2.

1 Internet Basics and Cyber Safety Lesson Plan

Prior to Class
Student Computer Setup:
1. Copy the Student Folder onto each desktop.
2. Prepare printed copies of the following for each student:
a. 2.0.1 Internet Basics and Cyber Safety Student Manual (from Student Folder)
b. 2.5 Internet Basics and Cyber Safety Session Survey
c. 2.6 Internet Basics and Cyber Safety Certificate of Completion (if pre-printing)
Instructor Computer Setup:
1. Ensure that the LCD projector and computer are working properly.
2. Complete the Student Computer Setup on the presentation computer.
3. Open the following Internet links and minimize them.
• Google.Com • Password Meter
• Yahoo.Com • Lewis and Clark Evaluation Link
• Bing.Com • Unatural History Museum Evaluation Link
• Timer

4. Open the following documents on your computer and then minimize them:
• 2.2 Internet Basics Presentation
• 2.3 Internet Scavenger Hunt – Teacher
• 2.4 Cyber Safety Presentation
From the Student Folder:
 2.0.2 Internet Scavenger Hunt - Student
 2.0.3 Web Site Evaluation Rubrics
 2.0.4 Internet and Cyber Safety Online Resources
In Class
Tell students that Internet & Cyber-Safety is a two to four-hour course designed to familiarize
students with web browser basics, search engines, and search strategies. Ethical and safety
concerns will also be considered.
Introduce Ourselves. Ask about their expectations… ie: “What do you hope to learn today?”
IIA.1 INTERNET BASICS AND CYBER SAFETY LESSON PLAN
Instruction: Display the Internet Basics Presentation on the LCD Projector screen. Instructor
students to take notes in the student handbook (dotted lines are provided in the handbook for
this purpose) when necessary. ENCOURAGE students to stop you if they have any questions.

Learning Goals

• Describe the difference between Internet and World Wide Web

• Describe web browsers and their uses
• Identify screen components of Internet Explorer
• Identify the basic parts of the World Wide Web
• Identify the components of a URL
• Conduct effective Internet searches
• Understand search results
• Evaluate web sites
• Discuss Cyber Safety (safety on the Internet)

Definitions:

Define “networks”- 2 or more computers connected by cables, telephone lines, radio waves,
satellites, or infrared light beams.

Define “internet” – a global network of networks with billions of connected computers.

Define “World Wide Web” – the system we use to access the internet.

Define “Web Browser” – the type of program we use to access the World Wide Web.

Review screen components of Internet Explorer from the top down. Students have space to
take notes.
• Title Bar:
• Minimize:
• Restore:
 • Close:
• Address Bar:
• Back & Forward Buttons:
• Tabs:
• Status Bar:

Define “Hyperlink” – a command embedded in text or an object which, when clicked, will open
another file, take you to another place in the same file or to a new location on the internet.

Define “URL” (Uniform Resource Locator) or Web Address – the global address for documents
and other resources on the internet.

Define “Search Engine” – a program that searches documents / web pages for a particular word
or set of words and returns a list of pages containing those words and/or set of words. The
three most widely used search engines are google.com.

Close the Internet Basics Presentation and maximize these search engines:
Google.com Bing.com
Yahoo.com
• Explain that each of these is a search engine. Show each on the overhead and point out the
differences.

• Perform the same search on each and compare results.

o Search for Colonial Life (explain that you are interested in life in early American Colonies
and want to research that time period.)
o Point out the different number of results per search engine.
o Point out the commercial pages of Colonial Life Insurance Company.
o Explain how to change the search terms to find what you are looking for.
o Go over Search Tips handout in the Student Manual.
Asks students to open the Internet.
Assign each student a search engine:
• Have all students search the same topic.
• Have each student click on a different result.
• Discuss the results.
• Which of the results are most likely to contain the information we want to read?
• Which are the most credible results? Why.
Maximize the 2.0.2 Internet Scavenger Hunt – Student on the LCD Projector screen. Refer
students to their copy in the Student Manual.
• Search for the first answer as a group and discuss the credibility of each result until you get
to the Texas State Library result 
• Students use the search engine of their choice to find the answers to the questions posted
on the overhead.
• Students may work in groups of 2 if they prefer.
• Allow 10 or 15 minutes for the search (or the activity could take too long!) and assist
students when requested. Maximize the Timer link on the LCD screen as a time reminder.
• Maximize the 2.3 Internet Scavenger Hunt – Teacher to check answers when time is up.
How to Evaluate a Web Page
Maximize the 2.0.3 Web Site Evaluation Rubrics document on the projector screen and refer
students to the printed form of the evaluation rubrics in their Student Manual.
Explain what a rubric is if necessary and review each criterion.
• Purpose: Why was the page created? To:

o Inform o Influence views, beliefs, elections

o Entertain o Provide up-to-the-moment news

o Advertise or Sell a product or service o Personal enjoyment

• Sponsor/Owner: On what type of Internet provider or organization does the page reside?

o Government agency o Association: Professional, Trade,

Entertainment
o Educational
o News bureau: television,
o Business/Company newspaper, radio
 o Personal (Individual)

• Organization and Content: Is the page organized and focused? Is it well designed? Is the
text well written? Are the links relevant and appropriate? Are the links evaluated?

