Passport to the Internet - Description

Passport to the Internet, an interactive tutorial for Grades 4 to 8, aims to teach students essential Internet literacy skills through simulating environments that young people are likely to encounter online. The tutorial includes five modules, each designed to teach a cluster of Internet literacy skills, such as managing online safety and privacy, researching and authenticating online information, managing online relationships and dealing with cyberbullying.

Passport to the Internet, a Web-based resource in Flash, addresses a wide variety of curricular needs, including Information Technology, Language Arts and Social Studies.

Passport to the Internet modules:

• MyFace
  A social networking site that challenges students to create an engaging profile while protecting their privacy.
• Co-Co’s Choco Match
  A simulated advergame that teaches the “tricks of the trade” that online advertisers use to reach young consumers.
• Study Space
  A research assignment that teaches authentication skills through a mock search engine and by having students judge the reliability of three different Web sites.
• Web Café
  A general introduction to safe and wise Web surfing that shows students how to judge what is behind a link, e-mail, banner ad or search result before clicking on it.
• Instant Pigeon
  An instant messaging program in which students engage in four conversations, allowing them to make ethical choices about how to reply to their online “buddies” and how to deal with issues such as uploading photos and videos, stranger contact and cyberbullying.

The accompanying Teacher’s Guide features an overview of Passport to the Internet, detailed instructions for using the tutorial in class, background information on the major issues covered in the tutorial, activities and handouts for classroom use, and a list of related MediaSmarts resources.