Classroom Activities: Internet Safety
These classroom activities are designed to complement the Internet Safety topic on BrainPOP Jr.
Site List
Together as a class, brainstorm websites that your children like to visit. What is special about each site? Why do they like it? If possible, hook up a T.V. monitor or projector to a computer with Internet access and present the website to the whole class. Discuss how kids know that the site is safe. Is it sponsored or endorsed by a trustworthy source, such as a school, a public television network, or a television show? Keep a list of safe websites to create a resource that kids can use when they browse the Internet. You may also wish to bookmark the safe sites on your class computers so that students can navigate to them quickly. If possible, photocopy the list so that students can take them home to share with their families.
E-Pen Pal
If possible, find a teacher who you trust in your school or a school in another city, state, or even country. Then create a correspondence with the class. Together you can draft e-mails and send them to the other class. You may also wish to pair up individuals between the classes so they can exchange e-mails and chat with someone they know is safe. Review online safety rules and remind students of proper etiquette when e-mailing and chatting.
Extension Activities:
E-Pen Pal
If possible, find a teacher who you trust in your school or a school in another city, state, or even country. Then create a correspondence with the class. Together you can draft e-mails and send them to the other class. You may also wish to pair up individuals between the classes so they can exchange e-mails and chat with someone they know is safe. Review online safety rules and remind students of proper etiquette when e-mailing and chatting.
Family and Homeschool Activities for Teaching About Internet Safety
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Safety Rules
Discuss safety rules for meeting strangers on the street and surfing the Internet with your child. How are the rules alike? How are they different? Together draft a list of rules and Internet safety tips that your child can follow. You may want to set aside a specific time each day or week when your child can browse the Internet under supervision. Also teach your child how to block e-mails and chats from people they do not know and trust. This will empower your child to be help be responsible for his or her own safety. You may also wish to set the homepage of your family computer to a kid-friendly site or your child’s favorite site. Remember set your family’s e-mail spam filter to the highest level of security.
E-Directory
Put together a directory of e-mail addresses and chat usernames of your child’s friends and family members. Explain that these are safe people they can correspond with via chat or e-mail. Tell your child to only correspond with those in the directory and continue to add more names.
