Middle Link

Internet Safety

Cyber Citizenship Unit

NOTE: This lesson should be completed as early in the school year as possible.

Introduction and Essential Information

An important first step in making students both safe and responsible online is to help them understand the parallels and differences between the cyber world and the real world. It is the purpose of this lesson to help them see those parallels and differences and to recognize that they have rights and responsibilities in the cyber world, just as they do in the real world.

At an early age, most kids are taught not to accept rides from strangers, to stay in their own neighborhood (or even within sight of the house), to be wary of people and places outside their normal daily life. In our “real” community, teens aren’t allowed to shop in liquor stores, visit porn shops, etc. Both parental cautions and municipal laws prohibit kids from being in certain “scary” places. But online they can find themselves (willingly or not) in the equivalent of an X-rated movie theater, porn shop, or liquor store.

Likewise, most children are taught some degree of manners—don’t eat with your fingers, send your grandma a thank-you note, don’t bully your little sister or the kid next door. Online they are creating their own rules for manners (or operating without), because the sad truth is that many kids are more experienced at online “social” situations than their parents (and teachers) and haven’t been taught “netiquette.”

Today’s students are often able to use technology more fluently than us older folks, but they haven’t necessarily learned how to use it safely and responsibly. They don’t always realize that there are real, live human beings on the other side of the machine and will say and do things online that they would never do in person.

An excellent background resource for the teacher of this unit is “Choosing Not To Go Down the Not-so-good Cyberstreets,” a background paper for the National Academy of Sciences by Nancy Willard.

Have questions? Need more information? Wendy Leseman Hanshew Middle School Librarian leseman_wendy@asdk12.org 907-267-0207