• Bias--political or issue stance (of the author or sponsor): Some web pages have an inherent
bias that will impact everything that appears on them. Is the author or sponsor:

o left/liberal? o a political action (PAC) group or

association?
o right/conservative?
o a business
o center?
• Date of Production/Revision: When was the web page produced? When was it last revised?
How up-to-date are the links? Are the links still viable?

• Usefulness: Is the Web page relevant to your search?

• Authority/Author Who is responsible for the page? Is the author an expert in this field?
What else has he/she written or produced? Does the author provide an e-mail address?
How accurate is the provided information? Is a bias evident?

• Audience: To what type of reader is the Web page directed? Is the level appropriate for
your needs? Is the page for:

o general readers, o specialists or professionals,

o students (elementary, high school, o researchers or scholars?
college, graduate),

• Coverage: Does the page cover the topic comprehensively, partially or is it an overview?

• Illustrations: Are the graphics clear in intent, relevant and professional looking? Do the
graphics add to or enhance the content?

• Security Are security and/or encryption systems employed when necessary?

SITES TO EVALUATE

Refer students to the 2.0.3 Website Evaluation Rubrics in their Student Manual.
Maximize the Lewis and Clark Evaluation link. As a class, evaluate the website. Ask students to
rank each criterion with 5 being the best ranking. Discuss.

Maximize the Unatural History Museum Evaluation link.

Ask students to type in the website into their browser: http://www.unmuseum.org .

Then tell students to use the rubric in their Student Manual to mark their evaluations either
alone or working in pairs.

Briefly discuss their ranking of this web site.

Cyber-Safety Powerpoint Presentation

Maximize the Cyber Safety Presentation.

Go over the presentation with students. Encourage questions.

Protect Your Computer:

Protect your PC from external threats by installing antivirus software and updating and running
it on a regular basis.

• Antivirus • Anti-spyware • Firewall

Downloading: only download from trusted sites.

• Only download from TRUSTED sites. Use the criteria we used to evaluate web sites in the
information literacy section of this training session.
• Never open a file directly from its source. Save the file to your computer. Right mouse click
on the file and choose to SCAN the file for viruses before opening it.
Pause the presentation and have students open Internet Explore and type in the URL for
Google.
Search for your own name on Google and go over the results with students.
• Google yourself to see what kind of information about you is on the World Wide Web.
• Google a famous person to see what kind of information about him/her is on the World
Wide Web.
While students are searching for themselves and a famous person, restart the Cyber-Safety
presentation. Regain their attention and continue with presentation.
• Personal Information: share as little as possible online.
• Strong Passwords: 8 or more characters, multiple passwords and change them once in a
while.

TIPS ON CREATING A STRONG PASSWORD

• 7-12 characters in length
• Lower case, upper case, numbers & special characters
• Avoid words which can be found in a dictionary.
• Avoid names and birthdays of loved ones or other easy to guess personal information.
• If you must write it down, keep it in a safe and secure place.
• DO NOT tell anyone your password!
• Use more than one password.
• Create a phrase and use parts of it along with numbers and/or special characters.
EX: Passwords Are Hard For Me To Remember 78 could be: pahfmtr78
Once Upon A Time could be: ouat_5356

Maximize the Password Meter link. Show students how to use the site.

Ask students to type in the site in their browsers: www.passwordmeter.com.

Then they should test their current passwords and come up with some that are more secure..

Additional Online Resources and Information in Student Manual

Show the student the 2.0.4 Internet Basics and Cyber Safety Online Resources document on
the screen. Have them find the document in the student folder on their desktop and open it.
Ensure they can use the Ctrl/Mouse Click to open the links.

Then, depending on the student skill levels and time constraints, you can choose to cover any
additional material in the student manual or on the resource list.

ASSIST STUDENTS WITH COPYING THEIR STUDENT FOLDER FILES TO THEIR OWN USB DRIVE
OR THEIR OWN ONLINE DRIVE.

2.5 Internet Basics and Cyber Safety Session Survey

Ask students to complete the printed hand out 2.5 Internet Basics and Cyber Safety Session
Survey and collect these before students leave.

2.6 Certificate of Completion. Depending on your printing situation, do one of the following:

• Call students up one at a time to print their Certificate of Completion from your
computer. You can ask them to type in their own names. Sign their certificates.

• If no printer is available in the lab, have pre-printed certificates available and write or
pre-type student names. Sign certificates before the class so they are ready to
distribute.

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