Title: Window onto the world or the time stealer?

Lesson plan elaborated by: Katarzyna Maciejak

Topic of the lesson:

Window onto the world or the time stealer? On the pros and cons of the Internet.

Target group:

6th‑grade students of an eight‑year elementary school.

Core curriculum

II. Language education.

2. Differentiation of language. Student:

7) adapts the way of expressing the intended purpose of the statement;

3. Language communication and language culture. Student:

3) defines the communication situation and understands its impact on the shape of the statement;

6) uses correct intonation because of the purpose of the speech;

7) understands what a language label is and applies its principles.

III. Creating statements.

1. Elements of rhetoric. Student:

1) participates in a conversation on a given topic, separates its parts, construction signals strengthening the bond between participants of the dialogue, explaining the meaning;

3) creates a logical, semantically complete and orderly statement, applying the composition and graphic layout appropriate to the given form. understands the role of paragraphs in creating the whole of a mental expression;

4) selects information;

2. Speaking and writing. Student:

6) distinguishes contemporary forms of messages (eg e‑mail, SMS) and uses them appropriately, while maintaining the language label rules.

IV. Self‑study. Student:

2) improves various forms of saving the obtained information;

3) uses information contained in various sources, gathers messages, selects information;

7) develops the ability to critically evaluate the information obtained;

9) develops skills in effective use of information technology and online resources and uses these skills to present their own interests.

The general aim of education

Educating the skills of effective use of information technology and online resources.

Key competences

• communication in the mother tongue;

• communication in foreign languages;

• learning to learn;

• social and civic competences.

Operational objectives

Student:

• lists the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet;

• justifies his opinion, chooses arguments;

• determines the rules of behavior on the Internet;

• creates its own regulations for using the Internet;

• explains how to be an informed media user;

• searches for educational websites.

Teaching methods / techniques

• giving: talk;

• practical: practical exercises;

• programmed: using a computer, using an e‑manual.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Lesson plan overview (Process)

Introduction

1. The teacher defines the purpose of the course: students will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet and consider how to use it in a conscious and reasonable way.

2. The teacher quotes the words of Stanisław Lem (Each and every new technology has the obverse of benefits and at the same time the reverse of new, hitherto unknown, poverties) and signals that the Internet, without which it is difficult to imagine life today, also has pros and cons. If necessary, the teacher explains what „obverse” and the “reverse” mean.

Realization

1. Students talk in groups about advantages and disadvantages of the Internet – they write down their conclusions in a table, then they present their findings to the whole class and write down the observations of other groups.

2. The teacher emphasizes the importance of reasonable use of Internet resources. Students do the task – they create their own decalogue of a conscious Internet user, and when they return home, their task is to consult it with their parents (ask what they think about it and if they would like to add any points).

3. Students do an interactive task to check their knowledge of basic concepts related to the Internet (login, netiquette, chat, etc.).

4. The teacher tells the students that a netiquette is a set of rules for behaving properly online and asks students to write down the five most important, according to them, principles of online behavior in 5 minutes, working in pairs. Selected couples present their proposals, other students complement and comment on them.

5. The teacher asks the students if they know any valuable websites, thanks to which they can broaden their knowledge, or if they could recommend them to their colleagues.

Summary

The teacher asks questions to sum up, e.g.

• Can the Internet be unequivocally assessed as good or bad? Why?

• Who should teach how to use the Internet and whom?

• What do you most often use the Internet for?

• What would you warn other Internet users about?

Homework

Look for educational websites on the Internet that will be useful for you at school or will expand your interests. Choose one and present it to other students, paying attention to its advantages and possible uses.

Consult the Internet user's decalogue with your parents.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Window onto the world or the time stealer?

Stanisław Lem once said: “Each and every technology has an obverse of benefits and reverse of new, so far unknown worries.” It is hard to imagine today's life without the Internet, but there are pros and cons of it.

You have probably already noticed that the Internet, just like other media, has its advantages and disadvantages, so it is very important to know how to use its resources.

Surely you use the Internet every day – now you can check if you know the main terms connected with it.

Behaviours and customs that apply within a particular social group are called etiquette. Internet users call their sets of rules “netiquette”.

Do you know any valuable websites that you can use to broaden your knowledge?