Download Student Activity Sheet(s) for printout in PDF Format
Overview
Students learn that many Web sites have enticing offers in exchange for
information and discuss how to responsibly handle such offers.
Objectives
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Recognize Web forms requesting private information |
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Recall never to submit private information to a site - even one
with a favorite character - without a parent's permission |
ISTE® National Technology Standards
Site Preview
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The use of these sites is for educational illustration
purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation or commercial
endorsement. Before using these sites, please evaluate them in light
of your school's guidelines about limiting students' exposure to consumer
products and advertising. You may want to choose alternate sites to
illustrate this lesson. |
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Neopets |
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Kids Corner |
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Webkinz (Click on new member) |
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MrSuperGames |
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KidsCom Club |
Online Resources
Materials
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Activity sheet (1) |
Introduce
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Invite students to name a favorite movie or cartoon character.
Ask: What would you do if (name
of a character) asked you to send him or her your name and phone number?
Students may be ambivalent about what to do, arguing that such characters
are their friends. |
Teach 1
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List students' favorite characters. Next to each character, write
the name of the company, product, or brand associated with it. For
example, a television cartoon character could be linked with the network
on which it is shown. |
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Explain that these characters are sometimes used to sell things
and to make people feel good about a product or brand. |
Teach 2
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Distribute the activity sheet and explain that one of their favorite
characters might ask them to join a club such as this. Make sure they
understand that they are looking at a form they might see in cyberspace. |
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Ask: What do kids who fill in and send the
form get on their birthdays? (free popcorn samples and coupons) |
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Have students look over the form, identifying the various kinds
of private information requested. (all, except age and birthday) Make
sure students know that their name, address, school name, E-mail address,
phone number, passwords, parent's place of work, and photos of themselves
are private information. |
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Discuss the appealing characteristics of the form. Ask:
What makes you want to fill out the form? Point
out that although they may like certain characters and the offers
they make, they should treat them as strangers. |
Close
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Ask: What is the purpose of forms like the one on the activity sheet? (to collect private information at a Web site) |
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Ask: What should you do
if you want to fill in such a form? (Ask a parent's permission
before giving any private information to a site.) |
Extend
The following activity can be added for students who completed this lesson
in a previous grade.
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Have pairs of students take turns role playing in front of the
class. One student, as a favorite character, tries to get the "child"
to fill in a Web form. Encourage the student playing the "child" to
come up with creative ways to resist all offers, explaining that permission
must be obtained from a parent. |
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Filling Out a Form - Ask First