you feel like you are the victim of cyberbullying, tell an adult immediately.
More Resources
In addition to the 10 video internet safety library, I found some more wonderful resources on internet safety that were the inspiration for the above chart.
WebWiseKids.org - Lesson Packet appropriate for Grades K-3 on Internet Safety Tips
Google Digital Literacy Tour - This collaboration between Google and YouTube provides videos and instructional materials for teachers to use.
iKeepSafe.org - This Web site provides resources for teachers to use for internet safety instruction, including access to the Google Digital Literacy Tour. The C3 Matrix of Digital Citizenship is an informative document that melds the AASL, ISTE, NETS, and AECT standards into one matrix for easy reference.
FBI Kids Internet Safety Tips - Another resource for creating an internet safety guide for your students.
References
FBI safety tips. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/fun-games/kids/kids-safety
Google digital literacy tour. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.google.com/educators/digitalliteracy.html
ikeepsafe.org. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.ikeepsafe.org/educators/
Webwisekids.org. (2000). Retrieved from
http://www.webwisekids.org/pdf/InternetSafetyActivityPacket_K-3.pdf
Who is responsible for internet safety instruction? For the most part this task falls upon the classroom teacher. If the school is lucky enough to have a certified school library media specialist, then the SLMS can work collaboratively with the classroom teachers and teach internet safety as part of library instruction. In fact, the American Association of School Librarians Standards for the 21st Century Learner has a standard addressing internet safety:
4.3.4 Practice safe and ethical behaviors in personal electronic communication and interaction.
I have already addressed internet safety in a previous assignment. I created a 10 video internet safety library for grades K-6. Below are 4 general guidelines for elementary students to follow and for teachers to focus their internet safety lesson plans. These 4 rules are just the tip of the iceberg for internet safety. Teachers can expand their lessons to include real life scenarios and examples of internet safety.
1. Protect Personal Information
Never share usernames, passwords, home address, location, phone numbers, credit card numbers, or anything personal about you to strangers. This rule also includes not sharing your private information with your friends.
2. Be Wary of Cyber Tricks
An email or pop-up offering a free prize to you is just PHISHING for your personal information. Do not provide your personal information to claim a free prize. Any email that asks you to forward the email to your friends is trying to spread a virus.
3. Be Skeptical of Meeting People Online
It is inappropriate for a stranger to make contact with you online and ask for your personal information. Never arrange to meet someone in person. The stranger may not be telling you the truth about who he or she really is.
4. Report Inappropriate Behavior to an Adult
If you feel that someone was inappropriate to you online, report to a trusted adult immediately. This person can also be someone you know who is not using kind words towards to you. If you feel like you are the victim of cyberbullying, tell an adult immediately.
More Resources
In addition to the 10 video internet safety library, I found some more wonderful resources on internet safety that were the inspiration for the above chart.
WebWiseKids.org - Lesson Packet appropriate for Grades K-3 on Internet Safety Tips
Google Digital Literacy Tour - This collaboration between Google and YouTube provides videos and instructional materials for teachers to use.
iKeepSafe.org - This Web site provides resources for teachers to use for internet safety instruction, including access to the Google Digital Literacy Tour. The C3 Matrix of Digital Citizenship is an informative document that melds the AASL, ISTE, NETS, and AECT standards into one matrix for easy reference.
FBI Kids Internet Safety Tips - Another resource for creating an internet safety guide for your students.
References
FBI safety tips. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/fun-games/kids/kids-safety
Google digital literacy tour. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.google.com/educators/digitalliteracy.html
ikeepsafe.org. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.ikeepsafe.org/educators/
Webwisekids.org. (2000). Retrieved from
http://www.webwisekids.org/pdf/InternetSafetyActivityPacket_K-3.pdf