Link to Student Page

Footprints in the Sand:

A Primer for Surfing the Net

Introduction

This lesson was designed by teachers at Valencia Park Center for Academics, Drama and Dance as part of the San Diego Unified School District's Triton Project, a federally funded Technology Innovation Challenge Grant. Teachers and students in the Triton Project need these skills to explore the Internet. It is suggested that you use a version of Netscape to be consistent with the terms and language presented in these activities.

This is a one day lesson to assist the students in learning or reviewing the basics of using the "net". These skills will be needed when completing the Triton projects. This lesson will enable students to feel comfortable "surfing the net".

During this lesson the students will learn:

• how to use and/or add a bookmark
• what to expect when you begin exploring on the web
• what colored, underlined printing means on a page
• how to use the special buttons at the top of the computer screen
• how to get back and forth in your netscape exploration
• how to do a search on your topic
• how to gather information by exploring hot links

Content Areas and Grades

These lessons are designed for students of any age who are able to read and follow directions.This lesson is designed around the theme of oceanography, however, it could be redesigned to focus on any content area.The students can work individually or in pairs remembering that the importance of this lesson is to allow students to actually participate in the process rather than observe someone else.

This lesson is also beneficial for the teacher who has limited internet experience or needs a refresher course.

Curriculum Standards

This lesson meets the San Diego City Schools Content and Performance Standards which were drawn from the National New Standards Project. It encourages critical thinking and problem solving.

Reading Standards

• The student constructs and clarifies meaning in all content areas.
• The student makes extensions and applications of a text.
• The student reads technical information.
• The student reads, gathers, and interprets information.

Technology Standards - Science

• The student produces evidence that demonstrates an understanding of the impact of technology when researching the ocean.
• The student uses evidence from developmentally appropriate sources such as experts in the field, books, Internet and other research sources.

Implementation Overview

"Footprints in the Sand: A Primer for Surfing the Net" is designed as a one day lesson. The class should be rotated through the lesson individually or in pairs until the whole class has had a chance to participate. It should take about a week for the whole class to complete the lesson. This lesson could also be done task by task. The student will keep the worksheet and record the answer to each task as it is completed.

The teacher will make copies of the following worksheet. This worksheet will be used during the lesson and will serve as an assessment.

The Process

The students will be given a task which will take them to an interesting oceanography page or graphic. When the task is completed the student returns to the main lesson page for the next task. Each task will take the student to another activity relating to oceanography. This is like an oceanography treasure hunt. Not only will the student learn how to navigate the net, they will learn a little oceanography.

The Tasks

• Task #1: Scrolling
• Task #2: Bookmarks
• Task #3: Hot Links
• Task #4: Traffic Jams -- Information to let you know the computer is searching
• Task #5: Viewing a Movie
• Task #6: Help, I'm Stuck!
• Task #7: Searching for Information

  [NOTE TO TEACHER: To do this activity, you need one of the following: (a) print out Task 7 instructions on a separate page for your students, or (b) give each team two computers--one on this Lesson Page and one on Yahooligans; or (c) open a "New Window" for Yahooligans and use the windowshade feature to jump back and forth between this Lesson Page and Yahooligans.]

Link to student page

Resources Needed

All that is needed for this activity is a computer with access to the internet and a teacher printed answer sheet. It is also possible to have students make their own answer sheet by numbering a sheet from 1-7 and answering directly on that. You may find it useful to print out the helpful page used in Task 7-- "Detective Searching Method and Shortcut Searching Method".

Entry Level Skills and Knowledge

In order for the students to use this unit they need to have basic computer knowledge: the keyboard and the mouse. They must be able to read and follow directions.

Evaluation

The student will be responsible for completion of the worksheet as they proceed from task to task.

Possible Variations

Similar lessons could be developed to include other tools, resources, and techniques needed to become an expert at "surfing the net". Terms for other inserted browsers could replace the Netscape terms presently included in this exercise.

Conclusion

This exciting lesson gives the students the opportunity to learn some of the basics of exploring the "net"while learning about oceanography. These are skills needed when participating in all the Triton units. This is a primer for people of all ages to use when beginning to use the internet.

Last updated on February 26, 2001. Click me to go back to the top.